Saide Current Awareness
18 September 2023

 

Distance education 

• Research recommends adopting social media in distance learning Source: Muscat Daily A research project conducted at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences Rustaq (UTAS Rustaq) has shown the positive impact of social media on higher education distance learning. It was part of a research initiative funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation’s Block Funding Programme designed to foster a culture of research and innovation in the sultanate.
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• ODL policy development at universities in Sierra Leone Source:COL  The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is assisting the Eastern Technical University (ETU) and other universities in Sierra Leone in developing open and distance learning (ODL) policy. A recently held workshop engaged approximately 40 stakeholders at ETU towards drafting and validating an ODL policy. In his statement to the participants, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of ETU, Professor Mohamed Lahai, acknowledged the role of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) in ensuring that ODL is mainstreamed in Sierra Leone and expressed appreciation to COL for the support.

 

 Education: South Africa 

• Children become the tutors at Joburg school inspired by special Reggio teaching techniques Source: Daily Maverick With an emphasis on creativity, dialogue and community, schools based on the Italian educational concept eschew tests and report cards for play, learner-led activities and careful listening. 
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• Nonprofit organisation is leading the charge to flush pit latrines out of South African schools Source: Daily Maverick Breadline Africa, in partnership with investment banker Mark Barnes, is raising R156-million to replace dangerous pit toilets at 240 schools in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.
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• National Education Collaboration Trust celebrates a decade of milestones Source: Daily Maverick The National Education Collaboration Trust has been hailed for playing a progressive role through collaborations in the education sector.
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• Part 3: ‘There is no education system that can be better than the quality of its teachers Source: Daily Maverick In 2017, Pravin Gordhan urged South Africa to ‘join the dots’ between corruption and the Zuma administration. John Matisonn joins those dots in this eight-part series. In this instalment, he borrows the phrase of James Carville, who coined the US election theme, ‘It’s the economy, stupid’, and concludes that in education, ‘It’s the teaching, stupid’
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• Gauteng Education Department launches ‘action plan’ after increase in learner suicides Source: Daily Maverick The high rate of suicide in Gauteng schools — with 40 learners reported to have taken their lives since the beginning of the year — is part of a broader trend of increased mental health challenges among young people. Experts have advocated for an intersectoral approach to ensuring early intervention for children and adolescents with mental health needs.

 

Language, Literacies and Research Writing

• Swap Authorship for ‘Movie Credits’ Approach, Academics Suggest Source: Inside Higher Ed An elite European university group says listing all contributors to research would avoid damaging disagreements and properly reflect the work of scholars.

 

Open Education and Open Educational Resources

• More Professors Aware of, and Using, Open Educational Resources Source: Inside Higher Education A study finds increasing levels of buy-in of open resources—but questions on their efficacy remain.

Post Schooling

• SA TVET colleges must be springboard for tech jobs Source: ITWeb South Africa’s education system needs to shift from its focus on passing an exam and receiving a certificate, to become a pathway towards employability.This was the word from Nyari Samushonga, CEO of WeThinkCode, during a panel discussion at the State IT Agency’s (SITA’s) GovTech 2023conference.
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• A lasting legacy? Reflections on the #MustFall movement Source: University World News Between 2015 and 2017, South African higher education was engulfed by a wave of student protests demanding free decolonised African higher education. The coming 10-year anniversary of these protests provides an important opportunity to consider the aftermath and enduring significance of the student mobilisations known by hashtags like #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall.
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• How to lead international HE in a volatile, uncertain world Source: University World News The Global Leadership Summit held on 22 August in Durban, South Africa, brought together leaders of international education from numerous countries around the world to discuss the most pressing issues currently facing international higher education in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.

 

Skills and Employment 

• Preparing Students for the AI-Enhanced Workforce Source: Inside Higher Ed Our graduating and certificate-completing students need documented generative AI skills, and they need them now.
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• PwC’s R95m innovation centre to employ 1 000 SA youth Source: ITWeb Advisory services firm PwC has invested $5 million (R95 million) in building its PwC South Africa Technology and Innovation Centre (SATIC), based at its Waterfall office in Midrand, Johannesburg.

 

Teaching and Learning- Local and Global

• Top 20 Professional Development Resources For Teachers -  Source: Teaching Expertise Today’s ever-evolving educational landscape calls for teachers to be lifelong learners. From understanding new technologies to getting to grips with innovative pedagogical techniques, staying abreast of the latest trends is crucial! To assist in this department, we’ve curated a list of 20 diverse development resources- each unique in what they offer. Whether you’re looking for online courses, instructional coaching, or simply a community of educators to learn from, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge and inspiration here. Get stuck right in to take your teaching to new heights.
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• The Evolution of Teaching and Learning Centers Source: Inside Higher Education The central goals and responsibilities of centers for teaching and learning have shifted in recent years, according to a new book by Brown University’s Mary C. Wright.
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• How to teach creative writing even if you’ve never done any yourself Source: Times Higher Education A successful writing workshop depends on respect, which is a two-way street, observes Toby Litt. Refrain from sneering at bad writing and offer praise to offset the critiques
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• Teaching how to use numbers as a tool for justice  Source: Times Higher Education Statistics are not neutral, writes Wendy Castillo. Here, she explains how to use QuantCrit to show students the effect that historic racism and bias have on data collection and analysis.
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• How to design and build microcredentials in four steps Source: Times Higher Education A team from Monterrey Institute of Technology explains how to plan, design, deliver and measure microcredentials at your university

Technology Enhanced Learning

• Why Professors Are Polarized on AI Source: Inside Higher Education Academics who perceive threats to education from AI band together as a survival mechanism. The resulting alliances echo divisions formed during online learning’s emergence.
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• AI is the future. There’s no time for academic laggards Source: University World News As we continue to advance in the 21st century, we see ourselves already living in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) which defines and is arguably the future. AI has become a major game-changer in various industries and sectors, from healthcare and finance to transportation, education and all other areas of human endeavours. In this fast-changing world, it is important to keep up with the latest technological advancements and not get left behind.
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• Void left by decline of academic Twitter ‘will be hard to fill’ Source: Times Higher Education  Site’s loss of influence in higher education may have repercussions for academics’ research, careers and support networks, experts say
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• Wikipedia ‘is ideal tool’ to measure dissemination of science Source: Times Higher Education Wikipedia could prove an invaluable source in charting the output of scientific knowledge as it diffuses into the public discourse, argue the authors of new research.

 

 

• Fully Online Distance Education Symposium 19-20 October 2023
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• Four special issues Call for Papers on Generative AI in Education 
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• Open call for Distance Education themed issue proposals (2024)