Socratic simulations: Teaching public policy through AI-enhanced tutorials
Dr Zama Mthombeni 6
From nerves to mastery: Empowering future internal auditors
Dr Jana Slippers
Movie day for marks: An eye-opening experience
Dr Hafsa Essop 11
Milestones, mascots and motivation:
Transforming physiotherapy education through game-based learning
Prof Anri Human, Dr Marlize Cochrane-Boeyens 14
Innovative assessment through real-world engagement in intellectual property law education
Prof Chijioke Okorie 17
THEME 4
THEME 6
SEPTEMBER 2025
INTRODUCTION
I am delighted to introduce the second edition of Teaching Matters our biannual showcase of excellent, evidence - informed teaching at the University of Pretoria.
The title still carries a double meaning: teaching matters because it is core to our mission, and this publication brings together the matters of teaching that deserve the attention of our academic community. As the Contents page makes clear, this edition spans six themes world-class education, innovative learning environment, strong community engagement, inclusive teaching and learning culture, cutting-edge digital teaching and learning infrastructure, and excellent student support. These themes reflect the breadth and depth of practice across our faculties.
What distinguishes this edition is the diversity and quality of its contributions. Colleagues share rigorous, classroom-tested approaches: curricula redesigned around authentic business acumen, Socratic, AI-supported tutorials that deepen policy reasoning, game-based and arts-based learning that turns difficult concepts into memorable experiences, data-first teaching in medical education, and sustainability embedded early in engineering. You will also find powerful examples of students as partners from educational escape rooms designed by students to interdisciplinary projects where law and data science meet real-world stakeholders. At the infrastructure level, this edition also offers practical and useful ways to use technology for reducing workload by streamlining module administration, as well as the value that generative pretrained transformers (bots) can bring to teaching and learning.
This publication matters for at least three reasons:
• It advances student success. The practices documented here improve engagement, build critical and creative capacities, and connect theory with lived contexts benefits that show up in classrooms, clinical settings and communities.
• It strengthens staff development. Each article is a concrete contribution to our collective scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL): transparent about design choices, mindful of ethics, and attentive to impact resources colleagues can adapt, extend and evaluate in their own modules.
• It builds a collaborative culture. The pages that follow cut across faculties and professional roles academics, educational consultants and technical teams − showing how collaboration unlocks innovation that no single discipline could achieve alone.
My thanks to every contributor and reviewer for the care, creativity and courage evident in these pages. I invite readers to approach this edition as a toolkit: borrow what works, remix for your context, and share your results − so that our next edition can capture even more of the University’s collective expertise.
Prof Loretta Feris Vice-Principal: Academic
Preparing future-ready chartered accountants
The University of Pretoria (UP) is widely recognised for the excellence of its Accounting Sciences programme, securing a 100% pass rate in the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)’s first professional examination, the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), for the third time in succession in 2025. UP’s pass rates have been consistent over the past two decades, with the University attaining an average first-time pass rate of about 95% over this period.
Prof Madeleine Stiglingh, Head of the University’s Chartered Accountant (CA) Programme, emphasised that these outstanding results are first and foremost a tribute to the excellence, experience, dedication and care of the staff members who invest so deeply in the lives and success of their students.
She added that the results also reflect the remarkable resilience and agility of UP’s students, highlighting the strength of the partnership between staff and students in pursuit of academic and professional excellence.
BURGH, DR CHARISA DE KLERK, PROF ANCULIEN SCHOEMAN, GREGORY PLANT, PIETER
Prof Madeleine Stiglingh (Head of the CA Programme at UP); Andrew van der Burgh (Business and Digital Acumen Champion, Department of Accounting); Dr Charisa de Klerk (Third-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Financial Management); (back row): Prof Anculien Schoeman (Second-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Taxation); Gregory Plant (Business Acumen Champion, Department of Financial Management), Pieter Pienaar (Academic Trainee)
CARLA ALFORD, NADIA BAUER, DR CORLIA JOYNT, PROF HANNEKE DU PREEZ, NATASHA SABURI, DR THERESA VAN OORDT, PROF MADELEINE STIGLINGH, ANDREW VAN DER
PIENAAR1
1The Business Acumen team in the CA Programme: (front row): Carla Alford (Second-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Auditing); Nadia Bauer (Third-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Taxation); Dr Corlia Joynt (First-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Accounting); Prof Hanneke du Preez (Head of the Department of Taxation), Natasha Saburi (Academic Trainee); (second row): Dr Theresa van Oordt (First-year Module Responsible Lecturer: Department of Accounting);
She recognises that the role of a CA has changed significantly in recent years, and will continue to evolve. “CAs are business leaders, ethical decision makers, strategic thinkers and trusted advisors, who operate across industries to drive sustainable value in a rapidly changing world.”
She admits that, while technical rigour will always matter, the workplace the University’s graduates are entering is more digital, complex and unpredictable than ever before. “To thrive, they need more than textbook knowledge. They need confident communication skills, critical thinking, ethical judgement, lifelong learning, business and digital acumen, and a strong sense of citizenship to contribute meaningfully to society, their profession and their communities.”
This led to the redesign of UP’s BCom (Accounting Sciences) degree programme, under Prof Stiglingh’s leadership. “SAICA’s new CA of the Future competency framework gave us the nudge,” she says, “but our real motivation was our students: to empower them to excel not only in benchmark exams like the IAC, but also in the real world, where ambiguity is part of the job.”
At the heart of this redesign was the introduction of a three-year crossdisciplinary Business Acumen module sequence to run alongside students’ core technical training in financial reporting, governance and assurance, taxation and financial decision making, as well as other empowerment modules in their degree programme. “It prepares students to navigate ambiguity, integrate across disciplines, and respond to real-world case studies from South African industries.”
The team responsible for the design and implementation of the Business Acumen modules included members from the departments of Accounting (Dr Corlia Joynt, Andrew van der Burgh and Dr Theresa van Oordt), Auditing (Carla Alford), Financial Management (Dr Charisa de Klerk and Gregory Plant) and Taxation (Prof Hanneke du Preez, Prof Anculien Schoeman and Nadia Bauer). Their greater focus was to ensure that the revised curriculum was aligned with the future of work.
The Business Acumen modules furthermore support UP’s strategic vision of breaking down bureaucratic silos that inhibit cross-functional teamwork and operational efficiency. “These modules use case-based teaching, giving students
opportunities to engage with real companies, tackle real problems, and practice the kinds of thinking that do not have model answers.”
WHY BUSINESS ACUMEN MATTERS
Andrew van der Burgh, the Business Acumen and Digital Acumen champion for the programme, explains that, when the CA Programme team began redesigning the degree, they mapped what students were learning against the skills they would need in the future. “We saw a gap, not in content, but in integration and skill development.” Students knew their accounting standards, audit procedures, strategy theories and tax legislation. However, what they often lacked was the broader view: how business works, how different disciplines connect, and how to apply their technical training in contexts that are messy, dynamic and human.
The Business Acumen modules were developed to fill that gap. “They are not about adding more technical content, but about bringing everything together – helping students think across silos, solving problems collaboratively, and considering the ethical and strategic dimensions of business decisions. At the same time, we wanted to intentionally develop and assess key skills.” One of the most distinctive features of the Business Acumen modules, adds Prof Stiglingh, is that students do not just learn about business – they learn through business.
PICK n PAY CEO, SEAN SUMMERS, ADDRESSING THE BUSINESS ACUMEN STUDENTS
A PHASED IMPLEMENTATION
The redesigned programme underwent a phased implementation over three years, starting with the implementation of the firstyear programme in 2023. Van der Burgh explains that each year in the programme is structured around real South African companies to provide students with an authentic, realcompany learning experience. Each year centres on a different sector, with students analysing a particular company’s integrated and financial reports, tackling current business problems and engaging directly with industry experts and company representatives.
“By the end of the year, students are deeply familiar with the complete reporting package of that company, and have explored its risks, opportunities and strategies.”
To deepen their understanding, guest lecturers from these companies – often at executive level – are invited to share strategic insights and provide context that connects classroom learning to real-world decision-making.
“The first-year module focuses on the retail sector, using companies like Checkers, Pepkor and Pick n Pay as case studies,” says Van der Burgh.
Students explore various business processes and governance principles through integrated themes across disciplines. A dedicated six-month critical thinking course is embedded in the module, which teaches students to question assumptions, test reasoning and evaluate conclusions. “This is often their first exposure to the idea that how they think matters just as much as what they know.”
In the second year, the focus shifts to the telecommunications sector, with companies like Vodacom
and MultiChoice. The complexity increases, and students work with less structure and more ambiguity.
“To prepare them, we introduce AI-powered chatbot simulations, where they engage with virtual clients or managers who provide vague or shifting input,” says Van der Burgh.
Students must ask the right questions, apply judgment and communicate clearly – all within a safe, but authentic real-world environment. Prof Stiglingh explains that assessments also evolve.
“Some take the form of mock workdays – full-day simulations where students work in teams, manage evolving information, complete multidisciplinary tasks and collaborate under pressure.” These innovative assessment and teaching practices are co-designed and facilitated by academic staff and industry partners.
In the third year, the students move into mining and the public sector, with case studies based on companies like Anglo American.
“The focus shifts to leadership, systems thinking and ethical complexity.” Students examine decisions without clear answers
– balancing financial goals with environmental concerns or strategy with accountability. In the Business Acumen modules, the team works closely with employers like the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), BDO South Africa, Deloitte South Africa, Ernst & Young (EY), the Forvis Mazars Group, KPMG South Africa, Nedbank and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to design authentic assessments. Pre-released news-based cases that mirror real-world decision making are often co-developed with future employers. By preparing such material, which often reflects realtime developments, students enter assessments ready to engage with the context, just as they would in a boardroom.
The Business Acumen modules also provide students with their first contextualisation of the various sectors, which enables them to make connections both vertically and horizontally. Prof Stiglingh classifies these as connections between two or more human beings; between a human being and the business world; between a human being and technology; and between a human being and their impact on the broader society.
WORKING TOGETHER, TEACHING TOGETHER
“A defining feature of the Business Acumen modules is their interdisciplinary design,” explains Prof Stiglingh. Lecturers from the departments of Accounting, Auditing, Taxation and Financial Management co-teach – often in the same room. “Moving beyond silos has not always been easy, but it has made a significant difference – for us and for our students, who get to experience how business functions interconnect. As lecturers, we have learned much from one another and the challenge of grounding our technical expertise in real-world business environments.”
She describes their approach as being based on constructivism, and to represent a growth mindset approach. “We believe students build knowledge through meaningful, contextual engagement, not only rote memorisation. Our classrooms are inclusive spaces where questions are welcomed, diverse perspectives are valued, and effort is recognised.” She says that the lecturers aim to foster a growth mindset, helping students reframe failure as feedback and see learning as a lifelong process. “Whether a student arrives with top marks or is still finding their feet, the message is clear: You are just not there… yet.”
This inclusive, student-centred approach displays an awardwinning teaching culture, which was recognised at the Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty Teaching and Learning Awards. The lecturers responsible for the Business Acumen module in the first year received the Distinguished Teacher Award in 2024 (Dr Theresa van Oordt) and 2025 (Dr Corlia Joynt), respectively, for their lasting impact on student learning and for creating a classroom where every student feels they belong.
THE WAY FORWARD
The Business Acumen modules are still evolving, says Prof Stiglingh. Even after receiving the Faculty’s Most Transformative Curriculum Award in 2024, the team continues to reflect and improve. “Our purpose remains constant: If we want to develop ethical influencers who re-imagine and co-create the future, we must give students opportunities to think, collaborate and lead like professionals. Not in theory, but in practice. Not alone, but together.”
Socratic simulations: Teaching public policy through AI-enhanced tutorials
With the increased use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in undergraduate modules, Dr Zama Mthombeni, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences’ School of Public Management and Administration, was interested in determining whether it could be used to enhance critical engagement with complex South African policy issues.
In her search for clarity on this question, she introduced a teaching innovation during a first-year Public Policy tutorial in the BAdmin programme in 2025 that entailed using an AI persona embedded in clickUP Ultra that would pose weekly questions to the students.
She explains that the AI lecturer was not meant to replace the human lecturer, but would serve as a thought partner. It was designed in a Socratic style (a form of dialogue, based on the style of the Greek philosopher Socrates, that poses questions to explore ideas and challenge assumptions).
“The idea was to challenge students to reflect, justify their views, and consider opposing arguments.” One prompt asked: “If every policy has winners and losers, who benefits from South Africa’s Basic Income Grant and who pays the cost?”
