Annual Report 2012 - University of Johannesburg

Transcription

INDEX
Introduction: The ADS portfolio and Division .............................................................. 1
Centre Reports:
■
The Centre for Academic Technologies (CAT).............................................. 23
■
The Academic Development Centre (ADC) ................................................... 52
■
The Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development (CPASD) .......... 82
■ The Centre for Psychological Services & Career Development (PsyCaD) ...... 110
Annexure 1: Office: People with Disability (O: PWD) ................................................. 175
Annexure 2: Office: Work Integrated Learning (O: WIL)............................................. 185
Concluding Remarks ...................................................................................................... 189
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
ANNUAL REPORT
INTRODUCTION: THE ADS PORTFOLIO AND DIVISION
The overarching function of the academic development and support portfolio, which
is led by an Executive Director, is to deliver high level assistance to the Deputy ViceChancellor Academic. The portfolio’s core business relates to the development and
support of students and staff, with work focused around the following thrusts:
•
Contributions to curriculum and programme development and enhancement,
and to excellence in teaching and learning;
•
Contributions to policy and strategy development in the domain of teaching and
learning;
•
Delivery of academic development and support (including psychosocial
support) to students;
•
Delivery of wide-ranging professional academic development to staff, teaching
assistants and tutors;
•
Promotion of innovative learning with technology, for both staff and students;
•
Delivery of extended curricula to students who are identified as needing
additional initial support;
•
Specific projects such as the First-Year Experience Project, Orientation and the
National Benchmark Tests, the Staff Qualifications Programme, and the roll-out
of the Teaching and Learning Strategy and UJ Teaching Philosophy;
•
Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of these various undertakings.
The Division of Academic Development Support forms a major component within the
academic development and support portfolio. During 2012 the Division consisted of
four Centres, each headed by a Director:
•
The Academic Development Centre (ADC), which offers developmental
academic support to students and staff (Dr Andre van Zyl, Acting Director)
•
The Centre for Technology-Assisted Learning (CenTAL), which manages the
Learning Management System Edulink and supports the integration of
technologies into student learning. From November 2012 CenTAL became
known as the Centre for Academic Technologies (CAT) (Professor Alan Amory)
•
A small Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development (CPASD), which
drives and coordinates the professional development of the full spectrum of
academic staff (Dr Riette de Lange)
•
The Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD),
which focuses on the psycho-social well-being of students and staff (Professor
Gertie Pretorius)
Each Centre has addressed a number of the portfolio thrusts listed above, in terms
of its capacity and focus, with the Executive Director also leading or being involved in
several initiatives, many of which also involve members of Faculties. In addition,
divisional activities were guided by the ADS three-year Strategic Plan (2010 – 2012).
Further detail will be given when the Division is presented below.
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The Annual Report is structured as follows: an initial section will focus on the overall
role of the portfolio and on progress made during 2012 in addressing key thrusts,
overarching initiatives, portfolio risks and mitigating strategies. This will be lead into
an introduction to the Division, including resource management, stakeholder
engagement and research output. An in-depth individual report from each of the four
Centres will follow. A brief concluding section will address plans for 2013 and
beyond.
1. PERFORMANCE: INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES
First Year Experience Programme
In 2012 the First Year Programme was in its third year of implementation, building on
the success and experience of the previous years. The programme is led by the
Executive Director: Academic Development and Support, assisted by an FYE
Coordinator, who runs focused initiatives and promotes liaison with Faculties; the
Coordinator is crucial to the success of the programme. During the course of 2012
the initial FYE Coordinator, Dr Andre van Zyl, was appointed Acting Director of the
Academic Development Centre; he was succeeded as FYE Coordinator by Ms
Soraya Motsabi, presently also in an acting capacity. The FYE Committee, with
representatives from all Faculties and many Divisions, continued to meet on a
monthly basis for coordination and discussion of arising matters; regular ‘good
practice’ presentations delivered by internal experts sought to build further capacity.
These presentations included the following topics: Assessment for learning; the
SAFENET project; a presentation on the new vision for UJLIC by the Librarian, Dr
Rookaya Bawa; Extended Orientation in the Department of Philosophy, the Faculty
of Education and the Faculty of Law. FYE Committee meetings are well attended,
and the commitment of Faculty staff who teach first year modules is notable.
Attention was paid throughout the year to the sustainability of FYE. FYE is
particularly successful in Faculties where there is strong leadership for the initiative –
either through a Vice-Dean or a committed and enthusiastic individual. However,
there is clearly risk in relying too strongly on a single individual to carry Faculty
rollout, and hence attention focused on encouraging the formalisation of Faculty FYE
Committees, preferably under senior Faculty leadership. In most Faculties such a
well-functioning Committee is now in place, and the goal for 2013 is to have each
Faculty institute and support such a committee.
All FYE components continued to run during 2012. Particular attention was paid
during the first few months of the year to the Safenet programme, as it is imperative
to identify ‘at risk’ students at this early stage of the academic year; a refinement was
the direct involvement of ADC and PsyCaD in the initial interviews with these
students, allowing students to become immediately aware of available development
interventions. However a concern remains the relatively low response rate to the
SMS messages sent to ‘at risk’ students, requesting them to come in for an
interview. Work continued on the evaluation of NBT performance as a possible
predictor of subsequent performance at UJ; approximately half of our first year
entrants now write NBT tests prior to entry. The Faculty of Science has developed
procedures to utilise NBTs for placement in certain developmental modules in 2013.
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Feedback from the Tutor Development Unit confirmed that Departments are
increasingly adhering to the UJ Policy on Tutors and Tutoring, not least in terms of
the training and monitoring of tutors; it is also especially important that tutorials are
fully integrated into the module programme and not simply left to tutors to develop
and manage. Senate approval was obtained for a Strategy on English Language
Development, which will require all undergraduate curricula to include some
components of language development by 2015. For the first time, the Residence
academic excellence programme was rolled out in most residences (in partnership
between Student Affairs and ADS, who supplied a training manual), with promising
results; further attention will be paid to involving the residence wardens more fully,
and to training senior students as Residence Academic Advisers.
The FYE Coordinator paid special attention to involving students in FYE, though
progress remains slow; the Faculty of Education has however been very successful
in obtaining feedback from student representatives in Faculty FYE meetings, and
student involvement is perhaps most easily achieved at Faculty level. FYE research
continued: data collection by means of the Student Profile Questionnaire and the
Early Student Experience Questionnaire resulted in Faculty profiles being circulated
at an early date; Faculties and Departments are increasingly finding these of value.
National and international contacts were further developed: most notably, the FYE
Coordinator was invited as plenary speaker to the international FYE Conference in
Canada. Marketing and publicity now include the FYE website, social media, and
regular interviews on UJFM.
Our long-term focus on First Year students now appears to be having marked
impact, with success rates improving from 76.5% in 2011 to 80.0% in 2012, and
even more pleasingly, our demographic breakdown now shows increasingly
equivalent first year performance by white and black students.
In order better to understand the achievements, and continuing challenges, of FYE,
an in-depth evaluation was conducted and a wide range of opinion solicited, from
both UJ staff and students, and from one international and one national expert (this
latter on the basis of written UJ FYE documentation.) Student inputs included the
responses, over the past three years, to the Initial Student Experience
Questionnaire, which confirm steady improvement in the quality of the student
experience. Qualitative feedback was obtained from 200 first year students on all
campuses through a participatory learning and action research approach,
implemented with the assistance of PsyCaD peer buddies. Responses were on the
whole positive, with some suggestions for improvement being made. Staff were
asked to assist in evaluating the role of the FYE Coordinator. Here the importance
of the facilitative role of FYE Coordinator as expert in the field was repeatedly
acknowledged, with confirmation of the valuable work of Dr van Zyl; at the same time
it was felt that both the Coordinator and the FYE Committee have as yet too little
authority vis-a-vis Faculties and other Divisions, and that FYE recommendations can
easily be overlooked or ignored. In addition, there is need for greater student
involvement. Continued attention should also be paid to sustainability, by anchoring
FYE even more extensively in all faculties.
While FYE is undoubtedly having impact, it should also be noted that the conditions
under which typical UJ students are trying to succeed at university, seem to be
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becoming increasingly challenging. This is borne out by higher percentages of
students having concerns about money and food. All of this reinforces the need for
an institutional approach aimed at student success, such as the UJ FYE.
Orientation 2012
Orientation (in 2012 known as O! Week) has become well established at UJ:
institutional principles guide Faculty-specific implementation during a two-week
period which also encompasses senior and first-year registration, immediately prior
to the start of classes. O! Week 2012 took place between 23 January – 3 February.
Within this overall framework, Faculty programmes varied considerably in length and
in the nature of activities, but generally contained at least the following elements: a
Dean’s Welcome session, academic orientation to Departments and programmes,
‘How to register on-line’ presentations; presentations by PsyCaD, the Library and
Academic Development, computer proficiency tests and Edulink orientation. In 2012
there was a renewed focus on marketing O! Week by means of social media: O!
Week was marketed as compulsory by means of the Registration z-fold, the O!
Week Programme booklets, and the UJ Orientation website, where a clickable
banner was placed prominently on the home page. An O! Week Buzzz event was
piloted per campus in 2012, where Day Houses, support services, IOHA, Campus
Health, UJ Arts and Culture, Clubs and Societies were invited to promote their
offerings. The general feeling is that this Buzzz event should be retained for 2013,
with suggested improvements taken into account. Students with Disabilities had
additional scheduled orientation sessions; a welcome session was also held for
International students.
UJ staff agree that students who have attended Orientation are certainly better
prepared, and organisation for 2012 O! Week focused on maximising student
attendance, with somewhat mixed results. Attendance ranged from above 90%
(generally in smaller faculties) to around 50% (in larger faculties); unsatisfactory
attendance was compounded by the many students who registered late. In
particular the Computer proficiency testing and Edulink Orientation sessions were
poorly attended, even though many entrants undoubtedly need these training
sessions; consideration will be given to ‘just-in-time’ approaches. Feedback
confirmed the value of involving senior students, of developing interactive sessions
rather than simply communicating information; and having a Faculty MC available for
the full session; these matters will feed into planning for 2013. Benchmarking with
neighbouring universities confirmed that all had experienced poor attendance, with
the cost of attendance (bus fare, accommodation etc) being frequently mentioned.
The alternative suggestion of using the ‘test slot’ on the first three Mondays in term
to orient late-comers is proving difficult to implement.
A Staff Perception Survey showed that most staff were satisfied with the organisation
of O! Week, but that many were disappointed with levels of attendance, given the
considerable work involved in preparing for O! Week. Student responses to four
questions relating to O! Week from the Early Student Experience Questionnaire
confirmed that 75% of the respondents had attended O! Week, with 66% rating O!
Week as good / very good.
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Recommendations for the coming year endorsed the importance of ensuring
attendance at Orientation, especially for poorly prepared students, and sought to
explore ways in which all Faculties could promote and enforce attendance. The
name O! Week will be changed to First Year Seminar (FYS), to send out the
message that FYS is the start of the first year study programme, and that attendance
is compulsory. Given that messages and reminders seem to have little effect, a core
recommendation is that credit points should be allocated for attendance and
completion of required FYS activities. This approach is presently being implemented
by the Faculty of Science, as part of their Citizenship module, with good results; and
it is hoped that other Faculties will follow suit.
National Benchmark Testing
National Benchmark Tests are advertised as compulsory for all entrants to UJ, but as
yet NBT compliance is not required for registration; approximately half of our 2012
entrants wrote NBTs. UJ venues are included in the national schedule of NBT
Testing during the second half of each year; UJ venues can be utilised by applicants
to any university – just as applicants to UJ who live in other centres can utilise their
regional venues to write NBT tests. Test results are processed by the NBT Office in
Cape Town and forwarded into UJ’s ITS system, from where they can be accessed
by Faculty staff. This system is now fully functional.
At UJ NBT performance is presently used primarily (in conjunction with NSC results)
to gain an enhanced understanding of the competency levels of entrants. Research
has continued during the year into possible correlations between NSC and NBT
performance, on the one hand, and subsequent performance at the end of first year;
the intention is to identify additional Faculty-specific predictors of student success.
On the basis of completed research, the NBT research group has argued that the
use of NBT results, in addition to NSC results, would allow more accurate placement
of entrants, for instance in extended programmes; however the logistics of enforcing
NBT compliance for registration are considered extremely challenging, with possible
impact on the number of students registering at UJ. The Faculty of Science has
confirmed that it will be piloting the use of compulsory NBT performance for
recommendations for placement in selected developmental modules in 2013, and we
await their experience with considerable interest.
The UJenius Club
A ‘Top Achievers Club’ for undergraduate students was approved by Senate in 2010
and was piloted in 2011. To qualify for membership, undergraduate students must
achieve an overall average of 75% in the preceding year of study, with no module
below 70%, and on a full study load. With around 250 high performing students
identified for 2012, activities started with a competition to find a distinctive name for
the club; at the high profile Welcome function in late April, the DVC Academic
announced the new name: ‘UJenius’ Club. Around ten members volunteered to
serve on a Steering Committee, which ran an active Facebook site, allowing
members to communicate with each other, and activities to be announced.
The majority of activities were rolled out within Faculties: these included
acknowledgement of top performers at Faculty, Departmental or course level;
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awareness building of excellent academic performance through websites or
noticeboards; invitations to Faculty events such as seminars and workshops;
involvement in marketing strategies such as Open Day; prioritisation for appointment
as tutors and mentors; sponsorships for attendance at conferences etc. Club
members from all faculties were invited to a workshop on the National Development
Plan, with presentations by the Vice-Chancellor and Mr Kulekani Mathe from the
National Planning Commission Secretariat.
Two Faculties, Science and Engineering and the Built Environment, participated in
the first UJ Undergraduate Research Conference, at which approximately 20
students made short presentations on their research projects. Monetary prizes were
awarded, to be held over until winners had registered for postgraduate study.
Faculty staff were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the presentations, and intend
developing this initiative further in 2013.
For 2013 a partnership with the UJ International Office will make available to
UJenius members funded ‘Study Abroad’ opportunities.
The ADS Curriculum Development Project
At the beginning of 2012, the curriculum development initiative which previously
focused exclusively on the UJ teaching and learning philosophy was reconceptualised as a more holistic, developmental process, consisting of four
interrelated sets of activities. The first and second of these are the UJ Teaching and
Learning Philosophy workshops which provide a broad theoretical framework for the
project, and developmental workshops which focus on the design of disciplinespecific pedagogical practices which reflect the philosophy. These include additional
curriculum-related interventions in response to specific departmental or individual
requests. The third and fourth areas are the development of new programmes from
conceptualization to approval, and, finally, assisting departments with the processes
which ensure compliance with the requirements of the HEQF. The four aspects of
the project are represented in the diagram on page 8 below. This way of
conceptualizing the process has two main advantages. On the one hand, it offers
staff from ADS and the Quality Promotion Unit the opportunity to pool their
resources, share insights and avoid potential duplication, and on the other it provides
academic staff with a model which assists them to focus on specific areas and to
plan a phased, developmental process according to particular departmental needs
and priorities.
This year, Professor Jenny Clarence-Fincham and Ms Kibbie Naidoo have worked
extensively with Vice-deans, HODS and academic staff from a number of Faculties
including FADA, Health Science, Management, and Humanities, and have also
contributed to various institution-wide debates. Discussions and workshops have
focused on compliance concerns around Category B programmes, on the
implications and application of the teaching and learning philosophy in specific
departments (as diverse as Hospitality and Tourism, Applied Communicative Skills
and Mechanical Engineering) and, in pedagogically-based workshops, on topics
such as the development of innovative teaching and learning tasks, appropriate
assessment strategies, problem-based learning and effective ways of engaging
students in active and collaborative learning. In addition, there was a request from
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the FADA Teaching and Learning Forum for a special presentation on languagerelated challenges and another for a presentation on the curriculum issues
surrounding service modules. There was also a request for assistance in response
to an audit report and several for individual mentoring of staff experiencing particular
challenges. Seminars which focus on teaching in large classes have emerged as an
extremely important component of the larger project and have generated great
interest amongst staff and provided a context in which successes and challenges
can be shared and ideas exchanged.
The ADS Curriculum Development Project Framework
• Consultation with PEM/HODS
• Programme aims/needs
• Use of institutional data eg
Faculty-based student profiles
• Discipline specific workshops
• Holistic development of
curriculum
• Compliance process
• Submission to PWG
• Final approval
• Consultation with HODs
• Meetings with all depart. Staff
• 2X3 hour workshops
• On-going consultation as
requested
• Facilitation of monitoring and
evaluation process
New
programmes
HEQF-based
recurriculation
T&L
philosophy
roll-out
Projectdriven
pedagogical
interventions
• Consultation with
PEM/HODS
• Detailed analysis of recurriculation requirements
• Provision of assistance in
developing curriculum
• Submission of programme to
PWG
• Re-submission of
programme to
E HEQC
•
• Id Identification of key
pedagogical challenges; eg
LCT, ICTS, Assesssment
• Constitution of cross-Centre
working groups
• Dev. of data base of
innovative discipline specific
pedagogical tasks
The highlight at the end of the year was a seminar delivered by Prof Ron Barnett
entitled, “Learning-to-be: a hopeful idea”.
Challenges experienced by staff include limited capacity for extended curriculum
development, considerable uncertainty around precise HEQF requirements,
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sometimes a limited understanding of differences between degrees and diplomas,
disagreement about the nature and structure of programmes, a lack of alignment
between the stated outcomes of modules and the assessment practices used,
conflicting perceptions abut the nature and role of service modules and increasing
concern about the language proficiency of our students.
Despite this, however, increasing numbers of staff are now beginning to make
explicit links between the Teaching and Learning Philosophy and their own
classroom practice and, when necessary, are designing tasks for students which
reflect this more clearly. In addition, when staff are involved in researching their own
practice within specific disciplines, the close relationship between teaching and
research results in teaching becoming much more highly valued as an acceptable
object of study.
Finally, increasing links are now being made between the Curriculum Development
Project and other initiatives in the institution. This applies particularly to the
development of an institutional language strategy where discussion about curriculum
and language frequently converge. Examples of these linkages are the invitations to
ADS staff to participate in teaching and learning related activities, for example the
FADA Teaching and Learning Forum, the Science First Year Academy, the Health
Science Teaching and Learning Committee and module reviews in Commercial
Accounting.
The UJ Teaching and Learning Strategy renewal process
With the growing focus on teaching and learning as core university business,
considerable work was devoted during 2012 to the themes of undergraduate
education and positioning UJ as a top teaching institution. Presentations were made
on these topics at the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee in February and at
the August ELG Breakaway, following which an MEC decision was taken to fund
further enhancements of the quality of undergraduate education: in 2013 additional
tutors and Senior Tutors are to be funded, and an appointment sought for a UJ
Research Chair in Teaching and Learning.
These presentations and debates fed into the process of review and redevelopment
of the UJ Teaching and Learning Strategy. The first Teaching and Learning Strategy
was approved by Senate at the end of 2008 and implemented from 2009 onwards; it
has undoubtedly had considerable impact both on student performance and on
institutional understanding of the role of teaching as core university activity. During
2012 a comprehensive review process was initiated: a high level task team
generated a concept document mapping out six core themes, which (to allow for
broader engagement by teaching staff) were further unpacked by task teams. Focus
areas of the emerging revised Teaching and Learning Strategy are to be the quality
of our academic programme offerings, the competency level of our staff, and
innovative teaching pedagogies. This work will be completed during 2013.
The UJ Teaching and Learning Report
The third UJ Teaching and Learning Report was produced for both internal and
external readers as a companion volume to the UJ Research and Community
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Engagement Reports. The Report presented a wide array of examples of teaching
innovation and excellence, drawn from the activities of faculties and Academic
Development and Support, as well as acknowledging some excellent student
achievements. The Report is widely circulated among members of staff and seeks
to acknowledge and build awareness of staff commitment to teaching and learning.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards for Teaching and
Learning
These prestigious awards, much value by teaching-focused staff, have become a
tradition in the annual calendar; the Awards function is a highlight of the final months
of the year. Staff who are nominated present a substantial teaching portfolio, which
encourages self-evaluation and reflection on teaching achievements. In 2012
Distinguished Teacher Awards were made to Professor Alex van der Watt from the
Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences and to Professor Hennie Lotter from the
Faculty of Humanities. In addition, UJ was informed that two 2011 awardees, Ms
Tracey McKay from the Faculty of Science and Professor Nathalie Hyde-Clarke from
the Faculty of Humanities, had been honoured with a commendation from HELTASA
at national level.
Staff Qualifications Programme
Following on a decision in 2009 that all permanent academic staff must hold at least
a master’s qualification, the Staff Qualifications Programme for Master’s support was
established to support staff in this endeavour. The programme makes a variety of
support available, including limited research funding, an extensive and well-attended
programme of research development workshops, writing support and some teaching
relief during the writing up phase of the research. The research development
workshops were conceptualised and organized by the CPASD; with financial
assistance from the Postgraduate Centre, postgraduate writing support was rolled
out through the ADC Writing Centres on each campus. As the pressures of
completing a Master’s degree while in full-time employment had proved a serious
challenge for quite a few participants, the Programme was extended in 2012 for one
additional year. By the end of 2012, a total of 57 members of staff had submitted
their dissertation for assessment; and a further number had completed preparatory
degrees. Some limited support will still be available during 2013 to those who, for
valid reasons, require a little more time to complete.
In 2012 attention turned to rollout of the follow-up Staff Qualifications Programme for
doctoral support, with two cohorts of staff members, 50 in all, completing the UJ
SANTRUST pre-doctoral support programme, by the end of which participants have
their thesis proposal ready for Faculty approval. SQP-D will make further support
available – again including some research funding, writing support and teaching
relief. The intention is to considerably boost the number of UJ academic staff with a
doctoral degree over the coming five years.
Increasingly, the SQP programme (for both Masters and doctoral support) had been
run in partnership with the Postgraduate Centre; and towards the end of 2012,
through an MEC decision, the SQP programme was fully transferred to the
Postgraduate Centre, together with the associated CPASD staff.
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2. RISKS AND MANAGEMENT OF RISKS
The ADS Risk Register is discussed and updated at Executive Committee meetings,
several times during the year.
Risks associated with the underpreparedness of first time entrants
The core and overarching risk addressed by Academic Development and Support is
that of underpreparedness of first time entrants, a risk which has not diminished over
the past five years and which is anticipated to persist through the coming decade.
Academic Development and Support plays a major role in assisting Executive Deans
(in whose Faculties students are registered) in mitigating this risk.
While this risk is doubtless widely experienced by all higher education institutions, it
assumes additional dimensions at UJ, which has chosen access as a strategic
priority, thereby taking on the challenge of enormous diversity in each cohort of
entrants. By selecting the strategic priority of access for underprepared students, UJ
seeks to contribute to redress, but such access is, of course, meaningless unless it
can also result in success, with the majority of entrants in due course achieving a
qualification. Enabling success for all UJ entrants requires a careful analysis firstly
of the contexts from which entrants come, and secondly of the challenges which they
are likely to experience in this new environment.
Underpreparedness is commonly associated with the notion of disadvantage; though
even entrants from advantaged backgrounds may be found to be underprepared for
the very different approaches to learning in higher education. When also associated
with disadvantage, however, underpreparedness becomes far more complex:
disadvantage has geographical, financial, educational, linguistic and other sociocultural components and is cumulative in nature, and its impact can only be
addressed through concerted broad-based action addressing financial, academic
and psychosocial aspects of the student experience. Given an underperforming
school sector, many students entering UJ are underprepared academically, with low
achievements in core competencies such as Mathematics, Science, and the ability to
use English (often a second, third or even fourth language) as the language of
teaching and learning. The resulting articulation gap between secondary school and
first year in higher education is well known, but is proving difficult to address, given
that it is at the same time crucial to maintain exit standards. In most cases,
moreover, academic challenges of this type are compounded by psycho-social and
cultural underpreparedness for the very different world of higher education, where
norms and expectations are often left implicit rather than made explicit. Here,
however, it must be asked whether it is simply students who are ‘at fault’, or whether
the institution itself is in certain ways under-prepared for the learning and
psychological needs of those entrants who by now constitute the majority. Ensuring
epistemological access and access to academic practices for our students requires
UJ lecturers, as professionals, to be fully aware of the divergent cultures and
learning approaches of our students and to accommodate them in as many ways as
possible.
Attempts to mitigate this core risk of underprepared entrants can in turn lead to other
risks. ADS staff play a key role in building awareness of these challenges in
Faculties and Divisions and assisting lecturers – this role entails a heavy workload,
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and demands for their time and expertise are increasing every year. At the same
time, perceptions of the role of ADS, and what ADS staff can be expected to
achieve, may be unrealistic. Many faculty staff still regard ADS as the ‘solution’ and
expect ADS to remedy these ‘problems’ (seen as student problems only), so that
faculty teaching can continue as usual. Furthermore, it is now generally accepted
that our students need additional contact time, for instance tutorials and
developmental workshops, which puts additional pressure on scarce resources such
as timetable slots and teaching venues. Creative responses such as the introduction
of additional formative on-line assessments again increases pressure on the
computer laboratories and CenTAL staff. ADS staff are constantly challenged to
manage their time more effectively, but once optimal efficiencies have been
achieved, the case may have to be made for new staff posts.
Mitigation strategies
UJ has long concerned itself with the challenge of underperformance and extremely
unsatisfactory completion rates in higher education, and the work of ADS is primarily
conceptualised as a holistic and encompassing response to the needs of students,
with the goal of optimising their chances of success. A major means of addressing
this challenge has been our innovative First Year Experience (FYE) programme,
which has now run for three years with growing impact. FYE brings together first
year teaching staff from all faculties, as well as Divisional representatives, who jointly
address a number of focused initiatives.
FYE is conceptualised as a “holistic initiative which encompasses all aspects of first
year student experience, through which all first year students will experience the
transition into university life”. FYE seeks to enable epistemological access of all
entrants, by means of the following core components:
•
A growing focus on optimal placement of students. While students are
accepted into UJ programmes on the basis of their NSC results, we are
increasingly utilising National Benchmark Tests (which all entrants are
requested to write), to understand more comprehensively student academic
competencies on entrance to higher education, so as to better accommodate
them. NBT results confirm the imperative need for intensive support for
Mathematics, Science and English language development. We complement
NBT results with an ‘on entrance’ survey, our Student Profile Questionnaire
(including questions on socio-economic status, study habits, travel time to
campus) which yields Faculty- and programme-specific cohort profiles which
Faculties are finding of increasing value. This long-term research project has
been able to identify a number of indicators which can reliably be used to
predict student success, and which allow the immediate identification of
students most likely to need additional support.
•
Our Career Services Unit is addressing one other major challenge, the fact that
many entrants, due to lack of information about possible careers and
associated study paths, find themselves registered for inappropriate
qualifications, which students regularly mention in exit interviews as a primary
reason for dropout. Career Services has conceptualised an encompassing
approach which includes virtual career information available through the UJ
portal, the development of an innovative information booklet targeting Grade 11
learners, and a community outreach initiative to Soweto feeder schools, which
trains selected Grade 11 learners as ‘career informants’ for their peers.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Our compulsory Orientation programme, run by all faculties to address the
specific needs of their entrants, encompasses both social and academic
aspects. Inadequate attendance remains a challenge; experience has shown
that it is precisely those students who would most benefit from orientation who
have yet to finalise their funding or their registration, and who often arrive on
campus only once classes have started. Consideration is again being given to
awarding degree/diploma credit points for Orientation, as piloted by one Faculty
with very promising results.
Orientation may however result in information overload. We have responded
with what is termed ‘extended Orientation’: the continuation of the orienting
process throughout the first semester, and in some cases into the second
semester. Extended Orientation seeks to integrate the academic requirements
for ‘being a successful student’ into core first year modules: issues such as
staff expectations, academic norms, time management etc.
Students tend to respond positively to peer-taught tutorials, and in our
enhanced tutorial programme Faculty staff members collaborate with teams of
well-trained tutors and the Tutor Development Unit. Feedback during 2012
confirmed improved compliance with the UJ Policy on Tutors and Tutoring.
Our SAFENET project identifies ‘at risk’ students early in the semester and
offers additional support. We complement the concept of ‘at risk’ students with
that of ‘at risk’ modules with high failure rates, and ensure that content, success
rates, and pedagogies are scrutinised and if necessary rethought.
With the active assistance of the Executive Director Student Affairs, an
academic excellence project has been initiated in the residences, with
mentoring of groups of entrants by senior students, who ensure that entrants
understand academic norms and expectations, and attend classes, the regular
evening study periods, and the occasional residence presentation or workshop
on topical issues. Attention is also being paid to Risky Student Behaviour, as
also impacting negatively on student performance.
Again with the assistance of the Executive Director Student Affairs, a psychosocial ‘safety network’ is being implemented, which seeks to address the
growing challenge of student hunger; the Centre for Psychological Services
and Career Development plays a major role in this, with trained ‘Peer Buddies’
acting as outreach into faculties and residences and guiding students in need
to PsyCaD services.
A UJ Strategy on English Language Development, which requires all first year
curricula to include some form of language development, was approved by
Senate during 2012, and is being implemented incrementally.
The umbrella initiative of FYE with its focus on students and their needs is, however,
complemented by much other work undertaken in ADS, which in a variety of ways
sensitises and equips teaching staff to respond to student needs. The Access wing
of our Academic Development Centre has gained national renown for the success of
its numerous extended curricula, and their innovative approaches are increasingly of
interest to mainstream teaching. At the same time, partnerships between Academic
Development Centre staff and mainstream staff are proving increasingly productive,
in the fields of academic literacy, learning development and tutor development. The
Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development focuses strongly on equipping
both new and more experienced staff to deal with today’s changed student cohorts;
the newly introduced ADS Curriculum Project prioritises curriculum responsiveness
12
and conceptualises learning as becoming a practitioner of a knowledge and
professional domain. CenTAL (now under a new Director and with the new name
Centre for Academic Technologies - CAT) is prioritising authentic learning and active
student engagement in burgeoning approaches to learning with technology. Overall,
the focus is increasingly on integrating the academic development of students into
existing mainstream modules, an approach which has been shown to promote
transfer into disciplinary studies.
Risks associated with constantly growing demands on ADS staff: staff morale,
workload and wellness issues
UJ’s broad commitment to access of necessity brings with it additional workload and
costs. The past few years have seen a much-needed change in institutional mindset as regards teaching, and an enhanced awareness of the competencies and
needs of entrants – but effective teaching approaches tend at the same time to be
labour-intensive, with increasing demands being made to ADS staff for assistance.
The growing demand for learning with technology has this year necessitated a
complete transformation of CenTAL’s developmental approaches, again with a
heavy associated workload. ADS staff understand clearly that, to be effective, their
work must be underpinned by research, which also impacts on workloads. Staff
morale in sections of ADS has been impacted on by delays in resolving unclarities
relating to Conditions of Service, and it remains difficult to attract, and retain, wellqualified staff, although a satisfactory diversity profile is being maintained; however,
career pathing and promotion, which have now become possible, are expected to
have a positive impact. The introduction of professional Conditions of Service is still
outstanding and undoubtedly results in higher staff turnover in Centres such as
PsyCaD.
•
Careful management of staff workloads.
•
A conscious search for ways to promote staff wellness, led by PsyCaD staff.
•
A change in marketing perspective to a ‘we work in partnership with you’
approach.
•
An increased focus on familiarisation of faculty teaching staff with studentoriented approaches, rather than simply on delivery (by ADS) of modules to
students by means of these approaches.
•
Adequate ADS leadership on all campuses.
•
Staff development within ADS, so that more ADS staff are able to take on a
range of responsibilities.
•
More selective involvement, for instance through prioritisation of first-year risk
modules.
•
Development of further research capacity within ADS.
•
Conscious pursuit of promotion possibilities for ADS staff: staff will need to be
positioned and developed for promotion, in terms of the required teaching and
research profiles.
•
Liaison with Human Resources, to expedite the prompt development of
professional Conditions of Service.
13
Risks associated with the instability of the Learning Management System
(LMS); limited staff capacity for system maintenance; and power failures
After the challenges experienced during the introduction in 2011 of the new version
of the UJ LMS, Blackboard Learn 9.1, the current situation is stabile with only two
instances of system disruption reported during 2012. However, due to a lack of high
level technical skills in CAT, a single staff member, contrary to international best
practices, is responsible for the maintenance of the operating and LMS systems. We
remain strongly aware of the associated risks.
•
On-going liaison with the South African service provider.
•
Constant close attention to defects and immediate remedial actions.
•
Investigation of other feasible options that may be alternative solutions (in
addition to, or as alternatives to the single LMS).
•
Liaison with ICS, as regards staff back-up for system maintenance.
Risks associated with lack of demographically representative leadership in
ADS
Currently senior leadership is not demographically representative; succession
planning remains a key challenge. After an extensive search, a designated
appointment has now been made at middle management level, with the intention of
also filling a similar vacant post with a designated appointee; and close attention is
being paid to the development of leadership capacity.
•
Close attention to succession planning.
•
Continued development of leadership capacity at middle management level.
3. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES AND QUALITY
MANAGEMENT
Given the complexity and size of the Division of Academic Development and
Support, coherence is supported by several formally constituted ADS Committees,
including a representative ADS ExCo, and by common procedures and practices.
The Division is managed through a monthly Executive Committee meeting chaired
by the Executive Director, and attended by representatives from each Centre and a
representative of all administrative staff in the Division, as well as the four Directors.
In selecting representatives, attention is paid to diversity. All members are invited to
contribute agenda items, and Centre representatives are specifically urged to take
on the role of liaison between Centre staff members and the Committee, and to
contribute actively to ExCo discussions. The ADS HR Business Partner is also
invited to Executive Committee meetings, and a First Year Experience report is a
standing item.
Several ADS subcommittees report to the Executive Committee and are chaired
either by a Director, or by a staff member with special expertise in the respective
field. These Subcommittees are presently: Research and Ethics; Quality Promotion;
14
and Marketing, with a Community Engagement subcommittee under development.
The Professional Development and Collaboration Committee established in 2011
was disbanded; a Community Engagement community is under development.
These matters will be dealt with in detail below. A meeting of Directors and financial
administrators with the ADS Finance Business Partner takes place monthly, or in
terms of need.
All ADS staff members are invited to a twice yearly general staff meeting, at which
matters of general interest (including the ADS Strategic Plan) are reported on,
discussed and/or endorsed, generally followed by an activity relating to
transformation. Attendance at these meetings is good.
Each Centre has its own governance structure and quality management processes,
with committee and staff meetings scheduled in terms of its specific needs.
Activities in the Division continued to be guided by the three-year Strategic Plan
(2010 – 2012) which was finalised during 2009. Within this framework, progress
against the focused strategies addressed during 2011 was evaluated, and a revised
list of strategies was established for 2012.
4. STRATEGIC THRUSTS AND TARGETS
The ADS goals seek to support the academic project at UJ, by:
1.
Developing and implementing an ADS framework that is aligned with the UJ
teaching philosophy and facilitates integration within the Division and with
Faculties.
2.
Foregrounding 21st century skills for UJ staff and students.
3.
Exploring alternative models of academic and educational development in
collaboration with the Faculties.
4.
Providing professional development in support of the learning-to-be teaching
philosophy.
5.
Providing a foundation of psycho-social-cultural, academic and career services
to support UJ students and staff.
6.
Developing a community of practice to support an enhanced research ethos in
ADS.
7.
Running the Division effectively through consensus-building, so as to receive
full and professional commitment from ADS staff.
These goals are closely aligned with the UJ Strategic Thrusts. They speak first and
foremost to Thrust 1, through the underlying focus on teaching and learning and the
excellence of the modules offered by ADS, and through the growing focus on
evidence-based research. ADS goals also contribute to Thrusts 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8, as
follows:
Thrust 2: Many of the extended curricula offered through ADS are technologyfocused.
Thrust 3: We ensure appropriate presence and sound leadership of ADS Centres on
all campuses.
Thrust 5: The extended curricula offered through ADS are known for their excellence
and accessibility; and our other Centres support the accessibility of UJ programmes.
15
Thrust 6: ADS staff in leadership positions have become known, both on and off
campus, nationally and internationally.
Thrust 8: Staff in ADS are supported and developed, to ensure that they are fully
able to respond to the demands of their positions. CenTAL promotes the availability
of open and ubiquitous information and communication technology.
Through the FYE programme and the Division’s overall focus on teaching and
learning and student success, ADS contributes to the following two goals on the UJ
Scorecard: to Teaching effectiveness, Goal 3: Graduate output: undergraduate; and
to Goal 18, Graduate employability; and, through the Staff Qualifications Programme
for doctoral support, to Goal 16, Number of staff registered for doctoral programmes.
5. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
5.1
Human resource management
ADS Overall Equity Profile (January to December 2012)
Foreign
Nationals
Black
White
Total
African
Other
Total
Grand Total
Disabled
Black
White
Foreign
Nationals
Disabled
Percentages
Academic Development &
Support
52
44
96
3
1
4
100
1
52
44
4
1
DOE
8
3
11
2
1
3
14
0
57
21
21
0
Faculty/Division
ADS Overall Appointment Figures (January to December 2012)
Foreign
Nationals
Black
White
Total
African
Other
Total
Grand Total
Disabled
Black
White
Foreign
Nationals
Disabled
10
2
12
1
0
1
13
0
76.92
15.38
7.69
0
Faculty/Division
Support
Percentages
ADS Overall Resignations (January to December 2012)
Foreign
Nationals
Total
Grand Total
1
14
16
Disabled
Other
1
Foreign
Nationals
African
0
White
Total
13
Black
White
4
Disabled
Black
9
Faculty/Division
Support
Percentages
64.29
28.57
7.69
0
The number of resignations of black staff is disappointing; these figures include one
death and one dismissal. Resignations are, however, always due to better career
opportunities, family relocation, opening of private psychological practice etc.
In making appointments, ADS focuses strongly on maximising the appointment of
well-qualified designated applicants. The posts of eight long-standing so-called
‘DOE appointees’, who were hitherto on repeated contract appointments against the
DHET grant for delivery of the extended curricula, have now been converted to
permanent posts, with effect from March 2013. Care is taken to ensure the
appropriate induction of new staff; and the Executive Director meets twice with every
new appointee, during the first year of appointment, to ensure that staff are well
settled, feel welcome, and are positioned for further development.
ADS has experienced serious challenges in making new appointments at leadership
level, let alone designated appointments at leadership level. With the retirement of
the present Executive Director scheduled for the end of October 2012, a lengthy
search for a person of adequate experience to take on this role has not yet been
successful, and the appointment of the present Executive Director has been
extended. A lengthy and repeated search to fill the post of Director of the Academic
Development Centre (the post remained vacant for a full year) finally resulted in the
appointment of a white male, in acting capacity; a process to take this appointment
further will take place in early 2013. A lengthy search for a suitable incumbent for
the vacant Head post at P6 level in ADC was successful, with a designated
appointment being made. We are now taking a longer-term perspective and
focusing on developing our own staff to achieve designated leadership in ADS, in the
coming years.
Attention is being paid to staff development: one member of ADC completed her
Master’s degree during 2012, and two doctorates, both in ADC, have been
completed. Several staff have participated in the SANTRUST programme, and
around 15 members of staff are currently registered for doctoral degrees. We are
seeking to build further capacity through considered delegation of responsibilities, for
instance through the involvement of more staff in selection committees.
A matter of concern and challenge has been the failure to implement the Senex
decision from October 2011, stating that selected ADS staff with teaching
responsibilities should be transitioned to academic conditions of service. After
further discussion the intention is now to draw on the HEMIS categories of staff, and
in particular to utilise the category of ‘specialist / support professional’ for appropriate
highly-qualified ADS staff. This will require the development of new conditions of
service for this new appointment category, which, it is envisaged, with include the
privilege of sabbatical leave for staff engaged in research (as is essential to ensure
the quality of our educational interventions) and the possibility of career pathing,
matters of considerable importance for staff retention.
17
5.2
Financial Resource Management
AN ABRIDGED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT OF
THE DIVISION OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR 2012
Cost Centre: 05 05 140501 20
Entity
number
Income
16100
Interdepartmental sales
Budget
Income
-
Sundry income
SUB TOTAL
-
Entity
number
Expenditure
31000
Personnel Remuneration
Budget
Amount Spent
31200
Salaries
R 46,310,396.00
R 47,510,029.00
31300
Temporary salaries
R 11,760,995.00
R 10,347,647.00
31400/31500
Other
R 589,965.00
R 496,839.00
R 58,661,356.00
R 58,354,515.00
SUB TOTAL
33300 - 40350
Restricted Budget
R 4,507,478.00
R 4,528,352.00
32800 - 41900
Operating Costs
R 4,689,603.00
R 3,770,646.00
44300 - 44700
Capital Expenditure
R 683,825.00
R 807,498.00
R 9,880,906.00
R 9,106,496.00
R 68,542,262.00
R 67,461,011.00
SUB TOTAL
TOTAL
6. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
This matter has been discussed at a staff meeting, and staff have been requested to
pay attention to recycling of paper and cartridges, to switching off lights etc.
7. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
ADS stakeholders are in principle staff and students at UJ. Our work involves close
relationships with all Faculties, which we seek to manage by means of informal
partnerships around specific projects. Our work impacts directly and indirectly on
very many of UJ’s students.
Our external stakeholders include in particular schools: PsyCaD has developed
partnerships with selected Soweto schools, in connection with their career
information project.
One of our main professional associations is Higher Education Teaching and
Learning South Africa (Heltasa), and we have promoted the introduction of a number
of Special Interest Groups, through which relationships with cognate experts from
other higher education institutions are maintained. Dr van Zyl convenes the SIG on
First Year Student Success, Ms Jenni Underhill convenes the SIG on Tutoring, and
18
Ms Charlotte van der Merwe is a member of the Professional Academic Staff
Development SIG.
Community engagement: Community engagement has hitherto been undertaken
on an ad hoc basis by various committed members of ADS. During 2012 a working
group sought to draw together these several initiatives into a more focused
approach, with presentations being made to the General Staff Meetings in June and
November; this process will continue during 2013. In their various Community
Engagement projects ADS staff members have sought to draw on their professional
skills and to offer various types of training, or psychological and career support, at a
number of secondary and primary schools and at Krugersdorp Correctional Services.
In addition the PsyCaD Peer Buddies and the intern psychologists are encouraged to
develop community engagement projects during the course of each year.
8. RESEARCH IN ADS
For several years ADS has focused on developing research capacity among its staff
members, with the goal of equipping staff to pursue an evidence-based research
agenda which will allow our practices to be assessed and, if necessary, transformed.
During 2012 considerable progress was made in this regard. Priority areas for ADS
research were mapped out, as follows:
•
Appropriate pedagogy for the 21st century;
•
Language development for 1st year students at UJ;
•
Research methodology;
•
Scholarship and teaching;
•
First year success;
•
Psycho-social studies.
Two of the ADS Directors are now rated researchers and hence well able to lead
research development in ADS. Two Writing Retreats were held, to assist staff in
finalizing publications, and ADS was able to report a total of 17 accredited
publications for 2012. (Publications are listed in detail in Centre reports.) Around 60
members of staff made presentations at conferences, including international
conferences. In addition, an active Scholarship of Teaching and Learning working
group has been established and has attracted considerable interest from faculty
staff, as well as a first year success research group, which will seek to encourage
and strengthen research concerning first year students at UJ. Finally, ADS has
appointed its first Visiting Research Associate: Prof Cecile Badenhorst from the
Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.
