Double honours for Unisa educationist

Dr Mpho-Entle Puleng Modise from the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies (DCIS) in the College of Education ended 2022 with a bang, receiving prestigious awards for her doctoral thesis: the Postgraduate Medal (Doctoral Degree) from the Education Association of South Africa (EASA), and the Doctoral Thesis Award from the South African Education Research Association (SAERA).

Dr Mpho-Entle Puleng Modise at the 2022 SAERA Doctoral Dissertation Awards in Cape Town

Modise’s PhD study, entitled “Academic professional development and support of academics for digital transformation in African large-scale open and distance education institutions”, was supervised by Professor Geesje van den Berg, Programme Coordinator of the MEd in Open Distance Learning (ODL) in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, together with Olaf Zawacki-Richter, a professor of Educational Technology at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in Germany.

Modise’s study involved two of Africa’s giants in open distance e-learning (ODeL) – the University of South Africa and the National Open University of Nigeria. The key findings of her study emphasise the importance of academic professional development and e-learning readiness in the digital transformation of higher education institutions, especially ODeL institutions in Africa and developing countries on other continents. A robust and comprehensive e-learning policy is also key in the implementation of e-learning activities.

Modise, who received her MEd in ODL in 2016 with distinction, feels that receiving these awards amounts to receiving her PhD with distinction. She believes that the quality of doctoral studies is the result of team effort, and that these awards are also her supervisors’. She says that she is also grateful to Professors Elize du Plessis and Lebo Mudau for nominating her and believing in the product of her doctoral study.

Prof Elize Du Plessis (EASA chair), Dr Mphoentle Modise (Award recipient), Prof Geesje Van den Berg (Supervisor), and Prof Michael Van Wyk (COD of DCIS)

Van den Berg shared the following sentiments about Modise:

“It has been a privilege to act as co-supervisor for Dr Modise. As a dedicated and strong student, she made an exceptional contribution to the field by designing an e-readiness model for professional development in higher education and ODeL, which emanated from her findings. I want to congratulate her and wish her a bright academic future as a Doctor of Education. She certainly deserves these awards.”

Modise says a journey of this kind requires the solid support of family, friends, and colleagues, and that her husband and her three daughters were her sources of support and inspiration. Above all, she strongly believes God was her ultimate supporter and enabler.

* By Christy Jean Kotze, Lecturer, Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies