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26 March 2018 Photo Pixabay
Back to the drawing board to save water
We’ve managed to damage nature’s ‘filter’ with air, ocean, and soil pollution, and by destroying wetlands.

Dr Cindé Greyling, a University of the Free State (UFS) DiMTEC (Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa) alumni, studied drought mitigation with a strong focus on communicating important water-saving information. 

Can we run out of water?
Yes, and no, says Dr Greyling. “To our knowledge, water is not ‘leaking’ through our atmosphere. We have what we have, but that doesn’t mean we will have enough clean, fresh water forever. Nature has a magnificent way of purifying water through the water cycle. We, on the other hand, must use a lot of money and energy to purify water. Also, we’ve managed to damage nature’s ‘filter’ with air, ocean, and soil pollution, and by destroying wetlands. The other problem is a simple supply and demand scenario. More people will need more water, but not only that, population growth calls for industry development and increased food supplies – all of which require more water.”    

A war over water
Besides some Hollywood impressions, it is difficult to imagine a war over water, but it is possible. “Some experts are convinced that we are heading there, and others claim that such tensions already exist. Personally, I don’t favour these kinds of shock tactics (or truths) – social research has shown us that it rarely leads to behavioural changes. We can learn a lot from what was has been done in Cape Town. Although we all think people were bombarded with ‘Day-Zero’-scares, they were actually encouraged to adapt their behaviour with a communication campaign that hardly ever used the term ‘Day-Zero’. This approach mobilised citizens to reach record lows of water usage.” 

Adapt a new normal
Dr Greyling encourages the “new normal” set in motion by Capetonians. “Water consciousness is needed, even when the rain comes again. We’ve taken water for granted for too long. As consumers, we have the power to turn this situation around – drop for drop. Be aware about the amount of water you use, how you use it, and for what. Keep in mind that any wastage and pollution (of ‘dry’ things) also wastes and pollutes water. Generally, we need to behave better regarding consumption.”  

News Archive

Centre for Teaching and Learning honours excellence and innovation
2015-11-27

 

The 2015 Excellence in Teaching and Learning nominees with CTL management and Dr Lis Lange

Excellence and innovation. These were the qualities celebrated at the recent Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards. Annually, the University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) honours lecturers for their outstanding achievements in the classroom. 

During the illustrious event, individual as well as group winners were announced in the category of the Vice Chancellor’s Award, as well as in several categories in the Innovation Awards. The winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards were:

Vice-Chancellor’s Award

Individual
• Louise van den Berg (Faculty of Health Sciences)

Teaching team
• Salomien Boshoff and Naquita Fernandes (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

Innovation Awards

Engagement and Learning
• Lerato Sekonyela (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Rentia Engelbrecht, Jolandi Bezuidenhout, and Jamie-Lee Nortje (Faculty of the Humanities)

Curriculum Design
• Joyce Ras (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Adre le Roux and Frans Kruger (Faculty of Education)

Community Engagement
• Martin Oliver (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Ielse Seale and Karen Venter (Faculty of Health Sciences)

Assessment Practices
• Joyce Ras (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Salomien Boshoff (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

The awards serve to celebrate excellence among the university’s academic staff, while showcasing current best practice, and inspiring innovation among lecturers. 

In aid of this, CTL hosted a showcase following the award ceremony. Academic staff and the broader university community could look over the various entries for new insights and added inspiration. A series of workshops and activities explored themes such as professionalism, and lectureship, as well as various apps that can be used in higher education.

 

 


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