Theme 4.1

Theme 4.2

Theme 3.1

Theme 3.2

Theme 2.3

Theme 2.4

Theme 2.5

Theme 1.4

Theme 1.1

Theme 1.2

Theme 1.3

NHB 142 Solar oven practical

Volgens weervoorspellings is daar 'n 13% kans vir reën Maandag 08 Oktober. Daar is ook meer as 30% wolkbedekking en dit dra daartoe by dat ons nie die ideale temperature in die sonoonde gaan kry nie. Vir eers verskuif die praktika na Dinsdag 09 Oktober en ek sal julle op hoogte hou van die weersomstandighede. Indien die weersvoorspelling vir Maandag 08 Oktober egter verander sal ons voortgaan om die praktika op dié dag te hê. Die prakties sal nou op Elsenburg se tennisbane aangebied word en jy moet ten minste een persoon saam nooi om julle kos te beoordeel.

According to weather predictions there is a 13% chance for rain on Monday 08 October. There will also be more than 30% cloud cover and this will not allow us to obtain the ideal temperatures in the solar ovens. For now, the practical will move to Tuesday 09 October and I will keep you up to date with the weather conditions. If the weather predictions for Monday 08 October change, then we will continue with the practical on this day. The practical will be conducted at the Elsenburg tennis courts and you must bring along one guest that can enjoy and judge your food.

NHB 142 Practical cycle 7

Daar is geen formele praktika in hierdie siklus!! / There is no formal practical in this cycle!!


Julle moet voorberei vir die debat op 26 Sep en moet deur middel van Facebook, BBM of Whatsapp gesprekke hieroor het. Verseker dat alle persone in jou groep asook die dosent deel is van julle besprekings. Hierdie is jou eerste geleentheid om 'n punt vir die prakties te verwerf en dit kan net verder verbeter.

Maak ook seker dat julle sonoonde gebou en getoets word voor die sperdatum.



You will have to prepare for the debate on 26 September and you must use either Facebook, BBM of Whatsapp to have discussions about it. Ensure that all students in your group are part of the discussion as well as the lecturer. This is your first opportunity to obtain and a mark and it can only improve from here onwards.

Also ensure that your solar ovens are build and tested before the due date.

NHB 142: Prakties 3 / Practical 3

In prakties 1 het julle op 'n unieke manier die stand van die hulpbronne illustreer.  In hierdie prakties moet julle 'n model bou of grafies voorstel hoe hierdie hulpbron volhoubaar gebruik kan word deur alternatiewe vir die gebruik te ondersoek.  Hierdie model kan 'n prototipe van 'n bestaande stelsel wees of totaal en al nuwe stelsel waarvan niemand nog weet nie, maar dit moet geloofwaardig wees.  Werk in dieselfde groepe as prakties 1 (stand van die hulpbronne) en julle voorstelling geskied in die praktiese tyd in siklus 5. 
Punte sal soos volg toegeken word:

1. Materiale gebruik
2. Werking van model/prototipe
3. Beskrywing en beginsel waarop dit gebasseer is
4. Groepsoortuiging van werking op grootskaal

In practical 1 you presented the status of the resources in a very unique manner.  In this practical you will build a model or do a graphic representation on how to utilise this resource in a sustainable manner by exploring alternative uses.  This model can be a prototype of an existing model or a totally new system of which nobody knows but it must be believable.  Work in the same groups as for practical 1 (state of the resources) and your presentation will occur in the practical time of cycle 5.
Marks will be allocated as follows:

1. Materials used
2. Operation of the model or prototype
3. Description and principle upon which it is based
4. Group convincing of the operation on large scale

Die omgewingsprobleem / The environmental problem

Bespreek hoe die volgende faktore bydra tot die omgewingsprobleem. / Discuss how the following factors contribute to the environmental problem.

