Vodacom Mobile Science Cart Project equips three KZN schools

2 min read
Science cart demonstration at the Vodacom Mobile Science Cart Project launch, with a microscope, laptop, projector and retort stand

Three high schools in KwaZulu-Natal each took delivery of a science cart and a mobile library when the Vodacom Mobile Science Cart Project launched. SmartLabs planned and delivered the project with Vodacom. The schools were KwaNtabeni Comprehensive High School, Thabela High School and Rietvalei High School.

The aim was to give learners hands-on access to Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, plus the books and computer access that go with them. Vodacom's view, and ours, was that learners can't get far in those subjects without both.

Why a cart and not a lab

Many schools don't have a science laboratory, and building one takes money and floor space that most of them simply don't have. A cart takes a different route by bringing the equipment to the classroom. A teacher can wheel it into a Life Sciences lesson in the morning and a Maths class after break, then pack it away at the end of the day.

Vodacom and SmartLabs wanted ICT that the schools could rely on and afford to keep running. It also had to be flexible enough to take new technology later, so the schools could add to it instead of replacing it.

What each school received

Each cart held a projector, a microscope, Kinevision, a laptop, speakers and ICT programming. The laptop and projector together let a teacher put lesson material on the wall for the whole class, instead of learners crowding around one small screen.

We planned the contents around the CAPS syllabus, but each school could adjust the set-up to suit its own needs. Every school also got a mobile library, so reading material arrived alongside the science equipment.

Training the teachers

New equipment only gets used if the teachers are comfortable with it. Before the carts went into service, teachers at all three schools were trained on both the hardware and the software, and SmartLabs committed to ongoing support for the equipment and the programming.

Other school projects

The Vodacom carts are one of several school projects we've worked on. With PPC, we sourced science carts, Grade 10 to 12 physical science equipment and DBE-endorsed software for rural schools, and ran two days of teacher training at each one. That project is covered in our PPC rural schools story. We were also part of the SKA SA e-Schools Initiative, which started in the Karoo town of Carnarvon (read about the SKA schools project).

Equipping your own school

Much of what went into those carts is still what schools ask us for most. That means microscopes, microscope cameras that put a slide up on a projector screen, and the apparatus for Physical Sciences and Life Sciences practicals. Teachers can also use our free CAPS experiment guides, which cover more than 70 practicals step by step.

If you're planning a project for one school or several, contact our team and we'll quote on the full set-up, training included.