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08 December 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
UFS loveLife Computer Graduations
The group of 90 members of the Botshabelo community who successfully completed the 12-week ICT Services short-learning course through a collaboration between the UFS Directorate Community Engagement, the Department of Computer Science and Informatics, and the youth leadership organisation, loveLife.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many people will look back at 2020 and 2021 with emotions of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. But for a group of close to 200 community members in Botshabelo, the past two years have not only signified one of their biggest achievements in life; for them, the day that they graduated is also holding the promise of a new beginning.

Both this year’s group and the group of 100 community members who enrolled for the two ICT short learning courses in 2020, successfully completed the programme.

“After 12 weeks of training, the community members were very happy to receive their certificates,” says Alfi Moolman of the Directorate Community Engagement at the University of the Free State (UFS).

According to Moolman, this Information Technology service-learning project is a wonderful example of how the UFS responds to the needs of the community and addresses the digital divide through its Service-Learning programme.

Aiming for 100% digital literacy

Rouxan Fouché, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Informatics who is also doing his PhD in Computer Information Systems, is focusing on the digital divide in his research study, titled: An exploration of service-learning strategies to address the South African digital divide: A Critical Utopian Action Research Approach. He quotes Molawa, who defines the digital divide as the separation of those who have access to digital information and communications technology and those who do not. “Molawa has confirmed that some of the challenges to information and communication technology (ICT) access in Africa have been caused by poverty due to high levels of unemployment, illiteracy, and skills shortage.”

In his study, Fouché states that South Africa is aiming for 100% digital literacy and skills to leverage the power of modern ICT for economic appropriation and to address inequity.

In his investigation, Fouché found that increasing the level of digital skills is the responsibility of many different stakeholders, from governments to universities. “Universities may play a vital role in helping to bridge the digital divide by providing free or affordable access to digital skills training and qualifications focused on groups from marginalised areas.”

He is currently concluding the last phase of his PhD study, which included the implementation of the service-learning action plan with the Botshabelo community – engaging them to strengthen the response to digital literacy.

Equipped with 21st century computer literacy skills

Moolman says they had to think of innovative ways to ensure that students continue to achieve their learning outcomes during lockdown. “A blended learning approach was decided on, where we introduced videos of the sessions that would have been facilitated face to face in the past.”

“As a collective change facilitator in the process, I connected Fouché and loveLife, a youth leadership organisation that has a Cyber Y lab at their youth centre in Botshabelo.”

“The match was a win. loveLife was equipping their target audience with 21st century computer literacy skills, Fouché could continue with his PhD, and his students have achieved their learning outcomes.”

Felix Morobe, the provincial manager of loveLife, believes the skills development opportunities provided by the UFS through their service-learning programmes are benefiting and growing young people in the community.

He says this programme has meant a great deal to the community, as it adds to their CVs. “Moreover, it also carries the logo of one of the best and most well-recognised universities. This course was a big motivation for the members of the community who attended; saying to them, ‘yes you can do it, despite the challenges that the country is facing in terms of youth unemployment’.”

Feedback from some of the attendees of the course, include, “I wish this course could continue and benefit others”; "I am one step ahead of those who did not attend the course"; and "I am going to apply for work now that I have this additional certificate".

“This is a brilliant example of engaged scholarship,” concludes Moolman.

News Archive

Vice-Chancellor honoured with major awards
2013-05-02

02 May 2013

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, has been awarded a number of major awards recently.

The University of California in the United States awarded him the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance. The award is made in recognition of persons who exemplify in their work the delivery of social justice, diplomacy and tolerance in the diverse local and global society.

“The committee was very impressed with the commitment that Prof Jansen has had to reconciliation and forgiveness as a way to build bridges and to find common ground. Prof Jansen is following in the steps of many of our greatest peace-time leaders and we support his efforts to bring understanding to all cultures,” said Mark Aldenderfer, chair of the awards committee and Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Art at the University of California.

Prof Jansen also received the 2013 Academia Award at the Sixth Annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards Ceremony of the Turquoise Harmony Institute on 4 April 2013 in Johannesburg. The Institute aims to foster relations among different faith and cultural traditions to contribute to the well-being of humanity.

According to the organisers, “outstanding individuals who made noteworthy contributions to dialogue, peace and harmony in the society,” are given recognition during the ceremony. The awards are made in a number of different categories. Prof Jansen was among the recipients who included Graca Machel and the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF). Previous winners of Turquoise Awards include Ahmed Kathrada, Chester Williams, Dr Frene Ginwala and Prof Russel Botman.

On 10 May 2013, Prof Jansen was also honoured by Kappa Delta Pi International Honour Society in Education. He was awarded membership of the Laureate Chapter of the society founded in 1911 which “is comprised of men and women who have made distinguished contributions to education, and is limited to 60 living persons”. Prof Jansen joins an exclusive membership of 293 which includes such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jean Piaget and George Washington Carver.

Also in the United States, Prof Jansen has been invited to be Messenger Lecturer for Fall 2013 at Cornell University. He will give three lectures and interact with the students and staff of Cornell at various functions.

“This is a significant honour and it will really allow members from across the university to get a deeper appreciation of the work you are doing at UFS and in South Africa more broadly,” said Prof Judith Byfield of Cornell’s Department of History and Director of Graduate Studies at the department’s Africana Studies and Research Centre.

On the local front, City Press published its inaugural 100 World Class South Africans on 28 April 2013. During a rigorous selection process, 100 of our country’s most extraordinary citizens who have achieved world-class status were chosen. Prof Jansen’s achievements procured him a place on this prestigious list in the category: Heroes and Mavericks.

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