eThuto Issue No. 4
September 2012
Virtual Training Courses Commonly asked questions about VTC Q: How do I access VTC? A: To access VTC go to http:// computertraining.wits.ac.za, Here you will be able to see a variety of courses offered on VTC to choose from. Q: Can I register for the courses on my own? A: Yes you can actually register yourself on any course as VTC is connected to LDAP. This means that you can use your standard username and password.
Virtual Training Courses (VTC) is a collection of over 900 training tutorials that offer users at Wits an easy and convenient opportunity to learn new software skills from their desk while working at their own pace. The tutorials available on VTC are suited to both beginners and professionals. To use and access VTC, ensure your computer has a soundcard and speakers, is linked to the intranet and a VTC user account. VTC was introduced at Wits around 2004 by CLTD. eLSI inherited the VTC package In 2010 and now offers the service at no charge to all interested staff members and students. At present, use of VTC is low with 207 students registered and 194 staff members attending tutorials. With the integration of this service in Wits authentication protocols, we are hoping that uptake of the service will increase, otherwise eLSI may have to reconsider this service.
Inside this issue > Virtual Training Courses > Staff Bookmarks > Wits-e Monthly Poster > Tablets in Education > Get Connectted > FAQ about VTC > Staff Profile: Fatima Rahiman > eLSI Contact details
Derek’s Bookmarks Derek and his iPad are rarely parted. Below are 3 apps he uses to gather, organize and manage online resources. Zite - A personalized magazine for iPhone and iPad that gets smarter as you use it. www.zite.com Pearltrees - A place to collect, organize, discover and share everything you like on the web. www.pearltrees.com/ Mendeley - Easily organize your papers, read & annotate your PDFs, collaborate in private or open groups, and securely access your research from everywhere www.mendeley.com/
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Q: How do I view lessons on VTC? A: To view lessons on VTC, hover your mouse over a topic of your choice a drop down menu will appear where you will be able to view lessons. Q: How much does it cost to do a course on VTC? A: You do not have to pay for the courses on VTC but if you want accreditation, you will have to write an external exams and there is a fee for that service Contact:
[email protected] or speak to Antoinette Malgas for further details
Ed Tech: Tablets as educational tools? Ever since Steve Jobs launched the iPad in software development also means that 2010, Apple’s touch sensitive device has institutions are entirely at the mercy of a dominated the mobile computing market Apple’s decisions. An emerging range of with its lightweight portable form and long alternatives to iPads means that Apple is not battery life. Consumers on-going infatuation the only route to tablet adoption. Android, with tablets has persuaded many a manufacfor example, with their open source software, turer to develop and release their own version have an operating system that allows for more of this technology, in many cases unsuccessflexibility and customization opportunities. fully. Across the developed world, and inLow tablet prices, sometime a tenth lower creasingly here in South Africa, many higher than an iPad, also have interested those lookeducation institutions are wondering whether ing for electronic alternative for course packs they should introduce tablets on campus. The and notes. Before any widespread purchases advantages of a tablet (over a laptop) are of tablets are made, it would be wise to heed immediately apparent. With a tablet in hand, the mistakes of a certain Business College, as a student has immediate access to a usable recounted by A Goldstuck in Gadget.co.za. He mobile learning environment. reports that a college “…. With a wireless connection or a “An institution should be brought in 23,000 units, only to 3G account, an app store filled cautious about making discover that, aside from the with thousands of cheap down- price the only determi- devices being frustrating to use, loadable programs is at a learnmany students had no idea how nant of their choice of to use them and the College er’s fingertips. tablet.” ended up printing manuals for Nguni, the eLSI gadget fiend, is a the students…”. fan of the iPad 3. “It can be used in various ways to enhance teaching and learning”. He Our Advice. Wits should decide whether they demonstrated the iTunesU app. With this want shallow adoption - students that own installed, a student can carry their virtual tablets - or deep adoption - when academics classroom with them. The app contains course start making use of the device in their teachcontent, students can