• Bevolkingsgroei / Population growth
• Bevolkingsteorieë/ Population theories
• Impak van HIV/VIGS / Impact of HIV/AIDS
• Oneweredige verspreiding / Unequal Distribution
• Voeding / Nutrition
• Hulpbronbeskikbaarheid / Resource Availability

NHB 142: Prakties in siklus 3 / Practical in cycle 3

Voltooi asb prakties 2 in hierdie siklus. Gebruik die tyd in hierdie siklus om soveel as moontlik skryfbehoeftes bymekaar te maak. Daar sal dus geen prakties in siklus 3 aangebied word nie.
Please complete practical 2 in this cycle. Utilise the time in this cycle to obtain as much stationary as possible. There will be no pratical presented in cycle 3.

Prakties 2: Gemeenskap interaksie / Practical 2: Community involvement

Education is the key to growing a society and eventually the economy.

We inherited an education system profoundly shaped by social, political and economic inequalities of a ‘race’, class, gender, institutional, and geographical nature. Recognising this, our Constitution declared the right of all ‘to a basic education’ (Republic of South Africa, 1996). It also committed us to the assertion of the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality, and the advancement of non‐sexism and non‐racialism and the human rights and freedoms that the Bill of Rights proclaims; and to ‘respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights’ embodied in the Bill of Rights.

The 1995 White Paper on Education and Training entrusted the state to ‘advance and protect’ citizens so that they ‘have the opportunity to develop their capabilities and potential’. It also directed the state to ‘redress of educational inequalities among those sections of our people who have suffered particular disadvantages’ and the principle of ‘equity’ so that all citizens have ‘the same quality of learning opportunities’ (DoE, 1995: 21‐22).

The South African Schools Act asserted that a new schooling system will ‘redress past injustices in schooling provision, provide an education of progressively high quality for all learners,…advance the democratic transformation of society,…and) contribute to the eradication of poverty and the economic well‐being of society’ (Republic of South Africa, 1996).

Yet the reality is that South Africa continues to be one of the most unequal societies on earth in terms of disparities in wealth, income, opportunities, and living conditions.

There is an undeniable and powerful link between social disadvantage and equity of access, opportunity and outcomes and achievement in schooling and education. Currently 60% of African children in South Africa come from families that earn less than R 800 a month; conversely 60% of white children are from families whose income is more than R 6 000 per month. The consequences of this have to be and are indeed manifest in differential school performance and achievement.



Met dit besef ons dat mense wat ongeletterd en onkundig is bydra tot die agteruitgang van ons omgewing en opvoeding is dus noodsaaklik. As deel van hierdie kursus se gemeenskap interaksie fokus ons op 'n skool in 'n landelike gebied. Hier word skole met skryfbehoeftes voorsien wat presies die helfte van die skooljaar hou en hierna is die leerlinge en ouers self verantwoordelik. Dit is 'n plaasgemeenskap en die koste van skryfbehoeftes maak dit onmoontlik vir ouers om dit te bekostig. Elsenburg NHB studente gaan poog om hierdie skool en kinders se status op te hef deur ten minste 1 potlood, 1 uitveër, 1 liniaal en 1 boek te skenk.
Jou taak is om met ten minste 1 persoon oor die status van opvoedkunde in die landelike gebiede te gesels en sy/haar bydrae tot die projek (vir )skryfbehoeftes te vra. Hierdie gesprek moet nie met 'n Elsenburg student wees nie en die skriftelike opsomming hiervan te same met die skryfbehoeftes is wat jou 'n punt sal verseker.


With this we realise that people who are illiterate and ignorant contribute to the degradation of our environment and education is therefor important. As part of this course's community involvement project, we will focus on a school in a rural area. Here, schools are supplied with stationary that last for exactly half of the school year and the rest of the year the children and parents are liable. It is a farming community and the cost of stationary makes it impossible for them to afford it. Elsenburg NHB students will attempt to uplift the status of these children by sponsoring at least 1 pencil, 1 rubber, 1 ruler and1 book. 
Your assignment is to talk to at least one person about the status of education in the rural areas and request his/her contribution (for stationary) towards the project. This talk should not be with an Elsenburg student and your conversation with the person and the written summary with your stationary is what will grant you a mark.

Ondergrondse boerdery in Japan / Subterranean farming Japan

Source:omnigens.wordpress.com

NHB142 - Tot watter mate speel Suid Afrikaners met grond / To what extent are South Africans playing with soil

25-07-2012 Klasbespreking / Class discussion

NHB 242 Taak 1 / Assignment 1

Daar is talle bewyse en navorsing oor klimaatsverandering. Skryf kortliks (<100 woorde) wat jou verstaning van hierdie konsep is. Moenie enige literatuur of verwysings gebruik nie, slegs jou eie beeld hiervan.