9. LEADERSHIP FOOTPRINT
ADS and its several leaders are well known and well respected in the institution,
where they have made a substantial contribution to policy and practice around
teaching and learning, and around the student experience more broadly. Particularly
notable areas include matters associated with the First Year Experience, where the
position of First Year Experience Coordinator has been established as that of a
19
functional expert in all matters relating to first year success. In addition, PsyCaD is
known for expertise on a broad range of issues of a psychological nature, with
Professor Gertie Pretorius being consulted regularly by HR, Employee Relations and
Student Affairs, and by some Executive Deans and Executive Directors. In matters
relating to the use of ICTs, Professor Alan Amory has made a signal contribution to
UJ’s ICT Advisory Group, as it continues to develop policy and practices around the
roles of ICTs on campus.
Our research footprint is expanding: two of the ADS Directors are now NRF rated
researchers, and well respected in their fields. Professor Gertie Pretorius supervises
doctoral students on a regular basis, regularly acts as external examiner, reviews
journal articles for a variety of Psychology journals, is the current Executive Editor of
the Journal of Counselling and Development in Education Southern Africa (JCDHE),
and makes regular international conference presentations in her field of expertise,
violence and gender issues. Professor Alan Amory received his NRF research rating
during the course of the year and continued with his research on computer games as
educational tools, concentrating on developing frameworks to support the design,
construction, evaluation and use of computer games in teaching and learning, as
well as on the development and critical appraisal of other educational technologies.
Our visibility in and impact on civil society has expanded during the year. In her
capacity as an educational and language specialist, Professor Clarence-Fincham
was invited as a member of the national working group developing the flexible fouryear curriculum in Science, and as a member of the HEQC Accreditation Committee.
She took on the role of facilitator for the NUFFIC “Strengthening doctoral
supervision” accredited module, which is to be offered through Rhodes University. In
addition, she was invited to conduct a survey into the status of teaching and learning
on the Vaal and Mafeking campuses at North West University. Professor Gertie
Pretorius continued her long-standing membership of the Professional Board for
Psychology; during 2010, she was appointed by the Minister of Health to serve a
second term on the Board. She is currently the Vice Chairperson of the Board and
serves in a leadership capacity in many areas, especially the accreditation of training
programs for Psychologists, Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists, policy
formation regarding the Scope of Practice and the Scope of the Profession of
Psychology, Ethical issues and disciplinary matters. In addition, Directors of Centres
for Student Counselling and Career Development of many South African Universities
often contact her regarding conceptual and managerial issues. The South African
Association for Counselling and Career Development in Higher Education
(SAACDHE), also often seeks her inputs . Dr van Zyl has become known as a
national leader in the First Year Experience Programme, and has made
presentations at 13 schools and at teachers’ conferences and an FET conference.
He was invited to represent Africa on a panel at the annual Conference of the
International First Year Experience Association, and has subsequently been invited
to deliver a plenary lecture at the European First Year Experience Conference. In
addition, a case study on the UJ FYE has been solicited for a UK book publication on
strategies for improving student success. In addition, the Access wing in ADC,
headed by Mrs Maxine Shandler is regularly consulted by other universities, as is our
Unit for Tutor Development.
20
10. TRANSFORMATION IN ADS
Two of the themes in the UJ Transformation Plan, ‘Academic excellence’, and ‘A
student-centred and caring institution’, are central to the daily work of ADS staff
members, and are therefore being reported on in other sections of this report. At the
same time, in terms of the Employment Equity theme in the Transformation Plan,
ADS focuses strongly on maximising the appointment and retention of well-qualified
designated applicants. A particular focus is on developing designated leadership for
ADS.
Here the focus is therefore on initiatives which seek to bring about increased
transformation within ADS.
During 2012 transformation within ADS was
foregrounded by establishing a broader Transformation Working Group, with
volunteer representatives from all Centres and all campuses. The group evolved
gradually during the year, and focused on exploring ways of talking about difficult
issues which are usually glossed over, and on the Transformation Plan theme of
‘Transformational leadership, governance and management’. Discussion focused on
the need for greater transparency as regards the budgeting process and
appointments in ADS; as a result presentations on these two topics were made at
the June General Staff Meeting, and Drop Box access to ADS Minutes and
documentation has been arranged for all staff. To foreground inclusivity, ‘Safe Zone’
posters have been produced, to go up on appropriate office doors; Safe Zone
states: ‘This space respects people of all sexual orientations, gender expressions,
ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, abilities and health status.’ The
Working Group has conceptualised a programme around Diversity Education for
2013, which is likely to include exploration of themes and scenarios, rather than
workshop type approaches.
11. CHANGES AT THE END OF 2012
The end of 2012 saw a substantial change in the ADS Division: the dissolution of the
Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development. On the recommendation of
the MEC, the Staff Qualifications Programme, hitherto managed primarily from within
CPASD, was fully transferred to the Postgraduate Centre, and this included the
transfer of three valued members of CPASD staff: the Director of the CPASD, Dr
Riette de Lange, Ms Pia Lamberti, who had driven the Staff Qualifications
Programme since its inception and had conceptualised the very successful research
development workshops; and the SQP administrator, Ms Tinyiko Shilenge. It was
then agreed that the CPASD, being now reduced to four members of staff, should be
consolidated with the Academic Development Centre, in view of the growth of staff
development in the ADC. In this way the staff development function, which has
grown significantly in importance over the past five years, could be substantially
strengthened by the very useful synergies which would now fully emerge between
these two Centres.
Dr de Lange is sincerely thanked for her substantial contribution over the past five
years; under her leadership the CPASD grew in stature and became known for its
valuable contributions to quality staff development at UJ.
21
In the following, the annual report of each of the four Centres is now presented in
turn.
22
CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGIES
(CAT)
1. STRATEGIC PLAN
CAT’s vision
CAT’s vision is to promote the integration and innovative use of technologies in
teaching, learning, assessment and research practices at the University of
Johannesburg. CAT’s vision and strategic goals support the implementation of UJ’s
teaching and learning policies, strategy and philosophy. CAT makes active
contributions towards teaching excellence as well as making substantive and direct
contributions to the strategic thrusts of UJ for 2020.
CAT’s strategic goals aligned with ADS goals for 2012 included:
•
Developing and implementing a CAT framework that is aligned with the UJ
Faculties.
•
•
philosophy.
•
Developing research skills to enhanced research ethos in CAT.
•
Running the Centre effectively through consensus building, so as to receive full
and professional commitment from CAT staff.
More specifically, with the reformulation of CenTAL as the Centre for Academic
Technologies, a number of core principles and values were defined:
•
Purpose – Promote the use of innovative and evolving academic technologies;
•
Vision – 21st century skilled academia;
•
Brand – Smart use of academic technologies; and
•
Values – Innovation, openness, simplicity, collaboration and cross-pollination,
adaptability to rapid change, and forgiveness.
CAT’s core business and strategic plan
CAT plays an important role in supporting the use of technology in teaching, learning
and assessment. The core business is, therefore, to identify, deploy, manage and
support appropriate educational technologies that are included into four main areas:
•
Community Support and Development;
•
Teaching and Learning Consultancy;
•
Technical Support and Development; and
•
Process Management and Administration.
The objectives that support the work of each of these components are to:
•
Provide scaffolded and just-in-time support;
•
Drive transformative learning practices;
•
Promote the use of cross-platform applets; and
•
Support community-based management processes.
23
In addition, the professional development of CAT staff is an important component of
CAT’s core business.
Each of the core activities is reported below (see Section 3).
2. EMPLOYEE PROFILE ANALYSIS
During 2012 Mr Lufuno Mamathuntsha joined CAT as part of Community Support
and Development to help students resolve problems they have with the online
learning system and to support the development of just-in-time support materials.
The staff and management structure is given in the organogram and the analysis of
CAT’s equity profile is presented.
2.1
Organogram
Director: CAT
Prof Alan Amory
(N2253)
Process
Management
and Administration
Teaching and
Learning
Consultancy
Technical Support
and Development
Community
Support
and Development
Ms R Bosman (N2256)
Dr W Elston (N2224)
Ms HD Geldenhuys (N2252)
Ms V Groenewald (N2264)
Ms F Janse van Vuuren
(N2251)
Ms ML Leeuw (N2263)
Ms N Agherdien (N2262)
Dr A Louw (N2703)
Ms P Motshoane (N2260)
Ms A Mphahlele (N2257)
Ms ED Pretorius (N2259)
Ms B Vilakazi (N2270)
Ms AM Coetzee (N2265)
Mr WE Geldenhuys (N2268)
Ms J Mabulele (N0529)
Mr R Mkhabela (N2267)
Mr R Mokwele (N0514)
Ms E Mthembu (N2260)
Mr F van Zyl (N2269)
Mr B Malapela (N2271)
Mr L Mamathuntsha
(N2270)
Mr RH Molepo (N2252)
Ms K Steenkamp (N2254)
24
2.2
Equity Profile
P5:
Director
P6:
Systems Administrator, Project Manager,
Senior Instructional Designer,
Manager: Learning Technologies
4
3
P11 - P15:
Beverage Assistant
1
1
3
6
2
11
Total
1
12
3
4
1
5
6
4
4
2
8
1
1
15
24
6
24
2
2
Total
1
1
1
Female
1
1
2
1
Male
Disabilities
Foreign nat.
1
P7:
Instructional Designer
P8:
Senior Instructional Developer, Quality Care
Practitioner, Specialist Assistant
P9 - P10:
Client Supporter, System Supporter, Audio
and Video Developer, Multimedia Designer,
Secretary, Videoconference Technician,
Senior Client Supporter
Subtotal
White
Indian
Coloured
Centre for Academic Technologies
Employees:
African
Equity analysis of CAT staff members
9
24
24
3. CLIENT PROFILE AND CORE BUSINESS ANALYSIS
3.1
Community Support and Development
The approaches used and services provided by the Community Support and
Development group are summarised in the table below. Previously two routes to aid
the academic community were provided by CenTAL: student and staff support, and
training workshops.
A new approach to provide staff and student support is centred on a single help
desk, supported by a modern “ticketing” software system to monitor, manage and
track queries. However, self-service and online resources to develop technical skills
will be deployed at the start of 2013. The first is a mobile application for
smartphones that includes solutions to the problems most often experienced by staff
and students (uHelp – Mobile). Additional support from this application can be
obtained by sending an SMS or email to the help desk, or by making a phone call.
The second self-development service available is a comprehensive website to help
staff involved in the development of Blackboard modules (uHelp – Web). Therefore,
25
support is now provided via a mobile app, a website, and multiple routes to an
integrated help desk where, when necessary, problems might be solved through
one-on-one interactions.
Services provided by the Community Support and Development group
Phone
uHelp –
Mobile
uHelp – Web
SMS
Email
Computer skills
development
FYS skills
development
Phone
Students
uHelp –
Mobile
Individual specialised support
Staff
CAT Help desk
Community Support and Development
To provide scaffolded and just-in-time support
Pedagogical skill
development
SMS
Email
New service
Redesigned
service
Existing service
With respect to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy a number
of interventions are available. Firstly, during the First Year Seminar, workshops in
ICT and Blackboard literacy are provided. These are extended to a number of
workshops available during timetabled term time to both students and staff. For the
support of teaching with technology a new staff development workshop has been
developed, tested and implemented (table above).
CAT offers interventions to students on various levels ranging from computer
proficiency testing and training to Edulink/Blackboard usage. Not only do these
interventions assist the students in their academic development, but they also
contribute to the students’ preparation for their intended world of work. The following
interventions by CAT help students to become computer literate and Edulink/
Blackboard-efficient, to ensure that they are equipped to actively participate in their
online learning modules:
•
Assessment of computer proficiency levels of first-year students during First
Year Orientation (FYO).
•
Development of computer literacy skills during follow-up training sessions.
•
Introduction and orientation of students to the use of the Edulink/Blackboard
online learning environment, including the use of Turnitin when submitting their
assignments, chapters of their dissertations and doctoral theses.
•
The design, development, acquisition and provision of training and online
resources available for support, e.g. Windows, Internet Explorer, MS Office
2007, Edulink/Blackboard FAQs and “How to” resources, and downloadable
audio and video clips.
26
Students enter UJ with different levels of computer proficiency. This is one of the
areas of risk that has been identified as a UJ concern that needs to be addressed
university-wide. While many students need an initial introduction to the use of
computers, even those who have grown up with computers require assistance in
developing the types of computer skills required for Higher Education.
CAT’s first intervention for the year took place during the FYO weeks at the end of
January 2012 and included computer proficiency testing of all first-year entrants.
Those who did not obtain an average of 80% were required to attend a compulsory
computer skills training session. This was followed by a compulsory session of
Edulink/Blackboard training for all entrants. This comprehensive task was scheduled
over two weeks in 25 venues on all 4 campuses. All CAT staff members were
involved and in addition, 35 more presenters and assistants were employed on a
temporary basis to handle the considerable numbers of entrants.
The following sessions were conducted during the two-week FYO period on all four
campuses:
•
Compulsory sessions for basic computer proficiency testing for all first-year
students.
•
Compulsory computer skills training sessions for all students who attained less
than 80% in the proficiency testing.
•
Compulsory sessions in the use of Edulink/Blackboard for all first-year
students. During these sessions, students were also required to complete a
Student Profile questionnaire as part of the University’s First Year Experience
(FYE) project.
•
Edulink/Blackboard training and computer skills development after the FYE
(Extended Orientation sessions).
FY0 2012: Attendance
Faculty
Art, Design and Architecture
Economic and Financial Sciences
Education
Engineering and the Built
Environment
Health Sciences
Humanities
Edulink training
sessions
Computer skills
training
sessions
Campus
366
28
APB
886
355
APK
318
138
SWC
430
260
APK
93
53
SWC
549
180
DFC
240
166
APK
239
140
APK
239
140
APB
356
298
DFC
419
249
APK
60
45
APB
168
53
SWC
27
Faculty
Edulink training
sessions
Computer skills
training
sessions
Campus
220
80
APK
325
97
APK
300
80
APB
143
81
SWC
514
44
APK
181
55
DFC
6046
2542
Law
Management
Science
Total
Recorded Computer Skills assessment attempts: 5 596 (92.5% of students who attended)
Average score for skills assessment: 72%
Less than 80% for skills assessment: 2 698 (48.2% of recorded attempts)
80% and higher for skills assessment: 2 550 (45.6% of recorded attempts)
MIS first year registrations: 13 253
Attendance of Edulink training sessions: 46% of registered students
Attendance of Computer Skills training sessions: 19% of registered students
Number of senior students trained and appointed as facilitators and assistants (FYO
2012): 61
Students who obtained less than 80% for the computer skills assessment after
attending a 3-hour computer skills session, were invited to attend a 10-hour short
course in computer skills. This short course was presented on two Saturdays, i.e. 4
and 11 February 2012.
Attendance of short course
Expected number of
students
Number of students
who attended
DFC
98
46
SWC
46
26
APB
60
48
APK
185
130
Total
389
250
Campus
Computer skills
assessment average
77.5%
Extended orientation computer proficiency and Edulink/Blackboard skills
First-year students
Senior students
Total
Description
APK
APB
Basic Computer Skills
1
1
Edulink Orientation
6
1
DFC
SWC
APK
APB
DFC
1
3
28
SWC
3
8
1
3
22
First-year students
Senior students
Total
Description
APK
Combined Computer
Skills and Edulink
Orientation
APB
DFC
SWC
1
Total sessions
7
3
Basic Computer Skills
1
3
Edulink Orientation
15
102
3.2
APB
DFC
SWC
2
3
1
10
3
1
3
-
111
32
27
57
449
122
16
105
32
111
28
115
216
Combined Computer
Skills and Edulink
Orientation
Total students
APK
338
122
27
57
-
686
Teaching and Learning Consultancy
The TLC group provides the theoretical and practical approaches to the use of
technology in the classroom to support learning, teaching, assessment and
management (table below). A collaborative-authentic learning tool [technology]mediated framework is the foundation of the approach. The purpose of the
framework is to support the transformation of teaching and learning practices at the
University of Johannesburg, but it is neither prescriptive nor part of policy. The
intention of the workshop is to model an approach that supports contemporary
pedagogical approaches that are aligned with the institutional teaching and learning
philosophy. The CAT framework, to support the one-day workshop, is explained in
an easy-to-read z-folder and summarised in a single page hand-out.
Services provided by the Teaching and Learning Consultancy group
29
Collaborative - Authentic Task - Tool Mediation (CAT) framework
30
In addition, Blackboard was well supported during 2012. All nine Faculties made use
of online courses to a lesser (Law and FADA) or greater (Management and
Humanities) extent. However, these patterns may be due to the different size of
each Faculty.
Use of Blackboard resources by Faculty
Faculty
Departments
Modules
Instructors*
Management
14
610
221
Humanities
17
324
189
9
270
189
Science
15
251
165
Engineering and the Built Environment
15
297
152
Health Sciences
17
222
66
Education
5
98
55
Law
6
46
41
5
33
13
103
2151
1 091
Total 2011
78
1 570
8 753
Total 2010
78
1 570
4 478
Total 2009
78
1 570
4 478
Total 2012
* - More than one instructor (lecturer) can have access to a module. The instructor count for 2012 is for unique
instructors and is therefore less.
Staff and students made substantial use of the plagiarism detection tool (Turnitin)
during 2012.
Use of Turnitin
Year
Students
Turnitin
submissions
Similarity categories within Originality
Reports *
75-100%
50-74%
25-49%
0-24%
2006
475
497
20
28
60
359
2007
7 674
8 697
626
545
1 639
4 809
2008
11 523
10 311
647
908
2 311
5 455
2009
12 692
18 446
1 991
1 744
4 098
9 217
2010
11 880
21 522
1 346
1 744
4 665
11 139
2011
17 312
23 677
1 420
1 961
5 378
13 385
2012
18 640
33 690
1 701
2 193
6 402
20 148
31
With respect to staff professional development, a new workshop system was
developed in the second half of 2012. Thirty-seven University of Johannesburg staff
members participated in these workshops and provided valuable positive feedback.
This professional development workshop on the use of technology in curricula will
become part of an intensive development campaign during 2013.
3.3
Technical Support and Development
Services provided by the Technical Support and Development group
Plagiarism
support
iThenticate
uHelp – Web
Research
Research
submission
Blackboard
Staff
Module
management
Blackboard
Technology Support and Development
To provide the use of cross-platform applets
Research
software
Blackboard
Learn’s Mobi
Modules
uHelp –
Mobile
Communities
Library –
Mobile
Announcement
UJ’s Mobile*
Collaboration
support
Module
cloning
Blackboard
Central
Viper
uLink
Students
Plagiarism
support
DOC-Cop
E-rater
Turnitin
New service
Redesigned
service
Existing service
The Technical Support and Development group provides all the tools, software and
the ICT environment to support a “learning with technology” position. During 2012
CAT offered Blackboard and Turnitin as the primary tools to support teaching and
learning. However, current technological developments will provide the University of
Johannesburg with a number of different services to improve the access to
resources and tools. These developments (table above) are grouped into a number
of categories, including:
•
Integration of existing services;
•
Blackboard services;
32
•
•
•
Mobile tools and applications;
Tools to teach students to write better academic English; and
Research.
The uLink portal integrates the existing Student Portal and Edulink with new services
in a “finger-ready” user interface. This portal includes applications, resources and
tools aimed at either students or staff.
While Blackboard Learn is the institutional learning management system, the system
will be enhanced to include collaborative tools, segregated access to the different
functionalities of the system (Modules, Communities and Announcements) and a
number of specialised tools (creation, cloning, maintenance and deletion) for
academics to manage their modules.
The range of services accessible via mobile devices is greatly enhanced.
Blackboard Learn Mobile will be available from 2013 both as a stand-alone app and
as a module in the Blackboard Central application. The uHelp app will also be
deployed as a stand-alone product and as a module in Blackboard Central. In
addition, existing services (UJ’s and the Library’s mobi sites) were redesigned to
create a similar look-and-feel across all UJ’s mobile applications. But the largest
development, implemented during the latter part of 2012 and early months of 2013,
is Blackboard Central. This application includes 12 services to support all
communities interested in the activities at the University of Johannesburg. Within
just a few months UJ will have a substantial presence in the mobile market.
To support students and staff in writing good academic English, a number of tools
are available from 2013. Tools available to undergraduate students not in their final
year of study include Viper and DOC Cop, Turnitin to final year undergraduate and
Honours students, and iThenticate services to support postgraduate and staff
members.
With respect to research production at UJ two services are available from CAT,
including an academic software library and a tool to capture accredited and nonaccredited research output for funding and archival purposes.
3.4
Summary of Services developed during 2012 for 2013
Access
We have created a new portal, uLink, to prepare for a mobile future
and to merge all university-wide services into one integrated website.
No more Student Portal or Edulink, just ulink.uj.ac.za.
To help you solve those technical, and other, problems we created a
tool available either on your smartphone or as a website. uHelp
(uhelp.uj.ac.za) should be the first place you visit when you are faced
with a technical problem. uHelp will also be part of uGo.
33
All your online modules are now accessible on a smartphone. You
need to visit your app store, search for Blackboard Mobile and then
install the app. We refer to this app as uLearn. To gain access to your
course, type in University of Johannesburg and use your normal login
credentials to gain access.
uGo is a new mobile app developed specifically for us. You will be
able to use uLearn, discover all the programmes and courses we offer,
and gain access to the library services, UJ events, staff directory,
news, emergency contacts and uHelp.
Blackboard
With the demise of Edulink, we hope to make your interactions with
Blackboard easier.
In uLink you find links to your modules,
communities and announcements. In addition, staff members will have
new tools, course management and cloning, to make it easier to
manage your modules. The new component that supports different
types of interactions and communication will be part of the tools that
you can use to build a module.
Academic writing and research
We are introducing a number of software applications to support the
development of academic writing. We suggest that undergraduate
students use DOC Cop, Viper and SafeAssign; final year undergraduates and Honours students should make use of Turnitin; and for
postgraduate students and staff we recommend iThenticate. You can
use e-rater to analyse academic language skills and suggest possible
solutions.
Researchers can download and install research software including
SPSS, AMOS, ATLAS.ti, STATA and Acrobat Professional. Visit uLink
to gain access to the software licence management system.
We have developed an easy-to-use online system to help researchers
submit accredited and non-accredited research products. No more
paper forms – just fill in the information and attach the required
documents. Gain access to the e-submission system via uLink.
Professional and skills development
We have spent much of 2012 building a framework to support the use
of technology to support the institutional teaching and learning
philosophy of learning to be. This easy-to-read description of the
framework is available now and can also be found on our website
www.uj.ac.za/cat from 2013.
34
In addition, we have produced a one-page visual representation of our
framework. The summary is available now and can also be found on
our website www.uj.ac.za/cat from 2013.
We no longer provide training in the use of Blackboard, but rather offer
professional development workshops on Learning to be with
technology. To support your technical skills you can use uHelp,
available on a smartphone and a more extensive offering on the web.
uHelp mobile is part of uGo and the web resource is accessible via
uLink. If these resources do not answer your problem, you can contact
our help desk via SMS, telephone of email. A booking form for the
workshop is available in uLink.
As usual, we will offer, as part of the First Year Seminar (FYS), IT and
Blackboard workshops during the start of the academic year. If there
are any outstanding issues related to these workshops, please contact
our help desk.
Basic computer and Blackboard literacy development available to all
staff and students. Please use the booking form available in uLink.
Online MS Office training modules are available to all students in the
Blackboard Communities in uLink.
3.5
Staff Achievements and Activities
The constant developments in the use of ICTs for education make it imperative that
CAT staff engage in research-based activities and projects, to maximise the Centre’s
constantly changing environment. Several staff members have been pursuing
different avenues as regards newer and updated technologies and strategies to
enhance teaching and learning at UJ.
The following tables give an overview of the involvement of individual staff members
in research, development and innovation activities on different levels.
Publications
Amory, A., & Molomo, B. (2012). Gendered play and evaluation of computer video
games by young South Africans. Gender, Technology and Development, 16(2), 177–
196.
Amory, A. (2012). Evaluation of a survey on the use of information and
communication technology in teaching, learning and administration in the Gauteng
35
Department of Education, South Africa. In World Conference on Educational
Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications, pp. 95–103.
Amory, A. (2012). Tool-mediated authentic learning in an educational technology
course: a designed-based innovation. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/
doi/abs/10.1080/10494820.2012.682584.
Amory, A. (2012). Instructivist ideology: education technology embracing the past?
Interactive Learning Environments, 20(1), 41–55.
Louw, A. (2012). Engaging technologies for teaching: a neuro design perspective. Emerge 2012. Retrieved from http://http://emerge2012.net/emergeconf/phase4
/ALouw/engaging%20technologies%20for%20teaching_%20a%20neuro%20design
%20perspective_A_Louw(UJ).pdf
Schoeman, H., & Louw, A. (2012). Engaging non-law students for 21st century
skills: a social media perspective. ICERI2012 Proceedings, 11–19.
Singh, V., & Amory, A. (2012). Evaluation of e-learning policy, processes and practices in a corporate environment. In World Conference on Educational Multimedia,
Hypermedia and Telecommunications, pp. 71–79.
Van Breda, A., & Agherdien, N. (2012). Promoting deep learning through personal
reflective e-journaling. Social Work Maatskaplike werk, 8(2), 126-141.
Workshops
Attendee
Workshop
Date
Puleng Motshoane
Rhodes University Pre-Doctoral workshop
12-16 March
Puleng Motshoane
Higher Education Close Up, Rhodes
University
10-13 July
Puleng Motshoane
International Association of Critical Realism
(IACR), Rhodes University
16-20 July
Retha Bosman, Puleng
Motshoane, Bella Vilakazi, Karin
Steenkamp
Up2U, UP
8 June
Alan Amory, Retha Bosman,
Franci Janse van Vuuren, Arno
Louw, Puleng Motshoane, Karin
Steenkamp, Bella Vilakazi, Wilma
Elston
Up2U, Wits
26 October
36
Conference Presentations
Name of
presenter
Title of presentation
Name of conference,
date and place
Najma Agherdien
Shaping the learning environment of
first-year students: Combining collective
space with collective learning
Alan Amory
ICT as tools to mediate knowledge
construction
Cross Faculty Postgraduate
Symposium held at STH
Bunting Road Campus, 25
October 2012
Higher Education & ICT Forum
2012, Johannesburg
Alan Amory
Evaluation of a survey on the use of
information and communication
technology in teaching, learning and
administration in the Gauteng
Department of Education, South Africa
Exploration of a technology-aligned
framework to support 21st century
teaching and learning
World Conference on
Educational Multimedia,
Hypermedia and
Telecommunications, 26-29
June 2012, Denver, USA
First UNISA International ODL
conference, 5-7 September
2012, Pretoria
Franci Janse van
Vuuren,
Hermien Geldenhuys
Crafting students towards technological
fluency as basis for quality higher
education
HELTASA 2012 Conference,
27-30 November 2012,
Stellenbosch University
Arno Louw
Engaging technologies for teaching: a
neuro design perspective
E-merge Virtual Conference, 3
July 2012, UCT, Cape Town
Arno Louw
Developing law discourse for non-law
students in an e-community of practice
Professional development of teachers
within communities of practice: The ATeam: a rainbow of reflections
EDULEARN 2012, Madrid,
Spain
20th Annual Meeting of the
Southern African Association
for Research in Mathematics,
Science and Technology
Education (SAARMSTE),
January 2012, Malawi
The University of Johannesburg
collaborative initiatives for the
development of information
management skills within the extended
degree
Learning communities for the
professional development of science
teachers
Library and Information
Association of South Africa,
October 2012, Durban
Vinolia Singh
Alan Amory
Evaluation of e-learning policy,
processes and practices in a corporate
environment
Bella Vilakazi
A call for a social realist analysis of
formative assessment
World Conference on
Educational Multimedia,
Hypermedia and
Telecommunications, 26-29
June 2012, Denver, USA
International Annual Critical
Realism Conference, July
2012, Rhodes University,
Grahamstown
Alan Amory
Erica Pretorius
Erica Pretorius
Erica Pretorius
37
Faculty of Education Research
Indaba, September 2012,
Johannesburg
Professional Development
Attendee
Workshop
Date
Wilma Elston
Franci Janse van Vuuren
Project Management, Learnfast Training
Solutions cc
13-15 June
Ferdinand van Zyl
Red Hat Certified System Administrator,
Obsidian
22 June
Mary Leeuw
HIV & Aids Training for Counselling &
Testing, Department of Health, Pretoria
9-11 July
Anna Coetzee
Julia Mabulele
Berry Malapela
Raymond Mokwele
Emily Mthembu
Web Development with HTML and CSS,
Incus Data (Pty) Ltd
27-31 August
Riot Mkhabela
Robert Molepo
PHP Advanced Training, Jumping Bean
17-20 September
Hermien Geldenhuys
Project Management, Learnfast Training
Solutions cc
19-21 September
Anna Coetzee
Julia Mabulele
Berry Malapela
Raymond Mokwele
Emily Mthembu
JavaScript for Web Developers, Incus Data
(Pty) Ltd
24-26 October
Accredited Programmes
Name of person
Programme
Institution
Najma Agherdien
PhD – Education 2012
UJ (Faculty of Education)
Anna Coetzee
Master’s Degree
Mary Leeuw
Business Administration, Witbank
Institute of Technology
February-December
Erica Pretorius
PhD – Education 2012
4. GOVERNANCE REVIEW
CAT reports to the Executive Director, Prof Elizabeth de Kadt: ADS who in turn
reports to the DVC: Academic, Prof Angina Parekh.
During the first half of 2012, working with and supported by members of Human
Resources, CenTAL members participated in a number of workshops where past
and present practices were discussed in order to re-design the units and functionality
of the Centre. This process resulted in the transformation of CenTAL into CAT
where a collaborative process management system was put in place. As a
consequence, the Centre management includes the Director and the Project Council.
38
The Director is responsible for strategic initiatives and institutional administrative
processes. The Project Council includes all members who collaboratively agree on
projects and elect to work on specific projects. Any member may act as a project
team leader, who is responsible for providing planning and support. In addition, a
project manager supports the administration and delivery of each project. Members
from each section meet monthly with the Director to discuss relevant issues and plan
strategic directions.
The CAT Advisory Board, with representatives from all Faculties and from the
Division of Information and Communication Systems, met on three occasions during
the year to discuss matters relating to Edulink/Blackboard.
CAT Staff as Union Representatives/Shop Stewards
Name of union
Staff member
SAPTU
Arno Louw, Erica Pretorius
NEHAWU
Robert Molepo
CAT involvement in University, Faculty and ADS Committees
Various staff members are members of committees within UJ and contribute
substantially towards the enhancement, marketing and growth of CAT through this
involvement as indicated below.
CAT Staff Committee Representatives
Name of committee
Staff members involved at various levels
MEC Committee for People
with Disabilities
Erica Pretorius, Arno Louw
FYE Committee
Najma Agherdien, Bella Vilakazi, Franci Janse van Vuuren, Anna
Coetzee
Faculty Teaching and
Learning Committees
Bella Vilakazi, Wilma Elston, Arno Louw, Erica Pretorius, Najma
Agherdien, Amanda Mphahlele
Safenet Project
Alan Amory
First Year Seminar
Committee
Wilma Elston, Hermien Geldenhuys
HIV and Aids Staff and Peer
Committee
Anna Coetzee, Mary Leeuw, Emily Mthembu
CAT Advisory Board
Alan Amory, Vicki-Jeanne Groenewald
ADS Research and Ethics
Committee
Arno Louw, Alan Amory
ADS Finance Committee
Alan Amory, Vicki-Jeanne Groenewald
39
ADS Executive Committee
Alan Amory, Vicki-Jeanne Groenewald, Amanda Mphahlele
ADS Marketing Committee
ADS Quality Promotion
Committee
Retha Bosman
CAT Community Engagement
Committee
Bella Vilakazi, Riana Bester, Robert Molepo, Erica Pretorius, Emily
Mthembu
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
CAT was awarded a budget of R15,578,427.51 in the 2012 budgeting round. The
HR budget (24 permanent positions) totals just above R9M; operating expenses are
budgeted at R498,159.74; and software licences at R4,820,906.04.
The technology-related aspect of the budget (previously carried elsewhere in the UJ
budgeting system, but assigned to the CAT budget from 2011) comprises the
university-wide licenses for the Blackboard Learning Management System, Turnitin,
Respondus and LockDown Browser, and MS Office and Internet Explorer online
resources acquired from Skillsoft.
THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR 2012
Cost Centre Codes utilised – 126100, 126160, 126580, 126560, 126540, 126520
Entity
number
Expenditure
31000
31200
31300
31400/31500
Salaries
Temporary Salaries
Other
SUBTOTAL
32800-41900
44300-44700
37400
Operating Costs
Capital Expenditure
Budget
Amount Spent
R 8,994,206.04
R 348,764.66
R 5,000.00
R 8,953,248.29
R 307,904.66
R 9,544.96
R 9,347,970.70
R 9,270,697.91
R 487,052.97
R 135,624.35
R 399,487.30
R 98,672.44
SUBTOTAL
R 622,677.32
R 498,159.74
Software Licenses
R 5,607,779.49
R 4,820,906.04
R 5,607,779.49
R 4,820,906.04
R 15,578,427.51
R 14,589,763.69
SUBTOTAL
TOTAL
6. QUALITY SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES
Quality assurance and planning is integrated and embedded in all CAT’s activities.
As the Centre now makes use of a project management approach, all processes are
documented and reports generated for each project are stored sequentially in Dropbox.
40
The executive summaries of projects started during 2012 are given below.
Project 2012-00A – ADC online module development: Note making
During April to September 2012 CenTAL developed an interactive PowerPoint
presentation in close collaboration with ADC on note making skills, with the view to
create an optimised online learning experience for students. The project involved
the following: finalising the storyboard written by ADC; recording of video clips;
deciding on the correct 3D characters to use; recording audio clips using two
CenTAL staff members as voice artists; synchronising the recorded conversations
with the characters’ facial movements by means of the Crazy Talk program;
interface design to facilitate navigation within the presentation; the actual
development and quality check of the slides; and publishing the final presentation in
the LEARN HOW TO LEARN Edulink Community module. In mid-September a pilot
group of tutors worked through the module, last corrections were made and by the
end of September 2012 students could sign up for the course.
Status:
Completed
Future:
No further action
Project Leader and Project Manager: Franci Janse van Vuuren
Team members:
ADC – Jacoline Opperman, Cecelia Rosa,
Soraya Motsabi
CAT – Emily Mthembu, Arno Louw, Werner
Geldenhuys, Raymond Mokwele and Bella
Vilakazi
Project 2012-00B – LMS: Upgrade to Blackboard Learn 9.1 Service Pack 8
Due to serious problems experienced on the then current version service pack (SP)
of Blackboard Learn 9.1, in particular with the assessments tool, it was decided to
upgrade to SP 8 during the Winter recess. All the tools/functionalities were tested –
mainly by the TLCs. A number of existing modules were also migrated from the
current version to the test server on which SP 8 was installed to ensure that the
content within the modules remained intact and to check that all student activity
within all the modules were still recorded correctly. Finally, after SP8 was installed
on the live Blackboard servers, CAT staff members assisted in checking that all the
users and modules were moved to the new system.
Status:
Completed
Project Leader and Project Manager: Hermien Geldenhuys
Team members:
All CAT staff (except Mary Leeuw and
Werner Geldenhuys)
Project 2012-00C – e-rater testing project
E-rater is a Turnitin (the plagiarism detection tool used at UJ) product which not only
scores essays, but also provides feedback and makes suggestions with regard to the
language used in a particular essay. The aim of the project was to determine
whether or not e-rater can be utilised at the University to assist students in
developing their academic writing skills, focussing specifically on language skills.
Three staff members from the Academic Development Centre (ADC) within ADS
each provided four essays which were submitted by their first-year students. Every
essay (average of 250 words per essay) was assessed by the ADC staff members
themselves. For this project, they were requested to specifically focus on the
41
language. The same essays were then submitted to e-rater and the resulting reports
were compared. In all the essays, not only did e-rater identify the language errors
which were also picked up by the ADC staff members, but on average, identified
40% more errors. In addition to identifying language errors, e-rater provides an
explanation as well as makes suggestions to improve the language or rectify the
error. Given time constraints when it comes to assessing large numbers of student
submissions, academic staff in most instances do not have time to provide detailed
feedback on students’ language as well as assess the academic quality of their work.
By utilising e-rater, academic staff can now focus more on the content of essays or
papers while e-rater assists students in their general language/writing skills.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Implementation 2013
Team members:
Three staff members from ADC
Project 2012-001 – Edulink new interface design
The new interface project aimed at integrating Blackboard with other UJ services like
the Student Portal and the Library website. This was achieved by creating an
integrated, database-driven system with an administrative and user’s side and by
designing a single, new interface to access academic and non-academic UJ services
and information. The project commenced in March and was structured into three
phases:
Phase 1 (August): prototype ready for showcasing at UJ intranet working meeting
(and getting other departments/sections to join);
Phase 2 (September): new interface functional with live data (and already working
with others outside CenTAL/CAT); and
Phase 3 (early January 2013): content added.
Arrangements with IT were made for the setting up of a firewall in the subnet in
addition to the UJ firewall during December in order for CAT to manage the
environment. A plan of action was decided on for performance tuning in case of a
system overload during the FYS in January 2013. Communication was sent out to
all staff early in January 2013 regarding the new way of accessing Blackboard (via
uLink).
Status:
Completed and deployed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Alan Amory
Project Manager:
Team members:
Ferdinand van Zyl, Riot Mkhabela, Lufuno
Mamathuntsha (joined in Sept 2012),
Willena le Roux, Julia Mabulele, Emily
Mthembu,
Anna
Coetzee,
Raymond
Mokwele, Karin Steenkamp, Retha Bosman
and Robert Molepo
Project 2012-002 – Assisted module management
The aim of the project is to automate the requisition and creation of Blackboard
[LMS] modules by UJ staff thus developing a form-based self-help service for the
management of LMS module requests [activation and removals]. This will lead to
lecturers automatically activating or deactivating modules on Blackboard. As this
42
project requires input from Eiffel Corporation [the South African subsidiary of
Blackboard], the project is ongoing and will probably be finalised at some stage
during 2013 to be implemented in 2014.
Status:
Ongoing
Project Leader:
Ferdinand van Zyl
Project Manager:
Wilma Elston
Team members:
Karin Steenkamp and Willena le Roux
Project 2012-003 – Professional development workshops
The aim of the workshops is to expose lecturers to the meaningful use of technology
in the classroom, from within a constructivist framework. Case studies were sourced
and support material developed for utilisation during the professional development
workshops.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Alan Amory
Project Manager:
Hermien Geldenhuys
Team members:
Najma Agherdien, Arno Louw, Erica
Pretorius, Amanda Mphahlele, Puleng
Motshoane and Bella Vilakazi
Project 2012-004 – Online writing and research tools
The aim of this project was to supply the academic staff with some form of training
material to assist them and their students in the use of the plagiarism tools available
at UJ on the LMS – Blackboard. This entails the use of Turnitin and SafeAssign and
the interpretation of the reports generated. This project was incorporated into
Project 6 [Community Support Website Development] as all information pertaining is
included in this project.
Status:
Terminated and incorporated into Project 2012-006
Project 2012-005 – Online assessment procedures
This project was initiated to streamline all online assessments taking place on
Blackboard – the LMS. The procedure indicated responsibilities throughout the
assessment process from the faculties, to CAT staff and the lab staff. When an
academic staff member deploys an online assessment, CAT staff will be able to track
the assessment [specifically online examinations] and by following the procedures
put in place, will ensure that online assessments not only run smoothly, but any risks
to the assessment process at UJ will be alleviated or at least limited.
Status:
Completed – only link to be created
Future:
Ferdinand van Zyl to create a link for TLCs
to be informed/ warned that an assessment
has been created
Project Leader and Project Manager: Wilma Elston
Team members:
Puleng Motshoane and Robert Molepo
Project 2012-006 – Community Support website development
The development of this website – commonly known as uHelp – supplies staff and
students with relevant in-time information. The students are able to access required
up-to-date information quickly and efficiently by logging in via their cellphones. Staff
members are able to access all information pertaining to the LMS [Blackboard] –
43
from a quick reference to a complete step-by-step guide on how to use Blackboard.
This can be done via their cellphones or any computer. The information is updated
as required and this project will thus be ongoing due to continuous maintenance.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Karin Steenkamp
Project Manager:
Wilma Elston
Team members:
Alan Amory, Willena le Roux, Robert
Molepo, Najma Agherdien, Erica Pretorius,
Emily Mthembu, Julia Mabulele, Riot
Mkhabela, Lufuno Mamathuntsha, Berry
Malapela and Puleng Motshoane
Project 2012-007 – Development of the CAT framework documentation
The teaching and learning consultants worked closely with the Centre’s director to
develop a CAT strategy or framework document, where CAT refers to Collaboration,
Authentic learning and Tool mediation. The CAT framework would not only be the
underlying framework from which the professional development workshops for
lecturers would be designed, but it would further function as the basis from which
staff would plan all the development and support activities offered by CenTAL, which
would soon be known as CAT – the Centre for Academic Technologies. The CAT
framework from which the Centre would be functioning thus links to and
contextualises the new name of the Centre. The outcome of the project was to
develop two types of documents for marketing purposes and providing a document
for lecturers to work from: A one-pager in folder format visually illustrating and
summarising the CAT framework in the form of a diagram; and a theoretical, 6pager, A5 folder document consisting of stories/narratives illustrating the framework
in practical context. These documents, as well as an A5 flyer summarising the
services to be offered by CAT from 2013 onwards, were graphically designed by the
UJ Graphics Studio and 2000 copies of each were printed and delivered early
December 2012. All these documents were mailed as an information pack to all
lecturers via the UJ Postal Services by mid-December 2012 and are also available in
the Publications folder in the CAT Dropbox for internal use and as reference
material.
Status:
Completed
Future:
No further action
Project Leader:
Alan Amory
Project Manager:
Team members:
Erica Pretorius, Puleng Motshoane, Arno
Louw, Najma Agherdien, Amanda Mphahlele
and Bella Vilakazi
Project 2012-008/011 – Academic research software licences AND System for
distribution of site-licensed software
The project involved CAT taking over the centralised procurement and management
of all academic research software currently supporting users at UJ, specifically
STATA, SPSS, AMOS, ATLAS.ti and Adobe Acrobat Pro. Stage 1 of the project
involved sourcing and identifying all academic research software in use at UJ and to
decide on a strategy to procure all the different licences from the relevant vendors.
This stage included developing administrative documents to support the process.
44
Meetings were held with relevant role players and vendors where required. The
second stage involved the development of a referral method and material for support
and to develop online activation of software. Stage 1 was completed at the end of
2012. The following licenses were acquired for 2013:
•
STATA:IC 12 60-user student lab licence and SE 12 40-user network license
(for training and research)
•
SPSS AMOS:(IBM AMOS Academic site licence): Unlimited number of users
•
ATLAS.ti version 7: 250 licences
•
Adobe Acrobat Pro 12: 300 licences (for Windows and MAC)
Some of the above-mentioned software has been installed in selected computer labs
as well as the Postgraduate Research Centre in the Library on the APK Campus. All
software is available online for download via CAT’s secure uLink website. The
online process, from request to installation, is managed by CAT staff members.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Alan Amory
Project Manager:
Hermien Geldenhuys
Team members:
Vicki-Jeanne Groenewald
Project 2012-009 – First Year Seminar
The aim of the project was to arrange/schedule basic computer skills and Blackboard
training sessions for all first-year students during the first-year orientation seminar at
the beginning of 2013. These hands-on sessions were presented in computer labs
on all four campuses. The following tasks were completed in preparation for the
First Year Seminar (FYS) 2013:
•
New computer skills assessment instrument developed (refer to project 2012017).