listen to lectures, watch ing - of tablets. If Wits wants to promote deep videos and be on top of their assignments. adoption, then they need to move beyond When an update is posted or a message sent fears about being left behind or cheap prices. to a class, the student receives a notification. The most important factor for the enterprise The iTunesU app also makes it possible to lies around the issue of how these new tablets browse through many other educational instiare intended to be used. There is no killer application that will lead to automatic adoptutes distributed content. tion. If tablets are to be introduced successful“Caution about introducing a successful comly, then Wits needs to ensure that the inframercial product into an educational setting is structure offers network, power and content advisable.” says Derek, Head of Content Seraccess. Usability, price, and battery life of vices. “iPads are still an emerging and expenAndroid and Apple tablets will need to be sive technology. At present there is a distinct piloted and rigorously tested before they are lack of e-textbooks available for these devicselected. Getting tablets into students hands es”. Apple’s “walled garden” approach to is possible, but not easy. DM & NS
Staff: Fatima Rahiman Fatima’s twitter profile reads as “Learning Designer at Wits University by day and a muser of the je ne sais quoi of living, loving and learning the rest of the woolly hours…” Whilst the notion of musing may evoke a picture of a fairly passive lifestyle, it certainly belies her hectic life which is consumed by the challenges of raising two rambunctious adolescents. Born in Vrededorp, affectionately known as Fietas , Fatima has enjoyed stints as an secondary school educator, citizen journalism portal manager (SANGONET-Hivos), and as a project manager of a primary school broadcast channel (Mind-set Network). These jobs have endowed her with a keen propensity for Information Technology tools and her desire is to assist in the augmentation of effective learning and teaching practices to improve throughput rates whilst engaging teachers and students in transformative social practices.
At present Fatima lays her hat at her alma mater where she is presently reading her Masters in Educational Technology by night (in addition to having completed a certificate course in Instructional Design and Content writing, along with a BSc in Life Sciences as well as a BA Hons in Journalism and Media studies) whilst advocating online learning by day. By day, she leads the learning design team and manages the SAKAI implementation project. Fatima is at pains to explain that whilst the SAKAI project consumes most of her time, for her, eLearning is more than just a learning management system and she is keen for the unit to explore and expand the discussion on the many facets of 21st century learning once a stable SAKAI platform has successfully been implemented. In particularly the promotion of a critical citizenship of students is close to her heart and Fatima eagerly awaits the evolution of the unit to include a research unit which would focus on the sociological and ethical aspects of cyberspace, amongst other issues. She is too well aware of the potential ramifications of being connected 24/7 i.e. the perils of addictive online social networking behaviour, the plasticity of identity that the 2
Get Connected ANDROID Go to settings, click on wireless & networks Click on WIFI settings ,scroll down to add WIFI Networks On the add WI-FI Network drop down box add the following information Network SSID: Security : EAP method:
Cns_Wpa 802.1x EAP PEAP
Phase 2 Authentication: MSCHPV2 Identify: ss\student no Ds\Staff no Add Password and click save
APPLE Click on settings & go to WI-FI Turn WI-FI on, click on the for ward arrow next to Cns_Wpa Scroll down to http proxy and select Manual Add the following information Server :
Proxyad.wits.ac.za ( for staff) / Proxyss.wits.ac.za( for students) Port: 80 Authentication On Add the following information Username & Password Go back to WI-FI Networks, click on Cns_Wps In the pop up box, fill in your username and password. A certificate will appear, accept it to get connected. online medium affords, the online ‘slactivism’ in civil and political affairs. She admits to having a crisis of faith as an eLearning advocate every so often as she rues daily the inability of her kids to disconnect from ‘the Matrix’ of devices. Wary of scaremongering claims, she remains positive that the affordances of digital networked technology can be harnessed through proper engagement - digital literacy being of paramount importance. It is the delivery of this latter skill which she feels will be the unit’s next challenge as we adapt to the changing landscape of higher education.
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