CLTD provides research-informed support in higher education learning and teaching. Our programmes and activities aim to enhance the quality of learning and teaching at Wits. We team up with faculties and service departments to support academics by providing:
• Academic professional learning courses, workshops and programmes
• Curriculum renewal and transformation
• Hyflex blended learningand teaching
• Evaluation and peer reviews of teaching
• Higher education research and the scholarship of learning and teaching
• Individual and institutional capacity building in learning and teaching
Scheduling
This prospectus sets out the Centre’s academic professional learning opportunities for 2022. Where dates have already been scheduled, these are stipulated. The coordinators’ contact details are provided in each case if you have any queries about any aspect of the prospectus, including logistics.
Cost
CLTD workshops are offered free to employees of the University. However, when workshops are conducted in contact mode on campus, the Centre incurs considerable costs in terms of catering, printing, and consultants’ fees. If a participant books a place in a workshop, and does not arrive, the attributable portion of costs so incurred will be recouped fromthe participant. There will be a penalty fee of R500 for non-attendance at a booked internal workshop, and R2 500 for non-attendance at a booked external workshop, unless we are given two working days’ notice to allow us to fill the place. (External workshops are indicated by means of an asterisk next tothe workshop name).
Refreshments
When workshops are conducted in contact mode on campus, we provide tea and coffee at tea-breaks. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages.
Booking
Bookings for most workshops are done via Oracle. From the Oracle log-in page, click on Employee Self Service, and then on My Learning Gateway, then on My Learning.
All workshops are loaded under CLTD. Please book well in advance. All the workshops have limited capacity, and if your workshop of choice is full, you may need to be waitlisted for the next one scheduled. Only a few workshops of aparticular typeare offered each year, and these arefilled on a first-come-first-served basis. Please be advised that whilst every care is taken with the scheduling of training, due to unforeseen circumstances, there is a chance that dates and times may change.
Venues
All our workshops and courses will be offered in line with the university’s Learning & Teaching plan for 2022. A meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed. Where workshops and courses are provided in contact mode, they will mostly be in one of the venues in the CLTD Building, West Campus. The nearest gate is Enoch Sontonga Gate 9. (CLTD is diagonally opposite the Flower Hall). The rooms are designated Frog, Tree, and Snow. Not all the venues are wheelchair accessible.
Please indicate on your booking form if you have specific needs related to being differently abled.
As parking space is limited, it is generally advisable, where possible, to walk to the building rather than drive, particularly when students are writing exams in the Flower Hall.
Website
Please visit the CLTD website at https://www.wits.ac.za/cltd/
Academic Professional Learning Opportunities
Students at emotional risk
The Counselling and Careers Development Unit is offering a half-day workshop to Wits academic and administrative support staff. The workshop covers mental wellness, as well as basic skills to identify, contain and refer students in need of psychological or psychiatric intervention. This includes the identification of certain high-risk characteristics/circumstances associated with the deterioration of the functioning of a student.
The primary objectives of this workshop are to provide university staff that lecture, support and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.
Dates: 24 Mar 2022 26 May 2022 28 July 2022
Time: 09:00 to 12:00 09:00 to 12:00 09:00 to 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Basic Supporter Skills training
The Counselling and Careers Development Unit staff are offering academic, support and residence staff a two-day workshop on supportive skills and basic counselling.
The requirement for the attendance of this Supportive Skills course is full attendance of the Students at Emotional Risk workshop. This training includes sections on selfreflection and self-awareness, as well as supporter and counselling skills.
Please note: Staff who are feeling emotionally fragile or who have experienced recent trauma or bereavement are advised not to attend at this point.
Date: 21- 22 September 2022
Time: 08:30 to 14:30
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Learning and Teaching workshops, courses and programmes
As part of the professional learning opportunities, CLTD offers the following core courses/workshops once per semester/twice a year. These courses aim to offer flexible engagement opportunities, requiring a self-directed approach to learning, with minimal, strategic contact or virtual sessions.
While we identify and recommend three learning pathways, please note that all offerings are open and flexible as per individual need.
The three recommended learning pathways with associated, differentiated offerings are depicted in Fig 1, some with an added mentoring component, underpinned by Community of Practice (CoP) principles.
Emerging and Early Career Academic (ECA)
Academic Role; Tutor Programme/Partnership; New Academics Orientation Programme: New@Wits; Early Career Academic Development Programme (ECAD); Facilitating Online (Intro); Assessment (Intro)
Mid Career Academic (MCA)
Academic Role; Curriculum Development Suite (CD0-4); Facilitating Online; Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age; Postgraduate Supervision; PGDip (Education)in the field of Higher Education; Mentoring; Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Senior Career Academic (SCA) A community of practice (CoP) Assistant Deans
FIGURE 1 DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING PATHWAYS
Emerging and Early-Career Academics (ECA)
1. Academic Role (aka Teaching Role)
2. Tutor Programme/Partnership
3. New Academics Orientation Programme: New@Wits
4. Early Career Academic Development Programme (ECAD)
5. Facilitating Online (Intro)
6. Assessment(Intro)
Mid-Career Academics (MCA)
1. Academic Role (accredited short course)
2. Curriculum Development Suite (CD0 CD4: 4 weeks)
3. Facilitating Online (Accredited Short Course: 8 weeks)
4. Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age
5. Postgraduate Supervision
6. Enhancing Post Graduate Supervision (Short course)
In 2022, we aim to foster a community of practice (CoP) amongst Assistant Deans, to engage in conversation about the needs of senior career academics. The purpose is to decide on a suite of offerings to be designed, developed, and offered in 2023.
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Early Career Academic Development (ECAD) Programme
The Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD) and the Wits Research Office have jointly developed a programme to support the professional learning of early career academics (ECAs).
The programme is based on the intention to nurture new and emerging academics within the Wits context and specifically aims to:
• Instil the value of holistic professional learning to enable the teacher, researcher academic citizenship and scholarly academic roles.
• provide relevant resources and skills to mediate, negotiate and navigate the challenges experienced as early career academics within the Wits and higher education context.
• provide access to a supportive and collegial Wits and higher education network with opportunities for collaborations, mentorships, and a community of care.