There are lots of proof and references about climate change. Briefly explain (<100 words) your understanding of this concept. Do not use any literature or references, only your own views of it.
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCnrP6Ldc1Q

Digital Ink for Collaborative Learning in Soil Science

Presentation and reflection

Curriculum focus

A Soil Science 1 course was selected where the principles, concepts and some basic applications of soil and water as a natural resource in the agricultural sector is addressed.  The fundamentals of soil and water as entities within a physical and chemical environment are core outcomes of this course but this information and basic soil and water concepts are incorporated into higher outcomes.  These require the student to do calculations to determine the status of the soil or water to make a decision within an agricultural context.  The students are taught the skill of problem solving that is used in this module as well as the subjects to which it articulate. 

Student needs

Students need to integrate conceptual and mathematical aspects to solve problems (Heller et.al., 1992) and apply it to real time issues.  This is an introductory course that has large classes, students from diverse backgrounds and varying academic abilities.  The explanations and expectations of some students may result in the boredom of others in the same class.  Lecturing material and class notes must be available to students from anywhere.  Students need to understand the problem solving steps to be able to make decisions in an agricultural setup. 

Rationale

The change in student profile force lecturers to investigate into teaching strategies that engage the student in class and promote active learning.  In a subject where calculations and problem solving are core outcomes it becomes difficult with the normal PowerPoint and large classes to achieve this (Theys et. al., 2005).  There is a decrease in the number of students that attend classes but it does not mean that they do not need this valuable source of learning (Van der Meer & Scott, 2008).  In the traditional class setup, student and lecturer are forced into a mechanical rhythm where the lecturer transfer and the student absorb.  With this the student follow in class but has no further references to the processes and steps and is therefore not capable to solve the problems when faced with it in real time.  The tablet enhances collaboration and communication, students learn from each other (Crouch and Mazur, 2001) and they have the actual class notes available (Theys et. al., 2005). 

Context in which activity will take place

The tablet will be introduced in the classroom during a formal lecture.  It will replace the laptop or computer and the basic concepts, fundamentals and step-by-step process in problem solving will be taught here (Heller et. al., 1992).  In a tutorial session students are divided into groups (three or four students) and they will have a tablet that can connect to a central projector (Theys et. al., 2005).  In the tutorial sessions the focus is the problem solving skills with associated decision making through collaborative learning and peer instruction. 

Lecturer’s preference for the activity

In the formal class setup the mechanical rhythm of reading and referring to a PowerPoint slide is disrupted.  The lecturer can at any stage switch between different presentation modes and is constantly facing the class.  The diverse backgrounds of students in this course and the language policy of the Institute exclude students in parts of the lecture.  For these students the instructional language is a third or fourth language.  Peer instruction and collaborative learning eliminate this blockage and it encourages self-explanations (Mason, 2001; Brüssow & Wilkinson, 2010).  In order to explain it to others they need to have the reasoning behind every step. 

Outcomes and intentions of the activity

The intention is to keep students interested in a course that is not a major but compulsory to pass to be able to articulate.  Students must be able to solve problems in real time and make decisions through a process of critical thinking (Brüssow & Wilkinson, 2010).  Bridging the language barrier is one of the outcomes of collaborative learning and promotes higher level thinking and reasoning (Mason, 2001).  Students should also realise that they must take responsibility for their own learning (Van der Meer & Scott, 2008). 

How technology enhanced learning activity

Various forms of presenting are used and materials (presentations and problem-and-answers) are published in the Learning Management System (LMS), Webstudies (Winer & Cooperstock, 2002).  Students have access to this content remotely and can even post their questions from a web-enabled cell phone which will be address either in the LMS or in a tutorial where fewer students are present and the teaching method different.  In the tutorial, collaborative learning and peer instruction will be the main teaching method (Van der Meer & Scott, 2008; Mason, 2001; Crouch & Mazur, 2001).  Students are divided in groups of three or four and have a tablet that can connect to a central projector.  Groups are carefully selected by the lecturer on the basis of academic ability and home language of the student.  Each group must solve a problem to make a real time decision and explain to the tutorial class the steps and reasoning to reach the decision. 

