The Chronicle 2022

MEDIA CENTRE

Head of Department: Mr Jed Coventry Staff: Mrs Melissa Ross (Assistant Librarian) , Mrs Keren Shunmoogum (Printroom Administrator) , Mr Van Wyk Oosthuysen (Audio-Visual Resource Centre) The Media Centre received a new member of staff in the form of Mrs Melissa Ross who comes to us with a wealth of library experience, most recently from Northlands Girls High School where she was the Librarian. Mrs Ross brought her energetic and fun-loving personality to bear on a range of engaging and informative displays and events this year including an outdoor poetry reading, Halloween Art Competition, and Top 100 of everything voting list. Mrs Ross provides a knowledgeable, nurturing and no-nonsense presence to library visitors. Mrs Keren Shunmoogum occupied her new role in the highly demanding, and often pressurized position administering textbooks and managing the printroom with aplomb. With her calm presence and meticulous attention to detail, Mrs Shunmoogum has been successful in streamlining textbook operations and revolutionizing the printing experience for staff and boys, providing efficiency within the school and peace of mind to students and teachers often working with strict time restraints. Mrs Ross arrived into a Media Centre environment that was bracing for change. We began the year with the knowledge that a major construction and renovation project was imminent, thanks to a generous donation from Old Boy, and Silicon Valley magnate, Divesh Makan. Mr Makan’s vision was for his donation to establish a centre within the school dedicated to innovation. The pandemic served as a powerful reminder that we live in an increasingly complex world and of the need for schools to prepare learners for an uncertain future. A 2021 UNESCO report highlighted four trends impacting our future: T

decided that there would be best fit and crossover between the functions of the existing Media Centre and soon to be dubbed, Makan Centre. Of course before building could begin and many of the decisions could be made, research was necessary. Culminating with the InnovateEdu 2022 conference at Parklands College, Messrs Oosthuizen and Coventry embarked on a tour of various schools and facilities in Cape Town that are geared toward innovation and innovative ways of working. We took photos and interviewed numerous educators and facility managers, learning about the design philosophies and technologies and hardware of choice for the innovation hubs in their schools and workspaces. Next began the packing of the library in order to vacate the premises before construction could begin. A fraction of the book collection was brought to the temporary space while all the remaining books and furniture were placed carefully into storage. Bookworms soon followed their noses to a cozy, sunny reading room in the upstairs theatre foyer. The Media Centre felt right at home, nestled in the theatre, with the IT and language departments close by. The space was decked with shelving and stocked with a limited supply of books, while Mrs Ross added touches of colour and imagination that brought the space to life. This Satellite Library became a refuge for the many denizens of the Media Centre who rely on the library as an oasis of study and calm, a home for their clubs, and a steady source of new books to read. Reading lessons and Media Studies classes took place without much a disruption. Project Superhero is a collaborative research project E Blockers complete during their integrated studies week. Working in groups within their Houses, they are tasked with creative problem solving for issues raised by the UN Global Goals initiative using their investigation of an example of a Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. Project Superhero thankfully took place on campus this year, though the project benefitted from last years’ fully online experience, as well as from the E Block boys now being armed with school-issued laptops. This enabled a true blended-learning experience for the boys, who benefitted from both the online engagement of the project material, and the hands-on live workshops and real opportunities for in-person group collaboration. As this year draws to a close, staff and boys alike look forward to the construction of the new building being complete, and the school being able to make use of and enjoy the new facilities and resources that will be available. We are excited to integrate a newly renovated library space, linked physically to the newly constructed Makan Centre. The values of research and truth embodied in a traditional library, and the spirit of innovation through technology represented by the Makan Centre are indeed excellent partners for the future of this exciting and evolving space.

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We are a planet in peril

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The advancement and challenges of digital technology

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Democratic backsliding and polarization

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The uncertain future of work

Educators around the world are grappling with how to adapt their practice in order to equip their students with the knowledge, skills, and character strengths they need to address these daunting challenges. Thanks to Divesh Makan, Michaelhouse can count itself at the cutting edge of these forward-looking educational horizons, building a permanent space within the school dedicated to investigating and addressing the changes and challenges posed by technology on society. But where to place such an exciting new centre on a bustling and expansive campus? In a consultative process of assessment of the academic and infrastructural needs of the school, it was

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