Latest News Archive
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News Items
2020-11-30 |
Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award for UFS’ Zubeida Jaffer |
2020-11-30 |
Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award for UFS’ Zubeida Jaffer |
2020-11-30 |
Symposium provides course of action for good water management |
2020-11-30 |
Symposium provides course of action for good water management |
2020-11-27 |
Triple book bonanza for UFS Creative Writing programme |
2020-11-27 |
Triple book bonanza for UFS Creative Writing programme |
2020-11-26 |
The health of your mind matters |
2020-11-26 |
The health of your mind matters |
2020-11-25 |
16 Days of Activism in Lockdown |
2020-11-25 |
16 Days of Activism in Lockdown |
2020-11-25 |
Message from the UFS Dean of Student Affairs concerning the 2021 SRC elections |
2020-11-25 |
Message from the UFS Dean of Student Affairs concerning the 2021 SRC elections |
2020-11-25 |
‘It was a privilege to work for the UFS’ |
2020-11-25 |
‘It was a privilege to work for the UFS’ |
2020-11-25 |
New levels of understanding emerge when seemingly unrelated fields of interest intersect |
2020-11-25 |
New levels of understanding emerge when seemingly unrelated fields of interest intersect |
2020-11-25 |
GBV: Lessons from a Pandemic |
2020-11-25 |
GBV: Lessons from a Pandemic |
2020-11-25 |
Eighteen from UFS on Stanford University’s list of leading researchers |
2020-11-25 |
Eighteen from UFS on Stanford University’s list of leading researchers |
2020-11-24 |
Faculty of Health Sciences celebrates history in new book |
2020-11-24 |
Faculty of Health Sciences celebrates history in new book |
2020-11-23 |
Prof Abdon Atangana named in world's top 1% list of scientists |
2020-11-23 |
Prof Abdon Atangana named in world's top 1% list of scientists |
2020-11-20 |
Passionate Entrepreneurs win Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards |
2020-11-20 |
Passionate Entrepreneurs win Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards |
2020-11-18 |
UFS team makes it to top four in CFA University Research Challenge |
2020-11-18 |
UFS team makes it to top four in CFA University Research Challenge |
2020-11-18 |
(Re)moving, (Re)naming, (Re)forming, and (Re)presenting: Webinar shines spotlight on signs, symbolism, and statues |
2020-11-18 |
(Re)moving, (Re)naming, (Re)forming, and (Re)presenting: Webinar shines spotlight on signs, symbolism, and statues |
2020-11-18 |
UFS launches R8 million US Embassy and Consulates-funded research project |
2020-11-18 |
UFS launches R8 million US Embassy and Consulates-funded research project |
2020-11-18 |
South Africa adopts innovative Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education |
2020-11-18 |
South Africa adopts innovative Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education |
2020-11-17 |
World Prematurity Day, 84,000 babies born premature in South Africa |
2020-11-17 |
World Prematurity Day, 84,000 babies born premature in South Africa |
2020-11-17 |
Tokenised celebrations of black womanist leaders negate their success |
2020-11-17 |
Tokenised celebrations of black womanist leaders negate their success |
2020-11-16 |
Webinar: Intersection between science and entrepreneurship |
2020-11-16 |
Webinar: Intersection between science and entrepreneurship |
2020-11-13 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: Predictions for 2021 |
2020-11-13 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: Predictions for 2021 |
2020-11-13 |
ISG researcher awarded prestigious Colin Murray Prize |
2020-11-13 |
ISG researcher awarded prestigious Colin Murray Prize |
2020-11-12 |
Building a university where everyone can succeed |
2020-11-12 |
Building a university where everyone can succeed |
2020-11-11 |
Student Affairs wants to hear your voice |
2020-11-11 |
Student Affairs wants to hear your voice |
2020-11-06 |
Odeion alumna offers free online music classes to Grade 12s |
2020-11-06 |
Odeion alumna offers free online music classes to Grade 12s |
2020-11-05 |
US Embassy and Consulates invests R8 million in UFS mountain-to-mountain research project |
2020-11-05 |
US Embassy and Consulates invests R8 million in UFS mountain-to-mountain research project |
2020-11-05 |
Prof Moffett publishes new book on mountain research |
2020-11-05 |
Prof Moffett publishes new book on mountain research |
2020-11-05 |
Medical student’s photo highly commended at international competition |
2020-11-05 |
Medical student’s photo highly commended at international competition |
2020-11-04 |
UFS partner in design for groundwater monitoring network for Central Karoo |
2020-11-04 |
UFS partner in design for groundwater monitoring network for Central Karoo |
2020-11-04 |
#EndSARS: Frustration among Nigeria’s youth and the poor |
2020-11-04 |
#EndSARS: Frustration among Nigeria’s youth and the poor |
2020-11-02 |
Next level awaits Lefébre in Europe |
2020-11-02 |
Next level awaits Lefébre in Europe |
Project aims to boost science pass rate
2009-01-19
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Attending the launch of the HP grant of about R1 million to the UFS are, from the left: Mr Leon Erasmus, Country Manager for HP Technology Services in South Africa, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS, and Mr Cobus van Breda, researcher at the UFS's Centre for Education Development and manager of the project.
Photo: Lacea Loader |
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The University of the Free State (UFS), in partnership with computer giant Hewlett Packard (HP), wants to boost the pass rate of its science students by using mobile technology.
The UFS is one of only 15 universities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the only university in South Africa to receive a grant from HP to promote mobile technology for teaching in higher education valued at USD$ 100,000 (or about R1 million). Altogether 80 universities from 28 countries applied for the grant.
“Last year HP invited a number of selected universities to submit proposals in which they had to explain how they are going to utilise mobile technologies in the redesign of a course that is presented at the university. The proposal of the Centre for Education Development (CED) at the UFS entitled “Understanding Physics through data logging” was accepted,” says Mr Cobus van Breda, researcher at CED and manager of the project.
According to Mr van Breda, students who do not meet the entrance requirements for the three-year B.Sc. programme have to enroll for the four-year curriculum with the first year actually preparing them for the three-year curriculum.
In order to increase the success rate of these students, the project envisages to enhance their understanding of science principles by utilising the advantages of personal computer (PC) tablet technology and other information and communication technologies (ICT) to support effective teaching and learning methodology.
“By using PC tablet technology in collaboration with data-logging software, a personal response system, the internet and other interactive ICT applications, an environment different from a traditional teaching milieu is created. This will consequently result in a different approach to addressing students’ learning issues,” says Mr van Breda.
The pilot project was launched during the fourth term of 2008 when 130 first-year B.Sc. students (of the four-year curriculum) did the practical component of the physics section of the Concepts in General Science (CGS) module by conducting experiments in a computerised laboratory, using data-logging software amongst other technology applications. “The pilot project delivered good results and students found the interactive application very helpful,” says Mr van Breda.
”The unique feature of the latter is the fact that real-life data can be collected with electronic sensors and instantly presented as computer graphs. It can then be analysed and interpreted immediately, thus more time can be devoted to actual Science principles and phenomena and less time on time-consuming data processing,” says Mr van Breda.
The CGS module can be seen as a prerequisite for further studies in physics at university level and in this regard it is of essence to keep looking for new models of learning and teaching which can result in student success. This year the theoretical and practical component of the physics section of the CGS programme will be done in an integrated manner.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
16 January 2009
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