Student feedback

In the class setup students found it very interesting and helpful for problem solving through a step-by-step process and the files that are available with audio even on a cell phone.  They consider the tablet to have a positive effect on their learning with active participation in the tutorial that made them feel important, comfortable and part of the team and in the end know exactly where they stand.  They have high expectations from the lecturer to compile groups strategically and facilitate the sessions to ensure that the concepts and basics are used in the correct manner.  In certain cases the use of the tablet was too fast and students could not keep track, especially in the tutorial classes. 

Formative and Summative evaluation

Formative evaluation is conducted in the tutorial session and students are graded on their ability to scrutinise the information, logical reasoning with the relevant concepts and principles, apply the correct mathematical equations, reach an answer, make a decision and explain the whole process (Crouch & Mazur, 2001).  Each student in the group has a different role and this is shifted in each tutorial.  In the summative evaluation students are writing a test and exam and are faced with similar real time problems that must be solved.  Students are graded on identifying what is required, applying the concepts and mathematical equations, calculating an answer and making a decision. 

Congruence between outcomes, strategies and evaluation

The strategies were aligned to meet the specific outcomes but these were not always assessed.  The assessment is prescribed by the module outcomes for the subject matter and not the learning activity.  It is also difficult to quantify the effect of collaborative learning but the use of a tablet definitely had a positive effect on class attendance (Van der Meer & Scott, 2008).  This is contradicting to the expectation of less first years attending classes especially when class notes (from the tablet with audio) are made available.  The language barrier was broken and students could grasp the problem-solving skill but they still had difficulty to express themselves during the summative assessments. 

References

Brüssow, S.M. & Wilkinson, A.C. (2010).  Engaged learning: A pathway to better teaching, 24(3), 374-389.

Crouch, C.H. & Mazur, E.  (2001) Peer Instruction: ten years of experience and results.  American Journal of Physics, 69(9), 970-977. 

Dabbagh, N. & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005).  Chapter 6: Instructional strategies that support constructivist-based pedagogical models.  In: Online learning: Concepts, strategies and application.  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 206-227. 

Heller, P., Keith, R. and Anderson, S. (1992).  Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping.  Part 1: Group versus individual problem solving, American Journal of Physics, 60(7), 627-636. 

Mason, L. (2001).  Introducing talk and writing for conceptual change: a classroom study, Learning and Instruction, 11, 305-329. 

Theys, M.D., Lawless, K. and George, S. (2005).  Tablet computers and the traditional lecture.  In: 35^th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, 19-22.  Indianapolis. 

Van der Meer, J. & Scott, C. (2008).  Shifting the balance in first year learning support: from staff instruction to peer learning primacy, 1(1), 70-79. 

Winer, L.R. & Cooperstock, J. (2002).  The “intelligent classroom”: changing teaching and learning with an evolving technological environment, Computers & Education, 38, 253-266.

Reflection 4

Feedback from lecturers, facilitatots and students was a good indication of what is not viable and the problems that had to be sorted out before implementation. 

The learning challenges flow one into the other and I tried to address all of this at once which was not possible from the feedback in the online session.  I also realised that all of this “chain reaction” problems can be addressed with a Learning Management System.  The Institute does not have a LMS and the processes were started to have a LMS ideal for our circumstances.  On this basis my prototype changed completely and I focused on the learning problem that is affecting the performances of students in this course and a method to overcome it. 

With this problem the tablet will be introduced that take the student through a step-by-step process to calculate the answer and interpret it to make a correct decision.  The tablet will be used in a lecture setup and all of the proceedings recorded to publish it in a LMS.  The students can then download and go through the process and post a question.  These questions will be addressed in a lecture and the tutorials will be formalised based on this questions.  Problems will be given to groups of two or three with each a tablet.  They are allowed to discuss the problem and work out the most reasonable answer and with a Bluetooth connection to the projector; they will explain the steps to the rest of the class to eventually get to an answer and a decision. 