• provide the dialogical space and platform to explore continuously changing higher education context and the changing demand made on academics and their roles.
The programme will be of particular interest to newly appointed academics at associate lecturer and lecturer levels, the academic pursuing a PhD qualification, the academic who has a PhD qualification for 5 years or less as well as those on the nap programme.
The ECAD Programme plans to provide support for ECADers to complement their disciplinary knowledge and skills by further developing their teaching, research, and interpersonal skills to enable them to effectively transition into productive academics within the Wits context. Successful completion of the programme will be based on participation in:
• mandatory full day ECAD orientation
• a choice of 3 research and teaching workshops, courses or programmes selected from the CLTD Prospectus
• 4 Communities of Practice meetings
• a 4-day facilitated online writing retreat
• Mentoring
• ECAD closing reflective valedictory session
Date: Various dates throughout the 2022 academic year to be communicated to participants.
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinators: Dr Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Mrs Rieta Ganas rieta.ganas@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Enhancing Mid – Career Academic Transitions (EMCAT)
This Carnegie funded programme is a new initiative for mid-career academic staff members transitioning into professional and or academic leadership positions. In aiming to cohere the research, teaching and academic citizenship components of the academic role, this programme is a collaboration between the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD), the Wits Research Office and the Transformation and Employment Equity Office (TEEO).
The professional opportunities will include:
• Engagements in relation to leadership in teaching, research & academic citizenship
• Creation of personally relevant transition plan supported by an academic portfolio writing retreat
• Dialogue, conversation and networking opportunities through Communities of Practice and small group mentorship sessions
Date: Various dates between February 2022 and June 2023.
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Academic Role
Given the continuous change and those especially associated with the shifts to remote learning and teaching, within the Higher Education sector and its influence on the academic role within universities, there is a need for academics to unpack and explore their changing academic roles. This interactive workshop aims to bridge the age-old teaching and research divide that exists within universities, specifically researchintensive institutions. The workshop will introduce academics to the basic principles of their academic role within the South African higher education sector and within Wits in particular. The focus will then shift to academics exploring their scholarship through their learning and teaching role within a faculty.
The university teacher has an important and demanding role to play in the process of supporting student learning through the design of learning and teaching contexts in which students can learn most effectively.
The teaching role within the Wits context, has many dimensions: providing a broad context of knowledge; helping students to understand, locate and create personally and contextually relevant meaning of the knowledge; providing a learning environment that encourages students to think critically, solve problems and to be able to communicate in the language of the discipline or knowledge and it involves ongoing reflection on their practice. It also requires teachers to help students set and achieve their own aims through commitment and being responsible for their own learning.
The experiential learning activities within the workshop is designed so that the academic will engage with the academic role within the higher education sector. Principles of facilitating for learning to occur includes:
• principles of learning
• an overview of curriculum knowledge and blended learning experience design
• an overview of assessment
• embedding writing within the curriculum
• a micro teaching session (a scaled down teaching session), and
• feedback as well as reflective practice.
The aim of the workshop is to encourage lecturers to take up their teaching role in a scholarly manner with creativity, enthusiasm, and self-reflection. Who should attend?
New academics, early career academics or academics who have been at Wits for a while and who would like to improve their learning and teaching environments. Numbers are limited, and early booking is advised. Attendance is expected for all sessions.
Date: 17 19 & 23 May and 22 June
Time: 08:30 16:00
Date: 18 20 &24 October and 25 January 2023
Time: 08:30 16:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Rieta Ganas Rieta.Ganas@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age
Effective learning and teaching involve the integration and alignment of three core elements, namely curriculum, facilitation practices and learning interactions1, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content, learning interactions and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity and reliability of assessments. Consequently, there is a need for academics to appreciate the role assessment plays in students’ achievement of structured learning outcomes, and to be able to design quality assessments for specific contexts. In addition to the need for understanding assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to understand and know how to develop different types of assessments. In response to this need, the Centre for Learning Teaching and Development (CLTD) at Wits has developed this short course on assessment with special focus on assessment in the digital space.
Date: 6 May 2022
Time: TBC 8 weeks
Date: 7 Oct 2022
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Natasha Munsamy natasha.munsamy@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
1 For example, student↔facilitator, student↔student, and student↔content interactions during the course of a learning conversation.
Curriculum Development Suite (Short Course)
The rate of change in the world demands that we re-imagine and restructure the foundational learning relationships between student, knowledge, and teacher. New ways of thinking about curriculum are needed if we are to respond to the current challenges andfuturedemands for excellence in Higher Education.
Curriculum lies at the heart of what Higher Education institutions dowith andfor their students and constitutes the main vehicle through which the aims of Higher Education can be achieved. It is thus vitally important for the design, development, implementation, and ongoing renewal of curriculum to be underpinned by sound educational principles, guided by the values espoused by the institution offeringthecurriculumandfitforclearly articulatedpurposes.
While the fundamental questions around curriculum design and development remain the same, the contexts and challenges keep evolving and changing. It is therefore important to encourage and support academicstaff to develop appropriately structured and deepened curricula that promote the Wits key graduate attributes.
This programme is structured for academics who wish to evaluate, revise, or develop a curriculum at course or preferably programme level. The various aspects of the programme will address selected curricular issues, including selecting, sequencing, and aligning the knowledge areas that underpin the discipline or profession and the creation of curricular ‘spaces’ to support and enhance student learning.
Academics can opt to enrol for all 4 curriculum workshops within the series or may enrol for only selected workshops as needed. Please note that while each CD runs over one week, the synchronous/real time session might be a half day workshop, interspersed with asynchronous activities in Canvas/Ulwazi. Dates:
1st run
2nd run • CD 0 3 6 May
• CD 1 9 13 May
CD 0 1 5 August
CD 1 15 19 Aug
• CD 2 16 19 May • CD 2 22 Aug
• CD 3 23 27 May
• CD 4 30 May 3 June
• CD 3 29 to 2 Sept
• CD 4 5 9 Sept
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Dr Najma Agherdien najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
CD 0: Learning and Teaching Philosophy
This component of the curriculum development workshop series kicks off with an exploration of learning theories and how these theories inform personal learning and teaching philosophies. An understanding of how one views knowledge and how one comes to know is important as it shapes methodologies, approaches, and practices. Deep reflection on one’s philosophies (often tacit) goes a long way in being intentional about curriculum design.
