Page 9 - Research & Innovation Report 2020
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DVC’S MESSAGE:
LEARNING AND TEACHING
Research to inform online
and hybrid learning
By Prof Cheryl Foxcroft, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching
Online and hybrid learning is a rapidly evolving area of research that seeks to achieve optimal
student-centred engagement.
“With the shift to online and hybrid, or mixed-mode, learning of surveys, articles and book chapters published in 2020/21 about
accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the theoretical framework how to optimise a supportive online learning environment for our
in which we anchor our Learning and Teaching (LT) at Mandela diverse body of students. We further consulted colleagues internally
University remains that of a humanising pedagogy,” says Professor and at other universities in South Africa and internationally, and we
Cheryl Foxcroft, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching. studied many articles on teaching during times of disruption.”
“We are known for having a supportive academic environment and Many lecturers were anxious about facilitating learning digitally,
we do everything possible to walk alongside our students so that as it moved them out of their comfort zone of mainly using
they successfully complete the academic year. We are engaged in contact teaching. Multidisciplinary teaching development and
interesting research on online and hybrid learning, with a number learning experience design teams from the Learning and Teaching
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