•
91 senior students were appointed as facilitators and assistants.
•
All prospective facilitators were assessed by the TLCs.
•
Workshops on presentation skills were presented to all facilitators and
assistants (organised by Wilma Elston and facilitated by the TLCs).
•
The following number of computer labs were booked for the period 21 January
2013 – 1 February 2013: APK – 8 labs, 430 computers; APB – 11 labs, 452
computers; DFC – 3 labs, 325 computers and SWC – 4 labs, 243 computers.
•
Media was booked for APB venues (Franci Janse van Vuuren).
•
Regular FYS 2013 meetings were attended with faculty & division
representatives and campus coordinators.
•
Faculty-specific session programmes were finalised with the FYS 2013 coordinator.
•
Facilitators and assistants were allocated to campuses and venues (Wilma
Elston).
•
Support resources updated and printed: z-folder, computer skills guide (Franci),
session plans and supporting electronic resources for facilitators.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Implementation
and
coordination
of
scheduled sessions during the FYS 2013
(i.e. 21 January – 1 February 2013)
Project Manager:
Hermien Geldenhuys
Team leaders:
Wilma Elston and Franci Janse van Vuuren
45
Team members:
Karin Steenkamp, Ferdinand van Zyl, TLCs
and Emily Leolo
Project 2012-010 – ADS websites
The aims of this project are: to improve the quality of all the ADS websites by
creating a more user-friendly and uniform web layout which would be easier to
maintain and update timeously, and which would then feed into the general ADS
website – rather than using the individual layouts currently found for each ADS
centre; to develop and provide templates which will enable easier content loading
and promote similarity in layout; to work closely with the different ADS centres in
developing skills of the webmasters to design, populate and maintain their respective
sites; to distribute workload and to provide ongoing support for the webmasters until
they are able to function independently. The project commenced in the first term of
2012. Noticeable progress has already been made so far, but the project has been
carried over to 2013 and the estimated time of completion is by mid-year 2013. The
CAT website has been completed (a separate project) and serves as template and
example for other sites. A first project meeting with ADC’s acting director, Dr André
van Zyl, and his relevant team members was held late November 2012. Since then
the team started collecting and analysing data and would start populating the site
during the first term 2013. The general/overall ADS website is earmarked for
restructuring and updating once all the different Centre sites (ADC, PsyCaD), the
FYE site and the UJenius site have been completed. As part of the process of
cleaning up the ADS site, APPI and CPASD, which would no longer function within
ADS, have in the meantime been requested to relocate their information to new
sites.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Development,
training
and
support,
maintenance
Project Leader:
Alan Amory
Project Manager:
Team members:
Anna Coetzee, Emily Mthembu, Julia
Mabulele, Lufuno Mamathuntsha and Riot
Mkhabela
Project 2012-011 – See project 2012-008
Project 2012-012 – Single sign-on system for web-based services at UJ
The aim is to provide a system where staff and students need only sign on once to
gain access to all the relevant institutional resources.
This single sign-on to UJ’s intranet services is developed by ICS with input from
CAT.
Project 2012-013 – System to manage non-accredited and manuscript online
submissions
The aim of the project is to provide an integrated self-service to the University
community for the management of research outputs. It will allow for the capturing of
research output data for RIMS and UJDigispace. This project is still ongoing and
should be functioning during 2013.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
46
Project Leader:
Project Manager:
Alan Amory
Wilma Elston
Project 2012-014 – Law Faculty & Lexis Nexis
The adoption of an LMS solution will enable Lexis Nexis South Africa to repurpose
its current static content into new forms of delivery. The overall approach is to take
an existing course text that has been adopted in Commercial Law 1A and to develop
supplementary materials in the form of scenario-based online assessments, which
will be made available within Blackboard. During the delivery cycle students will be
directed to access and use the material within Blackboard Learn as part of their
learning process/experience. The first set of online assessments was designed by
the subject matter expert (lecturer for Commercial Law 1A – Adv Heidi Schoeman)
and developed (illustrations/characters designed and assessments created in
Blackboard) by Eiffel Corp.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Implementation and assessment
Project Leader
Hermien Geldenhuys
Project Manager
Hermien Geldenhuys
Team members:
Arno Louw, Heidi Schoeman (Law), Eiffel
Corp and Lexis Nexis South Africa
Project 2012-015 – Extended Bb and Basic Computer Skills Training 2013:
development of information and bookings procedure document and planning
for sessions
In the light of the Centre’s new philosophy regarding development and support as
conveyed through its vision statements “smart use of academic technologies” and
“reinventing yourself through learning to be with technology”, the director requested
the development of a clear CAT information and procedure document. This
document would be made available to lecturers who would, closer to the end of
2012, start enquiring about extended Blackboard and Basic Computer Skills training
sessions for their students after the first-year seminar (FYS) 2013 period. Planning
for the scheduled sessions in February 2013, as well as for the ad hoc training
requests by lecturers, was done with all the internal and external (outside CAT) role
players. The project resulted in streamlined internal CAT procedures to deal with the
demand of providing the necessary (basic, just-in-time) training for the relevant
group of students (computer illiterate/unfamiliar/inexperienced) and empowering
them to use academic technologies.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Emily Mthembu
Project Manager:
Team members:
Julia Mabulele, Raymond Mokwele and
Robert Molepo
Project 2012-016 – New website for the Centre for Academic Technologies
[CAT]
This project was initiated to create a new website − reflecting the image and meeting
the requirements of the restructured Centre for Academic Technologies, in line with
UJ and ADS imperatives − that is easy to use, efficient to maintain and in line with
UJ corporate communication/website policies and technologies. All information was
47
generated using templates in Dreamweaver to improve usability and management/
control for webmasters and clients, a system that integrates with the UJ SharePoint
system. This project is also ongoing as information needs to be updated
continuously.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Anna Coetzee
Project Manager:
Wilma Elston
Team members:
Robert Molepo, Emily Mthembu, Julia
Mabulele, Lufuno Mamathuntsha, Raymond
Mokwele and Alan Amory
Project 2012-017 – Computer Proficiency assessment review and update
The aim of this project was to review the current assessment that measures firstyear students’ basic computer proficiency during student training sessions,
especially First Year Seminar (FYS) 2013. UJ first-year students come from diverse
schooling backgrounds. Some of them have been exposed to and have already
acquired computer skills by the time their studies at UJ commence. CAT has taken
the responsibility to assess and train students to enable them to use computers for
learning purposes. In order to identify students who need training in basic computer
skills, they are expected to complete a computer proficiency assessment during the
first-year orientation programme. Those who obtain a mark below 80% are required
to attend basic computer training.
It came to the Teaching and Learning
Consultants’ (TLC) attention that the assessment questions that were used since
2009, needed to be revised. The structure of some of the questions was confusing,
ambiguous and required knowledge of complex technical skills. The review process
resulted in the rewriting of most of the assessment questions for the benefit of the
students. The new assessment comprises 35 questions and will be used during the
FYS 2013.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader:
Bella Vilakazi
Project Manager:
Hermien Geldenhuys
Team members:
Najma Agherdien, Arno Louw, Erica
Pretorius, Amanda Mphahlele, Puleng
Motshoane, Bella Vilakazi and Robert
Molepo
Project 2012-018 – Optometric instruction video
The aim of the project was to create a video to instruct how to operate slit lamp
technology and application tonometry to fourth-year students. The students already
know how to operate equipment. The video will look at a brief recap and preparation
of equipment and then how to do the test in the right manner. The equipment is now
fitted with an internal camera and this video will demonstrate how to use it with a
patient. Outcomes include more capable students with better knowledge skills.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader and Project Manager: Werner Geldenhuys
48
Project 2012-019 – Sound recording for Student Enrolment Centre
The aim of this project was to extend the Call Centre for 2013. The project included
the recording of voice over for the telephone announcement system and the editing
of voice clips.
Status:
Completed
Future:
Maintenance
Project Leader and Project Manager: Werner Geldenhuys
Project 2012-020 – ADC online module development: Online Study Skills
(Memorisation and Exam preparation)
This project builds on the previous online module development projects CAT did in
collaboration with ADC. ADC used the PowerPoint presentation of the completed
online note making module which CAT developed for them earlier in 2012 as
template to design and develop two new modules. The scope of CAT’s involvement
in this project ranges from creating access to links and YouTube clips from within
Blackboard, doing audio recordings and facial synchronisation of the audio clips with
the animated 3D characters, to resolving technical issues which might hamper any
activity functionalities within the presentation. The outcome of the project is smooth
navigation in an online environment and an interactive online learning experience for
students.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Resolving last technical issues and giving
students access to the module
Project Leader and Project Manager: Franci Janse van Vuuren
Team members:
ADC – Cecelia Rosa
CAT – Raymond Mokwele, Bella Vilakazi,
Werner Geldenhuys, Arno Louw and
Hermien Geldenhuys
Project 2012-021 – Blackboard Mobile Central
The aim of the project is to design and develop mobile applications (apps) which can
be accessed from various mobile devices (cellphones, tablets and computers). The
apps give users access to a wide selection of information relating to the University
and the content is managed and maintained by the University of Johannesburg.
Phase 1 includes the development of the following apps: Programmes, Events, Staff
Directory, News, Emergency as well as links to the UJ Library’s mobile site and
CAT’s uHelp mobi site.
Description: Data to populate the apps to be provided and maintained mainly by ICS,
the Library, Central Services and CAT.
Status:
Ongoing
Future:
Phase 1 completed in Feb/March 2013 &
commencement of Phase 2
Team Leader:
Prof Alan Amory
Team members:
Andile Swartbooi (ICS), Bobby Mandew
(Student Affairs), Ferdinand van Zyl (CAT), Chelma Sliep (ICS), Riaan Loots (ICS),
Sanpat Coetzee (UJ Sport), Werner Raubenheimer (Marketing & Communication),
Rina Strydom (ICS), Barrie Swanepoel (Library), Pieter Hattingh (Library), Tinus van
Zyl (Central & Academic Administration) and Francois Wolmarans (ICS)
49
7. RISK MANAGEMENT
7.1
Risks internal to CAT
After the challenges experienced during the introduction in 2011 of the new version
of the UJ LMS, Blackboard Learn 9.1, the current situation is stable with only two
instances of system disruption reported during 2012. However, due to a lack of high
level technical skills in CAT, a single staff member, contrary to international best
practices, is responsible for the maintenance of the operating and LMS systems. We
remain aware of the associated risks.
Mitigation strategies:
•
Ongoing liaison with the South African service provider.
•
Allocation of funds to provide additional support when required.
•
Constant close attention to defects and immediate remedial actions.
•
Liaison with ICS, as regards to back-up and support of the system.
7.2
Risks external to CAT (but within UJ)
The exponential growth of online learning as an integrated part of UJ’s Teaching and
Learning Strategy has been of such an extent that it warrants urgent attention and
focussed institutional planning to ensure UJ’s competitive advantage and image as
an institution for the preferred student experience.
7.3
Risks external to UJ
The ongoing costs of access to computers, together with the associated
infrastructure, are critical for the LMS and other integrated IT systems run by UJ.
The possible implementation of a cost recovery model on a sliding scale, to
encourage responsible usage of bandwidth and Internet resources, should be
explored as a matter of priority.
8. STRATEGIC THRUSTS FOR 2013
CAT intends implementing the following strategies:
•
Market CAT expertise and specialist knowledge and skills.
•
Build on the successful roll-out of the FYE project and implement
recommendations emerging from the 2012 evaluation, with some extension of
approaches into second and third year.
•
Develop and implement a coherent approach to curriculum development and
teaching and learning philosophy roll-out.
•
Support and encourage learning with technology, rather than from technology.
•
Democratise the access to different types of educational technologies.
•
Develop principles for learning with technology in the institution through
research.
•
Maintain existing mechanisms for the evaluation of teaching and learning, and
begin a process of exploring alternative mechanisms.
50
•
•
•
Extend professional development to embrace 21st century learning for all core
roles of academic staff.
Position CAT with a research mandate, and ensure that ADS staff members
develop sound research skills.
Explore possibilities of linkages with other national and international institutions.
51
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
(ADC)
1. STRATEGIC PLAN
During 2012, the Academic Development Centre continued to work towards
positioning itself as an integral part of the institution and as a centre of excellence
nationally and internationally. Through its on-going development of the Extended
National Diplomas and more focussed attempts to integrate academic skills into
specific discipline-based modules in mainstream curricula, it exemplified its
increasingly strong commitment to making a demonstrable impact on the retention
and success of all students.
In addition, a highly successful quality audit was conducted during March 2012,
resulting in a number of commendations and recommendations that will guide the
ADC on its way forward. There have also been a number of leadership and
structural changes that have taken place in ADC during 2013. These changes have
already started having a positive effect on the functioning of the centre and should
enable new approaches and practices during 2013 and beyond.
1.1
Strategic goals for 2012
Within this context, and in view of a constantly increasing demand for academic
development interventions by the Faculties, the strategic thrusts of the Academic
Development Centre were kept consistent during 2012 being:
The Academic Development Centre will seek to:
•
Promote academic success through learning, academic literacies, tutor
development, Writing Centres and extended programmes where the multifaceted needs of staff and students are the focus;
•
Regularly evaluate all modules, programmes and interventions offered by the
ADC in order to align them with stakeholder needs and national standards;
•
Complete the Self Evaluation process of the Centre and through this establish
a single Quality Assurance Framework for the Centre;
•
Promote excellence in teaching and learning by encouraging active learning
and critical thinking through small group instruction, multiple assessment
opportunities, individualised feedback, and well-designed tutor and mentorship
programs which integrate, where applicable, cutting-edge technology-assisted
learning;
•
Initiate new and foster current working relationships with staff in academic
departments in order to raise awareness of ADC programmes and thus
facilitate and promote integrated teaching and learning approaches across the
university;
•
Encourage research among ADC members of staff that aims to reflect on and
improve current academic development practices;
•
Establish the brand of the ADC through active marketing on each campus;
•
Achieve a higher level of service equity on all four campuses.
52
The increased focus on the integration of academic development into mainstream
curricula means that at the same time, the Academic Development Centre is
gradually phasing out voluntary generic, stand-alone skills workshops, as these have
been reaching relatively few students, did not involve academic staff from faculties,
were unrelated to specific disciplines and therefore did not optimize the transfer and
application of skills. These are being replaced by more focussed and integrated
workshops that are being developed in conjunction with the academics in various
departments.
ADC staff will continue the process of integrating academic development into
mainstream curricula which in turn entails a commitment to the professional
development of Faculty teaching staff rather than an exclusive focus on student
development.
Prof Jenny Clarence-Fincham served as the Acting Director of the ADC until August
2012, after which the position was filled in an acting capacity by Dr André van Zyl.
The position will be permanently filled during the first six months of 2013. Mrs
Maxine Shandler continues as Head of the Access wing and the post of Head of the
Learning Development and Academic Literacies, was successfully advertised and is
now filled by Dr Guy Mihindou.
There were two significant developments towards the end of 2012. Firstly, following
an MEC decision, the Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development was
integrated into the ADC as a discrete unit with Kibbie Naidoo as its acting Head. The
upgraded position of Head of Professional Academic Staff Development will be filled
during the first quarter 2013. Secondly, the posts of eight staff members who had
served ADC for well over five years on contract appointments funded by the DHET
foundation programmes grant were converted into permanent posts, with
implementation from March 2013. ADC is very pleased to welcome these longstanding members of staff as permanent appointees.
Most staff in the Centre are well qualified, with at least a Master’s degree, and
increasingly staff with a doctorate are being appointed. Most of the staff who do not
yet hold a Master’s degree are presently registered for this qualification, with Andile
Mamba completing her Master’s degree in 2012. Staff are also encouraged to
undertake doctoral work, with 4 staff members registered and several others
involved in preliminary work for their doctorates. Many of the staff who are busy with
their doctorates are registered in the SANTRUST pre-doctoral programme for 2012.
Dr Welcome Kubeka was awarded his doctorate, and Jenni Underhill submitted her
thesis for final examination.
53
2.1
Organogram
December 2012
Acting Director:
Prof J Clarence-Fincham / Dr André van Zyl
(N 0361)
Secretary:
Academic Development Centre
Ms Rina Westraad (APK)
Finance
Mr Tshepo Tau
(N 0384)
(N 0364)
Secretary
Head: Access
Programme
Head: Academic Literacies
and Learning Development
Ms Maxine Shandler (DFC)
(N 0382)
Dr Guy Mihindou
(A 0090)
Ms Jade Jacobs /
Toghida Walburgh (DFC)
(D 0016) DoE Funded
Office Admin Assistant
Access Programmes
Ms Belinda Olivier (DFC)
(N O386)
Senior Coordinator
Academic Literacies
& Development
Senior Coordinator
Learning
Development
Ms Cecilia Dube (APK)
(A 0084)
Ms Soraya Motsabi APK)
(N 0374)
Writing Centre
Ms Kedi Mawer
(D 0015) DoE Funded
Learning Development
Facilitator (Lecturer)
Co-ordinator
Ms Sandy Kane (APK)
(D 0007)
Dr Cecilia Rosa (APK)
(N 0398)
Dr Karen Haire (APB)
(N 0390)
Ms Anna Molete (Soweto)
deceased July 2012
(N 0378)
Ms Ntombi Mdunge (SWC)
(D 0010) DoE Funded
Language/Literacy
Facilitator
Ms Mathilda le Roux (APK)
(N 0369)
Vacant (APK)
(N 0059)
Ms Miriam Lear (APK)
(D 0006) DoE Funded
Senior Coordinator
Tutor Development
Dr Nelia Frade (APK)
(N 0380)
Admin Officer
Access Programmes
Ms S Disoloane (DFC)
(D 0011) DoE Funded
Senior Coordinator
Access Language &
Literacies
Ms Heidi Broschk (DFC)
(A 0088)
Assistant Senior
Coordinator:
Tutor Development
Co-ordinator
Mr Kabinga Shabanza
(DFC)
Facilitator:
Fundamental Research
Practice
Ms Cathy Burton (DFC)
(N 0394)
APS Coordinator
Dr Cithra Bheamadu (APK)
(N 0395)
Ms Jacoline Opperman (APK)
(N 0375)
Ms Paulina Makibelo (APK)
(N 0397)
Vacant:
Estelle Hayward N 0365
Dr Welcome Kubeka (APK)
(D 0009) DoE Funded
§
Facilitator
Mr Chris Abrahams (DFC)
(D 0001) DoE Funded
Ms Fahmida Cachalia (SWC)
(N 0388)
(vacant) (DFC)
(D 0004) DoE Funded
Skills for Success:
Facilitator
Mr George Mavunga (DFC)
(N 0403)
AND
Dr Cindy Olivier (DFC)
(D 0003) DoE Funded
Dr Remigus Nnadozie (DFC)
(D 0014)
Learning
Development
Facilitator:
Facilitator:
Subject SPecialist
Ms Sonja Broschk (DFC)
(D 0002) DoE Funded
Ms Razia Mayet (DFC)
(D 0008) DoE Funded
ACCESS LANGUAGE &
LITERACIES
54
Ms Andile Mamba (DFC)
(A 0087)
Ms Nadine Dharsey (DFC)
(N 0402)
Facilitator:
Workplace
Preparation
Academic Literacies:
Facilitator
DOE Funded
Senior Coordinator
Subject Specialist
Ms Benita Nel (DFC)
(N 0404)
Ms Rose Adegoke
D 0013
Mr Rirhandzu Maluleke
(APK) (N 0372)
LANGUAGE LITERACY
Senior Coordinator
WPP and MAPS
Writing Centre
Ms Jenni Underhill (APK)
(N 0381)
Ms Venessa Damons (APK)
(N 0396)
LEARNING DEVELOPMENT
Admin Assistant
Access Programmes
Ms Thobeka Mangaliso (DFC)
(N 0385)
WORKPLACE
PREPARATION
Mr Amu Baloi
D 0012
Mr Phineas Ntsoele (DFC)
(D 0005) DoE Funded
SUBJECT SPECIALIST
2.2
Equity Profile
The ADC has long been strongly committed to appointing highly qualified staff from
designated groups and in 2012 several excellent appointments were made. As the
table below shows, the Centre now has 21 African, 4 Coloured, 3 Indian and 17
White staff members which is in line with institutional requirements and equity
targets. Although issues like unclear career-pathing opportunities and uncertainty
about conditions of service added to staff instability, a high level of staff retention
was achieved during 2012. New permanent and contract appointments were Guy
Mihindou, Remigius Nnadozie and Kabinga Shabanza. Three members of staff
resigned (all non-designated), and one designated staff member passed away.
P5:
Director (Acting)
P6:
Heads
1
P7:
Senior Co-ordinators
7
3
P8:
Co-ordinators
7
1
P9:
Facilitator Learning Dev.
1
1
2
P10:
Administrative Assistant III
P11
Departmental Secretary,
Administrative Assistant III
P12:
Administrative Assistant II
Sub Totals
1
1
1
2
3
5
9
14
9
3
16
19
1
1
1
1
4
5
2
2
34
45
2
4
3
17
45
Total
55
Total
1
1
2
21
1
1
1
3
Female
Male
Disabilities
Foreign Nat.
White
Indian
African
Employees:
Coloured
Careful consideration is being given to succession planning and to designated
appointments at middle management level.
11
45
The ADC’s core business should be seen as a two-pronged endeavour that
encompasses, on the one hand, a large number of extended programmes and on
the other, the range of Academic Development interventions that facilitate the
academic success of all students. During 2012 both wings have continued to make
a significant contribution to the success of UJ students.
3.1
3.1.1
Extended Programmes
Extended Diplomas
The Academic Development Centre: Access manages the initial year of 14 extended
national diplomas on behalf of the faculties of Management, Humanities and
Engineering and the Built Environment. These extended diplomas are fully creditbearing and are based either on a 1 + 3 model in which all foundational provision
modules are offered in the first year or a 2 + 2 model where they are offered in the
first and second year. The learning approach used in the extended diplomas seeks
to facilitate conceptual understanding and the practical application of knowledge.
This approach draws on a wide range of innovative teaching/learning methods,
materials and experiences. In addition, student learning is enhanced by effective
mentorship, tutoring, an academic advisor programme, and regular mark review
meetings; and by initiatives which promote student confidence and integration:
public lectures, a student conference, a students’ sports day, a prize giving function
and a highly functional class representative system.
The success of this methodology is dependent on strong collaborative relationships
with academic staff from the Faculties in which the various programmes are located.
In this regard it is significant that the Head of Access Programmes, Ms Maxine
Shandler is a member of the Technology Programme Committee in the Faculty of
Engineering and the Built Environment and of the Faculty Academic Committee in
the Management Faculty. In this way ADC’s work can be showcased to all Heads of
Schools and Departments in both Faculties.
These committees also offer
opportunities for Faculty staff to raise concerns and for all participating staff to be
advised of the issues, challenges and changes affecting the extended diploma
programmes. Membership of these committees also helps to keep ADC abreast of
audits by professional bodies, such as ECSA, for which ADC must also be prepared.
A further benefit is that ADC membership of these committees has led to closer
collaboration between ADC and departments in the Faculties that do not have
extended diploma programmes. Furthermore, the Head of Access was co-opted
onto the FEBE BET programme steering committee and nominated to head one of
the BET working groups. Other Access staff members were invited to join the FEBE
Teaching and Learning Quality Forum and the FEBE Materials Review task team
which looked at the quality and features of learning materials.
Another context for collaboration was an invitation to members of the ADC to attend
the Women in Engineering and the Built Environment Summit and Awards Function
organized by the FEBE and Group 5. This provided staff with the opportunity to
network with women in a variety of engineering fields and to further increase the
56
ADC database of industry professionals who can address the extended students at
the many ADC functions.
The work undertaken by the Access wing of ADC is nationally recognized both for
the development of effective extended diploma curricula as well as for the
development of innovative learner materials. This was illustrated during 2012 by an
invitation from DUT for members of the Access wing to offer a workshop for their AD
and faculty staff on ‘Effective Access Programmes’ and on ‘Materials development
and the integration of foundational provision into mainstream curricula’. This
workshop was also attended by staff members from MUT. In addition the Head of
Access was invited to participate in a panel discussion on ‘Curricular Leadership to
support student success’.
2012 heralded the end of the current three-year DoHET funding cycle for extended
curricula programmes. The Head of Access was nominated as a member of the UJ
Extended Curricula Reappraisal committee, which strongly recommended that UJ
continue offering extended curricula. DHET approval was obtained for three new
extended diplomas to be added to the FEBE offerings, namely, Electrical
Engineering, Civil Engineering and Operations Management, all for roll-out in 2013.
In this connection Access staff were invited to offer presentations to the Electrical
Engineering and Civil Engineering staff on extended programmes.
Statistics presented by the Executive Dean of Management indicate that since 2011
the success rates of the Management extended programmes have improved by
2.6%, which is 2.4% above the UJ average. In addition, since 2011 the success
rates of the first entrants in extended programmes have improved by 1.4%, which is
2.7% above the UJ average.
The ADC Access unit continued its on-going relationship with the American Embassy
with regard to the Community College Initiative Programme which offers diploma
students the opportunity to spend an all-expenses-paid year studying at a
Community College in the United States. A past recipient of this initiative, Mr
Thubalethu Nzuza, received the prize for the top international student during his stay
in the US and on his return to SA was awarded a full bursary for the duration of this
studies as well as the opportunity to convert his diploma studies to degree studies.
In addition, he addressed all the 2012 first year students at the ADC Student
Conference.
In 2012, it was decided to relocate the Transport Management and Logistics
extended diplomas to APB, which means that Access staff are now working on both
SWC and APB, in addition to DFC.
57
The following tables indicate the 2011 and 2012 student success rates in the
Extended Diplomas and are followed by a brief trend analysis:
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Module
Success
Rate
2012
56
88%
46
91%
39
93%
72
88%
47
94%
70
93%
86
93%
72
90%
Programme
Name
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Module
Success
Rate
2012
N Dip: Public
Relations (Ext)
54
86%
35
90%
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Module
Success
Rate
2012
67
90%
62
84%
62
88%
36
80%
61
88%
38
87%
65
79%
44
66%
63
88%
52
91%
51
89%
26
98%
Programme
Name
N Dip: Building
(Ext)
N Dip: Engineering
Metallurgy (Ext)
N Dip: Engineering
Mechanical (Ext)
N Dip: Engineering
Industrial (Ext)
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Management
Programme
Name
N Dip: Human
Resource
Management (Ext)
N Dip:
Management (Ext)
N Dip:
Management
Services (Ext)
N Dip: Small
Business
Management (Ext)
N Dip Logistics
(Ext)
N Dip:
Transportation (Ext)
58
Trend Analysis
The above results are a reflection of efforts by ADC staff to improve the quality of
teaching and learning in the extended programmes, to contribute to the broader
institutional commitment to excellence in teaching and learning and improved
throughput rates, and to respond to some of the challenges identified in the ADC
Self-Evaluation Report. In 3 of the 4 extended diplomas offered by the Faculty of
Engineering and the Built Environment, the success rates have remained consistent
from 2011 to 2012. In the extended Diploma Engineering Metallurgy the success
rates have decreased by 5%, which can be attributed to substantially increased class
size. In the extended diploma Public Relations the 2012 results have increased by
4% from 2011.
In the Faculty of Management, the 2012 success rates of most of the extended
diplomas have remained within 1 or 2 percentage points of those of 2011. It is also
important to note that all but one of these diplomas have success rates above the
DOE prescribed success rate of 80%. In the Transport and Logistics extended
diplomas there has been a 9% and 3% increase in the module success rates
respectively.
The one diploma that was a cause for concern was the NDip Small Business
Management that showed a 13% decrease in success rate. To address this issue
the following interventions were initiated: An FRP tutor programme; a reading
intervention; a subject specific vocabulary intervention; referencing workshops and
increased one-on-one consultations. In addition, PsyCAD workshops on motivation
and commitment were organised for the group and closer monitoring and more
effective coordination of the tutorial system for the Costing and Estimating module
were implemented.
3.1.2
Extended Degrees
As in previous years, the Academic Literacies Development (ALD) unit of the
Academic Development Centre (ADC) continued to deliver modules serving first-year
extended degree and mainstream students in the faculties of Science (Language
and Skills for Science – LSS1AEX), Economics and Financial Sciences (Language
for the Economic Sciences – LES3000), and Law (English for Law – EFL0000),
respectively, on the Auckland Park (Kingsway) campus. Altogether, just over 1000
students were registered on these modules.
Faculty of Science: Language and Skills for Science (LSS1AEX)
Student performance in the science module improved significantly, from a low of
56% the year before, to 77.3% in 2012. A number of factors contributed to this
positive change, not least of which was the improved relationship between the
coordinator of the module and subject lecturers in the faculty, which allowed for
much closer collaboration in the development and delivery of materials. It was
reported that, whereas in 2011 only one lecturer was actively involved in
collaborating with Ms Le Roux, by the end of the year, the number had increased to
7. In addition, the experiment with e-portfolios continued to yield positive results,
with students’ overall evaluation of the module being the most positive it has been for
the past few years.
59
Module
Name
Language
and Skills for
Science
(LSS1AEX)
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Course
Success
Rate 2012
444
56%
485
77.3%
Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences: Language for the Economic
Sciences (LES3000)
At the beginning of 2012, Mr Rirhandzu Maluleke took over from Ms Ntombi Mdunge
as sole coordinator of the module. Despite this change in coordinator, the module
continued to enjoy the successes that it had had in the past. Instead of introducing
any changes, the new coordinator concentrated on consolidating the strong
foundation laid by Ms Mdunge, and this stability instilled a sense of confidence in the
team of part-time lecturers and tutors with whom he worked. The 2012 cohort of
students also seemed to be more committed to their work than had been the case in
2011, and this fact is reflected in the overall results, which were better than those of
the previous year.
Module
Name
Language
Economic
Science
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Course
Success
Rate 2012
403
90.1%
410
91.4%
for
Faculty of Law: English for Law (EFL0000)
Ms Miriam Lear continued to coordinate the EFL academic literacies module on the
APK campus. This is a full credit-bearing module for first year law students whose
NSC results indicate that they are “underprepared” for the rigours of tertiary level
study. The module aims to develop students’ thinking, reading, writing, listening and
speaking competencies, and to facilitate learning in other courses. Assessment
comprises continuous and integrated formative and summative tasks, based on
coursework throughout the year, as well as mid- and end-of-year exams. Students
attend one lecture and three tutorials per week. The overall module rate dropped by
some 4 percentage points, mainly because of poor attendance by some of the 2012
cohort of students.
Module
Name
English
Law
for
Registrations
2011
Module
Success Rate
2011
Registrations
2012
Module
Success
Rate 2012
133
90.9%
147
86.7%
60
Mastering of Academic Professional Skills Modules
Mastering Academic and Professional Skills (MAPS) has been variously developed
to meet the different academic needs of several faculties. It is offered to the
Faculties of Education, Humanities, Economic and Financial Sciences and Science
as a year-long course and is structured around a series of themes which the
Faculties have identified as relevant to their students in extended curricula.
MAPS themes are selected to provide first year students with the skills required to
facilitate both successful study at UJ and their development as active global citizens.
These themes include, study skills, financial skills, conflict and stress management
and problem solving. In most cases, students attend a double session once a week
– the first hour offers a lecture on the theoretical principles around the various
themes, and during the second hour a mentor facilitates a practical session where
students are required to apply theoretical knowledge to their own lives. The ratio of
mentor to students is approximately 40:1. Students are required to complete several
assessments during the course of the year, in the form of tasks, assignments and a
portfolio.
Further units include reading using the on-line Read-on programme, and Information
Management offered by the Library staff but co-ordinated by the Unit for Learning
Development. The reading programme takes the form of a computer programme
which tests comprehension, vocabulary and reading speed. Students are required to
attend 7 sessions for reading and their performance on the reading programme is
graded. The Library Management unit provides first year students with skills to
access online and physical library facilities. Students are also required to attend 7
sessions and to complete assessments set and graded by the Library staff.
The MAPS module also includes Computer skills for the students in the Faculties of
Humanities and Economics and Financial Sciences. The computer literacy unit is
offered by the Department of Business and information technology (BIT) during the
first semester.
The success rates in all the MAPS modules improved during 2012 with the most
satisfaction being derived from the major improvement of 18% in the Faculty of
Science. This improvement is at least in part the result of the close cooperation
between the ADC (literacies and learning development) staff and Faculty
representatives. This has allowed a much more integrated and faculty specific
course to be developed which in turn resulted in higher levels of student interest and
participation than in the past.
Student Performance in the Extended Degrees
MAPS Modules
(Humanities, FEFS, Science)
Faculty
Registrations
2011
Course
success rate
2011
61
Registrations
2012
Course
success rate
2012
160
95%
FEFS
400
94%
240
93%
Humanities
166
77%
177
83%
Science
342
69%
410
87%
3.2
The Writing Centres
The Writing Centres (also located with Academic Literacies) were open to all
students, from first year to post-graduate level; however, the majority of their
clientele were undergraduates. For the first time this year, there was a fully-fledged
Writing Centre on the Soweto campus, and as a result the full scope of ADC’s
services was now also available on SWC. Although the Writing Centres provided
one-to-one consultations in the main, there was increased experimentation with
group consultations, particularly on the Auckland Park Bunting Road (APB) campus,
where the coordinator took a deliberate decision to target departments with large
enrolments, which she felt had not received sufficient attention previously. As a
result of this strategy, many more students were able to receive assistance on that
campus.
The provision of PG consultations, undertaken in collaboration with the Postgraduate
Centre which funded the appointment of Post-graduate Writing Fellows (PGWFs),
saw a significant increase in the numbers of students visiting the writing centres.
Breakdown of Consultations by Writing Centre
All four Writing Centres had increases in the number of writing consultations by
students, including the one on the Soweto Campus which began operating as a fullyfledged centre with its own coordinator only with effect from the beginning of the
year. Consultations were provided for both undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate
(PG) students. The table below shows a comparison between the 2011 and 2012
figures:
CAMPUS
APK
APB
*DFC
**SWC
2011
2012
Consultations
Consultations
UG
No. of
students
PG
1468
708
1153
871
141
106
UG/PG
377 consultations
153
242
No. of
students
30
106
UG/PG
315
students seen
-
UG
No. of
students
PG
No. of
students
3079
942
2264
2217
371
150
194
162
470
637
265
306
239
437
-
-
*At DFC in 2011, UG and PG consultations were not recorded separately.
62
*No PGWF was deployed to the SWC writing centre, hence the absence of any
statistics relating to PG consultations. The coordinator did report giving a handful of
consultations herself but these were not significant enough to warrant a formal
report. However, as that centre grows, there will probably be a need to provide such
consultations on a more structured basis.
3.3
Integration of Academic Development into the Mainstream
Curriculum
At its Operational Planning meeting at the end of 2011, the Academic Literacies
Development unit drew up a schedule of activities which staff committed to carrying
out in 2012. This resulted in a number of innovations during the year. The
commitment to extend the unit’s reach across the institution was achieved in a
number of ways, including through the provision of subject-specific workshops and
other interventions, mainly in collaboration with subject lecturers.
3.3.1
Academic Literacies workshops and other interventions
FACULTY/ DEPT
STUDENT
GROUP
Social Work
Masters
Social Work
Masters
Social Work
Honours
Social Work
Honours
Law of Delict
2nd Year
Faculty of Law
1st Year
Econometrics 3
3rd Year
INTERVENTION
Workshop - Writing a
literature review
Half-day workshop – the
writing process and features
of academic writing
Workshop -Conceptualising
research/ writing
problem/purpose statements
Workshop- Writing a
literature review
Academic writing, writing
process,
coherence/cohesion,
paragraphing, formulating
rubrics, etc.
Pilot - Law/ Writing Centre
research project- training
faculty tutors as writing
consultants; utilising Tut 3 to
improve academic writing
skills; team teaching;
designing research
questionnaire
Academic writing; writing
process; identification,
interviewing & training of
writing tutors, etc.
63
FACILITATOR
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
FACULTY/ DEPT
STUDENT
GROUP
rd
Philosophy 3
3 Year
MAPS (Education)
1st years
LSS1AEX
1st years
Faculty of
Education
Faculty of
Education
Masters &
PhD,
research
methodology
programme
Masters &
Ph.D,
research
methodology
programme
Development
Studies
(augmented
module)
1st Year
Development
Studies
1st Year
Development
Studies
1st Year
Faculty of
Education
Masters &
Ph.D
Faculty of Law
Tutors
Faculty of Law
1st Year
INTERVENTION
FACILITATOR
Academic writing, writing
process - semester writing
assignment
Collaboration with LD on
reading development lectures
Collaboration on reading
development/ readings for
students
S Kane
C Dube
Workshops on features of
academic writing,
nominalization, register &
tone & avoiding plagiarism
S Kane
C Dube
Workshops on mind
mapping, left brain and right
brain thinking, overcoming
writer’s block, writing circles,
etc.
Incorporating academic
literacies into subject
content – ongoing support
and assistance throughout
year
Paraphrasing &
summarizing, tutor training,
materials development
Reading at university,
reading strategies/
interpreting graphs, tutor
training, materials
development
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
C Dube
S Kane
S Kane
S Kane
Academic reading
S Kane
Writing consultant training
S Kane
Generic
Mixed
Generic
Mixed
Generic
Mixed
Features of academic
writing
Writing process;
paragraphing
writing
Academic argument
Generic
Mixed
Coherence & cohesion
64
S Kane
C Dube
C Dube
C Dube
C Dube
FACULTY/ DEPT
Generic
Design
Management
STUDENT
GROUP
FACILITATOR
Mixed
Avoiding plagiarism
C Dube
1st, 2nd & 3rd
Year
Avoiding plagiarism
C Dube
Visual Art
B. Tech
Visual Art
2nd Year
Visual Art
3rd Year
Social Work
Masters
Contextual Studies
1st Year
Industrial Design
B. Tech
Culinary Studies
2nd Year
Clothing
Management
3rd Year
Fashion & Clothing
Management
Masters
Chiropractic
2nd Year
Podiatry
3rd Year
Environmental
Health – Research
Town & Regional
Planning
Environmental
Health; Community
Development
INTERVENTION
Writing process; Argument;
Paragraphing &
cohesion/coherence x 5
Argument; paraphrasing;
avoiding plagiarism x 2
Paraphrasing & avoiding
plagiarism; argument x 2
Argument; deconstructing a
text x 2
Journaling; avoiding
plagiarism x 2
Writing process;
deconstructing a text x 2
Reading with understanding;
summarising x 3
The writing process;
features of academic writing
x2
The writing process;
features of academic writing
x2
Referencing/research skills
x3
writing x 3
K Haire
K Haire
K. Haire
K Haire
K Haire
K Haire
K Haire
K Haire
K Haire
K Shabanza
K Shabanza
B. Tech
Referencing
K Shabanza
1st Year
x2
K Shabanza
2nd Year
x4
K Shabanza
Food Technology
2nd Year
Town & Regional
planning
B. Tech
x3
x4
65
K Shabanza
K Shabanza
FACULTY/ DEPT
STUDENT
GROUP
Food Technology
B. Tech
Town & Regional
Planning
B. Tech
INTERVENTION
writing x 3
Introductions & conclusions
x4
FACILITATOR
K Shabanza
K Shabanza
Generic
Mixed
In-text referencing
N Mdunge
Generic
Mixed
Academic Reading
N Mdunge
Generic
Mixed
Unpacking examination
questions
N Mdunge
3.3.2
Learning Development interventions
Learning Development interventions were delivered on APK, APB, SWC and DFC
during 2012. The number of workshops offered grew significantly on all campuses.
Each campus has a member of staff who is responsible for the learning development
activities; Mrs J Opperman is the coordinator on APB, Dr C Rosa on APK, Mrs R
Mayet on DFC and Mrs A L Malapo on SWC. Mrs Malapo passed away in June
2012, and Ms V Makhubela was employed on a temporary basis to continue serving
the students at the SWC. The coordinators established relationships with all
faculties on their respective campuses, and conducted workshops for students
throughout the year. Topics that were covered included: time management, mindmapping skills, understanding university studies through the use of a study cycle,
stress management, memory and retrieval strategies and examination writing skills.
On the APK Campus, because of the difficulty of securing lecture halls, workshops
were conducted in the computer laboratories and on line. A community of practice
for lecturers and students was established where staff could share ideas of
integrating study skills into the curriculum.
The success of these workshops underlined the importance of cooperation between
faculty staff and ADC staff. In the Faculty of Health Science, workshops were
conducted with staff on how to integrate learning development strategies into the
curriculum. This highlights the importance of the role that senior management of
Faculties can play in encouraging staff to be innovative and to experiment with ways
in which learning can be made more accessible to students.
The Learning Development Facilitator on the DFC, Ms R Mayet, presented a total of
95 workshops of between 1 and 2 hours in length. Depending on the needs and the
provision of time by departments, the workshops offered ranged from a series of 4 or
5 FYE workshops to single workshops. Topics covered included time management,
pre-reading and consolidation, note-taking, creative studying-techniques,
memorisation and retrieval strategies and exam skills. Four exam skills workshops
were presented to DFC residences at the request of the house committees.
251 academic counselling sessions were provided on either an individual or small
group basis. As there is as yet no formal Extended Orientation/FYE programme in
the Engineering diplomas, the penetration of learning development interventions is
66
less extensive than in the Health Sciences faculty. Departments often seem to be
reluctant to ‘sacrifice’ teaching time to workshops and, thus the majority of
interventions are in the form of individual academic counselling.
The following is a summary of workshops conducted:
Campus
Type of workshop
Faculty based
Open study skills
Faculty based
Open Study skills
Staff workshops
Faculty based
Open study skills
Faculty based
Open workshops
APB
APK
SWC
DFC
Individual student consultations
No of participants
1868
166
692
1569
51
64
536
2000
411
3456
TOTAL
11090
The Learning Development Unit also embarked on a community project where two
schools were serviced with study skills workshops. The two schools were Alafang
High School in Katlehong and Eldorado Park High School. Students from the
Faculty of Education who are required to complete a service-learning component as
part of their training were recruited and trained to facilitate the study skills workshops
in the above mentioned schools. The ADC staff involved in the project also
conducted study skills sessions for the grade 11 and 12 learners from these schools.
The second project was the visit to the Krugersdorp prison where staff conducted
study skills workshops and helped motivate the prisoners for their upcoming exams.
This project was implemented in partnership with the department of Social Work
whose students were doing their practical training at the prison.
3.4
Tutor Development
The Unit for Tutor Development (UTD) is committed to enhancing student learning
via the optimal implementation of tutor programmes and the development of tutors
as well as of the lecturers managing tutors. The development of tutors included tutor
training, tutor check-in sessions, monitoring tutorials, collecting and analysing reports
generated by tutors, consultations with tutors, mentoring tutors and counseling
tutors. Staff development activities during 2012 included guiding and mentoring
lecturers tasked with developing tutors. This included mentoring individual lecturers,
the provision of supportive materials for lecturers, consultations with lecturers and
giving feedback to lecturers.
Staff development continued to be a focus of the UTD during 2012. The
developmental process of academics who work with tutors consisted of, amongst
others, developing an understanding of the complexity of the challenges that tutors
face in the classroom. Through lecturer development, the UTD hoped to enable
67
lecturers who work with tutors to acquire and develop the academic literacies of
reading, writing and thinking. These in turn could then be transferred to students.
Topics for staff mentoring included selecting and interviewing tutors; the role of a
tutor; the role of academic departments; tutor responsibilities; lecturer
responsibilities; mentoring tutors; developing and supporting tutors; how to properly
value your tutors; and developing academic literacies in tutors.
