THE past few weeks I have been writing quite a bit about educational technology and innovations.

I think this is due to the fact that I am working quite hard in this area at the moment exploring new technologies and the applications of these technologies to enhance the teaching and learning experiences of both the student and the lecturer/teacher.

For the past few months I have been working on the development of an Active Learning Centre to be implemented at the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State. This type of classroom is often referred to as a Smart Classroom or a Classroom of the Future. I think it is vital for educators to use technology in their teaching. Even if it is just sending emails to students to remind them of a test the following day or maybe to send them a link to content online that could be of value.

Next week the CUT will, as part of its 30 year celebrations, host quite a number of showcases. I have put together one of these showcases on 20 September. There will be a number of presentations including my presentation explaining the development of the Active Learning Centre. During the day a number of educational technology providers, including Apple and Smart Technologies, will be showing some of their innovative products. I would like to invite all educators or technology enthusiasts to join us. You can attend the day for free. If you would like me to email you the program please email me at nbaird@cut.ac.za and I will forward it to you. .Nico Baird is a new media expert and can be contacted at nico@clicksa.co.za or visit www.nicobaird.com.