DR ZAMA MTHOMBENI
The tutorial was designed to move beyond memorising policy terms and get students thinking deeply about real policy trade-offs through structured questioning. After the students had responded to the questions through written reflections on clickUP, the AI lecturer provided follow-up questions or counterpoints, encouraging deeper reasoning. “This activity was part of a broader strategy to help students engage meaningfully with South African policy debates, using AI to support, and not dilute critical thinking.”
This initiative enabled Dr Mthombeni to create a safe, asynchronous space for first-year students to reflect, question and debate outside live tutorials.
She considers its value to lie in the fact that these students had just come out of high school, and had limited exposure to a learning management system like clickUP and its integrated use with AI.
“For many it was their first time using a tool such as this,” she says.
She explains that what made this approach unique was that it used AI in a pedagogically intentional way. “The AI platform did not generate content, but prompted layered thinking and dialogue.” The design was embedded in the learning platform students already use, making it accessible and easy to integrate. “It mimicked real-world policy analysis, where public problems are often ambiguous and contested,” she says.
It also encouraged digital literacy by prompting students to engage critically with the role of AI in learning.
Reflecting on the benefits for student learning, she describes this approach as a way to create a low-pressure space for students to test ideas and reflect before tutorials. “Many first-year students are hesitant to speak in live classes, but this gave them a voice.” It also helped the students recognise that public policy is not about obtaining simple answers, but about weighing interests, trade-offs and ethics. It therefore boosted student participation and improved the depth of reasoning in their responses through structured dialogue.
This exercise was not assessed for marks. “I was interested in observing the students’ interaction with AI, particularly in the context of public policy. I believe it succeeded in its objective of encouraging critical thinking,” she concludes.
The students reported that the AI persona helped them think more critically. One student wrote: “It felt like I was debating with someone who would not let me off easily.” Dr Mthombeni also found the students’ participation on clickUP to have increased following this intervention. “The quality of the students’ responses improved noticeably in both depth and clarity.”
A final benefit she identified was that students began to engage with the ethical and practical implications of using AI in academic work, which is an essential skill in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “This was not about making tutorials hightech. It was about increasing their impact. It showed how even a basic AI prompt, when framed well, can shift how students engage with knowledge, especially in a field like public policy that demands curiosity, analysis and reflection.”
From nerves to mastery: Empowering future internal auditors
The significance of effective presentation skills for internal auditors is widely recognised. To prepare honours students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences’ Internal Auditing programme for this reality, the Department of Auditing invests in an annual four-day presentation skills workshop offered in collaboration with the the Department of Business Management.
Dr Jana Slippers, a part-time lecturer in Business Communication explains that the workshop forms part of these students’ Business Communication module. “It aims to enhance their in-person and online presentation skills, while providing a unique and enjoyable learning experience.” Although it has been presented to Internal Auditing honours students for the past 18 years, its dynamic nature has allowed it to evolve to keep abreast of changes in this industry.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a hybrid format was introduced, which was retained afterwards in recognition of the evolution of the business environment where cost and climate change considerations
DR JANA SLIPPERS have become entrenched. “This allows students to gain experience and adapt to different presentation settings, and is especially relevant in today’s business environment.”
Over the years, Dr Slippers has observed that the workshop does much more than just improve students’ oral communication skills or prepare them for the world of work. It enables students to practise and elevate their presentation skills in a group context in a structured and supportive environment.
“By participating in the workshop, students develop the ability to communicate their ideas confidently, present complex information clearly, work effectively in groups and build a rapport with their audience.” She describes these skills as being essential for success in the internal auditing domain, where practitioners mostly work in groups and must present their findings and recommendations to clients and other stakeholders.
It also gives them the opportunity to apply their internal auditing knowledge, deepening their understanding of internal auditing and risk management, and boosting their confidence and workplace readiness.
INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Although the Faculty offers a Business Communication module to these students at the undergraduate level, this is their first exposure to communicating and presenting their work at this intensity in a workshop environment in front of an audience of this size and level of authority. The hybrid format of the workshop includes both in-person and online sessions. “By combining these two presentation modes, students learn to adjust to diverse professional settings. It also boosts their adaptability, which is a key skill in today’s business world.”
“The in-person sessions involve delivering a presentation to a class of about 80 students and a panel of five to eight industry practitioners and internal auditing lecturers. The audience in the online sessions includes the professional panel and a selection of classmates.”
Dr Slippers remarks that the active involvement of industry practitioners and internal auditing lecturers is critical to the students’ development and the workshop’s success. This support enables them to sharpen their presentation skills, enhance their teamwork abilities and learn about various topics related to
internal auditing. Ultimately, it helps prepare students for their careers in internal auditing and the world of work, increasing their enthusiasm for the profession. “As an industrysupported learning experience, students benefit from personalised, immediate feedback from industry practitioners, their lecturers and their peers on their presentations.”
Students are assigned to randomly selected groups of four for the entire workshop in simulation of the work environment. “This format allows students to learn from each other, share ideas, and develop their teamwork and collaboration skills.” Each group is expected to prepare and deliver three presentations during the four-day workshop, each with a specific, but different, focus. The workshop is the culmination of this postgraduate Business Communication module, in which students apply the theory they have learnt in a practical manner. A recent development is the growing use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), which students use to prepare and design their presentations and visual aids. “This emerging practice has already enhanced the overall quality of students’ presentations, and will be further explored and included in future workshops.”
Dr Slippers explains that, on the first day, groups deliver a six- to eight-minute inperson PowerPoint presentation on a unique internal auditing case study. The next day, they deliver another six- to eightminute presentation on a unique riskrelated topic, this time via an online platform (Blackboard) without using visual aids. The presentation topics for the first two days are announced four weeks before the workshop, allowing the students ample time to prepare and rehearse their presentations. The final topic is only announced on the second day of the workshop.
“This gives the students only a day to prepare for their final presentations, which entail a four- to five-minute in-person PowerPoint presentation. This puts the students under immense pressure, mirroring the demands of the work environment."
Working in teams also simulates the dynamics of the workplace that the students will enter when they graduate. “Working in randomly assigned groups promotes collaboration, connection and peer learning: skills that are essential for internal auditing practitioners.”
INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Dr Slippers remarks that when the workshop is announced at the beginning of the year, most students feel anxious about giving presentations to their classmates and a panel of industry practitioners and internal auditing lecturers. Many are also apprehensive about being assigned to randomly selected groups to prepare and present their topics. However, students are always pleasantly surprised by the presentation skills workshop’s range of expected and unexpected outcomes, as it leaves them feeling confident and well equipped to deliver clear, professional presentations.
Their quantitative and qualitative feedback on the workshop highlights three key benefits.
Firstly, the workshop offers students valuable opportunities to practice and enhance their presentation skills in a supportive, real-world environment.
Students report that the workshop increases their confidence as speakers and improves their skills in PowerPoint and online presentation tools. “The students also greatly appreciate the immediate feedback from the panel of industry practitioners and lecturers, which helps them refine their delivery, content and overall presentation style.” It is heartening to see the development among students.
“I like how I am now more confident speaking in front of a group of people.”
“I like that the panel members gave clear and concise feedback; this allowed for growth in a matter of seconds.”
Secondly, the workshop improves the students’ groupwork skills.
“Students learn to collaborate effectively, delegate tasks and support each other by working in groups.” These skills are crucial for success in the workplace, where teamwork and collaboration are often key to achieving organisational goals and audit objectives. It is also evident that the workshop fosters a greater sense of connection among the students in the class, as everyone feels more familiar with one another afterwards.
“I enjoyed the groupwork and making it a team effort to achieve our desired outcome.”
“The workshop allowed us to work in teams, learn from one another, and I always knew that when the going gets tough, I am not alone.”
Thirdly, the workshop covers various internal auditing and risk management topics. Dr Slippers states: “Exposure such as this helps students broaden their knowledge and understanding of the field and supports the development of well-rounded internal auditors.”
According to students:
“The content and topics were so interesting, as well as their interpretation.”
“The topics were interesting, and I gained a lot of knowledge.”
Some of the internal auditing practitioners on the panels are also alumni of the Department, and are able to relate, first-hand, how they benefitted from the presentation skills workshops in which they participated during their own honours studies. They also respond positively to the workshop’s development in line with industry trends since they were students.
An unintended, but very advantageous benefit of the workshops is that they provide students with the opportunity to meet their future employers, in the case of students who have already been appointed in auditing firms that are represented on the panel.
It also gives the industry practitioners on the panel the opportunity to see the students in action, and for members of the audience from various auditing firms to identify potential talent. This provides added value that extends beyond merely illustrating an understanding of the module content.
Movie day for marks: An eye-opening experience
A challenge experienced by Dr Hafsa Essop, who needs to prepare first-year Radiography students for their first clinical training in a hospital setting, was to develop an intervention that would capture their attention, while at the same time provide them with a real-life perspective on their roles within an interprofessional team. She identified a documentary that could provide a virtual application of the theoretical concepts covered during the first semester. However, instead of just presenting it as a classroom activity, she decided to turn it into an event that would generate excitement among the students. This gave rise to “Movie Day for Marks”.
The students received a formal invitation to the event, which stated that tickets would be issued upon the successful completion of a quiz on clickUP. The quiz, which counted towards their semester mark, focused on content covered throughout the year, which was specifically reflected in the documentary. Topics included patient care, communication, ethics, patient transfer and chest pathologies. Students had to achieve a minimum score of 80% to be granted entry to the event. All 60 students who completed the quiz met the required entrance score for attendance.
FACULTY OF
DR HAFSA ESSOP
She explains that the movie she had selected for this intervention was a 45-minute real-life documentary filmed at King's College Trauma Hospital in the United Kingdom. “I carefully selected and screened the documentary for its relevant radiography content.” It followed four real emergency cases brought into the trauma unit: a pedestrian struck by a vehicle who sustained a pneumothorax and head injury; a motor vehicle accident victim with a severe liver laceration; a paediatric patient who had fallen from a trampoline with a suspected
spinal cord injury; and the victim of a stabbing incident with a potential chest injury. “Each case required diagnostic imaging, highlighting the important role of the radiography department and the broader multidisciplinary team.” The cases also showed the medical interventions used to treat the findings, and provided the students with authentic exposure to trauma patients.
The documentary showcased exceptional patient care, effective communication, and seamless interprofessional collaboration in an
unscripted, authentic setting. “Notably, some of the healthcare professionals featured were from South Africa, demonstrating the country’s high standards of clinical practice. She admits that it took her some time to find the right material, and she had to go through several documentaries to find one that was suited to the role of radiographers in an interdisciplinary team.
Although she had presented a similar activity to previous groups, she decided to revise the format this year to give it a bit more meaning. “I held the Movie Day event in a lecture venue, where I could create an engaging atmosphere by providing movie-themed snacks, including popcorn and refreshments. I purchased these with funds obtained from my previous Teaching and Learning Award.”
After the movie screening, students were given a 15-minute break before returning to the venue, where they had 30 minutes to write a 250-word reflection report. The reflection focused on their personal views of the documentary and the key takeaways from the experience. “Although the reflection contributed to their marks, I emphasised that I valued honest opinions, both positive and negative,
and assured the students that expressing critical or unfavourable feedback about any aspect of the Movie Day would not negatively affect their marks.”
Alongside reviewing the students’ written reflections, Dr Essop also took field notes during the documentary screening. She closely observed the students’ reactions, which revealed a range of emotional engagement, such as shock, happiness and pride. “Shock was evident through their wide eyes, open mouths and hands covering faces, especially during scenes where patients were rushed in and assessed clinically before undergoing imaging. Happiness was shown through smiles and audible sighs of relief, particularly when patients were shown to have survived. Pride was noticeable whenever X-rays and CT scans were mentioned, as students smiled in recognition of their chosen field.”
Dr Essop noted that all the students were deeply engaged throughout the screening. “There were no issues with side conversations or phone use, reflecting their full immersion in the experience.”
She also noted several benefits of the intervention. It was intentionally
scheduled at the end of the first semester, once students had completed the semester's curriculum and covered a wide range of topics, particularly soft skills and chest imaging. "By this point, students are often feeling fatigued, making the timing ideal for a change of pace.”
While the event is perceived as a break, it serves as a form of indirect or hidden learning, allowing students to consolidate and apply their knowledge in a less formal setting. This subtle educational approach was especially evident when one student remarked: “After the week we had, we need this break,” highlighting the value of the experience as both a mental reprieve and a meaningful learning opportunity.
The reflection reports from the Movie Day were remarkable and showed that it was a teaching and learning tool that brought everything together at a deeper psychosocial level. Two major themes emerged through an informal analysis of the student feedback: it provided a view into the future; and it provided an opportunity for deep introspection that supported personal growth.
