The Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) hosted the 8th Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference under the theme, ‘SoTL and transformation: Responding to changes in educational policies, curricula, and pedagogies in Higher Education’.
According to the university, the conference is an engaging platform offering the opportunity to exchange innovative ideas and practices in teaching and learning and it represents an opportunity to engage with like-minded academics, researchers, and practitioners in merging existing learning challenges within the Higher Education sector.
CUT Acting Deputy-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Prof. Sam Mashele, expressed that higher education is facing a disorienting dilemma.
“When we look at higher education today, we face several challenges. We are aware of artificial intelligence and so many other things, so when you stand in front of the class, a student can fact-check you right then. They have that resource in their hands, and the question then becomes what the role of the professor and the lecturer in higher education is now. Things have changed, and we’ve got to interrogate and investigate teaching and learning.”
In attendance was Dr Trudy Sutherland from the Vaal University of Technology who delivered a keynote address titled: ‘Unleashing the Power of AI: Transforming Education for Quality Learning, Assessment and Sustainability’.
Prof. Michael van Wyk from the University of South Africa also delivered a keynote address titled, “Generative-AI in Education: From a critical perspective lens, how are we addressing ethically ‘ChatGPT’ as the robot in the cloud”.
Prof. Elizabeth Ivy Smit from the North-West University focused on ‘SoTL and Transformation: Responding to changes in Educational Policies, Curricula and Pedagogies in Higher Education’, which recommended focusing on motivation for both students and lecturers, support for academics regarding time and resources, recognition, the mandatory aspects (DHET, Faculties, Schools, Programme through KPA/KPI, incentives, accelerated technological support, social justice, and ethical issues.
The university said the two-day conference saw academics come together to explore the latest research findings, best practices, and transformative approaches in pedagogy for student learning to inspire and build communities of practice in response to student learning needs.
Compiled by Justine Fortuin