My exploration started by listing all the problems that we (student and lecturer) are faced with in this course.  The article of Dabbach and Bannan-Ritland (2005) and the information on the Emerging Technologies Wiki were studied to match it with the problems.  Internet restrictions at the Institute, the lack of a Learning Management System and student backgrounds were the basis to eliminate the technologies that are not viable.  I initially focused on the tool to address the learning problem and during the second Adobe Connect session I observed that the learning problem should be my focus with the prototype as my tool to address it.

It is expected of students to determine the amount of water and the direction of water flow in a soil with mathematical equations and then make decisions with the management of irrigation.  The student is able to calculate the answer by memorising the equation but they are unable to make the decisions as they don’t understand the process to the answer of the calculation.  The problem-solving strategy from Heller et. al. (1992) was suggested from a colleague and in the class setup I followed the five-step problem solving strategy with HP tablet.  Classes are big and I encourage discussions with other students to enhance their ability to reason the best possible way of addressing the problem and eventually answering the question.  With these presentations students got more involved and requested that these files are made available.  Various software were used to convert the files to Windows Media Video/Audio files until a facilitator suggested the use of Camtasia Studio.  The activity of class discussion and reasoning in class led to exploring this in smaller groups (tutorial sessions with 15-20 students) and allowing the student to explain the process of solving the problem and making a decision afterwards. 

In the tutorial, students had an opportunity to reason with one another to eventually come to a solution that they can explain and share with the rest of the group.  This was done by giving each group of three to four students a tablet.  And after their discussion they connected to the projector and explained to the rest of the group.  Students are then evaluated on their discussions in class as the lecturer can move from one group to another and listen to their reasoning.  A mark is given when they follow the five step problem solving strategy from Heller et. al. (1992) and make a decision at the end.  This activity was evaluated after a scheduled semester test and students were asked for comments with regards to collaborative learning and the use of tablets in the class and tutorial setup. In the class setup student found it very interesting and helpful for the problem solving through a step-by-step process and these files that are available with audio even on a cell phone.  They consider the tablet to have a positive effect on their learning with active participation in the tutorial that made them feel important, comfortable and part of the team and in the end know exactly where they stand.  They have high expectations from the lecturer to compile groups strategically and facilitate the sessions to ensure that the concepts and basics are used in the correct manner.  In certain cases the use of the tablet was too fast and students could not keep track, especially in the tutorial classes. 

Elsenburg Lecturer Feedback: Tablet Use

1.      Which tablet function you find most promising for teaching or student learning?

2.      Does the laptop/pc have this function?

3.      Will the tablet have a positive/negative effect on your teaching or learning?

4.      In the class where a tablet was used will you feel:

4.1 Important or ignored

4.2 Comfortable or uncomfortable

4.3 Involved in the lecture or restless and bored

4.4 Part of a team or alone

4.5 Sure of where you stand or not sure where you stand

5.      In a class where the tablet is used, can the lecturer be

     5.1 Prepared or  not fully prepared

     5.2 Fair or unfair

      5.3 Helpful or unhelpful

     5.4 Well organised or lacking organisation

     5.5 Sensitive to student needs or insensitive to student needs

     5.6 Fully engaged and exited or seemingly bored

     5.7 Knowledgeable or not on top of the technology /subject

     5.8 Able to make difficult concepts accessible and interesting or over our heads

6        The use of the tablet will be

          6.1 Thought provoking or dull

          6.2 Effective in helping the student learn or ineffective in helping the student learn

          6.3 Too fast or too slow

          6.4 Too abstract or too simplistic

Reflection 3: Formative feedback

Recommendations from the online session were to use a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Blackboard, Moodle or Edmodo instead of the blog to manage questions.  It was also suggested that a FAQ list is compiled which students can access from their mobile phones.  The use of Facebook for Q and A was also suggested for the discussions and feedback.