Date: 3 6 May 2022
Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Date: 1 5 August 2022
Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Dr Najma Agherdien najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
CD 1: Curriculum Orientation and Contexts
Curriculum means different things to different people and operates within different levels at an institution. This makes the concept of curriculum highly contested and complex especially within the curriculum decolonisation and transformation debates. To enable coherent and meaningful curricula, academics should critically interrogate their curriculum orientations and the influence this has on their curriculum decisions. Their curriculum design and development should be approached in a scholarly manner especially when required to evaluate, design, interpret and implement curricula.
The workshop will address curriculum as a concept and enable academics to further examine how curriculum policies are shaped by societal, institutional, personal, and interpersonal contexts and processes. The workshop will also introduce academics to key theories that underpin the principles of curriculum design. The workshop provides an opportunity to engage with the conceptual and contextual aspects of curriculum design like constructive alignment and being able to construct contextually relevant intended learning outcomes.
Date: 9 13 May
Date: 15 19 Aug
Time: 09:00 – 12:00 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Rieta Ganas Rieta.Ganas@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
CD 2: Open pedagogies
Discover practical ways of making your teaching practice more contextually relevant and open to diversity. In the (half-day), synchronous workshop, we will explore ways of using open educational resources, open education practices, open access, and open facilitation practices leading to more engaging learning experiences. We will focus on approaches which take into account who students are (student identities) and what they bring with them (experiences and practices).
Date: 16 19 May
Date: 22 26 August
Time: 09:00 – 12:00 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Nazira Hoosen nazira.hoosen@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
CD 3: Assessment for learning in higher education
Participants in this workshop will consider assessment from the viewpoints of the different stakeholders and will gain a deeper appreciation of assessment as an intrinsic part of the student learning process. Focusing on a particular course, participants will explore how learning outcomes, assessment tasks, and learning and teaching activities build and enhance the growth of desirable attributes, knowledge, skills and values using appropriate assessment methods and educational technologies that are diverse, complementary and embedded strategically throughout the course. Challenges associated with providing meaningful feedback for undergraduate and postgraduate students will also be considered.
Date: 23 27 May
Date: 29 Aug 2 Sept
Time: 09:00 – 12:00 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Natasha Munsamy natasha.munsamy@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
CD 4: Curriculum Development
Do you currently teach a course you would like to revamp or improve? This workshop will give you practical ways to enhance your course through curriculum (re)design, adding multimedia and interactive elements, and developing authentic assessments. You will develop curriculum outputs to use in your course. Outputs may include a curriculum course map, module outline, student guide, assessment instruments and tools, multimedia, etc.
*Please bring your own device
Date: 30 May 3 June
Date: 5 9 Sept
Time: 09:00 – 12:00 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Nozuko Makhuvha nozuko.makhuvha@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Facilitating Online (FO)
As a Wits academic, you are now required to follow a blended approach to designing your courses. The facilitating online course (FO), an open educational resource that has been reconceptualised for the Wits context, will support you in this new role as facilitator and designer of blended interactions and engagements. You will develop the design skills required to create interactive online learning experiences, the facilitation skills required to enable meaningful online discussions, and the technical skills to use tools (such as blogs, podcasts, and synchronous communication software) to deepen student engagement. At the end of this course, you are required to submit an e-portfolio (electronic collection of evidence) of your personal growth as a facilitator of online learning interactions. As an end of course assessment, the e- portfolio will demonstrate your learning journey over a period of time. The course is offered twice a year with each offering facilitated over a period of eight weeks (week 0 7). The offering is fully online.
Notional hours for this accredited course are calculated at 100 hours.
• 60 hours online engagement readings/activities, discussions, desktop research
• 20 hours self-study research/following links
• 10 hours live virtual sessions
• 10 hours final assessment comprises approximately 60 90 minutes a day over a week to complete an e-portfolio
Dates:
Time:
1st Run May June 2022 (8 weeks)
• Week 0 11 April
• Week 1 18 22 April
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6 25 April 2 6 May 9 May 16 20 May 30 May 3 June
• Week 7 23 27 May
2nd Run Aug Sept 2022 (8 weeks)
• Week 0 1 4 August
• Week 1 8 12 August
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
15 19 Aug 22 26 Aug
29 Aug 2 Sept 5 9 Sept
12 16 Sept
• Week 7 19 Sept
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Nazira Hoosen nazira.hoosen@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Mentoring
This half-day mentoring workshop aims to guide efforts towards adding a mentoring component to programmes. Come and explore skills, principles, concepts, and activities that may contribute to mentoring relationships and collaboratively suggest guidance on staying connected with mentees during a time of social and physical distancing.
Date: 22 June 2022
Time: 9:00 – 11:00
Date: 21 September 2022
Time: 9:00 – 11:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Dr Najma Agherdien najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Wits Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP)
The Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP) provides tutors with the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to enable them to execute their tutoring responsibilities. The programme consists of a series of asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities that will provide tutors with practical insights on tutoring in a blended mode. The training workshops will focus on how design and facilitate for meaningful tutoring that will stimulate students’ learning.
The following topics will be covered:
• Exploring the tutoring space from the South African context
• Teaching for learning in the tutoring space
• Blended learning in the tutoring space
• Introduction to assessment and feedback
• Diversity in the tutoring space
• Digital tools for learning and teaching
Date: 24 Feb 2022
Time:
Duration: 10:00 – 13:30 3.5 hours
Date: 14 April 2022
Date: 21 July 2022
Time: 10:00 – 13:30 Time: 10:00 – 13:30
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Mr. Daniel Motlhabane Daniel.Motlhabane@wits.ac.za
Special requests for group training sessions outside of the designated slots can also be arranged.
Supporting diversity in the classroom
The massive increase in enrolments at institutions of higher learning in South Africa resulted in increased diversity in the student population. A diverse classroom not only enriches the learning experiences for all students, but it also prepares them for the world of work and beyond. Diversity further enhances students’ cognitive skills particularly problem solving and critical thinking skills.
