Challenges of technology integration

There are many types of instructional technology flooding our world today, with promises of increased people’s interest, better networking, and more effective learning. However, there are also many concerns and challenges that come with this change. It is very true that we need to be more flexible in adapting with the latest technology but some end up considering its integration as a far fetched anecdote due to its accessibility which contributes in posing a huge challenge on it. This is because the more we come in contact with familiarize our selves with it also becomes the more we assimilate and the easier the integration in our experience. So that change goes with time as we learn to use the technology which is obtainable to us, like some ripmix-learners have indicated, in their blog which I follow.

Consequently, the issue of technological integration in my experience’s there but with a very low mechanism as these things appear and set off swiftly while some of us are still in step one others are already in level 36 if I am say. But lucky enough is that bit by bit we are getting there. As we are aware, throughout history, advancements in technology have brought about immense change in the world of education and our lives. However, change also brings about new challenges to follow; as a result we must adjust our shock absorbers. While new types of technology make their way into our lives, as now technology has become part lives for instance, how would you feel if mistakenly you forget your phone at home for the rest of the day? Just a day which are the questions coming into yr mind while your phone is not with you? That is you are integrated to it has become part of your culture fully. That is because through technology the world has become a global village “where images and ideas travel thousands miles within a second” Kofi Annan.

Constantly improving technology

Lifelong passions for photography, music, technology and human nature are the key ingredients of my view of technological integration. My expedition through the use and application of technological has been a challenging and slightly interesting in so many ways, but eish!! When you stand and look back with a big trepidation of relief when you see what you have started as a finished product.  

So many people have contributed a lot in honing my technological media skills for years using basic  programs for basic computer users such as Power Point, MS Word internet Photo Draw and Photo Shop, audacity, image cropping , importing  as well as a number of other professional graphics applications. As far as I concern I can see the glowing radiance of experience that is coming my way, so you better watch the space.

I have tested some software for usage and indeed some seems to be very user friendly adding to the existing features, as well as exploring new ones.My journeying of technological integration was uncovered the era of my digital story in the digital media. I began integrating these skills and produced media  through be trained on how to edit video, and the usage of many other soft ware like audacity, adobe premiere elements, adobe photo shop, Picasa, super, photo collage in presentations that communicate specific points and evoke desired emotions, while entertaining the viewer.

My observation is constantly improving technology challenges us to continuously improve our invitations.

Hope that are all up to the task… Let me show you………………

When the clock strikes midnight

As members of UWC community we belong to quite number of families around campus which keep our lives moving as we sustain our lives her in campus. Except being a student I am not some how involved with other thing like I am a proud member of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and here in campus we meet and worship, we call ourselves Anglican Student’s Society (ANSOC), as well as being involved with so many other activities be it socially, spiritually and otherwise.

Very recent on the 24th of September we had an Outreach @ Kensington old age Home where we clear the compound and there after se sat dawn and chat with the senior citizen it was such a nice experience.

As we are still imaging whether I be able to reach this age, and how will I look like? We did some of these activities to continuously employing our previous year conference theme like “Each one, Reach one and teach one. As we call our stricture a “home away from home”

But on the other hand we also give our self time for pleasure as we celebrate and do Farwell to our leavers that is for those students who are completing and now preparing to leave so we celebrate those memorable moments we spent together during the year.

This year we were celebrating our leaver’s gala dinner at CPUT Bellville Campus as we always do our activities together and this time we were celebrating under theme “When the clock strikes midnight….” And the dress code was formal with Black, Red and Green as the colour code for the occasion.

So it was a matter of you as an individual be guide by the theme, “When the clock strikes midnight….” What come to your mind, and as a leaver which direction are you taking, or as a student who is remaining what is first in your plan? 

There other people from outside as well as some of those who graduated and now alumni for ANSOC, and indeed it was fantastic

Where there is smoke there is fire Malema said it all.

It's tough to continue following how African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema thinks about President Jacob Zuma. This comes to mind after i watched the news on SABC2 on Sunday 12 September where this youth leader who at some point say things as if he is retaliating on something or someone. This shocked me it was just two years ago when he said he was prepared to fight to death for him particularly if it was those he fought who would be doing the dying. But these days Malema is making increasingly ominous noises about Zuma. Is he a faithful weathervane of the changing winds of Zuma's popularity, or upset at being reprimand by Zuma earlier this year?



Although when he said all what you heard on this clip he later denied that he is or was not referring to anybody like people’s assumption anticipated president Zuma getting the content of what his message is all about. However all this for me ranged a bell that he once said the political friendship is not meant to be permanent because when the friendship terms turn sour a friend can change, therefore my understanding is that although at some point he was ready to kill for ‘Zuma” as he said during the election campaign now things are not the same any more.

Even though he denied it that he is refereeing to the president, but however, ’where this smoke there is fire’ maybe if we watch we will see clear what he meant. The element of worship for me it also comes not long ago when he was confronted President Jacob Zuma, suggested he is not a disciplined member of the ANC. Therefore one must remember that, the relations between these two leaders although in the different level “Zuma and Malema” have been soured since the time president backed disciplinary charges against the youth leader.

RipMixlearners taking part in wikimedia workshop in Johannesburg

As part of the broadening and networking RipMixlearners were also among those who were invited to attend a two day kickoff workshop to check on the logistics of establish a local Wikimedia Chapter in South Africa. The workshop aimed providing the space to; understand more about the Chapter associated with the Wikimedia Foundation. One of the main objectives of the workshop was to enlarge goals and tasks connected with those; and reach consensus on the legal medium for the Chapter formation.

