In the next five years the university aims to align itself with current global trends in higher education.
A Wits task team with students and representative of key stakeholders created a draft for a new teaching and learning plan to be presented to Senate on October 24.
The new teaching and learning plan that will be implemented for 2020 to 2024 aims to enhance the quality of learning and teaching at Wits University.
Professor Diane Grayson, senior Director of Academic Affairs told Wits Vuvuzela “the plan will help focus the whole Wits community, students and staff, on high quality educational provision that leads to meaningful learning and the development of attributes that will enable Wits graduates to lead lives that are personally rewarding and beneficial to society and the world.”
The teaching and learning subcommittee team organised a two-day student forum to receive students’ inputs on the newly proposed plan.
Wits SRC academic officer, Palesa Mofokeng said she was involved with the creation of the newly proposed teaching plan, through Grayson’s Student Success Framework model.
“Although the attendance wasn’t as we had hoped, the feedback and engagements with the students in attendance assisted in shaping and further informing their priorities for teaching and learning on campus for the next 5 years” said Mofokeng.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academics, Professor Andrew Crouch told Wits Vuvuzela there is a current teaching and learning plan that was implemented in 2015 which will end in 2019.
As a result, his office commissioned the new teaching and learning plan for 2020 and Crouch is responsible for the execution of the plan.
“The plan will align the teaching and learning efforts to the strategy of building out our postgraduate students, modernization of our way of teaching and learning. We hope that through this plan we could increase the throughput and success rates at both undergraduate and postgraduate level,” said Crouch.
An email was sent to Wits students, through an online survey that requests students to input their thoughts on the proposed plan.
“In my view the plan will benefit the student population by equipping students with the necessary skills, expertise needed for a graduate in the 21st Century,” added Mofokeng.
The plan consists of seven focus areas which include: Increasing flexible and life-long learning opportunities, enhancing academics as university teachers, strengthening curriculum development and renewal, diversifying assessment methods, expanding post-graduate education, expanding innovative and informal learning spaces, and using data analytics to promote student success.
“To encourage more student participation, a questionnaire was sent to all students for completion. I encourage all students to partake in this,” said the SRC academic officer.
The online survey closes on October 9 for students to input their thoughts on the newly proposed teaching and learning plan for 2020 to 2024.
FEATURED IMAGE: A pedestrian entrance to Wits University on Jorissen street. Academics and teaching at the university is set to receive an upgrade throughout 2020 to 2024. Photo: File
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