6th Teaching and Learning Conference Focuses on a Just and Democratic Society

Excitement was high at the Premiere Hotel on Monday, 17 October 2022 as academics representing different institutions gathered for the 6^th annual Teaching and Learning Conference (TLC).

Organised by the Teaching and Learning Centre at the University of Zululand (UNIZULU), the conference was established as a platform for networking, sharing information and having discourse about challenging issues in higher education in terms of transformative pedagogies and teaching and learning.

The theme for this year is “Reimagining Teaching and Learning for a Just and Democratic Society”. Professor Maria Sewela Mabusela, Director of Teaching and Learning, explained that the theme encompasses, among other areas, teaching and learning in higher education; African realities; insight and perspective; transformation and innovation in teaching and learning practices, pedagogy, curriculum and assessment; reimagining postgraduate studies and supervision model; technology advancement in higher education; student initiative and community engagement project; social innovation and entrepreneurship; internationalisation trends; and reimagining teaching post-Covid.

According to her, the conference is a space to “jointly explore and exchange ideas and insight that could grow the higher education system in South Africa and beyond”.

Welcoming the attendees, Professor Vuyokazi Nomlomo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, said the presentations over the three-day conference promised to bring about fresh and innovative insights to advance the teaching and learning agenda in higher education. The sector, in Prof Nomlomo’s view, is plagued with many challenges; thus, the conference theme and subthemes are relevant.

“I hope that through robust discussions and debates in this conference, we’ll be able to come up with diverse perspectives and insights that will challenge the status quo to ensure that, as academics, we contribute to making a just and democratic society through our innovative teaching and research approaches,” Prof Nomlomo expressed.

She added that she hoped that the 6^th TLC presentations would be translated into research or academic papers as a contribution to the scholarship of teaching and learning.

– Naledi Hlefane

Caption

The 6^th Teaching and Learning is progressing smoothly as a result of the tireless efforts of the Teaching and Learning Centre staff.

Picture: James Thwala