“In terms of the first theme (a view into the future), the words ‘amazing’ and ‘eye-opening’ featured in most of the reflection reports.”
Students indicated that they had an idea of what they were getting into; however, after watching the documentary, they had a deeper understanding of what the radiography profession was about and their significance as a member of the interprofessional medical team. “As a lecturer, I can spend hours sharing my experiences and explaining what students can expect in the field. I also incorporate simulation-based learning in our skills lab. However, replacing just one lecture with this 45-minute documentary had a profound impact on the first-year students. It allowed them to witness the theory they had learnt come to life, helping them to mentally prepare for their upcoming clinical rotations.”
With recent changes to the programme’s admission requirements, prior exposure to a radiography department is no longer necessary, and many students enter the programme without any real hospital experience. “While some may be familiar with medical dramas, these are scripted and
often fail to accurately represent the role of the radiographer. For many students, this documentary therefore served as their first authentic glimpse into the realities of clinical practice.” Providing students with intentional, accurate and relevant content early in their training is a powerful motivator. “It bridges the gap between classroom learning and clinical expectations, helping to build confidence and a clearer understanding of their future professional role.”
In terms of the second theme (introspection that supported personal growth), the students responded with enthusiasm to the opportunity to witness, in a real-world context, many of the concepts they had previously encountered only in theory. “The documentary served as a strong reinforcement of their learning, with many reflecting on how much they had grown academically in just five months.” They were able to identify and connect with complex clinical elements such as chest pathologies, patient transfer techniques, including logrolls, and the management of intercostal drains, IV drips and ventilators. Additionally, they observed patient
care and communication in its authentic application, in conjunction with simulated sessions in the skills lab. “Medical terminology and clinical language that once seemed foreign now hold meaning and relevance, deepening students’ sense of accomplishment and highlighting their academic and personal development.”
While formative assessments traditionally help educators track student growth, the Movie Day for Marks uniquely provided students with the opportunity to reflect on their own learning journey, bringing theory to life and reinforcing the real-world significance of their knowledge.
“Ultimately, the intervention is a good example of how an innovative flipped classroom approach can enhance students’ satisfaction, motivation and engagement, and lead to deep introspection, while providing first-year Radiography students with a glimpse ‘into their future’ as meaningful health care professionals.”
Based on her observations and the students’ positive feedback, she intends to continue with this intervention, but is considering engaging with an instructional designer to implement improvements to the presentation.
Milestones, mascots and motivation: Transforming physiotherapy education through game-based learning
From the African savannah to the corridors of the University of Pretoria’s Health Sciences lecture halls, students are on a mission to rescue their beloved ‘Bokkie’ after being kidnapped by Simba the Lion. Using their theoretical knowledge of child development and milestones, physiotherapy students in the School of Health Care Sciences have to answer progressively more difficult questions to obtain ransom money, thereby saving the beloved mascot.
Prof Anri Human, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiotherapy, explains that child development and milestones are foundational topics in the undergraduate Physiotherapy programme. “Students often find the material difficult to engage with, as it requires significant memorisation and is perceived as being monotonous and difficult to master.” Coupled with the increasing expectation for students to take responsibility for their own learning through self-directed approaches, this presented a dual challenge, which prompted the question: How do we make complex content engaging, while supporting autonomy and self-directed learning in a modern learning environment?
FACULTY
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Prof Human decided to collaborate with Dr Marlize Cochrane-Boeyens of the Faculty’s Health Professions Education Office to tackle this challenge head-on through an interactive teaching innovation. The result was ‘Kidnapped!!’ – a South African-themed digital learning game.
“The idea was born from a desire to modernise and contextualise teaching approaches to child developmental milestones,” explains Prof Human. The original game was developed as part of the assessment practice module of the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, which she completed at the University of Pretoria in 2011. Recognising that traditional lectures alone were insufficient for sustained engagement, she considered various technologyenhanced teaching solutions, including videos, virtual reality tools and simulation training.
However, challenges related to cost, accessibility and limited opportunities for independent student usage highlighted the need for a more feasible and flexible option, which is why she decided on using gamification as a teaching
approach. “We developed a selfdirected, student-centred narrative game, featuring a refreshed, updated design that students could easily access via clickUP, promoting independent engagement."
The game was founded on the three educational principles of scaffolded learning, repetitive practice and immediate feedback. “It starts by introducing the scenario and providing instructions for students to obtain ‘ransom money’ to ‘pay’ for Bokkie’s safe return.” As the game progresses, students move through three levels of increasing difficulty. Questions are scaffolded across the levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, moving from basic recall to higherorder thinking skills like analysis, integration and application.
Students who do not accumulate enough ‘ransom money’ have to revisit incorrect questions, reinforcing key content through repetition. For each question, students can opt to make use of ‘help’ functions, where they can buy a hint or study notes. By accessing the child development and milestones summary content, repetition of learning and content covered during lectures is further enforced.
Students receive immediate feedback on the accuracy of their responses after each question and each level.
Before implementing the game, Prof Human and Dr CochraneBoeyens engaged in research to establish its suitability as a teaching intervention. The planning phase entailed a questionnaire to determine students' readiness for self-directed e-learning, and the launch of a pilot project. They tested the game on a group of academic staff members from Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Radiography, Nursing, Basic Sciences and Health Professions Education. The resulting interdisciplinary review determined that the game was factually accurate, appropriately challenging for first-year students, technically feasible and user-friendly.
Prof Human was encouraged by the positive feedback from the pilot study, with participants commending the clarity of the structure, the cultural relevance of the storyline, and the game’s potential to improve engagement with difficult content. The pilot participants’ suggestions and recommendations were incorporated into the easily adaptable game.
Throughout the development and piloting phases, several key lessons emerged:
Early collaboration with diverse stakeholders (including lecturers across departments) improves content accuracy and buy-in.
Using accessible, flexible technology ensures longterm scalability and ease of integration. Gamification can complement and enhance, but not replace, traditional teaching, offering students a dynamic and memorable way to interact with course content.
Most importantly, the project demonstrated how even small, playful interventions can meaningfully transform teaching and learning in health sciences. “It exemplifies the impact of creative, student-focused design and the importance of remaining responsive to the dynamic needs of modern learners.” Transforming complex content into an engaging challenge has shown that learning development and milestones can be memorable, meaningful and enjoyable.
The distinctive value of this gamification initiative lies in the following features:
It is directly aligned with the formal learning outcomes of the Physiotherapy curriculum.
It is structured according to Bloom’s taxonomy to promote progressive understanding and insight. It incorporates embedded scaffolding strategies to gradually build student confidence and competence.
It is hosted on the institutional learning management system (clickUP) to support self-paced, independent learning.
It utilises an adaptable digital platform (Toolbook/Riddle) that facilitates easy updates and future content expansion.
It is designed to minimise information overload by presenting information in manageable sections and maintaining consistent visual cues.
Prof Human says that the game will be implemented and assessed in the first-year Physiotherapy programme in the second semester of 2025. Its implementation will form part of the second phase of the research study to determine its suitability as a teaching intervention. She explains that data will be collected by presenting it to two randomly allocated groups: an experimental group that is exposed to the learning content by means of traditional lectures and gamification, and a control group that receives the content via traditional lectures and resources only. “In this way, the impact of the game can be evaluated through an experimental study design to compare its implementation to traditional teaching practices.”
The idea is for students to engage with both teaching methods and to be assessed through a combination of quantitative measures (such as quiz performance) and qualitative methods (reflections and feedback).
“This mixed-methods approach will provide valuable insights into the game’s strengths, areas for refinement, and its effectiveness in fostering engagement and supporting self-directed learning.”
Building on the research findings, Prof Human and Dr Cochrane-Boeyens plan to refine the game through iterative improvements and explore its adaptation for additional health science disciplines, particularly those that incorporate child development and milestones into their curricula. “The modular structure of the game offers flexibility for future expansion, enabling the introduction of new scenarios and levels — perhaps featuring Bokkie being kidnapped in different cities or by unexpected characters!” Ultimately, their hope is that this gamified approach to foundational physiotherapy concepts will form part of the first-year curriculum, and that a more enjoyable approach to the essential concepts of the discipline will lead to improved student performance.
The game is more than just an entertaining activity; it is a purposefully designed educational tool that integrates established learning theory with immersive storytelling. It is a step towards transforming health sciences education, one question (and one ‘Bokkie’) at a time!
Innovative assessment through real-world engagement in intellectual property law education
For the three years that Prof Chijioke Okorie, an Associate Professor in the Department of Private Law, has been presenting two LLM modules related to intellectual property law, she has been investigating ways of including experiential learning in the programme content.
In 2024, she experimented with two activities in which her students in Intellectual Property, New Technologies and Innovation (IGZ 802) and Intellectual Property, Creative Industries and Expression of Ideas (IGZ 804) could participate voluntarily. Following the success of these initiatives, she was able to integrate two real-world, high-impact events into the students’ formal assessment structure for these two modules in 2025.
She explains that these two events, the Africa, Law and [Emerging] Technologies Policy Hackathon for IGZ 802, and the World Intellectual Property Day Exhibition for IGZ 804, are not ancillary activities, but core, credit-bearing learning experiences that bring together students, academics, industry professionals and policy stakeholders.
The Policy Hackathon, held on 6 May 2025, encouraged students to identify systemic challenges in the interface between the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and South African innovators.
“Students worked in transdisciplinary teams to develop policy and technical solutions aimed at fostering sustainable innovation.” They were invited to include students from other disciplines that could add value to their team’s objectives. This could be students from other faculties and other year groups, and could even be students from other universities, who were prepared to contribute their time. She describes their work as addressing real legal, infrastructural and policy challenges related to accessibility, artificial intelligence (AI) in patent examination, intellectual property (IP) awareness among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and artists, and equitable innovation ecosystems.
The students’ final assessment took the form of public engagement, which was structured as a public event with expert judges and real-world impact, and was not just an academic exercise. The judges were prominent professionals, including South Africa’s first black female patent attorney, Tumelo Mashabela, a senior CIPC examiner, Mehluli Ncube, and an IP commercialisation expert, Dr Gerard Verhoef. “These judges provided rich, real-world feedback on each proposal, grounding learning in professional expectations and national IP development goals”.
The students’ proposals received encouraging feedback from the judges:
“They demonstrated a rare fusion of legal thinking and technical innovation, engaging meaningfully with pressing IP challenges in Africa. This is not just teaching, it’s nationbuilding!”
— Dr Gerard Verhoef, hackathon judge and IP Commercialisation Specialist, Barnard Inc.
The students’ feedback was similarly positive:
“I didn’t think policy work could be so practical until I saw how my proposal on sustainable IP education for artists could be implemented in schools. The judges encouraged me to pilot a short course with local NGOs, and I’m now working on it.”
“I really appreciated the critical, yet encouraging feedback from the judge. His comments about AI and the risk of premature disclosure made me reframe my proposal completely. I’ve learnt more from that 10-minute exchange than any exam could teach.”
“This wasn’t just about marks. We were engaging with artists, policymakers and each other to solve real problems. I’m proud that our work is contributing to digital access for marginalised musicians.”
The World IP Day Exhibition, held on 29 April 2025, featured LLM students presenting collaborative research performed with postgraduate students in the Master in Information Technology (MIT) degree specialising in Big Data Science (in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology’s Department of Computer Science). It also formed part of the MIT students’ final-year big data science project (MIT 808).
The joint research project focused on mapping the South African music copyright landscape. Presentations explored complex issues such as the Copyright Amendment Bill, moral rights, royalty systems and artist disempowerment. A major pedagogical innovation was the introduction of a taxonomy-driven method of categorising key legal themes across stakeholder submissions. This served to transform qualitative legal knowledge into structured datasets that are informing the development of a digital legal education tool. This demonstrated digital and data innovation to support tech-driven pedagogy. “This practical use of data science within legal education exemplifies a forwardthinking, digital-native approach to legal literacy.”
Prof Okorie explains that, during both events, students did not only present their proposals to an academic audience, but also to judges and professionals from industry and government, and received expert critique and validation. This direct engagement with stakeholders transformed assessment into a space for authentic public scholarship and professional development. “Importantly, the events highlighted student agency, creativity and the social relevance of legal knowledge, encouraging future IP practitioners to not only be technically proficient, but also ethically grounded and socially aware.
The World IP Day Exhibition also received encouraging feedback from the judges:
“These students understood and addressed issues that seasoned practitioners still grapple with. The depth of research and relevance to actual legal reform was outstanding.”
— Nicky Biggar, World IP Day judge and Intellectual Property Consultant at Tshaya Mashabela
“The structure and clarity of the student presentations, and their practical applicability were truly impressive. The use of legal data for public education is a model for innovation in legal teaching.”
