The following article has been contributed by Minda Marshall of Lectorsa, a member of ADESSA.

With the advance of technology and the 4th industrial revolution, we realize that life-long learning is the key to a successful life. One of the biggest hurdles to becoming a life-long learner can be our perspective on learning:

• How do you view learning?
• Do you think of it as “I have to” or as “I want to”?

Learning is crucial, but the beauty of learning lies in the love and excitement of growth. As life-long learners we have to keep it real and keep it fun!

After more than 30 years of experience in the educational field and first-hand insight as a mother of three, I know how important it is for an educational solution to be more than just an add-on, it needs to ignite excitement.

It needs to empower us with more than just skills – we need that added sense of achievement- the ‘magic’ that keeps on drawing us back for more.

While developing our virtual solution, LAB-on-line, we kept this in mind and we purposed to create a solution that empowers our users and focuses their attention. We have achieved success because we have currently assisted more than 85 000 users to unlock their true potential, while ‘playing’ at work and working at ‘play’.

Learners are under pressure to perform academically and the amount of information that they need to master has increased, but their skillset has not evolved. This has resulted in a GAP that we call the information/application GAP.

LAB-on-line develops the skills and gives you the strategies needed to bridge this GAP.  It ensures the best personal results and improves excellence in learning without adding more pressure on the student.

This year alone, with over 14 000 users on the primary school, high school and tertiary level, remarkable results have been achieved and that within completion of only 5 – 7 lessons.

In the Gr 4 division, their Visual Processing Factor (measured in words per minute) already increased from 87  to 130 and their Cognitive Development Factor (measured in % comprehension) improved with 4%. When these learners did the placement test at the beginning of this year, their skill level was below the expected Grade 1 level, but after completing only 5 lessons, their skill level has already increased with two years. We cannot wait to see the improvement after the completion of all 20 lessons.  In 2017 the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) reported that 78% of Gr 4’s in SA cannot read for meaning nor retrieve basic information from the text to answer simple questions. We are turning these statistics around.

This year we once again partnered with amazing schools across South Africa and the educators’ dedication and will to bring about real change, in order to empower their students, has been truly inspiring.

Adrienne Rivera (HOD English at Assumption Convent School), one of our partnering schools, said: “Our girls have improved dramatically and it shows in their general school performance.”

As stated by the Principal of Kannemeyer Primary School, Ridwan Samodien, we need to be co-travellers on this journey of giving our children the best possible education.

Join us in building a better future by investing in our children, because South Africa #YesWeCan!