Communities of practice have a life cycle, and BRIDGE has convened a number of CoPs which have come to an end. In addition, certain sub-groups known as ‘focus groups’ or ‘action groups’ have been formed to take up specific tasks. Resources generated by these CoPs are however still useful and relevant, and available on the website.
BRIDGE has run the following CoPs in the past.
Information Communication Technology in Education Community of Practice
Purpose
The introduction of technology into classrooms around the world has not been without controversy as educators debate concerns around pedagogies and appropriate devices. In a context like South Africa where infrastructure and technological support are not widely available to all, questions around access, affordability, adequate school-based support and teacher development pose very real challenges to the dream of having all learners connected to the worldwide web.
This CoP was established in 2012 in partnership with CoZa Cares and the Department of Basic Education as a multi-stakeholder forum of technology solution companies, service providers, school leaders, educators and innovators working to provide usable and sustainable technologies that aid and support teaching and learning. Debates and research also fed into the government’s commitment to e-education as a mechanism to improve teaching and learning across the country.
The CoP was discontinued in 2015 as ICT became a cross-cutting topic of interest that was frequently addressed in the context of specific communities of practice.
Key Activities
The ICT CoP frequently worked in action sub-groups to deepen understanding of specific areas. These included ICT in relation to teacher professional development; digital content for curricula to be delivered through ICT; and the development of guidelines for evaluating ICT interventions. The latter aimed at helping efforts to maximise replication of successful evidence-based interventions, while reducing unsuccessful programmes.
An example of one of the resources developed by drawing on various inputs is the What’s Trending Update: Focus on ICTs. Click here to view.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Western Cape Information Communication Technology in Education Community of Practice
Purpose
This community of practice existed from 2012 to 2015, offering space for various companies, organisations and products to be showcased. Members aimed at growing their knowledge about existing strategies and tools in use, exploring shared challenges and discussing the impacts of different types of ICT interventions.
Key Activities
Partners in this community included Edunova, Mxit Reach, Rethink Education and a host of other industry leaders, who shared this platform to talk openly about what they do and how they do it. With the introduction of EduCollaborate, an online NGO collaboration portal that BRIDGE developed in partnership with the Western Cape Education Department, many similar organisations working in the same areas and schools can now find each other.
Click here to go to the EduCollaborate portal.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Western Cape Learner Support Community of Practice
Purpose
This CoP was an attempt to tackle some of the challenges faced by South African learners in a systematic manner. It included stakeholders who provided after-hours programmes and post-school, scholarship or bursary opportunities for learners.
Key Activities
Because of its broad nature, learner support was classified in three ways:
– Psychosocial;
– Academic; and
– Extra-curricular.
Community members sought to engage potential partners for collaboration and shared learning in these areas.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Mentorship Action Group
Purpose
This sub-group evolved from a convening around School Leadership. The Mentorship action group explored models for mentoring and coaching to help school leaders build effective schools. This was a space for facilitators and school leaders alike to interrogate and reflect on their own practice while developing working practice for capacitating school leaders and district officials. This driven and dynamic group was successful in engaging the Department of Basic Education in its development of provincial and district mentorship frameworks. These frameworks have since been adopted and remain in use. The mentoring action group concluded its work in 2014, much of which is summarised in the Mentorship in Teacher Development resource on the website. Click here to view this resource.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Learner Selection Focus Group
Purpose
This sub-group evolved from the Maths and Science Community of Practice. The Learner Selection focus group compared strategies for selecting learners for maths and science interventions. A comparison of pre-selected learner groups and non-selected learner groups concluded that improvement in learner performance results more from learner commitment and motivation than from careful selection. The work was completed in 2014.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Saturday School Focus Group
Purpose
This sub-group evolved from the Maths and Science Community of Practice, with active participation from those involved in after-school programmes. The Saturday School focus group investigated a range of after-hours learner support initiatives and documented what worked and what didn’t work in the implementation of these interventions. The work was completed in 2014.
Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.