— Ifeanyi Okonkwo, World IP Day judge, and legal educator and partner at Stillwaters Law Firm
Interdisciplinary collaboration formed an important part of both events, as their success was dependent on the law students’ collaborating with their data science peers and students from other disciplines and institutions to solve real-world problems. Stakeholder engagement also contributed to the events’ success, as both events included participation from industry professionals, government officials and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), bridging the gap between academia and policy.
By embedding collaboration, research and public engagement into assessment, this model therefore challenged traditional, siloed and exam-focused legal education, providing an innovative learning environment where students become co-producers of knowledge and advocates for justice and innovation in African contexts.
Convened and designed through the Data Science Law Lab, Prof Okorie describes the events as student-centred innovations. “The students led the research, designed the solutions and engaged in policy debate, cultivating critical thinking, leadership and advocacy skills.” This approach reflects a philosophy of teaching that sees legal education not as the rote memorisation of rules, but as the cultivation of critical, interdisciplinary and public-facing competencies.
A CROSS-SECTION OF STUDENTS IN THE LLM IN IP LAW PROGRAMME AT UP
Arts-based and multimodal approaches to maximise cognitive and emotive learning
While volunteering at an under-resourced primary school in Eersterust, Dr Shine Aung, a researcher in the Faculty of Education’s Centre for Evaluation and Assessment, observed that many of the learners were struggling with basic literacy. In collaboration with Prof Gerhard Genis, an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities Education and the supervisor of her doctoral studies in curriculum and instructional design, she developed a series of literacy workshops for the learners at PS Fourie Primary School.
This school, located in Eersterust, in the Department of Basic Education (DBE)’s Tshwane South District, is a Quintile 1 school. The area of Eersterust in which it is located experiences various socio-economic challenges. “Many learners at the school depend on the DBE’s feeding scheme, and many parents receive South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants.”
PROF GERHARD GENIS, DR SHINE AUNG
The main home language spoken in Eersterust is Afrikaans (78%), while 10% of the learners speak English at home. It is a dual-medium school, which accommodates both English- and Afrikaans-speaking learners. She furthermore explains that, within each grade of the school, there are three English Home Language classes and one Afrikaans Home Language class. The learners speak Afrikaans and various African languages, including Sepedi and isZulu.
Dr Aung has been volunteering at the school since 2018. She works with Driesman Bester, the school’s Afrikaans and English teacher, who also facilitates art, poetry and creative writing activities at the school, and takes learners on visits to local museums. He initiated an after-school art and culture club at the school in 2017, which attracted learners from all grades. Noticing the learners’ particular interest in art, he identified the need for an arts club as well. As the school focused primarily on sports and academics, he approached Dr Aung to present art classes at the club in 2018.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted these activities at the school in 2020 and 2021. After the pandemic, Bester again approached Dr Aung to help facilitate the after-school art club.
She explains that, growing up, she had always had a passion for art. “I love the fact that I can put that passion to use with the learners.” However, she soon realised that she could use art as a means of addressing the learners’ literacy challenges. While the interventions were initially focused on special education programmes, including life and entrepreneurship skills, she also developed remediation interventions for Grade 3 learners, as Foundation Phase learners were below the required grade level for reading and writing English.
When Dr Aung enrolled for postgraduate studies at the University of Pretoria, she invited her supervisor, Prof Genis, to join the art club. He had a particular interest in creative literacy, being a member of the South African Poetry Project (ZAPP), which facilitates multimodal poetry writing initiatives at primary and secondary schools in Gauteng.
She explains that the activities of the art club, which started off as creative literacy interventions, have developed into fully fledged literacy workshops. “Currently, the interventions follow arts-based and multimodal approaches to learning.”
The workshops’ focus on multimodal literacies further support Bester’s initiatives. “Learners are taught to draw, paint and write creatively. They explore different mediums of art, such as acrylic painting, charcoal drawing and oil-pastel artwork. Learners then add rhymes, songs or short poems to these visual designs.” Prof Genis reveals that these activities scaffold learners’ creative thinking skills, and engage their visual, linguistic and kinaesthetic meaningmaking modes.
He explains that art, with its multimodal qualities, plays an important role in the literacy development of young learners, as it fosters creativity, critical thinking and communication skills. “Incorporating art into literacy development encourages young learners to express their ideas visually and verbally, making learning more engaging and enjoyable.” More importantly, art is used as an emotive language that scaffolds learners’ school literacies. “These creative design activities are not assessment-driven, but allow learners to express their feelings and emotions without fear of failure. This is crucial in South Africa’s school environment, where insufficient time and attention is given to arts-based activities.”
The innovative pedagogical approaches used in the workshops are based on Dr Aung’s postgraduate studies, in which she sought to design innovative practices that would bridge the gap in basic language development among young learners. “My findings indicated that young learners are able to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, and vocabulary, through arts-based activities.” One way to encourage a sound mastery of a second language is to allow learners to express what they know by drawing pictures and through art. “Learners’ drawings display what they know (prior learning) or have learnt (new knowledge) about a particular topic, which challenges the dominant view that verbal and written modes are the primary modes of representation.”
The learners’ drawings indicate their ability to merge their personal experiences with learning to read and write. “Young children enjoy drawing and do it willingly, using drawing and writing as a means of communication.”
She explains that, as the first step in learning communication skills, children should be encouraged to draw and write at the same time. “This process gives them more confidence in their writing than being taught these skills separately.”
In this way, a broad perception of literacies can be applied to language teaching.
“Learners’ drawings furthermore give their teachers and parents insight into their world,” she says, “such as what sense they have made of the complex world of learning both inside and outside school.” Their drawings also illustrate how learners develop concepts cognitively and intuitively. “This view of literacy is not always recognised by standardised methods of assessment.”
Crucially, art combines non-verbal and verbal communication skills, which ensure that more learning preferences are included in the classroom. “For instance, using four-box organisers assists learners in combining visual, verbal, oral, linguistic
and written modes in meaning construction.” She explains that four-box organisers consist of the written word, which is based on a theme, a visual representation of the word, a definition of the word and a sentence in which the word is used. “This activity ensures that learners engage various senses when constructing meaning of a specific theme or phenomenon.”
This approach allows learners to become designers of knowledge. It also forms part of innovative pedagogical practices. By expressing themselves through various modes, learners activate a variety of different senses to enhance cognitive and emotive growth. “In their desire to reflect diversity in their classrooms through what they teach and the topics they explore, teachers should also embrace the diverse ways in which learners acquire and represent new knowledge.” The learners’ multimodal, artsbased artefacts are evidence of the benefits of creative multimodal engagement in the classroom.
From analysis to action: Cultivating critical skills in the lecture room
Medical education is constantly evolving, with increasing emphasis on active learning approaches that move beyond didactic teaching. The Department of Public Health Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences has adopted an innovative approach known as “data-first teaching” to enhance student engagement and deepen learning. It is currently presented to undergraduate students in the MBChB programme.
Dr Sayuri Pillay lectures to fifth-year students in Block 16 of the MBChB degree programme’s Health and Health Systems module. She explains that this block integrates concepts of family medicine and public health medicine for the delivery of quality health care in South Africa. This teaching style was originally developed by Dr Khanyisile Tshabalala, in collaboration with colleagues, including Dr Pillay, in the Department of Public Health Medicine, which is based within the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
“We introduced this method of teaching for the first time this year. It is now a formal part of the curriculum in this block, and can be introduced in other blocks going forward.” It gives about 280 students exposure to the data-first approach, as it is presented to four separate groups of 60 to 70 students at a time over the course of the module.
FACULTY
DR SAYURI PILLAY
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
Dr Pillay and Dr Tshabalala believe that, as a pedagogical approach, this method reverses the traditional flow of teaching by giving students real-world data before they receive formal lecture content, encouraging early engagement, critical thinking and group-based problem-solving. “This method, which is used in selected undergraduate lectures in the Faculty, repositions the role of lectures, not as the starting point for learning, but as an opportunity to clarify and build on insights students develop through initial engagement with complex real-world data.”
“Instead of beginning with textbook definitions or PowerPoint presentations, students are shown datasets and provided with a contextualised clinical scenario. They then work in small groups to analyse and interpret the data and report on their findings.” The lecture is only delivered after this guided exploration has taken place, helping to ground key concepts in the reality students have just explored.
The purpose of this approach is twofold. Firstly, it fosters early competency in data literacy and analytical reasoning, which are vital skills for a modern medical
professional. Secondly, it improves engagement and the retention of core content by making it directly relevant to real-life decision making.
“In our lectures, students work in teams to analyse hospital-level data on selected tuberculosis (TB) indicators from the Tshwane District. The students represent the members of a hospital’s executive committee. After appointing a CEO to speak on behalf of their team, students are tasked with analysing the data and discussing why their hospital may have performed well or poorly on specific indicators.” By simulating executive meetings and presenting their findings, the students apply their knowledge to mirror the dynamics of a real-world health system.
Each team then presents their findings to the class, simulating a presentation to the District Chief at a quarterly performance review meeting. “This exercise not only strengthens the students’ data interpretation, teamwork and communication skills, which are core competencies for future health professionals, but also immerses them in a realistic health system scenario, preparing them for the kinds of leadership, accountability and evidencebased decision making they will encounter in their professional practice.”
Explaining the reason for the data-first approach, Dr Pillay says that, traditionally, the medical curriculum has followed a “content-first” approach. “The lecturer explains concepts, followed by examples, and a question-and-answer session.” While this model has merit, it can lead to passive learning and superficial understanding. “The data-first model shifts students from being passive recipients to active problem-solvers.”
By grappling with unfamiliar datasets before knowing all the answers, students begin to learn how to ask the right questions. “This mirrors clinical practice, where practitioners must often make sense of partial, incomplete or evolving data.” It also encourages interest, critical thinking and adaptability, which are essential skills for navigating multifaceted clinical and public health challenges.
She believes that this method has several unique features:
Scenario-based learning is anchored in data: Students are given case studies or public health situations with relevant data sets (e.g. epidemiological trends, hospital admissions data or health system indicators).
Collaborative groupwork takes place: Students work in groups to discuss the problem, interpret the data, and begin forming hypotheses or identifying gaps in understanding.
Inquiry-based questioning takes place: Lecturers and facilitators pose guiding questions during the groupwork to provoke deeper thinking and link theory to practice.
The lecturer provides opportunity for reflection and reinforcement: Once the scenario discussion is complete, the lecturer helps tie findings together, clarify misconceptions, and connect the student-generated insights to core theory and frameworks.
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
She explains that this approach has several benefits. Students report that they feel more engaged, and that they appreciate that “lectures were interactive and more like a discussion that we could all participate in”. This helped them link the theory they have learnt to a real-life scenario. Benefits from an academic development perspective include improved critical thinking and data interpretation skills, the early development of teamwork and communication abilities, the reinforcement of scientific methods and evidence-based decision making, and better long-term retention of material, because students connect facts with their own reasoning process.
The inclusion of this activity at this particular stage of the students’ training is significant, as it offers an exercise in evaluating and interpreting medical data prior to them doing their prescribed clinical rotations. “It expands their thinking, giving them a broader picture of the hospital environment, which prepares them for their experiential training.” It also reinforces the importance of data analysis in a community health scenario.
This teaching approach aligns with the Faculty of Health Sciences’ commitment to inquiry-based, research-led, blended learning, which aims to prepare skilled, service-oriented graduates through relevant, data-driven pedagogy. This approach reflects evolving global health care needs, national priorities and international standards in medical education.
However, implementing this approach has not been without its challenges, she admits. “It requires the thoughtful preparation of data sets, well-designed scenarios, and careful facilitation to ensure that students do not become lost or frustrated.” Lecturers need to be comfortable with guiding open-ended discussions rather than delivering content in a linear fashion. Furthermore, not all content is amenable to this format. It works best when tied to clear learning outcomes.
THE WAY FORWARD
“With growing emphasis on producing healthcare professionals who are not only clinically competent, but also analytically geared, data-first teaching offers a promising way to reshape our learning spaces,” she says. In a world where health care professionals must interpret evidence, respond to emerging challenges, and work collaboratively across systems, this approach nurtures the very habits of thinking that the doctors of tomorrow will need.
Empowering future paediatricians through community-based health promotion and ethical AI integration
As the landscape of health care continues to evolve, so must the strategies used to prepare future practitioners for its complex realities. In response to this need, the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences introduced an innovative, group-based assignment titled “Developing a community-based paediatric health promotion programme” as part of the fourth-year Disorders of Childhood module.
Dr Maria Karsas, together with Dr Michael Christie and Prof Jeané Cloete, developed the assignment to align with institutional priorities in public health, student-centred learning, digital literacy and the ethical use of emerging technologies such as Generative AI (GenAI). It formed part of the main paediatrics block, and allowed students to apply the theory they had learned in a practical intervention.
