Shift college : shifting the perspective of mathematics, science and technology education in South Africa

Abstract

The traditional educational model of passive rote learning is no longer adequate. Students should be taught to become self-learners who partake in educational activities and they should become critical thinkers who can learn through their experiences. Students should be inspired to explore the world around them, to develop a desire to understand how things work. Through the combination of taught knowledge and concrete experiential knowledge students will be empowered to become innovators. Schools are the training facilities of society. The social interactions and exposure to others in a person's school years influence how they perceive the world and a rich school experience can lead to a connected society where individuals are able to associate with others. Traditionally and today still, many schools in South Africa make use predominantly of the teacher-fronted educational model. This traditional model has specific spatial characteristics - schools are rigid environments with little room for flexibility and variety. It has been established that there are more teachers of students than just adults. Peers, the student and the environment can also be teachers and it is these three teachers which teach best through real life experiences. The interior intervention is concerned with creating a rich school environment where experiential learning can become part of the existing school model. Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) education were used as a catalyst for experiential learning. The physical environment therefore becomes an informal teacher of MST. Independent schools make use of abandoned building stock in Pretoria's Central Business District and through adaptive reuse turn these spaces into makeshift schools. The intervention deals with one such school.

Die tradisionele opvoedkundige leermodel van herhaling en gewoonteleer is nie meer voldoende nie. Studente moet geleer word om self-leerders te word wat deelneem in opvoedkundige aktiwiteite en hulle moet kritiese denkers word wat kan leer deur hul ervaringe. Studente moet ge?nspireer word om die w?reld om hulle te verken, om 'n begeerte te ontwikkel om te verstaan hoe dinge werk. Deur die kombinasie van geleerde kennis en konkrete ervaringsleer sal die studente bemagtig word om innoveerders te word. Skole is die opleidingsfasiliteite van die samelewing. Die sosiale interaksies en blootstelling aan ander mense in 'n persoon se skooljare be?nvloed hoe hulle die w?reld sien en 'n ryk skoolervaring kan lei tot 'n nouer verbinde samelewing waar individue met mekaar kan assosieer. Tradisioneel en selfs vandag nog maak baie skole in Suid-Afrika hoofsaaklik gebruik van 'n opvoedkundige model waar die onderwyser die leerproses lei. Hierdie tradisionele model het spesifieke ruimtelike eienskappe ? skole is rigiede omgewings met min ruimte vir buigsaamheid en verskeidenheid. Dit is bewerkstellig dat daar meer onderwysers van studente is as bloot net volwassenes. Die student se portuurgroep, die student self en die omgewing kan ook onderwysers wees. Hierdie drie onderwysers leer studente die beste deur werklike lewenservarings. Die interieure ingryping is gemoeid daarmee om 'n ryk skoolomgewing te skep waar ervaringsleer deel van die bestaande skoolmodel kan word. Wiskunde, Wetenskap en Tegnologie (WWT) opvoeding word gebruik as 'n katalisator vir ervaringsleer. Die fisiese omgewing word 'n informele onderwyser van WWT. Onafhanklike skole maak gebruik van verlate geboue in Pretoria se sentrale sakegebied en deur aanpasbare hergebruik word hierdie ruimtes in ge?mproviseerde skole omskep. Die ingryping handel oor so 'n skool.