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11 July 2023 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied
Dr Mirriam Moleko
Dr Mirriam Moleko, a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology Education in the UFS Faculty of Education, participated in the National Research Foundation’s Black Academics Advancement Programme fellowship and got the opportunity to visit universities and schools in the USA for three weeks.

After completing the National Research Foundation’s Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP) fellowship, a lecturer from the University of the Free State (UFS) now wants to train more teachers on issues of access and inclusivity in different mathematics settings. She also wants to establish a centre for access and inclusivity to promote quality teaching that caters to a diverse learner population.

Dr Mirriam Moleko, a lecturer in the UFS’s Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education, participated in the BAAP fellowship, an initiative of the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the FirstRand Foundation (FRF), from 2021 to 2022. She also got the opportunity to visit universities and schools in the USA for three weeks.

Supporting emerging academics

Dr Moleko says the BAAP is a prestigious NRF programme which supports well-structured research projects with achievable aims, sound methodologies, and demonstrated prudent use of funds. The programme supports emerging academics to ensure that they develop strong research skills, collaborate with prolific scholars in their fields, visit other universities abroad, give public lectures, and attend international conferences to establish an international footprint.

“The programme allows the candidates awarded the grant to focus on research for two years” she says. “I managed to run my teacher community research project successfully during this period. My goal as an academic and a researcher is to produce work that teachers can relate to and be able to apply in their profession. I have always aspired to empower teachers to be knowledgeable and resourceful”.

“Furthermore, my goal is to strive to partake in critical conversations that are taking place within the mathematics education field, and to contribute my skills and knowledge in addressing the existing challenges, thus being part of the solution. I believe the skills that I have gained on how to conduct quality research will assist me in achieving my goals,” she added.

Benefit from funding

During the period of her fellowship she learned about forming partnerships and collaborating with other scholars in her field, which she believes is an important skill to possess as a developing scholar.

Dr Moleko says the programme played a pivotal role in the attainment of numerous significant accomplishments in her professional career thus far. She also benefitted in terms of funding, which helped her undertake autonomous research and advanced training in her area of expertise, as well as facilitated engagement in collaborative research ventures with esteemed professionals and researchers, both domestically and abroad.

“The research leave that I got enabled me to successfully conceptualise, strategise, and implement a research endeavour that yielded a more profound comprehension of the research gap that I had identified within the teacher community, thus culminating in multiple publications in esteemed periodicals.

“The NRF-BAAP funding also enabled me to undertake training, thereby refining my skill set and augmenting my comprehension of intricate principles. The experience proved to be a crucial factor in my vocational growth and bolstered my aptitude for scholarly inquiry. It also afforded me the chance to engage in mentoring endeavours for fledgling researchers.”

Transformation of the Professoriate Mentoring Programme

Dr Moleko, who is part of the UFS Transformation of the Professoriate Mentoring Programme, says this programme is an excellent initiative which is aimed at preparing young academics for future promotions and offering them skills to be competitive. The programme’s goals include building strong academics who will follow in the footsteps of the university’s current leaders.

She says the programme is critical in supporting young academics by connecting them with seasoned mentors and scholars from various fields of study. It is essential for young academics in terms of maximising their learning, expanding their network, and gaining opportunities to help facilitate their growth.

“I see the programme as a catalyst for change necessary for the university to realise the desired results,” Dr Moleko says.

During her visit to the USA she spent two weeks at Boston College and the University of Rhode Island, and also visited the Center for Applied and Specialised Technology, the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities (Sherlock Center), and the TechACCESS Center.

“The purpose of my visit was to establish networks and collaborate with prolific scholars outside South Africa on research engagements. Furthermore, the visit was intended for me to meet with my international mentors in person regarding research engagements.

“During my research visit, Prof Elizabeth Dalton from Rhode Island University and a UDL specialist, and I focused on several academic conversations and demonstrations of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and approaches, as well as the sharing of many online resources available to support the implementation of UDL in inclusive settings.”

News Archive

Student makes SA academic history
2007-11-04

Pulane Mahloka, a final-year B.Sc. (Quantity Surveying) student at the University of the Free State (UFS), has made academic history by becoming the first black student to be awarded a gold medal by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS).

She is the fourteenth UFS student since 1970 to receive this accolade, and is only the sixth female student of the UFS to attain this honour.

According to the modest 23-year-old Ms Mahloka, her academic success attests to the quality of training the University of the Free State is providing.

“I did not in my wildest dreams ever imagine that I could be selected as the winner. I feel truly humbled and grateful to be counted amongst the achievers in my field of study,” said Ms Mahloka.

By smashing through the proverbial glass ceiling, Ms Mahloka hopes that she can inspire black students all over the country, particularly those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, so that they can realise that all is not gloomy.

Her advice to fellow students is: “There is little you can do about where you come from. Do not be ashamed, but work hard to develop yourself. Do not confine yourself by the fact that you were never exposed to certain equipment and books. Now that you have made it to university, it is your chance to work hard and make something out of your life.”

Ms Mahloka, who hails from Maseru in Lesotho, has been a star academic performer since her first year in 2003, when she received an award for the best first-year student.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@mail.ufs.ac.za
2 November 2007
 

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