Wits Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP)

The Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP) provides tutors with the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to enable them to execute their tutoring responsibilities. The programme consists of a series of asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities that will provide tutors with practical insights on tutoring in a blended mode. The training workshops will focus on how design and facilitate for meaningful tutoring that will stimulate students’ learning. 

The following topics will be covered: 

• Exploring the tutoring space from the South African context 

• Teaching for learning in the tutoring space 

• Blended learning in the tutoring space 

• Introduction to assessment and feedback 

• Diversity in the tutoring space 

• Digital tools for learning and teaching 

Date: 11 November

Time: 10:00-13:30

Venue: Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed 

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Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on designing, building, and publishing your course site. Some topics that will be covered include: 

• Structuring course
• Adding content to your course
• Uploading and managing your files
• Setting up your homepage

Date: 15 February 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 10 February 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 16 February 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 17 February 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 24 February 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Intro to Conferences (“BigBlueButton”) in ulwazi

This webinar will focus on facilitating synchronous online learning interactions in ulwazi. Some of the topics that will be covered include:

• Accessing conferences
• Setting up online meeting spaces
• Facilitating synchronous learning in your course sites 

Date: 23 February 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:

• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning

Date: 22 February 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Planning your Academic Career

Do you know what you need to do today to achieve your career goals in six years’ time? A successful academic career requires a considerable amount of juggling. Research, teaching, supervision, community engagement, funding, sabbaticals, conferences, promotion, NRF ratings—they all need to be factored into your plan. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will help you develop a five to seven-year macro plan that will ensure you are well placed to make the best of your career. An emphasis is placed on research throughout this workshop.

Date: 18 February 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Teaching and course evaluations to enhance students’ learning experience

Academic staff with teaching responsibilities are required to conduct evaluations of their teaching and courses, and further reflect on this as part of a process to enhance the quality of offerings. CLTD believes that effective evaluation of teaching and courses requires academic staff to understand the purpose of evaluations and further create opportunities for evaluations that support reflective practice. The workshop aims to provide participants with an opportunity to do the following:

• Examine the purposes of evaluations and different tools that can be used
• Familiarise themselves with the processes and the platform used at Wits to conduct student evaluations
• Explore ways in which students can be encouraged to participate constructively in evaluation processes
• Prepare for using evaluation feedback in processes of continuous improvement of teaching and courses

Date: 9 February 2022 

Time: 12:30-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Peer Reviews

Peer Review is a process through which valuable feedback on teaching practice and courses could be solicited by engaging the expertise of academic peers. Engaging in peer reviews provide academic staff an opportunity to triangulate data drawn through student feedback (questionnaires) in the process of self-reflection. Peer reviews create an opportunity for academic staff to examine and reflect collaboratively on teaching practice based on observed lessons and other selected teaching artefacts. The process is meant to be collegial and supportive in a manner that allows for professional learning of both the reviewer and the reviewee. The workshop targets all staff tasked with the responsibility to conduct reviews in the respective schools and those that want their teaching and course to be reviewed. The workshop provides participants with an opportunity to:

• Examine the purpose of peer reviews and relevance in supporting development of teaching competence
• Explore different models that are used when conducting peer reviews
• Engage with the guidelines for conducting meaningful peer reviews (i.e. clarify roles and responsibilities)
• Address different concerns or challenges related to peer review processes
• Explore the idea of a peer review as a scholarly and collaborative reflection activity

Date: 10 February 2022 

Time: 12:30-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using Blue Explorance system to conduct student evaluations

The CLTD recommends that lecturers use student feedback as a formative opportunity to learn from input. The results offer useful indicators of trends but have limited value in getting to the heart of facilitation practices. They are most useful when contextualised in information obtained from the more qualitative forms of evaluation as scores can often be the consequence of multiple factors, e.g., mismatched expectations.

In 2020 the Blue Explorance system was launched across all faculties. This means all academic staff should use the online system for conducting student evaluations. CLTD will continue to on board staff to the Blue Explorance system and further stabilise the use of the platform. This will be done through self-help material and webinars open to all staff. Faculties or schools may request for customised sessions.

