Staff
Elizabeth Daphné (Betsie) Vlok
B OT (Stell.) M OT (Management) (Stell.)
Tel: (021) 938 9292
Email: edv@sun.ac.za
Betsie is a lecturer in the Division of Occupational Therapy at Stellenbosch University for the undergraduate and master level students.
She is interested in typical human development and enabling others to reach their potential by empowering the person/ child, role model, parent, educator and carer with knowledge and skills to enhance development. Her special interests started with rehabilitation of people with spinal injuries. Worked 19 years with children with barriers to learning. Her teaching focuses on perception, cognition, conative and affective enablers and human development, and the dysfunction and barriers that impacts development and function.
She contributed to a project that scaffolded developmental milestones and activities to reach first grade outcomes for teachers, including tips and grading to reach and develop the child's potential. She was invited to teach craft instructors the inclusion of developmental outcomes within an arts project for children and how to adapt the activity and instructions to reach the goals. A programme was developed for the craft and art instructors to include different developmental (motor, sensory, cognitive and behavioural) aspects.
The inclusion of eye movements by adapting activity presentation to enhance visual perceptual development was her field of research.
She is involve with a project at a home for the aged where a cognitive stimulation group runs; a fall prevention programme and activity programmes to maintain quality of life and health during an active aging period of life. She also is a member of the governing body to ensure the client service adhere to the rights of the elderly.
As Co- Chair she helped develop and present the masters programme: Specialization in Pediatrics.
As class coordination of the first year academic programme she enjoys the support and guidance that is needed to ensure a good experience of the first year and represent them on Faculty level.
She enjoys mentoring and chairs a group that encourage and supports the writing of articles.
