Dr. Karen Walstra (KWC.EvolveSchool)
InstructorINTRODUCTION
Karen Walstra, independent educational consultant, promotes problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, incorporating digital tools, addressing educational transformation, assisting edu-organisations adapting to change, exploring strategic thinking. Conducts PD personalised sessions. Successful 29-year classroom teaching career (Gr. R-11). Director of Academics. Coordinated and trained on large-scale outreach programmes: St Stithians College’s Thandulwazi Teacher and Leader Development Programme (2005-2015). Acting Head of Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy (8/2017-7/2018), Trainer and content developer of Click Foundation’s Learner Reading project (2012-2015). Worked for Google (2014 - 4/2017) Emerging markets “Education Go Digital” and ChromeOS Teams globally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. Part-time lecturer (University of Pretoria: 2017 to 2019). Holds Masters in Education: Educational Technology (University of Witwatersrand) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD ) Computer-integrated Education (University of Pretoria) researched educational Virtual Reality on teachers’ pedagogy Education, Training and Development Assessor and Moderator. Presented at local and international conferences on Educational Technology and Design and Technology.
COURSES
The character of a teacher in a time of technological change
This very short course is for teachers who are feeling swamped. Take time to reflect, think and find your own…
Navigating 5IR with Purple Mash – Humans and Computers
The Fifth Industrial Revolution promises a future where automation and artificial intelligence will transform the way we live and work.…
Growing Nelson Mandela’s (Madiba’s) values in our classroom and school
In this short self-paced course we’ll explore Madiba the man, and the significant dates in his life. The main focus…
Building Confidence with Digital Tools in the Classroom
Empowering Educators: Building Confidence with Digital Tools in the Classroom
Internet Safety – No Addon!
Internet Safety – No Add On In this course we explore why Internet Safety should be NO add on, rather…
Introduction to Classroom Management – My Teaching Space
This short self-paced learning course is an “Introduction to Classroom Management – My Teaching Space”. It would be useful for…
RATINGS & REVIEWS
Sizwe Jahelidala
My expectations were met. I appreciate the navigation into this seemingly frustrating yet important change that education has taken in South Africa. Important aspects of how to embrace the change were shared and discussed. Thank you so much for such.
Samuel
this course was very informative to me as a teacher in this digital age. I learnt how can I be resilient, collaborative, innovative, empathic teacher. This will help me to become a better teacher who is resilient and able to digitalize my classroom
Tina
The content was incredibly comprehensive and up-to-date. The course covered a wide range of topics, from basic internet safety principles to advanced security measures. Each module was well-structured and presented in a clear, engaging manner. I appreciated how the lessons were broken down into manageable segments, making it easy to absorb and retain the information.
Charlene
Dr Walstra has simplified Online Safety in a concise manner, reminding us of why this topic is of critical importance. She backs up her facts with numerous sources. I appreciate the impactful videos that can be shown to learners, to make them aware of their online activity. The self-reflection for each topic was thought-provoking, and I look forward to using these ideas in my lessons.
Thank you for your review. We are glad you enjoyed it!
Nelmari
This was a very thorough and thought provoking course. I enjoyed the example of videos that can assist with explaining topics to your children and learners. My mom was listening to some of the videos with me while I was busy and mentioned how she would have loved to have had the knowledge when we were younger. Excellent work, thank you.
Thank you for your review! We are glad you and your mom enjoyed the course!
Kevin
I enjoyed the course, learned a lot, and want to pursue this in the future, thanks Karen and Keri for your help.
Thank you, Kevin. We are glad you found it valuable!
Mark
I enjoyed the course and found the way Dr Hayward connected Mandela’s ideas to the classroom fascinating. I am sure that many teachers will find delight in this inspiring presentation.
Many thanks for your kind words, Dr Potterton!
Thank you Tina, we are glad you enjoyed the course and learnt from it. We look forward to seeing you on future courses!