This webinar will cover Blue Explorance basics such as how the system works, the process followed when using the system, and the responsibilities of the different stakeholders when using the system (Lecturers, students and Evaluations Team).

Date: 21 February 2022 

Time: 12:30-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Blue Explorance tools: Question Personalisation & Response rate monitor

The CLTD recommends that lecturers use student feedback as a formative opportunity to learn from input. The results offer useful indicators of trends but have limited value in getting to the heart of facilitation practices. They are most useful when contextualised in information obtained from the more qualitative forms of evaluation as scores can often be the consequence of multiple factors, e.g., mismatched expectations.

In 2020 the Blue Explorance system was launched across all faculties. This means all academic staff should use the online system for conducting student evaluations. CLTD will continue to on board staff to the Blue Explorance system and further stabilise the use of the platform. This will be done through self-help material and webinars open to all staff. Faculties or schools may request for customised sessions.

This webinar will explore Blue Explorance features that can enhance user experience. It will cover:

• Question personalisation (this tool can be used to design evaluation forms for quality feedback) 
• Response Rate monitor (this tool that can be used encourage students to complete forms)

Date: 21 February 2022 

Time: 12:30-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Students at emotional risk

The Counselling and Careers Development Unit is offering a half-day workshop to Wits academic and administrative support staff. The workshop covers mental wellness, as well as basic skills to identify, contain and refer students in need of psychological or psychiatric intervention. This includes the identification of certain high-risk characteristics/circumstances associated with the deterioration of the functioning of a student.

The primary objectives of this workshop are to provide university staff that lecture, support and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.

Date: 24 March 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Supporting diversity in the classroom

The massive increase in enrolments at institutions of higher learning in South Africa resulted in increased diversity in the student population. A diverse classroom not only enriches the learning experiences for all students, but it also prepares them for the world  of  work  and  beyond.  Diversity  further  enhances  students’  cognitive  skills particularly problem solving and critical thinking skills.

This workshop aims to challenge your thinking while exploring the benefits of teaching a diverse group of students. In this session participants will deliberate and debate practical methods of creating a learning environment that ensures all students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives feel included, heard and valued.

ort and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.

Date: 9 March 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Add event to calendar

Supporting diversity in the classroom

The massive increase in enrolments at institutions of higher learning in South Africa resulted in increased diversity in the student population. A diverse classroom not only enriches the learning experiences for all students, but it also prepares them for the world  of  work  and  beyond.  Diversity  further  enhances  students’  cognitive  skills particularly problem solving and critical thinking skills.

This workshop aims to challenge your thinking while exploring the benefits of teaching a diverse group of students. In this session participants will deliberate and debate practical methods of creating a learning environment that ensures all students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives feel included, heard and valued.

ort and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.

Date: 9 March 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Add event to calendar

Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on designing, building, and publishing your course site. Some topics that will be covered include: 

• Structuring course
• Adding content to your course
• Uploading and managing your files
• Setting up your homepage

Date: 8 March 2022 

Time: 12:00- 14:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 9 March 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 12:00-13:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 10 March 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 12:00-13:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 30 March 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 31 March 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 3 March 2022 

Time: 12:00-13:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 24 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 17 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 23 March 2022 

Time: 12:00-13:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Intro to Conferences (“BigBlueButton”) in ulwazi

This webinar will focus on facilitating synchronous online learning interactions in ulwazi. Some of the topics that will be covered include:

• Accessing conferences
• Setting up online meeting spaces
• Facilitating synchronous learning in your course sites 

Date: 3 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non- responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 15 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non- responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 22 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 16 March 2022 

Time: 10:00-13:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Planning your Sabbatical

A sabbatical comes once every six years—so it is vital to make the most of it. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will share some pointers on how, when and what to plan for a successful sabbatical. This workshop will help you develop a plan and so make the most of the opportunity. Your sabbatical plan should maximise the impact of the time on your research. Various funding options will also be discussed.

