The ZAedu Community
#ZAedu is a community for passionate South African educators founded by Leigh Morris and Lindsay Wesner in August 2017. It was born out of a call to action from Lindsay Wesner’s keynote ‘Once Upon our Time’ - which encouraged teachers to share their stories and make meaningful connections to collaborate, with a vision to build a more positive narrative around education in South Africa.
#ZAedu is a community for passionate South African educators founded by Leigh Morris and Lindsay Wesner in August 2017. It was born out of a call to action from Lindsay Wesner’s keynote ‘Once Upon our Time’ - which encouraged teachers to share their stories and make meaningful connections to collaborate, with a vision to build a more positive narrative around education in South Africa.
It began as a hashtag, which evolved into a Facebook group and a monthly Twitter chat to encourage and facilitate this sharing. But very soon #ZAedu was more than just a hashtag; it became a real community of innovative South African educators fighting to defeat the many obstacles to enemies of innovation in our unique South African context.
It began as a hashtag, which evolved into a Facebook group and a monthly Twitter chat to encourage and facilitate this sharing. But very soon #ZAedu was more than just a hashtag; it became a real community of innovative South African educators fighting to defeat the many obstacles to enemies of innovation in our unique South African context.
Over the past four years the #ZAedu Community has endeavoured to share best practice (not just best technology practice) with as many South African educators as possible, engaging on social media, as well as establishing a face to face connection with members of our ‘Tribe’ connecting regularly for conferences, seminars and social meetings .
Over the past four years the #ZAedu Community has endeavoured to share best practice (not just best technology practice) with as many South African educators as possible, engaging on social media, as well as establishing a face to face connection with members of our ‘Tribe’ connecting regularly for conferences, seminars and social meetings .
Our COVID-19 Response to school closures
Our COVID-19 Response to school closures
Since the President's announcement on Sunday 15 March, this community has banded together to strategize how to best facilitate remote learning in the South African context necessitated by the COVID-19 school closures. The following actions have been taken to date:
Since the President's announcement on Sunday 15 March, this community has banded together to strategize how to best facilitate remote learning in the South African context necessitated by the COVID-19 school closures. The following actions have been taken to date:
EdTech Leaders Whatsapp Group
EdTech Leaders Whatsapp Group
The initiation of an ever-growing Whatsapp group (started by Anthony Egbers of Dainfern College) to support EdTech Leaders in Schools as they guide teachers and learners into remote learning in these trying times
The initiation of an ever-growing Whatsapp group (started by Anthony Egbers of Dainfern College) to support EdTech Leaders in Schools as they guide teachers and learners into remote learning in these trying times
Revamped Twitter Chat
Revamped Twitter Chat
We have shifted our monthly #ZAedu Twitter chat forward 2 weeks, changed the topic to empower teachers with strategies for remote learning and have invited suggestions from the community on questions which urgently need addressing.
We have shifted our monthly #ZAedu Twitter chat forward 2 weeks, changed the topic to empower teachers with strategies for remote learning and have invited suggestions from the community on questions which urgently need addressing.
Live Stream of Training
Live Stream of Training
We have arranged a live stream of a training session empowering teachers to use G Suite for Education in conjunction with other free apps and tools, to design truly progressive and valuable remote learning for students.
We have arranged a live stream of a training session empowering teachers to use G Suite for Education in conjunction with other free apps and tools, to design truly progressive and valuable remote learning for students.
The recording of this live stream can be viewed here.
The recording of this live stream can be viewed here.
EdTech Coaches Database
EdTech Coaches Database
The establishment of a database of local EdTech Coaches who are willing to assist schools who don't have that expertise in-house, free of charge. EdTech Coaches can sign up to offer their services HERE and below is the database of our incredible community-members offering support.
The establishment of a database of local EdTech Coaches who are willing to assist schools who don't have that expertise in-house, free of charge. EdTech Coaches can sign up to offer their services HERE and below is the database of our incredible community-members offering support.
Calling South African businesses to Action
Calling South African businesses to Action
The #ZAedu community is looking to move forward with our mission to get quality remote learning access to every child in South Africa. We have an army of teachers ready to fight for this and we are already mobilising all our resources but we need some weapons which are beyond our reach. We are reaching out to industry and media and request that anyone able to assist with spreading our message or reaching our resource goals outlined below, mail lindsay@teachlearninnovate.com
The #ZAedu community is looking to move forward with our mission to get quality remote learning access to every child in South Africa. We have an army of teachers ready to fight for this and we are already mobilising all our resources but we need some weapons which are beyond our reach. We are reaching out to industry and media and request that anyone able to assist with spreading our message or reaching our resource goals outlined below, mail lindsay@teachlearninnovate.com
- The community has started petitioning cell phone and Fibre internet providers to assist where learners have devices for remote learning but restricted connectivity or data. And has requested the zero-rating of certain educational tools commonly used by the #ZAedu community to enhance learning.
- We have begun to strategize how we might get donations of devices into the hands of learners who will be stuck at home, unable to connect to their teachers and peers.
- We are discussing how TV networks /channels might screen lessons during school closures to engage students and have begun developing a database of innovative teachers who'd be willing to present those lessons.
Shared Resource Folder
Shared Resource Folder
Nicole dos Santos of Penryn Preparatory has initiated a shared resource folder for teachers to share grade-specific resources suitable for remote learning, mapped to the South African curriculum.
Nicole dos Santos of Penryn Preparatory has initiated a shared resource folder for teachers to share grade-specific resources suitable for remote learning, mapped to the South African curriculum.
You can access that folder below and contribute resources.
You can access that folder below and contribute resources.
A Collection of Ideas for Remote Learning for those with Limited / No Access to Devices &/ Connectivity
A Collection of Ideas for Remote Learning for those with Limited / No Access to Devices &/ Connectivity
Celri Olley of Mitchell House has initiated a shared resource sheet for teachers, parents and learning specialists to share resources to assist with remote learning where access to technology is limited.
Celri Olley of Mitchell House has initiated a shared resource sheet for teachers, parents and learning specialists to share resources to assist with remote learning where access to technology is limited.
You can access that sheet HERE.
You can access that sheet HERE.
