There was a time when accessing education was just about bricks and mortar. The pandemic has changed all of that even for some who preferred only accessing education from buildings. It is for this reason that our lead article focuses on the dream for a digital university in South Africa.
In recent years new universities have been built however all of them are brick and mortar structures. South Africa does not have even one national digital university and we give you all the reasons why this is necessary during this era. In this digimag, we also list several online schools where young people can access education. In addition, we shine a light on the tools that enable you to access education from the comfort of your home.
In June, South Africans will be paying special attention to young people. As part of this digimag youth focus, the IOL Tech team will also host a discussion about education and technology. We are interested in understanding the challenges associated with accessing education during a period when access requires digital devices, connectivity, and little interaction with other learners.
At IOL Tech we are particularly interested to know how young people from rural areas and townships have navigated the need to use technology to learn. We are hoping that reporting on these matters and hosting discussions on these issues will lead to some form of a proposal that can be considered to assist young people during this time of need.
Throughout June 2021 we will be looking for partners that we can work with in addressing some of the challenges that have come to our attention.
As of June 2021, we would also like to initiate a series of articles that will focus on how teachers and educators can use technology to better deliver education to learners and students.
Wesley Diphoko is the Editor at IOL Tech.