Date: 11 March 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Writing Winning Proposals

Discover, with the support of Dr Robin Drennan, Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, how to write a persuasive proposal for research funding. Having understood that every funder is contractually bound to deliver a return of some sort on the funds under their management, it is plain to see several ‘magical buttons’ that will get you funding. Some of these buttons are explicit but others are not. The trick is to find them. The workshop material also covers the differences between a research plan, a problem statement, rationale and motivation, and aims and objectives, all elements of typical proposals. The importance of selecting appropriate reviewers, leaving nothing to chance and the need to make every part of the proposal supportive of your bid for funding are also discussed. Finally, the workshop explores differences in writing styles: Persuasive writing used in proposals and standard writing techniques used in the publication of research outputs.

Date: 4 March 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Zotero

This is a virtual workshop that will introduce you to Zotero, a free, open-source alternative to reference manager systems. Zotero allows you to easily save bibliographic details, comments, indexing terms, and direct links to webpages, word documents, and even articles that are in library subscription databases. You will be shown how you can use Zotero to integrate your references into your research in many citation styles using Microsoft Word. For more information, please visit Library Libguides. http://libguides.wits.ac.za/zotero

Date: 18 March 2022 

Time: 09:30-11:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Webinar : 20 tips to make your course more accessible

Date: 26 April 2022 

Time: 12:00-13:00
Click here for the webinar registration

Alternatively, click here to join the meeting on the 26^th of April

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Webinar : 20 tips to make your course more accessible

Date: 4 May 2022 

Time: 12:00-13:00
Click here for the webinar registration

Alternatively, click here to join the webinar on the 4^th of May 

Add event to calendar

Webinar : 20 tips to make your course more accessible

Date: 11 May 2022 

Time: 12:00-13:00
Click here for webinar registration
Alternatively, click here to join the meeting on the 11^th of May

Add event to calendar

Webinar: 20 tips to make your course more accessible

Date: 18 May 2022 
Time: 12:00-13:00
Click here for webinar registration

Alternatively, click here to join the meeting on the 18^th of May

Add event to calendar

Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 5 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 6 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 7 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

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Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 13 April (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 13 April (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 28 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:

• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning

Date: 21 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non- responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 17 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 14 April 2022 

Time: 9:00-10:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 19 April 2022 

Time: 9:00-10:30

Click here to join the meeting 

Add event to calendar

Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 20 April 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:30

Venue: Face-to-face Gatehouse (GH403)

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Lunchtime Talk—How to Structure an Academic CV

The curriculum vitae, which is Latin for ‘course of life’ is a very important tool in the quest for academic achievement. At the simplest level it is a record of your achievements, a trace record, at the other extreme it can take on all the elements of a marketing campaign. Join us for a lunchtime (1 hour) discussion on different ways to layout your CV to best emphasise your achievements.

Date: 8 April 2022 

Time: 15:15-14:15

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Blue Explorance Open lunch hour discussion

Open forum where CLTD Evaluation Services staff respond to questions and challenges experienced by staff when using Blue Explorance system.

Date: 18 April 2022 

Time: 13:00-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Students at emotional risk

The Counselling and Careers Development Unit is offering a half-day workshop to Wits academic and administrative support staff. The workshop covers mental wellness, as well as basic skills to identify, contain and refer students in need of psychological or psychiatric intervention. This includes the identification of certain high-risk characteristics/circumstances associated with the deterioration of the functioning of a student.

The primary objectives of this workshop are to provide university staff that lecture, support and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.

Date: 26 May 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Academic Role

Given the continuous change and those especially associated with the shifts to remote learning and teaching, within the Higher Education sector and its influence on the academic role within universities, there is a need for academics to unpack and explore their changing academic roles. This interactive workshop aims to bridge the age-old teaching and research divide that exists within universities, specifically research-intensive institutions. The workshop will introduce academics to the basic principles of their academic role within the South African higher education sector and within Wits in particular. The focus will then shift to academics exploring their scholarship through their learning and teaching role within a faculty. 

The university teacher has an important and demanding role to play in the process of supporting student learning through the design of learning and teaching contexts in which students can learn most effectively. 

