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09 December 2020 | Story Carli Kleynhans | Photo Supplied
Carli Kleynhans.

With the most gruelling year recorded in our entire lives, gradually coming to an end we remain hopeful and thankful that we have made it through. From the unexpected shock of going into lockdown, to the worry of having to use a blended approach to succeed in your academics and now finally settling into a new normal, we at the advising office bestow upon you the title of Kovsie champion…because that's exactly what you are!

One of our many champions, Carli Kleynhans, a 3rd (final) year student enrolled for BA Psychology and English shares how she survived…no, actually how she has thrived in 2020. 

• What was your biggest concern about your academics when you found out the country was going into lockdown?

My biggest concern about my academics as a final year student was whether the online learning and tests would provide the same in depth learning experiences that are necessary to build upon for future studies.

• What are some of the challenges you've experienced along the way?

Staying focused and trying not to procrastinate was a big challenge I had to conquer, especially trying to not be distracted by my family and my phone. How I survived and was able to thrive in 2020!

• What are some of the strategies you've used to ensure your academics don’t suffer? 

Time management was one of the most important strategies that I applied. For most of my classes, I was able to focus each week on a different module, by working and studying in advance I was able to keep up with my workload and still have the weekends to focus on myself, therefore creating designated time to work, study and also time to relax and read. 

• What support have you received from the institution that's helped you thus far? 
Most of my lecturers have provided needed support regarding our academics. The institution helped provide clarity with everything that was going on. 

• What do you think the UFS could have done differently to support student success? 
I think the UFS could have provided more resources for the final year students, especially considering we have to apply for further studies; online it was difficult to discern exactly what was necessary for the applications, whereas in class I feel more information would have been provided. 

• What has kept you motivated? 

Knowing it is my final year has helped to motivate me, as I have to use these grades to apply for further studies. I recently received recognition from Golden Key and this helped to further inspire me to work even harder at my academics.

• What advice do you have for your fellow Kovsies who are finding it difficult to keep going? 
Remember to make time for yourself, to look after yourself and your mental health, especially in these difficult times. Work in advance and keep to your personal academic calendar.

News Archive

Service learning teaching strategy essential for the infusion of graduate attributes
2017-01-02

Description: Dr Pulane Pitso Tags: Dr Pulane Pitso 

Dr Pulane Pitso, Director: Institutional Performance
Monitoring within Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
Branch in the Department of the Premier, Free State
Provincial Government (FSPG).
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

“Public service delivery is not only about ‘government’s sector end products’, but is also fundamentally related to the ways in which the citizens can be best served at the point of client interface, as the primary beneficiaries.”

It is against this backdrop that Dr Pulane Pitso’s study explored the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in infusing the curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery. The study is entitled: Community service learning as a transformative tool for infusing the university curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery.
 
Citizens the central focus in public-service delivery
Although with the advent of democracy, the South African public service introduced the Batho Pele “people first” initiative which is one of the key transformation-oriented initiatives to ensure that citizens are the central focus in public service  delivery. An extant literature indicates that more work by the government still needs to be done in terms of the institutionalisation and implementation thereof.

Notwithstanding that public service is primarily responsible for addressing challenges related to poor service delivery, Dr Pitso moved from a premise that a multifaceted and collaborative approach, underpinned by a concerted effort by all relevant sectors, is more likely to contribute significantly towards improving service delivery. Specific focus was given to sectors primarily mandated to lay foundations through training and development such as HEIs, since the nature and quality of public service largely depends on the nature, quality and relevance of the system of education.

CSL a transformative teaching strategy
The basis for her thesis, emanated from the contention that public service delivery is a dynamic process which cultivates into a citizen-government relationship.

“It is this relationship that makes the implementation of the Batho Pele initiative crucial in ensuring that the social fabric and moral character of government is not compromised, thus the sustainability and facilitation of the emerged relationship,” Dr Pitso says.

The study focuses on the notion of community service learning (CSL) as an increasingly recognised transformative teaching strategy. It transcends lecture halls and utilises communities as educational spaces to provide practical exposure to real-life experiences to students on both learning and serving the communities.

Instilling graduate attributes in students
Dr Pitso’s thesis, which was predominately qualitative in nature, comprised two main stages. The first stage of the study focused on determining the current state of the public service in terms of the implementation of the Batho Pele principles. Whereas with the second stage, the focus was on determining the extent to which the graduate attributes are instilled in students by means of an exit-level CSL module at the UFS.

Dr Pitso’s thesis, which was awarded to her on 30 June 2016, is the product of five years of hard work, commitment and perseverance. She said it would not have been realised if it had not been for the leadership and mentorship of her promoter, Prof Mabel Erasmus, and co-promoter, Prof Victor Teise.

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