Linford has gained popularity in community development through TeaSterl, an organisation he founded in 2015, which focuses on intensive career guidance for learners in rural areas, as well as teacher professional development in ICT and shoestring science (improvisation). He states: I believe in mentoring young people, to ensure that they thrive in their personal and professional territories. I believe that community development projects are the best platforms for humans to exercise their humanity without unhealthy competition. Linford graduated from UJ in 2014 with a B.Ed degree. The same year, he visited Georgia State University, USA, through the institution’s student-exchange programme with UJ’s Faculty of Education . In 2015, he got his Honours (ICT in Education), followed by his Master’s (ICT in Education) in 2019. Linford acknowledges some of the UJ lecturers who influenced his way of thinking, behaving, and working. “As a student, I worked as a tutor under highly knowledgeable lecturers who contributed significantly towards my development as a teacher,
including Mphiriseni Khwanda (the Physics and Chemistry Lecturer), Prof Jacqueline Batchelor and Prof Geoffrey Lautenbach (the ICT in Education Lecturers), and Prof Josef De Beer, who introduced the concept of shoe-string science to us. I shall continue to carry the memories I have of these lecturers forever.” Born in Ga-Maila village in Ga- Sekhukhune, Limpopo, Linford matriculated during the 2010 Soccer World Cup year, at Makatane Secondary School in Schoonoord, Ga-Maloma. He says that despite his impoverished background, he always envisaged himself as “the first in my immediate and extended family to attend university”. Linford did not think of himself as a teacher: I wanted to become a doctor. Then I got sick when I was in high school and had an opportunity to visit a medical doctor for the first time. I did not like what I saw and realized there was no way I could tolerate dealing with patients, seeing blood all over. I then switched to wanting to do computer science or IT. My neighbour at home, Mr Malata, a teacher, recommended that I apply for teaching, and said
I’d have an opportunity to study technology-related modules within a teaching course – which also had opportunities for funding. I embraced his suggestions. Linford says he strongly believes in Ubuntu principles: We must invest in nurturing our humanity and values that continually strengthen our co- existence. We must be kind to each other, and sensitive to issues we go through in our life trajectories. Humility, kindness, empathy and sympathy, and willingness to help where possible have become part of my key features that open doors to success. Linford’s awards include: the National Teaching Award (ICT category), awarded by the Department of Basic Education in 2019; Top 200 Young South African (Education category), awarded by Mail & Guardian in 2019; South African Men of the Year (Science and Technology category), awarded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development in 2018 Follow the link https://web. facebook.com/CreativeCodingat UJFacultyofEducation for the creative coding @UJ.
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