Dr Karsas explains that the assignment challenged students to collaboratively conceptualise, plan and present a community-based paediatric health promotion activity that linked clinical learning with real-world public health needs. “It emphasised creativity, ethical technological engagement and practical public health planning, reinforced foundational academic competencies, and fostered professional and digital skills, which are vital for future paediatricians.”
DR MARIA KARSAS, DR MICHAEL CHRISTIE, PROF JEANÉ CLOETE
TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
The assignment was designed to immerse students in real-world child health challenges by engaging them in the planning cycle of a communitybased health promotion campaign. The class of 280 students first formed eight groups of 35 students each to brainstorm a pressing paediatric issue, such as immunisation delays, early childhood development or adolescent substance use. Each group was then subdivided into teams of three to four students to prepare their presentations.
The assignment was included in the module for the first time in 2024.
The use of GenAI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini or Canva AI was introduced in its delivery in 2025 as an experimental feature. Its use was voluntary and was used by about 50% of the students. “We emphasised the use of GenAI as a supportive learning aid, fostering critical evaluation and responsible use, without compromising academic integrity.” Students who opted to use these tools were required to declare their use, document their prompts and reflect on their ethical engagement with AI in alignment with institutional guidelines. “The structured and ethical integration of GenAI turned out to be the defining feature of the assignment for this year,” observes Dr Karsas.
The assignment entailed the following structured steps:
Needs assessment: Groups conducted literature reviews and informal stakeholder interviews (including with parents, nursing staff and clinicians) to identify key community priorities. This allowed them to engage with patients.
Programme planning: Using public health frameworks, students defined measurable objectives, selected target populations and identified implementation strategies.
Creative communication: Students submitted their projects in a variety of innovative, audience-friendly formats, ranging from videos and pamphlets to infographics and interactive digital content tailored to community audiences.
Ethical GenAI reporting: Those who used GenAI tools were required to complete the University of Pretoria (UP)’s GenAI Usage Form documenting their process. This ensured the responsible integration and critical evaluation of artificial intelligence (AI) assistance, and provided a structured framework for GenAI use, which ensured academic integrity, responsible digital literacy and ethical reflection.
Dr Karsas explains that this assignment reflects a shift towards transformative, future-focused education that is active and integrated. “By embedding community engagement within the clinical paediatric rotation, students move beyond textbook learning to address health advocacy and population-level care.” Moreover, the creative and multimodal output allows them to apply communication theory in context, reinforcing the role of paediatricians as clinicians and health advocates. “Through peer collaboration, digital content creation and outreach simulation, students honed essential 21st-century competencies.”
The reflections of the students who made use of GenAI to prepare their assignment outputs illustrate how their use of GenAI supported their thinking processes, refined their communication and enhanced learning, without replacing original thinking. The assignment encouraged creativity and its structured approach ensured that AI use remained transparent, critical and educationally meaningful.
The students clearly stated that the AI outputs were adapted to reflect their own ideas and shaped by their group’s needs assessment:
“We used GenAI to brainstorm creative formats for presenting childhood obesity, and to refine our understanding of the assignment.”
They also ensured that AI suggestions were evidence-based, culturally appropriate and integrated with peer-reviewed sources.
“We used Gen AI to improve the tone and clarity of health promotion messages on hygiene.”
The initiative met multiple educational outcomes. From an academic point of view, it reinforced understanding of the social determinants of health and health promotion frameworks. It also developed teamwork, crosscultural communication, and leadership in student-led initiatives, which will help the students adapt to a community health setting when they enter the profession. Furthermore, it cultivated GenAI literacy and digital professionalism through a guided, reflective process.
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
Based on the success of the assignment, the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health plans to continue with this initiative.
“We would like to recognise and disseminate selected projects on clickUP Ultra, and present these projects at Faculty Day to illustrate
the role of GenAI for clinical use in hospital education spaces.”
Dr Karsas believes that this assignment exemplified the potential of curriculum innovation that combines student creativity, community relevance and
responsible digital engagement.
“By challenging students to think beyond the clinic and to ethically harness emerging technologies, we are able to cultivate well-rounded future paediatricians, who are prepared to advocate for children at both clinical and societal levels.”
In an academic era shaped by both social accountability and digital transformation, this assignment offers a scalable, replicable model for integrating authentic assessment, student engagement and ethical GenAI literacy into medical education.
Context and engagement for a large first-year cohort
Lecturers in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology’s Department of Informatics were faced with the challenge of improving student engagement in large classes and making the first-year content of the Principles of Business Information Systems module (INF 112) relevant to students in several of the BCom programmes in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. It is perceived as being a difficult module, where students battle to master the content.
In 2024, this second-semester module was presented to more than 1 500 registered students. This necessitated dividing the students into four groups of almost 400 students each, and allocating a team of four lecturers to teach the module. The module was coordinated by Dr Nita Mennega, who was supported by Dr Henk Pretorius, Dr Wesley Moonsamy and Michael Bouwer.
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
MICHAEL BOUWER , DR WESLEY MOONSAMY, DR HENK PRETORIUS, DR NITA MENNEGA
According to Dr Moonsamy, the module requires students to master a significant amount of work: the entire content of the prescribed textbook plus three extra lectures containing information on new technologies. “The amount of work that students must cover has always presented problems for the lecturing team, as does effectively assessing student knowledge. Another obstacle is the fact that class attendance tends to wane as the semester progresses.” It is well known that students who skip class are less successful academically. “To improve student engagement, we needed to find ways to make the content relevant and compelling for the firstyear group. Assessment also needed attention, both to improve the student experience and to automate the large amounts of marking.”
Dr Pretorius explains that their first task was to situate the students’ learning in a real-world context.
“During the first lecture, we identified the ten top technology trends of the year.” This included trends such as Generative AI (GenAI), the metaverse, robotics and additive manufacturing (3D printing). “We informed the students that they will soon be working in industry and will most
likely be responsible for evaluating the impacts and benefits of existing technologies to decide which will best suit their organisations’ requirements.” The ensuing class discussion revolved around what the students can do to prepare themselves for the future world of work. “This led directly to the module content.”
The course content aims to provide students with an introduction to business information systems, which they will apply in later specialised modules, says Dr Mennega. The idea of including relevant content on new technologies originated a few years ago with Prof Marié Hattingh, who contacted the authors of the textbook and was subsequently requested to update it with content on new technologies. She added a number of South African case studies and is now credited as being a fourth author of the textbook. In 2023, Prof Riana Steyn took it a step further by integrating theory with hands-on experience, exposing students to Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as the University’s 3D scanning and printing machines. She based her decision on the fact that industries were demanding graduates who
possess not only subject matter expertise, but also skills to apply and use emerging technologies to solve complex problems in the workplace.
Dr Mennega emphasises the fact that the case studies that are used to illustrate the application of the module’s content to the modern-day workplace are adapted each year to make them relevant to the latest technological trends. “Although we inherited excellent course material from the previous lecturing team, we decided to incorporate current technology scenarios in 2024.”
Rather than writing new case studies, the team turned to the news where major technology projects were being discussed nationally. “We presented the students with scenarios such as major SAP retail projects or cyber security breaches,” explains Dr Pretorius. “They were then able to voice their opinions and pose questions regarding important technology concepts.” These case studies found their way into the tests and examinations, where the students were given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of concepts.
“Another decision was to incorporate hands-on experiences in our lectures,” says Dr Moonsamy, “such as presenting the pervasive computing lecture in the form of a virtual reality (VR) demonstration.”
The VR team in the Department of Information Science is located on the 4th floor of the Information Technology Building, in which the Department of Informatics is also located. “We could approach them and ask them to conduct a guest lecture and a demonstration during one of our lectures,” says Bouwer. Mr Yan Wong, a lecturer in the Department of Information Science, and Ross Tordiffe, a postgraduate student in Information Science, obliged and demonstrated VR scenarios in the classroom. “Some of our students had the opportunity to be transported to cities such as Rome, where they had to be careful not to fall off city’s tall towers, while the rest of the class were able to watch on the projector.”
The student feedback on these sessions was very positive and the students participated with great enthusiasm. “For some of these students, it was the first time they had ever interacted with VR technology,” says Dr Mennega.
The students found the hands-on class engagement to be engaging and benefitted from the interaction. “They also appreciated their lecturers’ passion and the interaction in the classrooms. Many came up to the lecturers after class and commented on the interesting content of the class.”
She remarks that the sheer volume of the material the students have to master has always caused significant stress during semester test and examination time. “To minimise exam stress, the students were provided with short online quizzes that tested their knowledge in each lecture.” These were low-stake assessments and were set to provide answers immediately. “This is a proven strategy for effective learning.”
The students were also assured that the exams would be in the same format as the quizzes (a combination of short-answer questions, such as hotspot questions, matching questions and multiple answer questions). “The familiar environment of the exams allowed them to concentrate on the content as they knew what to expect and how to prepare for their summative evaluations.”
Considering the large number of students in this module, the lecturing team focused on streamlining the marking of assessments. “This was done by creating online question banks that contain questions that are automatically marked,” says Bouwer. This was made possible by the fact that it is a first-year module, which requires students to remember, understand and apply the module content (the three lowest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy), but not to analyse or evaluate the content. “The textbook provided large numbers of questions that tested recall and understanding of the content, while the team added questions to test the students’ application of knowledge using the new case studies discussed in class.”
Dr Mennega admits that large class teaching will always be challenging. However, the module content, together with its assessment structure and a passionate lecturing team, led to the majority of students reporting that they enjoyed the module. Prof Madeleine Stiglingh, the CA Programme Manager in the Department of Accounting, provided the following feedback:
“Many students indicated that they could relate to the content, reinforcing the module’s effectiveness in bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world application. Students also found the module to be both interesting and relevant to their academic and professional development.” Although the module is presented to students enrolled for a degree in Informatics and Information Systems, it is also a core module for students in the BCom programmes of Accounting Sciences, Financial Management Sciences, Investment Management and Supply Chain Management. “In fact, more than 80% of our students are Commerce students with a limited information technology (IT) background,” says Bouwer. It therefore serves as a good way of introducing them to the field of business information systems, and has even resulted in students developing an interest in Informatics following their realisation of its applicability in the business environment.
Creating cross-cultural competence in design higher education
Dr Fatima Cassim and Dr Adrie Haese, senior lecturers in the Information Design programme in the Faculty of Humanities’ School of the Arts, have a particular interest in improving students’ cross-cultural competencies and exploring how students engage with diverse cultures in their design practice. They used a participatory action research tool, Photovoice, to explore students' perspectives and experiences of this topic in a higher education information design programme.
Photovoice was developed to empower community members, particularly those from marginalised groups, to use cameras to document their daily lives and experiences, focusing on social, political and health-related issues. Participants take photographs relevant to the topic, and then share and discuss them in a group setting to reflect on the meanings and challenges they reveal. These discussions generate narratives and insights that can be used to foster community dialogue, raise awareness and advocate for social change and policy reform. Its use is gaining increasing popularity both locally and globally, particularly in consideration of its pedagogical possibilities.
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DR FATIMA CASSIM, DR ADRIE HAESE
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
Dr Cassim and Dr Haese took a cue from management education researchers, Vanessa Chio and Patricia Fandt, who explore how Photovoice can assist in developing a self-reflective, inclusive pedagogy. In particular, these researchers underscore the importance of Photovoice in promoting student engagement and facilitating discussions within a diversity classroom. They also acknowledge that a Photovoice project is an attempt to “bridge” and “translate” theory to pedagogy. In so doing, they engage with concerns about education, knowledge and voice.
Given the need to redress discriminatory practices and oppressive power dynamics that were previously entrenched in education institutions in apartheid South Africa, Dr Cassim remarks that higher education transformation policies have been introduced nationally since 1994. “However, despite the visible diversity in current higher education classrooms, our aim was to explore curriculum transformation by empowering students’ voices. In this way, we are giving an active voice to a group who are generally only the subjects or passive recipients of knowledge.”
Dr Cassim and Dr Haese received seed funding from the African Heritage and Humanities Initiative, an entity of the
African Studies Centre at the University of Michigan in the USA. It supports collaborative research being undertaken together with an African institution of higher learning. In this regard, Dr Cassim and Dr Haese partnered with Prof Audrey Bennett of the University of Michigan. Prof Bennett introduced the Information Design students to interactive aesthetics, a concept she had developed to mitigate cultural dissonance throughout a designer-led collaborative design process.
