Adapting to new ways of teaching and learning

Adapting to new ways of teaching and learning

So much has already been written about how the COVID pandemic has changed the way we worked and forced us to quickly adapt to new ways of teaching and learning. I would like to reflect on my observations around some of the positives we can take from this crisis in a South African context.

Given enough motivation, we can achieve much more than we believed possible in a short space of time. I have heard many universities say that they were forced into making changes overnight that were part of a medium term plan to move to a blended learning approach.   I am not by any means saying that this forced change was perfect and that we don’t have to revisit some of the decisions that were made; the reality is that there is always going to be room for improvement, but you have to start somewhere. Making an imperfect start is better than not starting at all.

There has been a far greater emphasis on the value of teaching and learning in the past year.  I can’t recall any other time in my (long) life in which teachers, lecturers and educators have ever been more appreciated and valued. The debates around online learning are going to be with us for some time to come.  Will online learning ever totally replace traditional and residential universities? Is the face of education going to change forever as a result of this pandemic?  Professor Ahmed Bawa, the CEO of Universities South Africa, the representative body of South African public universities, recently said “Some universities will depend heavily on the use of remote online learning platforms, others will bring students into residences and then use the technology available on campuses for learning purposes.” This is our South African reality,  and it is good to see how the government and the universities are working to ensure that all those in our education system are being considered and catered for, as far as we are able.  I do believe that we have begun a robust and honest discussion which centres on the value of teaching and learning in our society and highlights the inequalities which many still live with daily; elevating it to the status it so rightly deserves.

In his welcoming address, the incoming Vice Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi made this statement: “Our world of work has changed, and so have our ways of learning and teaching. We have the opportunity to reimagine our world, to retain the good from the past, to be creative in our present reality, and to advance boldly, where others are still to venture.” This statement really resonates with me. In my line of work, having been involved in the sale and implementation of software solutions for more than 25 years, it speaks to me about how we should be approaching the implementation of software – not only for new ways in teaching and learning – but in all areas of business in which we find ourselves.  New solutions and advances in technology mean that we are always working with our customers to make the best possible use of what is available in the software they have purchased from us, whilst always looking to future developments, solutions and ways of doing things.

We have deliberately chosen to work with great software vendors who future-proof their systems. What do I mean by this? These are vendors who invest heavily in research and development to ensure that their products are always leading the way and constantly improving and evolving.  In the area of teaching and learning we are currently working with D2L’s Brightspace product. https://www.d2l.com/en-eu/south-africa-lms/ Their mission statement is to transform the way the world learns. What a time to have such a mission statement!

I am excited to be working in this dynamic space and would love to engage with you around online learning, which is  fast becoming a passion for me. 

Stewart Watts

Managing Director, EMEA at D2L - Transforming the Way the World Learns

3y

Great to work with you Lesley Vieler! Together we will help South African universities prepare for their future and provide educational equity to boost student outcomes! We’re only just getting started! #visionsconsulting #d2l #innovation #transformation

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