This workshop aims to challenge your thinking while exploring the benefits of teaching a diverse group of students. In this session participants will deliberate and debate practical methods of creating a learning environment that ensures all students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives feel included, heard and valued.
Date: 9 & 11 March
Date: 2 & 5 August
Time: 9:00 – 12:00 9:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Ms Natasha Munsamy natasha.munsamy@wits.ac.za
Ms Nozuko Makhuvha nozuko.makhuvha@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (UCDP Grant-funded project)
As part of interrogating ‘good’ teaching practices what programme quality enhancement could look like this half-day workshop explores an overview of the scholarship of learning and teaching (SOTL) in Higher Education. It further outlines several suggestions through which SOTL may be established and scholarship improved. We invite all UCDP SoTL Grant Funded participants to come and share your thoughts, ideas, and practices on enhancing SOTL.
Date: TBC
Date: TBC
Time: 09:00 – 12:00 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinators: Dr Kershree Padayachee Kershree.Padayachee@wits.ac.za
Dr Najma Agherdien najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Developing Your Teaching Portfolio
As a requirement for probation confirmation or promotion processes, the Teaching Portfolio provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your professional growth and excellence in teaching. Reflecting on these aspects in line with efforts to support student success in your course/s is an important process of being a teacher in higher education. Your teaching practice is informed by an understanding of who you are supposed to be as a teacher, what it means to facilitate learning, who are your students, and what it means to learn in your discipline. These conceptions are not static but evolve over time thus it is crucial to continuously reflect and improve on them, and the teaching portfolio provides the space for this.
Developing Your Teaching Portfolio is hands-on, and you may expect the following:
• Engage in activities to help you think and draft your teaching philosophy and demonstrate how your philosophy translates into practice focused on student success.
• Develop awareness of aspects that should be included in your teaching portfolio
• Identify relevant evidence that you need to collect and include in your portfolio to demonstrate aspects of your teaching practice
There is, however, an assumption that academics participating in this session have the basic scholarly understanding of curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment principles in higher education.
Date: 20 July 2022
Date: 28 September 2022
Time: 12:00 – 14:00 12:00 – 14:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Rejoice Nsibande Rejoice.Nsibande@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Postgraduate Graduate Diploma (Education) in the field of Higher Education
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (In the field of higher education) is offered by the School of Education in collaboration with the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD) at the University of the Witwatersrand. The broad aim of the PGDip E (HE) is to provide academics with a relevant tertiary teaching qualification in line with international trends. The programme is designed to foster a scholarly and professional approach to university teaching, assessment, and curriculum development and design. Specific aims are to assist academics to:
• Strengthen their roles in teaching, assessment, and curriculum development and course design
• Update and extend their “working theories” and practices as educators
• Deepen engagement with the university as a rapidly changing site of research and scholarship
The qualification consists of three core modules namely: Learning and Teaching in Higher Education; Assessment in Higher Education, and Curriculum Design and Development in Higher Education. New Directions or Enhancing research supervision can be selected as the elective. The PGDip E (HE) is a formal 120-credit qualification at NQF level 8 and the qualification is awarded by the Faculty of Humanities. Participants must complete the post graduate registration procedures with Wits School of Education.
Date: Closed programme
Time: TBC
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinators: Dr Laura Dison laura.dison@wits.ac.za
Ms Rieta Ganas rieta.ganas@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Technologies for Teaching (T4T)
For 2022, CLTD’s emphasis on training will focus on course design to enhance the learning experience of students. Through this approach, we will focus on strengthening student engagement in course design, course review strategies, and redesigning assessments. These key focus areas will be covered in our “just in time” learning opportunities throughout the year. These opportunities are presented in the following webinars/workshops:
1) Designing & building your course on ulwazi
2) Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course
3) Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner
4) Digital Assessments
5) Using Gradescope in ulwazi
6) Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi
7) Intro to Conferences (“BigBlueButton”) in ulwazi
8) Enhance learning through video with Canvas Studio
9) Engaging approaches/strategies for facilitating learning interactions
10)Using Canvas New Analytics to improve student engagement
11)Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning
Designing & building your course on ulwazi
This webinar will focus mainly on designing, building, and publishing your course site. Some topics that will be covered include:
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Date Session
Tuesday, 8 February 2022
Tuesday, 15 February 2022
Tuesday, 8 March 2022
Tuesday, 5 July 2022
10:00 – 12:00
Click here to join the meeting
10:00 – 12:00
Click here to join the meeting
12:00 – 14:00
Click here to join the meeting
10:00 – 12:00
Click here to join the meeting
Facilitator(s)
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Tuesday, 12 July 2022
12:00 – 14:00
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course
So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning.
To attend this webinar, please contact the coordinators
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Session 1
Tuesday,5April 2022
Session 2
Wednesday, 6April2022
Session 3
Thursday,7 April2022
Session 1
Tuesday, 24 May 2022
Session 2
Wednesday, 25 May2022
Session 3
Thursday,26May2022
Session 1 Monday, 13 June 2022
Session 2
Tuesday,14June2022
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas
Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas
Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas
Nkaba Senne
Session 3
Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Session 1
Tuesday, 2Aug 2022
Session 2
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2022
Session 3
Thursday,4Aug2022
Session 1
Tuesday, 27 Sep2022
Session 2
Wednesday, 28 Sep 2022
Session 3
Thursday, 29 Sep 2022
Session 1
Tuesday, 22 Nov 2022
Session 2
Wednesday, 23 Nov 2022
Session 3
Thursday, 24 Nov 2022
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 12:00
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Antoinette Malgas Nkaba Senne
Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner
The COVID19 Pandemic sent learning and teaching into a whirlwind spin for both students and staff. This changed experience has left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner is an asynchronous course that focuses on how educators/facilitators could enhance an online/blended course that would positively contribute to students’ online learning experience.
This course explores various strategies and frameworks that educators/facilitators could use to improve on an online/blended course design. The content of this course is based on four supporting pillars that are essential to a well-designed online/blended course:
• Pillar 1: The initial learner experience: strategies on how to prepare and orientate students to the new “online” learning environment.
