- Private education group AdvTech have launched a centre for upskilling of its teachers and lecturers.
- The Sandton-based hub features in-person or online resources as well as the latest research to inform practical teaching excellence.
- It includes a coffee bar, collaboration spaces, a resource centre and more.
AdvTech, one of South Africa’s biggest private education groups behind the IIE, Abbotts High School, Trinity House and Pinnacle College, has opened what it calls South Africa’s first “Centre of Teaching and Learning Excellence.”
Teachers and lecturers will be using the centre, located in Sandton, to continue to develop professionally, accessing training and skills development for both basic and higher education phases.
“The centre will be a dynamic learning space, dedicated to facilitating relevant micro-courses and workshops to enhance teaching practices and promote the continuous professional development of the group’s teachers, lecturers, researchers and supervisors across its 119 schools and 33 tertiary campuses,” AdvTech tells Hypertext in an emailed announcement.
AdvTech says it has named the centre SIRIUS, which is the closest star to Earth after the Sun and often incorrectly claimed as “the brightest star in the sky.”
“SIRIUS will serve as the central hub for educational excellence,” says Desiree Hugo, SIRIUS Schools Head.
“ADvTECH teaching and academic staff will be provided with the innovative resources, support, and professional development opportunities, both online and in-person, that they need to consistently excel and drive student growth and performance.”
At the centre, staff will take advantage of tools for learning and teaching innovation that are aligned with global counterparts, as well as the latest research to inform and implement the best teaching practices. Teachers will be trained in-person at the SIRIUS hub or they can do it online through real-time upskilling or through curated online resources for self-study.
“We are very excited about the development of our dedicated teaching studio in Sandton, which is specifically designed to facilitate the teaching of 21st century pedagogies,” Hugo added.
It also includes a coffee bar, collaboration spaces, and resource centre, as well as a dynamic teaching space that can used to accommodate various teaching phases.
“By centralising and leveraging skilled and scarce teaching and learning resources, we will be able to further drive excellent academic performance, as well as attract and retain top talent for both our schools and tertiary division, given the extent and accessibility of developmental opportunities,” said SIRIUS Tertiary Head Dr Gill Mooney.
