Academics from all six faculties at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) gathered from 4 to 6 February 2026 for a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) writing retreat aimed at refining research proposals for ethics clearance submission.
The retreat, facilitated by Prof Livingstone Makondo, Dr Roshnee Sunder, Dr Rosaline Govender and Dr Doreen Mheta, formed part of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching’s (CELT) SoTL Short Course, a developmental initiative designed to equip lecturers with the tools to engage in reflective and evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning.
The initiative supports DUT’s ENVISION2030 strategy and Philosophy of Education, which call on academics to continuously reimagine and strengthen their teaching practices through innovation, scholarship and critical reflection.
The retreat created a focused and collegial environment that encouraged collaborative writing, peer feedback and one-on-one consultations. Participants were able to sharpen their research questions, strengthen methodological rigour and ensure alignment with institutional and ethical standards while building a supportive community of scholarly educators.
A wide range of scholarly inquiries emerged from the retreat, reflecting the richness and diversity of teaching and learning at DUT. Projects explored themes such as artificial intelligence enhanced pedagogies, sustainability in accounting and textile education, multilingual and inclusive teaching practices, design thinking, experiential and game based learning, and community engaged research.
Several studies focused on first-year student transitions and disciplinary understanding in mathematics, architecture, engineering and law, while others investigated digital learning innovations, assessment and feedback in learning management systems, environmental health, industry readiness, disaster risk management, and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiatives.
Beyond proposal development, the retreat strengthened a growing network of university educators committed to improving student learning and success while also recognising students as active partners in the research process. Participants described the experience as transformative, highlighting the value of uninterrupted writing time, constructive peer engagement and the opportunity to crystallise and refine their projects into clearer, more focused inquiries. One lecturer reflected that SoTL is not about proving oneself as an expert teacher, but about making teaching visible, examinable and continuously improvable.
Collectively, the writing retreat made a substantive contribution to the realisation of DUT’s Philosophy of Education by advancing inclusive, contextually responsive and socially just higher education practices. These efforts further support the cultivation of critical citizenship, enhanced epistemic access, sustainability and the holistic development of graduates.
Pictured: DUT academics at the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) writing retreat.
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