Saide Current Awareness
28 August 2023

 

Distance education 

  • International Council for Open and Distance Education's 85th Anniversary timeline Source: ICDE An interactive timeline of the ICDE's role in making education accessible to all 
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  • Tips To Make Distance Learning Work As An Adult Source:iAfrica Digital shifts in the workplace have given adults the confidence to embrace technology in other parts of their life, including using it for personal and professional growth through distance learning. Having access to technology is great, but how can adults studying via distance learning make the most of the experience? Atelisha Harilal, Head of Student Recruitment and Marketing at JSE-listed higher education provider, STADIO, has some tips for adult learners. 

 

 Education: South Africa 

  • South Africa making progress towards early childhood development goals, education officials say Source: Daily Maverick Ahead of a possible tabling of the new Bela Bill in Parliament after the 2024 elections, the Department of Basic Education says it is ‘delivering its ECD priorities and social justice principles’.
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  • China to support SA’s education, tech drive Source: ITWeb South Africa and the People’s Republic of China have agreed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in areas such as education, training, and digital technologies.
    This was revealed by president Cyril Ramaphosa, on the occasion of the People's Republic of China president Xi Jinping’s state visit.
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  • Creating More Inclusive Schooling to Promote Equitable Systems  Source: This Day Under the theme of inclusive education, the British Council recently held a  conference aimed at promoting equitable and accessible school systems worldwide, regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic background, health, or medical condition. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports.The British Council recently hosted the Inclusive Schools Conference under the theme ‘Creating More Inclusive Schooling,’ in the beautiful city of Cape Town. 
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  • Deputy Minister Buti Manamela addresses women in higher education in Johannesburg, 28 Aug Source: SA Gov Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation to convene an inter-generation dialogue with young women leaders in higher education in Sci-Bono, Johannesburg The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Mr Buti Manamela is convening a dialogue with young leaders in higher education at Sci-Bono on the 28 August 2023 in Newtown, Johannesburg.
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  • We are still counting the huge cost to education of the Western Cape taxi strike Source: Daily Maverick David Maynier , the Western Cape Min of Education writes that" While we saw mass absenteeism throughout the taxi strike, the peak was on Tuesday, 8 August, with 852,259 learners and 17,725 staff members absent, and 92 schools closed – 71% of our learners did not attend school that day, in effect destroying teaching and learning in the Western Cape."

 

Open Education and Open Educational Resources

  • Open Policies for Learning and Teaching Source: University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh shares a number of its Learning and Teaching policies and associated guidance under Creative Commons licence to enable them to be reused by other institutions.
    This collection of open policies won the 2021 Open Education Awards for Excellence Open Policy Award.
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  • Course Accessibility Matrix Template Source: University of Edinburgh This course accessibility matrix template, designed to help assess the accessibility of courses in the University of Edinburgh’s Learn virtual learning environment, was informed by the WCAG criteria and University policy​. ​It focuses both on the course and the materials uploaded to it, in particular popular formats (e.g. MS Office documents) and aspects of their accessibility which are readily adjustable, for instance formatting of text, formatting of documents etc.​ The matrix takes the form of a series of questions, objective where possible, the answers to which are standardised.


Post Schooling

  • FRAMEWORK FOR QUALIFICATION STANDARDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION Source: CHE"...While acknowledging responsibility for reaching clearly-defined standards envisaged by the CHE mandate, this Framework emphasises the developmental aspect of the process, taking into account the many conceptual and contextual issues that are associated with the formulation of nationally agreed and applied higher education qualification standards. The Framework proposes that the development of standards is an on-going process addressing a multiplicity of complex principles and involving a variety of interested parties."
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  • Catalyse social mobility through the success of students Source: University World News South Africa is characterised by deeply embedded structural inequalities, high unemployment, and intergenerational transmission of disadvantage. However, amidst these challenges, there exists opportunity for change.
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  • 25 years of internationalisation: Opportunities and challenges Source: University World News South Africa has been a backslider on commitments to increase the number of international students at its universities. And there was a ‘disconnect’ between government policy, which supported internationalisation, and a fiscus that did not fund it. Meanwhile, officialdom frustrated efforts to admit foreign students with its ‘abominable’ visa service.
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  • Big data research poses new challenges to ethics committees Source: University World News A new study highlights the need for the training of research ethics committees tasked with reviewing data-intense research protocols where data protection and data sharing are important. This is to better handle the ethical, legal and social implications of big data-related research, which are inadequately supported by legislative and enforcement frameworks.
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  • Talking about the privates: What about an integrated system? Source: University World News 'Given its time horizon, the South African government’s National Development Plan 2030 (NDP) is an idiosyncratic document. Some of its targets have become increasingly unrealistic as we approach the due date. Still, in many government policies and publications, it remains the go-to mantra. Probably because President Cyril Ramaphosa has been the chair since 2014.' writes Dr Linda Meyer, from the IIE Rosebank College.
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  • Student housing set to become one of biggest challenges in HE Source: University World News The shortage of quality and affordable housing units to accommodate university students has become one of the major challenges facing the higher education sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Adamou Labara, the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) country manager in South Africa.
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  • South Africa TVET Summit: Pioneering Skills for Modern Economy Source: Rateweb The Department of Higher Education and Training, in collaboration with Vodacom Business, is set to host the eagerly anticipated Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Curriculum Transformation and Innovation Summit. This landmark event, under the theme “TVET curriculum transformation: a key to unlock skills development for the modern economy,” will take place from August 28th to 30th, 2023, at the Vodaworld Dome in Midrand, Johannesburg.

 

Skills and Employment 

  • Is AI helping or hindering women in tech? Source: ITWeb Women hold only 23% of tech employment positions in South Africa, or 56 000 out of 236 000 ICT roles, according to Women In Tech ZA, an initiative that aims to close the gender gap in the ICT industry through campaigning and raising awareness.
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  • Google launches AI accelerator for African startups Source: ITWeb Google has launched the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First initiative to support African startups that want to use artificial intelligence to solve local challenges.
    The 'AI First' programme draws on past initiatives such as the Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa, The Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, and The Google for Startups Accelerator: Women Founders.
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  • How do you grow an entrepreneur? You equip them – and make entrepreneurship sexy Source: Daily Maverick Entrepreneurship in the informal sector is one of the silver bullets to addressing poverty. A non-profit social enterprise backed by major retailers has worked for more than a decade in Cape Town, Paarl, Durban, Johannesburg and East London to 'grow' entrepreneurs to support the circular economy.

 

Teaching and Learning- Local and Global

 

Technology Enhanced Learning

 

Upcoming Events and Call for Papers