In addition, the UTD offered specialised tutor training that was designed to enable
tutors to assist students with developing their academic literacies and skills. The
Unit recognizes that even though tutors are subject content tutors, they need
additional skills to promote successful learning and to assist their students to access
subject content. These skills can include aspects of tutoring such as tutoring
strategies and methodologies, writing effective feedback, helping their students
structure essays, promoting effective reading; and study strategies. Topics for this
type of training included academic communication; language, contexts and
vocabulary; summarizing, paraphrasing and note-taking; the essay structure; editing;
the writing process including revision; plagiarism; and writing appropriate feedback.
During 2012, the Unit was increasingly involved in a number of on-going Facultybased projects, which were used to identify trends in the fields of tutoring and
mentoring within the UJ context. These included working with the following
departments:
•
The Department of Commercial Law: The Unit developed a mentorship
programme for the lecturer tasked with developing tutors. The Unit also
conducted specialised training focused on simulated classroom management.
This was evaluated for the purposes of developing effective practice.
•
The Department of Business Management: This project unpacked logistical
constraints as well as the importance of using tutorials for a target group within
a large class. The results of this project were reported at a conference at UCT
during July 2012. In September 2012, an internal symposium was held in the
Faculty of Management to discuss findings.
•
The Department of Knowledge and Information Management: The Unit for
Tutor Development and CAT staff continued to investigate and monitor how
blended learning can best be incorporated within curriculum and traditional
tutorials. A report was generated identifying student engagement with the
blended environment.
•
The Introduction to Legal Studies module: The Unit initiated a model using
experienced tutors to conduct and co-train new tutors. These experienced
tutors also conducted tutor check-in sessions with the new tutors. Results of
this project were reported at the HELTASA 2012 annual conference.
•
The Unit conducted separate training for the Faculty of Humanities. The
effectiveness of this training as faculty specific was reported on and the training
was amended accordingly for 2013. Due to its success, the Faculty requested
this model be again employed in 2013.
•
The Unit rolled out its mentorship programme for junior lecturers tasked with
developing tutors, as based on the doctoral research of Jenni Underhill.
In addition to this the following events and developments took place:
68
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Unit was invited to attend the prestigious “Tutor of The Year” awards at the
Faculty of Humanities in recognition of our excellent relations and work with
that Faculty’s tutors.
The Unit was invited to attend the Faculty of Law year-end tutor function in
recognition of our excellent work with that Faculty’s tutors.
The Unit was invited to attend the year-end function of the Nursing
department’s mentors in recognition of the specific training designed for them.
A member of the TD staff continued to represent TD on the FYE committee.
A member of the TD staff was elected as a representative on the ADS ExCo
committee.
B.O.S.S is a group offers employment to tutors to work with high school
students in development workshops. TD facilitated a presentation by B.O.S.S
at tutor check-in. This represents TD’s community out-reach project initiative
for 2012.
TD agreed to convene the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Tutoring established
by HELTASA. As SIG convenor TD set up the on-line SIG community. UJ
tutor training dvd’s (that were posted on-line) have been used at UWC to assist
with their training. Jenni Underhill attended a regional SIG meeting in the
Western Cape and facilitated the SIG meeting at HELTASA 2012.
TD assisted Prof Hennie Lotter in drawing up a document highlighting the need
for increased funding for tutors in 2013. Increased funding, however, should
only go to those departments that endorse the value of teaching with tutors in
their practices.
Classroom observations were implemented on SWC and DFC for the purpose
of tutor and staff development. Raymond Robinson reported on these
development findings at HELTASA 2012.
Jenni Underhill submitted her thesis for assessment in October 2012. She
presented her final seminar in August 2012 and will graduate in May 2013.
Tutor training evaluation of 2012 resulted in an amended training package for
experienced and super-experienced tutors for 2013.
Tutor check-in was given a new format which entailed further developing tutor
academic skills and learning development. Evaluation indicated that these
were helpful practical tutoring strategies.
TD assisted new academic staff in understanding the role of tutors at UJ in
CPASD’s academic preparation workshops.
69
Generic
training
Specialist
training
Check-in
sessions
Tutors Trained
Staff
mentorship
3.4.1
5
39
39
30
Economic & Financial Science
2
84
25
76
Education
1
68
0
74
Engineering & Built Environment
0
53
0
47
Health Sciences
3
58
47
3
Humanities
9
101
101
90
Law
7
28
28
14
Management
6
79
24
123
Sciences
14
159
0
124
ADC
5
6
0
17
Total
52
(number of
staff
mentored)
675
264
598
Faculties
3.5
Research Activities within the ADC
During 2012, the research capacity development process in ADC continued. This
included a number of workshops and writing retreats once again facilitated by Dr
Troskie de Bruyn of the University of Stellenbosch. Dr Karen Haire also continued
as research co-coordinator in the ADC, tasked to coordinate research efforts and to
offer research support to staff involved in conducting research. As such she gave
critical feedback on draft articles and conference presentations and proposals (MA or
Ph.D) upon request. She was also involved in a variety of other research
development initiatives in ADC.
Certain research projects were based in individual Units. The Unit for Tutor
Development, for instance, was involved in the Large Class National Project funded
by MELLON through UCT. UJ was one of the four universities represented in this
project. The aim of the Large Class National Project was to establish the importance
70
as well as constraints of using tutorials for targeted groups within a large class. The
project was implemented at UJ through continued collaboration between Tutor
Development and the Department of Business Management. The results of this
project were reported in July 2012 at UCT. In September 2012, an internal
symposium was held in the Faculty of Management to discuss the findings of the
project. A national symposium will be held in 2013 where all four universities will
present their findings.
Tutor Development was also involved in trialling a new training model in the
Introduction to Legal Studies module. The Unit initiated a model using experienced
tutors to conduct and co-train new tutors, and to conduct tutor check-in sessions.
The aim was to demonstrate that experienced tutors have expert pedagogical
knowledge and at the same time are closer to the peer tutor experience. Results of
this project were reported at HELTASA 2012 and the model will be further
implemented at UJ.
A Learning Development project conducted by Cecilia Rosa and Cithra Bheamadu
involved researching critical thinking skills among first year students, on a universitywide basis, with the assistance of a consulting firm, Magellan Consulting, and of
Statkon to process the data obtained from the Learning Orientation Index. The
project resulted in two international conference presentations in London and Turkey
respectively, and two articles will be submitted for consideration for publication in
2013. Other articles emanating from the research are planned.
A three-year Academic Literacies project, undertaken in conjunction with Elon
University in the United States and several other universities, continued to focus on
Writing and the question of transfer. Ms Dube and Ms Kane attended the Elon
Research Seminar at Elon University, North Carolina, in June 2012 and presented
their findings at an associated international conference. The ELON project will be
completed during 2013.
Conference Presentations, Benchmarking Studies, Participation in Seminars
2011
Staff Member
Conference /
Benchmarking
Presentation
Ms Cecilia Dube
International Writing Across
the Curriculum (IWAC)
Conference, Savannah,
Georgia (USA)
Ms Sandy Kane
International Writing Across
the Curriculum (IWAC)
Conference, Savannah,
Georgia (USA)
Ms Cecilia Dube and
Ms Sandy Kane
5 day international
Research Seminar, Elon
University, USA.
th
London: 8 international
conference on Child and
Adolescent Pathology.
Dr Cithra Bheamadu
71
Date
Students’ writing
apprehension, attitudes to
writing, and performance:
Perspectives from a South
African university
Students’ writing
apprehension, attitudes to
writing, and performance:
Perspectives from a South
African university
The question of writing
transfer
June 2012
Self-Injury in the South
African context
July 2012
June 2012
June 2012
Conference /
Benchmarking
Staff Member
Dr Karen Haire
Presentation
th
Date
12 Biennial International
Conference of the Society
of Oral Literatures in Africa
(ISOLA), University of
Venda
The Learner Conference,
London
An afro-centric approach to
the teaching of African
language poetry: a CD
Cognitive complexity of 1
year UJ students
August 2012
Dr Welcome
Kubheka
LearnScapes Conference
on partners in Academic
Support
Integration of Academic
Skills in teaching and
Learning
August 2012
Mrs Soraya Motsabi
Bloemfontein: South
African Association of
Counselling and
Development in Higher
Education
Southern African Folklore
Society (SAFOS) Tshwane
University of Technology
Presentation at UJ (with
colleagues from CAT and
UJLIC)
The development of Learning
Communities in Higher
Education: a case for UJ
September
2012
Modernising the Teaching of
Setswana Language Poetry:
a CD
The University of
Johannesburg collaborative
Initiative for the development
of an Information Literacy
course within the extended
degree.
September
2012
Turkey: International
Conference of education
and educational
Psychology
HELTASA (Stellenbosch)
Preferred Learning styles of
First year University Students
October
2012
The integration of reading
and writing in the Writing
Centre: a holistic approach
Students’ experiences of the
peer tutoring model at the
University of Johannesburg
Using technology to adapt to
a new learning environment:
Moving from face to face oral
presentations to on line
presentations
November
2012
Dr Cecelia Rosa
Dr Karen Haire
Mrs Venessa
Damons
Dr Cithra Bheamadu
Ms Sandy Kane
st
July 2012
September
2012
Mr Rirhandzu
Maluleke
Dr Welcome
Kubheka
HELTASA conference
Dr Welcome
Kubheka
West Coast FET College
Workshop on “Integration of
academic skills in teaching
and learning;
November
2012
Ms Jenni Underhill
(presenter)
Dr Nelia Frade (coauthor)
Mr Raymond
Robinson
Passing the baton: the
emerging role of experienced
tutors and lecturers in tutor
training
Observing your tutor: The
role of classroom
observations in developing a
tutor repertoire
November
2012
72
November
2012
November
2012
November
2012
Staff Member
Conference /
Benchmarking
Presentation
Date
André van Zyl
The first three years:
Evaluating the UJ FYE
November
2012
Razia Mayet
November
2012
Benita Nel
Chris Abrahams
Learning Development:
Beating under-preparedness
for higher education
Academic advising initiative:
An innovative intervention for
improved success in the
access programmes at UJ
Taking the construction site
to the classroom
Maxine Shandler
November
2012
George Mavunga
Remigius Nnadozie
Nadine Dharsey and
Andile Mamba
Quality Building graduates: A
comparison between
Diploma and the Extended
Diploma graduates
The University of
Johannesburg 2012
Extended National Diploma
Management and Humanities
students perceptions of their
programmes
Towards a more inclusive
approach of measuring the
effectiveness of foundational
provision programmes
Innovative assessment in
large classes
November
2012
November
2012
November
2012
November
2012
November
2012
Publications
Kufakunesu, P., Mutambwa, J., & Mavunga, G. (2012). Terms of address usage by
police officers at Mbare Police Station, Harare, in conversation with complainants.
South African Journal of African Languages, 32(1), 85-90.
Motsabi, S., & van Zyl, A. (2012). Academic development. In L. Beekman, C.,
Cilliers., & de Jager, A. (Eds.), Student counselling and development: Contemporary
issues in the Southern African context (pp. 194-210). Pretoria, Unisa Press.
Svongoro, P., Mutangadura, J., Gonzo, L., & Mavunga, G. (2012). Language and the
legal process: A linguistic analysis of courtroom discourse involving selected cases
of alleged rape in Mutare, Zimbabwe. South African Journal of African Languages,
32(2), 117-128.
Machika, P. (2012). Redefining access for success in Engineering extended
programmes. South African Journal of Higher Education, 26(5).
Dube, C., Kane, S., & Lear, M. (2012). The effectiveness of students redrafting
continuous assessment tasks: the pivotal role of tutors and feedback). Perspectives
in Education, 30(3).
73
Van Zyl, A., Gravett, S., & de Bruin, D. (2012). To what extent do pre-entry attributes
predict first year student academic performance in the South African context? South
African Journal of Higher Education, 26(5), 1095-1111.
Bheamadu, C., Fritz, E. & Pillay, J. (2012). The experience of self-injury amongst
adolescents and young adults within a South African context. Journal of Psychology
in Africa, 22(2), 263-268.
Nel, B. (2012). Transformation of teacher identity through a mathematical literacy reskilling programme. South African Journal of Education.
Mavunga, G. (2011). The Zimbabwe crisis as captured in Shona metaphor. Journal
of African Cultural Studies, 23(2).
Van Zyl, A., & Blaauw, P. (in press). An integrated project aimed at improving
student success. African Education Review, 9(3).
The management structures in ADC were strengthened by the appointment of Dr G
Mihindou as the Head of Learning development, Literacies development and Tutor
development. His appointment ensured that the approved middle management
structure of ADC was fully staffed for the first time in a number of years. Regular
management meetings were convened between the Acting Director and the Heads
of Access, Ms Maxine Shandler, Academic Development (AD), Dr Guy Mihindou,
and Acting Head, Professional Academic Staff Development (PASD), Ms Kibbie
Naidoo. Meetings are also conducted fortnightly with Senior Coordinators where the
management of each of their portfolios or units is discussed and issues are raised.
Each Senior Coordinator then meets with the staff members within their modules and
sub-units to ensure the day to day running of the Centre. Currently, all ADC staff
members submit a fortnightly report which is circulated amongst other staff
members; this allows for timeous intervention and prompt feedback concerning any
problems. All meetings are documented and the minutes are distributed. Regular
module and teaching evaluation reviews are conducted within the various wings of
the ADC and feedback is provided to staff members by their line managers.
74
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
THE ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR 2012
Cost Centre 142100
Entity
number
31000
Expenditure
31200
Budget
Amount Spent
Salaries cost company
R 9,521,591.72
R 9,244,956.87
31300
Temporary salaries
R 5,693,750.58
R 4,876 750.85
31400
Overtime salaries
R 22,148.32
R 27,677.64
SUB TOTAL
33200-41900
Operational Costs
44300-44700
Capital Costs
TOTAL
R 15,237,490.62
R 14,149,385.36
R 2,431 627.00
R 2,944 029.00
R 413,230.00
R 387,170.00
R 18,082,347.62
R 17,867,764.36
During 2013, the ADC overspent in a number of areas. This was mainly due to the
late addition of a number of Extended Diplomas as well as other unforeseen
expansions in work. Measures have been put in place to ensure that this does not
happen again. These include better financial systems, closer monitoring of
expenditure as well as more regular financial meetings.
6.1
ADC SELF-EVALUTION AUDIT
The ADC Self-Evaluation Review (SER) took place from the 6th – 9th March 2012.
The preparation for the review and the writing up of the report was an extremely long
but exceptionally beneficial collaborative process. Over several years staff members
were able to reflect collectively on the ADC practices and processes, developments
and achievements to date and to identify areas of work that required further
development.
Members of the audit panel were Prof Moloko Sepota (University of Limpopo); Prof
Moragh Paxton (UCT); Prof Marissa Rollnik (Wits); Dr Sarie Snyders (NMMU); Dr
Kim Battle and Mr Ferdi Fester (UJ). Interviews were conducted with ADC staff and
students as well as external stakeholders in the UJ community.
The review panel commended ADC on:
•
The attention to detail in the report and the presentation of evidence,
particularly the transparency of the evidence;
•
The strong relationships it has built with some faculties;
•
Its collaboration with FYE and its participation in the FY orientation programme;
•
Its inviting Writing Centres and other facilities;
75
•
•
•
•
•
Its tutors who are motivated and positive about their work; the reports and feedback required of tutors and the initiative to develop and benchmark tutor
programmes for UJ;
The hard work that goes into the delivery of its diverse services;
Its enthusiastic, motivated and dedicated staff who are passionate about their
work;
The ex-director’s initiatives to promote staff, encourage career-path planning,
focus on research and drive to get academic status for staff members; and
The work being done to identify at-risk students in extended programmes,
especially the mark review meetings to ensure early warning of students at risk.
Once ADC received the peer review report, the audit steering committee embarked
on a process of analysing and engaging with it, with all ADC staff invited to provide
input into the improvement plan according to their focus areas. The improvement
plan served at the UJ Senate Teaching and Learning Committee during October
2012. At the STLC meeting it was decided that those recommendations that
affected the broader UJ community would be identified and a way forward would be
decided upon by the relevant stakeholders.
With the assistance of the UJ Quality Unit, ADC benefited greatly from the quality
audit. An important highlight of the process was the increased collegiality of staff
members who became more aware of the multidimensional nature of each other’s
and ADC’s work. As a part of the ADC transformation initiatives, we will endeavour
to build on this better understanding in order to foster even better teamwork with
ADC. The recommendations will also feed into the discussions about the way
forward in ADC.
Quality assurance processes in the various ADC Units are now presented.
6.2
Tutor Development
The Unit’s evaluation process includes understanding the experiences of the
stakeholders who participate in tutor programmes at UJ. This is done by capturing
data from the evaluation questionnaires given to participants after every intervention
offered. Training and tutor check-in sessions are consistently evaluated. Tutors are
requested to provide feedback on the training and tutor check-in sessions via
questionnaires. This feedback serves to improve and inform our practice including
the improvement of our tutor development materials. Individual lecturers who have
been mentored by Tutor Development are engaged in formal interviews, followed by
rigorous data analysis, to gauge their experience and level of pedagogical
development.
Tutor reports are submitted by tutors during check-in and are then used to gauge the
effectiveness of various tutor programmes conducted by academic departments.
The report data is then used to identify UJ trends. The reports are structured to lead
the tutors into reporting on any challenges they have experienced and positive
experiences they have had. Importantly tutors may comment on the relationships
and departmental support that they have experienced. These reports are compiled
twice a year and are then sent to the Executive Director (ADS) and Director (ADC)
for comment so as to raise awareness of the utilization of the tutor programmes in
76
each Faculty. In 2012, a detailed report served at STLC highlighting Faculty
compliance with the UJ Tutor Policy.
6.3
Extended Programmes
The quality assurance processes from 2011 were maintained in the 2012 academic
year. Operational Planning sessions held in November, 2011, charted the way
forward. Module and writing centre coordinators presented key documents relating
to their day-to-day operations and these were brainstormed and suggestions made
for improvement.
In addition, monthly module staff meetings were held as scheduled throughout the
year. Minutes of these meetings were kept for record and reference purposes.
To ensure that quality was assured within each module, compulsory tutor/part-time
lecturer training sessions were held for an hour each week. At each session, the
module coordinator presented the week’s teaching materials to his/her team and
also received feedback on the previous week’s tutorials. At the end of each term,
standardisation and moderation sessions were held to ensure that the same
standards of assessment were maintained within each module.
The practice of staff submitting fortnightly reports was retained from the previous
year, as were the tutor/part-time lecturer reflection sessions at the end of each
semester. Reports from the latter, which were tabled for consideration at the 2012
Operational Planning sessions, held on the 12th and 13th November, proved an
invaluable source of information, with some key recommendations incorporated into
planning for the 2013 academic year.
6.4
Writing Centres
The writing centre coordinators also had monthly staff meetings at which they shared
experiences as well as any innovative materials developed since the last meeting. In
order to ensure that the four centres operated as one community of practice, the
coordinators took turns in hosting the meetings at their respective centres. In
addition to this, there were joint training sessions once a term.
On a day-to-day basis, consultants kept records of all consultations held; they also
had peer reviews built into their operational processes. In addition, they participated
in consultant reflection sessions similar to those held for tutors.
Again,
recommendations from the reflection sessions were tabled at the Operational
Planning meeting held for the writing centres on the 13th November and decisions
taken as to the desirability of their incorporation into pans for the next academic
year.
6.5
In the Learning Development unit, policies and standard operational procedures
were developed and aligned to the university policies. Students are assessed
continuously throughout the year by means of formative assessments, with
fortnightly reports highlighting problems identified and actions taken where possible.
77
At Learning Development meetings, learning content is extensively discussed to
identify weaknesses and areas for revision. Although staff members are assigned to
design the assessments, all Learning Development staff are required to give input on
assessments before students are assessed. Meetings were held fortnightly and
minutes kept in a shared folder.
There has been a greater emphasis on record keeping for student consultations and
referrals. These referrals are agreed upon with PsyCaD, and ADC staff and PsyCaD
staff cross refer depending on the problem facing the students. The annual strategic
planning meeting was used to identify areas for improvement and changes in
learning content and learning material. The Learning Development unit has also
introduced a virtual (online) study-skills programme in order to accommodate
students who find it difficult to attend workshops.
7. RISK MANAGEMENT
The challenges for the Academic Development Centre remained relatively constant
during 2012, largely because many of these are structural in nature and will take a
long time to resolve. There are also a number of internal risks which, unless
mitigated, may hinder the overall mission of the ADC as an effective academic
support system within the UJ.
Reliance on part-time and contract staff
A crucial and on-going internal risk for the ADC is the high reliance on part-time
lecturers which creates instability, as often part time lecturers leave to take up
permanent appointments despite the intensive training they have received. The
ADC is not staffed at levels which allow all Faculties to be serviced adequately. We
are seeking to maintain on-going stability by deploying permanent staff as effectively
as possible, given the increasing demand for academic development interventions
requested by the faculties. However, we are now in the unfortunate position of
having to decline some requests by Faculty staff for assistance.
Increased group sizes
The increase in class size over time (since 2009) in the majority of Extended
Diplomas (in some cases classes doubled in size over the past couple of years)
resulted in a huge increase in marking loads and as a result, deadlines could not
always be met. The increase in size also resulted in some loss of individualised
attention. The maintenance of effective and high quality teaching and learning in this
context is of particular concern.
A further problem encountered on SWC has been the lack of suitable venues for
large classes. Tutorial venues and computer laboratories were also too small for the
class sizes. The large classes on DFC and SWC necessitated splitting the groups
and doubling up most computer literacy classes in 2011.
Psychosocial problems of students
Despite the numerous innovative pedagogies and interventions offered by ADC, the
fact that a large number of students do not have the finances to travel to university
nor to eat adequately has a negative effect on their academic progress.
78
Equitable services on all campuses, and growing workloads
Achieving equitable services on all campuses has become a particular challenge for
all ADC units, and especially for the Unit for Tutor Development, which is now
supporting growing numbers of tutors on all four campuses with only two permanent
members of staff, assisted by two part-time temporary appointees. A tutor
development coordinator is urgently required for the SWC.
The appointment of a substantive coordinator for the writing centre on the SWC
campus meant that, for the first time, the ALD unit was represented on all four
campuses and was thus able to begin to address the call for equitable service to the
whole institution. By working together as a community of practice throughout the
year, the four writing centre coordinators sought to maintain equitable standards
across the institution; but they were frustrated in their attempts by financial
constraints such as transport costs when travelling between campuses to attend staff
meetings. The growing demand for consultations and other interventions such as
workshops across faculties underlined the need for additional academic
development practitioners to extend the reach of the ALD unit.
Realising the importance of reading amongst students, the Learning Development
unit has put the issue of reading in the Director’s portfolio as a priority.
Stable and permanent top management for ADC
Since the departure of the previous Director of ADC, the position of director has
been filled in an acting capacity by two different people. It is difficult for an acting
director to take the strategic lead as this might change again when a permanent
director is appointed. ADC needs this stable leadership to take the Centre forward.
Mitigating strategies:
A variety of strategies have sought to respond to the increasing demands for ADC
support: strategic deployments to campuses; team approaches; group rather than
individual consultations; and, increasingly, the use of technology, for instance the
development of on-line skills packages, and the introduction of online Writing
consultations. At the same time, however, a few requests for assistance have had to
be declined, due to lack of capacity.
To mitigate the constraints referred to above, the ALD unit offered more group
consultations than in 2011, and also introduced e-mailed feedback, particularly for
work-study students. Travelling costs for purposes of attending meetings were also
shared equally among the writing centre coordinators by rotating the meeting venues
among the four campuses on a monthly basis.
The ADC management is in continuous conversation with the UJ top management
about the issues of concern and it is hoped that some of the problem areas can be
resolved during 2013. Because of the very high level of commitment of the average
ADC staff members, service quality has not been adversely influenced during 2012.
We will endeavour to continue strengthening the ADC staff complement and to
provide internal staff stability.
79
The strategic thrusts for 2013 are:
•
To continue providing modules, programmes and interventions that focus on
the multi-faceted needs of students in order to enhance their academic
success;
•
To encourage and support the development of ADC staff and their expertise in
teaching, learning and assessment;
•
To ensure effective quality assurance practices by means of regular monitoring,
evaluating and reviewing of teaching and learning, programmes, modules and
interventions;
•
To continue to seek to develop an institutional Reading Development Plan
which is appropriate to the needs of UJ students;
•
To make significant progress with the ADC improvement plan which emerged
as a result of the quality audit held during March 2012;
•
To continue to promote innovation and excellence in teaching and learning
through collaboration with UJ Faculties and departments;
•
To continue to raise awareness and market the comprehensive range of ADC
programmes, modules and interventions to internal and external stakeholders;
•
To enhance the ADC’s reputation by disseminating information about the
Centre’s achievements; and
•
To encourage and support staff to conduct individual and / or collaborative
research and access all available research initiatives, resources and funding.
Concluding Reflection
During 2012, ADC once again made considerable progress in repositioning itself
within the University, in line with the University’s strategic goals. The value of
academic development in ensuring the success of students is increasingly
recognised and is now becoming more widely accepted. ADC has ensured provision
of academic development support on all four campuses, though some further work is
required to render this fully equitable, in terms of the different needs on each
campus. Writing Centres have been established on all four campuses, with the
SWC Writing Centre being established during 2012.
ADC’s extended diploma programmes, academic literacies and learning
development modules, the Writing Centres as well as the tutor development system,
have once again been notably successful, promoting access for success to students
from previously disadvantaged groups.
Ideas about additional academic
development strategies, modules and interventions are continually generated and
implemented.
In addition to this, the change in strategic focus of the ADC from student
development to student and staff development, and the consequent realignment of
strategic goals, has resulted in significant benefits this year. This has included
continuing the process of capacity building amongst many members of the Faculty
academic staff to both understand the nature of academic literacy and academic
development more broadly and also to provide appropriate interventions for students
80
which will contribute to greater academic success. It has also lead to an increase in
both the number and depth of collaborative relationships between ADC staff and
staff in the Faculties which in turn resulted in better integration of academic skills
with discipline-specific knowledge. There has been significant progress in ensuring
that these integrated approaches reach a greater proportion of UJ’s students.
Looking forward to 2013 and beyond, the ADC will continue its commitment to
building staff capacity and strengthening working relationships with faculty staff as
primary strategic thrusts aimed at addressing the needs of UJ and its students.
During 2013 the ADC will also continue to develop its strategic plan and to
strengthen its internal management structures and procedures to ensure optimum
efficiency. In this it will also be guided by the recommendations emanating from the
ADC Quality Audit. Both the commendations and recommendations will be
thoughtfully considered and will feed into planning and implementation of the various
ADC activities. The innovative nature and success of many of the initiatives
undertaken in ADC is having an increasingly significant impact on students
experience and success at UJ. In combination they certainly enrich the contribution
the ADC makes to the university community as a whole, and the staff are looking
forward to 2013.
81
CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
(CPASD)
1. STRATEGIC PLAN
Professional academic staff development is an enhancement concept, which
ensures a trajectory of excellence in higher education practices. Such practices
include teaching, learning, assessment, research and academic management across
the spectrum of all academic employees, from the most junior to senior academic
staff (teaching staff, heads of departments, vice-deans). The integrated approach as
practised at UJ also includes professional development support for curriculum design
and mode of delivery.
1.1
Strategic goals for 2011
Overview of CPASD Strategic goals: 2011-2013
The overarching strategic focus of CPASD is to become a Centre of Excellence for
the holistic professional development of academic staff by providing research based
high-quality learning opportunities, guidance and support for academic staff.
Strategic goals:
1.
Facilitate, amongst academic staff and in collaboration with faculties and ADS,
good and theorised practice in teaching and learning which is informed by the
university’s teaching and learning philosophy.
2.
Encourage staff to research and publish in teaching and learning practice in
their respective disciplines through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
by providing research guidance and establishing communities of practice within
faculties and ADS.
3.
Enhance teaching effectiveness through student and peer evaluation.
4.
Identify and provide professional development opportunities to improve practice
in response to student and peer evaluations, drawing on collaboration within
ADS.
5.
Conceptualise, develop and provide a programme for effective academic
leadership and management in faculties.
6.
Enhance and provide opportunities and support for academic staff engaged in
post-graduate studies, with special focus on research development and postgraduate supervision, in collaboration with the Postgraduate Centre and faculty
expertise.
7.
Develop systems to manage and monitor staff engaged in the SQP master’s
and doctoral programmes
82
2.1
Organogram
Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development
DIRECTOR
Dr HM de Lange
Administrative
assistant (temp)
Ms J van Tonder
Senior Coordinator:
Senior Coordinator:
Senior Coordinator:
Research Development
Professional Academic Staff
Development
Professional Academic Staff
Development
Ms K Naidoo
Mr S Ditaunyane
Ms P Lamberti
Administrative assistant
Facilitator:
SQP-Master’s & Research
Development
Professional Developmental &
Teaching & Module Evaluations
Ms T Shilenge
Ms C van der Merwe
(temp)
Ms Diana Tsotetsi
Teaching & module evaluations
P5
Director
P7
Senior coordinators
1
1
1
P8
Facilitators
1
1
1
P11
Administrative assistants
1
1
Total
2
1
1
83
3
1
Total
Foreign
national
African female
Female
Male
Disabilities
White
Indian
Centre for Professional
Academic Staff
Development
Employees:
Coloured
Equity Profile
African
2.2
Teaching & module evaluations
1
1
2
3
1
1
2
2
6
1
7
The Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development offers professional
development opportunities for all academic staff members in the broad field of higher
education practice, and acts as broker for professional development services offered
through the other Centres in ADS as well as by individual experts in specific areas.
Core focus areas of the CPASD are:
•
Professional academic staff development for teaching, learning and academic
leadership;
•
Teaching and module evaluation;
•
The Staff Qualifications Programme for master’s and doctoral support;
•
Research and supervision development.
3.1
Professional academic development
At the University of Johannesburg focus areas include:
•
Induction into academic practice;
•
Curriculum development;
1.
roll-out of UJ’s Teaching and Learning Philosophy;
2.
the broad field of learning and teaching: materials development;
assessment of learning; feedback for enhanced learning; pedagogical
innovation;
•
Academic management and leadership development.
3.1.1
Target groups for professional academic staff development
The abovementioned focus areas address the needs of the following target groups
at UJ:
•
Newly appointed and inexperienced academic staff (permanent, fixed term
contract and temporary academic staff);
•
Academic teaching and research staff generally;
•
Academic staff moving into academic leadership positions;
•
Academic staff studying towards a Master’s and doctoral degrees; and
•
Academic staff supervising postgraduate studies.
3.1.2
Professional development programmes
CPASD offers academic staff a range of facilitated activities aimed at enhancing
learning, teaching and research in the university. These activities include, amongst
others, individual mentoring, departmental and faculty workshops as well as
university-wide seminars. In addition to developing staff in the focus areas listed
above, professional development activities in 2012 aimed at providing opportunities
for staff to become familiar with and engage with current debates in higher education
both nationally and internationally. This was particularly evident in the seminar led
by Professor Ronald Barnett, from the University of London.
Professional
development activities are informed by the institutional learning-to-be teaching and
learning philosophy.
84
3.1.2.1 Academic preparation for new academic staff
The Academic Preparation Programme is important in preparing staff for their roles
as academics in the UJ, and in so doing supports their retention. The main objective
of this programme is the integration of new academic employees into the university
by introducing them to core aspects of academic practice in the UJ context. This
includes curriculum development, assessment, and innovative pedagogy.
The Academic Preparation Programme is primarily aimed at new and inexperienced
academic staff. It assists with their full integration into the institution, their familiarity
with its practices and raises their awareness of the support structures and resources
available. Thus the goal of the programme is to develop the capacity of staff to fulfil
their roles as academics optimally and to provide them with any necessary support
to do so. In order to facilitate maximum participation by staff this three-day academic
preparation programme is offered bi-annually, during recess times as well as during
the course of the semester. In addition to this the Centre offers on-going
professional development workshops on important topics relating to teaching,
learning and assessment throughout the year.
Overview of Academic Preparation Programme: February 2012
The first of two academic preparation programmes for new academics was held from
31st of January to the 2nd February 2012. A thematic approach for each day of the
programme was adopted. The broad themes were curriculum development,
teaching, learning, and assessment respectively. The programme sought both to
develop skills in areas relating to teaching and learning in higher education and to
provide academic staff with important information that would assist them in their
roles as lecturers and researchers at UJ. Given that the Centre does not have
sufficient capacity to offer such an extensive programme through its own staff,
expertise from other centres in ADS and from faculties was utilised. In response to
feedback from the previous year’s programme, an attempt was made to include
more discussion and interaction amongst participants. Staff had expressed the need
to develop a discussion forum for new staff and this was built into the programme.
The following table outlines the different topics that were covered in the programme.
Topic
Presenter
An Introduction to UJ’s Teaching and Learning
Strategy
Ms Kibbie Naidoo
Centre for Professional Academic Staff
Development
Developing a coherently aligned curriculum @ UJ
Mr Lucky Ditaunyane
Development
First Year Experience @ UJ
Dr Andre van Zyl
First Year Experience, Academic
Development and Support
Developing learning guides
Dr Arno Louw
Centre for Technology Assisted Learning
85
Topic
Presenter
Teaching Practice that deepens teacher and student
engagement
Dr Josef de Beer
Department of Mathematics, Science,
Technology and Computer Education
Faculty of Education
Academic Development and Support
Prof Jenny Clarence-Fincham
Research Development
Prof Anton Muller
Getting the Most out of Tutor Programmes
Ms Jenni Underhill
Work Integrated Learning
Ms Susanne Taylor
Centre for Psychological Services and
Career Development
Assessment for Learning
Dr Karen Steenekamp
Department of Educational Studies
Teaching and Module Evaluations: Implementing the
new policy and procedures
Ms Charlotte van der Merwe
Development
Reflection on effective large class teaching and
assessment.
Mr Mohammed Kara
Department of Business Management
Ongoing Engagement : teaching and learning forum for
new academic staff
Ms Kibbie Naidoo
Development
The Academic Preparation Programme was well attended by 118 academic staff
members over the three days: 43 on the Tuesday, 34 on Wednesday and 41 staff on
Thursday.
The following Faculties were represented at the Academic Preparation Programme:
•
Faculty of Health Sciences (2)
•
Faculty of Humanities (8)
•
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (2)
•
Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences (9)
•
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment (5)
•
Faculty of Management (4)
•
Faculty of Science (5)
•
Faculty of Law (2)
•
Faculty unknown (6)
86
Overview of Academic Preparation Programme: July 2012
The CPASD offered the Academic Preparation Programme for the second time in
2012 from the 17th to the 19th of July. The workshop took place at the School of
Tourism and Hospitality (STH) Conference Room 1. Invitations were sent out to new
academic staff that had joined the UJ since January 2012 but had not attended the
previous workshop.
The table below reflects the topics that were presented at the second Academic
Preparation Programme:
Topic
Presenter
Developing a Coherently Aligned Curriculum at UJ
Dr Riëtte de Lange
Development
Dr Karen Steenekamp
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Work Integrated Learning
Ms Susanne Taylor
Centre for Psychological Services and
Career Development
Developing learning guides
Dr Arno Louw
How Students Learn and a Brief Introduction to the
UJ’s Teaching and Learning Philosophy
Ms Kibbie Naidoo
Development
Enhancing Teaching and Learning through Peer
Collaboration and Evaluation
Mr Lucky Ditaunyane
Development
Learning with Technology
Prof Alan Amory
Teaching Evaluation and its value in Reflecting on
Teaching
Ms Charlotte van der Merwe
Development
Developing Research Capacity for Staff
Prof Anton Muller
Teaching Practice that Deepens Teacher and
Student Engagement
Ms Vanessa Merckel
Department of Educational Studies
Academic Development and Support and First Year
Experience
Reflection on effective large class teaching.
Mr Mohammed Kara
Department of Business Management
Quality @ UJ
Ms Ina Pretorius
Unit for Quality Promotion
87
The number of attendees was as follows: 26 on day 1, 20 on day 2, and 18 on the
last day. Staff who attended came from the following faculties:
•
Faculty of Science (4)
•
Faculty of Management (5)
•
Faculty of Health Science (3)
•
Faculty of Humanities (4)
•
Faculty of Economics and Financial Science (5)
•
Faculty of Law (5)
Feedback from the workshop was positive with staff commenting that it was wellorganised and extremely valuable. Some staff commented that they appreciated
these workshops because they do not have experience of teaching and would value
more intensive workshops on interactive pedagogy and developing assessment
rubrics.
For the first time since the APP has run, we had 2 senior academics (1 of whom was
new to UJ) attend. Both staff members said that this programme was very useful
because it gave them insight into the roles and responsibilities of academics and into
some of the thinking (theories) in key areas like curriculum, innovative pedagogy and
assessment in a manner that was relevant and accessible.
Follow-up Workshops for New and Experienced Staff
From the evaluation of the academic preparation programme staff identified a
number of topics for follow-up workshops. Three follow-up workshops (see table
below) were offered to academic staff. Although these workshops are developed
with new and inexperienced staff in mind, they are open to all staff, and many staff
who are not new to UJ do attend.
Topic
Number attended
Engaging students in Learning
31
29
Large Class Teaching
3
Total attendees
62
3.1.2.2 Curriculum Development Project
The ADS Curriculum Development Project, a collaborative initiative involving ADS,
Institutional Planning, the Division of Planning, Evaluation & Monitoring (DIPEM) and
the Quality Promotion Unit (QPU) grew out of the teaching and philosophy roll-out
process initiated in 2011. The project, driven by a small working group of CPASD
staff, was co-ordinated by Prof Jenny Clarence-Fincham. It was conceptualised
within the context of:
•
The UJ teaching and learning philosophy;
•
Insights emerging from the SANTED project on curriculum coherence in
comprehensive universities;
•
Current curriculum development research, both nationally and internationally;
88
•
•
The HEQF re-curriculation process;
Requirements for the 2016 HEQC audit.
Consequently, the project comprises four interrelated aspects of curriculum
development:
1.
Teaching and learning philosophy roll-out.
2.
Development of new programmes.
3.
HEQF-based re-curriculation.
4.
Project-driven pedagogical interventions.
The roll-out of the Teaching and Learning Philosophy, as a core component of the
curriculum development project, continued in 2012.
Teaching and Learning Philosophy Workshops
A total of 73 participants attended the 5 Teaching and Learning Philosophy
workshops.
Number of
Workshops
Campus
Number of
Participants
Business Management
1
Soweto
5
Marketing Management
(shorter version)
1
APB
11
STH (across all departments)
1
APB
23
Humanities
Applied Communicative Skills
1
APK
10
Engineering
and Built
Environ
Mechanical Engineering
1
DFC
13
Faculty
Management
Departments
Total
5
73
2012 saw a drop in the number of departmental workshops as staff were busy with
re-curriculation in order to comply with the requirements of the new HEQF. CPASD
staff facilitated workshops in the Faculties of Economics and Financial Science, and
Management to assist with the process.
Despite the decrease in number of workshops it is evident that many staff are now
beginning to make explicit links between the Teaching and Learning Philosophy and
their own classroom practice and, where necessary, designing tasks for students
which reflect this more clearly. It is increasingly clear that workshops focused on
discipline specific contexts, where particular values, conventions and practices can
be identified, are far more beneficial to staff than generic interventions.
Faculty and Departmental Workshops
The CPASD has been assisting faculties and departments with implementation of
the Teaching and Learning Strategy and in teaching and learning more broadly by
offering workshops on innovative pedagogy in addition to the workshops on the
philosophy.
89
The following workshops were facilitated in 2012.
Faculty/Department
Topic
Number attended
Health Science
Innovative Pedagogy
10
Health Science
Problem-based Learning
8
Applied Communicative Skills (DFC)
Assessment
7
Applied Communicative Skills (APB)
Assessment
6
Management
Innovative Pedagogy
12
Language-related issues @ UJ
11
Total attendees
54
In 2012 on-going professional development took place on an informal basis through
daily academic practices, through CPASD staff being invited to present at workshops
in departments and faculties, through interaction with colleagues and through
consultation with new and experienced staff on an individual basis.
Individual consultation is available on request by academic staff members. These
requests are normally in relation to specific topics, for example, assessment and
learning contracts. In addition, on receipt of a teaching evaluation report, staff
members are encouraged to consult with CPASD staff to clarify the implications of
the report or to explore how they can improve their practice.
Increasingly, links are being made between the curriculum development project and
other initiatives in the institution. This applies particularly to the development of an
institutional language strategy where discussion about curriculum and language
frequently converge. Invitations to ADS staff to participate in teaching and learning
related activities, for example the FADA Teaching and Learning Forum, the Science
First Year Academy, the Health Sciences Teaching and Learning Committee and
module reviews in Commercial Accounting are examples of this.
3.1.2.3 Academic Management and Leadership Development
The academic leadership development programme was conceptualized to assist
heads of department and heads of school. The purpose of the programme is to
provide HoDs/HoSs with leadership development opportunities in line with their
responsibilities. Furthermore, the academic leadership development programme
was also envisaged as a possible springboard for conversations of common interest
among departmental heads. The role of a departmental head is extremely
challenging and therefore necessitates a leadership development programme.
The 2012 plan for the academic leadership development programme included an
induction workshop for new HoDs/HoSs in March and a breakfast seminar on
strategic planning.
90
Overview of HOD Induction Workshop Programme: February 2012
The first academic management and leadership induction workshop took place on
27th February. Due to the strategic importance of this initiative, the workshop was
opened by Prof Angina Parekh, DVC Academic. In her opening address she
highlighted the important management role that HoDs play within their faculties and
the university.
The following table outlines topics and presenters:
Topic
Presenter
Welcome: The role of the head of department
Prof Angina Parekh
Discussion
DVC: Academic
The HoDs’ role in governance at UJ
Prof Marie Muller
Discussion
Registrar
HoDs’ role in departmental planning that is aligned
with the faculty’s and UJs strategic plans/thrusts
Prof Andre Swart
Executive Dean: Faculty of Health Science
Discussion
Prof Elizabeth de Kadt
Discussion
Executive Director: Academic Development
& Support Division (ADS)
Management of Teaching and Learning in the
Department
Dr Kakoma Luneta
HoD: Department of Childhood Education
Senior Lecturer: Mathematics Education
Discussion
Prof Lionel Posthumus
Management of Departmental Research and
Postgraduate Students
Discussion
Vice Dean: Research
Faculty of Humanities
Conclusion and Evaluation
Dr Riëtte de Lange
Discussion on possible topics for further workshops
Director: Centre for Professional Academic
Staff Development (CPASD)
3.1.2.6 Teaching and Learning Seminars
One of the highlights of CPASD activities was the hosting of a well-attended seminar
on challenges, strategies and successes when teaching large classes.
Quality teaching in large classes is an area of concern for staff in the UJ and this
seminar provided opportunities for staff to share their experiences and learn from
each other. The invited speaker was Mr Jacques Mahler from Nelson Mandela
School of Law, East London Campus who shared his experiences of successfully
engaging students in large classes through the use of technology. The workshop
was attended by 42 staff members.
