The Durban University of Technology (DUT) showcased its e-learning innovation and certificate presentation at the Durban Botanical Gardens Conference Centre on Monday, 18 June 2018.

The conference addressed the use of online learning and the use of Think Learn Zone (TLZ)/Blackboard as a teaching and learning platform for the DUT community.

The welcome and introduction were delivered by the DVC: Teaching and Learning, Professor Nomthandazo Gwele. the keynote address was delivered by Professor Daniella Coetzee from the University of the Free State (UFS).

DUT staff had the opportunity to share their experiences on their understanding of using TLZ/Blackboard. Lecturers from the various DUT departments discussed the tracking of student progress online, the potential of online assessment, using TLZ/Blackboard in the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) environment and innovation in the online teaching and learning.

DUT’s Faculty of Health Sciences lecturers; Dr Gita Mistri, Jennifer Ducray, Anusha Govender, Matshafeni Lingwati, Blessing Mkhwanazi and Dr Colette Kell studied the student’s history and relationship with technology and found that majority of the students depend on the devices provided by DUT.

“We looked at the nature of the digital divide in the Faculty of Health Sciences and created a questionnaire to discover the students’ background information on technology, asking questions like do our students have prior computer experience, do they have access to devices that allow them to access the internet and a huge chunk of our students only have access to DUT computers during campus hours only,” said Mkhwanazi.

Certificates were presented to 12 DUT lecturers who received Faculty Certificates in Online teaching (GlobalNXT University), one lecturer received the e/Merge Certificate in Online Facilitation (e/Merge Africa and University of Cape Town) and three lecturers received the Introduction to Technology-Enabled Learning certificate (Commonwealth of Learning and Athabasca University).

Picture: DUT lecturers with their certificates, at the E-learning conference.

Tina Shabalala