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Webinar assesses Unisa’s training on 4IR interventions

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Flashback to December 2022: Academics who completed the training on 4IR intervention programmes with Prof Ntombizodwa Motsa Madikane (front left) and Prof Meahabo Magano (front right)

A webinar held on 19 April 2023 brought together academics and facilitators who participated in four weeks of intensive training on Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) intervention programmes, offered by the Department of Tuition Support and Facilitation of Learning (DTSFL). Themed Reflection on training and application of skills learnt: effective teaching, online presence, continuous assessment implementation, the objective of the webinar was to discuss the way in which the relevant interventions impact research, learning and teaching, and student support.

Click here for more information on the 4IR training programme.

The programme director, Dr Pinagase Tshephe, opened the webinar by welcoming and congratulating the presenters of the day and other academics who attended the intensive programme. He set the scene by stating the purpose of the webinar. Tshephe further remarked that the DTSFL is not just overtraining and overloading Unisans with information, but ensures that the interventions impact research, learning and teaching and student support.

In her presentation, the DTSFL Acting Executive Director, Professor Meahabo Magano, congratulated the academics who attended the programme, especially those who volunteered to share how they effectively use the digital platform to facilitate learning online. She said that she admired the willingness and the positive approach of academics in teaching students. Magano emphasised that the COVID-19 lockdown had an impact on all institutions across the world. “However,” she said, “this created new opportunities for Unisa academics to learn new technologies for teaching and learning.”

Magano acknowledged that there are limitations to using virtual platforms for teaching and learning, however, she urged academics to work together at the institutional level to improve teaching and learning. She closed by urging academics to strive to leave a positive mark in students’ hearts, which will live with them forever.

Presentations dealt with how participants use technology to enhance their learning and teaching, in assessing the students and offering support for their students. Some of the lecturers received positive feedback from their students in using differentiated technologies to enhance the learning and teaching environments. Presenters also alluded to the fact that the technological interventions used increased pass rates in their different modules.

The following academics gave presentations: Shaeefa Jaffer (College of Accounting Sciences), Thabang Masedi, Kitsiso Seete and Professor Josephine Alexander (College of Human Sciences), Elna van Niekerk and Sooklal Selisha (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences), Kafayat Amusa and Professor Senia Nhamo (College of Economic and Management Sciences), Professor Ailwei Mawela and Dr Marina Burger (College of Education), Professor Eeva Rapoo (College of Science, Engineering & Technology), and Dr Dina Jonker and Advocate Nomagugu Hlongwane (College of Law).

To add to the insightful presentations, the webinar also discussed the continuous assessment (CA) model in two colleges. The discussions covered how academics can apply the CA model in their modules and the implications of using the model. Magano encouraged academics to opt for CA and to research the literature on CA. She said that colleges should have their own CA models.

The programme director announced that further workshops would be hosted. He encouraged the attendees to be on the lookout for the DTSFL invitation notice through Intcom, and attend the workshops for the betterment of the learning and teaching environments at Unisa. “We have seen from this webinar that these workshops are not ‘nice-to-haves,’ but are meant to assist academics to improve their learning and teaching experiences, thereby raising the university’s throughput rate.”

* Compiled by Dr Pinagase Tshephe, Professional Development Specialist, Department of Tuition Support and Facilitation of Learning

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Publish date: 2023/05/13

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