1. Arthur Mfebe Senior Secondary School was chosen as a pilot site. A base study of the Cofimvaba School District was undertaken in early 2012.

2. In August 2012, the learners and teachers were introduced to the Dr Math service as well as the QuizMax solution (practice Maths and Science tests and exam papers for grades 10 -12) and the Siyavula Maths and Science textbooks, all available via MXit. Cell C provided free SIM cards and airtime to all learners at the school, since access to MXit is free over the Cell C network.

3. All the teachers at the school were provided with 7-inch tablets, under the innovative CSIR Meraka EARN AS YOU LEARN model, where each teacher had to agree to attend each training course and do their homework, in order to earn their tablets.

4. Safe storage and charging stations were installed at the school, as well as a wifi network and a content server. Learners and teachers are able to access the content via their tablets.

5. The Cofimvaba project was officially launched by Minister Hanekom of the Department of Science and Technology and Deputy Minister Surty of the Department of Basic Education in December 2012.

6. The school was provided with 2xMobiKits, which each held 10 tablets. These tablets were given to their matric learners, who shared them and took it in turns to take home to help with their studies. The teachers are actively using the tablets in the classroom as textbooks, research tools, browsers, video cameras, multimedia tools, audio recorders, etc.

7. Teachers at Arthur Mfebe continued their training and were eventually provided with 10inch Samsung tablets, after a decision was made to provide teachers with larger tablets. Their 7-inch tablets were made available to learners at the school.

8. In June 2013, ALL the teachers fulfilled the requirements as set out, and graduated from training. The tablets were officially earned and became their personal properties.

9. In May 2013, the project team visited the additional 11 schools that were earmarked for Phase 2 of the project. Children were given an opportunity to experience the tablets for the first time.

10. Teachers at the new schools were also given the opportunity to play with the tablets. The visit to the schools was undertaken as part of the communication and change management processes that are inherent in the project.

11. On 18 July 2013, matric learners at Arthur Mfebe, the first pilot school, were each given their own tablet. Parents were present at the celebration. The rest of the learners were promised tablets once the storage and charging facility at the school had been adequately prepared and secured.

12. On 19 and 20 July 2013, 144 teachers at an additional 11 schools all received tablets, also under the EARN AS YOU LEARN model. Over the next 9 months they will go through comprehensive teacher training at their schools, as part of the preparation for tablet rollouts to each school.

13. After the feedback from the first pilot school, the EARN AS YOU LEARN system was formalised into a badge system, where badges are used to accredit micro-skills as they develop. Teachers need to complete 13 COMPULSORY badges to earn their tablets over a 10 module course. Small incentives are linked to badge attainment, at both a personal and school basis. The first badge was the ICT4RED badge, where they earned covers for their tablets. Schools receive additional technology equipment once their teachers have received a minimum number of badges.

14. ICT4RED Christmas in July for Cofimvaba teachers but lots of hard work ahead for them and the CSIR Meraka extended team! These teachers have just earned their ICT4RED badges.

15. A successful visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology was undertaken to Cofimvaba and Arthur Mfebe in July 2013. Members were exposed to the project and to various teaching techniques being used to teach mathematics supported by tablets (Jigsaw methodology and creating videos).

16. The rest of the grade 10 and 11 Arthur Mfebe learners were each provided with their own tablet in August 2013. This is the largest tablet rollout thus far 300 tablets!

17. Professional Teacher Development was in full swing by August 2013 (2 weeks after receiving their tablets), where the teachers began focusing on various teaching strategies and comfortably and competently using their tablets to support their teaching. JIGSAW

18. MIND-MAPPING JIGSAW MOBIQUETTE Some of the learning artefacts that are being produced by teachers as they complete the various professional teacher development modules!

19. The little school that could! Celebrations at Zamuxolo Junior Secondary School, which became the first school to earn a projector via the EARN AS YOU LEARN system, despite being one of the most disadvantaged schools in the project.

20. Additional schools soon earned their projectors as well, under the watchful eyes of our on-the-ground partners and champions from the District Office, Sindiswa Sibawu and Roy Kattukkanal.

21. Young, eager and excited learners are helping their teachers develop ICT policies for their schools.

22. Indications of how technology is both an enabler of opportunity and erases barriers of age the devices are being used by young

23. ROLE PLAY .. and old!

24. Learning how to use various digital resources on tablets in the classroom all about ebooks, videos, podcasts, simulations and animations, using the Learning Station concept. LEARNING STATIONS

25. A tablet fun day was held on a Saturday in November 2013, in order to provide the opportunity for teachers to earn technology badges and to celebrate the success of the project so far. Although attendance was optional, more than 160 teachers and officials arrived to enthusiastically participate!

26. All teachers were set up with email addresses, could download apps, could attend social media workshops and could give input to evaluation questionnaires. There were also prizes given to top teachers. The day was so successful that it was the top trending topic in South Africa on Twitter!

27. In January 2014, some of our ICT4RED team members started visiting the 15 new schools where the project will be expanded to. This was to view the schools, interact with educators and start communicating about the project and what was going to happen.

28. At the same time another ICT4RED team visited the current schools to check on school numbers and to do badge assessments. Some of these schools will soon earn tablets and internet connectivity for their schools.

29. Modules 7 & 8 enabled the teachers to learn about new techniques, such as field trips as learning strategies.

30. Different interpretations of feet off the ground in the scavenger hunt!

31. Teachers are becoming increasingly comfortable with the technology!

32. No problems with the touch interface

33. Or typing..

34. Comfortable in the paper and digital worlds using both interchangeably.

35. Just fully engaged learning!

36. They are being exposed to new methods of teaching, discussing, questioning and debating as they experience the various teaching strategies and then go back to their classrooms to try them out for themselves.

37. The project is seeing increasing use of the learning strategies that the educators are being exposed to, being repeated in the classroom!

38. Some of the amazing learning artefacts that are being developed by the ICT4RED teachers as they employ new pedagogies. Gallery Walk Role Play Scavenger hunt Field trip

39. Were looking forward to what our ICT4RED educators are going to produce after the module on game-based learning! This is one of our Angry Birds champions, who is also one of the oldest educators, yet one of our star performers!

40. This project is about FUN

41. OPPORTUNITY

42. LEARNING

43. CHALLENGE

44. EXPLORATION

45. TEAMWORK

46. CREATIVITY

47. EMPOWERMENT

48. MOVING OUT OF COMFORT ZONES

49. And HARD WORK!

50. Its about giving our children the future they deserve.