Their Photovoice project is informed by a culturally responsive and creative pedagogy, characterised by experiential and transformative learning. Accordingly, the project reflects a constructive paradigm of education, where learning becomes a coconstructed endeavour. “In resonance with the principles of Photovoice,” says Dr Cassim, “we developed a constructive paradigm of education values, social interaction, collaboration, reflection and personal experiences to generate new or alternate frames of understanding and knowledge in the learning process.” The objective was to enhance crosscultural awareness and understanding.
She explains that the curriculum-related projects, with three distinct outcomes, introduced second-year students to
Photovoice as a participatory design methodology. “These students comprise a cohort of about 36 students enrolled for the two practical design modules in the BA Information Design programme: Information Design 200, and Imaging and Visualisation 201. This was their first exposure to the Photovoice methodology. While design students did not require extensive coaching in taking photographs, they were guided on ethical issues surrounding visual documentation.
The first project made up part of the larger research undertaking to create cross-cultural competence. It entailed project scaffolding and integration, together with critical enquiry. For this activity, students had to produce a series of five photographs, each accompanied by a personal narrative that responded to a set of prompts. They also visited the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History, which explores South Africa’s cultural diversity in various permanent and temporary exhibitions.
“By framing visualisation as a method for personal testimony and dialogue, this activity encouraged students to critically engage with their cultural identities.” Through internal, as well as group dialogue and reflection, the
students analysed and interpreted the photographs. “The photographs therefore served as an entry point to discuss often contested or contentious topics.” For instance, the students’ visual narratives revealed powerful insights into their perspectives on the intersections of culture, identity and creative practice.
The narratives highlighted personal and collective lived experiences, addressing themes such as family traditions, religious values, the aesthetics of belonging, and sensory experiences related to cultural exploration and adaptation. “This visual storytelling process helped to narrow the distance between the project lecturers and the class by giving the students, who are typically not consulted in curriculum discussions, an opportunity to have their voices heard.” It also enabled a learning environment that emphasised dialogue, critical thinking, co-creation and empathy.
“The project emphasised a critical awareness of culture as a socially and historically constructed concept, prompting students to consider how inclusivity and respect can be embedded in design practice.” The resulting photo narratives illustrate a range of perspectives, from how cultural
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
background shapes personal identity, to how cross-cultural competence may inform students’ design approaches.
“Collectively, the project outcomes not only documented individual experiences, but also systematically mapped thematic intersections, offering reflective accounts of students’ cultural positioning within a broader social and cultural context,” say the lecturers.
Building on insights from the Photovoice project in the first project, the students embarked on another two practical projects, which expanded the framework for student engagement. The second project focused on conceptual illustration. “Students reinterpreted their cultural narratives using metaphor, abstraction and synthesis as creative tools.”
Guided by research and reflective dialogue, they developed visual analogies, which articulated a critical stance. “The result was an A3-sized illustration and a corresponding spot illustration that visually engages with the complexities of cultural exchange and lived experience in South Africa.” This project fostered visual literacy and encouraged students to express nuanced perspectives through reflective, culturally sensitive design.
The last project explored editorial design as a platform for expressing critical views on cross-cultural competence.
“To this end, students conceptualised, authored and designed a manifesto informed by their socio-cultural positionality in conversation with their experience of design practice.” The resulting manifestos were not definitive statements, but rather expressed a point of view, challenged or acted as a call to action for ongoing inquiry into design practice. Deliverables (a cover and a double-page spread) responded to the question: “What does a design practice of mutual respect and inclusivity look like?”
Dr Cassim and Dr Haese describe the outcomes as combining personal conviction with cultural critique, promoting design as a tool for change.
“Overall, the complementary nature of the three projects underscores our commitment to meaningful and relevant pedagogies that respond creatively to the social, cultural and educational complexities currently faced by educators in the higher education sector.” The results of the three projects culminated in a student exhibition at UP’s student gallery, Gallery 2-1, from 6 to 26 June 2025, with the aim of sharing the students’ perspectives and insights, as well as facilitating ongoing cultural dialogue with a wider audience.
Students’ reflections on their Photovoice projects illustrate the success that was achieved in developing cross-cultural competencies and engaging with people from diverse cultures:
“… it helped me become more open minded towards others and appreciative of how we can come together as a community of multiple cultures and discuss our beliefs and struggles. It felt therapeutic and as though I was being listened to and supported.”
“I feel that my peers understand me more as a result of sharing my photos. Last year, when I first explained that I came from a multiracial home, a few of my classmates said I was the whitest person they knew so although they had no ill intentions, I didn’t really think they understood me fully and didn’t accept my background. After this project, I think they understand a bit more of what it means to be multiracial and how, whether you want it to or not, it influences how you live your life.”
“Doing this project in an environment that felt safe and accepting gave me the confidence to share my photos and their narratives.”
“It made me think on a deeper level. It is often easy to answer these questions verbally, but when faced with visually capturing it, it is challenging in a good way.”
“It has changed my level of awareness and comprehension about the people around me and how they can all bear such deep complexities within themselves about themselves and the world around them.”
“I never really thought I had a culture before this project. I discovered that there is so much integrated into my everyday life and surroundings.”
“Honestly, I never really thought of the cultural heritage of others. I saw them as a fellow student and respected them as such (I still do). But knowing more about their cultures, deepens my understanding of them.”
Dr Cassim and Dr Haese reflect that, although this was the first time they had made use of Photovoice as a teaching methodology, they found there to be great merit in its use to develop cross-cultural competencies in design students, and they would certainly make use of it again in the future.
DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
Workload reduction by streamlining module administration
Lecturers’ teaching load is frequently cited as their primary source of stress. However, upon closer inspection, Prof Iman van den Bout in the Faculty of Health Sciences’ Department of Physiology observed that teaching and preparation are not the main culprits. “Excessive administration often consumes valuable time, leaving lecturers with insufficient capacity to develop thoroughly researched and engaging lessons,” he says.
Despite operating in a digital age, many processes remain entrenched in outdated, paper-based methods that are directly digitised, creating unnecessary complexities. “The resultant flood of emails, version tracking and cumbersome audit trails exacerbate stress levels.” He believes that module administration should not need to make up the largest component of a module’s workload. “By streamlining digital administration, I am convinced that we can improve teaching outcomes.”
The Department of Physiology presents more than 60 modules in the faculties of Health Sciences, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Humanities and Education, and deals with faculty-specific administrative systems. “To improve work conditions and output performance, and make time for teachers to teach, we investigated a way to streamline these processes. Luckily, the tools to improve such processes were available to us.”
Together with Michael Kleynhans, the Faculty’s senior technical assistant,
Prof van den Bout investigated making use of online efficiency apps to improve general module administration processes. They discovered that such efficiency tools could eliminate many of the administrative demands that administrators and lecturers have to deal with on a daily basis, while improving oversight, document tracing and approval chain management.
He explains how one can transition from cumbersome, email-based administration to streamlined processes using Microsoft Teams.
PROF IMAN VAN DEN BOUT, MICHAEL KLEYNHANS
CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
“A team can be created for a group of modules, with each module having its own channel within the team. All processes and templates needed for module administration are embedded in each Teams channel, and shared with the relevant personnel, including lecturers, administrators and managers.”
Microsoft Planner can also be integrated in Teams to enhance task visibility and deadline adherence. “Each module’s administrative steps and tasks, with due dates, are assigned directly to relevant lecturers and administrative staff.” Staff members can then conveniently view daily tasks or tasks across modules, while coordinators can maintain oversight of all tasks within their modules. “We are also developing automated notifications. For example, when lecturers complete grading, the next responsible staff member is automatically alerted via Teams.”
In the past, lecturers prepared study guides individually, shared them via email with the guardian, who then compiled the different versions, and submitted them to departmental administrators for formatting. Now, each module can have a dedicated Teams channel where lecturers can collaboratively develop the study guide online. “Administrators can perform
final edits and formatting in the same channel, significantly reducing version confusion and email clutter,” explains Prof van den Bout.
Similarly, a collaborative Teams approach can extend to semester tests and exams. “In this case, moderators can join the relevant channel as needed. Administrators place a test template in the channel for the lecturers to add their questions simultaneously, which can then be checked by the guardian, and comments can be addressed in the same document.” The internal moderator also inspects the paper and gives comments in the document, which can be addressed by the guardian and lecturers. Subsequently, the paper’s chain of approval is managed in the channel, with everyone involved individually and in sequential order providing approval, removing excessive emails and a lot of time from the process.
He says that calculating and approving semester marks had previously been an onerous task as it involved exporting spreadsheets as PDFs, and emailing these to individual lecturers with approval forms for multiple rounds of signing and review. “Now, marks are calculated within a formatted Excel document directly in the Teams channel. They are then exported
efficiently as PDFs for archiving.”
The Teams’ Approvals app is another tool that has revolutionised approval processes. “Michael Kleynhans designed electronic approval templates mirroring previous Wordbased approval forms.” The marks administrator submits approvals
via an online form, adding approvers sequentially, and linking them directly to the PDFs that need approval within Teams. “Each approver receives automatic notifications in sequence, and approvals are time stamped and securely archived, significantly improving efficiency and audit accuracy.”
CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
The figure illustrates how such an online system saves time when setting an exam (with the input of a guardian and three lecturers) by comparing the previous emailbased method with the new Teams-based method. The new procedure removes the individual dissemination and return of documents, replacing them with a linear system, which greatly reduces the number of manipulations needed to compile, edit, comment on and approve an examination paper. This avoids email overload and errors. “A significant addition has been the Teams-based approval chain that can be incorporated for things like exams and marks.” Where sequential approval by multiple role players is digitised and automated. the need for multiple rounds of emails and a separate audit approval is avoided, removing many chances of mistakes.
Other features include using Teams as a primary communication tool to send notifications about tasks, such as approval requests or moderation readiness, directly with integrated links to filtered views in the clickUP grade centres, enhancing ease of navigation for moderators. Other administrative
tasks, including student perusal requests, special accommodation letters, medical certificates and affidavits, are managed and stored in the Teams channels, providing organised and secure storage. Annually, documents are archived neatly in Teams, maintaining easy accessibility and audit readiness.
Prof van den Bout explains that a significant innovation by Michael Kleynhans has been in regard to exam perusal organisation. Previously, due to clickUP’s constraints, perusals required extensive printouts or one-on-one electronic reviews to safeguard test banks. “Michael Kleynhans developed a streamlined, efficient solution using clickUP’s downloaded answer spreadsheets uploaded to Google Sheets.” HTML markups are then cleaned with formulas, VLOOKUP filters for students needing perusal, and Google App Scripts flatten their exam responses into single rows. A Google Docs template, merged using the Autocrat plugin, produces a final compact PDF document. “These are combined into a consolidated PDF, enabling concise, two-page, doublesided printouts.” Students review these printed responses alongside a provided exam memo, significantly
simplifying large-scale perusals and external examination script preparations. “This has drastically reduced printing requirements and improved examination review efficiency.”
The innovative Teams-based approach is currently being rolled out to the whole department. Looking forward, the Department plans to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automate module reports, analyse student performance across modules and conduct question analysis based on clickUP reports. “We also aim to create a central question databank to effectively track usage and ensure optimal quality control.”
He concludes that Microsoft Teams provides powerful tools that significantly alleviate administrative burdens for lecturers, administrators and coordinators. “Implementing these streamlined digital processes requires an initial mindset shift and learning curve, but ultimately results in considerable time savings and reduced stress.” By embracing these digital solutions, lecturers can refocus their efforts on what truly matters: teaching.
The evolving role of bots in teaching and learning
The digital transformation of higher education continues to unfold rapidly, driven by the increasing availability of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including conversational agents known as generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) or bots.
Prof Alta van der Merwe, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT), had the opportunity to observe and support the early adoption of these tools within the University of Pretoria’s learning and administrative environments. She is therefore in a perfect position to reflect on the pedagogical and operational value of bots, clarify who can create and access them, provide working examples developed specifically for the academic context, and critically explore some of the reasons why uptake remains slower than anticipated.
THE VALUE OF GPT BOTS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF
She explains that, at the heart of higher education is the dual mission of promoting learning and enabling academic excellence, while streamlining the support structures that underpin student and staff experiences. “GPT bots offer several advantages that align with both these objectives.”
For students, GPT bots provide on-demand, contextually relevant support. “Whether it is understanding administrative processes, navigating academic policies or finding information on appeals, a well-designed bot can deliver accurate responses instantly.” This reduces student anxiety, enhances autonomy and supports continuous learning. “For example, a first-year student struggling to interpret the rules around supplementary examinations can consult a bot like the Exam Policy Assistant and receive tailored guidance without waiting for office hours or sifting through cumbersome PDFs,” she explains.
