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Learning Academy Worldwide partners with US-based foundation to set up new 3-year phase for its M-Ubuntu Project.(July 2010)
Could new mobile technologies meet the need for print-rich learning environments? (July 2010)
South African Education Department opens door for teacher collaboratory
17 July, 2010, Washington DC
The Johannesburg South District of the biggest province in South Africa, Gauteng, have opened its doors to the Academy's M-Ubuntu teacher collaborative. The district's Human Resource Development unit have committed themselves to explore the viability of a management plan to implement the Teacher Collaborative for Improved Literacy and Numeracy project in District 11.
The Academy will start its training of teachers on Monday, 28th September in South Africa. "I am excited about this project," said Ms Mmantlhakeng Mogapi, manager of Human Resource Management and Development.
Ms Mogapi watched the work of the Academy with a careful eye during its M-Ubuntu literacy project in the Johannesburg district for close to a year now and was instrumental in securing approval for the M-Ubuntu project's work at a school under her jurisdiction.
New phase for Improved Literacy set for South Africa
7 July, 2010, Washington DC
A new phase for the Mobile Learning and Literacy initiative, is set to commence on 1 September 2010 in South Africa. The Academy's work in South Africa started in 2000 and have intensified since 2007.
The next phase, spanning 3-years, is directed at teachers in particular and will source collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Education, a provincial state entity that manages implementation of educational policy, the Reading Association of South Africa and US, Swedish and UK-based learning organizations.
Learning Academy Director, Theo van Rensburg Lindzter, let it slip that small grants will be awarded to teachers that will include resources for technology-based learning, professional development and access to literacy and learning experts in the UK, Sweden and the USA. "We have acquired tremendous insight resulting from our M-Ubuntu project over the last 18 months in our work with two schools in South Africa and we are excited to empower teachers even more now," he explained.
The new phase will be introduced at the national conference of RASA (The Reading Association of South Africa), the Education Week 2010 Convention and Learning Expo and the Gauteng District 11 Teacher Development Initiative - all during the second half of September and the beginning of October this year.
The Academy's also pursued new partnerships with US Universities and Foundations - endeavours that will give greater possibilities for teachers in South Africa.
Additionally, the renewed commitment from mobile giant, SPRINT, to allow M-Ubuntu to be the recipient of its recycled Mobile phone initiatives, will provide much needed technology for teachers to employ in their classrooms.
A year of Expertise for Literacy Initiative completed
5 July, 2010
As initiator and first donor of the M-Ubuntu initiative in South Africa, Learning Academy Worldwide's provided much needed expertise to two schools in South Africa over the last year.
After the Academy's support and recommendation of a grant application made by Spectrum Primary School, the MacArthur Foundation's DML Competition availed $69 000 (half a million South African Rands) for a Mobile Learning initiative at the school.
The Academy has successfully supported the M-Ubuntu initiative with coaching for improved literacy, coordinating with literacy experts from three Universities in the US and collaborating on the schools' behalf for visits from the UK-based guru in Mobile Learning, TRIBAL and professors and teachers engaged in the creative DIGameworks initiative.
The collaboration with DiGameworks have proven particularly meaningful as it focused on the practical implementation of technology-supported learning alternatives. Additionally, the collaboration opened new possibilities for future initiatives in South Africa - a crucial component for sustainability of the M-Ubuntu idea.
Learning Academy Worldwide also provided the funding, designing and maintaining of the websites for both Spectrum Primary School and Ramosadi Primary School effectively connecting the schools to global interest and support.
"We are very pleased with the way in which this last year's gone and we think that the next three years in South Africa will see us expanding our work to 100 new sites", said Director, Theophilus van Rensburg Lindzter.
South African Students Charm Washington DC
12 May, 2010
Four young learners from Spectrum Primary School in South Africa beat the Islandic ash cloud, a 30-hour long flight and a 6-hour time difference, putting big smiles on their faces as they introduced themselves at the Digital Media Learning showcase in Washington DC. Read more.
May, 2010
Spectrum Primary School in South Africa, a Learning Academy Worldwide partner, will have four young students tell of how Mobile Phones have made a difference in their learning experiences. Read more here.
Global Mobile Learning Conference
Ann Arbor Beijing Cape Town District of Columbia
20th February 2010
Spectrum Primary School and Ramosadi Primary School engaged a global audience on Friday at the M-Ubuntu Global Mobile Learning Conference.
UK Mobile Learning giant visits Cape Town School
February 2010
De Rust Futura, tucked between the rich orchards of South Africa's apple goldmines, is home to a Mobile Learning initiative for the week starting 15 February 2010.