91
Professional reflections on teaching large classes: challenges, strategies and
successes
TIME
TOPIC
8:00 – 8:30
Tea and Registration
8:30 – 8:45
Opening and Welcome
Elizabeth de Kadt (Executive Director Academic Development and Support)
8.45 – 9:15
9:15 – 9:30
9:30 – 10:30
Invited speaker: Jacques Mahler (Nelson Mandela School of Law, East
London Campus)
“Engaging first year law students to improve performance: reflection on the
use of audio-visual pivots”
Questions and Discussion
Faculty presentations (new lecturers)
Science: Marcelle Cochrane (Life Sciences)
“Chalk it: reflections on teaching life sciences to education students”
Humanities: Victoria Graham (Politics)
“Politics for the Masses: Challenges and Opportunities”
Engineering: Nkhumeleni Tshiongo (Engineering Metallurgy)
“Challenges relating to engineering student intake at the university”
10:30 – 11:00
Questions and discussion facilitated by Jenny Clarence-Fincham (Academic
Development and Support)
11:00 – 11:30
Tea
11:30 – 12:50
Faculty Presentations
Health Sciences (Anatomy): Bianca Negrao and Shamal Ramesar
“The challenges and successes of large class teaching in Health Sciences”
Engineering (Mining): Peter Knottenbelt and Amuli Bukanga
“Awakening the individual in a large class: clicker demo for learning and
understanding”
Humanities (English): Jane Starfield
“Teaching Popular Fiction to a Large First-Year Class”
12:50 – 13:30
Science: Dianne Schubert
“My Perspective on Teaching Large Mathematics Classes”
Questions, discussion and the way forward facilitated by Carina van Rooyen
(Anthropology and Development Studies)
13:30 – 14:15
Lunch followed by an informal discussion
A second Teaching and Learning Seminar took place in November 2012, when
CPASD was fortunate to host Prof Ron Barnett, Emeritus professor from the
Institution of Education at the University of London. Prof Barnett is a well-known
expert in higher education who has published extensively in the areas of research,
policy and practice. His publications include Realizing the University in an Age of
Supercomplexity (2000), Beyond all Reason: Living with Ideology in the University
(2003), Engaging the Curriculum in Higher Education (with Kelly Coate, 2005) and
two recent publications: Imagining the University; and The Future University. He
92
facilitated an insightful seminar entitled ‘Learning-to be: A very hopeful idea’. During
the seminar Prof Barnett challenged staff to think about creative ways of facilitating
learning to be in an unstable world. The workshop was attended by 55 staff
members from ADS and across all 9 faculties.
3.1.2.7 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
For many lecturers who are interested in researching their practice, research writing
can be difficult because they are not sufficiently familiar with educational discourse.
In response to this CPASD started an interest group for academics wanting to work
in the area of SoTL. This series of workshops was offered to provide insights into
how staff could combine practical examples of innovative teaching practice in higher
education with insight into educational theory and research design, to facilitate SoTL
and writing for publication. The emphasis was on how one can take innovative
teaching practice and systematically research and publish on it. When staff are
involved in researching their own practice within specific disciplines, the close
relationship between teaching and research results in teaching becoming much more
highly valued as an acceptable object of study.
The two following SoTL workshops were offered during 2012:
Topic
No Attended
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and writing for publication,
with a focus on metacognition, reflective skills and first-year students.
16
Use of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a lens in Researching
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
9
TOTAL
25
3.1.2.8 Workshops for Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching and Learning Excellence
Nominees
CPASD offered assistance to academics who were nominated for the VC’s award for
teaching excellence. In the first instance, nominees were invited to attend a
workshop facilitated by two of 2011 awardees, Professor Nathalie Hyde-Clarke and
Ms Tracy McKay. This workshop was attended by 5 nominees. During the second
workshop, attended by 5 staff, nominees were guided through the criteria for the
evaluation of portfolios. In addition, 3 staff members consulted with CPASD staff on
an individual basis in order to get clarity and further assistance on the criteria used to
evaluate the portfolios, and on the development of a teaching portfolio.
3.2
Teaching and Module Evaluation
Teaching and module evaluations were undertaken during 2012 in accordance with
the ‘Teaching and Module Evaluation Policy’ as amended in March 2011. The key
features of the amended policy are:
•
Teaching evaluation for each lecturer should be done every third year;
•
Module evaluation should also be done every third year;
93
•
•
All newly appointed academic staff are required to have their teaching
evaluated during their first year of employment at UJ;
The questionnaires consist of mandatory questions and additional questions
selected by the lecturer.
Purpose of Teaching Evaluation
The specific purpose of conducting student evaluations of teaching is to regularly
and systematically gather information that can be used:
•
To determine teaching effectiveness;
•
To evaluate students’ responses to materials and the ways in which they are
presented;
•
To improve teaching and therefore learning through professional development;
•
To identify good practices and experts (champions) who can contribute to
building a learning community around teaching practice;
•
In the compilation of teaching portfolios;
•
In academic staff promotions, performance management processes and staff
development plans; and
•
To encourage academic staff to engage in the scholarship of teaching and
learning by reflecting, in the light of the evaluation data, on their teaching and
assessment strategies and the development of new approaches.
Purpose of Module Evaluation
The specific purpose of conducting student module evaluation is to:
•
Ensure that the module contributes to learning in the programme as intended
and that the learning outcomes are aligned with those stated for the module;
•
Encourage academic staff to be aware of the quality of the modules they teach
by linking the module evaluation process with academic staff promotion and
performance management processes;
•
Encourage academic staff to engage in the scholarship of teaching and
learning by reflecting, in the light of student evaluation data, on the module
design and delivery and the development of new approaches.
The Teaching Evaluation (TE) questionnaire prescribes 14 mandatory questions,
and academic staff members may select a maximum of any 12 additional questions
from the TE question bank to generate their own questionnaire sheet.
The Module Evaluation (ME) questionnaire prescribes 13 mandatory questions and
academic staff members may select a maximum of any 13 additional questions from
the ME question bank to generate their own questionnaire sheet.
These questionnaires were used to evaluate the teaching of academic staff by
students. CPASD used a scanner-driven approach to cope with the large numbers
of teaching and module evaluation requests; student response sheets were scanned
and reports were generated electronically. Student responses to the open-ended
questions were typed up and sent to the academic staff member with their Teaching
and/or Module report electronically. While the majority of these evaluations are
developmental, academic staff who apply for promotion or teaching awards are also
required to have their teaching and/or modules evaluated by students.
94
An online teaching and module evaluation pilot programme was launched during the
second semester of 2012. CPASD did 20 Teaching Evaluations and/or Module
Evaluations from APK, APB and SWC and the class groups varied from small groups
(9) to large groups (700). The technical problems experienced with the pilot
programme were resolved and the online system can be used as a mode of
evaluation in 2013.
Some advantages for an online approach are as follow:
•
Lower cost (no printing of questionnaire and response sheets required);
•
No class time required (especially important for large classes );
•
No requirement to scan and store completed questionnaires.
A key disadvantage, however, is that online responses are normally lower than “in
class” administration of TE and/or ME questionnaires. We envisage addressing this
problem in 2013 with better communication (announcements and reminders)
between lecturers and students about the evaluation date/s, online access time etc.
3.2.1
Teaching evaluation requests for 2012
Teaching evaluation requests received
•
•
•
Postgraduate Supervision
Postgraduate
Undergraduate
Teaching evaluations reports sent
•
•
•
0
58
474
Total number of requests: 532
Postgraduate
Undergraduate
0
48
421
Total number of TE reports sent: 469
Reasons for discrepancies in number of TE requests received and reports sent out
to lecturers are:
No TE response sheets received 44
Insufficient responses 4
Invalid data 5
TE request cancelled 10
3.2.2
Teaching evaluation requests per faculty
The distribution of teaching evaluations requests received per faculty:
Faculty
Number
Campus
Total
1.
21
APB
21
2.
15
49
19
APB
APK
SWC
83
3.
Education
12
3
APK
SWC
15
4.
19
43
5
APK
DFC
APB
67
95
Faculty
5.
Health Sciences
6.
Humanities
7.
Law
8.
Management
9.
Science
Total for 2012
3.2.3
Campus
Total
2
11
42
APB
APK
DFC
55
1
89
21
3
1
17
1
39
36
13
9
41
19
1
APB
APK
DFC
SWC
APB
APK
SWC
APB
APK
DFC
SWC
APK
DFC
SWC
114
19
97
61
532
532
Total number of teaching evaluation requests per campus
UJ Campus
Number of Teaching Evaluations
APB
APK
DFC
SWC
83
274
138
37
Total
3.2.4
Number
532
Module evaluation requests for 2012
Module Evaluation Requests received
Postgraduate
Undergraduate
10
258
Module Evaluation Reports sent
Postgraduate
Undergraduate
Total number of request: 268
10
221
Total number of ME reports sent 231
Reasons for the discrepancy in number of ME requests received and reports sent
out to lecturers are:
No completed ME responses sheets received from lecturers
Insufficient responses
Invalid data
ME request cancelled
96
27
4
3
3
3.2.5
Module evaluation requests per faculty
The distribution of module evaluations per faculty:
Faculty
1.
2.
3.
Education
4.
5.
Health Sciences
6.
Law
7.
Humanities
8.
Management
9.
Science
Total for 2012
3.2.6
3.2.7
Number
Campus
Total
28
APB
28
11
4
12
9
1
APB
APK
SWC
APK
SWC
10
11
APK
DFC
6
13
5
2
1
4
24
4
1
27
16
9
57
11
2
APB
APK
DFC
APK
SWC
APB
APK
DFC
SWC
APB
APK
SWC
APK
DFC
SWC
268
27
10
21
24
3
33
52
70
268
Total number of module evaluations requests per campus
UJ Campus
Number of Module Evaluations
APB
APK
DFC
SWC
48
120
75
25
Total
268
Reflections on teaching and module evaluation
During 2012 CPASD continued to update the teaching and module evaluation
databases from the 469 teaching evaluations that were conducted across the nine
faculties, with a total of 30 246 student responses; and from the 231 module
evaluations that were conducted, with a total of 12 973 student responses.
The high levels of participation of academic staff in the faculties indicate that
academic staff at UJ have begun to focus seriously on improving their modules and
their teaching and learning practices. The lack of staff capacity in CPASD makes it
97
challenging to offer support on an individual basis, though individual consultations do
take place on request; it is more realistic to offer workshops on requested aspects of
teaching and learning. We are also not in a position to analyse the open-ended
questions, though student responses are typed up and sent through to the member
of staff being evaluated.
The Teaching and Module policy is due for review in 2013. CPASD will review the
policy and procedures in collaboration with the STLC task team that was appointed
in 2012 to consider revisions to the Senate approved questions and to submit a
proposal to STLC.
Although the students’ perceptions of their lecturers are important, these only
provide one perspective on teaching and learning. A holistic criterion-based
approach, which includes peer evaluation of teaching, would provide richer data and
perspectives on the teaching and learning practices of academic staff, and would
allow for more targeted approaches to improving teaching and learning.
3.2.8
Peer evaluation of teaching
The distribution of peer evaluation workshops in 2012:
Faculty
Date
Management
Applied Information
Systems
28 Feb 2012
Dr Carl
Marnewick
12
Science
Computer Science
and Software
Engineering
22 March 2012
Prof Elize Ehlers
9
Science
Zoology
13 April 2012
Prof Annemarie
Oldewage
12
Humanities
Anthropology
03 May 2012
Prof Thea de Wet
Dr Carina van
Rooyen
2
Management
Applied Information
Systems
31 May 2012
Dr Carl
Marnewick
16
Health
Sports and Movement
Sciences
07 August 2012
Prof Yoga
Coopoo
9
Law
Private Law
14 August 2012
Prof J.L Neels
4
Health
Radiography
17 August 2012
Ms Barbara Van
Dyk
11
Science
Chemistry
21 August 2012
Dr Laetitia Den
Drijver
8
Health
Sports and Movement
Studies
28 August 2012
Prof Yoga
Coopoo
6
TOTAL
HoD
No of
Participants
Department
89
98
3.2.9
Reflections on peer evaluation of teaching
Peer evaluation of teaching (PET) was rolled out in 2012 as a separate process from
other programmes in staff development. A suggestion for 2013 is to have a more
integrated approach in which PET either feeds into or form part of other related
programmes such as curriculum development and student evaluation of teaching.
3.3
3.3.1
Staff Qualifications Programme and Research Development
Development of database and Work Plan SQP M (progress report)
The Staff Qualifications Programme has been running since 2009 and has been
offering support to Faculty staff that are required to complete their Master’s degree
by the end of 2011.
During 2012 progress of the academic staff members studying towards their
master’s degree was monitored against work plans submitted in February 2012; their
progress reports were subject to verification by Heads of Departments.
Letters were issued by Prof Habib on the 07 September 2012 to remind the SQP M
participants that the Master’s support will conclude at the end of 2012 and that the
expectation is that participants will have submitted their Master’s dissertation for
assessment by the end of 2012 or in certain cases have completed a preparatory
qualification. In some well-motivated cases alternative arrangements for completion
have been made: colleagues will be required to demonstrate that they have made
substantial progress during the course of 2012 and will complete promptly in the
following year. Those who were not in a position to submit by the end of 2012 were
advised to discuss the lack of progress urgently with their Head of Department
and/or Dean.
99
Overview of SQP M progress 2012
FACULTY
Staff without Masters
Exempted
Resigned
Dismissals
Subtotal: required to
complete
Master's Completed
2010
Master's Completed
2011
Master's Completed
2012
Master's Submitted end
2012 and Jan 2013
Master's Completed
2013
Still complete master's
2013 Project outcome
By end 2013
The table below provides an overview of the current status of the Master’s Staff
Qualifications Programme (SQP-M).
FADA
15
0
3
3
9
3
2
1
0
0
3
33
6
4
2
21
1
1
1
3
1
17
1
1
10
3
4
15
FEBE
Junior degrees
63
FEFS
HEALTH
30
2 junior degrees
39 5 2 17
Junior degrees
2
25
2
0
5
0
Junior degrees
2
2
1 junior degree 1 junior degree
4
1 junior degree 1 junior degree 1 junior degree
LAW
6
0
2
0
4
2
1
0
0
0
1
HUM
11
1
3
0
7
2
0
2
2
0
3
MAN
34
4
5
1
24
9
3
3
3
0
9
SCIENCE
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
193 50 27
8
108
21
13
7
13
6
61
0
7 junior
degrees
in total
6
TOTAL M's
TOTAL JUNIOR DEGREES
3 junior degrees 2 junior degrees 2 junior degree
Total completed M's
21
13
7
Outcome as % against required
total of 105
Accumulative %
% of 108
% of 108
% of 108
19.44
22.22
31.48
36.11
37.96
42.59
Master's
Master's plus junior degrees
7
47
% of 108 % of 108
43.52
53.48
* Notes:
1.
The base line figure of academic staff required to complete a master's
increased, following on the change in UJ retirement age, with several additional
staff now included.
2.
Academics who had indicated that they would resign withdrew their
resignations towards the end of 2012, which again increased the base line
figure.
100
3.3.2
Progress towards achieving Staff Qualifications Programme goals
The majority of academic staff at UJ without a master’s degree are now registered
for a Master’s degree.
Project expenditure
Expenditure has been carefully managed:
•
Workshop programme: With the integration of SQP into the CPASD, the
workshop programme is now being funded jointly by both cost centres, which
allows for some economies of scale;
•
Applications for teaching relief and research funds did not realise as expected.
It should be borne in mind that participants should only apply funding once they
reach the writing up stage of their research; hence funding expenditure can be
expected to peak during 2013;
•
It was found essential for sound project management to appoint a 5/8
administrative assistant for the project.
3.3.3
Development of database and Work Plan SQP D (progress report)
The purpose of the SQP D programme is to support academic members of staff who
are already studying towards their doctorates. The programme was established due
to a strategic decision taken by the UJ Management Executive Committee to assist
permanent academic staff to complete their doctoral degree by providing them with
the following support:
•
Fee remission for staff registering at other South African universities, strictly as
per Conditions of Service, and administered by HR;
•
A once-off allocation of R6000 in research funding;
•
An on-going programme of research development workshops and seminars;
•
Faculty-driven writing support, such as writing mentors, writing circles, and
support through the UJ Writing Centres;
•
Assistance in obtaining teaching relief. Participants are expected to use
available sabbatical leave as per conditions of service. Thirty one academic
staff members have now joined the SQP D programme.
Faculty
Education
Engineering & the Built Environment
Economic & Financial Sciences
Health Sciences
Law
Humanities
Management
Science
ADS
TOTAL
SQP D
Participants
Completed
Submitted for
assessment
1
1
9
1
5
0
6
5
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
31
1
2
SQP D participants submitted bi-annual progress reports against their approved
work plan, as confirmed by the HoD and the supervisor.
101
3.3.4
Research and Supervision Development
Topic
Facilitator/s
Date/s
Participant
Numbers
RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY
Data Analysis
Using Atlas.ti for Qual Data Analysis
Using Zotero
SPSS for Novices
Consultations on research design
Mixed Methods Research
Boundary-crossing in research:
opportunities and challenges
Prof Brigitte Smit
Prof Brigitte Smit
Prof Natasha Erlank
Richard Devey
Prof Max Bergman
Prof Max Bergman
Prof Johan Mouton
28 May
29 May
12 June
13 June
21 June
16 July
5 June
30
20
7
15
13
8
33
31 May
7 June
16
20
17 July
12
2 August
14 August
15
8
RESEARCH WRITING
Editing your Writing
The End Game: Completing the
Dissertation/Thesis & Getting Published
How to get published: insights from a
journal editor
Writing the Literature review
Editing your Writing
Prof Craig Mackenzie
Prof Dan Remenyi
Prof Max Bergman
Dr Kerryn Dixon
Prof Craig MacKenzie
POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION DEVELOPMENT
Boundary-crossing in research:
implications for supervision
Prof Johan Mouton;
Prof Lionel Posthumus;
Prof Shireen Motala
Postgraduate Supervision for New and
Inexperienced Supervisors
Research Design and Postgraduate
Supervision
Prof Johan Mouton
Prof Max Bergman
5 June
24
6 June
19
17 July
12
THE SCHOLARSHIP OF LEARNING & TEACHING
SoTL and Writing for Publication, with a
focus on metacognition, reflective skills
and first year students
SoTL: CHAT as a lens in Researching
Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education
27 July
17
3 October
11
Dr Laura Dison
Prof J de Beer
WRITING RETREATS
Writing Retreat 1 (three days)
Prof Trotskie- de Bruin
Dr Ruth Albertyn
31 Oct – 2
Nov
12
Writing Retreat 2 (three days)
Prof Trotskie- de Bruin
3-5 Dec
6
Total no events: 19
Total no attendees: 298
A range of formal research capacity development opportunities was offered to staff in
2012. More clearly defined focus areas (with some obvious overlap) emerged:
research design and methodology; research writing; postgraduate supervision
development, including the Postgraduate Supervision Forum; Writing for Publication
retreats, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Across the faculties, there
102
was significant involvement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) from
lecturers whose primary interest is teaching rather than research. In some faculties,
there is evidence that domain-specific SoTL communities are developing out of the
cross-faculties SoTL community. SoTL has proved to be a focus area where the
close links between teaching and research can be fostered. Events were generally
well-attended, and in some cases not all lecturers wishing to participate could be
accommodated, as with the popular three-day writing retreats.
The formal development opportunities listed in the table provide a limited perspective
of research capacity development, as they are only a part indication of the work with
staff. In addition numerous individual consultations took place, to foster and
encourage the development of the knowledge and competencies required for
research and the supervision of postgraduates.
3.4
3.4.1
CPASD staff activities 2012
International conference attendance and delivery of papers during 2012
Name of person
Name of Conference
Title of Paper
th
Dr HM de Lange &
Prof CM Fourie
Prof CM Fourie & Dr
HM de Lange
3.4.2
EAIR 34 Annual Forum
in Stavanger, Norway
5-8 September 2012
th
EAIR 34 Annual Forum
in Stavanger, Norway
5-8 September 2012
What’s the story with class
attendance?
If I had to do it all over again,
would I?
National conference attendance and delivery of papers during 2012
Name of person
Name of Conference
Ms K Naidoo
HELTASA Conference, 30 November
– 2 December 2012
Mr L Ditaunyane and
Ms Charlotte van der
Merwe (Co-authors)
HELTASA Conference, 30 November
– 2 December 2012
Ms P Lamberti
Conference, University of
Stellenbosch. 18 -21 April 2011
103
Title of Paper
How is academic agency
possible? Exploring agency in
context of curriculum
development.
Peer Evaluation of teaching in a
Higher Education institution:
Process and Perception
Learning Argumentation in
Development Studies
3.4.3
Research projects and activities
Name of the
staff member
Dr HM de Lange,
Prof B Marx and
Prof A van der
Watt
Ms K Naidoo
Ms K Naidoo
3.4.4
Research
project
Activity
Progress
Research project to
establish the
effectiveness of the
newly implemented
teaching model of
the Department of
Accountancy
Postgraduate Research
Compiled two
questionnaires:
1. B Com Hons Students
2. Academic staff in the
Accountancy
department
Module review in
Commercial
Accounting
Served on the module
Review Panel
Collected data from
questionnaires: 426
students and 42 staff
In process of analysis;
Repeated the research
for the 2012 group 466
students and 40
academic staff. To be
reported in 2013
Review report submitted
to QPU
Curriculum
implications of the
roll-out of the UJ’s
teaching and
learning philosophy
Research
Ongoing
CPASD staff: Further studies
The following staff members are engaged in either their master’s or doctoral studies:
•
Ms P Lamberti is registered for a PhD and has made substantial progress on
her doctorate. She intends submitting her thesis for assessment in 2013.
•
Ms K Naidoo completed the SANTRUST programme. She has made
substantial progress in terms of completing the development of her proposal
and drafting her conceptual framework.
•
Ms C van der Merwe did her first draft of her master’s degree proposal and will
register in 2013.
3.4.5
Reports and policy documents 2012
Names of staff
members
Dr HM de Lange
Name of the Report
Comprehensive teaching and modules
reports on the TE and ME of 2011
STLC reports on:
Additional
information
Report documents
9 February 2012
2 May 2012
• New academic staff preparation
• HOD: Induction
23 August 2012
17 October 2012
• Teaching and module evaluations
• SQP Master’s
104
3.4.6
Membership: Educational organisations
Names of staff
members
Organisation/
status
Field
Dr HM de Lange
South African Journal for
Higher Education (SAJHE)
Member
Higher education
Dr HM de Lange
Council of Australian Directors
of Academic Development
(CADAD).
Member
Dr HM de Lange
Ms C v d Merwe
Ms K Naidoo
Professional and organisation
development association in
higher education (POD)
(International Association)
Members
Higher education
Academic
professional
development
Higher Education
Professional
Development of staff
in HE
Dr HM de Lange
Ms C v d Merwe,
Ms K Naidoo
Ms P Lamberti
Higher Education Learning &
Teaching Association of South
Africa (HELTASA)
Members
HE Professional
development of staff
in the HE
environment
Ms C v d Merwe
Higher Education Learning and
Teaching Association of South
Africa
Heltasa Professional
Development Special Interest
Group (SIG)
South African Association for
Applied Linguistics (SAALA)
Member of the
SIG
management
committee
Professional
development of staff
in the HE
environment
Member
Professional
development of
applied linguists in
the HE environment
Ms P Lamberti
The Centre for Professional Academic Staff Development forms part of the Division
of Academic Development and Support. The Director participated regularly in the
monthly ADS Executive meetings; Mr S Ditaunyane represented CPASD on the ADS
ExCo. Within CPASD, line management involved regular discussions and meetings
with staff to conceptualise and outline the key areas of the core business. These
were aligned with the work allocation of the six staff members that resulted in
specified job descriptions and KPAs.
Although the permanent positions within CPASD are now filled we have found it
extremely difficult to meet all the demands from faculties and institutional priorities.
With only one permanent administrative post, CPASD has had to employ
administrative staff on a temporary basis. With four permanent staff members and a
Director it has remained very challenging to meet the range of demands, especially
in terms of the Teaching and Learning Strategy roll-out plan, the First Year
Experience initiative and the high numbers of teaching and module evaluations.
105
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
THE CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR
2012
Cost Centre: 127000
Entity
Expenditure
Budget
Amount Spent
number
31000
31200
Salaries
31300
Temporary salaries
Other (Consulting and Contract
Costs)
31400/31500
SUB TOTAL
32800 - 41900
Operating Costs
44300 - 44700
Capital Expenditure
TOTAL
R 2,763,632.64
R 2,908,705,68
R 317,797.68
R 354,962,81
R 0.00
R 0.00
R 3,081,430,32
R 3,263,668,49
R 461,645.64
R 382,167,53
R 17,317.00
R 50,771,43
R 3,560,392,96
(R 3,696,607,45)
*The overspending of R136214.49 is located in Personnel Remuneration
THE STAFF QUALIFICATIONS PROGRAMME FOR 2012
Cost Centre: 140610
Entity
number
Expenditure
31000
31200
Salaries
31300
Temporary salaries
SUB TOTAL
32800 - 41900
Operating Costs
33600
Consulting and Contract Costs
TOTAL
Budget
Amount Spent
R 0.00
R 0.00
R 513,679.52
R 383,851.79
R 513,679.52
R 383,851.79
R 933,528.53
R 1,263,967.05
R 25,000.00
R 0.00
R 1,472,208.05
R 1,647,818.84
The over expenditure on the Staff Qualifications Programme budget occurred
through the request, late in the year, that this budget accommodate a substantial
initial payment for the SANTRUST programme.
(This overspend was
accommodated within the overall ADS budget.)
6.1
Quality Management Systems / Processes
Strategies followed and mechanisms used during 2011 to improve the quality of all
activities of the CPASD were:
106
In terms of all workshops offered by CPASD:
•
A planning check list was developed and monitored against each activity to
ensure the effective presentation of the programme;
•
Topics were decided upon in collaboration with staff at CPASD and faculty staff
in order to ensure their relevance to academic practice at UJ;
•
Presenters were briefed on the purpose of the programme and CPASD’s
expectations of their input;
•
An evaluation form was developed for workshop participants. The data
analysis resulted in a report on the workshop and was used to improve the
following sessions;
•
Materials were evaluated to ensure quality.
In terms of teaching and module evaluation:
•
One-on-one sessions were held with CPASD staff on writing a teaching and
module evaluation report, capturing data from the questionnaires and
interpreting data;
•
Each report was checked for correctness;
•
Staff involved with teaching and module evaluation submitted a schedule of TE
and ME every Monday after a fixed weekly meeting;
•
Teaching and module trend reports were timeously completed by the end of
2012.
Effectiveness and efficiency of quality assurance:
•
The workshops, group and one-on-one sessions with academic staff regarding
professional development seemed to be very effective with regard to the quality
of the presentations at the workshops. Unfortunately, lack of capacity in the
Centre limited the number of follow-up and additional professional development
sessions and workshops that were possible;
•
Academic Preparation sessions were considered very effective, in terms of the
feedback received from attendees;
•
Working in collaboration with a dedicated academic staff member in the
departments and faculties proved to be a useful strategy;
•
Consultations with Professional Development representatives in the faculties
ensured that needs were met;
•
Regular CPASD meetings sought to build further capacity and to ensure that all
were working towards a common goal.
7. RISK MANAGEMENT
The following were identified as potential risks to the successful implementation of
the activities of the CPASD:
•
Lack of understanding in Faculties of the Teaching and Learning Philosophy: to
minimise this risk a decision was taken to infuse all our workshops with the
framework of the “learning-to-be” philosophy;
•
Selective buy-in of academic staff into the Teaching and Learning Strategy;
•
Lack of coherence in the Teaching & Learning domain: Centres in ADS worked
towards better collaboration through individual and collaborative initiatives and
the ADS Professional Development and Collaboration Committee;
107
•
•
•
Lack of capacity (expertise & staff) on all campuses, which will only be
addressed when the capacity of the CPASD is increased. In order to minimise
this risk CPASD staff are encouraged to study towards either a masters or
doctoral degree; and CPASD draws on UJ academic staff to assist with the
presentation of teaching, learning, assessment and research development
workshops;
Lack of capacity to process all teaching evaluation requests and write reports:
CPASD implemented a system where the teaching and module evaluation
reports were electronically generated, and faculties agreed to utilise their own
resources in conducting teaching and module evaluations on all campuses; two
temporary staff members were employed to assist;
Limited capacity to support academics in developing teaching portfolios.
The staff of the Centre acknowledge these risks and have approached them as
challenges, with the result that several risks were successfully minimised during
2012.
In September 2012 an MEC decision was announced that the CPASD as a centre
would be dissolved with the functions being re-distributed to PGC and ADC. The
Professional Academic Staff Development (PASD) functions were to move into the
Academic Development Centre (ADC), and the staff qualifications and research
functions into the Postgraduate Centre.
As a result, a third unit was established within ADC which is to be dedicated to staff
development. The three ADC units will therefore be Student Access (extended
programmes), Student Success (Learning Development, Literacies Development
and Tutor Development) and Professional Academic Staff Development. These
three functions have historically worked together and collaboration has grown in
breadth and depth over the past year or two, with ADC increasingly implementing
staff development as a means of extending their capacity, and CPASD often drawing
on ADC staff for involvement in their staff training and development initiatives. By
combining the functions of academic development and professional academic staff
development, the possibility of closer and more seamless cooperation has been
created. At the same time it is important to keep the three focus areas clearly
defined within the ADC, which is to happen in terms of the three discrete units, and
the appointment of a Head for Staff Professional Development.
During 2013, PASD will be settled within ADC and cooperative approaches will be
tested to identify optimal ways in which resources can be shared and the mammoth
task of professional academic staff development at UJ be accomplished most
effectively. The existing strategic thrusts will remain until they have been further
refined in terms of the new environment for PASD.
108
9. REFLECTIONS
The professional academic and research activities that CPASD staff engaged in
during 2012 reflect their contribution to the holistic professional development of
academics in the UJ. More specifically, despite being a small Centre it has made a
substantial contribution to enhanced quality in the realms of teaching, learning,
research and academic leadership.
CPASD has gained prominence over the years and this is indicative in the numbers
of academic staff that have utilised its services in 2012. Feedback, most of which is
positive, is a further indication of the contribution of CPASD. Staff in CPASD have
worked tirelessly to ensure that their offerings were relevant, met the needs of
academic staff and were informed by current research and debates in higher
education. CPASD staff will continue to be functional experts in professional
development in their new environments in the Academic Development Centre and in
the Postgraduate Centre.
109
CENTRE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AND
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
(PsyCaD)
1. STRATEGIC PLAN
With the Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD)
maturing and the landscape of Higher Education continuously shifting, 2012 was a
year of reflection and improvement. While PsyCaD’s vision remains to be a Centre
of excellence for psychological and career services, its mission is to contribute to the
academic project of UJ by providing the University of Johannesburg and the broader
community with developmental, preventative and curative services, through psychosocial-cultural, academic, therapeutic and career development interventions. Our
motto of “being there for you when it matters most”, together with our values of
meaningful engagement with stakeholders and clients, driven by responsibility,
accountability, relevance and ethical principles, guide PsyCaD in our endeavours to
enhance the academic success of UJ students and staff. At the same time, PsyCaD
is an HPCSA accredited Internship organisation for the professional training and
development of Intern Counselling Psychologists, Intern Educational Psychologists
and Intern Psychometrists, all of whom complete internships with PsyCaD annually.
Of considerable significance during 2012, however, was a key change in PsyCaD’s
paradigm of work, implemented from the start of the year: a change from a curative
and reactive paradigm, to a preventative, developmental and proactive paradigm.
This necessitated some shifts in PsyCaD’s strategic thrusts and a re-alignment of
strategy to synchronise with UJ’s vision. During 2012 PsyCaD worked to the
following strategic thrusts:
1.
to support UJ students, staff and the broader community.
2.
Implementing preventative and developmental psycho-social interventions to
enhance student and staff wellbeing and academic success.
3.
Improving access to career resources and career counselling to prospective
students, UJ students and staff.
4.
Advocating and providing holistic services to people with disabilities.
5.
Positioning PsyCaD with a research mandate, and ensure an enhanced
research ethos in PsyCaD.
6.
Implementing and consolidating social networking as a means of
communication with stakeholders.
7.
Improving relationships with faculties and other important partners.
The integrated structure and holistic approach of PsyCaD is unique amongst
Institutions in Higher Education in South Africa, and provides equitable services to
UJ students and staff, on all four campuses. Apart from changing its paradigm and
re-aligning its strategy to synchronise with UJ’s vision, PsyCaD also utilised 2012 to
deepen relationships with faculties, support structures, student organisations and
residences. Throughout the year, Psycho-social and Career services to PsyCaD
partners were enhanced, expanded and deepened.
110
This is evident in the following:
•
When necessary, PsyCaD reacted on unfortunate and sad events in UJ and
provided trauma counselling on the spot.
•
PsyCaD entered the arena of social networking in order to reach more students
and staff. This included Facebook and Twitter. By means of these social
networking vehicles, some preventative, developmental and curative work was
done.
•
PsyCaD ensured excellent equitable services by upgrading the SWC office.
•
PsyCaD launched a successful suicide awareness campaign.
•
Quality academic and Psycho-social support services were provided to a wide
range of stakeholders in order to enhance academic success and
developmental progress.
•
The quality of teaching and learning experiences of Intern Psychologists, Intern
Psychometrists, and Work Integrated Learners wasi ensured.
•
Apart from the provision of high quality career services to relevant
stakeholders, PsyCaD also provided a high quality Graduate Recruitment
Programme by means of the Careers Portal, Thusanani project and Career
fairs. In doing so potential employers, UJ graduates and diplomats were
brought together.
•
Therapeutic services to UJ students and staff were expanded on all four
campuses.
•
The 24-Hour Crisis Line became well-known and was increasingly utilised by
students and staff of UJ. This service is available free of charge to students
and staff.
•
The Office for People with Disabilities (PwD) ensured high quality services and
optimal functioning of PwD functions at UJ.
•
The Office for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) ensured that tasks of WIL at UJ
functioned optimally.
•
PsyCaD actively participated in and contributed to the UJ First Year
Experience, and First Year Orientation programme.
•
PsyCaD also assisted in the Top Achievers project of UJ, by active
engagement with UJenii.
•
By effective marketing and the efficient utilisation of Peer Buddies, PsyCaD and
its services became entrenched in the fabric of UJ and well known amongst
relevant stakeholders.
•
During 2012, PsyCaD built on the multi-cultural learning community and
contributed to the transformation in UJ by actively participating in the
Transformation project, and by ensuring high quality equity appointments.
•
PsyCaD contributed to UJ Community Engagement by actively engaging in a
number of projects.
•
Quality and professionalism, as well as excellence of service delivery according
to the highest standards on all four campuses, remained a priority.
•
PsyCaD always strives to contribute to the optimisation of the functioning of the
ADS Division by providing leadership and forming partnerships with her sister
Centres. During 2012, these relationships were deepened and expanded
throughout the year.
•
The performance management process in PsyCaD was used in a
developmental way and attempted to maximise the motivation and
effectiveness of staff, within a culture of transformation.
111
•
•
The research culture of PsyCaD was further developed and a number of
accredited journal articles, chapters in textbooks and national and international
conference papers of high quality, were published. The Director of PsyCaD,
Prof G. Pretorius presented two papers at the 6th European Conference on
Positive Psychology in Moscow, Russia. A number of PsyCaD staff members
presented at the 30th International Congress of Psychology, in Cape Town,
South Africa. This included six papers, three posters and a symposium
comprising four presentations.
PsyCaD generated an income of R1, 918043.00 during the year.
As the Higher Education landscape of South Africa and the University of
Johannesburg shifts and changes continuously, the student and staff cohort
expresses new and different psycho-social-cultural and career needs. In order to
pro-actively meet the emerging needs of the UJ community, PsyCaD made
considerable progress during 2012 in contributing constructively to the holistic
success of students and staff. In line with UJ, PsyCaD is a vibrant, dynamic and
organic organisation. PsyCaD will ensure that it meets the needs of all its partners in
a pro-active way by broadening and deepening its work within the vibrant and
dynamic context of UJ and Higher Education in South Africa.
112
2.1
Organogram
Board of Governance
Director
Prof H.G. Pretorius (APK B5)
Management Team comprising:
Six Team Leaders
Special Operations Officer: Ms C. Olivier
Financial Officer: T. Gamede
Administrator:
Ms I. Degenaar
Psychometrists:
Ms S. Botha
Ms F. Jogie
Ms K. Mintram
* Research Assistant:
Mr B. Morgan
* Virtual Liaison Assistant:
Ms R. Sklar
* Web Editor:
Mr K. Reddell
* Programme Developer:
Ms S. Kempen
* 16 Intern Psychologists Psychometrists
(Across sites)
Career Services:
Team Leader: Mr I. van den Berg (APK C-Ring)
Graduate Recruitment: Ms L. Scheepers (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist:
Ms W. Human (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist:
Ms Y. Nonguaza (DFC)
Psychologist:
Ms S. Mansoor (SWC)
**Career Consultant:
Mr K. Rabotho
**Career Consultant:
Ms K. Gunya (Across sites)
Psycho-Educational Services:
Team Leader:
Dr A. Fourie (DFC)
Psychologist:
Ms L. Abdool-Gafoor (APK)
Psychologist:
Ms N. Boshoff (APB)
Psychologist:
Ms M. Naicker (APB)
*Peer Buddies
(Across sites)
Training and Development Services
Team Leader:
Ms T. Le Roux (APK B5)
Psychologist:
Ms M. van Rooyen (APK B5)
*13 Intern Psychologists (Across sites)
Therapeutic Services:
Team Leader: Mr K. Mashaba (SWC)
Psychologist: Ms L. Primo-Naidoo (APB)
Psychologist: Ms P. Maruping (DFC)
Psychologist: Ms L. De Wee (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist: Ms N. Reddy (DFC)
Psychologist: Ms T. Nxumalo (APK C-Ring)
*Psychologist: Ms L. Cayzer (SWC)
Academic Service
Team Leader:
Ms Z. Asmal (APK C-Ring)
PWD Administrator: Mr A. Nkuna (APK C-Ring)
PWD Technical:
Mr N. Mongwe (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist:
Mr L. Pon (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist:
Ms C. Wolfensberger (APK C-Ring)
Psychologist:
Vacant (APK C-Ring)
*PWD Editor:
Ms L. MacDiarmid (APK C-Ring)
Shared Services:
Team Leader: Ms S. Taylor (APB)
Administrative Assistants: Ms B. August (APK B5), Ms K. Thomas (APK C-Ring), Ms E. Beech (APB),
Mr P. Boleu (DFC), Ms R. Mosime (SWC), Ms M. Lottering (APK C-Ring)
Office Administrators: Ms C. Olivier (APK C-Ring), Ms L. Tatayas (DFC), Ms R. Ntuli (APB), Ms K. Mosoge
(APK B5)
Information Technologist: Ms X. Mulaudzi (APK B5)
Internal Assistant/ Messenger: Ms G. Moyana (APK B5)
Work Integrated Learners (Across sites)
* Temporary appointments
** Three year fixed term contract
113
Conceptual model of PsyCaD functions 2012
114
5
P8:
Psychometrists, Financial Officer
1
P9 - P10:
Coordinator: Graduate Recruitment
Programme, Administrative Officers
3
P11 – P12:
Administrative Assistants,
Administrative Assistant: PwD,
Information Technology Assistant,
Administrator to the Director
3
P13 – P15:
Internal Assistant
1
Sub Totals
13
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
Male
Total
P6:
Team Leader: Shared services/ WIL
Coordinator
P7:
Psychologists
Female
P5:
Director
White
Indian
Centre for Psychological
Services and Career
Development (PsyCaD)
Employees
Coloured
Equity Profile
African
2.2
5
5
3
16
19
1
3
1
4
5
6
6
2
7
1
1
31
40
3
2
2
6
Total
6
15
5
9
40
40
40
* For reporting purposes, the number of Asian employees is included in the Coloured classification.
As a Centre, it is the core business of PsyCaD to contribute to the academic project
of UJ by providing psycho-social support and career development to UJ students,
faculties and staff. PsyCaD is present on all four campuses and prides itself that all
psychological services are delivered equitably on all campuses, to all relevant
stakeholders and clients. It is further the core business of PsyCaD to provide an
outstanding Internship training programme for Intern Counselling and Educational
Psychologists, as well as Intern Psychometrists from the faculty of Management.
PsyCaD also provides practice placements for Master’s Degree students in the
faculties of Humanities and Education.
Conceptually, the core business of PsyCaD is delivered through six Service Units,
Psychometrists and the office of the Director, which, apart from strategic matters,
includes Finances and Operations. The core business for 2012 will be reported on,
according to the various Service Units, namely:
•
Academic services, which included People with Disabilities (PwD) during 2012;
115
•
•
•
•
•
•
Career services;
Therapeutic services;
Psycho-Educational services;
Training and Developmental services;
Shared services; and
Psychometrists.
3.1
Academic Services
Employee Profile Analysis
Ms Zubaida Asmal
Mr Leong Pon
Ms Susanne Stokes
Ms Leonora Cayzer
Ms Celeste Wolfensberger Le-Fevre
Mr Nhlahla Mongwe
Mr Ashmore Nkuna
Ms Wendy Mapaku
3.1.1
Team Leader
Psychologist (until August 2012)
Psychologist (from April 2011)
Psychologist (from August 2012)
Psychologist O: PWD
Administrative Assistant (Technical) O: PwD
Administrative Assistant O: PwD
O: PwD case worker and Administrative
Assistant
Client Profile and Core Business Analysis
In 2012 Academic Services has maintained its commitment toward providing support
services to students to enable them to achieve their personal and academic goals by
enhancing their mental and emotional health, interpersonal relationships, academic
performance and transition into University life. We continued to forge partnerships
with other UJ support functions and Faculties in an attempt to address the diverse
psycho-educational and psycho-social needs of our students. The above further
serves the overarching purpose of enhancing student retention, throughput and the
eventual holistic success of UJ students.
This annual report presents our commitment to deliver accessible, professional and
quality services, with the data reflecting all efforts in meeting our aims.
Academic Services flowchart
Academic
Services
Faculty
Liaison
FYE
Orientation
of FYS
Extended
Orientation
SafeNet
Academic
Counselling
116
Academic
Assessments
O:PwD
Course
Cancellation
Counselling
Walk
in/Advisory
Service
First Year Experience (FYE)
The transition and adjustment of First Year Students (FYS) remains a priority for the
University and in this regard PsyCaD continues to play a collaborative and active
role in easing this transition for these first time entrants.
The 2012 academic year was set in motion with the late-application process and the
facilitation of First-Year Orientation workshops to all faculties across all campuses.
PsyCaD First Year Student (FYS) Needs Analysis during Orientation
In an effort to gain an understanding of the FYS and their needs a survey was
conducted after each Orientation workshop session. The following areas were
explored:
Population Group Distribution
Population group
No Indication
Asian
Black
Coloured
Indian
White
Other
Frequency
Percentage
17
12
2875
143
108
378
7
1
0
81
4
3
11
0
81% respondents were Black, 4% Coloured, 3% Indian, and 11% White.
1% of respondents did not indicate the population group that they belong to.
Student Distribution in the Nine Participating Faculties
Faculty
No Indication
Art Design and Architecture
Education
Health Sciences
Humanities
Law
Management
Science
Frequency
7
208
919
522
424
403
477
232
322
428
117
Percentage
0
5
23
13
11
10
12
6
9
11
The Type of School the FYS Matriculated from
Code School
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Frequency
Percentage
181
241
906
260
590
42
20
884
416
5
7
26
7
17
1
0
25
12
No Indication
Inner City
Suburb
Small Town
Rural
Former Indian
Former Coloured
Township
Private
5% of respondents did not indicate where they matriculated (these may include
International students). 7% completed their Matric at an Inner City School, whilst
another 7% come from a Small Town school. 26% were schooled at a Suburban
school, whilst 25% come from a Township school. 1% indicated that they were
schooled at a Former Indian school whilst 0-.5% was schooled at a former Coloured
School. 12% of the respondents were from Private schools.
