The Great News: SchoolNet won the WCED tender to supply all schools with one tablet per school! The Scary News: to be delivered within a week!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>submitted by janet Thomson CEO of SchoolNet</i><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SchoolNet SA was delighted to be awarded the WCED tender to supply every government school in the Western Cape with one tablet computer and to conduct training for WCED department officials. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drawback however was that the deliveries had to be concluded within one week! Finding 1 527 schools on a map was going to be difficult enough let alone tracking down the principals in order for them to sign to verify delivery.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTqYf1N58xqZlCzUaCJ1BgXHKguU_MRSTG5pPCp9pziPyLLsOyTSV7ep17W6m_1jcxTN20X9SrwXz9o95i8y9nb6Djzy5rgDiCT29oH134XGzk52243Z7lBWaUWIcz_qNHDuKjE6CV68/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="clip_image002" border="0" height="184" hspace="12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG4SqHmUnP9XRcOnYuIXA3mC-Jv4umM3haXTliZgL0zOe6xxiVgNvU7yB4CKYv41dFLIgCGDl7_PuQMCVfNSBd38Z0zFwAYxsAYDXeeGugLktFLOb5J-MKAqy984CaiJQ9bK1biybQjM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image002" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Grant handing over a tablet</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nirvanen Moodle, the Managing Director of Softstart which is SchoolNet’s hardware partner, described the process as being “just like delivering credit cards”. Not surprisingly the process has had some hiccups, but the majority of devices were delivered within the deadline. The MEC for Education in the Western Cape, Donald Grant, was even able to make three of the deliveries himself. Here Donald Grant is seen handing over an Android tablet to Mrs Booi, Principal of Phandulwazi High School in Phillipi. Looking on is the District Manager for Phillipi, Ms Thandeka Jafta and Janet Thomson CEO of SchoolNet SA. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyIpNuxLv7e3xtWe6YVbOixGBKk13E2odQoWzgWRgbtaf1pLFO6J1Jb0Z3acIwj_KtH5EhzxekKVkIcti5nCSxuHeFAMQHXYmcy2riHbnmm_exrAi_yizVlo_E0zBBD176yYzuHdhkEM/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="clip_image004" border="0" height="152" hspace="12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-Yd5McKc6mowUBMhLMeem-v3nxYZZCfUDdQpd8MlvVXoPID7Zo2gKfM8Rl4cIbI9nQhDck-CXePKmPkQyNOAHNiiXbXaYz0_mAbJvcLzQLx79TrCfkKVrtZTodVaXlexY4f-jQI4dS8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image004" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Training of  WCED officials at Kuilsrivier</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SchoolNet SA’s core business is teacher training with a focus on improving learning through the effective use of technology in the classroom. It was logical therefore for SchoolNet to offer a higher level of training for schools than that specified in the terms of the tender. SchoolNet is currently developing a professional development course for teachers using tablet devices in the classroom. Fuel Online is partnering with SchoolNet on the digital design of the course which will use a blended model of delivery and have flexible choices of study from twelve modules about the effective use of tablets in education. The first training in this course for the Western Cape schools will commence in January 2013. Basic Training on the Tablet for WCED department officials has already taken place in Kuilsriver as can be seen in this photo. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SchoolNet is anticipating that there will be a great demand for this courseware as more teachers, schools and provinces recognise the value of using tablets, not only for improving communication between schools, districts and provincial officials but also for enhancing learning in the classroom. </span><br /></div>

news The Great News: SchoolNet won the WCED tender to supply all schools with one tablet per school! The Scary News: to be delivered within a week!

submitted by janet Thomson CEO of SchoolNet SchoolNet SA was delighted to be awarded the WCED tender to supply every government school in th...

Read more »