Use of technology in South African classrooms celebrated at prestigious Excellence In Education Awards 2019

iStore South Africa and Think Ahead last night presented the annual Excellence in Education Awards 2019, which celebrate South African schools using Apple technology to transform teaching and learning.

Teachers and students from schools around the country were challenged to make learning come alive with their iPads while a panel of local and international judges made the selection. More than 600 entries from over 50 schools across township, rural and private schools were received.

Michelle Lissoos, Managing Director at Think Ahead who presented the awards, explained, ”With the global emphasis on technology and the ability to create and code as a key skills to prepare our youth to thrive in today’s world, the annual Excellence In Education awards celebrate and reward educators and students who embrace the challenge by applying technology to teaching and learning, in the most creative way possible. Every year we are amazed at the high standard of entries, and this year was no different.”

One of the judges, Michael Hernandez, Apple Distinguished Educator, author and consultant based in Los Angeles, commented, “I was bowled over by the depth of knowledge and creativity that I saw in the entries – especially the animation, the characters and the story telling.

Chris Dodd, CEO of iStore concluded, “iStore is about delivering the true authentic Apple experience, and a key area of this is about the limitless potential it offers to teaching and learning with Apple technology. Over the years, as sponsor of the awards, we are immensely impressed by what schools in South Africa have achieved through the integration of Apple technology into their daily lives.”

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

iTeacher LSEN: This calls for teachers to demonstrate how they have consistently integrated Apple technology within their special needs and remedial classrooms. This is not a single curriculum-based project.
Grade 0 – 3:
Teacher: Caitlin Peché, Rallim Preparatory
Entry: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1k-DmP83ofhNcCVemUBjz1yugVktgrbCr

Grade 8 – 9:
Teacher: Philippa Fabbri, Elsen Academy
Entry: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1k-DmP83ofhNcCVemUBjz1yugVktgrbCr

iTeacher Grade 0 – 3:
Teacher: Lindsey Watson, Herbert Hurd Primary School
Entry: https://youtu.be/PGH8zTSt9k4

Curriculum Challenge: This category gives you and your students the freedom to apply creativity across any area of the curriculum, subjects and cross-curricular projects achieving various learning objectives.
Grade 0 – 3
Teacher: Lora Laithwaite, The Wykeham Collegiate
Project Title: Literature Study
Student: Cassandra Randall
Entry: https://youtu.be/4t5jkUbO3G8

Grade 4 – 7:
Teacher: Adam Fairall, Reddam House
Project Title: Atlantic Seaboard Feeding the homeless
Student: Jagger Cooper-Doubell
Entry: https://youtu.be/DSHVZCxBuNs

Grade 8 – 9:
Teacher: Danielle Wepener, Kingsmead College
Project Title: Kingfisher
Students: Akinyi Lester, Caitlin McBean, Fatima Mohomed & Radiyyah Dadabhai
Entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGQ1lT7CWpQ&list=PLpuXxxsBtuPogKmWmkmnruO8Qedxspq8i

Grade 10 – 12:
Teacher: Carike Cass, Parklands College
Project Title: Stream
Students: Christine Greig, Jana Grobbelaar, Juhi Sewchurran
Entry: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10EiY6XvWnMO9qcQFRG-ZlGjisyjalsRJ/view?usp=sharing

#MySA iPhotography: What defines your South Africa? What defines you as a South African? This category gives your students the freedom to use photography to depict what #MySA means to you.

Grade 0 – 3:
Teacher: Morag Williamson, St Katharine’s
Student: Chella Lewis
Entry: https://www.edexcellenceawards.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1568802357-16A0A38D-EEE4-4D89-8B33-8528C470721E.jpg
38D-EEE4-4D89-8B33-8528C470721E.jpeg

Grade 4 – 7:
Teacher: Andre van Rensburg, Klipfontein Primary School
Student: Riana de Langa
Entry: https://www.edexcellenceawards.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1567531999-Sylvi.jpg

Grade 8 – 12:
Teacher: Rebecca Shepherd, Germiston High School Student: Kamohelo Mahlatsi
Entry: https://www.edexcellenceawards.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1568738984-wonke.jpg

Coding Challenge: This category challenges your students to be creative and innovative in their design of apps and websites – using code to solve real world challenges.
Gr 4 – 7:
Teacher: Kirsty Sidwell, St Stithians boys prep
Project Title: Pet Finder
Students: Abulele Tanga, Sahil Maharaj
Entry: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XablKb6tka2_hyP2ombmjN-R2dk8tHrW

Gr 8 – 12:
Teacher: Marcel Erasmus, Parklands College
Project Title: STEM motion box
Student: Keagan Strydom
Entry: https://youtu.be/H1u8n5pD6N0

Artistic Excellence: In this challenge, your students will have the opportunity to express themselves through the Arts. You may submit any project that focuses on artistic expression forms including drama, music, visual art, etc.
Gr 4 – 7:
Teacher: Caron Andrews, HeronBridge College
Project title: Pop Art
Student: Samantha Goodwin
Entry: https://youtu.be/vi4ggVWO2oo

Gr 8 – 12:
Teacher: Sylvia Stander, Parklands College
Project Title: Molested Mind
Student: Bianca Botha
Entry: https://youtu.be/ebAeVe4Uow4

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