Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
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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