Collaboration in the rural schools of the Eden/Karoo District and the use of knowledge management tools

[摘要] Rural multi-grade schools are faced with many challenges when it comes to teachingand learning. Educators at these schools are required to teach more than one grade at atime with several learning areas. This research suggests that this problem can partlybe resolved by engaging educators in a kind of learning network where they will assisteach other when it comes to curriculum development and planning. The researcherunderstands the conditions and the problems associated with these schools. Hence anonline collaboration process was put to the test.It is argued in the literature review that the nature of the curriculum requires that theeducators should collaborate at a certain level. This has led the researcher to believethat there is a need to provide an overview of collaborative software available in themarket. To this effect a decision was taken to test the suitability of Share Point (SP) ascollaboration software as well as the attitude of educators towards collaboration.Emerging from the research is a visible absence and silence on collaboration inschools. Although educators embrace the process of online collaboration there aresome problems that need to be taken care of first. Some of these relate to theavailability of computers, both at home and at work and the fact that some educatorsare not computer literate enough to face the challenges of online collaboration. Othershortcomings to the success of the research are also highlighted.The research concluded by recommending the use of SP in schools to alleviate theplight of rural school educators. The use of SP should also be accompanied by anextensive training programme to ensure the optimum utilisation of the system. On thewhole the researcher is also of the opinion that online collaboration can workprovided that it is monitored very thoroughly.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University