Saide Current Awareness
5 February 2024

 

Distance Education

 

 Education: South Africa 

  • EE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL CONCERNS Source: ENCA Equal Education is calling on the government to urgently address concerns around the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill and speed up its finalisation. The bill proposes to amend the South African Schools Act and the Employment of Educators Act. However, Equal Education argues the bill criminalises parents.
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  • Experts say Bela Bill is no danger to schools Source: The Citizen An education policy expert says although the Bill was not going to fix the learning crisis in schools, he doubts it will make it worse. 
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  • Equal Education calls for swift adoption of Bela bill Source: Mail & Guardian Among other things, the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill calls for grade R to be the compulsory school-starting age
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  • Desperate times call for desperate measures — and our schooling is in dire straits Source: Daily Maverick Education as it exists in its present form is detrimental to the well-being of children - in fact, in many cases, they most likely would benefit more by staying away from school.
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  • NSFAS extends bursary deadline for this year, but is yet to settle outstanding 2023 fees Source: Mail & Guardian The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has extended its bursary application period to 15 February, even though it has yet to settle outstanding fees for the previous year. Several tertiary institutions across the country, including the University of Johannesburg and the North West University, have confirmed that they are still awaiting payment for last year’s fees.
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  • Anger at Panyaza Lesufi for failing to fix Roodepoort school for years Source: Mail & Guardian Parents at Durban Deep Primary near Roodepoort in the west of Johannesburg say sewage has been flowing into the schoolyard where the children play. They believe the Gauteng Department of Education has turned a blind eye to serious issues at the school which include the deplorable state of the toilets and a lack of electricity.
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  • HIGHER EDUCATION | BRIDGING THE GAP FOR STUDENTS REJECTED BY UNIVERSITIES Source: ENCA Accepted first-time university applicants are about to begin the academic year but many of the Class of 2023 face the disappointment of being rejected by universities. Well, technology's being used to bridge the gap. ALX's Silicon Savannah has trained over 85,000 young people since 2021, with 85% of its graduates finding employment within six months. Divesh Sooka, General Manager at ALX South Africa, spoke to eNCA about it.

 

Language, Literacies and Research Writing

  • Promoting literacy, reading culture through story-telling Source: Sundayworld The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away. Unemployment and a lack of education, especially literacy, are two key concerns in South Africa. The official unemployment rate was 31.9% in the third quarter of last year. In addition, the 2030 Reading Panel Report found that most children leave Grade 1 without knowing the alphabet. It further said 82% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. Enter an unusual partnership between the Social Employment Fund (SEF) and Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign. The campaign is addressing both these issues. It provides an effective barometer of what can be achieved through collaboration.
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  • Literacy to blame for pass rate? Source: The Citizen Experts link low pass rates and high dropouts to insufficient literacy levels among Grade 4 pupils, raising alarms about the education system's challenges.
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  • Celebrating World Read Aloud Day with a city-wide literacy initiative Source: Cape Town Net As World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) approaches on 7 February 2023, the City of Cape Town’s libraries are gearing up to run a nationwide campaign to bring the magic of stories to three million children.

 

Open Education and Open Educational Resources

  • SPARC Europe Publishes New Open Education Strategy: Librarians as Agents of Change Source: SPARC Europe We are pleased to announce a new Open Education Strategy for 2024-2026, Librarians as Agents of Change. We will support Higher Education policymakers, librarians, ambassadors, and facilitators of OE in Europe to implement the UNESCO OER recommendations using a targeted and action-oriented approach. With this strategy, we aim to make the many connections between Open Science policy and Open Education ever clearer to both policymakers and academic institutions.

 

   Post Schooling

  • New body sets sights on promoting open science in Africa  Source: University World News An organisation launched last year to promote the open science (OS) movement in Africa will this year spearhead efforts to interlink African universities to help the global concept gain quick and wider acceptance across the continent. The African Reproducibility Network (AREN), formed in 2023 by a group of African and international OS actors, will also initiate training and awareness creation integrating the principles of OS and open access targeted at academia, researchers, graduate students and librarians, among others.
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  • Alliance wants to help build South-South partnerships Source: University World News The Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) has set aside another round of funding for initiatives to create cooperative South-South research-driven partnerships. The AAP, co-created by the Michigan State University (MSU) in the United States and African thought leaders in 2016 as a consortium of MSU and universities in Africa, has called on institutions to apply for available funding that could support projects to transform institutions.
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  • Academic cooperation between Africa, Europe goes forward Source: University World News Academic cooperation between Africa and Europe is forging ahead, as exemplified by two new research collaborations tackling severe infections in children, as well as a genomic surveillance project to control pathogen infections in Africa. All three of these initiatives are supported by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), which funds clinical research for medical tools to detect, treat and prevent poverty-related infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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  • Most students use AI for studies, digital divide emerges – Survey Source: University World News Generative AI has become normalised in British universities, with most students using an AI tool to support studying and only 5% likely using AI to cheat, a first national survey of students and AI since the advent of ChatGPT has revealed. But urgent action is needed to stop a new digital divide emerging, and students want clear AI policies and support.
    Among students surveyed, 53% have used generative AI to help with their studies. The most common use is as an ‘AI private tutor’, with 36% using AI to help explain concepts.
     

