Gert Sibande CollegeFurther Education and Training CollegeMpumalangaSouth Africawww.gscollege.co.za

7th Sakai ConferenceAmsterdam, The NetherlandsJune 2007

Lifelong LearningBridging the Digital Divide in South Africa

Shereen DindarSenior Education SpecialistDistance Education DepartmentGert Sibande FET College – South Africawww.gscollege.co.za

Overview

Current Challenges Facing South Africa

Key Issues

The Lifelong Learner Accessible Education The Skill Shortage Crises South Africa – The Digital Divide Corporate Social Investment South Africa – Teaching Methodologies South African Government – Open

Source Collaboration and ‘Glocalisation’

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The Lifelong Learner

The importance and nature of a lifelong learner

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Accessible Education

Education needs to be accessible in all sectors to the lifelong learner

The Skills Shortage Crises

Addressing the skills shortage crises

South Africa – The Digital Divide

How does South Africa deal with and cope with the digital divide?

Corporate Social Investment

Corporate Social Investment, a mere philanthropic gesture?

South Africa – Teaching Methodologies

Questioning the current teaching methodology and philosophy of the South African Education Culture

South African Government – Open Source Growing the Sakai Community for

those new to Sakai, considering South African Government’s stance towards the use of open source

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Collaboration and ‘Glocalisation’

Envisioning the future for South African Education through collaboration and investing by becoming part of the ‘glocal’ community

Blog of a lifelong learner

“A passion for lifelong learning, inspires one to continue educating others, in a quest to instill compassion -through knowledge and wisdom”

-Shereen Dindar-

Concluding Statements

Vibrant global online communities can become a reality in South Africa with relevant curriculums

Embrace the Laws of Education and ‘change’

Implications

Building relationships through partnerships and collaboration, calls for pro-active, educationalists as global leaders

Gert Sibande College - Mission To educate, train, skill and guide learner

clients meeting their needs for the benefit of themselves, our local community and our nation

www.gscollege.co.za

Thank You Shereen Dindar