• Pillar 2: Guiding students and their learning: strategies how to provide frequent meaningful and relevant learning opportunities to establish a learning community
• Pillar 3: Accessibility, design and usability: Get insight on Universal Design for Learning and techniques for creating accessible content
• Pillar 4: Course Evaluation: course participants will use the adapted Quality Matter Rubric to review their own online courses and develop a course improvement plan.
Mode of Delivery: Asynchronous and meet up sessions
Course Running Time: 2 weeks
Coordinators: Shane Pachagadu shane.pachagadu@wits.ac.za Mei Luo Mei.Luo@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Please note that this course will run asynchronously during the following dates:
Date
Monday, 9 May 2022 to
Friday, 13 May 2022
Monday, 27 June 2022 to
Friday, 8 July 2022
Monday, 29 August2022 to
Friday, 9 September 2022
Monday, 24 October 2022 to 4 November 2022
Digital Assessments
Asynchronous online course
Asynchronous online course
Asynchronous online course
Asynchronous online course
Facilitator(s)
Shane Pachagadu Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu Mei Luo
Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.
This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.
Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool
Discussion tool:
• Setting up graded discussion topics.
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader
Assignment tool:
• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook
Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)
New quizzes
• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a Quizz.
• Releasing feedback
Studio tool
• Embedding a quiz to a video.
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.
Coordinator: Neo Petlele Neo.Petlele@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Wednesday 9 February 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Thursday 10 February 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday 16February2022 10:00 – 11:30 Session 1
Thursday 17 February 2022
Wednesday 9 March 2022
Thursday 10March2021
10:00 – 11:30 Session 2
12:00 – 1:30
12:00 – 1:30
Session 1
Session 2
Petlele
Malgas
Petlele
Malgas
Petlele
Malgas
Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Petlele
Malgas
Wednesday 30March2022
Thursday 31March2022
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday 13 April 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Thursday 14April2022
10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday 4 May 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Thursday 5 May 2022
Wednesday 1 June 2022
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Thursday 2June 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday 6 July 2022
Thursday 7 July 2022
Wednesday 10 August 2022
Thursday 11 August2022
Wednesday 7 September 2022
Thursday 8 September 2022
Wednesday, 5 October 2022
Thursday, 6 October 2022
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday, 26 October 2022 10:00 – 11:30
Wednesday, 27 October 2022
10:00 – 11:30
Session 1
Session 2
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 1 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 2 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 1
Session 2
Session 1
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 2 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 1 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 2
Session 1
Session 2
Session 1
Session 2
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 1 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 2 Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Session 1
Session 2
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Using Gradescope in ulwazi
Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:
• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to Gradescope.
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items
Coordinator: Neo Petlele Neo.Petlele@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za Date
Thursday, 24 Feb 2022
Thursday, 3 March 2022
Thursday, 24 March 2022
Thursday, 28 April 2022
Wednesday, 21 July 2022
Thursday, 18 August 2022
Thursday, 15 September 2022
Thursday, 12 October 2022
10:00 11:30
12:00 13:30
10:00 11:30
10:00 11:30
12:00 13:30
10:00 11:30
10:00 11:30
10:00 11:30
Facilitator(s)
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Neo Petlele Antoinette Malgas
Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi
Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.
Coordinators: Neo Petlele Neo.Petlele@wits.ac.za
Shane Pachagadu Shane.Pachagadu@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Thursday, 17 March 2022
Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Tuesday, 27 April 2022
Tuesday, 3 May 2022
Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Wednesday, 27 July 2022
Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Tuesday, 20 September 2022
Tuesday, 11 October 2022
10:00 11:30
12:00 13:30
10:00 11:30
10:00 11:30
12:00 13:30
10:00 11:30
10:00 11:30
12:00 13:30
12:00 13:30
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Neo Petlele
Shane Pachagadu
Intro to Conferences (“BigBlueButton”) in ulwazi
This webinar will focus on facilitating synchronous online learning interactions in ulwazi. Some of the topics that will be covered include:
• Accessing conferences
• Setting up online meeting spaces
• Facilitating synchronous learning in your course sites
To attend this webinar, please contact the coordinators
Coordinators: Mei Luo Mei.luo@wits.ac.za
Nkaba Senne nkaba.senne@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Wednesday, 2 March 2022
Thursday, 21 July 2022
10:00 – 11: 30
12:00 – 13:30
10:00 – 11:30
Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio
Mei Luo Nkaba Senne
Mei Luo Nkaba Senne
Mei Luo Nkaba Senne
Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:
• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning
Coordinator: Mei Luo mei.luo@wits.ac.za
Neo Petlele Neo.petlele@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Date
Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Tuesday, 1 March 2022
Thursday, 21 April 2022
Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Thursday, 25 August 2022
Wednesday, 16 November 2022
10:00 – 11:30
12:00 – 13:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Facilitator(s)
Mei Luo
Neo Petlele
Mei Luo Neo Petlele
Mei Luo Neo Petlele
Mei Luo Neo Petlele
Mei Luo Neo Petlele
Mei Luo
Neo Petlele
Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning
Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or nonresponsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.
Coordinators: Mei Luo mei.luo@wits.ac.za
Antoinette Malgas Antoinette.malgas@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Date
Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Tuesday, 22 March 2022
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Facilitator(s)
Mei Luo
Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo
Antoinette Malgas
Tuesday, 12 April 2022
Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Tuesday, 19 July 2022
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Tuesday, 13 September 2022
Tuesday, 25 October 2022
Tuesday, 15 November 2022
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Mei Luo Antoinette Malgas
Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement
In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.
This webinar will look at how to:
• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data
Coordinators: Shane Pachagadu shane.pachagadu@wits.ac.za Mei Luo mei.luo@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
Date
Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Thursday, 14 April 2022
Thursday, 12 May 2022
Thursday, 1 September 2022
Thursday, 13 October 2022
Thursday, 3 November 2022
10:00 – 11:30
09:00 – 10:30
09:00 – 10:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
10:00 – 11:30
Facilitator(s)
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Shane Pachagadu
Mei Luo
Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning
The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:
Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)
This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.
Day 2: Face-to-face (10:00 – 12:30/12:00 – 14:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)
This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.
Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15
minutes before the session begins.
To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.
