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UFS LUE collab
Students and lecturers from the Faculty of Education, with Assistant Dean Dr Cias Tsotetsi.
In the midst of extraordinary challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, a silver lining in the crisis has been the opportunities for new global partnerships and learning from others to achieve collectively what would not be possible individually. 

Effective virtual collaboration is a valuable model to enhance the teaching practice approach for Education students. In a move towards building high-quality relationships crucial to supporting future educators, the Faculty of Education on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus has collaborated with the Ludwigsburg University of Education (LUE) to facilitate teaching practice conversations between students from the two institutions. 

The collaboration culminated in a reflexive virtual seminar  in July between students from the UFS and LUE, which was held on campus for UFS students from the foundation, intermediate, and the senior and FET phases, and for students pursuing different phases of teaching at LUE.

A translocal approach to sharing preservice teachers’ experiences 

During the session, the teaching practice approaches of the two institutions were discussed, which then led to students sharing, reflecting, and comparing their experiences as pre-service teachers. Together, they unpacked the similarities and differences of their practical experiences in local schools, including the relationships with experienced teachers as mentors, and the psychological readiness for the world of teaching. Joining virtually, Prof Goetz Schwab, Head of the Institute of English at LUE, said it was interesting to learn that Education students share similar experiences that can make or break their passion and desire for teaching practice, regardless of their locality.

This was certainly the case with Ayanda Maseko, one of the students who participated in the seminar. Maseko is in the final year of his BEd Senior Phase and FET majoring in Business Studies and English. He said he was fascinated to learn about the similarities and huge contrasts in the world of teaching in Germany. “It came as a surprise to see that teaching is one and the same thing around the world, and it needs people who are consistent, and most importantly, who love the profession.”

Dr Robert Mukuna, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations and main collaborator at the UFS, said after various meetings with LUE, it felt good to celebrate the first implementation of the collaboration. “I am very proud of how our students engaged, and we were also able to learn from the experiences of our German counterparts. I am looking forward to a face-to-face exchange between the UFS and LUE, where students may visit schools in South Africa or Germany. This will allow us to better understand teaching practices in schools,” he said.

News Archive

“Deploy your education and not connections,” Chancellor tells graduates
2012-05-16

 

Qwaqwa Autumn Graduation
Photo: Thabo Kessah
16 May 2012

Our Qwaqwa Campus conferred 424 degrees, diplomas and certificates at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony held on 12 May 2012.

Amongst the degrees conferred were two doctorates in Polymer Science, two Master’s of Arts in Geography and African Languages, respectively, five Master’s of Science degrees in Physics (3) and Polymer Science (2) and 37 honours degrees in Education, Zoology, Physics, Botany and Polymer Science.

In their congratulatory messages, both the Vice-Rector: Institutional Affairs, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, and the Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, challenged the graduates to start focusing their attention beyond their graduation on what they both referred to as “the real world”.

“Graduation ceremonies are a fantastic event, but you must never lose sight of appreciating the support given by those around you,” said Dr Mokhele.

“This hall was full of shouting and yes, you must bask in that glory, knowing that you have achieved part of your goals. Yes, this is your moment, so shine. You deserve it. You have earned it.”

“However, this noise also means you must go out there and face the real world. You are graduating in a model country on how people can reconcile, despite their painful and divided past. You deserve all the accolades, but that model country is disappearing before your eyes. How can you mess up what Mandela, Biko, Sobukwe, Nardine Gordimer lived and fought for? How can you mess up such a good thing?” Dr Mokhele asked of an attentive audience that included proud parents and siblings, as well as educators and learners from the Thabo Mofutsanyana District.

“Go out there and deploy your education and not your connections, as these are embedded in corruption. Go out there and help get rid of the patronage system where hard-workers are more likely to be constructively dismissed as they stand in the way of those with corrupt tendencies. Save this country from becoming another Zimbabwe. Let us do whatever it takes to save this country. Let these matriculants who are here today want to walk that red carpet with pride in the next few years,”,said Dr Mokhele.

Dignitaries in attendance included the former Chief Minister of the former Qwaqwa homeland, Dr T K Mopeli; the Executive Mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Councillor Tjhetane Mofokeng; Dr SWF Moloi (Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District) and representatives from various government departments.
 

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