Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2022-07-29 |
Ugandan scientists visit UFS traditional medicine expert for benchmarking |
| 2022-07-29 |
Ugandan scientists visit UFS traditional medicine expert for benchmarking |
| 2022-06-28 |
Prof Francis Petersen shares insights about his term in conversation with Leanne Manas |
| 2022-06-28 |
Prof Francis Petersen shares insights about his term in conversation with Leanne Manas |
| 2022-07-27 |
Three ISG fellows to publish African history books through international grant |
| 2022-07-27 |
Three ISG fellows to publish African history books through international grant |
| 2022-07-27 |
Pregnancy and breast-feeding an indication for vaccination |
| 2022-07-27 |
Pregnancy and breast-feeding an indication for vaccination |
| 2022-07-26 |
UFS contingent flying national flag at Commonwealth Games |
| 2022-07-26 |
UFS contingent flying national flag at Commonwealth Games |
| 2022-07-26 |
International exchange students back on our campus |
| 2022-07-26 |
International exchange students back on our campus |
| 2022-07-25 |
ASK – A StrangerKind – coming to the UFS |
| 2022-07-25 |
ASK – A StrangerKind – coming to the UFS |
| 2022-07-21 |
USDP candidate creating ear, nose, and throat knowledge relevant to the SA setting |
| 2022-07-21 |
USDP candidate creating ear, nose, and throat knowledge relevant to the SA setting |
| 2022-07-21 |
University Staff Doctoral Programme – exploiting potential |
| 2022-07-21 |
University Staff Doctoral Programme – exploiting potential |
| 2022-07-20 |
Founder of Next Chapter honoured for advocacy work |
| 2022-07-20 |
Founder of Next Chapter honoured for advocacy work |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS forms partnership with ZZ2, well-known South African farming and fresh produce company |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS forms partnership with ZZ2, well-known South African farming and fresh produce company |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS Job Shadows in Germany |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS Job Shadows in Germany |
| 2022-07-20 |
A collaboration of game changers for women and youth by women |
| 2022-07-20 |
A collaboration of game changers for women and youth by women |
| 2022-07-19 |
Mandela Month: We need collaboration in all sectors to create real social impact |
| 2022-07-19 |
Mandela Month: We need collaboration in all sectors to create real social impact |
| 2022-07-18 |
UFS artists’ work on exhibition at world-famous NIROX Sculpture Park |
| 2022-07-18 |
UFS artists’ work on exhibition at world-famous NIROX Sculpture Park |
| 2022-07-15 |
UFS Lifts its COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy with immediate effect |
| 2022-07-15 |
UFS Lifts its COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy with immediate effect |
| 2022-07-05 |
Winter Warmer Indoor Picnic Concert |
| 2022-07-05 |
Winter Warmer Indoor Picnic Concert |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor meets Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor meets Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber |
| 2022-07-11 |
Cyanotic Heart Disease research can help restructure health care, do better planning |
| 2022-07-11 |
Cyanotic Heart Disease research can help restructure health care, do better planning |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS busy with exciting research into flavours and fragrances |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS busy with exciting research into flavours and fragrances |
| 2022-05-11 |
More cities may follow Gqeberha in running out of water |
| 2022-05-11 |
More cities may follow Gqeberha in running out of water |
| 2022-07-11 |
‘It takes a good child to be raised by a village,’ says Dr Maramura |
| 2022-07-11 |
‘It takes a good child to be raised by a village,’ says Dr Maramura |
| 2022-07-11 |
Use social media responsibly, advises Deputy Minister John Jeffery |
| 2022-07-11 |
Use social media responsibly, advises Deputy Minister John Jeffery |
| 2022-07-11 |
Gift of the Givers donates food packs to the UFS |
| 2022-07-11 |
Gift of the Givers donates food packs to the UFS |
| 2022-07-08 |
Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-07-08 |
Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-07-05 |
From Cathedral Peak to your tap: the role of mountains in providing water |
| 2022-07-05 |
From Cathedral Peak to your tap: the role of mountains in providing water |
| 2022-07-05 |
UFS and police services strengthen partnership for crime prevention |
| 2022-07-05 |
UFS and police services strengthen partnership for crime prevention |
| 2022-07-04 |
Leanne Manas in Conversation with Prof Francis Petersen |
| 2022-07-04 |
Leanne Manas in Conversation with Prof Francis Petersen |
| 2022-07-04 |
The thin line between tradition and christianity as religions |
| 2022-07-04 |
The thin line between tradition and christianity as religions |
| 2022-07-01 |
The University of the Free State Launches an African Languages Press |
| 2022-07-01 |
The University of the Free State Launches an African Languages Press |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association |
| 2022-07-01 |
WHO Africa Mission: UFS has facilities for multidisciplinary research |
| 2022-07-01 |
WHO Africa Mission: UFS has facilities for multidisciplinary research |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS to Prepare Students for Employment |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS to Prepare Students for Employment |
| 2022-07-01 |
Change makers and game changers: are our glasses half full, or half empty? |
| 2022-07-01 |
Change makers and game changers: are our glasses half full, or half empty? |
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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