The trip was fine although we had to leave campus very early and we didn’t have a fixed transport to pick us that early to airport as out flight was 06h20 and we had to be at the airport at least and hour earlier, so who would be ready to assists in that regard. But however, we got a ride after that eleventh hour massive disappointment from SRC as we had book a transport but on Friday late that was when were told that their car has gone to the garage, we had to find an alternative means, but yah we got there well in time. Mpho had to organises some of his friend to take us there and back to campus on Sunday late as we landed at 20h40, which I find I a bit inconveniencing but they helped us a lot and we did appreciated.
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In the plane we were four who were going to the same kickoff “us” and someone from UCT and when were get to Jou’burg (O.R Tambo) due to the mist or frost challenged us not to land for two time and the we end up landing in another airport in Jou’burg called Lanseria Airport it is one of two airports in Johannesburg which cater for passengers on commercial airlines - the other is OR Tambo International Airport. Although fewer airlines fly to Lanseria Airport than OR Tambo International Airport, it is closer to the Sandton, Pretoria, Westrand and Midrand regions of Johannesburg (although Interlink flights from Pretoria Wonderboom are even more convenient for Pretoria residents).

We then came back to OR Tambo to land at 10h55 and at least we were still on time as our right was already waiting for us the we took to the conference venue and arrived before they could start, we actually miss the venue as it was not very clear on our map.

The representation was mainly people who had been somehow hands on with Wikipedia for some way of the other either as a contributor, as editor and obvious the users like student although Wikipedia is not considered being the recognised academic source. Participants were drawn from Institution and individuals who had developed interested mainly from Cape Town, UCT, Stellenbosch, “Us” UWC Mpho Diphare Alice Wamnudiya & Mokoatsi Sello and mostly around Jou’burg but it was clear that from institutions were only people from Cape Town, and the rest were from other already established chapters like India, Hungary as well as those from Wiki-media Foundation Chapter Committee. (907)

Among all the participants’ there students were very few from Bush and one Stellenbosch student. The debate was not that much interesting especial for student as most of the participants were or had their hand on something to do with Wikipedia.
They were around what they have learned as the were editing or taking part in the previous days and the dwell much on what will be the role of the chapter committee once established. We discuss the do’s and don’t of the chapter committee and how we can motivate other people “academics” take part as editors. The other bone of contention was how comes that other languages are not that much seen participating in the Wikipedia because here in South Africa the coverage from other languages like Sesotho, Tshonga, Xhosa to name a few are very law except English and at least Afrikaans which at least have more that 15,000.00 articles so far.
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There was also a move that as we need to promote the culture of reading and exploring as a way of involving students in the institutions we can even maybe introduce the concept to vanities campus and ask student to attend a seminar or workshop then sell the concept the ask them to actual write something them the editors

The way forward for me its there but it seems basically narrow for us as the RipMixlearners because it demands more time on creating writing stories of which we are still trying mainly through blog but its some hot not even so easy to keep up with updating our blogs or even following other RipMixlearners as to motivate and learn from them. I am not implying the impossibility on our side but i think we need to familiarizes our selves with those who have started to edit and volunteer to something for the Wikipedia to raise and in the future we can say “yes” we took part and we saw it growing.
(Unable to upload pictures due admin. restrictions)

Disruption of Classes but other student's

It is sad after we have woke up early and try so hard to attend especially the 1st lecture of the day and so sad for days scholars especially when you only had that class for the day. the unfortunate thing which happened through this strike disruption of classes had made it more difficult for every one even those who feel like there is nothing that they can do like foreign(international) student’s as well as Coloured student’s because my view of this rioting its only black South African student’s only.

It is disturbing because disruption had affected us negatively for instance in their first march they kick us out of the class the first lecture for that matter, secondly the most student who were in the library studying they end up being looked in inside because yes indeed the management were scared that they might vandalize the library so is everyone else thought as much.
What I was not able to understand is if the issue is about NSFAS then what does the University management has to do with that, because is not the one administrating NSFAS and the Pick and Pay vouchers. I then began to understand that this is not my frustration alone I am sharing the same sentiments with some student who miss their classes every time when there is this disruption of Classes.
But again, what will happen If the Varsity Managements’ take time to respond does it mean we will be like those high school student’s or patients in hospital whom are abandon, this a critical dilemma which is a double-sided sword, This is a metaphor. Something that is a "double-sided" or "double edged" sword is something that could be dangerous to both yourselves, as well as to your adversary; or both for your case and against it. This is now leaving with an unclear response on who is to be blamed?
However this is a crucial time for student’s to be disrupted either for tests classes or just ordinary lecture. My main question is still what makes it the less majority of the student and only Blacks students or maybe because the slogans and songs are typical other local language or what could be the genuine

What and an experience behind the Camera!!!

In life we learn quite a lot of things of which some of them we assume we know but yah mistakes goes with printer. The experience of being behind the camera was such astonishing and however needed thoughtful and swift learning. As we enter the hall some minutes before the seminar starts we went in and finalize the setting of all what we want in relation to our shooting and yah all was well and although we some had some little thrash of camera handling but standing in front of people it has some stage fright a little beat trepidation of making mistakes. Therefore that anxiety couldn’t prevent me and other first time camera uses.

Despite the that anxiety of holding a camera in front of those distinguished guests and presenters  who indeed shared a prosperous  information although some how tricky  to comprehend especially while not studying in that field. But the interior (bone of contention) cycle matter relating to finance and financial implication of the first world countries how they that impacted on the poor countries I might not captured all but real that was and informative session and it was wealthy  because even the presenter “Alec Erwin” new his staff as an expects in his field.

When still experiencing this it was also good to communicate as through hand signal (sign language) as to what you need to as we were instructed by our leader Mr. A.D.  here as he was also taking part checking that all is well.

The experience helped one to eliminate the does and don’t of the work even the cooperation especially as we were using two camera for smooth work and back up one another  “if” one make a mistake no not capturing a particular “scene” moment.