The Psycho-Social and Emotional Extended Orientation Needs of FYS
Students
Frequency of
Frequency of
response: No /
response:
No indication
Yes
1235
2305
Orientation
Adjustment to university
Managing test and exam anxiety and stress
Managing my roommates
Making and keeping friends
Managing my finances
Gender, Sexuality, Sexual Orientation and
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Know your limits - Alcohol intake and
substance abuse
Interview skills, CV writing and Job searching
skills
744
2793
2240
1633
2796
747
1300
1907
2563
977
2677
863
1067
2473
The following top 5 themes of interest emerged:
i.
Managing Test and Exam Anxiety
ii.
Interviewing Skills, CV Writing and Job Searching
iii. Adjustment to University
iv. Managing my Finances
v.
Making and Keeping Friends
These themes were addressed in the form of an online resource known as “Kgati’s
Survival Guide” and as workshops for ii above.
118
Value of the Orientation Presentation to FYS
The majority of students agreed / strongly agreed that the presentation was suitable
for them, answered the questions they have as new UJ students, that the content
was clear and understandable and had increased their knowledge about UJ
services; they now know where PsyCaD is situated on their campus. They had
enjoyed the presentation and felt that it had been worth their time and effort.
FYE Workshops
PsyCaD collaborated with the Sports Bureau to promote the emotional and social
wellbeing of their First Year Students (FYS). The Intern Psychologists assumed
responsibility for the development and delivery of workshops. Supervision of the
Intern Psychologists with regard to these workshops was done by the PsyCaD FYE
Process Coordinator and the Training and Development Services Unit.
During 2012, several workshops were developed for the Sports students; attendance
varied considerably (refer to the table below). The workshops were advertised by
the Sports Bureau to their students and sms’ were sent out to them as a reminder.
DATE
29 February 2012
23 May 2012
25 July 2012
15 August 2012
29 August 2012
12 September 2012
26 September 2012
10 October 2012
24 October 2012
Life Skill
Adjusting to University
(Compulsory 1st year students)
Stress Management
Understanding Diversity
Effective Conflict Management
Communication Skills
Highly effective Leadership
Balancing your life
Dealing with burnout
Relationships
No. of attendees
24
5
41
18
20
0
7
14
4
Research by the Intern Psychologists responsible for the workshops revealed that
the workshops contributed to the athletes’ daily lives by providing them with skills
that are not necessarily focused on the sporting field. Many students reportedly
enjoyed the workshops and stated that they found them useful. Students further
reported that they would like an opportunity to engage in individual support and felt
that this component should be made compulsory. The Intern Psychologists also
commented that there was a lack of attendance by athletes, but those who did attend
participated fully. It was found that students were more inclined to participate when
practical activities were introduced.
These findings were discussed with the Sports Bureau, and it was requested that
workshops also focus on supporting students to become active and responsible
participants in all aspects of their lives, namely, personal, academic and
professional. At the request of the Sports Bureau, there will be increased
collaboration by all stakeholders in this initiative throughout the year. Furthermore,
to improve attendance and participation the workshops will be more interactive.
The proposed programme for 2013 includes the following topics:
119
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Adjusting to University (Compulsory for 1st year students);
Limiting stress and exam anxiety;
Motivation – Striving to actualize my potential;
Just do it! (Developing a healthy and empowering attitude towards my studies);
Effective communication;
Balancing your life;
‘Aiming for the Goals’ (Holistic wellbeing and development);
Preventing burnout; and
Relationships.
PsyCaD professionals liaised with Faculty members and presented workshops on
request as part of the FY extended orientation initiative. A total of 24 workshops
were presented by PsyCaD professionals to FYS during 2012, with 11 of these
workshops being presented in residences across all 4 campuses.
FYS Professional Services
Additionally on-going professional services in the form of psychotherapy, career
assessments and career development were provided to FY students. As indicated in
the pie chart below, PsyCaD professionals saw 789 First Year Students for a total of
1439 individual career and psychotherapeutic interventions in 2012. There was a
slight decline in the number of FYS interventions, yet FYS still remain as the highest
proportion of overall clients attended to at PsyCaD for individual psychotherapy and
counselling. In 2013 there will be an increased focus by PsyCaD on therapy
awareness and preventative initiatives. These include more attention given to faculty
liaison, and workshops to promote improved student academic engagement and
self-development.
Clients by Year 2012
4th & 5th Year
8%
Professorate
Honors Masters
4%
1% Doctorate 0%
1%
3rd Year
27%
1st Year
32%
2nd Year
27%
Of interest was that FYS in particular attended sessions at PsyCaD of their own
accord (59%), with Academic Staff and PsyCaD Professional referrals jointly making
up 25% of the referral base (refer to the pie chart below). This may be indicative of
students becoming more self-aware and possibly realising the support services
available at PsyCaD. As we strive towards preventative and developmental
approaches in therapy and student support, this trend should possibly be further
researched.
120
First Years: Percentage of referral sources
OTHER SUPPORT
STAFF
1%
ACADEMIC STAFF
ALL
12%
OTHER
6%
PSYCAD
PROFESSIONAL
INCL PWD
13%
CAMPUS HEALTH
2%
SELF
59%
IOHA
0%
OTHER MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS
(EXTERNAL)
0%
PEER BUDDIES/
PEERS/SRC
7%
FYE-related Faculty Liaison for 2012
As part of the FYE initiative at UJ, PsyCaD psychologists have liaised with faculties
to create awareness of PsyCaD services. The rationale for increased faculty liaison
was to understand faculty and FY student needs, and to engage in preventative
measures to reduce student drop-out rates.
During the course of 2012, PsyCaD professionals furnished Heads of Department
and lecturers with information about workshops and student support initiatives, and
presented various workshops as part of the FYE extended orientation initiative.
Based on information received from PsyCaD professionals, there is significantly
more collaboration with the Faculties of Management and Humanities (together
comprising 50%) than with other faculties.
There have been several comments by professionals that they find it difficult to get
‘buy-in’ from faculties to collaborate on preventative interventions such as
workshops. However, it has been the experience on SWC that there in increased
collaboration between PsyCaD and various departments with particular focus on
student motivation and on FYS taking responsibility for their progress (including the
utilisation of support offered at UJ). There will be an increased focus from PsyCaD
in 2013 to promote student engagement and holistic development during the FY
extended orientation, and as such on-going collaboration with faculties will be
strongly promoted.
Relationships developed with the International Office continue to be consolidated
and PsyCaD was requested to be involved in the Orientation and Extended
Orientation of International students (Full-time and exchange).
PsyCaD psychologists were also invited to attend and assist with the ADS SAFENET
project which focused on the early identification of ‘at risk’ FY students.
FYE Extended
In an effort to further reach FYS and extend the available support to transitioning
FYS a new blog was created named “Kgati’s Survival Guide”. This has the added
benefit of increasing student uptake of available resources, improving the visibility of
the PsyCaD website and meeting students where they are – online. The Survival
121
Guide has been shared on the UJ web (www.uj.ac.za/Kgati) as well as on the Social
Media site throughout the semester.
The Survival Guides focused on themes related to: adjustment to university, career
exploration and development, finding a balance, studying skills, academic
achievement and managing the demands of university life. Continuous tracking of
how students interacted with these guides was made possible through Google
Analytics – including social media.
The table below reflects the top 5 Survival Guides in terms of engaged users.
*Lifetime Post
Total Reach
70
**Lifetime
Engaged users
8
Kgati Survival Guide 18: Special Edition:
PsyCaD F5 and F7 Services
38
5
Kgati's Survival Tip No 17: Special Edition:
Career Assessments
98
8
Kgati's Survival Guide: Special Edition Date
Rape Video 2
72
13
78
9
113
6
Kgati on Facebook
Tune in to @UJfm!
Kgati's Survival Guide: Special Edition Date
Rape Video 1
Is varsity meeting your expectations? Check
out Kgati's 3rd Survival Tip: "Different
Expectations" http://bit.ly/w0oBq1
* Lifetime posts indicate number of students who accessed the page
**Engaged users indicate the number of students clicking on a post
Office: People With Disabilities
See attached report (Annexure 1)
Faculty Liaison Project (FLP)
Developing and maintaining relationships in an effort to service the needs of
Faculties and their students remains a priority for PsyCaD and in this regard
dedicated PsyCaD Faculty Liaison representatives continue to be readily available
and maintain regular links.
The following services have been provided to Faculty and their students by PsyCaD
professionals:
Academic Counselling
Academic counselling formed the cornerstone reason for referrals from Faculty to
PsyCaD. Faculties request counselling for students in academic crisis, on academic
probation, and who are facing exclusion or suspension.
122
By being responsive to the needs of students and understanding the connections
between psychological and academic difficulties within the educational context
PsyCaD psychologists were able to attend to the pressures on their clients caused
by the demands of the student role. Student clients presented with issues connected
with studying, time management, motivation, exam pressure and anxiety. Many
personal problems also have an impact on a student’s ability to study and succeed
academically.
Academic Assessments
Academic assessments are completed where warranted for underperforming
students referred by Faculties. Assessment findings and accompanying reports
serve an important function in guiding Faculty decision-making regarding students
and also serve as a means of identifying necessary areas of academic support.
PsyCaD psychologists collaborated with Faculties and the Academic Development
Centre to provide holistic support interventions.
CLIENTS SEEN PER
FACULTY: F7
CLIENTS SEEN PER
FACULTY: F5
EDUCATION
4%3% 1%
EVALUATION AND
PLACEMENT FEBE
7%
EDUCATION
16%
10%
HUMANITIES
FADA
FEBE
13%
HEALTH SCIENCES
92%
6%
13%
3%
32%
FEFS
HEALTH
SCIENCES
HUMANITIES
The above figures depict the number of F5/F7 assessments completed per month,
with a total of 84 assessments completed for the year. As expected Faculty referrals
peak in the early part of the first and second semesters.
Course Cancellation Counselling
PsyCaD psychologists meet with Faculty referred students concerning course or
programme withdrawal, to explore the reasons for cancellation, assist students in
making more informed decisions and attempt to offer alternate solutions where
possible.
The figures below are indicative of trends over the period 2009 to 2012. Overall
there appears to be a slight increase in numbers of students cancelling their studies
in 2012. This could be attributed to the increase in FYS enrolments each year.
123
Number of Course Cancellation Counselling Sessions per Year
762
718
601
529
2009
2010
2011
2012
The table below is reflective of the number of clients being referred to PsyCaD prior
to cancelling their studies. Numbers peak during February and July, at the beginning
of each Semester, when many students either experience dissatisfaction with their
studies (February) or cancel their studies due to poor academic performance (July).
Clients per Year
Number of
Cancellations
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012
Percentage of
Cancellations
601
529
718
762
23.03
20.27
27.51
29.20
Clients per month
250
200
150
2009
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
2012
May
0
April
2011
March
50
February
2010
January
100
The results (table below) suggest that the most prominent reasons for FYS
considering cancellation relate to inappropriate study choice, poor academic
progress, personal reasons and financial concerns. First Year students continue to
make up the largest proportion of student cancellations, and the main reason for
withdrawing appears to be dissatisfaction with their initial study choices (table
below). Thus, the lack of adequate career guidance for school leavers together with
124
125
Masters/Doctoral
Honours
Fourth
Third
Second
First
Course/Career Path
Change
Approved Study
Interruption
Working
Circumstances
Poor Academic
Progress
Personal
Health
Financial
Tuition and
Presentation
Adjustment
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Other
Course/Career Path
Change
Emigration
Approved Study
Interruption
Working
Circumstances
Poor Academic
Progress
Personal
Health
Financial
Tuition and
Presentation
Adjustment
under preparedness for the demands of University, appear to be the primary
contributors for FY student withdrawal.
Reasons for Course Cancellation
2009
2010
2011
2012
Course Cancellations per Year of study
2010
2011
2012
FYS Reasons for Course Cancellations
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Advisory Service
The advisory service has turned into a useful point of quick access for UJ students
and especially for urgent cases, where a risk assessment is initially undertaken to
identify whether a student needs to be seen urgently for on-going sessions. In some
instances the service is sufficient in itself, by allowing for a reasonable exploration of
the client’s problem, defining the problem and helping the client find some solutions
and take action for themselves.
A total of 3256 clients were attended to by psychologists on duty during the walk in /
Advisory service. 73% of all clients attended to were UJ students with 15% being
prospective clients, 6% external clients and 6% UJ staff members.
Client designation
Designation
15%
Not specified
6% 0% 6%
UJ student
73%
Prospective
Student
Externel Client
UJ students make up the largest number of walk in / Advisory Service clients.
Students from the Faculty of Humanities and FEFS utilise the service in far larger
numbers. Students mainly consult PsyCaD for career advice and other concerns,
including financial, personal and other miscellaneous issues.
Faculty Overview
Percentage
Faculty Overview
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Economi
c and Educatio Engineer Health Humaniti
Financial
n
ing
Sciences
es
Sciences
Not
Specified
/external
FADA
2010
45.8
0
14
3.4
3.4
2.2
15.6
3.1
7.2
5.3
2011
16.3
1
18
4.3
6.1
3.2
25
4
13.8
8.3
2012
20
0
18
7.3
8.8
2.6
25.3
2.7
8.3
7
126
Law
Manage
Science
ment
Reasons for visit
Frequency
Reason for Visit
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Not Specified
Poor
Academic
progress
(F5)(F7)
Career advice
Disability or
Special Needs
Therapy or
Counselling
Other
2011
54
54
779
3
20
265
2012
98
336
751
20
364
823
Recommendations made by PsyCaD psychologists include providing career
information and advice, referral to ADC for learning support, referrals for individual
therapy where warranted, referrals to relevant Faculties for Faculty related concerns
and to the financial aid office.
Recommendations to Clients
Frequency
Recommendations
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Career
Academic
Counselling/
Assessment Development
Centre
and
Career/Aca…
Refer to
Faculty
Refer to
Student
Finance
Therapy
Other
2011
399
9
189
2
126
450
2012
965
151
325
223
606
108
3.1.2 Future Directions - 2013
•
Upgrading of the Orientation DVD to make it more relevant and appealing to
existing student cohort;
•
A re-launch of Kgati - planned for 2013, with amendments to the title (positively
framed as “Kgati’s Guide to Success”), aesthetics, interactive style, as well as
including interactive content (Videos, Newsletters, Brochures, Q + A’s,
checklists, Flipping Book). Kgati has turned “3D” and has evolved. Friends of
Kgati have joined the team and a member from O: PwD has been included;
•
Additional postings on the Student Portal and Edulink will also form part of this
process;
•
Safenet project - a targeted and structured support programme to address the
needs of identified academically ‘at risk’ students;
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•
•
Exploring the implementation of diagnostic evaluation tools for ‘at risk’ students;
and
Continuing with the Faculty Needs Survey in 2013.
Due to the complexities of delivery of the range of functions within Academic
Services and in an effort to deepen and widen the level of existing support, the
O:PwD will function independently as a separate service unit within PsyCaD as of
2013.
Conclusion
Academic Services has a vibrant and creative team. While we once again see a
number of changes during the year as we bid farewell to colleagues who now move
into other service units, we are also very grateful for the enthusiasm and energy that
new colleagues bring and look forward to a productive year ahead.
3.2
Career Services Unit
Mr Ian van den Berg
Mrs Sumayya Mansoor
Mrs Wilmien Human
Team Leader: Career services
Psychologist
Psychologist (Appointed as Team
Ms Tebuhleni Nxumalo
Mrs Yolanda Nongauza
Mrs Liesl Scheepers
Mr Keketso Rabotho
Psychologist
Coordinator: Recruitment Programme
Career Consultant: Rotational (APK and SWC, three
Ms Kgomotso Gunya
Mrs Manda Snyman
Leader: Therapeutic
Services, with effect 1 January 2013).
Psychologist (With effect 12 January 2013)
year fixed term contract, resigned with effect 1 October 2012).
Career Consultant: Rotational (APB and DFC, three
year fixed term contract, appointed 1 April 2012).
Career Consultant: Rotational (APK and SWC, three
year fixed term contract, appointed with effect 2 January 2013).
Two Career Consultant (rotational) positions were created at the onset of 2011; the
position of Career Consultant (rotational APK and SWC) was filled by the incumbent,
Mr K Rabotho, who resigned in October 2012. The post remained vacant until 31st
December. Mrs Manda Snyman was appointed in the position, with effect from 1
January 2013. Mrs Kgomotso Gunya was appointed in the position of Career
Consultant (rotational APB and DFC), with effect from 1 May 2012.
Career Services Overview
PsyCaD Career Services support and subscribe to the vision, mission and values of
the University of Johannesburg, the Division of Academic Development and Support,
as well as that of the Centre of Psychological Services and Career Development
(PsyCaD), in which Career Services is settled organizationally. The Career
Services’ mission is to promote the career development and related life planning
skills of UJ students and prospective students, and to facilitate graduate recruitment
opportunities and contact with potential employers, in order for our clients to
actualize their career development goals.
Career Services strives to engage with its clients and stakeholders, being
prospective and enrolled students, alumni and the working population, as well as the
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employer community and the faculties of the university.
We view career
development as a life-long activity, and engage with our clients in a comprehensive
manner in order to contribute to their career development by providing the following
activities:
•
Advisory services to assess client needs and to refer them appropriately;
•
Career assessment, consulting and counselling services to assist clients to
explore their self and career knowledge, and to enable them to exercise
informed career choice decision-making;
•
Career Resource Centres with print and web-based resources to enable clients
to access self-help and self-assessment resources, information about career
fields, job search strategies, and to access employment opportunities;
•
Career education workshops to assist in the acquisition of CV writing and cover
letter skills, interviewing skills, job search skills and career management skills;
•
The Online Careers Portal to provide clients with access to job listings for
graduates, work integrated learning and Internships, part-time and promotional
work opportunities, as well as to opportunities in the Educational and NGO
sectors;
•
The Recruitment Programme to facilitate contact and networking opportunities
between prospective employees and graduates, spanning a range of
qualifications and work integrated learning opportunities; and
•
Conducting research on career development, of an academic and market
related nature, in order to inform our career services activities, and to provide
our clients with relevant and recent information on job destination trends, salary
and labour market information, and employers’ needs and requirements.
PsyCaD’s Career Services Unit is dedicated to offering our clients and stakeholders
opportunities to participate and fully utilize service offerings and activities by
provisioning equitable and available resources on all four of our campuses. As such
each campus provides access to a staffing contingent comprising of Registered
Psychologists, Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (appointed as Career
Consultants), a Recruitment Programme Coordinator and professional support staff.
The 4 Career Resource Centres, one per campus, require the presence of a staff
member to ensure that visitors to the centres are received and welcomed, and
guided and supported to access the self-help career resources within the centres.
To ensure these needs are met, Work Integrated Learning (WIL) students,
completing their experiential learning internships as required by the Dept. of Public
Relations, Faculty of Humanities, are appointed. These students are trained to
effectively staff the Career Resource Centres, and to engage with visitors, regarding
their self-help career development needs. The WIL students are appointed with dual
functionalities, as they also fulfil functions within the Shared Services team in
PsyCaD.
3.2.1
During 2012 there has been a continued focus on the utilisation of the services of the
Career Services Unit across all four campuses. The Career Consultants continued
to provide career consulting services to our clients, as well as to coordinate the
services available in the Career Resources Centres on all the campuses. The
rotational nature of their posts implied that the Career Consultants were present on
their first campus for three days per week, and on their second campus, for only two
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days per week. A wide range of career education workshops, popularly known as
job hunting workshops, were hosted during both semesters and were well received
amongst workshop attendees, as a result of the introduction of a range of short
audio-visual inserts and group discussions during the workshops. We experience
continued growth in the number of workshops requested by academic departments,
to be presented in official class time in a number of faculties and academic
departments. In this regard the continued support and utilisation of our career
education (job hunting) workshops by the Faculty of Management should be noted,
as also the number of requests received from various academic departments in the
Faculty of Engineering, Doornfontein Campus.
Career assessment and counselling facilities continued, and dedicated assessment
days were introduced on each campus. The career assessment and counselling
services are diversified, with paying clients having the option to participate in a group
computerised assessment programme, or in an individualised assessment, a
programme on offer at the B5 building. As always, all our services are available to
enrolled students at no cost.
The Career Services Unit continued to provide services across its client base,
ranging from Grade 9, 11 and 12 learners, students and prospective students, but
also services to the broader public, such as adults in career transitions and company
selection assessments.
3.2.2
A broader description of the Career Services Unit includes the
following service delivery focus areas:
Consulting Services to Clients on an Individual Basis
Career education and job search related services such as consultation sessions for
CV writing, interviewing skills, job search strategies, career planning and
development.
Job Hunting Workshops
The content of the workshops was extensively revamped and new PowerPointslideshows developed for each of the workshops. The workshops were presented
on a regular basis throughout the year across all campuses.
Career Assessment and Counselling Process
The career assessment and counselling process, encompassing intake procedures,
assessment, feedback procedures, as well as report writing, reflects a combined
approach between more traditional career counselling approaches and
contemporary post-modernist or narrative approaches in career assessment and
counselling. Career Services introduced the Missouri Card Sort Test, a brief but
effective career exploration instrument, for utilisation by our professional staff, during
brief career counselling interventions with our students.
Intern Psychologists’ Career Case Presentations
Career Services hosted a number of Career Case Presentations for PsyCaD Intern
Psychologists. These events provided Intern Psychologists with opportunities to
present a career counselling case and subsequently receive feedback and
supervision on the case studies presented. As such Career Series fulfilled an active
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role in engaging our Intern Psychologists in career counselling interventions, in
collaboration with their supervisors. Three sessions were conducted and all Intern
Psychologists had the opportunity to present career counselling cases during the
year.
Training Career Counselling Process: Intern Psychologists and Intern
Psychometrists
Training sessions with the Intern Psychologists and Intern Psychometrists were
conducted orientating them to the career counselling process and career
assessment report writing requirements. They received all relevant documentation
and examples of required reports.
Training Career Counselling Process: Shared Services Administrative Staff
Training was conducted with Shared Services with regards to the booking procedure
for career assessment and career counselling appointments. They were orientated
to all the relevant documentation and various types of clients.
The career assessment booking process was also monitored in collaboration with
Shared Services: Psychometry.
Career Services user statistics 2012
Career Counselling interventions
(comprising intake interviews, computerised group assessments,
Individual feedback sessions and written reports).
NATURE OF THE ASSESSMENT
NUMBER OF CLIENTS ASSESSED
Career Counselling (School)
62
Career Counselling (Transition)
7
Career Counselling (University)
172
Change of Course
5
Change of Course- REAP referral
2
TOTAL
252
Individual assessments:
22 Subject choice assessments
64 Career Choice assessments (External clients)
25 Career Choice assessments (UJ Students)
Other Career services rendered:
3513 Walk-in/self-help visitors at the Career Resource Centres throughout 2012
620 Career advisory/short session career consultations throughout 2012
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Career services presented the following workshops throughout 2012, and
across all campuses:
29 Career services Scheduled Workshops presented to 589 individuals
19 Faculty Requested Workshops presented to 424 students
8 Thusanani Work Readiness Programme workshops presented to 240 individuals
A total of 56 workshops were presented to 1253 students
Job Portal
The Job Portal is growing speedily and students are using it on a more regular basis.
Companies are very satisfied and often request their advertisement to be
discontinued as they receive too many applications! 130 advertisements were placed
during the year.
The total vacancy impressions on the site (as on 31 November 2012): 169 629
The total number of affiliated Job Seekers (as on 31 November 2012): 13 160
Graduate Recruitment Programme 2012
The annual recruitment programme of Career Services offers services to both
students and recruiters of graduates, in addressing the needs of students searching
for work integrated learning opportunities and internships, temporary positions whilst
studying (to augment income and finance studies), and jobs for students (degree and
diploma) upon graduation, as well as facilitating contact between UJ students and
graduates, and employers seeking to recruit recent graduates from the University of
Johannesburg. To this extent, visible recruitment activities in the form of on-campus
talks and events and job search workshops are offered, and in addition Career
Services offer an online job portal, as well as a comprehensive web site to inform
students and recruiters about our services.
The 2012 UJ PsyCaD Career Services’ Recruitment Programme offered the
following activities and events:
•
Graduate Recruitment Guide: A hard copy of the annual Graduate Recruitment
Guide that contains the overall graduate recruitment programme, with
information on all companies and the qualifications that they are seeking, is
posted in hard copy to all final year students, both degree and diploma
students. The students are specifically invited to attend the on-campus
recruitment activities, notwithstanding the campus they are studying on.
•
On-campus company presentations: Companies have the opportunity
throughout the year to host on-campus presentations, popularly known as
lunch hour company talks on all four campuses.
•
Law Recruitment Day: Career Services hosted the fourth annual Law
Recruitment Day in conjunction with the Faculty of Law in 2012.
•
General Recruitment Week: A successful Graduate Recruitment Week was
hosted on APK campus and attracted in excess of 126 companies during the
recruitment programme. Students on other campuses were invited to use the
inter-campus bus service to travel to APK.
•
Competitions were hosted on all campuses this year where companies
sponsored wonderful prizes. All competitions were well received by the
students and were a success at each event.
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Accolade earned: Career Services Recruitment Programme and Careers Fairs
The PsyCaD Career Services were voted third best Careers Service nationally by
the South African Graduate Recruiters Association (SAGRA) for 2012, and the
PsyCaD Career Services on-campus Career Fair was voted fourth best career fair by
member organisations, consisting of 80 top national and global companies and
organisations.
General Career Fair 2012
The PsyCaD Career Services hosted the General Career Fair 2012, the main event
of the annual recruitment programme, on APK during the week of 23 to 26 July 2012.
Statistics for the General Career Fair 2012
Companies participated overall
126
Companies exhibited
110
Company presentations
23
Companies made use of Job Portal as per the Recruitment
Programme package
24
Companies placed advertisements in the Recruitment Guide 2012
42
Companies placed articles in Recruitment Guide 2012
9
Companies sponsored prizes for competition
13 companies
(22 prizes)
Companies that provided feedback on their recruitment activities
for the year 2011 at UJ (Not all companies keep statistics and/or
provide us with the statistics.)
2011
(40 companies
reported)
Applications companies received from UJ students 2011
13 265
Interviews companies had with UJ students 2011
1 892
Bursaries awarded to UJ students 2011
219
Permanent appointments made: UJ students 2011
347
UJ students appointed as interns 2011
249
UJ students appointed for vacation work 2011
228
Total Graduate Recruitment Placements in 2011
1 518
Law Career Fair
The Law Career Fair took place on 9th May 2012 at the Foyer on the Auckland Park
Kingsway Campus. 13 Companies attended the fair and the day was a success.
According to company feedback received all were satisfied with the services and
with student interest during the Law Career Fair.
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Recruitment Guide 2012
22 000 Recruitment Guides were mailed to all final years including diploma and
honours students during the June holidays. 42 Companies placed advertisements
and 9 companies contributed informative articles to the Guide.
On-campus marketing of the recruitment programme
PsyCaD Career Services partnered with Student Village, a specialist graduate
recruitment consulting organisation, to conceptualise and co-develop a marketing
and promotional programme for the Recruitment Programme 2012. A successful
programme including the use of social media, posters and student ambassadors with
placards across all four campuses, was executed to create awareness of the career
fair and to invite students to participate in the event.
The following marketing avenues were utilised to create student awareness about
the Recruitment Programme:
•
22 000 Printed Recruitment Guides mailed;
•
1000 Programmes handed out at the gates of all four campuses a week before
the Event;
•
10000 Competition forms were distributed;
•
Company Posters placed in walkways and notice boards on all four campuses;
•
Banners at all four campuses entrances and in the APK walkways;
•
Direction boards and flags in and outside the venues;
•
E-mails with opportunities were sent to students via the mass mail system;
•
SMS messages were sent to students as per company requests;
•
Event notices were placed on the UJ Student Portal;
•
Recruitment opportunities available during the recruitment programme were
posted on the Career services Job Portal;
•
UJ and PsyCaD Facebook and Twitter social media pages were utilised to
advertise and promote the event; and
•
General e-mails were sent to all UJ staff to inform them about the event.
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Income and expenses: Recruitment Programme 2012
The following income and expenses were incurred during the Recruitment
Programme 2012:
Magnet Communications Ideal Employer Survey
Independent research company Magnet Communications seeks to improve the
communication between South Africa’s future talent and the world of work. To
support them in this aim UJ, together with all other 22 institutions in South Africa,
assists them in the facilitation of the survey on the four campuses, through the
utilisation of student ambassadors that are appointed on a temporary basis by
Magnet Communications to disseminate and collect the survey questionnaire booklet
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across the four campuses, and remit the completed survey questionnaire booklets
through the Career Resource Centres back to Magnet Communications.
The Magnet Communications Preferred Employer Survey 2011 results for UJ
students and alumni were announced on the 24th of April 2012 during an information
session by Mr P. Johansson, Managing Director of Magnet Communications South
Africa. The results were distributed to all UJ stakeholders. The report highlights UJ
student and alumni preferences towards, amongst other, career goals, preferred
industries for employment and annual salaries.
Thusanani Work Readiness Programme
The SETA for Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting and other Financial
services (Fasset) has once more commissioned Stanley Hutcheson and Associates
(SHA) in 2012 to manage the Thusanani Work Readiness Programme with their
consortium partners Deloitte and the University of Johannesburg. Two intakes of 60
unemployed graduates were facilitated respectively on SWC during the year.
PsyCaD Career Services was primarily responsible for the project on behalf of the
University, and as such oversaw the selection phase, as well as the presentation of
four of the modules of the programme, namely the job hunting modules, with SWC
campus management responsible for venue coordination on the campus:
•
Number of psychometric assessments and interviews for selection to the
programme: 280
Workshop modules facilitated during the March and July 2012 intakes (2 groups per
module):
•
Career development and networking;
•
CVs, cover letters and job advertisements;
•
Interviewing skills;
•
Job search strategies.
What makes the Thusanani programme unique is that, not only are the candidates
trained in vital workplace skills to improve their personal marketability as employees,
but they are awarded a daily allowance throughout the programme and then placed
where possible in learnerships or Internships with interested employers.
The innovative and highly successful programme developed by Stanley Hutcheson
and Associates and delivered in conjunction with their consortium partners Deloitte
and the University of Johannesburg, tackles the issue of work readiness in an allencompassing manner, meeting the needs of both candidates and employers.
Community based careers counselling programme
PsyCaD Career Services unit has embarked on a community project, focusing on
career guidance. Career Services initiated a pilot project, coordinated by Ms
Sumayya Mansoor, at the beginning of 2012 within the Soweto area, focusing on the
high school learner population. The first phase of this project began in the last week
of the winter holidays 2012 and will be an on-going project every year, gradually
adding more schools each year. PsyCaD invited the Thaba-Jabula Secondary
School in Soweto to be a part of this community initiative for the year 2012, an
invitation they gladly accepted.
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A lack of career guidance programmes is one of the biggest challenges South
African schools face. Particularly focusing on public schools within disadvantaged
communities, it is fair to say that a lack of motivation to excel in school can be
proven by high school drop-out rates as well as teen pregnancies, amongst other
factors. A resulting consequence of this would be the high rates of unemployment
and a low quality of life. This vicious cycle continues to spiral out of control.
This project therefore aims to target the supposed root of the problem. By
empowering school-going learners to educate themselves and their fellow students
on the possibilities that lie ahead of them after school, the project seeks to give
learners a chance to develop a plan, set goals and strive for more than poverty.
The project focuses on training ten Grade 11 school learners to become career
advisors in the school setting. Grades 11’s are perceived as the ideal candidates as
they are in the position of having to think about career choices, with the implication
that they may be more motivated to seriously participate in the programme. This
group of learners will be referred to as the School Based Career Advisors (SBCA).
They were trained over a period of a week, in the winter holidays with basic
information in career counselling. This training will allow them to provide career
counselling to their peers.
The training took place at the University of Johannesburg, Soweto Campus and was
conducted by professional Psychologists and Career Consultants from the
University. It was important that the Life Orientation educator/s were present for the
training as well. To ensure that the project is implemented, the plan will be to have
every school learner from grade 10 to grade 12 in the school counselled by a
member of the SBCA.
To ensure that the SBCA have retained the necessary information and are capable
of carrying out this responsibility, the first 3 sessions that each SBCA conducts within
their school will be overseen by a PsyCaD professional, who will sit in on these
sessions. Once training is complete, the Life Orientation educator will act as
gatekeeper. This implies that the Life Orientation educator will oversee the smooth
running of the project on a daily basis, as well as act as liaison between the school
and PsyCaD. Once training is complete monthly supervision will be arranged for the
SBCA team and Life Orientation educator. This is to ensure that the project remains
effective as well as to maintain a high level of service to the school body.
The main aim of this initiative is to ensure that prospective university students
receive targeted career information before they submit their application to UJ or any
other university or college. This successful project will hopefully positively impact on
the application behaviour of grade 11 and 12 learners from our feeder area Soweto,
by reducing the large volume of late applications. It is also hoped that this initiative
may instil hope and motivation into the youth, encouraging work ethic and a desire
for a better future. The project will be expanded during the year 2013 to three
schools in Soweto.
UJ Careers Workbook
PsyCaD Career Services, in collaboration with the Division of Institutional
Advancement, who supported the UJ Careers Workbook project both conceptually
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and financially, developed a self-help career guidance workbook, aimed at informing
prospective UJ-students in grade 11 and 12, about study opportunities at UJ. This
project formed an important aspect of the PsyCaD Career Services Enhancement
Strategy, aimed at providing simple and easily available career guidance information
to prospective UJ students.
The booklet was developed in collaboration with Brainwave Careers, an organisation
with extensive experience in designing inviting and easy to use career booklets for
grade 11 and 12 learners. The booklet was designed with the focus on taking
learners on a self-help journey through a number of easy to do exercises informing
them about study directions and opportunities available at UJ, with subsequent
career options also being explored. The booklet also addresses additional topics
informing prospective students about bursary and financial support options, and
information regarding optimal study methods and time management tips.
The first print run of 15 000 booklets will be distributed through the Department of
Education and Prospective Students, UJ Marketing and Communications, and will be
included in the school information packs distributed to learners at priority UJ schools
as visited by the UJ staff.
3.2.3
Career Services staff activities and project involvement 2012
Career Services newsletter
PsyCaD Career Services developed, printed and distributed two newsletters during
the year to the UJ student population.
Career Services marketing and promotional materials
Three promotional flyers were revised and distributed in print and online format:
•
General Career Services Brochure;
•
Services to employers;
•
Services to students.
UJ Open Day and Top Achievers Day
Career Services staff facilitated a stall during the Top Achievers event on Friday,
18th May, hosted on APK.
Career Services staff facilitated a workshop, titled “Towards informing your career
choice”, on each campus during the UJ Open Day on Saturday, 12th May. The
workshops were all well attended by patrons on the day across all the campuses.
National Science Week, Soweto Campus, 28 July – 4 August 2012.
The UJ hosted the National Science Week during 2012. The National Science Week
promotes greater awareness and appreciation of the contribution that science and
technology makes to the nation. PsyCaD Career Services hosted a stall at SWCV
for the duration of the Science Week.
The role of PsyCaD was to offer exposure of Science Careers for learners visiting
the event, by providing much needed information to learners and their educators on
various science careers from a career counselling point of view.
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A large number of scholars attended the event on the 28th July, the opening day of
the event, with lesser numbers visiting during the following week. Career Services
staff providing brief career guidance and counselling on a number of related matters,
such as advice and inquiries about the university admission requirements for entry
for certain degrees and diplomas, APS scores, and science career directions. The
National Science Week was a success overall, and our Career Services team was
able to contribute on a larger scale to learners who previously had scarce exposure
to career opportunities in the world of science. Great excitement was felt amongst
all staff members, being able to reach out to disadvantaged sectors of the
community of Soweto and surrounding areas.
Adopt a School Project, Emadwaleni Secondary School in Orlando, Soweto, 4th
May 2012
PsyCaD Career Services participated in the annual Adopt a School project, an
initiative hosted by the Adopt-a-School Foundation in collaboration with the
Shanduka Group, represented by the affiliate company, Digistics. Our participation
focussed on the provision of career guidance information to grade 11 and 12
learners, as well as promoting study opportunities available at UJ.
PsyCaD Career Services and Fons Lumnisi Secondary in Soweto
Ms K Gunya represented PsyCaD Career Services by invitation at the Fons Lumnisi
Secondary School, with the facilitation of a morning career development programme
to grade 11 and 12 learners in preparation for the study and career decisions to
follow.
Partnership with the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and
Recreation: Youth Adventure Camp Programme, 17 – 22 November, at
Sedibakwele Adventure Camp, Brits
Ms K Gunya represented PsyCaD Career Services by invitation during this youth
camp. She presented a number of career development workshops to the group
during the week. The group consisted of 80 young people from disadvantaged
backgrounds of the ages of 18 and 26. Ms Khomotso exposed them to career
development activities, bursaries and available academic career and UJ study
opportunities and student life in particular.
City Press
Ms K Gunya contributed a number of career expert replies in the City Press
newspaper, weekly career advice column, aimed at informing unemployed youth
about career opportunities, during the year.
UJFM
Mr I Van den Berg hosted a talk on the 24th July with the topic: ‘Marketing yourself to
graduate employers, UJ Recruitment Programme 2012’.
Soweto TV
Ms Y Nonguaza participated in a Career Counselling discussion, Soweto TV,
Thursday 24th May.
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Finweek article contribution
Mr I van den Berg contributed to an article titled, “Preparing for the workplace –
graduate opportunities”. Published in Finweek, February 2012.
Sarie magazine article contribution
Mr I van den Berg contributed to an article titled, “Gaan my kind ‘n werk kry?”
Published in Sarie, November 2012.
Invited speaker
Mr I van den Berg was the invited speaker at the 8th Annual Magnet Awards
Ceremony, 23 February, The Michelangelo Hotel, Sandton, hosted by Magnet
Communications.
Benchmarking site visit to PsyCaD Career Services by the Manager of the
Recruitment Programme, Careers Office, Centre for Student Counselling and
Development, University of Stellenbosch; Ms Wilna Naude, on 4th December.
Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurship (RAAED)
PsyCaD Career Services facilitated a series of career development workshops to the
participants of the RAAED programme during the month of August 2012. The
RAAED programme is an initiative of the Centre for Small Business Development of
the Faculty of Management, and is hosted annually of SWC.
3.2.4
Strategic Directions for 2013
PsyCaD Career Services embarked on a review of its activities during 2012 in order
to develop an enhancement strategy that will optimize and expand our range of
services, as well as our ease of reaching various user populations, during the next
three years. In considering the enhancement plan for the unit, key factors are
deemed to be the changing career counselling and career development context in
the South Africa, the real need to facilitate access to career knowledge amongst our
prospective student population, and finding ways of reaching communities without
ready access to career counselling services. Other factors for consideration in our
enhancement strategy include real changes to the current and future nature of the
workplace and job market (which requires career counsellors to have a much wider
range of knowledge and skills), and the changing student profile.
Career Services in Higher Education should not be limited to guiding prospective
students and enrolled students on subject and career choices, but should offer an
expanded scope of services that address the changing profile of students and
demands of the labour market, and provide services to a wide range of stakeholders,
including prospective students, students, alumni, employers and industry
representatives, as well as the broader university and surrounding school
communities.
Strategies and focus areas for the coming three years
•
A core strategy will involve the continued broad application of Information
Technologies, to increase the utilization of Career Services amongst UJ
students and prospective students, faculty staff, and the graduate employer
community. Electronic media already substantially utilized include social media
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
such as Facebook and Twitter, both media which are now effectively utilised
within Career Services. PsyCaD Career Services hosts an extensive web
page, with a comprehensive variety of career resources available online. The
PACE career application forms an integral part of the web offering, and has an
online interest questionnaire available for visitors to the site, to work through.
The provisioning of career information for Grade 12 learners will assist them
further in the process of study and career decision making. In addition to the
career assessment and counselling services available to prospective students
on all four UJ campuses, PsyCaD Career Services will continue to grow the
community based careers counselling programme which was piloted during
2012, amongst identified secondary schools in the greater Soweto community
during 2013 and beyond. In addition the UJ Careers Workbook that was
conceptualised and developed during 2012, in collaboration with Brainwave
Careers, will be distributed in the beginning of March 2013 in cooperation with
the Department of Education and Prospective Students, Marketing and
Communications, Division of Institutional Advancement, to all identified UJ
priority schools, via the school information packs distributed to all grade 12
learners.
Other prospective students will be targeted through a Virtual Career Resource
Centre, which will extend the services of the present campus based Career
Resource Centres beyond their geographic restrictions, and enable prospective
students (and enrolled students) to access interactive online content with ease.
Once students are on campus, it is important that they do not leave career
development to the final few months of their qualifications but include it in their
campus activities from the outset. In the context of the FYE, career support
group discussions on the four campuses will be introduced in 2013 with a
twofold approach, aimed at first year students, to enhance a greater awareness
of required career development tasks during their time at university; as well as
discussions aimed at final year undergraduate students preparing to enter the
workforce.
The careers education workshops will continue, and will target specific points
in the student trajectory, such as work-place preparation prior to WIL
placements.
Additional strategies will purposefully engage students in career
development activities, to enhance their overall career awareness: for
instance, participation in PsyCaD Career Services projects, such as community
outreach projects, open days, and the Peer Buddies programme; student
contributions to Career Services newsletters and online publications.
The UJ Career Fair for UJ graduates will once again be consolidated on APK
but will now be supported by a virtual or online multimedia career fair
platform, accessible to all students. This project is on-going and a dedicated
team of staff members in PsyCaD are working on the conceptualisation,
development and implementation of the virtual careers environment. A
continued extensive marketing and promotional programme will target students
across all campuses; bussing between campuses will also be utilized to provide
career information. In order to ensure wide attendance, integration of the
recruitment fair into learning activities will be piloted in selected programmes on
each campus.
Selected career related research opportunities in PsyCaD will be pursued, in
collaboration with national associations involved in career related research
141
•
3.3
surveys, of which SAGRA and Universum (Magnet Communications) are the
most prominent partners. The research results informing student career needs,
preferred marketing and communication channels of students, as well as the
preferred employers of various student strata’s, forms part of the survey results,
and is widely disseminated within the university’s stakeholder communities.
Given the current financial constraints, the available staff capacity will be
optimized for service delivery; and development time will be allocated from the
newly appointed PsyCaD Web Editor, to support the development of the Career
Services Virtual Career Centre and Career Recruitment Programme.
Consideration, if at all possible, should be afforded to the appointment of two
additional Career Consultants, possibly on a temporary staff basis, in order to
alleviate the pressures experienced by the current two incumbent Career
Consultants, due to their rotational roles between two campuses each.
Therapeutic Services Unit
Mr Kgabo Mashaba
Ms Lizelle De Wee
Ms Lynn Primo-Naidoo
Ms Natasha Reddy
Ms Portia Maruping
Ms Lee Cayzer
Ms Carla Durbach
3.3.1
Team Leader (Resigned on 31 December 2012)
Psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist (Appointed in July)
Psychologist (Temporary appointment)
Psychologist (Resigned at the end of March)
The core business of the Therapeutic services Unit is to provide therapeutic services
to UJ students, staff and members of the public. PsyCaD provided the following
therapeutic services to clients in 2012:
•
Psychotherapy to Individuals, Groups, Families (including UJ Students, UJ
Staff and External clients);
•
Discussion Groups;
•
HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) at UJ’s Campus Health Clinics; and
•
Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) Counselling at UJ’s Campus Health Clinics.
