The Best of Both Worlds - A St Stithians Education
One reason our ethos of ‘One and All’ springs to life is that we believe our unique co-ordinate model and our beautiful ‘green lung’ 105-hectare campus in Johannesburg give us a unique opportunity to integrate both outdoor education and the latest educational technologies. Our College-wide approach to incorporating technology into teaching and learning is that, most importantly, it must align with what teachers know to be the best research-based educational practices. The use of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and gamification in the classroom provides experiential and more concrete experiences of concepts for students. This builds their schema and frees up cognitive functioning to focus on understanding new knowledge which can, in some cases, be applied outdoors.
Specifically in the Girls’ College, our focus is on providing our students with the advantage of an education that is tailor made to suit the needs of young women in a dynamic and complex 21st century. Our approach to teaching and learning challenges our students to seek alternate solutions to problems, explore topics independently, to think critically and creatively and importantly, to instil a passion for discovery and lifelong learning.
Our Geography teacher, Mrs Anne Chawanda, has truly transformed the teaching of Geography with her innovative use of cutting-edge technologies like VR and AR. These tools have revolutionised students’ learning experiences, offering an immersive, interactive, and highly sensory approach that brings the subject to life. In a world where students seek dynamic, hands-on learning, this method meets their need for stimulation and energy, making the classroom more engaging and relevant. The integration of technology in Geography is not just a tool; it is a game changer, enhancing student interest, fostering deeper engagement, and equipping them with real-world problem-solving skills.
Girls' College Geography Teacher, Mrs Anne Chawanda
Girls' College Grade 8 Geography lessons.
We take pleasure in sharing Mrs Anne Chawanda’s insightful article which speaks to her integration of technology in the Geography classroom and value of gamification in the learning space. Her article has been published in the most recent issue of Independent Education, accessible via the link below. Anne holds an MSc in GIS and Remote Sensing from the University of Witwatersrand.
We invite you to read the article at the following link to the Independent Education Spring Edition online publication: https://www.ieducation.co.za/the-efficacy-of-gamification-in-geography-learning/
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