Connecting Higher Education Learning Spaces in a Blended Zululand Teaching and Learning Ecology

2018 ◽  
pp. 177-195
Author(s):  
Neil Davies Evans
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Teacher Needs ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
Holistic Curriculum ◽  
Learning Ecology ◽  
South African Institution

The purpose of this chapter is to conceptualize a blended teaching and learning ecology in a South African institution of higher education which is grappling with issues of relevance, equity, and calls to decolonize the curriculum. This case study draws on past experiences and prior learning in higher education and suggests that a good teacher needs to understand the diversity of their students—how they develop and learn and that most “deep” learners actively construct and transform their own knowledge for their specific needs. Acknowledgement of this diversity also highlights that students from different backgrounds can have different perceptions, beliefs, and ethics, which all act as filters of information and thus learning. The epistemological and methodological foundations, together with the effect of participant diversity and proposed pedagogy, will contribute to dialogue on holistic curriculum development and deeper learning spaces in higher education.

A CUSTOMISED FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE PODCAST INTEGRATION IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-32
Author(s):  
Shane Pachagadu ◽  
Liezel Nel
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education ◽  
Effective Integration

Numerous studies have explored the potential of podcast integration in teaching and learning environments. This paper first presents and organises perspectives from literature in a conceptual framework for the effective integration of podcasting in higher education. An empirical study is then discussed in which the guidelines presented in the framework were evaluated for applicability in a selected course at a South African University of Technology. Since the results of the study revealed a number of aspects not accounted for in the conceptual framework, the framework was customised to make it more applicable for the particular higher education environment. The customised framework identifies four principles and a series of related guidelines for the effective integration of podcasts in a South African higher education teaching and learning environment. This framework can become a valuable resource for effective podcast integration in similar environments.

Covid-19: Interdisciplinary Explorations of Impacts on Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
Production Knowledge ◽  
South African Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

Premised on the disruption and lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic, and in meticulous response to the impact of the pandemic on higher education – especially in South Africa – this collection of chapters spotlights the effects, consequences, and ramifications of an unprecedented pandemic in the areas of knowledge production, knowledge transfer and innovation. With the pandemic, the traditional way of teaching and learning was completely upended. It is within this context that this book presents interdisciplinary perspectives that focus on what the impact of Covid-19 implies for higher education institutions. Contributors have critically reflected from within their specific academic disciplines in their attempt to proffer solutions to the disruptions brought to the South African higher education space. Academics and education leaders have particularly responded to the objective of this book by focusing on how the academia could tackle the Covid-19 motivated disruption and resuscitate teaching, research, and innovation activities in South African higher education, and the whole of Africa by extension.

scholarly journals Online Teaching and Learning Ecology in Thai Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anucha Somabut ◽  
Kulthida Tuamsuk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Technology And Learning ◽  
Learning Ecology

The chapter presents the impact of COVID-19 on Thai higher education the national, and university reactions and policies to cope with the situation. Parallel with the technology disruption, most universities have been attempting to promote online teaching due to the new learning environments and learning style of students, while faculty members are still reluctant. However, the COVID-19 has inevitably changed the ways the faculty members handle their classes. In this chapter, the findings on the components of online teaching and learning ecology (OTLE) in Thai higher education during the COVID-19 is summarized and proposed, covering the following topics: learning and teaching method, technology and learning resources, teacher roles, and student roles and responsibilities. Finally, the key success factors for the development of learning ecology at the higher education level are also covered.

Social Media as Technologies for Asynchronous Formal Writing and Synchronous Paragraph Writing in the South African Higher Education Contex

2014 ◽  
pp. 213-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaka Chaka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Incidental Learning ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Class Schedule ◽  
Bachelor Of Education

This chapter reports on a study—conducted in 2011—that employed two social media networks, Facebook and MXit, as educational tools at one university in South Africa. MXit is a South African-based social networking application. The study involved a cohort of second year Bachelor of Education in English undergraduate students at this university as its participants. The latter were required to utilize Facebook and MXit to engage in both asynchronous formal writing and synchronous paragraph writing, respectively. All this took place outside participants’ tutorial class schedule. In this study, participants were able to produce asynchronous formal writing samples in varying degrees using Facebook. Similarly, they were also able to produce synchronous written paragraphs using MXit even though some paragraphs displayed a high degree of linguistic textisms. Other affordances that these two social media technologies offered the participants in this study are: anytime, any day, and anywhere asynchronous and synchronous learning; asynchronous and synchronous feedback; virtual incidental learning; socially situated online learning; and Presence Awareness Learning (PAL). In conclusion, the study suggests that there are further affordances that these two social media technologies can offer higher education. These are: supplemental teaching and learning; cloud storage for teaching and learning materials (in the case of Facebook); virtual platforms for revision; digital platforms for micro-teaching and micro-learning (in respect of MXit); and value-added platforms for just-in-time mobile teaching and learning.

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