A total of 3424 therapy clients received individual psychotherapy at PsyCaD during
2012. Psychotherapeutic Services were delivered to them in 5051 therapy sessions.
It is of qualitative interest to take note of the seasonal peak times when UJ students
present themselves for psychotherapy at PsyCaD. The months of February, March
and May seem to be the months in the first semester when the demand for PsyCaD
therapeutic services increase. In the second semester August and October present
as the peak months where there is an increase in students’ utilization of PsyCaD
therapeutic services. The reasons for this presentation might be ascribed to the
peak times coinciding with semester test and exam times. In semester test and
exam times students generally feel more stressed and anxious and subsequently
might seek support at PsyCaD.
142
Reasons why clients present for Psychotherapy at PsyCaD
There is a considerable need for individual psychotherapy at PsyCaD. UJ students,
staff and external clients seek therapeutic services from PsyCaD for a variety of
reasons.
The predominant reasons for PsyCaD clients seeking individual
psychotherapy include the following (in descending order):
•
Relationship Problems;
•
Personal Problems;
•
Family Problems;
•
Depression;
•
Bereavement;
•
Self-confidence;
•
Career Related Problems;
•
Anxiety;
•
Academic Problems;
•
Disability Issues;
•
Financial Problems.
Top presenting problems by month:
120
110
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Academic
Problems
100
Disability
Issues
90
80
Career
Related
Problems
70
60
50
Personal
Problems
40
Depression
30
Anxiety
20
Relationship
Problems
10
Relationship Problems
Family Problems
Personal problems
Relationship problems
Personal problems
Family Problems
Personal problems
Family Problems
Bereavement
Personal problems
Career Related Problems
Family Problems
Depression
Personal problems
Personal problems
Family Problems
Personal problems
Family Problems
Personal problems
Depression
Personal problems
Depression
Anxiety
Family
Problems
Academic Problems
Disability issues
Career Related Problems
0
Bereavement
The above-mentioned reasons are only a reflection of clients seeking individual
psychotherapy and may therefore not be indicative of the presenting problems of
clients seeking assistance via the 24-Hour Crisis line.
PsyCaD Services offered to Campus Health Clinics
PsyCaD and the Division of Occupational Health (OH) within Campus Health
Services at UJ collaborate to ensure that staff members and their families are
referred for therapy should the need arise and the presenting problem relates to
143
occupational issues. During 2012 7 UJ Staff members were seen in relation to
occupational problems affecting psychological well-being.
In addition, PsyCaD assists Campus Health Clinics by availing the services of Intern
Psychologists to provide HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) and Termination of
Pregnancy (TOP) counselling sessions on all UJ campuses. In total 436 HCT and 9
TOP sessions were offered by PsyCaD’s Intern Psychologists during 2012. (This
does not comprise the total number of clients seen by Campus Health services
during 2012.)
Projects
The Therapeutic Services Unit was involved in the following projects during 2012:
•
24-Hour Crisis Line;
•
Therapy Awareness Campaign;
•
Suicide Awareness and Prevention;
•
Discussion Groups;
•
Therapy Case Discussions;
•
HIV Initiatives.
24-Hour Crisis Line
The purpose of the 24-Hour Crisis Line is to assist with an emotional crisis or any
psychological related problem telephonically any time of the day or night. The line is
available to UJ students and staff 24 hours of the day with a dedicated Intern
Psychologist on duty answering incoming calls. Services offered through this line
include telephonic counselling, referrals to applicable emergency services, and
recommendations and referrals to various organisations and resources to assist with
the presenting crisis or query.
PsyCaD Staff involved in the project
The Crisis Line is co-ordinated by the Team Leader of the Therapeutic Services Unit.
In 2012 Mr Kgabo Mashaba undertook these responsibilities as Therapeutic
Services Team Leader, and has been succeeded by Ms Wilmien Human for 2013
following Mr Mashaba’s resignation in December 2012. Intern Psychologists man
the line on a rotational basis, under strict supervision of Psychologists in PsyCaD.
This provides them with experience in crisis management and telephonic
counselling. 24-Hour Crisis Line Group Supervision takes place on a weekly basis.
Statistics
A total number of 351 calls were received in 2012. The presenting problems of the
callers using the crisis line varied greatly. Top presenting difficulties were suicide,
depression, relationship problems, trauma, rape and sexual abuse. Rape and
suicide are regarded as very high risk cases, as they need to be addressed from a
preventative perspective and might require a medical intervention in worst case
scenarios. Many calls related to administrative queries such as enquiring about UJ
services and academic queries. These callers were referred to the relevant
resources or academic faculties.
144
Challenges
Challenges relate to problems of a technical nature such as network problems
resulting in the lines not being available at times. Two new cell phones have been
procured for the crisis line to ensure that the phones and lines stay operational.
In some cases callers refuse to provide their name and contact details, and yet
disclose serious psychological problems. This challenge is difficult to overcome, and
where possible the Intern Psychologists are trained to elicit as much information as
possible to avoid this.
The 24-Hour Crisis Line is at times victim to prank calls.
Successes
The 24-Hour Crisis Line is established and well-known in the UJ community. This is
due to the intensive marketing programme that PsyCaD has put into place. The 24Hour Crisis Line is marketed with a sticker that is extensively circulated at various
forums.
UJ staff members are increasingly advising students to utilize the 24-Hour Crisis Line
and PsyCaD. This has led to improved working relationships between PsyCaD and
other stakeholders within the university, in particular Protection Services, Campus
Health and Student Accommodation. The support that the Intern Psychologists on
duty receive, in particular from UJ Protection Services, has been helpful and crucial
in the provision of the service and favourable outcome of most calls.
The Intern Psychologists and PsyCaD Psychologists continue to receive training on
various problems that are presented on the Crisis Line, for example, suicide
prevention, understanding depression and trauma related crises, so as to ensure
that an effective service is provided at all times.
The Crisis Line Sticker:
Therapy Awareness Campaign
The aim of the therapy awareness campaign was to sensitize students and staff of
the UJ community around the need to be proactive about psychological wellness. A
particular focus in reaching this goal was to share messages against the stigma
around seeking psychological assistance. This also informed the audience of the
services offered by PsyCaD.
Therapy Awareness Campaign activities took place once a week on a Friday
between 12h00 and 14h00 during the month of August. The following dates were
dedicated to the different campuses:
145
Doornfontein Campus (DFC):
Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus (APB):
Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (APK):
Soweto Campus (SWC):
3 August 2012
17 August 2012
24 August 2012
31 August 2012
The Awareness month was made a success by collaborating with different internal
stakeholders. The marketing department was consulted for strategic guidance
regarding reaching as much of the target audience as possible. Campus Directors
with the assistance of the administrative staff of each campus were approached in
order to get activities approved. Marketing involved sending Circulars to all staff,
displaying a banner on every campus on the day of the event, placing a message in
the U@UJ, providing a script to UJFM that was broadcasted before and on the day
of different events and distributing pamphlets in all PsyCaD offices.
The Audio Visual Unit provided equipment for playing music and gazebos were hired
from the Sports Department. UJFM provided a DJ as well as staff members who
assisted the peer buddies with speaking to students and staff on the day. Pamphlets
were distributed on the following topics: “What is therapy; Depression, Trauma,
Relationships and Anxiety”. These pamphlets were handed out with a free packet of
chips. A competition was held whereby 2 services offered by PsyCaD had to be
identified. A voucher for a pampering session sponsored by the Somatology Clinic
and 3 months free gym membership sponsored by the UJ gym were offered as
prizes to 2 students at the four campuses.
As part of the Therapy Awareness Campaign, pamphlets were distributed on the
following topics:
o
Therapy;
o
Relationships;
o
Depression;
o
Anxiety;
o
Trauma.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention
The Therapeutic Services Unit identified the need for a suicide awareness and
prevention campaign in 2012. A PsyCaD committee was established with the aim of
enhancing suicide awareness, prevention and risk management with representation
from all PsyCaD units on the committee.
The goal of this project is also to reinforce relationships with all relevant stakeholders
such as Campus Health, Protection Services, IOHA and Student Residences that
often play a role in having to manage suicide related cases. It is very important that
stakeholders work collaboratively in order to offer the best service to students and
staff in the UJ community, especially in relation to managing a suicide or high risk
case. Therapeutic Services always endeavour to foster these relationships and
maintain a beneficial working relationship.
A theme of “Bridge over troubled waters” was conceived for this project and posters
and flyers were printed and distributed as part of a suicide awareness and
prevention campaign on all UJ campuses during 2012. A video was also filmed and
posted on YouTube with the aim of raising suicide awareness.
146
Discussion Groups
During 2012, the Therapeutic Services unit undertook to facilitate student discussion
groups, on each campus, focusing on the following topics:
•
Adjustment;
•
Own your Process;
•
Financial Management;
•
Relationships;
•
Depression;
•
Exam Stress and Anxiety;
•
Substance Dependence;
•
Trauma;
•
Gender Awareness.
Despite every effort to advertise widely across all campuses, attendance at these
discussion groups was poor. After six attempts, the discussion groups were
discontinued.
Therapy case discussions
The purpose of therapy case discussions is to have a platform in PsyCaD where
psychologists can discuss therapy cases. This serves the dual purpose of peer
supervision as colleagues are encouraged to learn from one another and the case
discussions support continuous professional development (CPD) as emphasised and
expected by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). A total
number of three therapy case discussions were held in 2012.
HIV Initiatives
Therapeutic Services are involved in various HIV initiatives at UJ and collaborate
with the Institutional Office for HIV and Aids (IOHA) and other stakeholders such as
Campus Health to provide HIV services and support to UJ students and staff.
HCT Counselling
As mentioned in the section relating to services rendered to Campus Health Services
Intern Psychologists provide HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) to students on all
UJ campuses at the Campus Health offices. A total of 436 HCT sessions were
conducted in 2012.
HIV Support Groups
This involved group therapy sessions with HIV positive students to provide
therapeutic support and psycho-education. These groups were facilitated by
PsyCaD psychologists from various PsyCaD units. The following HIV Support
Groups were conducted:
APB: 9 Groups between April and October with group sizes between two to six
students.
APK: 9 Groups between May and October with group sizes between one and three
students.
HCT Counsellor Debriefing
Group debriefing sessions, with the UJ HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT)
counsellors (four counsellors in total), were conducted on 24 February and 8 May
147
2012. During the latter part of the year, debriefing did not take place due to issues of
resistance to debriefing among the HCT counsellors. The issue was referred to the
HCT counsellors’ line manager and for 2013 it was decided, in conjunction with the
counsellors, that the debriefing would take an individual format with each HCT
counsellor attending a one on one debriefing session with a PsyCaD psychologist on
his/her campus.
HIV Committee Membership
Ms Lynn Primo-Naidoo represents PsyCaD on UJ’s HIV Committee. Her role is to
liaise with all relevant stakeholders and filter relevant HIV information from PsyCaD
to the committee and from the committee to PsyCaD.
3.4
Psycho-Educational Services
Dr Anita Fourie
Mr Leong Pon
Ms Michelle Naicker
Ms Nelmarie Boshoff
Ms Leila Abdool-Gafoor
Ms Sasha Street
Ms Ursula Froschauer
Ms Zarina Chohan
(Team leader - resigned August 2012)
(Team Leader September 2012 to date)
Counselling Psychologist
Counselling Psychologist (Appointed May 2012)
Educational Psychologist (Appointed May 2012)
Counselling Psychologist (January – May 2012)
Counselling Psychologist (January – February 2012)
Counselling Psychologist (Temporary appointmentFebruary 2013)
Ms Sarah Kempen
Ms Fatima Jogie
Ms Sugretta Botha
Ms Kersha Mintram
Ms Lebo Mosebua
3.4.1
Programme Developer (May 2012-December 2012)
Psychometrist
Psychometrist
Psychometrist
WIL Student
The Psycho-Educational Services Unit was expanded in 2012, in that the
Psychometry services, which used to report to the Director, were integrated into the
Unit.
The core business of the Services Unit consists of both psycho-education and
Psychometry processes. The Psycho-Educational component of the Services Unit
provides psycho-social development and support services to the UJ learning
community and its personnel, to optimize academic success through training
programmes and workshops that promote psycho-social and emotional wellness and
growth. Its target audiences are UJ students, personnel and UJ Residences.
In addition to the abovementioned function, the Psycho-Education component of the
Services Unit is also involved in the training and development of Registered
Psychological Practitioners. This Service Unit provides a Continuous Professional
Development Programme (CPD) as an Accredited CPD Service Provider by the
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
148
The Psychometry Component of the Services Unit provides PsyCaD’s
psychologically related service units with Psychometric Assessment Services to
ensure the smooth running of the Centre as well as to contribute to the training and
development of Intern Psychologists, Intern Psychometrists and registered
psychological practitioners in the field.
The following Programmes and Processes were operational during the 2012
Academic Year:
•
The Peer Buddies Programme;
•
The Residence Academic Advisor Programme;
•
Life Enrichment Workshops:
o
Workshops for students in faculties - and this includes workshops for first
year students as part of the First Year Experience programme;
o
Workshops for external clients;
o
Workshops for members of staff are available on request;
•
The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programme;
•
Psychometry Services:
o
Psychometry Support Services to PsyCaD’s psychological practitioners;
o
Group and Individual Psychometric Assessments;
o
The Intern Psychometrist Training Programme;
o
Practical training in Psychometry for Intern Psychologists;
o
Practical training in Psychometry as well as on-going supervision of Intern
Psychometrists;
o
Provides PsyCaD’s registered and Intern Psychologists with support
through the provision of psychological assessment services;
o
Psychological assessment services for selection purposes to the Faculty
of Art Design and Architecture.
Psycho-Education
Peer Buddies Programme
The purpose of the Peer Buddies Programme in PsyCaD is to serve the UJ student
community in a peer supporting capacity; the Programme has a wellness promotion
and information sharing orientation. The Peer Buddies Programme also serves
different UJ stakeholders in an attempt to reach students.
The “Peer Buddie” has been re-conceptualised and re-defined by the Service Unit in
November 2012 as follows:
“A Peer Buddie is a senior and experienced student who has proven sound
academic performance and is socially well adjusted. Moreover, a Peer Buddie has a
community and social justice orientation and an ethos of care, is inclined to guide,
mentor, support and empower fellow students in their pursuit for academic and
social-emotional wellbeing. This is done through the participation in various wellness
and advocacy campaigns as well as individual interactions with fellow students. The
Peer Buddies have a humanistic life view and a sense of altruism. They derive
rewards and satisfaction from helping”.
149
The Peer Buddies Programme consists of one Process Coordinator and three Peer
Buddies Facilitators to assist in the roll-out of the programme. One of the facilitators
is from the Therapeutic Services Unit.
The Peer Buddies are selected to assist First Year Students at the beginning of the
academic year and to play a role in UJ student life as peer advisors who refer all
students with queries to the relevant UJ support services. They assist PsyCaD in
selected projects and involve themselves in a Community Service Learning Project
under the direction of the Peer Buddies Coordinator and Campus Facilitators.
65 Peer Buddies were trained over a three day period at the UJ Island in the Vaal in
January 2012. Services the Peer Buddies Programme delivered during 2012
include:
•
Assisted in First Year orientation;
•
Assisted in First Year Student (FYS) National Bench Mark Testing (NBT)
registrations;
•
Participated in the CANSA Shavathon;
•
Participated in the Therapeutic Services Therapy Awareness Campaign;
•
Participated in the Therapeutic Services Suicide Awareness Campaign;
•
Distributed pamphlets for the Therapeutic Services’ Discussion Groups;
•
Assisted in the Career Resource Centres on Wednesdays at C-Ring 1;
•
Assisted the Office: People with Disabilities during Diversity Week;
•
Assisted in the PsyCaD name survey;
•
Assisted ADC with Focus Group Interviews with First Year Students;
•
Assisted with data collection as requested by the Director of PsyCaD’s
Research Assistant; and
•
Planned, organised and launched a Community Project.
Extended Peer Buddies Training
The Peer Buddies received training in transferable life-skills during the course of
2013. This involved:
a) Careers training – Preparing for the World of Work;
b) Focus group interviewing;
c) Planning, organising and executing a Community Project.
Peer Buddies Meetings
A total of 130 meetings were held with Peer Buddies across all four UJ Campuses.
Five meetings were held between the Peer Buddies Coordinator and Campus
Facilitators regarding the Peer Buddies Camp, CANSA Shavathon and strategic
planning.
Farewell 2012 Peer Buddies
PsyCaD thanked the Peer Buddies for their assistance by taking them to Gold Reef
City.
Peer Buddies Programme Planning for 2013
•
Peer Buddies selections (a total of 53 Peer Buddies were selected);
•
First Peer Buddies meeting;
150
•
Peer Buddies Planning with Team Leader and Peer Buddies Campus
Facilitators where Peer Buddies 2013 Training was discussed and the definition
of a “Peer Buddie” reconceptualised.
Training of International Buddies: International Office
PsyCaD at the request of the UJ International Office trained 43 International Buddies
based on an abbreviated form of PsyCaD’s Peer Buddie Programme in January
2012.
The “Life Enrichment” Programme
The Life Enrichment Programme provides workshops to students, staff and external
clients as a means to facilitate self-development. These workshops were available
on request from interested parties such as residences, faculties, departments and
external organisations. Below is a table that represents the number of workshops
presented during 2012 as part of the Life-Enrichment Programme.
Number of
Workshops
Presented
2
18
6
Stakeholders
Residence Presentations
Faculty Presentations
RAA Presentations
Intern Psychologists’ Presentations (RAA
Program)
Staff Presentations
Ad Hoc Presentations
TOTAL
Number of
Attendees
49
628
177
11
5
1
352
132
47
43
1385
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programme for Psychological
Practitioners
PsyCaD provides for the continuous professional development of registered
psychological practitioners in South Africa. This is done through making workshops
available to these practitioners to keep abreast with developments in the field.
PsyCaD has received status as an Accredited Service Provider from the Health
Professions Council of South Africa to participate in Continuous Professional
Development activities. This activity contributes to PsyCaD’s income generation
activities.
Programme Developer
The position of Programme Developer was occupied by Ms Nelmarie Boshoff from
January 2012 to May 2012. Thereafter, Ms Sarah Kempen took up this position.
The Programme Developer has assisted Ms Susanne Taylor as co-editor for the
PsyCaD newsletter and assisted Ms Nelmarie Boshoff with the Peer Buddies
Programme. Ms Kempen availed herself to continue with the editing and release of
social media for the service unit in Ms Leila Abdool-Gafoor’s absence. In addition to
this, she assisted the Career Service Unit in the development of their virtual career
resource centre.
151
Residence Academic Advisors Programme (RAA)
The Residence Academic Advisor’s (RAA) Programme is a UJ: Student Affairs
initiative. The programme is a formalised structure in the UJ residences. Student
Affairs and Academic Development and Support are collaborating to develop First
Year Student (FYS) support in the residences in order to establish UJ residences as
centres of academic excellence. The Residence Academic Advisors play a caring
role in the residences to aid FYS to make a smooth and healthy transition between
home, school and university life. Adjusting to university life is regarded as of
paramount importance for the retention and throughput of students residing in the
residences. PsyCaD has been tasked by the Student Affairs and ADS Liaison
Committee to provide for the training of RAAs.
The Psycho-Education and Psychometry Services Unit wrote an RAA Training
manual and benchmarked it against International Universities’ RAA Programmes.
The manual was presented to the Student Affairs-ADS Liaison Committee for input
and was then re-visited to make it context specific for the UJ Residences context.
This manual explores the roles, responsibilities, the first year experience, diversity,
leadership, communication and learning as they refer to UJ and external Support
networks. The existing 8 week RAA Programme manual was revised by ADC and
PsyCaD for the RAA Training for 2013.
During the 2012 Academic year 160 RAAs were trained. The training involved the
use of the 8 week RAA Training Programme manual that explores “the First Year
Students’ adjustment to university during the first 8 weeks of the academic year”.
Extended RAA 2012 Programme
Workshops for the RAA Extended Programme were presented to First Year students
during 2012. Each workshop was presented four times throughout the year and
across campuses. Student attendance at these workshops is reflected below:
RAA Workshop
Total number of attendees at all four workshops
Exam pressure
216
Healthy boundaries
116
Exam stress
20
Closer collaboration with residence managers and wardens and House Committees
will hopefully lead to better attendance in 2013.
Psychometry
The Psychometry division of the Psycho-Education and Psychometry Services Unit
functions to serve as support for Psychological services in the PsyCaD.
Psychometry services are provided on all four UJ campuses. This unit’s output is
described below:
Psychological Assessment Services during 2012
1117 Computerised Group Assessments and 218 Individual Assessments were
conducted. In total 1335 clients were assessed by PsyCaD during 2012. These
152
assessments include those provided to University of Johannesburg students and
staff members, as well as to external clients and large group assessments.
Training and Development in Psychometry
This Unit is responsible for the training and on-going supervision of 13 Intern
Psychologists pertaining to Psychometry. Training was provided by 8 PsyCaD Staff
members (Registered Psychologists, a Psychometrist and a Counsellor). The
Psychometrists provided a total of 34 days of training to the Intern Psychometrists
including three days of assessment training.
Projects
The Psychometry Team was involved in the following projects in 2012:
•
Bloomberg Online Assessments;
•
IPPM Selection Assessments;
•
Massel Selection Assessments;
•
FADA Selection Assessments;
•
Thusanani Assessments;
•
Esperanza Assessments;
•
WAIS-IV Data Collection;
•
Virtual Career Resource Centre;
•
Advertising;
•
Four Psycho-Legal Cases.
Presentation of CPD Workshops
The Psychometrists presented a School Readiness CPD Workshop on 24 August
2012.
PsyCaD Procedures
Both the Team Leader Mr Leong Pon and Ms Kersha Mintram have been actively
involved in the Quality Promotions Committee (QPC) and assisted with the drafting,
editing and formatting of all PsyCaD procedures.
Supervision Activities: Intern Psychologists and Intern Psychometrists
The Psycho-Education and Psychometry Services Unit was involved in the
supervision of Intern Psychologists and Intern Psychometrists during the 2012
academic year. Ms Nelmarie Boshoff and Dr Anita Fourie supervised a total of 3
Intern Counselling Psychologists whilst Ms Fatima Jogie, Ms Kersha Mintram and
Ms Sugretta Botha supervised a total of 16 Intern Psychometrists.
Test Libraries
To date, ten new assessment instruments have been purchased for PsyCaD’s test
library. Most of the tests fall in line with what is required from the different school
bodies for Concession Testing. Assessments that fall into this category include the
Word Chains Reading Test, the Tower: Test of Word Reading Efficiency, the
Phonological Assessment Battery (PHAB), as well as the Edinburgh Reading Test.
Other assessment instruments include the Firestone Assessment of Self Destructive
Thoughts (FAST), the Firestone Assessment of Suicide Intent (FASI), the Missouri
Occupational Card Sort Test as well as the Conner’s Adult ADHD Rating Scale.
153
Finally, the Lucid Adult Dyslexia Screener (LADS) has been included, and stored, in
the D Les 303 Test Library.
International visitors
Upon request of Jopie van Rooyen, the Psychometry team organised a tour of
PsyCaD’s facilities for a delegation arriving from the University of Botswana’s
counselling unit in August 2012.
3.5
Training and Development Services unit
Ms Trudie le Roux
Ms Millicent van Rooyen
Mr Tinyiko Mavasa
Ms Irene Hatzipapas
Ms Shiva Mahoney
Ms Carien Basson
Ms Tamanna Hira
Ms Leah Gous
Ms Shafe’ah Ebrahim
Ms Le-Verne Wagner
Mr Zenzele Kubheka
Ms Melina Georgiou
Ms Chereen Pretorius
Ms Megan Clerk
Ms Lauren Claassen (UJ Sport)
3.5.1
Team Leader
Educational Psychologist
Intern Counselling Psychologist
Intern Educational Psychologist
Twelve Intern Psychologists commenced with their internship at PsyCaD in January
2012. A thirteenth Intern Psychologists was appointed by UJ Sport. This Intern
Psychologist also follows the PsyCaD internship programme, is based at the C-Ring
site and mainly works with sport students. All Intern Psychologists are situated on
the APK Campus at the C-Ring and B5 sites.
The Intern Psychologists commenced with their official programme in February 2012,
after completion of their January training. They were involved in the following
activities:
•
VCT/TOP duties;
•
Careers: intake interviews, assessments, feedbacks and reports in C ring;
•
Training Programme;
•
Entrepreneurial Projects;
•
Professional services;
•
Supervision.
January Training Programme
During January the Intern Psychologists received training which is relevant mainly to
the work in PsyCaD, but also for their work as psychologists. During January the
Intern Psychologists were predominantly involved in assessments of external clients,
as well as in the First Year Experience and Orientation programme.
154
First Year Experience (FYE)
The Intern Psychologists assisted with the late applications activities on the APB
campus during the week of 9-13 January. They provided career counselling to late
applicants.
Orientation Programme
PsyCaD Intern Psychologists were involved in the orientation programme managed
by the Academic Services unit, and collaborated with various faculties on the
different campuses during the period 24 January to 1 February 2012.
Multi-Disciplinary Training
The Intern Psychologists received training from various specialists in the field of
Psychology.
The training is mostly practically orientated and the Intern
Psychologists learn how to apply certain theories and related techniques. These
often include practice sessions.
•
Suicide;
•
Qualitative Evaluation of Scholastic Test Results;
•
Case Conceptualization;
•
Neuro-optometry;
•
Sand tray Therapy;
•
Eco systemic training;
•
Axis I of the DSM-IV ;
•
Fundamental Ericksonian Hypnotherapy;
•
Creative Arts;
•
Fundamental Ego State Therapy;
•
Axis II of the DSM-IV;
•
CBT Training;
•
Creative Expressive Arts;
•
Positive Psychology;
•
Intermediate Ericksonian Therapy;
•
Intermediate Ego State Therapy;
•
Positive Psychology-Gestalt Therapy.
Supervision
The supervisors responsible for the supervision are Ms T. le Roux (Intern
Counselling Psychologists) and Ms M. van Rooyen (Intern Educational
Psychologists). Ms le Roux is responsible for four Intern Counselling Psychologists
and two additional supervisors, namely Dr Anita Fourie and Ms Nelmarie Boshoff are
responsible for 2 Intern Counselling Psychologists respectively. Ms van Rooyen is
responsible for 5 Intern Educational Psychologists, and two additional supervisors
namely, Mr Ian van den Berg and Ms Celeste Wolfensberger-Le Fevre are
responsible for the supervision of two Intern Educational Psychologists.
The HPCSA provides clear guidelines on the amount of time Intern Psychologists
have to spend in supervision. These include:
•
Individual Supervision;
•
Group supervision: Case presentations;
•
Group Supervision HCT/TOP;
•
Group Supervision Crisis line;
155
•
•
File supervision;
Open door supervision.
Quarterly Evaluations
Quarterly evaluations took place in March, June, September and November 2012.
Lecturers from the universities of Pretoria, Zululand, Witwatersrand and
Johannesburg attended the presentations of their respective students. These
presentations were also attended by the various supervisors. For the evaluations
the Intern Psychologists had to prepare the following:
•
A formal case study plus power point presentation;
•
An assessment report;
•
Reflection on their internship.
Intern Psychologists’ Meetings
Intern Psychologists’ meetings were held every alternative Friday after crisis line,
HCT and TOP supervision.
Workshops and presentations
The Intern Psychologists, in conjunction with the Psycho-Educational services unit,
facilitated the following:
12 Career Case presentations;
8 Workshops on Adjusting to University life;
5 Workshops on Stress management;
10 Workshops on study strategies and stress management.
3.5.2
Entrepreneurial Projects
Bethlehem project
As part of the HPCSA requirements, Intern Psychologists in PsyCaD participated in
an entrepreneurial project. Career counselling was provided to a school in
Bethlehem, and generated R7400.
Attention Deficit Disorder, Nutrition and the Brain 27 October 2012
The content of the workshop was based on the effects of nutrition on the daily
functioning and development of individuals, especially children who have previously
been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The effects of nutrition in relation to daily
neurological functioning were also addressed. The Intern Psychologists generated
R5500.00 with this project.
3.5.3
UJ student Projects:
Tomorrow Trust
The Intern Psychologists provided emotional support through individual therapy and
workshops to 34 students funded by the Tomorrow Trust Fund. The following
workshops were presented:
156
THEME
TOPIC
DATE
Presentation Skills
Time Management
ACADEMIC
3rd August
Effective Planning
Writing Skills
24th August
Study Methods
Stress Management
28th September
Self-Awareness
HEALTHY
LIFESTYLES
Self-confidence and self-esteem
Intrapersonal Skills (inner conflict)
12th October
Coping with Failure
Interpersonal Skills
RELATIONSHIPS
Communication Skills
Boundaries
26th October
Termination of Process:
Lonely student support group
This support group was initiated by the Intern Psychologists to assist students who
struggle with socialising. The project commenced late in the year and will be
implemented early in 2013 as it seemed to have been very effective.
Crisis Counselling to the community
The Intern Psychologists intervened in numerous crisis situations in the community
as well as on the various UJ campuses. These include crisis intervention with:
•
Hoërskool Vorentoe;
•
Benjamijn Ladies Residence;
•
UJ staff member involved in an armed robbery;
•
An external company;
•
Children’s home in Benoni;
•
Orphanage in Florida.
Radio Mafisa
The Intern Psychologists presented a series of radio topics with Radio Mafisa (radio
station in Rustenburg) regarding self-care.
Recruitment 2013 Intern Psychologists
The process for the recruitment of 2013 Intern Psychologists has been completed.
Wits University invited PsyCaD to present the internship to the Counselling
Psychology students. Two Intern Psychologists from PsyCaD did a PsyCaD
presentation to the UJ Psychology Master’s class. A total of 34 candidates applied
for the 14 internship positions available. They were from the Counselling as well as
the Educational Psychology categories. A Paper selection was completed and 20
157
prospective Intern Psychologists were invited to the interviews. The interviews were
conducted during July 2012.
Board Examinations
Six Intern Psychologists qualified to write the HPCSA’s Board examination. All of
these Intern Psychologists successfully completed the board examination in October
and will therefore register in their respective categories in 2013.
3.5.4
Training and Development of PsyCaD Staff
Induction of Intern Psychologists
A PsyCaD staff orientation training manual was created by the end of 2011. All new
Intern Psychologists were trained and orientated during January 2012.
The training document needs to be updated regularly and an electronic version
needs to be in place. All service units are working towards upgrading their units’
specific information.
Staff Orientation
On 7 May an orientation session with all the new PsyCaD staff was held. Not all the
new staff could however attend due to obligations in their respective units.
Training
PsyCaD professional psychologists did not attend any formal training at PsyCaD
during the first semester. They have attended the training sessions by Dr Hartman
in August and in September.
3.6
Shared Services Unit
Ms Brumilda August
Ms Esmé Beech
Mr Pule Boleu
Ms Rachel Mosime
Ms Melanie Lottering
Ms Khomotso Mosoge
Ms Rose Ntuli
Ms Lee Tatayas
Ms Grace Moyana
Ms Xolisa Mulaudzi
Ms Susanne Taylor
3.6.1
Administrative Assistant
Vacated position
Office Administrator
Internal Assistant
IT Assistant
Team Leader
The Shared Services Unit comprises of administrative staff members dealing with
office management (Office Administrators) and front desk personnel (Administrative
Assistants), an IT Assistant and an Internal Assistant; the Unit renders support to all
other Service Units within PsyCaD. The Operations Assistant to the Director fulfils a
dual role, also serving as Office Administrator on the C-Ring site.
158
The Team Leader serves as supervisor to the six PsyCaD Public Relations
Management work integrated learning students.
The following services are accommodated and supported by the PsyCaD Shared
Services Unit:
•
Administrative Support (including Procurement and Conference and Travel
Arrangements) – 22 conference travel arrangements and more than 100
transport arrangements were made; four general PsyCaD meetings and many
smaller functions were facilitated; close to 100 meetings were arranged for
which Minutes (available on SharePoint) were taken.
•
Data Capturing on the PsyCaD Ukubamba system.
•
Reception (including File Management) – more than 5700 clients were
welcomed at PsyCaD Reception.
•
Procurement – 208 iProcs for amounts less than R15 000 and ten iProcs for
amounts greater than R15 000 were processed.
•
Logistics and Operations – are dealt with on a daily basis and include
maintenance calls, IT, telephone and other technical support.
•
Health and Safety – Shared Services Office Administrators are Health and
Safety representatives and generally serve as First Aiders at the sites, with the
Administrative Assistants fulfilling the role of Fire Marshals.
•
IT Support – on-going.
•
SharePoint – is being utilized for document management with full roll out in
2013.
Administrative services (including Procurement and Conference and Travel
Arrangements)
Administrative services are rendered across all sites to service units and are well
established. These services extend to meeting management, conference and travel
arrangements, functions and procurement.
Data Capturing (Ukubamba system)
The Ukubamba system is well established and utilised on a daily basis. The system
enables the booking of clients, retrieval of client information and generates statistics
with regard to client services rendered.
Ukubamba development was
commissioned to ensure that statistics as required by the Faculties can be
provided.
All client information is stored safely and securely, according to regulations set by
the HPCSA.
Reception (including File Management)
Front desk personnel, the Administrative Assistants, welcome clients, make
necessary bookings and are responsible for file management according to HPSCA
requirements.
Logistics and Operations
Site offices on APK (B5 and C Ring 1), APB, DFC and SWC are well established and
functioning well.
159
Health and Safety
Health and Safety matters are treated with the seriousness they deserve. Office
Administrators serve as Health and Safety Officers and are trained in First Aid, and
generally the Administrative Assistants serve as Fire Marshals.
IT Support
The IT Assistant supports the computers in the four PsyCaD Career Resource
Centres, the five Assessment Centres and the four Centres for People with
Disabilities and renders first line IT support to PsyCaD staff.
The Shared Services unit strives to live up to its slogan: keeping the wheels of
PsyCaD turning.
Minor Alterations and Projects
During 2012, a variety of operational projects, including minor alterations, took place.
Audio Visual equipment was also updated.
3.7
3.7.1
•
•
3.7.2
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research Activities
Articles published by PsyCaD staff members during 2012
Maree, K., and Morgan, B. (2012). Toward a combined qualitative-quantitative
approach: Advancing postmodern career counselling theory and practice.
Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 7(4), 298-310.
Pretorius, G. (2012). Reflections on the scope of practice in the South African
profession of Psychology: A moral plea for relevance and a future vision. South
African Journal of Psychology, 42(4), 509-521.
Book Chapters published by PsyCaD staff members during 2012
Morgan, B. (2012). Preparing the abstract of a manuscript. In K. Maree (Ed.),
First steps in journal article writing (pp. 36-56). Cape Town: Juta.
Morgan, B. (2012). Preparing the manuscript: Technical considerations. In K.
Maree (Ed.), First steps in journal article writing (pp. 65-79). Cape Town: Juta.
Morgan, B., and Sklar, R. (2012). Sampling and research paradigms. In K.
Maree (Ed.), Complete your thesis or dissertation successfully: Practical
guidelines (pp. 69-80). Cape Town: Juta.
Morgan, B., and Sklar, R. (2012). Writing the quantitative research method
chapter. In K. Maree (Ed.), Complete your thesis or dissertation successfully:
Practical guidelines (pp. 109-126). Cape Town: Juta.
Pretorius, G. (2012). Communication between student and supervisor. In K.
Mare (Ed.), Complete your thesis or dissertation successfully: Practical
guidelines (pp. 169-177). Cape Town: Juta.
Pretorius, H.G. (2012). Ethical and professional issues in student counselling
and development in the context of higher education in South Africa. In L.
Beekman, C., Cilliers. and de Jager, A. (Eds.), Student counselling and
development: Contemporary issues in the Southern African context (pp. 310323). Pretoria: Unisa Press.
160
•
•
3.7.3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pretorius, H.G., and Morgan, B. (2012). Choosing a topic. In K. Maree (Ed.),
Complete your thesis or dissertation successfully: Practical guidelines (pp. 1828). Cape Town: Juta.
Beekman, L., and van den Berg, I. (2012). Career counselling and development
in higher education. In L. Beekman, C., Cilliers, and de Jager, A. (Eds.),
Student counselling and development: Contemporary issues in the Southern
African context (pp. 171-193). Pretoria, Unisa Press.
Conference Presentations by PsyCaD staff members during 2012
Abdool-Gafoor, L. (2012). Male and female identity processing styles in relation
to academic achievement and self-esteem. International Congress of
Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Boshoff, N., and van Rensburg, E. (2012). Infant massage and mother-infant
stress: A multidisciplinary approach. 13th World Congress of the World
Association for Infant Mental Health in Cape Town, South-Africa.
De Wee, L. (2012). The Meaning and Experience of Corrective Rape by Black
South African Lesbians. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town,
South Africa.
Di Terlizzi, M., Wolfenberger-Le Fevre, C. (2012). Weaving a nest of healing:
Reflections on being a therapist working with adolescents in a South African
context. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Gericke, L. (2012). Group Therapeutic Healing for Female Adult Survivors of
Child Sexual Abuse. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South
Africa.
Kruger, S., Fritz, E., and Pretorius, H.G. (2012). A psycho-legal perspective on
competency testing for the child witness. International Congress of Psychology,
Cape Town, South Africa.
Mohangi, K., and Pretorius, C. (2012). Stress amongst careworkers to
institutionalized children. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town,
South Africa.
Molefe, M. (2012). An exploration of the lived experience of Black African
women who remain in abusive relationships. International Congress of
Morgan, B., and Pretorius, H.G. (2012). Towards an inclusive, ethical and
human philosophy for perpetrators and survivors of male rape. International
Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Pon, L. (2012). A double whammy of heterosexist (in)justice: A queer theory
case study. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Pon, L. (2012). Skateboarding boy vs. rugby jock. Queering hegemonic
Afrikaner masculinity - A queer phenomenological case study. International
Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Pretorius, H.G. (2012). An exploration of biographical and psychological
factors of women who kill an intimate male partner. International Congress of
Pretorius, H.G. (2012). Race, sex and class in Psychology: Vision of hope for a
fair and just South Africa. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town,
South Africa.
161
•
•
•
•
•
3.7.4
•
3.7.5
•
3.7.6
•
•
•
3.7.7
•
Pretorius, H.G. (2012). Sexual violence in the South African context: Trauma
and the Potential for Posttraumatic Growth. European Conference of Positive
Psychology, Moscow, Russia.
Pretorius, H.G. (2012). The will to meaning in the face of adversity: Toward
integrating existentialism and positive psychology in the context of
posttraumatic growth. European Conference of Positive Psychology, Moscow,
Russia
Primo-Naidoo, L. (2012). Psychologists' reflections on the facilitation of group
psychotherapy for HIV positive students at a Higher Education institution in
South Africa. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Stokes, S. (2012). Trans-disciplinary team support for a severely intellectually
impaired. International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Taylor, S. (2012). Education, training and skills development: Solving the
conundrum – a South African perspective. 9th International Conference on
Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education in Istanbul, Turkey.
Book Review in Journal
Morgan, B. (2012). Book review: Counselling people of African ancestry. South
African Journal of Psychology, 42(3).
Research reviews and external examinations in 2012
Rautenheimer, Z. (2012). The friendships of young men. Unpublished Master’s
dissertation. University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Review of manuscripts submitted for publication
Church influences on sexual decisions by teenage Girl Orphan Learners in
Zimbabwe. Reviewer: Professor Gertie Pretorius. Journal of Adolescent Health.
21/05/2012
Household characteristics, burden of care and psychosocial problems of
guardians of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) from a low-income
township, South Africa. Reviewer: Professor Gertie Pretorius. Journal of
Psychology in Africa. 9 July 2012
Understanding the importance of patient–provider relationships for adherence
to antiretroviral treatment: a unique role for South African Psychology. SAJP
30-07-2012. Reviewer: Professor Gertie Pretorius.
Oral examination of Doctoral study:
Struik, M. (2012). The translation and validation of the Postpartum Depression
Screening Scale (PDSS): towards improving screening for postpartum
depression in English- and Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. University of
Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
162
3.8
3.8.1
Community Engagement
Career Services
School Based Careers Community Outreach Project:
2012 - Pilot
•
Initiate and develop a community based careers counselling programme;
•
Pilot within Soweto schools community;
•
The project will aim to train a select group of grade 11 learners in career
guidance, with the aim of enabling them to provide career guidance services to
their peers;
•
The learners will be referred to as the School Based Career Advisors;
•
Preventative and Developmental stance.
2013 Onwards
•
Extend project, adding 2 new schools every year.
3.8.2
Psycho-Educational Services
Peer Buddies Community Engagement:
The Peer Buddies had to select a community outreach project per campus where
they would make contact with an organization or school within their community.
Doornfontein Campus:
•
The Peer Buddies decided to host a “Bless the staff Day” at the Ethembeni
Children’s Home in Doornfontein. The Peer Buddies took over from the staff
working at the children’s home, such as cleaning, catering, gardening and
caring for the children as to allow for the staff members to be pampered and
treated to beauty treatments as performed by the Somatology students.
Soweto Campus:
•
The SWC Peer Buddies did their community project at Thaba Jabule HS. They
collated career information and UJ marketing packs for distribution amongst the
learners. They presented to five groups of learners (grade 11 and 12's) and
also extended an invitation for them to attend the open day. They have also
invited students to come for further career development at PsyCaD - the close
proximity of the school to UJ SWC makes this possible for these students.
Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus:
•
The community outreach project took place at the Jan Hofmeyer Community
Centre in Brixton. Each Peer Buddie fundraised and brought in 2 cans, others
brought in old clothes, vegetables and unwanted items. The coordinator and
staff from the Centre were extremely grateful for all items given from the
Buddies. The Buddies assisted the kitchen staff to clean all vegetables that
were going to be used for the subsequent months. The Buddies ended the day
by cooking and feeding the homeless that came for lunch at the Centre. The
Buddies learnt about the importance of giving, sharing and caring and helping
those less fortunate than themselves.
163
Auckland Park Kingsway Campus:
•
The Peer Buddies organized lunch in the form of sandwiches, juice and apples
for distribution to the homeless people residing at Campus Square and
surrounding area. The aim of the project was to provide relief to the homeless
and less fortunate individuals. The Buddies approached individuals in small
groups of three after which they introduced themselves to the individual and
explained the purpose of their actions. The Buddies found the recipients to be
very thankful, overwhelmed and receptive of what the Buddies had to offer.
The recipients were further very co-operative in directing the Buddies to where
to find their fellowmen. The project was a success and it also helped the
Buddies to realize that there is still more that can be done for the community to
make it better, and there is still need for more sustainable projects that can
change people's lives on a longer term basis and going a step further from just
providing a meal.
3.8.3
Psycho-Educational and Training and Development Services
Intern Psychologists Community Engagement:
The Esperanza Project
•
Esperanza is a Primary School in Newlands. The school identified 28 learners,
who seemed to struggle academically due to various reasons;
•
The Intern Psychologists therefore provided the following services to the
school;
•
Scholastic assessment and feedback;
•
Learning support;
•
Play therapy;
•
Teacher workshops;
•
This is the third year that PsyCaD collaborated with Esperanza Primary School.
Due to the positive feedback from the school and also the realisation of the
need of the community, PsyCaD wish to continue and expand on the project in
2013.
3.8.4
Training and Development
Radio Mafisa
The Intern Psychologists presented a series of talks on Radio Mafisa (radio station in
Rustenburg). This project commenced in June 2012 and concluded in November
2012.
