The 2023 Science Forum South Africa (SFSA), organised by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Science Diplomacy Capital for Africa (SDCfA) initiative, took place at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria from 6 to 8 December 2023. The SFSA was hosted under the theme, “Igniting Conversations About Science-People Partnerships, Priorities for the Decadal Plan", with a focus on Literacy and Technology.
The SFSA 2023 side event programme from 4 to 6 December 2023, brought together scientists; government officials; industry leaders; students and civil society representatives, not only from South Africa, but from the African continent, as well as international partners. A thematic panel discussion session by the National Research Foundation (NRF) on “Education for the Future: The Role of Languages and Digital Technologies in Helping Children to Read for Meaning”, on 7 December, proved extremely topical.
The thematic session interrogated the extent to which digital technologies can improve the learning outcomes for students to be able to read for meaning. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) was represented by three senior officials: Dr Naledi Mbude-Mehana, Deputy Director-General for Special Projects, who spoke about the role of language in Mathematics and Science performance, Dr Mark Chetty, Director, National Assessments, who provided insights into international assessment of the South African education system, and Dr Sello Galane, Chief Education Specialist of Curriculum Implementation and Quality Improvement (GET), who gave insights into interventions and policies that are in place to address and improve poor learning outcomes. Other panel participants included Professor Keolebogile Motaung, Director of Technology, Transfer and Innovation at Durban University of Technology and Professor Letseka Moeketsi, Holder of the UNESCO Chair on ODL at UNISA. They unpacked the questions whether the instructors are ready to change from traditional learning and adopt a technology driven learning, and whether there is adequate capacity and infrastructure in the public sector considering the inequality of schools and the urban rural divide. The discussions were moderated by Ms Palesa Tyobeka, Chairperson of the Education Sector Committee of the SA National Commission for UNESCO.
A highlight was the number of education students from diverse backgrounds, who not only attended, but participated actively in the discussions. These students came from several Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from across the country.
In order to solve the problem of poor learning outcomes, digital technologies have been cited as some of the tools that can be used; hence they have continued to emerge in usage particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, making their applications somewhat institutionalised in education. It is predicted that given the surge, there will be continued usage of the digital learning platforms post-pandemic due to its accelerated use and adoption by learners and teachers alike.
These digital technologies are undoubtedly making a paradigm shift in the entire education system. Digital technologies can serve multiple roles such as being a knowledge provider; a co-creator of information; a mentor; and an assessor. Making learning more appealing provides students with an engaging learning experience, allowing them to remain more interested in the subject without being distracted. Technological improvements in education have a potential to make life easier for students compared to traditional learning. For teachers, digital technologies can be a powerful instrument to improve education in various ways, such as making it easier for teachers to generate instructional materials and provide new methods for people to learn and collaborate.