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The CLT: Guidance and support in the integration of learning technologies
Author: Elzette le Roux
Published: 08/09/2021

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South African higher education teaching, learning and assessment in the digital age creates both opportunities and challenges. At the Centre for Learning Technologies (CLT) we strive to inspire the meaningful, innovative and socially just use of digital technology for student learning at Stellenbosch University (SU). Read more to find out what guidance and support the CLT offers in the integration of learning technologies at SU.  ​

The CLT: Guidance and support in the integration of learning technologies

 Teaching, learning and assessment in the digital age within the South African higher education context create both opportunities and challenges. One example of an opportunity is the ability to continue with the academic project at Stellenbosch University (SU) amidst the emergency and/or augmented teaching and learning circumstances. During ERTLA, we had to draw on pedagogies relating to a fully online mode of delivery – a not so familiar space in the SU context. During these times, and especially now in ARTLA contexts, many lecturers could draw on knowledge gained from previously engaging in blended learning as mode of delivery at SU (i.e., the pedagogically sound utilisation of digital learning technologies, combined with the integration of a variety of learning and teaching methodologies and the best features of face-to-face interaction) to navigate the unfamiliar terrain of fully online learning. Another example of an opportunity created by the digital age within the South African higher education context, is hybrid learning as a mode of academic delivery at SU. This mode of delivery makes higher education accessible to students for whom the cost of full-time residential studies is unaffordable.

Despite rapid exposure to online learning during the pandemic, it can remain an unfamiliar and even daunting space for students and lecturers alike. Often, students in higher educational institutions are mere passive receivers of information and not active creators of knowledge (Nilsen, 2018). Some lecturers might have experienced students refraining from participation when lecturers push for more active engagement and collaboration. Students refraining from engagement in such circumstances could be due to feelings of anxiety and/or feeling too stressed out to take part (Nilsen, 2018). The use of learning technologies can potentially lead to feelings of disconnect, fear and anxiety amongst students and lecturers. These feelings often result in lack of engagement by students or asking for help, feeling alone or lonely, anxiety of failure, looking stupid or missing out (Nilsen, 2019). In return, lecturers could experience their own anxiety or doubt their own teaching abilities when students don't engage in the digital learning spaces, drop out or just “disappear" from our digital teaching and learning spaces. It also highlights the importance of digital wellbeing (Koch, Sinclair & Strydom, 2021), and collaborative engagement on creating safe spaces that allows for academic and social integration by students in their multidimensional contexts (Do Carmo Nicoletti, 2019) where students (and lecturers) can learn, develop and transform.

At the Centre for Learning Technologies (CLT) we strive to inspire the meaningful and innovative use of technology for learning at Stellenbosch University (SU). This implies inter alia strategic leadership, guidance and support in the integration of learning technologies at SU to ensure that lecturers are supported to critically engage with learning technologies in the curriculum. At the CLT we provide professional learning opportunities, resources (provided by the Academic Development & Research [ADR] offering at the CLT) and learning technology support (offered by the Learning Technology Support [LTS] offering at the CLT) that could guide and support lecturers in the integration of learning technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment practices. In addition, lecturers can also make use of services provided by the CLT such as streaming of interactive lectures / tutorials, video productions or multimedia services provided by the Operations (OTP) offering of the CLT.

Visit the CLT webpage for further information on guidance and support in the integration of learning technologies, contact the Blended Learning Coordinator in your faculty or contact any of the CLT advisors for a consultation.

References

Do Carmo Nicoletti, M. (2019). Revisiting the Tinto's Theoretical Dropout Model. Higher Education Studies, 9(3), pp. 52-64. Retrieved September, 02, 2021 from https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v9n3p52   

Koch, C., Sinclair, E. & Strydom, S. Entering the world of Digital Wellbeing. Retrieved August, 25, 2021 from http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=8487

Nilsen, G. (2018). Masterplan to Differ and making all students feel safe. Retrieved June, 12, 2021, from https://medium.com/differchat/masterplan-to-making-all-students-feel-safe-1babe68a3941

Nilsen, G. (2019). Digital Learning Arena. BI Norwegian Business School in collaboration with EdTech Foundry 2015-2019. Retrieved June, 12, 2021, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zWqNz2n3AaKOdhHFxJHnFQdxdeUnr754/view