How i used practical projects to realize the purpose of education in this busy and hyper active era.

1. Purposeful education in
hyperactive times
By Phuti Ragophala(Online Educator)
phuthi.ragophala@gmail.com
http://itandiksproject.blogspot.com

2. Introduction
 I emerge from a very destitute family background: very rural, poverty, less
skilled parents and very slimy chance of attaining a successful life
 The only tool that I was encourage to use to fight poverty was education
 I started my primary school under the tree
 Then in the shop
 In the dilapidated farmers house, drinking water with animals, using nearby
shrubs to relieve ourselves
 Then moved in to a real school building for my high school education
 Then online teaching and learning as my career to date
 I never knew how the real school building look like until my high school time

3. The route I walked as a
child until a teacher
Under the tree
Dilapidated farmers house
Standardised classrooms
Local shop
On line/cloud teaching
and learning

4. The world yesterday:
 More respect to educators
 Real role models: policemen, nurses, teachers and soldiers
 Empathetic heart from community members and business people
 The notion of “My child is your child” It takes the whole community to raise
up a child”
 Education that was more on values and basic elements
of education
 Children were motivated by education in order to fight poverty
 Very less inequalities with regard rich or poor families(very narrow gap)
 The school was the only tool to fight poverty, attain good life and be
respected person in community

5. Education that was / is based on four elements and values
 Education was based on the following basic elements:
 Literacy: how to speak, read, write
 Numeracy: counting
 Work experience: practical skills: crafting, sewing, baking, cocking, etc
 Social service: ploughing for other people
 The following aspects were incorporated in the elements of purposeful
education:
 Determination
 Discipline and respect
 Goal orientated: e.g when I grow up I want to become…………… to build my
parents a very big house
 Hard work

6.  Based on the above mentioned facts:
It was possible and its still possible ,to keep in possession of your own career
because it’s a real possession in the changes fortune of time.
 It was possible and its still is ,to be what you want to be even in hard times as
long as you don’t loose focus of what you want
 Example: My going to school made me who I am today because of education
that was more on those four elements coupled with the basic values of life
To me education served the purpose : I am know a responsible educated leader.
 From that day the desire to use education to change the lives of needy
people got so entrenched in me in such that my teaching and learning
career beard good fruit.
 The desire to use practical projects to unlock and inspire learners future
careers and connect their natural talents with opportunities through
education became more and more entrenched in me hence the following
projects in school:

7. Projects I used for learners to realise the purpose of education:
My teachings are based more on problem solving
 We can become better human beings only if our education is purposeful

8. Practical projects (PBL)
 Farming: Through skills acquired from FTFA we started Greening projects to
supply the community, instil farming skills to learners, fight poverty. Main aim :To
re assure community that they can produce their own food without relying on
hand-outs from municipality ,to inspire future farmers & maintain peace
 Maintain peace and justice, No poverty and good health and well being
Addressed UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal Number 1 and 16

9.  IKS in medicine: Through skills acquired from FTFA and UNILIM I and my
colleques learnt on how to use green herbs to make ointments and e we
transferred the skills to learners to unlock their critical and creative skills :
Harvesting, mixing, cooking, packaging and labelling and sell to augment school
funds, gain knowledge and to inspire their career choice
 Quality education, good health and well being, reducing inequality in education
Addressing UNESCO SDG’s number 3 and 4

10. Accomplishing my Young Scientist dream
Stephen
Mafokoane <stephen.mafokoane@gmail.com>
to me
Greetings Ma'am
Apr 30 (4 days ago)
My name is Stephen Mafokoane, I am not quite sure that you remember me, I was in the 2011 group.
Right now I am in my first year at Pearson Institute, doing Biotechnology/Pharmacy.
Basically, you made me to choose this lane, you made me to have love for herbs and medicine.
So I want to return to the community, and only you can help me with that.
I am thinking of using The Grade 7 Theory lesson on sectors of economy. The one about how products are
made fron raw materials until packed.
My aim right now is to produce those medicines again, and help kids. With you not being at Pula-Madibogo
anymore, some kids might struggle with the head sores, fungi etc.
So ma'am, I cannot start this without you, you have the methods, you have more knowledge on this. And
this is your project, I could not just hijack it.
All I need is your help, confirmation and blessings.
Stay blessed.
Regards

11. Some of the community projects that I use in my teachings
for learners to realise the purpose of education
http://bit.lyBNEducation

12. Teaching with technology :Through the skills from the then MASTEC
,Microsoft ,School Net and COZA CARES once every Friday(FRIDAY TECHNOLOGY) I take
learners in our mini media lab to use the tools to augment their learning. Some time
they skype with schools outside the country about collaborative projects like reading,
national symbols etc. The main aim being to create global citizens who will be able to
compete globally with their peers.#Teachersmatter
Check this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QnjoaQqfqI

13. Purposeful education in hyperactive times
 Even in hyper active times we can still have purposeful
education
 One can still find silence in a world full of noise
 The key factors that make purposeful education possible:
empathy, determination, goal orientated, passion and hard
work
And of course not forgetting the four elements of education;
Literacy
Numeracy
Social services
Work experience

14. Educational facilities improved as compared to yesterday
No more school in dilapidated farmers house
No more school in the shop
No more school under the tree
Times are changing but the essence of purposeful education should
remain being the underlying value
Better buildings
Cloud teaching and learning

15. Recommendations and way forward
 There is much to be harvested from the world of yesterday:
 We can still have purposeful education in this hyper active times only if we
are focused and goal orientated
 Respect towards educators
 Reminding teachers that teaching is not for self actualisation
 Compulsory education to youth
 More vocational schools than academic
 Team work amongst all the relevant stake holder in education
 Incorporating teaching and learning with UN SDGs

16. Conclusion
 “The moment we become comfortable with suffering and
challenges, we lose our humanity”
Phuti Ragophala
We can still harvest good ideas from the past by going back to
basics.
THANK YOU