Coordinator: Mei Luo mei.luo@wits.ac.za
Contact: Instructional Design Support IDSupport.cltd@wits.ac.za
To attend this training, please book book here
Date Session
Tuesday, 19 April 2022
Wednesday 20 April 2022
Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Wednesday, 18 May 2022
Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Tuesday, 12 July 2022
Wednesday, 13 July 2022
Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Thursday, 22 September 2022
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
12:00 – 14:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30
Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
Facilitator(s)
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Wednesday, 19October 2022
Tuesday, 8 November 2022
Wednesday, 9 November 2022
9:00– 10:30 Online
12:00 – 14:30 Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
9:00– 10:30 Online
10:00 – 12:30 Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Mei Luo
Research and Postgraduate Supervision
Research Project Budgeting2
A research project budget is a vital component of any funding proposal. Join the facilitators as they discuss how to develop a budget that supports and enhances your research or consulting proposal. The workshop allows delegates to develop their own budgets that account for direct and indirect costs (CORY). It covers issues such as VAT, student bursaries and charge-out rates. You need not be an accountant to make sense of these issues. In fact, the course is intended for non-accountants.
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Wits Enterprise Facilitators
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Publishing for Impact
Whether you are driven by altruism and want your research to improve the world, or by a desire to increase your reputation as a research focused scholar, or a combination of both, you need to plan where, when, and how you publish your research. Too often we base our publishing habits on what we picked up from our PhD supervisors and colleagues without giving any thought to a careful strategy. Join Dr Robin Drennan in a workshop that looks at the wide array of possibilities for sharing your knowledge with others. In this workshop you will be exposed to ideas that may help you strategically decide where your research output is to be shared and / or published.
Date: 21 and 22 July 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
2 Workshop being developed
Project Planning in the Research Context
How do you plan a research project? Is it possible to plan research? The classical project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) is often unsuitable for research projects simply because it is impossible to estimate the time for each task. Research is, after all, a step into the unknown. Take heart, this does not mean your research project will descend into chaos. There are other ways of managing research projects that are agile enough to deal with the complexities of volatile research projects. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will describe some of these more agile project management techniques that will allow you to plan, in the absence of information and despite uncertainty, for the unknown.
Date: 13 May 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 9 September 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Planning your Academic Career
Do you know what you need to do today to achieve your career goals in six years’ time? A successful academic career requires a considerable amount of juggling. Research, teaching, supervision, community engagement, funding, sabbaticals, conferences, promotion, NRF ratings they all need to be factored into your plan. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will help you develop a five to seven-year macro plan that will ensure you are well placed to make the best of your career. An emphasis is placed on research throughout this workshop.
Date: 18 February 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 3 June 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Planning your Sabbatical
A sabbatical comes once every six years so it is vital to make the most of it. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will share some pointers on how, when and what to plan for a successful sabbatical. This workshop will help you develop a plan and so make the most of the opportunity. Your sabbatical plan should maximise the impact of the time on your research. Various funding options will also be discussed.
Date: 11 March 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 10 June 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Writing Winning Proposals
Discover, with the support of Dr Robin Drennan, Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, how to write a persuasive proposal for research funding. Having understood that every funder is contractually bound to deliver a return of some sort on the funds under their management, it is plain to see several ‘magical buttons’ that will get you funding. Some of these buttons are explicit but others are not. The trick is to find them. The workshop material also covers the differences between a research plan, a problem statement, rationale and motivation, and aims and objectives, all elements of typical proposals. The importance of selecting appropriate reviewers, leaving nothing to chance and the need to make every part of the proposal supportive of your bid for funding are also discussed. Finally, the workshop explores differences in writing styles: Persuasive writing used in proposals and standard writing techniques used in the publication of research outputs.
Date: 4 March 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 19 August 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 20 May 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Date: 14 October 2022
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Robin Drennan Robin.Drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Lunchtime Talk How to Structure an Academic CV
The curriculum vitae, which is Latin for ‘course of life’ is a very important tool in the quest for academic achievement. At the simplest level it is a record of your achievements, a trace record, at the other extreme it can take on all the elements of a marketing campaign. Join us for a lunchtime (1 hour) discussion on different ways to layout your CV to best emphasise your achievements.
Date: 8 April 2022
Time: 13:15 – 14:15
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitator: Dr Robin Drennan robin.drennan@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Zotero
This is a virtual workshop that will introduce you to Zotero, a free, open-source alternative to reference manager systems. Zotero allows you to easily save bibliographic details, comments, indexing terms, and direct links to webpages, word documents, and even articles that are in library subscription databases. You will be shown how you can use Zotero to integrate your references into your research in many citation styles using Microsoft Word. For more information, please visit Library Libguides. http://libguides.wits.ac.za/zotero
Date: 18 March 2022
Time: 09:30 – 11:00
Date: 20 May 2022
Time: 09:30 – 11:00
Further dates will be communicated via the Wits News, and Events on the Intranet
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Enhancing Research Supervision
This course aims to enhance research supervisory capacity taking into account the diverse context and conditions in which supervisors work as well as the differences in institutional and disciplinary postgraduate supervisory practices and processes.
After engaging with the course and the course materials the participant should be able to:
• Develop a strategy to address power relations and create an inclusive and participatory learning environment in their supervisory context
• Critically reflect on the importance of scholarship in their learning environment
• Critique their supervisory practices and implement changes aimed at enhancing student learning
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the supervisory processes in their context and recommend improvements
• Participate in a collegial network of support and build a community of practice that enhances supervisory practice
• This 30-credit short course at NQF Level 8 comprises the following phases: 3 days face-to-face; 6 weeks on-line; and 3 days face-to-face and includes assessment tasks. An e Portfolio (100%) inclusive of formative and summative assessments must be submitted at the conclusion of the course for credit assessment.
Date: 13 June 12 August 2022
Time: 13:30 – 14:30
Date: 19 September 11 November 2022
Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Anniah Mupawose Anniah.Mupawose@wits.ac.za Emmanuel Ojo Emmanuel.Ojo@wits.ac.za
Good supervision is central to successful graduate research, yet it is difficult to define and develop. This half-day introductory workshop explores models and systems of supervision, institutional policy and procedures, and supervisor-student relationships.
