Inspiring Testimonial
“I am so super excited to be a part of your Teacher Support Program. The lessons are so simple to understand and follow. In addition, the chatbot application is AMAZING. It navigated me through everything I wanted to know with ease.
Us as an organisation we have been waiting for something like this for years and it is finally here and without all the intimidation that robotics and coding usually comes with!”
— Alley McPherson, Founder of E.C.D's United for Greatness
Introducing the WhatsApp Chatbot
As part of the Tangible Africa Teacher Support Program, a WhatsApp Chatbot was launched this week. This innovative tool will play a pivotal role in providing weekly lessons to teachers from Grade R to 7, preparing them for the future implementation of the new Coding and Robotics curricula.
Key Features of the Chatbot
Kelly Bush from Tangible Africa, who designed the ChatBot navigation, highlights its functionality:
- Provides a seamless interaction platform for thousands of registered teachers.
- Delivers weekly lessons and archives previous lessons.
- Enables teachers to provide feedback and ask questions.
Designed for Teachers by Teachers
The lessons are developed by a team of qualified teachers with extensive experience. Here’s what makes this program special:
- Completely Free: No cost to teachers.
- Curriculum Aligned: Tailored to the CAPS Coding and Robotics curriculum.
- CPD Points: Opportunities to earn valuable Continuing Professional Development points.
- Guided Learning: Easy-to-follow weekly lessons with support.
- No Experience Required: Suitable for teachers without prior coding experience.
- Physical Teaching Materials: Active participation can earn teachers tangible resources.
Commitment to Teacher Support
“We have committed to provide weekly lessons during the first term of 2025. The continuation and expansion of the project will literally depend on how many teachers register and implement the lessons in their classes,” said Jackson Tshabalala, Engagement Manager for Tangible Africa.
Offline and Interactive Lessons
All initial lessons will be offline and interactive, focusing on introducing coding principles and problem-solving skills. This approach ensures accessibility, especially for schools with limited resources.
Ryan le Roux, CEO of Leva Foundation, explains:
“We believe that this way of teaching has been proven to be the most effective within the country’s environment where many schools do not have computers, internet connectivity, or electricity. The Chatbot will play a pivotal part in all of this, since we have found that emails are not the best way to communicate with our teachers.”
High Engagement and Positive Feedback
Statistics show the effectiveness of the Chatbot:
- Email read rate: Below 50%
- Chatbot read rate: Nearly 90% within 24 hours
Prof Greyling from Nelson Mandela University Computing Sciences shared his excitement over the positive teacher response. Similarly, Conraad Basson from Shalom Akademie in Ladismith expressed gratitude for the innovative teaching tools:
“I am inspired by the passionate Tangible Africa team to continue raising a generation of problem solvers!”
Megan Gratz from Stirling Primary School in East London added:
“Using the WhatsApp platform is wonderful since everyone has WhatsApp. I downloaded all the lessons I needed and think this will specifically be helpful for teachers and schools who do not have resources.”
How to Get Started
Recording of Information Session
Watch the 40-minute session to learn more.
Accessing the Chatbot
- On Your Phone: Click here.
- On Your PC or Laptop: Scan the QR code with your phone
New User Guide
Watch the video tutorial.
Need Assistance?
For further support, email jean.greyling@mandela.ac.za.