Currently the Institute is running three programmes that are in partnership with other Higher Education Institutes (Stellenbosch University etc.) and does not have any LMS of their own.  For one programme we have access to WebStudies from Stellenbosch University but some of the functions are disabled due to the government internet policy.  Edmodo was explored and confirmation from our management that a LMS will be implemented very soon.  There is already system development underway to tailor-made the system for our use and bypass the restrictions from government.  I already have a FAQ list that is posted on a local network and the restriction is however that the list is only available on campus and therefore a LMS would be ideal.  I consider a LMS to form part of the academic setup which is a very useful management tool in general.  First year students, especially in Soil Science, need a distraction from the norm to motivate them to use it and anything that appears different from academics, they will definitely explore with good outcomes for them.  The use of Facebook is therefore a very useful tool but the restrictions for me as lecturer would mean that all activities would be off campus.

I therefore diverted my focus to the use of digital ink (tablet with OneNote or InkSeine).  Enhancing mobility of the lecturer, transform the development from learning material in and out of class, providing the student with complete problem and answer after class, moving away from talking to your PowerPoint presentation or reading it (creating a more human and non-mechanical rhythm), leading students through problems with step-by-step processes.  The aim is to enable the student to eventually apply the knowledge and be able to solve real-time problems.

The questions that will form part of the formative feedback to determine the usefulness of this tool for the specific problems are:

1.     Which tablet function you find most promising for teaching or student learning?

2.     Does the laptop/pc have this function?

3.     Did the tablet have a positive/negative effect on your teaching or learning?

4.     In the class where a tablet was used I feel

4.1.  Important or ignored

4.2.  Comfortable or uncomfortable

4.3.  Involved in the lecture or restless and bored

4.4.  Part of a team or alone

4.5.  Sure of where I stand or not sure where is stand

5.     The lecturer has been

5.1.  Prepared or unprepared

5.2.  Fair or unfair

5.3.  Helpful or unhelpful

5.4.  Well organised or lacking organisation

5.5.  Sensitive to my needs or insensitive to my needs

5.6.  Fully engaged and exited / seemingly bored

5.7.  Knowledgeable or not on top of the technology /subject

5.8.  Able to make difficult concepts accessible and interesting / over our heads

6.     The use of the tablet has been

6.1.  Thought provoking or dull

6.2.  Effective in helping me learn or ineffective in helping me learn

6.3.  Too fast or too slow

6.4.  Too abstract or too simplistic

Learning Intervention

The first year Soil Science course will be selected as this module brings together mathematics, biology, chemistry and Soil Science principles.  Students have a problem to apply the principles to do the necessary calculation.  Calculations are for the determination of the current water content and water movement in the soil.  These principles are required in an irrigation and drainage subject that follows this soil science. 

The activity that will be develop is twofold viz the determination of the student’s knowledge of mathematics, biology and soil science principles and to teach the application of these principles in the calculation of water content and movement.  The tablet will be used to transfer the knowledge in a lecture room and the http://elsenburg1styears.blogspot.com will be used to determine the embedded knowledge as well as follow-ups after lecturing with the tablet.  This course has ± 170 students and it becomes extremely difficult and time consuming to address the problems of all students with regards to the subject matter. 

With the blog, students can post their problems about the embedded knowledge and it can be done in their own time and anonymously.  Other students with similar problems will have access to it and can learn from it.  In class the students can follow the steps in the calculations and the file from the tablet with the live narration from class will be published on the blog.  The normal PowerPoint files with the theoretical information will be converted to Windows Media Video file and also published on the blog.  We are a governmental institute and have numerous limitations and restrictions with internet access. 

ALL social media, video files and streaming content is blocked for students and staff.  The institute has no learner/learning management system and on campus (dedicated student network drive) is the only site where students can actually access any material from the lecturer.  This blog gives the student an opportunity to remotely access the study material from their cell phone or computers and respond whenever something is unclear.  The calculation section of the course relies heavily on mathematical, biological and soil science principles which should be embedded knowledge.  This is, however, not always in place as the entrance criteria allow students without these school subjects.  The student can therefore access the information in his/her own time so that contact time is used for the actual curriculum.  In class the students can follow the steps in the calculations and understand how to apply it.  During revision or preparation for a test students can refer to the blog with the class content. 

Lecturing experiences

Elsenburg has a quite unique setup en with two different programs that runs parallel it is even more challenging to keep students up to date.
Technology is however a challenging factor for both students and lecturers and it is an obstacle course to ensure that we give students what they are entitled to