The following topics were addressed:
General Health
Gender Stereotypes
HIV and AIDS
Women Empowerment
Mental Health
Parenting Skills
Substance Abuse
Emotional Intelligence
Careers
Trauma
Unemployment
Loss and Bereavement
Hobbies and Recreation
Relationships
164
The PsyCaD Governance Structure consists of a:
•
Board of Governance
•
Director
•
Management Team
PsyCaD has a Board of Governance that serves as independent body to oversee the
financial and strategic aspects of PsyCaD, and ensure the efficient and effective
functioning of the Centre. Two meetings were scheduled for the PsyCaD Board of
Governance during 2012. The Board of Governance comprises:
Prof Angina Parekh
Prof Elizabeth de Kadt
Prof Gertie Pretorius
Prof Rory Ryan
Prof Sarah Gravett
Prof Stephen Kruger
Dr Jack Mashiapata
Dr Nomfundo Mlisa
Ms Tracey McKay
Mr Pule Boleu
Mr Corrie Lock
Mr André Mynhardt
Dr Anita Fourie
Mr Thokozani Gamede
Mr Zunaid Tilly
Mr Banele Mkhatshwa
DVC: Academic
Executive Director: ADS (Chairperson)
Operational Director: ADS
Director: PsyCaD
Dean: Faculty of Humanities
Dean: Faculty of Education
Dean: Faculty of Management
Deputy Director: Directorate for Counselling,
Career and Academic Development, University of
South Africa
Director: Student Counselling Unit, University of
Fort Hare
UJ, Union Representative of SAPTU
UJ, Union Representative of NEHAWU
UJ, Union Representative of NTEU
UJ, Union Representative of Solidarity
PsyCaD: Team Leader
PsyCaD: Financial Officer
Community Representative
SRC Representative
The PsyCaD Management Team for 2012 consisted of:
Prof G Pretorius
Director
Ms C Olivier
Special Operations Assistant to the Director
Mr T Gamede
Financial Officer
Dr A Fourie
Team Leader: Psycho-Educational Services
(Resigned 31 August)
Mr I van den Berg
Mr K Mashaba
Ms S Taylor
Ms T le Roux
Ms Z Asmal
Team Leader: Career Services
Team Leader: Therapeutic Services
Team Leader: Shared Services
Team Leader: Training and Development
Services
Team Leader: Academic Services
165
Committees in PsyCaD
Quality Committee
PsyCaD found it expedient to have its own Quality Committee. The PsyCaD Quality
Planning Committee was established in 2008 and operates in terms of a formalised
Charter. This Committee is responsible to the Director: PsyCaD. The purpose of the
PsyCaD Quality Planning Committee is to promote and maintain a high standard of
quality within PsyCaD. The Committee meets on a monthly basis.
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
AN ABRIDGED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT FOR
CENTRE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
(PsyCaD)
Cost Centre 181100
Entity
Income
Budget Amount Earned
number
14500
Grants and Donations Internal
-
R 14,250.00
16100
Inter-Departmental Sales
R 39,500.00
R 26,190.00
16200
Public Sales and Services
R 986,500.00
R 1,066,678.08
16400
Consultation/Evaluation Income
R 474,500.00
R 452,218.96
17500
Insurance Claims
R-
R 2,393.07
R 1,500,000.00
R 1,571,730.11
Budget
Amount Spent
R 15,373,866.36
R 15,167,879.39
R 2,743,362.88
R 2,575,565.78
R 17,000.00
R 5,372.27
-
R -11,301.64
R 18,134,229.24
R 17,737,515.80
SUB TOTAL
Entity
number
Expenditure
31000
Personnel Costs
31200
Salaries Cost to Company
31300
Temporary Salaries
31400
Overtime Salaries
31500
Ad-hoc Salary Payments
SUB TOTAL
32000
Operating Costs
R
SUB TOTAL
44000
Capital
SUB TOTAL
TOTAL
Funds available
R 1,832,485.01
R 1,976,682.74
R
R
R 279,149.00
R 337,921.71
R 18,745,863.25
R 18,480,390.14
R 265,473.11
Notes: PsyCaD Budget Cost Centre 181100
•
The actual income for the year ended 31 December 2012 is R1, 571,730.11 compared to the Budget of
R1, 500,000.00.
•
This resulted in a surplus R71, 730.11.
•
The personnel costs actual expenditure for the year ended 31 December 2012 amounted to R17,
737,515.80 compared to the budget of R18, 134,229.24.
166
•
•
•
•
•
This resulted in a surplus of R396, 713.44, which can be attributed to the vacant positions that arose
during the year.
The 396, 713.44 is equivalent to 2% of the budgeted personnel costs.
The Operating Costs actual expenditure amounted to R1, 976,682.74 as compared to the budget amount
of R1, 832,485.01.
The actual capital expenditure amounted to R337, 921.71 compared to the
R 279,149.00 of the
approved budget.
The funds available balance of R265, 473.11 can be largely attributed to the savings that were recouped
under the personnel costs.
AN ABRIDGED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT FOR CENTRE FOR
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT (PSYCAD)
COST CENTRE 180170
Entity
Income
Budget
Amount Earned
number
71100
14500
16200
Accumulated Funds
Grants and Donations
Public Sales and Services
RRR-
R 4,376,412.60
R 18,578.91
R 346,312.42
SUB TOTAL
R-
R 4,741,303.93
Budget
Amount Spent
Entity
number
Expenditure
31000
Personnel Costs
31300
32000
Temporary Salaries
Operating Costs
-
R 72,787.50
SUB TOTAL
-
R 66,492.11
SUB TOTAL
-
R 95,023.02
TOTAL
-
R 234,302.63
Funds available
-
R 4,507,001.30
44000
Capital
Notes: PsyCaD Reserve Fund Cost Centre 180170
•
The actual income and accumulated funds for the year ended 31 December 2012 amounted to R4,
741,303.93.
•
This amount includes the grants and donations, public sales and services and the funds that were
accumulated throughout the years.
•
The total expenditure under this cost centre is R234, 302.63, and comprises personnel costs and
operating costs i.e. functions and entertainment.
•
The funds available balance of R4, 507,001.30 can be largely attributed to the accumulated funds and
interest earned throughout the years.
COST CENTRE 181150
Entity
number
Income
71100
14300
Budget
Amount Earned
Accumulated Funds
-
R 66,431.60
R 50,400.00
SUB TOTAL
-
R 116,831.60
Entity
number
Expenditure
Budget
Amount Spent
32000
Operating Costs
-
-
Capital
-
R 27,360.00
TOTAL
-
R 27,360.00
Funds available
-
R 89,471.60
SUB TOTAL
44000
167
Notes: PsyCaD PwD Reserve fund Cost Centre 181150
•
•
•
•
The actual income and accumulated funds for the year ended 31 December 2012 amounted to R116,
831.60.
This amount includes the grants and donations and accumulated funds.
The total expenditure under this cost centre is R27, 360.00 and was for equipment (Battery propelled
wheelchairs).
The funds available balance of R89, 471.60 is largely attributed to the accumulated funds and interest
earned throughout the years.
COST CENTRE181395
Entity
number
Income
14500
-
R 215,597.80
SUB TOTAL
-
R 215,597.80
Budget
Amount Earned
Entity
number
Expenditure
Budget
Amount Spent
32000
Operating Costs
-
R 26,091.65
TOTAL
-
R 27,091.65
Funds available
-
R 188,506.15
Notes: PsyCaD HG Pretorius Reserve Fund Cost Centre 181395
•
•
•
•
The actual income for the year ended 31 December 2012 amounted to R215,597.80
This amount includes the grants and donations only.
The total expenditure under this cost centre is R27, 091.65; this was for travelling costs both local and
abroad.
The funds available balance of R188, 506.15 can be largely attributed to the grants and donations
received during the year ended 31 December 2012.
PsyCaD has a dedicated Quality Promotion Committee (QPC) overseeing quality
and measurement of quality across all PsyCaD services. Adherence to relevant
legislation, policies and regulations is paramount in PsyCaD.
Quality Promotions Committee
Prof HG Pretorius
Ms S Taylor
Ms F Jogie
Ms Mulaudzi
Mr L Pon
Director (Ex Officio)
Team Leader: Shared Services (Chair)
Psychometrist
IT Assistant
Psychologist
Quality Initiatives
•
Oath of Confidentiality signed by all PsyCaD staff.
•
HPCSA regulations known and adhered to.
•
Relevant legislation known and adhered to.
•
Processes and procedures have been identified as requiring more attention.
This was one of the valuable insights from the audit preparation two years ago.
An improvement plan has been put into place.
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Effectiveness and Efficiency of PsyCaD’s Quality Management System
•
PsyCaD has been in existence for just over four years.
•
PsyCaD aligns itself with the ADS Quality Plan.
•
Continued utilization of the electronic tracking system, Ukubamba, to assist in
the provision of accurate statistics and to aid in evaluation of the effectiveness
of PsyCaD’s services in student retention and throughput.
Quality Measurements in PsyCaD
Evaluation of services happens through the following measurements:
•
Service Quality Evaluation Form;
•
Evaluation of training sessions/ workshops;
•
Evaluation of CPD Workshops;
•
Evaluation of the Graduate Recruitment Week;
•
Evaluation of the Company Presentations;
•
Disability Related Services Needs and Satisfactions;
•
Faculty and Department Questionnaire: Provision of Teaching and Learning
Support for Students with Disabilities.
7. RISK MANAGEMENT
As the student profile of UJ changes, one of the important risks of the University and
PsyCaD is the under-preparedness of students, and particularly of first time entrants
into the university. Although this is mostly seen as academic under-preparedness,
PsyCaD experiences emotional and psycho-social under-preparedness in first year
students as well. Students present with a plethora of psycho-social needs, ranging
from family and relationship problems to a wide range of emotional disorders,
including anxiety and depression, as well as difficulty in adapting to the university
environment and culture on all levels. PsyCaD attempts to address these needs
through the 24-Hour Crisis Line, the Peer Buddies, the Residence Advisors
programme, involvement with UJ’s First Year Experience initiative, as well as
through the professional, academic and therapeutic services we offer.
Another important aspect of under-preparedness relates to Career Services. It
seems that many first time entrants do not have sufficient knowledge and skills to
make responsible career and academic programme choices, leading to a high dropout rate. PsyCaD attempts to address this risk by providing high quality career
services to prospective students as well as current students. A major area of
development for PsyCaD is finding ways of assisting UJ in terms of placement of
applicants into the correct programme according to career assessments.
In terms of under-preparedness, it is evident that it is not only students that are
under prepared, but also the staff, when it comes to dealing with the risk adequately.
This poses a risk in which PsyCaD can assist by providing staff with psycho-social
support.
Due to the ever-changing student profile of UJ and the under-preparedness of, not
only students, but also staff to deal with increasing academic and psycho-social
challenges, there is a greater demand for psychological intervention and assistance.
169
This places strain on the human and financial resources of PsyCaD, and may result
in compassion fatigue and burnout among psychologists. These well-known
occupational risks need to be carefully managed and monitored. By providing
appropriate forums in which professional PsyCaD staff members can debrief, raise
concerns, and receive peer guidance on challenging cases, it is hoped that some of
this additional pressure is alleviated. In addition, relevant training is organised for
professional staff members to hone existing skills and expand their psychological
armament, which equips them to better address the needs of the diverse student
profile.
A further major area of activity and strategic thinking in PsyCaD is that of equitable
and uninterrupted service delivery on all campuses. This receives considerable
attention.
8. STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2013
PsyCaD Vision, Mission and Values
VISION
Centre of excellence for psychological and career services.
MISSION
Providing the University of Johannesburg and the broader community with
developmental, preventative and curative services through psycho-social-cultural,
academic, therapeutic and career development interventions.
VALUES
Meaningful engagement with stakeholders and clients, driven by:
•
Responsibility;
•
Accountability;
•
Relevance;
•
Ethical principles.
PsyCaD Strategic Thrusts for 2013
•
to support UJ students, staff and the broader community;
•
Implementing preventative and developmental psycho-social interventions to
enhance student and staff wellbeing and academic success;
•
Improving access to career resources and career counselling to prospective
students, UJ students and staff;
•
Advocating and providing holistic services to people with disabilities;
•
Positioning PsyCaD with a research mandate, and ensuring an enhanced
research ethos in PsyCaD;
•
Implementing and consolidating social networking as a means of
communication with stakeholders; and
•
Improving relationships with faculties and other important partners.
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9. SOCIAL MEDIA IN PSYCAD
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, You Tube, Linked-in, etc.) have become an
increasingly popular social marketing tool for organisations to engage with the public
(Zabin & Jefferies, 2008). PsyCaD has, accordingly, implemented a Social Media
Portfolio (SMP) to use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) as a social marketing
medium and to enhance communication with UJ students and external clients. The
aims of the SMP are (1) to use Twitter and Facebook to create an on-line platform to
increase UJ students and external clients’ awareness (exposure) of PsyCaD and (2)
to create an on-line platform where UJ students and external clients’ can engage
(engagement) with PsyCaD. There are currently two PsyCaD Twitter accounts and
two PsyCaD Facebook pages (see Table 1). The Twitter and Facebook accounts
were created and are managed by one PsyCaD staff member1 (the SMP Manager).
PsyCaD Twitter and Facebook accounts
Account
Description
General PsyCaD Twitter
Used for all Service Units posts
Account exclusive to posts for the Career Services
Career Services Unit Twitter
Unit
General PsyCaD Facebook
Used for all Service Units posts
Career
Services
Unit Account exclusive to posts for the Career Services
Facebook
Unit
The social media accounts were launched in February 2012. Given that this was a
new project within PsyCaD, the first year of implementation served as a pilot phase,
in which many lessons were learnt. The use of social media appears to have
enhanced the communication with stakeholders, with students increasingly using the
accounts to enquire about PsyCaD’s services. Further, the use of social media
enables PsyCaD to monitor the brand and perceptions that the UJ community and
external clients have of PsyCaD.
Page Growth
From implementation at the beginning of February 2012, the Facebook Pages grew
organically and steadily. By the end of February 2012, the General PsyCaD Page
had gained 41 fans and the Career Services Page had gained 41 fans. By the end
of December 2012, General PsyCaD Page’s fans had increased to 314, and the
Career Services Page had gained 294 fans. From implementation, the PsyCaD
Twitter account gained 68 followers by the end of March, and the Career Services
Twitter account gained 60 followers2. By the end of December 2012, the PsyCaD
Twitter account had 220 followers and the career Services account 331 followers.
1
2
Ms Rony Sklar
Analytics were not available for the Twitter accounts for February 2012
171
Growth of PsyCaD’s social media accounts in 2012
PsyCaD
Career Services
Month
Twitter
Facebook
Twitter
Facebook
.
41
.
41
March
68
97
60
79
April
87
119
65
94
May
114
175
90
140
June
122
189
113
155
July
161
232
121
195
August
174
259
.
219
September
206
283
.
251
October
211
294
.
270
November
221
309
.
287
December
220
314
331
294
February
Note: Data for the Career Services Twitter account were not available from August to November 2012
Social Media Page Growth
Total Followers/Fans
350
300
250
200
PsyCaD Facebook
150
Career Services Facebook
100
PsyCaD Twitter
50
Career Services Twitter
0
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10. CONCLUDING REFLECTION ON STRATEGIC
DIRECTIONS, CORE TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
When reflecting on the content, data and numbers in the PsyCaD annual report
for 2012, significant themes and trends emerge. It is apparent that PsyCaD is
well known by UJ students, staff, faculties, residences and other stakeholders,
and increasingly utilised. Mostly, it is evident that PsyCaD’s structure is well
conceptualised and that it is a fully functioning Centre of Excellence.
During 2012, PsyCaD shifted its paradigm from a curative one focusing on
crisis interventions and reactive approaches, to initiating, conceptualising and
implementing preventative and developmental strategies. Although curative
interventions will always remain important in any centre for psychological
services, it is envisioned that the preventative and developmental strategy will
assist UJ students and staff to be resourceful and resilient.
PsyCaD is committed to the provision of academic services to UJ students and
faculties. This is evident in the role PsyCaD plays in FYE and the SAFENET
project. These initiatives will receive increased attention during 2013.
Effective Career services to prospective students and enrolled students provide
the foundation of academic and career success. In view of the digital
generation that PsyCaD serves, the development of a virtual career resource
centre and virtual recruitment programme was initiated during 2012. This
envisioned project will be a focus area during 2013.
UJ students and staff increasingly utilise Therapeutic services in PsyCaD. In
times of crisis and trauma, the UJ community turns to PsyCaD for high quality
psychological services. Our motto of being “there for you when it matters most”
will remain important in the future.
During peak times at UJ, PsyCaD assisted ADS and the UJ community when
and where applicable. The training of a core group of Peer Buddies seems to
be highly effective in this regard. It is also evident that PsyCaD’s involvement
in residences and the RAA program will provide essential preventative services
to UJ students.
In the Office: People with Disabilities, PsyCaD experienced increasing
demands from UJ communities. The growing number of students presenting
with cognitive and learning disabilities, challenged PsyCaD to rethink the
position of this Office. It also led to the formation of a UJ Concession
committee. The assistance of clients with a wide variety of disabilities on a
psycho-educational level, requires complex approaches and scarce skills. This
taps the capacity of Educational Psychologists, requires focused attention and
has budget implications.
Psychometry forms an important part of any Psychological and Career
Services. During 2012, as always, PsyCaD conducted a wide range of
psychometric assessments on UJ students, staff, faculties and members of the
public. PsyCaD is also established as an excellent training facility for
registered Psychometrists and accredited by the HPCSA as an internship site
for Psychometrists.
PsyCaD has a national reputation of being an excellent, accredited training site
for Intern Psychologists. Annually, there is a growing number of applicants
from universities nationwide, who seek to be trained in this Centre. PsyCaD
173
•
•
attempts to give preference to UJ students from the Faculties of Humanities
and Education.
PsyCaD has excellent resources, and we are proud of our equitable services to
UJ students, staff and members of the public on all our UJ campuses.
PsyCaD is actively engaged in the community. We will maintain meaningful
and continuous engagements with the community, within the constraints placed
on us by capacity.
11. GRATITUDE
PsyCaD wishes to express its gratitude to the MEC for providing the budget to
appoint three temporary Psychologists to assist the UJ student population on all
campuses, with a focus on SWC and DFC. A final word of gratitude to the MEC,
Prof Parekh and Prof De Kadt is appropriate at the conclusion of this report.
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Annexure 1
Office: People with Disabilities
CENTRE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES and CAREER DEVELOPMENT
175
OFFICE: PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Mr Ashmore Nkuna
O: PwD Administrative Assistant
(permanent
appointment from May 2012)
Mr Nhlahla Mongwe
Ms Wendy Mupaku
O: PwD Technical Administrative Assistant
O: PwD Case Manager (temporary appointment
from
August 2012)
Ms Lauren McDiarmid
O: PwD Braille editor (temporary appointment)
When compared to other leading disability units in the country, the O: PwD’s human
resource capacity is considerably smaller. Only two permanent positions, that of O:
PwD Administrative Assistant and O: PwD Technical Administrative Assistant, are
dedicated O: PwD positions. The two psychologist positions are contractually
divided between O: PwD and Academic Services responsibilities. To assist with the
specialised support that SwD require, two temporary appointments, that of O: PwD
Editor and O: PwD Case Manager have been made.
The core business of the Office: People with Disabilities (O: PwD) is to facilitate and
provide comprehensive academic support to students with disabilities (SwD). In
collaboration with Faculties and Divisions, the O: PwD strives to promote academic
success, as well as student retention and throughput of students with disabilities, by
providing them with academic, technological and psycho-social support. By
responding to the diverse needs of SwD, the O: PwD aims to contribute to the
University’s strategic thrust of promoting transformative responsiveness by ensuring
an accessible learning environment for all.
Therefore, the O: PwD serves as the central point where these students can disclose
their disability status for the purposes of receiving the required support. This
confidential process of disclosure allows for an assessment of the needs of the
student. These needs can include academic, residential, examination, concessional
and study material adaptation support. During this assessment and interview
process, the student is also advised regarding available resources and general
information pertaining specifically to SwD is provided.
The O: PwD also provides career advice and information to registered as well as
prospective students, makes referrals where necessary, and collaboratively advises
and works with faculty and staff on issues pertaining to barrier-free access and
disability-related issues. Often the O: PwD is asked to assist with psycho-social
matters, which can also include community and family interventions. In addition, the
Office strives to raise the awareness of staff, UJ stakeholders as well as the student
population regarding the needs and supportive assistance for people with
disabilities.
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3. SUPPORT PROVIDED TO STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES (SWD)
The O: PwD aims to provide holistic support to students.
following:
We assist with the
General support to SwD:
•
Facilitating placement assessments of prospective students referred by
Faculties;
•
Processing of evaluations and reports to Faculties for concession requests by
registered students;
•
Providing psychotherapeutic support to SwD;
•
Liaising on accessibility and support issues with Faculties and UJ Divisions;
•
Facilitating the coordination and invigilation of test and exam writing facilities
within the O: PwD;
•
Providing and maintaining well-resourced computer lab venues across all sites,
where specialized software allows access to study material;
•
Providing assistance in training and accessing learning aids and assistive
technology to students;
•
Orientating new students and staff, who are visually and physically impaired, to
the campus environment;
•
Supporting the learning accessibility needs of extracurricular students;
•
Promoting disability awareness and sensitivity on campus;
•
Making appropriate referrals to internal UJ stakeholders e.g. specialized
residence placement/accessing DoL bursaries through the finance department;
•
Making appropriate referrals to and collaborating with other Academic Support
and Development centers, e.g. computer skills training, learning support.
In addition to the above services, the O: PwD also provides disability specific
support:
Visual disabilities
•
Providing adapted (enlarged/brailed) learning material/study guides/textbooks.
•
Providing and training in specialised software to access learning material.
Physical disabilities
•
Advising different stakeholders on adequate accessibility with regards to
infrastructure (such as adapted lifts, ramps and toilets) on all sites.
•
Collaborating with Residence colleagues in co-ordinating proper
accommodation based on specific needs of the students.
•
Contributing to in-house access audits.
Hearing disabilities
•
Providing specialised assistive technology to amplify sound.
Emotional/psychological disabilities
•
Referring of students for individual or group counselling.
•
Referring of students for medicinal/clinical intervention when necessary.
177
Learning disabilities
•
Advising students with learning and attention difficulties.
•
Referring students / conducting psycho-Educational assessments for students
with learning and/or attention difficulties.
•
Referring students for learning support provided by UJ stakeholders (ADC)
when necessary.
•
Assisting students with learning strategies to facilitate effective learning.
Statistics demonstrating some of the above services are illustrated in the table
below:
Technological Services:
Editing
Enlarging
Photocopying
Printing
Scanning
Braille
Computer Laboratory
Visits
318
Hours
361
11
12
10
12
55
ALL SITES
Requests for Technical
support
89
Pages
5201
519
1330
1554
833
2420
Short Enquiries
318
Statistics
The statistics over the past three years for SwD (drawn from HEMIS, December
2012) are as follows:
Total Students with Disabilities (2010 - 2012)
250
200
232
181
194
150
100
50
0
2010
2011
178
2012
The distribution per campus for 2012 is as follows:
Number of SwD per Campus
250
205
200
160
150
100
50
18
13
14
DFC
SWC
0
APB
APK
ALL
The stigma surrounding the disclosure of a disability influences the statistics and
sometimes results in the underrepresentation of actual SwD numbers.
The figures fluctuate during the year. This is mainly due to not all SwD initially
disclosing their disability status on their application forms. A number of students only
approach the O: PwD during the course of the year when they require additional
support or begin experiencing difficulty coping academically and realize that support
is available. Once these students disclose their disability status to the O: PwD this
information is forwarded to the Biographic department, who update the statistics on
the internal system and HEMIS.
4. 2012 KEY FOCUS AREAS
Apart from the general support offered to students, there were key focus areas that
the O: PwD was involved in:
UJ Concession Committee
The newly established Disability Concession Committee convened in January 2012.
The aim and purpose of this Committee was to discuss and decide on student
application requests for disability concessional support. Members include expert
representatives from the Humanities, Health Sciences and Education faculties, who
review and decide upon the concessional support required by SwD. The O: PwD’s
role is to manage the application requests cases by providing the collateral
information to the Committee to facilitate decision making, and to follow up on the
recommendations of support.
Some operational decisions from the Committee have included the following:
a) Approval of concessions for the duration of studies at UJ. Students with long
term and permanent disability status no longer need to reapply for a
concession each year;
b) Referrals for further psycho-educational assessments in collaboration with the
UJ Psychology department (specifically used for learning disability
applications);
179
c)
Referrals for additional Occupational Therapy assessments in collaboration
with WITS’ Occupational Therapy department;
Concession assessments
Many students with learning disabilities originate from under-resourced schools,
which did not have the capacity to assess and support these students adequately.
Particularly first year students are referred by a member of staff to the O: PwD if a
learning disability is suspected. After an initial intake interview, the students are
referred for a screening assessment, and if a learning difficulty is evident, there is a
process in place where a concession assessment (which highlights the areas of
difficulty, as well as directs the recommendations for support) is conducted for a
nominal fee.
Concession assessments are also available to external clients upon request. There
has been a general increase in requests for these assessments from public, as well
as private schools. This is an area of identified growth for the coming year, as
PsyCaD is well equipped to provide such a service to the surrounding communities.
Deloittes Internal audit
The O: PwD and the HR Wellness Office were internally audited. The Office was
requested for evidence to substantiate its strategic planning and goal alignment. In
a consultative role, the O: PwD gave feedback around the suggestions, and
recommendations, where applicable, are being investigated and implemented.
UJ Strategic planning for disability related matters
The O: PwD together with a CPWD nominated task team, reviewed and revised the
CPWD Strategic Goals document. Five encompassing goals were identified and
actions plans for these goals were clarified. Stakeholders from Student Marketing,
Sport and Operations were consulted in the drafting of the document, and on-going
implementation of these goals will continue over the next two years.
Deputy Minister’s visit
The Deputy Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Hendrietta
Bogopane-Zulu, visited UJ as part of the Higher Education Institutional Capacity
Building Roadshow.
The road show forms part of her campaign to promote the establishment of Disability
Rights Units at universities in order to realise the promotion and protection of the
rights of students and employees with disabilities. Her department would like all
universities to acquire best practices in addressing matters of students with
disabilities.
Documented evidence in this regard was requested before the visit and was
forwarded to the relevant stakeholders.
The Minister also requested other
information around practices within the O: PwD which highlighted the holistic support
provided to students and staff alike.
Gauteng Special Schools Careers Exhibition
The O: PwD facilitated various presentations at a Careers Exhibition organized by
The Hope School for the Physically Disabled. All special schools in the Gauteng
180
region were invited to this exhibition. Over 450 learners, with various disabilities,
were exposed to various companies, tertiary institutions and training opportunities.
The exhibition presented opportunities for career counselling and advice specifically
for SwD as well as introducing prospective students to the support available to them
at university. Additionally, this exhibition created a forum for the establishment of
data base of SwD’s CVs so that they could be aligned to job opportunities.
APK Library Research Facility for SwD
In collaboration with the Library a dedicated research area reserved for SwD was
identified and established. The area has been refurbished, adapted and equipped
with computers fitted with assistive technology and software.
Funding for this project was possible due to the efforts and generosity of the DVC
Prof Derek Van der Merwe, the Campus Director’s office and the Carl and Emily
Fuchs foundation.
The refurbishment and adaptation includes:
a) A separate glassed section;
b) Access card function;
c)
Ergonomically adapted workstations;
d) Adapted computers and a desktop magnifier for low vision users;
e) Assistive technology and specialized software.
Environmental Access Audit
On the directive of the Committee: People with Disabilities (CPwD) a collaborative
task team was established to complete a basic accessibility audit of all UJ campus
sites beginning with the APB Campus. The audit included the buildings and
surrounding site boundaries / areas.
The access audit report aimed to record each building and surrounding site area on
the APB campus and establish how well each building conforms in terms of access
and ease of use. Furthermore, the audit aimed to mainly identify obstacles to people
with mobility and sensory impairments.
To gauge the areas of need, the O: PwD began by compiling and distributing a brief
questionnaire regarding access barriers to students and staff at APB campus, and
analysed the responses as background information. The project task team has
followed up by undertaking weekly campus walkabout surveys to systematically and
consistently work through the campus and buildings. Finally the audit report will
seek to find solutions to access problems, with recommendations, and prioritizing
access improvements over an on-going period of time.
The access audit process is on-going and is now being facilitated on other campus
sites.
Disability Awareness
The following were disability awareness activities facilitated by the O: PwD:
a) Disability sensitivity workshops held with library staff members at SWC.
b) Facilitation of disability sensitivity games in the annual Diversity Week.
c)
Facilitation of the annual WOEMA race during the annual Diversity Week.
181
d)
Co-ordination of the 2012 Casual Day.
2012 Examinations
In collaboration with the UJ Examinations department, all students who received
concessional support, as well as additional time, made use of the O: PwD facilitates
to complete the June and November examinations. Along with providing invigilation
services for tests and exams, other forms of support were put in place pertaining to
exams. These include:
a) Making special test / exam arrangements across all campus sites.
b) Liaising with various faculties and departments to source the exam papers
where accommodations have to be made.
c)
Providing a specialized exam venue with the assistive technology that is
required by the students to complete their exams.
d) Editing and facilitating exams in alternative format (enlarged font) where
necessary.
e) Arranging and sourcing invigilation resources where necessary.
f)
Providing psycho-therapeutic support to students who are anxious or feel
overwhelmed by exams.
g) Collaborating with the Invigilation Department for the provision of a scribing
service.
The table below provides statistics in this regard:
Test/Exams and Invigilation:
Site
APK
SWC
TOTAL
Students writing at O:
PwD
212
5
217
Hours (Invigilation)
440
9
449
Papers written
ALL SITES
430
5. IDENTIFIED AREAS OF GROWTH
Holistic disability services within Higher Education should not only address disability
related issues within the university, but should extend to offering a scope of services
to a wide range of stakeholders, including prospective students, staff, special school
communities, alumni and prospective employees of PwD.
Therefore, the O:PwD, directed and supported by the Committee: People with
Disabilities, reviewed its core activities, with the aim of enhancing and optimising
services to PwD. Considerations for this enhancement strategy included engaging
with various university stakeholders to promote disability issues. The support of
PWD remains a university-wide commitment, and the strategic planning of this
promotes the understanding that all stakeholders within the university have a role to
play in supporting this commitment.
182
To promote this, there are key growth areas that will be focused upon in the coming
year. These include:
•
Alignment to Disability guidelines for HEIs. Upon her recent visit, the
Deputy Minister stated that in the near future a document would be released
that would direct the minimum requirements and standards necessary in
Disability Units at universities. When this document is available, the O:PwD
aims to ensure that these guidelines are fully implemented with the UJ.
•
Encouraging the confidential disclosure of disability status amongst
students and employees. For a variety of reasons, including stigma and a
misunderstanding of the definition of disability, many students and employees
do not disclose their disability status. The O:PwD aims to establish an ethos of
sensitive understanding around disclosure, which will hopefully result in an
accurate reflection regarding the statistics around disability.
•
Engaging with various divisions and departments and collaborating on specific
strategic tasks to promote the university’s strategic goals regarding people
with disabilities. Through the formation of task teams and the identification of
division-related goals, the promotion of disability issues will be implemented at
university level.
•
Participating in community engagement projects, specifically with special
schools in the surrounding university area. The focus of such projects would
be on career counselling related aspects with the aim of supporting teachers as
well as prospective students with disabilities. By promoting the services
available to SwD, the O: PwD hopes to attract more prospective students with
disabilities to the UJ.
•
Strengthening relationships and processes with prospective employees of
graduates with disabilities, by collaborating with PsyCaD’s Career Services
unit, with the aim of creating effective employment opportunities, as well as
further learning opportunities for SwD.
•
Collaborating more formally with the Human Resources Division, and more
specifically the Wellness Office. The aim of this engagement would be to
structure and facilitate the support of employees with disabilities. This
support would include increasing the numbers of employees with disabilities, as
well as putting in place dedicated, streamlined and specialised support forof
these employees.
•
Contributing, as part of a multi-university forum, to the Higher Education
Disability Services Association (HEDSA), to not only address disability related
issues within the university context but to also assist other Higher Education
institutions through identifying current issues and areas of need, with the aim of
creating standardised practices related to disability within HEI.
6. CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD
The support of students with disabilities remains a specialised and complex task.
Therefore, in an effort to provide and meet the complexities of this specialised
support, it was strategically decided that the O: PwD would formally become a
separate unit under PsyCaD, and so would no longer operate under the Academic
Service unit. This will ensure a continuation in the high quality of services and
183
optimal functioning of PwD related activities at the UJ, and also provide an
opportunity for focused support.
The O: PwD will focus on strengthening the services it already provides and also
broadening the range of support by identifying areas of growth through
benchmarking with other units at other institutions. This focused and dedicated
support will hopefully result in an established unit that is resourced with skilled
employees and services.
A unique challenge that the O: PwD needs to actively undertake is to investigate and
provide the support required for students who are Deaf. This category of disability
requires specialised employees with specialised skills such as sign language and
currently the O: PwD does not have the human resource capacity to meet this. This
can be potentially altered through the provision of a permanent sign language
position within the O: PwD.
The Office: People with Disabilities remains dedicated to supporting students with
disabilities, with the ultimate aim of promoting academic success. It is continually
investigating and furthering best practices to enable inclusive practices in Higher
Education, and contributes actively to disability related activities within the broader
university context. We remain committed to barrier-free access and will continually
strive to advise and advocate for people with disabilities with regards to policy and
procedure, information and communication, technology, values and attitudes. We
look forward to 2013, where the Office hopes to establish itself as a committed unit
that contributes to sustained and supportive relationships within the University
community.
The Office extends its appreciation and gratitude to the continued support of the UJ
Executive Management, in particular, the Committee for People with Disabilities
(CPWD).
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Annexure 2
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
(WIL)
1. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND PROGRESS
The role of the UJ WIL Forum is to provide a report (including statistics) on WIL at
UJ; to maintain awareness of national (and international) developments that may
impact on WIL; and to capitalize on opportunities to advance WIL at UJ.
WIL support at UJ is offered via the UJ WIL Coordinator, a White female permanent
staff member with a 50% allocation of responsibility to WIL matters.
1.1
Functions of the WIL Coordinator include: the establishment and fostering of both
internal and external partnerships for WIL placement, development of guidelines to
ensure that all aspects related to WIL are able to proceed smoothly and reporting on
WIL within UJ. This is over and above the existing contacts that the 26 Faculty WIL
coordinators maintain in the 31 programmes with a formal WIL component for the
placement of 3735 students into WIL placement in 2012.
2. GOVERNANCE REVIEW (GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES,
CHARTERS, POLICIES)
The UJ WIL management model implemented in 2011 continues to function with four
UJ WIL Forum meetings held. The reporting structure consists of Departmental WIL
Coordinators who submit reports to Faculty WIL Coordinators for consolidation and
feedback at the UJ WIL Forum, which reports to the STLC. Faculty WIL
Coordinators are supported by the UJ WIL Coordinator, who provides updates on
aspects relevant to WIL to Forum members, consolidates any reports for the
STLC/UJ Management re WIL and maintains the central WIL website.
3. FINANCIAL REVIEW
The budget for WIL-related matters resides with the Executive Director: ADS. Every
WIL opportunity identified that enables a student to complete his or her academic
programme contributes directly to throughput and thus DHET output funding. UJ
paid membership fees to the Southern African Society of Co-operative Education
and was a corporate member of the World Association of Cooperative Education in
2012.
185
4. QUALITY ASSURANCE
WIL remains aligned to UJ policies, with the 2008 UJ Work Integrated Learning and
Service Learning Policy to be reviewed in 2013. The UJ WIL Coordinator completed
the Short Learning Programme on Service Learning Capacity Building for her further
development in experiential education.
Preparation of students for the work integrated learning component is key to the
successful integration of students into the workplace and is part of the quality
assurance cycle for WIL at UJ. The PsyCaD Career Services unit largely fulfils this
role at UJ. During 2012 a concerted effort was made to host these workshops during
lecture periods, which proves to be most beneficial.
5. WIL ACTIVITIES IN 2012
WIL-related activities in 2012 have largely addressed previously identified possible
risk factors. The WIL Forum held quarterly meetings, with reports to the UJ Senate
Teaching and Learning Committee (STLC) on WIL-related matters presented in May
and October and quarterly reports issued via the WIL Forum. The UJ Best Practice
Guide for WIL was finalised 2012, incorporating aspects from the August 2011 CHE
publication Work-Integrated Learning: Good Practice Guide, specifically referring to
additional forms of WIL, namely problem-based learning, work-directed theoretical
learning and project-based learning. Faculty and Programme regulations now
include rules regarding WIL.
The WIL website serves as an information point, and is kept up-to-date. An
important systems development was the addition of fields on the Integrated Tertiary
Software (ITS) system to allow for the capturing of student company placement
details, thus enabling more complete WIL placement statistics. The strategy of a
streamlined WIL management system with a standard approach (as far as possible)
within Faculties remains a point of focus.
WIL activities within UJ were supported. There was on-going interaction with
companies to identify WIL opportunities for the 3735 students registered on WIL
programmes, of which 180 were re-registrations for the WIL component.
Regular Faculty WIL committee meetings were held in the Faculty of Management
(joined by the Faculty of Humanities) and in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built
Environment, these Faculties having the most students involved in WIL in external
companies. Departmental WIL Coordinators in the Science Faculty meet as
required. The WIL meetings continue to be a quality and information sharing
mechanism.
A key role of the WIL Coordinator is liaison with external partners. Various company
and departmental meetings were held and all company contacts were followed up
on. Comments were submitted with regard to the Ministerial Review for the Funding
of Universities, the Department of Trade and Industry’s B-BBEE Codes of Good
Practice, the draft regulations for learning programmes for SETAs and the Green
186
Paper on Post-School Education. The WIL Coordinator participated in the panel
discussion with the UK Association of University Administrators and was part of the
UJ Task Team looking at External Engagement to inform the UJ Teaching and
Learning Strategy.
Education, training and skills development remained high on the national agenda in
2012. The DHET appointment of Mr Zukile Mvalo as Chief Director: WIL Partnership
and Innovation is seen as a positive step forward for WIL. A highlight in 2012 was
the UJ WIL Showcase - a vignette of WIL in action at UJ, which was attended by Mr
Mvalo. Increasing industry awareness of WIL is key to successful partnerships,
especially in the face of much emphasis nationally on the FET sector work
placements, artisan training and the University of Technology programmes. All
opportunities to promote and engagement with stakeholders regarding WIL are
explored. The DHET/ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Employability
Improvement Project will be followed up in 2013.
WIL was a participant of the pilot UJ Customer Relationship Management system
using Enterprise Cloud. The need for a database of companies contributing to the
WIL project remains important.
6. POSSIBLE RISK FACTORS AND INTERVENTIONS THAT
WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN
The risks identified in relation to WIL in 2011 have largely been addressed. As UJ
begins the curriculum design process in the implementation of the HEQF, both risks
and opportunities exist for WIL: opportunities for WIL to be included in more
programmes (including degree programmes) as the traditional WIL model has been
extended, but also a threat as, due to possible incomplete understanding of WIL,
that these aspects will not receive consideration. The national skills agenda is
focused on the FET sector, and discourse involving WIL more often than not
mentions Universities of Technology, requiring more effort of UJ (as a
comprehensive) to be noticed as a provider for WIL. Legislative changes in the
SETA grant regulations require attention.
The lack of placement opportunities for WIL students – especially in view of the
continued downturn in the economy – remains a continued risk. We look forward to
the proposed implementation of the WIL Training Facility within Resolution Circle,
which is anticipated to begin offering placements during 2013.
7. KEY STRATEGIC THRUSTS FOR 2013
The following key thrusts have been identified for 2013:
•
Full implementation of the UJ WIL Guidelines for Good Practice;
•
Beginning implementation of the WIL Training Facility within Resolution Circle
(Perskor Building on DFC);
•
Review of the UJ WIL and SL Policy;
•
Partnership development for WIL opportunities;
187
•
•
•
Development of a fully functional WIL website serving as a repository of
relevant WIL information and linking to Faculty and other key sites;
Contribution to national skills development initiatives (including those of the
Southern African Society for Co-operative Education and the Gauteng Regional
Forum;
Presentation of papers at the World Association of Cooperative Education
conference in Durban.
On-going routine activities will include advocacy of and reporting on WIL, contacts
with companies, maintenance of the WIL website and meaningful contribution to the
general field of experiential education.
188
Concluding Reflections on the Academic
Development and Support Portfolio
ADS, portfolio and Division, has now been in existence for five years, and it is clear
that the various initiatives established during this time are coming to fruition. In
particular, the encompassing First Year Experience project, which draws together
much of the work of ADS, is having increasing impact both on student performance,
but also on institutional understandings of the needs of our current students and of
approaches to teaching and learning which are likely to be most productive. At the
same time, ADS cannot now stand still: there is need for constant reflection and,
where needed, change – as evidenced by the transformation of CenTAL into CAT,
with a comprehensively rethought approach to learning with technology. Similarly,
the integration of the staff development function into the Academic Development
Centre is likely to bring about reorientation, renewal and enhanced opportunities for
progress in the coming year.
At the end of 2012 the ADS goals were reframed for the coming three years (20132015): ADS will now seek to support the academic project at UJ, by:
1.
Developing and implementing an ADS framework that is aligned with the UJ
Faculties.
2.
3.
Implementing a centralised model of academic and educational development
with increased collaboration with Faculties, on the basis of expertise.
4.
philosophy, and the UJ Teaching and Learning Strategy.
5.
to support UJ students and staff.
6.
Developing a community of practice to support an enhanced research ethos in
ADS.
7.
Running the Division effectively through consensus-building, so as to receive
full and professional commitment from ADS staff.
8.
Promoting national and international links.
At the same time, discussion continues around broader issues:
The integration of the Professional Academic staff Development unit into the
Academic Development Centre opens up the possibility of a much strengthened, and
more coherent and collaborative focus on staff development by drawing on additional
staff capacity from both ADS and CAT. Positioning staff development as core to
academic / educational development will allow for the optimal utilisation of what is
increasingly experienced as limited staff capacity within ADS, in terms of rapidly
growing demand from both staff and students. Within this expanded context we
foresee the emergence of a revised and revitalised model of staff development.
The challenges in filling the several ADS leadership posts have confirmed the extent
to which high level expertise in academic / educational development must be
considered a scarce skill. With appointments of designated staff with the necessary
189
expertise and with leadership potential now being made at middle management
level, it is clearly essential that ADS must follow a ‘grow your own timber’ approach,
and seek to nurture and develop these staff (and indeed all staff), within the
emerging UJ focus on leadership development.
The introduction of new ‘professional support’ Conditions of Service offers the
challenging opportunity for the development of a new professional identity for ADS
staff.
This will surely include the positioning of professional / educational
development at UJ as a scholarly field in its own right, with an acknowledged body of
research, to which ADS staff will continue to contribute. On the basis of such an
acknowledged professional identity, additional productive relationships and
partnerships with Faculties (which might include placing some ADS staff – still under
ADS line management – within Faculties) will emerge as norm.
Finally, ADS needs to position itself to make a signal contribution, in terms of its
specific expertise, to the growing stature of UJ, as the institution continues to
develop renown in the field of undergraduate education. To this end ADS staff must
further extend their expertise, through the completion of higher degrees,
acknowledged research output, and national and international collaboration. This
will allow them to respond ever more effectively to Faculty teaching staff who are
increasingly looking to ADS for assistance, as they seek to enhance their own
disciplinary-based expertise in teaching and learning.
It remains to be seen how these goals and ideas will be taken forward and
developed further under new leadership.
190

Annual Report 2012 - University of Johannesburg

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