Barbara Mallinson, social entrepreneur and founder of mobile education platform Obami, spoke to HumanIPO on the integration of education and technology in South Africa.
HumanIPO: How many years do you assign to the development of a standardised online education system in South Africa?
Mallinson: The educational structure requires significant investment so I am not going to sit around twiddling my thumbs while Obami is popular, but others don’t scale up.
If everything goes well, I reckon within five years we could have the foundation for a working model. That means drastic changes.
That means more teaching technology, not for technology’s sake and then teaching maths that is using technology to teach maths, that is using technology to teach English.
The opportunity is there for all the separate subjects.
There are huge costs involved with security for that. If I have a computer lab, it just doesn’t work, because it gets broken into.
So [the solution lies rather in] flipping that model on its side and saying: ‘Right, let’s give devices to these kids and keep them when they leave the school. If they’re in the school they have these devices that will be taken to the classroom’.
Which devices would you advise for classroom education?
It really depends on the affordability.
I don’t advocate one device, but let’s take an iPad for instance. It is an amazing tool and it gives the plethora of learning and you can do so much with it. But then, it’s costly and not universally affordable.
Perhaps even sponsored [devices] by Samsung or Dream Mobile, which is an amazing solution.
You get smartphones and tablets for really reasonable prices. The only difference between the smartphone and the iPad is you might not get the full learning application.
Do you think tech startups can play a role in educational solutions to bridge the gap?
There are so many. Obviously providing solutions in education, whether it is sending out, providing access to content or providing solutions for tracking of learner performing and evaluation [can help].
It always comes down to big data so tech startups have understanding how to deal with data more than any kind of startup. So I think that is probably the biggest form – to use that data in some way.
Specifically tech startups [can be of service]. There is a lot that they can do with regards to providing platforms that facilitate training, for instance.
What lies at the bottom of the generation gap when it comes to embracing technology as part of the education system?
It is very much a fear factor.
It is more about losing their position as that person (teacher) that stands up in the front of the classroom. Suddenly kids become more knowledgeable than them and they are, and it removes their power.
Do you think teachers and students should then perhaps work together in discovering the benefits of technology in the classroom?
The idea of learners teaching teachers? I always advocate the idea, but teachers need to learn to accept it.
When we speak to kids, they are always saying: ‘I wish the teacher would have to sit through and then she’d see how bored she is’.
They want to be engaged and the way to engage is to embrace the tools and teachers don’t let them. So teachers [should be] opening up and then willing to learn from their learners.
Do you think the education issue is a cultural mindset that needs to be shifted?
It is a cultural thing because it’s just been done that way for so long.
It is very hard to change because it’s this massive establishment. It is like trying to turn a ship while it’s too late.
I can think of things that will change it. [There are] things like having social learning where you can go beyond the classroom and connect to people.
[There are] things like interactive resources. Normal textbooks are so expensive to produce, to distribute. Things like digital resources on a phone or laptop are super easy to create and to distribute to give people access to keep up to date and it’s super cheap so that will change things.
I think the mobile phone is going to change things as well because it is giving access to modern technology.