For staff, especially those in academic administration, bots can help manage routine inquiries that otherwise consume significant time. This frees staff to focus on more complex tasks requiring human judgement. “Consider the Appeals Assistant, which is designed to handle frequently asked questions around academic appeals. By automating responses to predictable queries, it allows academic advisors to concentrate on guiding students through nuanced cases.” Furthermore, bots can serve as educational companions. “A Student Document Assistant, for instance, can help learners write, edit and format documents in line with university guidelines.” These applications are not just about efficiency. They are about improving access to knowledge and empowering users to engage more confidently with university systems.
WHO CAN CREATE GPT BOTS?
Creating a GPT bot within the ChatGPT ecosystem requires access to the GPT-5. Although free users can use GPT-5 for a limited number of queries, a paid ChatGPT subscription is preferable. In practical terms, this means that users willing or able to pay for GPT-5 can access the ‘Explore GPTs’ and ‘Create a GPT’ functionalities beyond the limited number of times allowed on the free tier.
“The creation process itself is remarkably user-friendly,” she says. “It does not require any coding knowledge. Instead, creators are guided through a series of steps in a wizard-like interface where they define the bot’s purpose, upload context documents and customise instructions to determine the bot’s tone, access restrictions and behaviour.” This makes it an accessible tool for lecturers, administrators and support staff who wish to tailor bots for specific use cases. “In my experience, this ease of creation allows for rapid prototyping.” Within a matter of hours, one can develop a working solution that integrates seamlessly into the digital learning environment. However, the reliance on a paid tier does introduce a limitation in terms of equitable participation among staff and students.
WHO CAN USE GPT BOTS?
Prof Van der Merwe admits that one of the more subtle, but important caveats of the current system lies in who can use GPT bots. “Although anyone with a link can technically access a custom GPT, whether they can use it fully depends on their subscription level.”
Most custom GPTs − including all those developed for the Faculty − are built on GPT-5, given its superior reasoning and understanding capabilities. “This means that a student or staff member on the free tier will likely encounter a paywall when trying to use these bots.” In practice, this restricts widespread adoption unless the institution subsidises ChatGPT access or provides shared terminals where students can interact with GPT-5-enabled bots.
She explains that there is a need for strategic thinking around accessibility. “While the bots have been built and deployed, true inclusion depends on institutional policy.” A promising workaround is the creation of bots using the free tier, although this often comes with compromises in responsiveness and understanding.
DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
EXAMPLES OF BOTS CREATED FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
Custom bots can be developed for specific faculty needs. In EBIT, a suite of bots has been developed for student support and staff efficiency as part of the Faculty’s teaching and learning initiative. These are tailored to the Faculty’s academic and operational context:
The Student Document Assistant provides students with writing support, assists with formatting queries and gives referencing guidance.
The EBIT Student Helper offers general academic guidance, including curriculum navigation and key deadlines.
The Exam Policy Assistant answers questions related to exam rules, deferments and supplementary assessments.
The Appeals Assistant guides students through the appeals process, outlining required documents and timelines.
Prof Van der Merwe explains that these bots were developed to address frequent issues encountered by students, particularly during highstress periods such as assessment seasons. “They reflect a usercentred design philosophy and aim to make institutional knowledge more accessible, especially for first-generation students who are unfamiliar with university processes.”
WHY ARE MORE PEOPLE NOT USING BOTS?
Despite the evident value and userfriendly interfaces, uptake remains inconsistent.
Firstly, there is a general lack of awareness. “Many staff and students are still unfamiliar with what GPT bots are, what they can do, and how to access them.” Furthermore, digital literacy, while improving, varies widely. “Training and orientation sessions are required to embed these tools into the academic routine.”
Secondly, there are concerns around trust. “Users are understandably cautious about the accuracy of bot
responses, particularly when it comes to administrative or legal matters.” If a bot gives incorrect information about a policy, it could have real-world consequences. “This highlights the need for the regular auditing and validation of bots by subject matter experts.”
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is the question of relevance. A tool is only as useful as the problem it solves. If bots are created without a clear understanding of user needs, they are unlikely to gain traction. “In our case, initial prototypes only gained attention after they were aligned with frequently asked questions and tested in real scenarios,” she says.
She explains that there is also a cultural component. “Some academics remain sceptical about AI’s role in education, fearing it may replace critical thinking or encourage superficial learning.” It is vital to frame bots as supplements, not substitutes, for genuine engagement, she clarifies. “When properly integrated, bots can enhance learning by removing administrative friction and allowing students to focus on content mastery.”
MOVING FROM EXPERIMENTATION TO INTEGRATION
Prof Van der Merwe remarks that the creation and deployment of GPT bots in EBIT marks an exciting chapter in its digital evolution. “The tools are available, the use cases are valid and the potential benefits are clear. However, to move from experimentation to integration, we must address barriers to adoption such as awareness, trust, relevance and access.”
In conclusion, she states that bot use in tutorials, training sessions and administrative interactions needs to be normalised. “We should consider subsidising GPT-5 access for strategic use cases. And above all, we must continue to ask ourselves not just how we use bots, but why. If the answer is to enhance the student experience, reduce inequality and improve educational outcomes, then we are on the right path.”
As Deputy Dean, Prof Van der Merwe remains committed to supporting thoughtful innovation, and looks forward to seeing how this next wave of intelligent tools will shape the future of teaching and learning at the University of Pretoria.
Educational escape rooms, for students by students
Escape rooms are games in which teams of players work together to solve a series of puzzles in a physical environment, usually in a limited amount of time. They are generally contextualised within some narrative that motivates the design of the puzzles and provides a general theme for the aesthetics of the puzzles and the room itself. According to Diffie Bosman and Dave Ka, lecturers in the Department of Information Science’s Multimedia programme, these games have become very popular in recent years as a general means of recreation, as well as for other purposes, such as corporate team building.
Bosman explains that a variation of this is the educational escape room (EER). This provides new ways to involve students in learning opportunities. In an increasingly digital world, an educational escape room provides the opportunity for learners to engage with each other, and not only with the teaching content, while having fun at the same time.
DIFFIE BOSMAN, DAVE KA
It is a game that has been specifically designed to teach skills. “Generally focused on a specific topic, it uses the same physical puzzle design as an escape room.” Educational escape rooms have recently gained popularity as an innovative approach to teaching in a variety of disciplines, such as medicine, computer science and mathematics, as well as teaching more general skills such as searching for information and teamwork. Such “soft skills” are becoming increasingly recognised as essential skills in the modern workplace.
“One of the elective modules in the BIS Multimedia Honours degree,” according to Ka, “requires students to design and implement an escape room.” Students work in groups of about six students each to create a complete and immersive experience that includes a cohesive narrative and delivers a desired gameplay experience. “Each group has creative freedom in how they implement the details of the escape room. There are, however, some general requirements that need to be met, such as including a series of puzzles for players to solve. Some of these depend on solving other puzzles, and designing the room around an implied larger narrative.”
AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
This honours project was repurposed in 2023 as an educational escape room, where the goal was not only to provide an entertaining experience, but also to educate players about a topic. It not only entailed a design activity for the honours students, but included a learning activity for the second-year BIS Multimedia students. “The second-year students were selected as the target audience to determine the outcomes of the educational escape room that was designed by the honours class.”
After participating in the honours students’ educational escape room, the second-year students had to provide feedback as part of their own assessment. The chosen topic focused on the learning outcomes of the undergraduate programme, which centres on the principles of fairness, accountability, transparency and explainability/ethics (FATE) in artificial intelligence (AI) use. This was a form of game-based learning, and illustrated an innovative approach to assessment that made use of student collaboration.
Participating in the game as part of their assessments not only educated the undergraduate students about the specific topic taught through the educational escape room,
but exposed them to the use of alternative game modalities for goals other than entertainment.
The honours students designing the game, on the other hand, had to apply various skills learnt throughout their degree, including developing technological solutions such as websites and graphics, instructional design for teaching specific content, and game design more generally. Furthermore, the honours students had to translate their mostly digital experience of designing various types of content into a physical space, which involves an iterative and human-centred design process.
“As part of teaching the content while designing the educational escape room,” says Ka, “students also need to become well versed in it themselves, as this will enable them to teach the second-year students about ethical AI use.” Content was generally taught by linking each of these concepts to a specific puzzle, which provided a hands-on example of how these concepts worked in practice, albeit in a fictional scenario.
“Lastly, for both the designers (the honours students) and the players (the second-year students), the experience required a group effort to complete, which involves
essential skills such as teamwork and communication.”
Preliminary feedback from the undergraduate students indicates that they appreciated the practical hands-on approach that a physical escape room provides and found the teaching format to be engaging and fun. Similarly, the honours students indicated that the physical format of the iterative, human-centred design process felt more tangible. Playtesting offered more immediate feedback, and the in-person collaboration that was required to assemble the physical puzzles added a dimension not present in the more asynchronous nature of online collaboration.
Some limitations of this approach include the fact that, in addition to the time it takes to create an educational escape room, it is especially time-consuming to iteratively test and adapt the different puzzles, which is a crucial step in ensuring that it meets its goals. Since teamwork is required to complete the educational escape room, the extent to which the informational content can be delivered is also dependent on the group dynamic.
Using AI to develop an app to mentor law students to achieve research success
Law students in the final year of their LLB studies are required to complete the Essay and Seminar module. This module requires them to identify a suitable area of law, a supervisor and an accompanying topic to research. This is followed by the development of a research proposal and an essay, with the research findings presented in a 10-minute seminar.
Leoni van der Merwe, a lecturer in the Department of Procedural Law, reports that, according to Forbes, mastering academic research, learning to ask the right questions, analysing information and generating actionable insights are becoming increasingly crucial. These are empowering skills that can yield significant benefits during one’s academic journey and in future career endeavours.
She says that several students approached her with research ideas on the topic of vulnerable persons in society. “I observed that students frequently experience information overload regarding not only their topic, but also the way in which they consult research sources, often using various interfaces such as scraps of paper, notebooks, devices and laptops.” This is compounded by matters like time management and personal issues faced by students. “Parallels emerged between my own experience as a research student and the students under my supervision, who were very enthusiastic and motivated, but often unsure and hesitant about the research process.”
FACULTY OF LAW
LEONI VAN DER MERWE
CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
In search of a solution to this problem, she turned her sights to artificial intelligence (AI).
“During December 2024, I developed the framework for a research application (app) called ‘Research Mentor’ or ‘Re:Mentor’, using the AI-centred platform Lovable.” She explains that this platform enables users who are not technically inclined to create apps by describing ideas in plain language.
She created the app as a digital tool to guide LLB students through the legal research process with structured support for topic selection, literature reviews, research planning, research methodology and concept formulation. Re:Mentor enables students to articulate and capture a working research title with key research themes and dedicated navigation tabs for feedback from their research mentor. “I added additional tabbed interfaces to allow students to insert a research outline that captures aspects such as the conceptual frameworks to be utilised and the methodology to be employed.”
She observes that law and literature are often viewed as existing
adjacently. “It has been noted that a literature review plays an indispensable role in bridging gaps between prior knowledge and new knowledge, and allows students an opportunity to identify apertures to be filled.” Under the ‘Research Structure’ tab, students learn to map a basic literature review, which is tied to their identified themes.
Each source can then be classified as core, key, relevant or recent. For legal scholars, a core literature source denotes a source that is foundational, as it relates to a particular theme. It can also refer to case law or the report of an international body such as the United Nations. A key literature source refers to a source that is regarded as authoritative in the context of a key theme. While this source is regarded as important, it is not predominant or foundational. A relevant source may provide insight into a particular aspect of the research conducted and may include aspects such as minority rulings in a matter heard by a court. A recent literature source denotes literature that is available and persuasive, but has not yet been scrutinised. This could refer to aspects such as blogs or social media commentary.
Importantly, the literature review interface contains a navigation tab for students to indicate the gaps identified because of the literature review conducted.
From an administrative perspective, Re:Mentor includes functionalities to take notes and to log sources. In fields where research relating to vulnerable groups is conducted, this functionality allows students to log real-world, real-time articles and commentary that they may stumble upon unexpectedly. These sources can then be merged with
University of Pretoria
the sources identified and classified in the literature review to make the research more robust.
Lastly, she included a ‘Next Steps’ interface in the app as she is acutely aware that students have differing needs and learn to do research at a different pace. “Students can utilise this part of the app to log dates for future meetings, steps they need to take and other additional deadlines relating to their research essay.” Students can also click on the ‘Email Mentor’ navigation tab to contact the lecturer directly.
CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE
Re:Mentor was piloted by the eight students who had elected to perform research on vulnerable persons in society under Van der Merwe’s supervision for their essay during the first semester of 2025. Although the app is still in an early stage of development, seven students reported that it helped them conceptualise and structure their research more coherently. It improved the clarity of their research, gave them greater confidence and improved student-lecturer engagement, thus producing a better research product. “I was able to identify certain bugs, while the students identified others on a case-by-case basis during consultations.”
These issues related to buttons being inactive, as well as how information was stored in the app’s backend. “I was able to utilise the AI tool to ‘rewrite’ the code to correct these issues almost instantly.” Once she is confident that the functionality of the tool works correctly, she aims to remove it from the Lovable platform and host it on the University’s server.
Prior to developing the app, Van der Merwe considered the relevance of data protection.
“The Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act, No. 4 of 2013, sets out the requirements for the lawful processing of personal information. It should take place in a reasonable manner and should not infringe on students’ privacy in their capacity as a data subject.”
In consideration of the requirements set out in the POPI Act, the app allows students to register by utilising a username and password. “Students choose their own login credentials and do not have to include actual identifying or personal information. This ensures the safety of students’ information.” To further ensure compliance with the POPI Act, the app does not store personally identifiable information, and all user data remains encrypted.
Van der Merwe concludes that Re:Mentor has proven to be a valuable tool for both the lecturer and the students.
“In the future, an additional functionality is envisaged within the Re:Mentor app to allow students to connect with other students exploring similar research themes.” Future developments include gaining proficiency in backend technologies such as database management and cybersecurity protocols to strengthen the app’s overall functionality.
“These improvements will render the lecturer more responsive to the needs of the students as they evolve in terms of their research idea formulation, articulation and overall research confidence.”
Embedding sustainability and skills development in the firstyear engineering curriculum
In 2025, the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT) introduced a foundational module for all first-year engineering students, Introduction to Sustainable Engineering. This eight-credit module is delivered over a single two-hour slot per week during the first semester.
Dr Disaapele Mogashana, the module coordinator and one of the key academics involved in developing the module's curriculum in the School of Engineering, explains that it represents a major step forward in embedding sustainability thinking, interdisciplinary problem solving and essential academic skills into the early stages of engineering education.
She reflects that a central goal of the module is to orient students to the engineering profession from the outset. The module therefore introduces students to what it means to be an engineer, not only in terms of technical knowledge, but also in terms of values, responsibilities and professional identity. “Students are given the opportunity to investigate the various engineering disciplines, explore the kinds of problems each field addresses and present their findings to their classmates,” she says. “This encourages them to begin seeing themselves as part of a broader professional community and to understand how different disciplines intersect to solve complex problems.”
FACULTY
As part of this module, students are introduced to foundational professional frameworks, such as the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)’s Graduate Attributes and the Code of Ethical Conduct.
“These provide a formal grounding in the expectations and standards they will be held to as future professionals.” This early exposure helps students connect their studies to the real-world ethical and social responsibilities of engineers, reinforcing that engineering is as much about public good as it is about technical problem solving.
A key strength of the module is the way it creates supportive learning environments by integrating academic and emotional support into its formal structure. “We intentionally build in sessions led by the Faculty’s Academic Success Coaching (ASC) team, which cover essential skills such as time management, study strategies, goal setting, life vision planning and post-assessment debriefing.” By embedding these sessions within the module itself, rather than offering them as optional extras, Dr Mogashana and her team can ensure that more students gain early and consistent access to this
important source of academic and emotional support. This enhances their confidence, resilience and preparedness for university life.
“This structured integration has also made the ASC team more visible and has normalised the use of academic coaching as part of student success interventions,” she says. She also observed that more students reached out to the ASCs for help than had in the past as they had already met them during the module presentation, and the support they received could be closely aligned with their real-time needs throughout the semester.
In addition to the ASC sessions, a pilot mentoring system was introduced, where second-year students from the Faculty’s Community-based Project module (JCP) support the first-year students, providing relatable guidance, encouragement and a sense of continuity. “We believe this peer mentorship helped students to more effectively navigate the transition from high school to university, and that it created an informal, but powerful layer of support that complements formal academic systems.”
A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY
One of the key teaching innovations of the module is how sustainability is introduced and scaffolded. “The concept of sustainability is introduced in the last two weeks of the first term, and carried through to the second term, allowing students to build a foundation and then apply it more deeply.” This approach introduces them to the concept of sustainable engineering — the idea that solutions proposed by engineers must account for environmental, social and economic impacts.
“Students are introduced to the three pillars of sustainability, and learn to map the United Nations’
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across these pillars.” She remarks that many students assume that sustainability is mainly about environmental concerns, but activities and discussions help them realise that most SDGs relate to social challenges, and that economic factors are just as critical. “The module helps clarify common misconceptions, particularly the frequent conflation of social and economic issues, by providing students with tools to distinguish between them in real-world contexts.” This framing helps students understand that engineering is never value-neutral: technical solutions have social and ecological consequences. They are therefore encouraged to think holistically and critically about the impact of their future professional decisions.
Another impactful element of the module is its project-based component, which is used to simultaneously develop students’ technical report writing skills, including how to write a clear problem statement, how to reference sources appropriately and how to structure a formal report. “By requiring students to identify a societal problem, connect it to an SDG, and research existing solutions, the project supports both sustainability literacy and academic skill development, reinforcing the message that good engineering is always responsible engineering.”
CONNECTING LEARNING TO INDUSTRY AND CAREER PATHWAYS
A standout highlight of the module has been the deliberate integration of industry experience and career orientation in the classroom. The module includes a series of guest lectures, delivered in Week 5 and again in the final week of the term, featuring engineering graduates from the University of Pretoria. “These alumni share their professional journeys and offer practical advice on navigating the first semester, adjusting to university life and preparing for examinations.”
For first-year students, this brings engineering to life, connecting their academic work to real-world outcomes, and giving them a clearer picture of the possibilities that lie ahead. “These sessions have also opened doors to job-shadowing, networking and awareness of graduate development opportunities.” At the same time, they provide returning graduates with a meaningful opportunity to give back to the institution that helped shaped them. “This reciprocal relationship, where experienced professionals inspire, guide and support the next generation, has been one of the most impactful and memorable aspects of the module, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the 14 guest speakers we hosted this year.”
In combination, the module’s initiatives succeed in creating a learning environment that is both academically rigorous and emotionally supportive, setting students up not only to survive university, but hopefully to thrive.
Transforming Biblical Studies through inclusive inquiry-based learning
In the evolving landscape of higher education, teaching Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures requires more than traditional lecture-based approaches. The teaching philosophy of Prof Ananda Geyser-Fouché, a Professor in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, centres on creating an inclusive, inquiry-based learning environment that celebrates diversity, while fostering critical thinking and innovation.
This approach transforms how students engage with ancient texts by making them active participants in their learning journey, particularly resonating with Generation Z students’ collaborative entrepreneurial characteristics.
Her commitment to inclusive education stems from recognising that effective learning happens when all students (regardless of background, abilities or learning styles) have equal opportunities to participate, achieve and excel. “In South Africa’s diverse educational context, this approach is not just pedagogically sound, but essential for developing well-rounded professionals who can contribute meaningfully to our country and continent,” she says. She considers her role to be that of a facilitator, guiding students’ learning process so that they can articulate what they have learnt.
FACULTY OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGION
PROF ANANDA GEYSER-FOUCHÉ, URSULA HAASBROEK
She focuses on three critical aspects of students’ diversity: their diverse backgrounds, their diverse abilities and their identity as Generation Z learners. Students from different cultural perspectives work together in collaborative sessions. This exposes them to various viewpoints that foster understanding and acceptance across cultural boundaries, while encouraging the development of fresh, original ideas and perspectives. “This approach is particularly powerful, especially in Old Testament studies, where I encourage students to examine texts through religious, historical and personal lenses, recognising that different hermeneutic approaches lead to varied interpretations. These interpretations resonate with the diverse theologies that we find in these ancient texts.”
To accommodate students with diverse needs, she maintains continuous monitoring through cooperation with the Faculty’s Academic Success Coach, Dana Mahan. The Department's tutor, Ursula Haasbroek, also assists the students to prepare for the different kinds of assessments.
“I try to create a safe environment where students who normally experience difficulties speaking in front of people can challenge themselves to develop and enhance their abilities.” This is especially important for building capabilities among students who are differently abled and from various backgrounds, who require innovative thinking and creative assessment.
Her teaching practice is fundamentally transformed by inquiry-based learning, which aligns perfectly with UP’s emphasis on research excellence.
“From the first day, students learn to conduct research and present their findings. These are skills that are essential for their academic and professional development. “Inquiry-based learning creates meaningful challenges by teaching through questioning, moving students along Bloom’s taxonomy from basic knowledge to creating new ideas and perspectives.” The innovative structure of her inquiry-based learning approach varies by year level to accommodate different research experience levels.
The first-year students do research on different scholarly disputes and argue their viewpoints through structured debates in class. “The students’ feedback indicates that they found the debates the most stimulating. I also noticed that it was the section in the exam in which most of the students obtained a high mark.” This introduces them to academic discourse, while developing critical thinking skills.
Second-year students engage in more complex research, where groups explain topics to the class, field questions, and apply their knowledge to classify and analyse different texts. “The class gets the opportunity to ask questions and review the group’s research.” In the following contact sessions, each group receives different texts to study. “They have to apply their previous research and knowledge to discuss how they will classify these texts.” This builds on their foundational skills, while introducing peer review processes.
In the taught master’s degree, fifth-year students conduct exegesis on wisdom literature, identify research lacunae and prepare proposals.
“They do group assignments to identify research lacunae in wisdom literature and prepare proposals and assignments.” She explains that all research is presented in class and is peerreviewed. Individualised oral examinations ensure a comprehensive coverage of topics not addressed in formative assessments.
“Keeping in mind that most undergraduate students are Generation Z learners (born after 1997),” she says, “fundamentally shapes my pedagogical approach”. These students expect transparency, embrace change, value flexibility, are technologically innate, communicate through images and are naturally creative and collaborative. “They are future-focused, self-reliant realists who want to be successful.”
Her collaborative learning strategies, therefore, capitalise on these characteristics through the dynamic exchange of ideas that enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills. “Group presentations and debates combine teaching, learning, assessment and feedback in single sessions.” This is a holistic pedagogical approach that reduces the anxiety typically associated with traditional assessments, while maintaining academic integrity.
Students learn from each other in a relaxed, enjoyable environment, where the opportunity for innovative and entrepreneurial thought is ever-present. “I challenge them to explore creatively and collaborate with their peers to find innovative solutions to complex textual and theological questions.”
Her commitment to innovation extends to embracing educational technology and hybrid learning approaches. “It incorporates various strategies, including active learning, online components and selfdirected study.” Methods include in-person lectures, discussions, group presentations, debates, essay writing and structured presentations using PowerPoint, video clips and interactive note-taking sessions.
A new addition to her teaching practice and research is the booming sphere of artificial intelligence (AI). “I am currently engaged in a research project in the Department of Informatics to explore the use of AI in reading and comparing texts.” These outcomes might also expose students to emerging research methodologies.
Recognising that students have different abilities and strengths, she employs multiple assessment opportunities using diverse forms of evaluation. “This approach ensures fair opportunities for all students, while monitoring progress effectively.” Assessment methods include debates, presentations, essays and traditional examinations, each serving different learning styles and capabilities.
The integrated assessment approach through debates and collaborative presentations reduces stress, while maintaining academic standards. “Students demonstrate knowledge in contexts that feel natural and engaging, rather than anxietyprovoking.” This approach helps with learning and recalling, but also lessens the stress and anxiety normally related to assessments. “Students benefit from one another's knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable space.”
To incorporate community engagement into the curriculum, she challenges students to think critically about how they can apply their subject knowledge creatively to real-world contexts. “This is an aspect that the students enjoy, and it makes the subject relevant to them.” This process addresses community-identified needs through academic involvement that simultaneously provides students with learning opportunities. “Students match theory to practice by making subject knowledge applicable to their contexts.”
As a facilitator of learning, she continuously reflects on the effectiveness and results of all her teaching practices and approaches.
“In this reflection, I address matters obtained from student feedback and peer observations. I apply this reflection to refine and improve my teaching.” Her teaching philosophy of applying inquiry-based learning and collaborative learning in the UP way of preparing, engaging and consolidating, remains fundamental in her teaching profession.
From the intersection of inclusive practices, innovative pedagogies and deep respect for student
diversity, by embracing inquiry-based learning, collaborative approaches and technology-enhanced methods, she creates learning environments where every student can thrive, while developing the critical thinking skills essential for lifelong learning.
This produces graduates who are not only knowledgeable in their field, but also equipped with the collaborative, critical thinking and innovative problemsolving skills needed to address complex challenges in our diverse society.
