After getting the basics from the retooling workshops over the past seven years, what is vital now is to upskill the teachers capacity to effectively teach ICT/Computer studies. The Uganda ICT Teachers Association steering committee has thus decided to start orgarnising annual capacity building workshops.
Background
Over the years since 2011, the Government of Uganda through Uganda Communications Commission and Ministry of Education and Sports has been supporting National ICT Teachers Retooling workshops, funded through RCDF. However, this year it was revealed that the National retooling workshops at Kololo SS were being phased out and instead Governement was to embark on organising regional workshops upcountry.
The workshops were originally aimed at equiping teachers of other subjects already in active service to teach ICT and Computer Studies, after realising a shortage of ICT teachers yet ICT had just been introduced at A Level. The retooling workshops have built a network of teachers who have been meeting annually. First, they formed mailing lists and social media forums on Facebook and Whatsapp where they could continue the interactions even after the workshop. It is from these social media forums that the idea of forming the ICT Teachers association came about. A steering committee for the association was elected and is speerheading the popularisation and estabishment of the association.
Through Uganda ICT Teachers Association (UITA), the ICT teachers are putting efforts and minds together to support each other to innovatively improve their methods of work, thereby promoting ICT education and increasing computer literacy in Uganda. This is done do through coordinated discussion platforms, the UITA website, workshops, seminars, events, national ICT competitions, debates, regular meetings, member guidance and counselling, resource sharing, fund raising and projects.
The mission of the association is to provide a platform for ICT teachers to share, innovate and facilitate world-standard research, teaching and learning ICT inUgandan schools. UITA seeks to devise solutions to a number of problems such as the low levels of ICT literacy in Uganda, the high demand for ICT skills as a major requirement for employment, the unequal access to basic ICT training resources, the need to reduce the digital divide in the country and the various challenges being faced by teachers of Computer Studies and ICT in Ugandan schools.
The vision of UITA is a vibrant association in which members find a sense of belonging and actively participate in activities that enhance teaching ICT and Computer
Studies in Uganda.
‘Capacity Development’
According to Wikipedia, Capacity building (or capacity development) is the process by which individuals and organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment and other resources needed to do their jobs competently or to a greater capacity (larger scale, larger audience, larger impact, etc). Capacity building and capacity development are often used interchangeably.
About this years workshop
Focus for this year’s workshop is on new trends in the dynamic world of ICT and building of the teachers’ capacity to handle commonly challenging areas of the UCE Computer Studies and UACE subsidiary ICT curricula.
Several experienced and inspirational facilitators have been invited to share with the teachers about project based teaching, use of ICT Clubs to spur innovations in schools and how to embrace Computer Aided Assessment and collaborative project based teaching in all subjects. It will also be an opportunity for the ICT teachers to network and share resources and also get access to some new teaching & learning content on CDs and books which will be on sale. See attached draft program for the workshop details.
Kololo Senior Secondary School will host this annual national in-service ICT Teachers Capacity Development Workshop from Wednesday 5th to Thursday 6th September 2018. This years workshop is being organized in conjunction with the Uganda ICT Teachers Association and some partner organizations.
Tickets
Unlike the past free-to-attend (but invite only) workshops which have been funded by government, the costs for this years workshop are going to be met by the workshop participants.
The workshop fee is UGX. 20,000/= per day for non-residents or UGX. 50,000 for all days for residents. The money will be used to cater for meals, workshop materials, accommodation, and utilities.
The UITA steering committee hopes that with time, some other organisations will come on board to support the noble cause of fighting computer illeteracy through empowering ICT teachers as change agents. This is beacause there is need to sponsor some teachers especially those from rural areas to be able to travel to the capital, network and share with the rest of the teachers. Tickets for the workshop can be bought online through the event page on eventbright, but will also be available offline at Kololo SS dring registration. The teachers can confirm participation through this form for early preparations, or call/whatsapp the workshop cordinator on +256776960740 / +256706060740.
Invitation Letter
An Official Invitation Letter addressed to school headteachers is circulating in schools. A scanned copy is embedded below:
[google-drive-embed url=”https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nuJgJAVTCNs8KwOsoYxBxz1cljNaG-hA/preview?usp=drivesdk” title=”ICT Capacity Devt 2018.pdf” icon=”https://drive-thirdparty.googleusercontent.com/16/type/application/pdf” width=”100%” height=”400″ style=”embed”]