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08 August 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Barend Nagel
Dr Rouxan Fouche
Dr Rouxan Fouché, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Informatics at the University of the Free State, whose award-winning research explores the impact of language in multilingual computer science education.

Dr Rouxan Fouché, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Informatics at the University of the Free State (UFS), earned national recognition when he received both the Best Informatics Paper and the Overall Best Paper awards at the 54th Annual Conference of the Southern African Computer Lecturers’ Association (SACLA 2025). Held in Bloemfontein from 30 July to 1 August, the conference brought together leading voices in computer science education from across the region. Dr Fouché’s award-winning paper, Beyond Language Barriers: Programme-Specific Effects of English Medium Instruction in South African Computer Science Education, explores the nuanced impact of language on student learning in multilingual computer science classrooms.

“It was incredibly humbling and exciting to receive this recognition,” said Dr Fouché. “When they announced the Best Informatics Paper Award, I was already thrilled, but when they called my name again for the Overall Best Paper Award, I was genuinely shocked.”

The paper, which investigates how English-medium instruction affects students differently across different types of modules, stood out for its relevance to both educational policy and classroom practice in multilingual contexts. “As a researcher, you hope your work will make an impact,” Dr Fouché reflected, “but to have it recognised at this level by peers across the computer science and informatics community in Southern Africa was beyond my expectations.”

Representing the UFS at SACLA added another layer of significance. “Our university has such a rich tradition in computer science and informatics education,” said Dr Fouché. “The Free State context, with our incredibly diverse student population representing all 11 official languages, provides a unique lens for understanding multilingual education. I was proud to show how the UFS is leading research into practical solutions for South African higher education challenges.”

 

Rethinking language barriers in STEM education

The award-winning study stemmed from a broader investigation into student attrition in computer science. “Language barriers represent just one component of the various factors I'm studying that affect student success and retention,” explained Dr Fouché. “Like many educators in South Africa, I knew that a very low percentage of our Department of Computer Science and Informatics students are native English speakers, yet we teach everything in English.”

What the research uncovered was unexpected. “Students with language difficulties weren't struggling uniformly across all modules as we might expect,” Dr Fouché said. “Instead, there were dramatic differences depending on the type of content.” In particular, programming modules seemed to pose very little additional difficulty for students with language barriers, while business-related modules presented significant challenges.

“The most significant finding was that programming education appears to naturally transcend language barriers,” said Dr Fouché. “We found negligible differences in perceived difficulty between students with and without language difficulties in core programming modules – effect sizes of just 0.017 to 0.041, which is essentially no difference.” Surprisingly, students with language difficulties actually found mathematics and physics modules easier than their English-proficient peers, while business modules showed the opposite trend.

“These findings suggest that instead of treating all technical subjects the same, we need programme-specific support strategies,” he said. “Computer science education might offer a more equitable pathway to technical careers for our multilingual student population.”

Dr Fouché hopes the findings will inform more tailored teaching approaches: “We should emphasise visual representations, multiple symbolic systems, and hands-on applications that play to students' compensatory strengths for mathematics and physics. We need targeted interventions for business-related modules and additional support for the dual cognitive load of processing both technical and business terminology simultaneously.”

 

A research journey driven by equity

Dr Fouché’s academic journey spans human-computer interaction, digital inclusion, and educational equity. His doctoral work used a community-based action research approach to address the digital divide in marginalised communities. “The connection between these areas is really about equity and access,” he said. “Whether it's digital inclusion in marginalised communities or language barriers in technical education, I'm interested in understanding and addressing the systemic factors that prevent people from fully participating in our increasingly digital world.”

He credits mentors such as Prof Tanya Stott and Prof Liezel Nel for shaping his research path, and values collaboration with colleagues such as Dr Wynand Nel and Dr Pakiso Khomokhoana, among others. His advice to emerging researchers? “Embrace the South African context as a strength, not a limitation. Our linguistic diversity, postcolonial educational legacy, and unique challenges aren’t obstacles to overcome, but valuable perspectives that can contribute to global knowledge.”

Dr Fouché is now planning a longitudinal study to track students over time and explore how early advantages or disadvantages related to language shape long-term academic and career outcomes. His work continues to position the UFS as a leader in evidence-based, inclusive computer science education.

Hand Read the paper: Beyond Language Barriers

News Archive

UFS receives R13,7 Million for Research into Prehistoric Organisms
2007-03-27

Some of the guests attending the launch of the research contract are: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (Deputy Director: Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology), Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager of Thuthuka and the Support Programme at the National Research Foundation (NRF)), Dr Esta van Heerden (Platform Manager and lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the UFS), Mr Butana Mboniswa (Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani (Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been awarded a massive R13,7 million contract to conduct research into prehistoric micro-organisms which live under extreme conditions, for example in mineshafts.

This is one of the biggest research contracts awarded to the UFS in recent years.

The biotechnology research contract was awarded to the UFS by BioPAD, a South African biotechnology company that brokers partnerships between researchers, entrepreneurs, business, government and other stakeholders to promote innovation and create sustainable biotechnology businesses.

The project is endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF), which contributes to the bursaries of the 17 postgraduate students on the programme.

The contract involves the establishment of a Platform for Metagenomics -  a technique which allows researchers to extract the DNA from microbes in their natural environment and investigate it in a laboratory. 

“Through this platform we will be able to understand deepmine microbial populations
and their potential application in the search for life in outer space.  It is most likely
that, if life were to be found on other planets in our solar system, it would probably
resemble that which existed millions of years ago on earth.  Apart from all this, these
organisms have unique properties one can exploit in biotechnological application for
South Africa and its community,” said Dr Esta van Heerden, platform manager and
lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.
She is assisted by her collegues, Prof. Derek Litthauer and Dr Lizelle Piater.

“The platform aims to tap into the unique genetic material in South African mines
which will lead to the discovery of new genes and their products.  These new and unique products will find application in the medical field (anti-cancer, anti-bacterial en anti-viral cures), the industrial sector (nanotechnology, commercial washing agents and the food industry), environmental sector (pollution management, demolition of harmful metals and other toxic waste),” said Dr Van Heerden.

According to Dr Van Heerden, the Metagenomics Platforms stems from the Life in
Extreme Environments (LExEN) programme which was started in 1994 by Princeton
University in the United States of America (USA) in South African mines with grants
from among others the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the USA.  Other international collaborators
on the project include Geosynec Consultants Inc. (USA), Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (USA), the University of Tennessee (USA) and in South Africa the
Universities of the Witwatersrand, North West and Limpopo and companies like BHP
Billiton, MINTEK and mining companies like Harmony, Gold Fields and AngloGold
Ashanti.

The research field laboratory of the Metagenomics Platform, which was situated in
Glen Harvey, was moved to the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein.  “In this
way the university has become the central hub for all research programmes.  We are
also the liaison between the LExEN programme and the various mining companies
involved,” said Dr Van Heerden.  The new laboratory was introduced during the
launch of the research contract.

“Our decision to commit BioPAD to this project stems from the company’s commitment to advance human capacity development to strengthen South Africa’s research infrastructure.  It is also part of our aim to create and protect intellectual property,” said Mr Butana Mboniswa, Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD.

Talking on behalf of the UFS senior management, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector
of Academic Operations, said that the university shares the excitement to be part of
the exploration of unknown forms of life, the discovery of new genes and
their products and in applying newly gained knowledge to better understand our
universe.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison 
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
27 March 2007

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