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22 October 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Rhona Klopper
Donating masks to Rekopane Primary School, were from the left: Alfi Moolman (UFS Directorate: Community Engagement), Sonja Venter-Botes (Bloemshelter), Tina Moleko (Rankwe Primary School), and Michelle Engelbrecht (UFS Centre for Health Systems Research and Development).

The Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CHSR&D) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently donated 500 masks to Rekopane Primary School in Botshabelo. This initiative was part of its pledge to donate 100 cloth masks to a previously disadvantaged primary school for every 1 000 of the first 5 000 completed questionnaires that formed part of a study survey examining people’s understanding of information about COVID-19 vaccines. The results of the study will be shared with stakeholders who are responsible for providing information about COVID-19 vaccinations.

It is known that a large number of people globally and in South Africa prefer not to be vaccinated. “There are many reasons for this, and we would like to find out where people are getting information about the COVID-19 vaccination, and whether they are able to understand this information, so that they can make an informed choice about getting vaccinated. We did this by asking people about their own health and COVID-19, where they have heard about the vaccine, if they understood this information, and whether they have had/would have the vaccine or not, as well as the reasons for this,” said Prof Michelle Engelbrecht, Director of CHSR&D. 

While following guidelines such as wearing masks, sanitising hands, and social distancing are important to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a large percentage of the population will need to be vaccinated if we want to control the pandemic in the long term and prevent hospitalisation and severe illness. 

All persons in South Africa aged 18 and older were invited to complete an online survey regarding their perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. The survey, which was available in the seven most spoken languages in the country, was advertised on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and on the Moya app.  The survey was open from 1 to 31 September 2021, and the CHSR&D received 10 554 completed questionnaires.  No data was required to complete the survey.

The Department of Basic Education partners decided on the school that would benefit, and the study provided an opportunity to support Bloemshelter, a UFS flagship programme. Alfi Moolman of the Directorate: Community Engagement said that “NGOs are really struggling to make ends meet, and we are delighted that Bloemshelter could provide the masks as one of their income-generating projects.  So many lives are touched for the good. The university is indeed a caring organisation.”


News Archive

Spotlight on Excellence in Teaching and Learning
2012-11-08

 
Dr Lynette van der Merwe and Mr Fred Mudanvanhu
Photo: Stephen Collett
08 November 2012

Dr Lynette van der Merwe from the Department of Basic Medical Sciences was announced as the winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s award for Teaching and Learning 2012. This award celebrates the excellent work done by academics in their classrooms. Mr Fred Mudanvanhu from the Computer Science and Informatics Department was named winner of the Excellence in Teaching and Learning award on the Qwaqwa Campus. They received their awards during the first Excellence in Teaching and Learning Week held on the Bloemfontein Campus from 29 October to 1 November 2012.

Hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the week was a showcase of scholarly teaching in various disciplines and innovation in teaching and learning practice. Some of the top academics at the university exhibited and presented their scholarly contributions in the form of presentations, short videos and electronic posters. This celebration of excellent work done by academics started on 24 October 2012, with the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Day on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Dr Francois Strydom, Director for the Centre for Teaching and Learning, said presentations made during Excellence in Teaching and Learning Week, especially those by the candidates for the Vice-Chancellor’s award for Teaching and Learning, demonstrated cutting edge, reflective scholarship.

He said Dr Van der Merwe’s innovative practises in teaching and learning stem from her Ph.D. research on Generation-Y learners and what their specific preferences are within the context of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “She illustrated how important it is for lecturers to reflect on the characteristics of the students that they are teaching to find the optimal balance between face-to-face interaction and the use of technology to engage the current generation.”

Mr Mudanvanhu was singled out for his research that contrasted the impact of different types of combinations of peer facilitated learning with the technology to improve students’ success.

Speaking at the teaching and learning awards function,Prof.Driekie Hay, Vice Rector:Academics, said the celebration of excellence indicates the pursuit towards developing the next generation of teachers, doctors, architects, scientists and researchers, to name a few. “The graduate that we educate today is the next president, the next Nobel prize winner or your grandchildren’s teacher.”
 

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