Date: 11April, 17 May, 30 Jun
Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Date: 20 July, 15 Aug, 19 Oct
Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Coordinator: Dr Najma Agherdien najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
Evaluation Services
CLTD offers support to academic staff to elicit feedback on effectiveness of teaching and courses for the purposes of continuous reflection to inform decisions on professional learning, enhancement of learning and teaching practice as well as accountability. Different methods should be used to ensure a holistic evaluation of teaching practice. Each method offers different benefits, and the technique chosen should be appropriate to the need or exigency which has prompted the evaluation process.
The following workshops are made available to all staff in order to support engagement with evaluation of teaching and courses. Staff are encouraged to enrol for the sessions according to need, alternatively contact the CLTD evaluations team for assistance.
Teaching and course evaluations to enhance students’ learning experience
CLTD offers support to academic staff to elicit feedback on effectiveness of teaching and courses for the purposes of continuous reflection to inform decisions on professional learning, enhancement of learning and teaching practice as well as accountability. Different methods should be used to ensure a holistic evaluation of teaching practice. Each method offers different benefits, and the technique chosen should be appropriate to the need or exigency which has prompted the evaluation process.
The following workshops are made available to all staff in order to support engagement with evaluation of teaching and courses. Staff are encouraged to enrol for the sessions according to need, alternatively contact the CLTD evaluations team for assistance.
Teaching and course evaluations to enhance students’ learning experience
Academic staff with teaching responsibilities are required to conduct evaluations of their teaching and courses, and further reflect on this as part of a process to enhance the quality of offerings. CLTD believes that effective evaluation of teaching and courses requires academic staff to understand the purpose of evaluations and further create opportunities for evaluations that support reflective practice. The workshop aims to provide participants with an opportunity to do the following:
• Examine the purposes of evaluations and different tools that can be used
• Familiarise themselves with the processes and the platform used at Wits to conduct student evaluations
• Explore ways in which students can be encouraged to participate constructively in evaluation processes
• Prepare for using evaluation feedback in processes of continuous improvement of teaching and courses
Date: 9 February 2022
Duration: 12:30 – 14:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Peer Review is a process through which valuable feedback on teaching practice and courses could be solicited by engaging the expertise of academic peers. Engaging in peer reviews provide academic staff an opportunity to triangulate data drawn through student feedback (questionnaires) in the process of self-reflection. Peer reviews create an opportunity for academic staff to examine and reflect collaboratively on teaching practice based on observed lessons and other selected teaching artefacts. The process is meant to be collegial and supportive in a manner that allows for professional learning of both the reviewer and the reviewee. The workshop targets all staff tasked with the responsibility to conduct reviews in the respective schools and those that want their teaching and course to be reviewed. The workshop provides participants with an opportunity to:
• Examine the purpose of peer reviews and relevance in supporting development of teaching competence
• Explore different models that are used when conducting peer reviews
• Engage with the guidelines for conducting meaningful peer reviews (i.e. clarify roles and responsibilities)
• Address different concerns or challenges related to peer review processes
• Explore the idea of a peer review as a scholarly and collaborative reflection activity
Date: 10 February 2022
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Student feedback on teaching and courses using Blue Explorance
The CLTD recommends that lecturers use student feedback as a formative opportunity to learn from input. The results offer useful indicators of trends but have limited value in getting to the heart of facilitation practices. They are most useful when contextualised in information obtained from the more qualitative forms of evaluation as scores can often be the consequence of multiple factors, e.g., mismatched expectations.
In 2020 the Blue Explorance system was launched across all faculties. This means all academic staff should use the online system for conducting student evaluations. CLTD will continue to on board staff to the Blue Explorance system and further stabilise the use of the platform. This will be done through self-help material and webinars open to all staff. Faculties or schools may request for customised sessions.
Using Blue Explorance system to conduct student evaluations
Target: Academic staff Description
Blue Explorance Basics To create awareness of Blue Explorance: how the system works, the process followed when using the system, and the responsibilities of the different stakeholders (Lecturers, students and Evaluations Team).
Date: 21 February 2022
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)
Facilitators: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko Nompumelelo.Mazibuko@wits.ac.za
Ms Nthabiseng Mokoena Nthabiseng.Mokoena@wits.ac.za
The CLTD appreciates that academics have busy schedules hence not everyone will have the opportunity to participate in organised sessions. To address this, easy-tofollow materials are developed and will be made accessible to all staff. For example, the material includes step-by-step guides (on how to select questions, monitor students’ participation, and access reports). Related short video clips and a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document will be made available on the ‘Better Blended Learning’ site on ulwazi, as well as on the CLTD website
More information on evaluations
Peer Reviews
CLTD recommends that lecturers use expertise from within their Faculty or disciplines to conduct peer reviews. The CLTD is open to School/Faculty requests for a peer review workshop to support both staff identified as reviewers and those staff that require a review.
As part of peer reviews staff are encouraged to use External Examiners Reports as they are produced by experts with extensive knowledge in subject matter and teaching in the discipline. External Examiners’ reports can also be useful in providing feedback on the quality and standards of teaching.
Learning and Teaching Advisors in the Faculties may be contacted for advice on using Peer Reviews. It is highly recommended that all reviewers go through training so that they are prepared for the responsibility.
It is important to remember that Peer Review is a highly intensive form of getting quality feedback. The process is labour and time intensive and given the limited resources in the university it is advisable to prepare for and schedule for the review well in advance. As CLTD has limited resources we cannot offer this service as freely as we would like to, and we are encouraging academic staff to engage faculty or school colleagues to conduct reviews.
Using Evaluations Constructively
Academic staff need to make informed choices and interpretations of what kinds of feedback each form of evaluation offers and about the value or weight of the different types of evidence garnered. CLTD’s preferred stance is to use evaluation of teaching and courses in a formative approach aimed at improvement, rather than to make categorical judgements about an individual’s teaching practice. CLTD is happy to assist academic staff and academic managers in this regard.