Geoff Stead, director of Tribal's Digital Learning Studio and Jessica Wakelin are on site in Grabouw, just north-east from Cape Town, to coach teachers in the use of mobile phones for learning. The visit is the next step in a first phase that started with an agreement between Learning Academy Worldwide and De Rust Futura just under a year ago. Lucy Haagen, a Duke University literacy expert and Dr Jeff Kupperman from Michigan University, paid two visits to the school in October last year and January this year to explore the possibilities on the ground.
Principal of De Rust, Wandred Theunis, is excited about the possibilities for learning and sees that, especially the matriculants, could benefit greatly over the next year.
Geoff Stead reported earlier, before their departure from Cambridge, that they were excited ahead of their visit. They arrived in South Africa on Saturday, 13 February.
Mobile Phones work wonders in South African classes
January 2009
Learners from Spectrum Primary School and Ramosadi Primary School in South Africa are engaging more in class and discipline problems are down as teachers, together with literacy coaches from Sweden, the UK and the USA, spin magic with mobile phones.
These schools are embracing a technology that is already part of everyday life in South Africa and spinning it into opportunities for creative learning alternatives. Projects with various themes ranging from health to environment to a plethora of social issues are identified in a simple and 
structured manner where video, audio and text data are collected using the multi-functions of the mobile phone. Learners then collate and present their work and present them as artifacts for their Portfolios, even creating technology-based games to meet their learning goals.
These low-threshold inexpensive devices are becoming a vital tool for many young learners at both primary schools and teachers and consultants are in agreement that these young minds are becoming increasingly engaged as they use these devices to learn more, produce more and participate more. In his visit to Spectrum Primary School last week, Dr Jeff Kupperman, Associate Professor of Education at Michigan University, praised the learners for their hard work.
Story: Theo VR Lindzter Pictures: Di Gameworks
Swedish students heading for USA
January 2010
Learning Academy Worldwide will be host to learners from Sweden and South Africa during the first week of March 2010.
The Literature-based initiative project aims at helping students sharpen their skills of dialogue and improve their writing in English based on the reading and discussion of a text, play and music.
"I can hardly wait," said grade 9 student from Stockholm, Louise Österberg.
Mobile Learning Workshop Inspires Teachers
Ennerdale, SOUTH AFRICA - 20 August 2009
Seventeen teachers from Spectrum Primary School and Ramosadi Primary School attended the Mobile Learning Workshop weekend of 15-16 August in Ennerdale south of Johannesburg.
Presented by Theo can Rensburg Lindzter, the teachers connected with Lucy Haagen in China and Dr Laura Billings from the National Paideia Center in North Carolina to interact around their Mobile Learning Project: Women and Relationships. Teachers collected data through interviews, took pictures and wrote a short paragraph based on an assigned instructional plan. See the teachers' book here.
The Workshop also aimed at giving teachers opportunity to acquire knowledge on project-based learning and the importance of tangible artefacts for learners' portfolios. They designed and compiled their own books which will be made available in both digital and printed formats. These books will serve as examples for learners on the project products that can be created when using a mobile phone as a tool in learning.
Teachers were awarded certificates for successfully completing the Introduction to Teaching and Mobile Learning module.
SEE Videos:
For more pictures click here
Learners from Sweden and USA prepare for seminar with difference
Washington DC, 6 May, 2009
Two groups of young people, thousands of miles apart, are anticipating to maximise the use of communications technology and have a Webinar during the last week of May 2009. Students from LAWW in Sweden and John Muir School in San Diego, CA. have just completed phase 1 of the pre-webinar work and have submitted written responses to questions based on the South African novel, Chain of Fire, by Beverley Naidoo.
The webinar is a "virtual" seminar based on the Paideia principles where the learners improve understanding of ideas that emerge from interacting with either a book, music or a work of art.
The idea of connecting the Paideia-like initiatives of LAWW in Sweden and South Africa with the California school, was born during a National Paideia Conference held earlier this year in Winston-Salem, NC. LAWW Director, Theo van Rensburg Lindzter and Mr Chester Hancock started the planning of the webinar end of March earlier this year.
Mobile Learning Project Staff ready to work after winning DML prize
South African Primary Schools win prestigious prize in the Digital Media Learning Competition in the US
Chicago, Ill, USA Friday, 17 April 2009
The sun came out and shone brightly on Chicago, Ill as the two principals from Spectrum Primary and Ramosadi Primary in South Africa stepped off the plane to receive their prize for their innovative idea to improve functional literacy in their respective schools.
Read the full story here. Also see video of interview with Learning Academy Worldwide director, Theo van Rensburg Lindzter.
Sam Nenngwekhulu , far left and Sydney Teme are congratulated by Dr Cathy Davidson in Chicago, US for their innovative proposal to improve functional literacy in their schools.
