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25 October 2022 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Jolandi Griesel
From the left; Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor; Mr. Bill Moses, Managing Director: Education at The Kresge Foundation; Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic, and Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director: CTL.

The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently rewarded academics for their excellence in innovative teaching and learning. Academic staff from the three UFS campuses gathered at the Reitz Hall on the Bloemfontein Campus to celebrate excellence in learning and teaching, and to celebrate the CTL’s 10 years of existence. 

In her welcoming address, Vice-Rector: Academic Dr Engela van Staden congratulated CTL on its accomplishments over the past 10 years. “You have achieved these honours, who we are, what we have accomplished, and where we are in this decade of the CTL, because you were involved in the processes,” she said. “CTL currently has a nationwide footprint and acknowledges digitalisation and innovation in teaching, while providing a platform for students to enhance themselves.”

The keynote address was delivered by Bill Moses, Managing Director: Education at The Kresge Foundation, a philanthropic foundation headquartered in Troy, Michigan, United States. The Kresge Foundation works to increase higher education access and success while reducing inequitable student outcomes in the USA and South Africa. The foundation is a benefactor of the UFS and other South African universities. Through the Kresge Foundation, the higher education sector in South Africa can collaborate and share knowledge and data to promote student success. 

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, said these accolades would not have been achievable without the participation and involvement of different colleagues within the university. “For anything to be effective, there must be a connection,” he said. “Understanding the interrelationships and diversity so that we may continually improve on various systems in partnership forums is one of the many issues related to student achievement. I would like to thank every colleague who made it possible.”

Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director of CTL, outlined the Centre’s teaching, learning, and research achievements and impact over the past decade while encouraging staff members to participate in initiatives such as the Siyaphumelela Network, the South African Surveys of Student Engagement (SASSE), as well as the Academic Language and Literacy Development (ALLD) team.

He also acknowledged the Khothatsa project, an initiative which began in 2019 to give recognition to the important pedagogical relationship between staff and students. Khothatsa means “To inspire” in Sesotho. Students are invited to write about a lecturer and how they have inspired the student.

Here is the complete list of UFS Learning and Teaching Conference winners: 

Vice-Chancellor’s Award: Learning and Teaching
Winner: Prof Corlia Janse van Vuuren, Head: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Bloemfontein Campus

Runner-up: Prof Hanneke Brits, Head: Clinical Unit Medicine, Bloemfontein Campus

Most Valued Professional Award

Winner: Hanlé Posthumus, Research Analyst: CTL, Bloemfontein Campus

Runner-up: Dr Jacques Matthee, Teaching and Learning Manager: Faculty of Law, Bloemfontein Campus

Innovating My Curriculum Through Assessment
Winner: Dr Michael Von Maltitz, Senior Lecturer: Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science, Bloemfontein Campus

Runner-up: Prof Olihile Sebolai, Associate Professor: Microbiology and Biochemistry, Bloemfontein Campus

Innovating My Curriculum Through Student Engagement and/or Motivation

Winners: Kobus Swanepoel (Senior Lecturer: Centre For Accounting, Bloemfontein Campus), Prof Cobus Rossouw (Associate Professor: Centre For Accounting, Bloemfontein Campus), Elmarie Goodchild (Senior Lecturer: Centre For Accounting, Bloemfontein Campus), and Prof Alta Koekemoer (Associate Professor: Centre For Accounting, Bloemfontein Campus)

Runner-up: Anneen Church, Lecturer/Researcher: CTL, Bloemfontein Campus

Innovating My Curriculum Using technology and/or Online Tools

Winners: Dr Lizemari Hugo-Van Dyk (Senior Lecturer, School Of Nursing) and Bennie Botha (Portfolio Head: ICST, School of Nursing), Bloemfontein Campus

Runner-up: Dr Sean van der Merwe, Senior Lecturer, Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science, Bloemfontein Campus

Innovating My Curriculum Through a Redesign or Renewal of My Module

Winner: Dion Van Niekerk, Lecturer, Drama and Theatre Arts, Bloemfontein Campus

Runner-up: Prof Aliza le Roux, Associate Professor, Zoology and Entomology, Qwaqwa Campus

Research in Learning and Teaching Award: Advanced

Winners: Dr Maria Tsakeni (Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education) and Prof Brownhilder Neneh (Professor, Business Management), Bloemfontein Campus

Departmental Learning and Teaching Award Qwaqwa Campus

Department of Curriculum Studies and Higher Education (Faculty of Education)

Departmental Learning and Teaching Award Bloemfontein Campus
Department of Physiotherapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Faculty of Health Sciences) 

Best Research Papers Qwaqwa Campus

Prof Aliza le Roux (Associate Professor, Zoology and Entomology) 

Best Research Papers Bloemfontein Campus

Dr Michael Von Maltitz, Senior Lecturer: Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science

Khothatsa Awards
• Dr Lerato Sekonyela (Faculty of The Humanities), South Campus
• Nteboiseng Hlakotsa (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences), Qwaqwa Campus
• Dr Edson Vengesai (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences), Bloemfontein Campus 
• Dr Peet van Aardt (Centre for Teaching and Learning), Bloemfontein Campus
• Dr Ronelle Jansen (Faculty of Health Sciences), Bloemfontein Campus
• Dr Jo-Mari Visser (Faculty of Law), Bloemfontein Campus
• Prof Bradley Smith (Faculty of Law), Bloemfontein Campus
• Dr Maretha du Plessis (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), Bloemfontein Campus
• Dr Foch-Henri de Witt (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), Bloemfontein Campus

News Archive

Centre for Teaching and Learning honours excellence and innovation
2015-11-27

 

The 2015 Excellence in Teaching and Learning nominees with CTL management and Dr Lis Lange

Excellence and innovation. These were the qualities celebrated at the recent Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards. Annually, the University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) honours lecturers for their outstanding achievements in the classroom. 

During the illustrious event, individual as well as group winners were announced in the category of the Vice Chancellor’s Award, as well as in several categories in the Innovation Awards. The winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards were:

Vice-Chancellor’s Award

Individual
• Louise van den Berg (Faculty of Health Sciences)

Teaching team
• Salomien Boshoff and Naquita Fernandes (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

Innovation Awards

Engagement and Learning
• Lerato Sekonyela (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Rentia Engelbrecht, Jolandi Bezuidenhout, and Jamie-Lee Nortje (Faculty of the Humanities)

Curriculum Design
• Joyce Ras (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Adre le Roux and Frans Kruger (Faculty of Education)

Community Engagement
• Martin Oliver (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Ielse Seale and Karen Venter (Faculty of Health Sciences)

Assessment Practices
• Joyce Ras (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Salomien Boshoff (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

The awards serve to celebrate excellence among the university’s academic staff, while showcasing current best practice, and inspiring innovation among lecturers. 

In aid of this, CTL hosted a showcase following the award ceremony. Academic staff and the broader university community could look over the various entries for new insights and added inspiration. A series of workshops and activities explored themes such as professionalism, and lectureship, as well as various apps that can be used in higher education.

 

 


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