For general information on Evaluations of Teaching and Courses at Wits University, please use the following link to access the relevant policy: http://intranet.wits.ac.za/exec/registrar/Policies/Forms/AllItems.aspx
For information on the Blue Explorance system and other evaluation matters, please contact the following CLTD staff:
• Mpumi Mazibuko
(011) 717 1483
Nompumelelo.Mazibuko@wits.ac.za
• Nthabiseng Mokoena
(011) 717 1469
nthabiseng.mokoena@wits.ac.za
For further information on conducting an evaluation of your teaching or interpreting and use of feedback data collected:
• Dr Rejoice Nsibande
011) 717 1474
Rejoice.Nsibande@wits.ac.za
Wits Learning and Teaching Conference
Traditionally, CLTD hosts a Lekgotla (for Wits staff) and a Learning and Teaching Symposium (open to the higher education community) annually. This year we will only host a Learning and Teaching Conference during the second semester. More information to follow.
Date: TBC
Contact: Candice Michael (011) 717 1475 Candice.Michael@wits.ac.za
About CLTD
Our Principles and Beliefs
We nurture and accept conditions that promote agency and creativity in order to endorse critical thinking, purposeful research-informed trialling or experimenting, rediscovery, renewal and innovation in African Higher Education contexts. We do this because in the past we have tended to accept learning and teaching solutions borrowed from elsewhere, often divorced from our own contexts.
Our distinctive approach to facilitation, learning, and research promotes a “nonjudgmental” culture as the basis for the creation of transformative and creative communities, where tensions and diversities of opinions are welcomed as norms, but where independent thought and opinion are welcomed as we recognise others as we recognise self not lower or higher. In this context, there is a genuine meeting of the minds where knowledge production is inward and outward looking, resulting in authentic collaborations and partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally. Our fundamental ideal is that of ‘trust’ and ‘acceptance’, where we all become culturally, socially, and environmentally responsible in our diverse aspirations of academic support provision. We are rooted in Johannesburg with its strong cosmopolitan edge, and we intend using this to our advantage, to ensure that the city is both the focus for our teaching and research work, and the platform from which our local and international relationships grow.
Mandate
The Centre for Learning, Teaching & development (CLTD) focuses on Continuous Academic Professional Learning, modelling hyflex Active Blended Learning. As part of a broader Curriculum Design and Development strategy, and by applying and engaging in research on facilitation practices, we aim to contribute towards deepening student learning and enhancing university teaching practices.
CLTDoffers:
• Formal programmes such as the PG Dip (Education) in the field of Higher Education
• Informal workshops such as Postgraduate Supervision, Teaching/Academic role, and Assessment in Higher Education
• Support for academics, mostly through hands-on workshops, to design and develop hyflex blended learning courses
• Student and peer evaluation of and self-reflection on courses and teaching
Vision
Our vision is to inspire, influence and contribute to the development of transformative, effective, and innovative facilitation practices that enhance student “access with success” in meaningful higher education practice.
Mission
We collaborate with individuals, academic departments, and academic support units to build capacity and foster community development around good university teaching, and the stimulation of an institutional culture that values meaningful learning, guided by the Wits Learning and Teaching Plan 2020 2024.
To achieve the CLTD mission, we strive to:
• Enrich the status of learning and teaching at Wits by engaging with, encouraging, and celebrating Wits teachers
• Support academics as university teachers and researchers, and explore, integrate, evaluate different approaches to learning, teaching, & assessment
• Promote inclusivity and diversity through collaborative curriculum design and renewal
• Promote and support the adoption of a hyflex blended learning approach to Active Blended learning and teaching approaches and practices
• Promote university-wide Communities of Practice (CoPs) by creating dialogue around and conversations about learning and teaching
• Promote and support effective lecturer and course evaluation practices
• Promote and develop a culture of research and scholarship of learning and teaching (SoTL) in Higher Education
• Anticipate and address evolving issues and opportunities within Higher Education Academic practice by offering expertise locally, nationally, and internationally
Foregrounding the Strategic and Operational Plan
In developing our Operational Plan, four drivers have emerged as key in achieving our goals for CLTD. These will underpin our service and support delivery over this year, including:
• A ‘Distributed Leadership’ (Spillane, 2005, 2012) approach in delivering educational programmes in partnership with others locally, nationally, and internationally
• Commitment to the continuous professional learning of CLTD staff
• Our research and its growing impact on the Higher Education landscape, and
• Modelling the application of, and engagement with digital technology in providing hyflex blended learning opportunities for our course participants.
Faculty Collaboration / Partnership
Table 2 shows the CLTD reps and Faculty reps (mostly faculty learning and teaching reps) that will collaborate to offer customised, contextually relevant learning opportunities to faculties. As far as possible, the teams aim to negotiate:
a. customised learning opportunities (early career, mid-career and senior career) to identified cohorts
b. customised/faculty specific offerings (if/when needed) to groups/schools on an ad hoc basis
c. staff engagement in reflection/evaluation at the end of each semester (all Faculties).
d. a scholarly approach to learning and teaching
e. the fostering of communities of practice
f. quality enhancement
Due to capacity constraints, we strongly recommend working with groups/schools as opposed to individuals
Table 1 Faculty Reps
Faculty
CLM
Engineering
Health Sciences
Humanities
Sciences
CLTD Representatives
Rieta Ganas and Neo Petlele
Faculty Representatives
Greig Krull, Fiona Macalister, and Myrtle Adams-Gardner
Nozuko Makhuvha and Nkaba Senne Tebatso Phala
Nazira Hoosen and Mei Luo
Najma Agherdien, Antoinette Malgas and Rejoice Nsibande
Natasha Munsamy and Shane Pachagadu
Shirra Moch, Hilary and Ann George, Paula Barnard-Ashton, and Mark Allen
Catherine Tam and Nora-Lee Wales
Kershree Padayachee, Ashwini Jadhav, and Phiwe Dlamini
Appendix A: Course Evaluation Form
In order to assess the effectiveness of our courses/workshops, and to gauge future needs, it would be appreciated if you would complete this course evaluation form.
Course name:
Date:
Facilitator details:
1. What did you expect to gain to from the course?
2. How did the course match your expectations?
What new applied competence have you acquired as a result of your participation in this course?
How will you apply what you have learned in your future facilitation practice?
How would you rate the facilitator & course with regards to:
