WHILE many students are first introduced to coding in high school, children as young as those at the infant level are writing computer programmes at Camperdown Primary and Infant School, under the guidance of Duval Ebanks. It’s a feat that has earned the educator the title of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Innovation Teacher of the Year.

Ebanks, a grade five teacher who served 17 years at the rural St Ann institution, was recognised at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Monday by the Flow Foundation — in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information and the Jamaica Teaching Council — for his innovative use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning.

“I am excited about it. I am very happy, I am honoured, I am humbled by it. Did I think I would win? Yes and no. Why? Because I did observe my fellow competitors’ videos and they were all really good; they all had transformational technologies [they were] using with their students. But to have been named, it means that among my peers I’m respected,” he said.

The award also included $100,000 in cash and a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to the 41st CANTO Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition, an ICT conference being held at in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

According to chief judge Anna-Kay Smith, the competition sought to highlight teachers demonstrating creativity, student engagement, and measurable improvements in learning outcomes through the effective integration of ICT.

Forty teachers from across Jamaica were initially shortlisted before the field was narrowed to seven national finalists based on presentations; classroom observations; and interviews with principals, students, teachers and parents.

Ebanks, who was joyous after being named winner, told journalists that while he was not a dedicated ICT teacher, his experiences and research saw him delving into the use of integrated digital technology, exposing students from the infant department through to grade six to coding, robotics, and interactive learning.

“The Ministry of Education has really been partnering with teachers, especially since the onset of COVID-19 [pandemic] — that’s when I really got into this. The ministry had sent me on a training [course], and that training just opened my horizons to coding. I must admit it was a bit challenging but then I stuck with it and then I also did some more research for myself. There were also other partners who came to the school, [and] they brought coding and robotics. They were training and it upskilled me, so that’s why I have a passion for it. I love it, it’s fun, and I see other children come alive from it and so I continue using it,” he said.

Using micro:bit devices, which are miniature programmable computers, Ebanks explained that students were able to write simple codes that allow the devices to perform tasks such as counting steps, solving mathematical problems, and displaying animations, giving them an early introduction to ICT mechanisms.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI) Dr Kasan Troupe (left); Minister of State in the MOEYI Rhoda Moy Crawford; and Flow Jamaica Chairman Stephen Price (right) pose with information and communications technology Innovation Teacher of the Year Duval Ebanks at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Monday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

He added that students were also introduced to IXL, which is a personalised learning platform that children can use to upgrade their skills across several subject areas including math, language arts and science.

For Ebanks, introducing children to coding at an early age is about preparing them for opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

“We want to catch them early, because even using ICT is not just something that you want to have static, you want them to realise that this is going to be a lifelong learning skill and something that they’ll eventually earn from. So if you catch them and you have them fully engaged and they’re into it, they can develop — because what I was talking about is like block-based coding, basic coding, but then they can move to Python and start coding devices, and electronics, and equipment like cars, and eventually move on to shooting a rocket to the moon. So, the possibilities are endless with technology,” he said.

Despite teaching in a rural community where unreliable Internet connectivity sometimes disrupts lessons, and also facing damage from Hurricane Melissa of last October, Ebanks says that he has remained committed to ensuring his students receive the same exposure to emerging technologies as their peers elsewhere on the island.

“I know the children can handle it,” he said, noting that he hopes to one day create smart classrooms where students help programme automated systems such as sensor-controlled lighting and facial recognition access.

In the meantime, minister of state at the education ministry, Rhoda Moy Crawford hailed the moment as a critical milestone for Jamaica to further implement ICT innovation in schools and to promote educational equity.

“Across Jamaica, technology is changing the way we live, work, communicate, and learn. Yet, technology alone does not transform education; transformation occurs when a skilled teacher uses technology purposefully to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, personalise learning, and unlock the potential within every child,” she said.

“Today, we publicly recognise and honour educators who have demonstrated that the number of devices in a classroom or the sophistication of a software programme does not measure effective ICT integration. Rather, it is measured by impact. It is reflected in students who are more engaged, more confident, more creative, and better prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” said Crawford.