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A glimpse into the future through the Creative Clubs Programme Lens

28 November 2022 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Edzani Nephalela

UFS Creative Clubs — Joleen Hamilton assists learners with their activities.

In an ever-changing, increasingly complicated world, the youth must be prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve issues, make sense of information, and know how to acquire and analyse evidence to make judgements. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education encourages discussions and problem-solving among students, developing practical skills and an appreciation for collaborations.

The Social Responsibility Projects department on the UFS South Campus is running a Creative Clubs programme that speaks to STEM education and collaboration.

Opening opportunities

The primary goal of Creatives Clubs, a MerSETA-funded programme, is to open opportunities to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and reasoning skills. One aspect Creative Clubs focuses on is identifying potential in the pupil and supporting them in participating in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists. Learners participate in mathematics, science, and coding activities at the club.

According to Joleen Hamilton, the coordinator and founder of Creatives Clubs, they currently host top-achieving learners in maths from eight schools from Grades 8–12 in Bloemfontein. These schools are split into two groups, which meet at the South Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “We need maths daily, since it stimulates the intellect and aids problem-solving. That’s why, no matter how complicated the sum looks, keep trying and do not give up,” Hamilton said at one of the maths sessions.

Enhancing critical thinking

Matheko Thamae, also a coordinator, mentioned that this programme significantly improves maths and science outcomes for high school learners. “With a dynamic world of innovation and the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), the club also assists learners with critical thinking and in solving their communities’ socio-economic issues,” Thamae said.

“Attending these sessions assists me in thinking out of the box and realising that every problem has a solution. I will continue to attend the programme so that I can find solutions to unresolved problems,” Sechaba Ramakatsa, a Grade 9 learner from Lekhulong Secondary School, said. Ramakatsa, who enjoys assisting others, aspires to be a medical doctor so that people might have better healthcare experiences.

News Archive

A call for next generation of professors: Apply for the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholars’ Programme

2014-12-19

Examples of the rector's prestige scholars' international footprint: Dr Olihile Sebolai, Fulbright scholar (left) returned to the UFS after six months at the University of Birmingham and three at the University of Missouri. Dr Cilliers van den Berg (right) visited Cornell University on a ten-month sabbatical.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholars’ Programme (PSP) seeks to identify, develop and promote the next cohort of the most promising and talented UFS academic members of staff who obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years or will graduate by June 2015.

Scholars identified benefit from an intensive programme of academic and professional support that includes an advanced residential programme, exposure to leading scholars, concentrated reading and writing programmes, high-level seminar participation and presentation, nuanced publication schedules and personal mentoring and advice, including participation in the annual PSP mock NRF rating and the development of a postdoctoral intellectual project for funding submission (Thuthuka, and similar).

Past prestige scholars have become Fulbright scholars, received funding from among others the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Erasmus Mundus, NRF Blue Skies, Thuthuka, etc. They have spent time at universities in Canada, the USA, United Kingdom, Europe and Japan.

This year the selection process will be anticipated by pre-selection. Final selection to the programme will take place in September 2015. The selection is highly competitive, and aimed at those young scholars with the potential to obtain upper-level NRF ratings (Y1 and P).

Criteria for selection:

Recently obtained a PhD degree.
Evidence of an active publication record.
Early recognition of scholarly work, e.g. successful funding/grant applications and academic awards.
The early development of a post-doctoral intellectual project that shows evidence of scholarly “potential” (defined by the NRF Y-category).
Indication of the young scholar’s understanding of what their envisaged postdoctoral endeavours will contribute to the body of disciplinary knowledge.
Full participation in the pre-selection residential programme and activities is a requirement for selection.

Call for interest: 2015 (PDF)

Requests for further information can be directed to Prof Jackie du Toit at dutoitjs@ufs.ac.za.

Applications close on 16 February 2015.

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