Skills and Employment 

  • Build One South Africa plans to create 2 million jobs Source: RadioIslam As South Africa prepares for the upcoming elections, Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has set an ambitious goal of creating two million new jobs within the next five years.
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  • WorldSkills competitions hold value for youth Source: SANews  Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Deputy Minister Buti Manamela, has emphasised the importance of the WorldSkills Competitions saying that they hold immense value for young people. “By participating in these competitions, they not only showcase their skills but also gain exposure to international standards and best practices. “The experience gained at these competitions is invaluable and can shape the future trajectory of their careers. Therefore, we must continue to support and promote the participation of our young people in such events,” Manamela said on Thursday.

 

Teaching and Learning- Local and Global

  • Four Ways to Create a Supportive and Inclusive Learning Community for Your Students Source: Faculty Focus Professor of psychology, 
    Andrea C. Palmisano,from  Tidewater Community College and a Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator, blogs about her experiences of over 14 years teaching at a community college.
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  • Reimagining Syllabus Day  Source: Faculty Focus This blog on course design describes a health sciences professor's first day of class and the activities engaged in to orient students to the new course. 
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  • Effective Learning with Pre-Laboratory Videos: A Practical Teaching Strategy  Source: Faculty Focus "Crafting an effective teaching experience parallels the art of carpentry as both require a diverse and well-equipped toolbox. Just as a carpenter needs various tools to create a masterpiece, educators recognized for their teaching excellence possess an intricate toolbox that includes active learning techniques, inclusive teaching practices, community-building morals, and engaging instruction.Much like a carpenter meticulously plans and measures before cutting into wood, pre-laboratory videos provide students with a detailed and visual understanding, serving as an outline to help prepare for upcoming laboratory sessions."  
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  • Believe it or not, you can use conspiracy theories as tools for teaching Source: Time Higher Education When misinformation is a global risk, critical thinking skills are more vital than ever, writes Malcolm Schofield. Here, he offers techniques from parapsychology and belief studies that can make research and analysis more rigorous

 

Technology-Enhanced Learning

  • Use Etherpad to improve engagement in large transnational classes Source: Time Higher Education By leveraging technology to create an anonymous and collaborative space, educators can empower hesitant students to actively contribute and foster a more interactive and inclusive learning environment
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  • AI revolution: 2024 World Digital Education Conference opens in China Source: CCGTN The 2024 World Digital Education Conference (WDEC) kicked off in Shanghai, China on Monday, marking a significant milestone in the global artificial intelligence (AI) revolution's impact on education. Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Education, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the 2024 WDEC is the second edition of the conference as the first one was held in Beijing last February. With the theme "Digital education: Application, Sharing and Innovation," the three-day event brings together over 400 educators, policymakers, and tech leaders from more than 70 countries.
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  • Generative AI action hints at core future roles in universities Source: University World News With the arrival of generative AI such as ChatGPT, science fiction took a big step towards fact. Last year, universities explored the implications of AI. This year kicked off with innovative Arizona State University in America partnering with ChatGPT’s creator to advance learning, research and services – hinting at core roles for AI in universities in future.
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  • Deepfakes: How to empower youth to fight the threat of misinformation and disinformation Source: The Conversation The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 has issued a stark warning: misinformation and disinformation, primarily driven by deepfakes, are ranked as the most severe global short-term risks the world faces in the next two years.
    In October 2023, the Innovation council of Québec shared the same realization after months of consultations with experts and the public. This digital deception, which leverages artificial intelligence and, more recently generative AI, to create hyper-realistic fabrications, extends beyond being a technological marvel; it poses a profound societal threat.
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  • Four steps for integrating generative AI in learning and teaching:Source: TimesHigherEducation  From class preparation to critical thinking and reflection, this four-step checklist will help university teachers support the ethical and informed use of artificial intelligence tools in the classroom