The teaching role within the Wits context, has many dimensions: providing a broad context of knowledge; helping students to understand, locate and create personally and contextually relevant meaning of the knowledge; providing a learning environment that encourages students to think critically, solve problems and to be able to communicate in the language of the discipline or knowledge and it involves ongoing reflection on their practice. It also requires teachers to help students set and achieve their own aims through commitment and being responsible for their own learning. 

The experiential learning activities within the workshop is designed so that the academic will engage with the academic role within the higher education sector. Principles of facilitating for learning to occur includes: 

• principles of learning 

• an overview of curriculum knowledge and blended learning experience design 

• an overview of assessment 

• embedding writing within the curriculum 

• a micro teaching session (a scaled down teaching session), and 

• feedback as well as reflective practice. 

The aim of the workshop is to encourage lecturers to take up their teaching role in a scholarly manner with creativity, enthusiasm, and self-reflection. 

Who should attend? 

New academics, early career academics or academics who have been at Wits for a while and who would like to improve their learning and teaching environments. Numbers are limited, and early booking is advised. Attendance is expected for all sessions. 

Date: 17 - 19 & 23 May and 22 June

Time: 08:30 - 16:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age

Effective learning and teaching involve the integration and alignment of three core elements, namely curriculum, facilitation practices and learning interactions1, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content, learning interactions and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity and reliability of assessments. Consequently, there is a need for academics to appreciate the role assessment plays in students’ achievement of structured learning outcomes, and to be able to design quality assessments for specific contexts. In addition to the need for understanding assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to understand and know how to develop different types of assessments. In response to this need, the Centre for Learning Teaching and Development (CLTD) at Wits has developed this short course on assessment with special focus on assessment in the digital space. 

Date: 6 May 2022 

Time: TBC - 8 weeks

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 0: Learning and Teaching Philosophy

This fully online component of the curriculum development workshop series kicks off with an exploration of learning theories and how these theories inform personal learning and teaching philosophies. An understanding of how one views knowledge and how one comes to know is important as it shapes methodologies, approaches, and practices. Deep reflection on one’s philosophies (often tacit) goes a long way in being intentional about curriculum design.

Date: 3 May - 6 May 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 1: Curriculum Orientation and Contexts

Curriculum means different things to different people and operates within different levels at an institution. This makes the concept of curriculum highly contested and complex especially within the curriculum decolonisation and transformation debates. To enable coherent and meaningful curricula, academics should critically interrogate their curriculum orientations and the influence this has on their curriculum decisions. Their curriculum design and development should be approached in a scholarly manner especially when required to evaluate, design, interpret and implement curricula. 

The workshop will address curriculum as a concept and enable academics to further examine how curriculum policies are shaped by societal, institutional, personal, and interpersonal contexts and processes. The workshop will also introduce academics to key theories that underpin the principles of curriculum design. The workshop provides an opportunity to engage with the conceptual and contextual aspects of curriculum design like constructive alignment and being able to construct contextually relevant intended learning outcomes. 

Date: 9 May - 13 May 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 2: Open pedagogies

Discover practical ways of making your teaching practice more contextually relevant and open to diversity. In the (half-day), synchronous workshop, we will explore ways of using open educational resources, open education practices, open access, and open facilitation practices leading to more engaging learning experiences. We will focus on approaches which take into account who students are (student identities) and what they bring with them (experiences and practices). 

Date: 16 May - 19 May 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 3: Assessment for learning in higher education

Participants in this workshop will consider assessment from the viewpoints of the different stakeholders and will gain a deeper appreciation of assessment as an intrinsic part of the student learning process. Focusing on a particular course, participants will explore how learning outcomes, assessment tasks, and learning and teaching activities build and enhance the growth of desirable attributes, knowledge, skills and values using appropriate assessment methods and educational technologies that are diverse, complementary and embedded strategically throughout the course. Challenges associated with providing meaningful feedback for undergraduate and postgraduate students will also be considered. 

Date: 23 May - 27 May 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 4: Curriculum Development

Do you currently teach a course you would like to revamp or improve? This workshop will give you practical ways to enhance your course through curriculum (re)design, adding multimedia and interactive elements, and developing authentic assessments. You will develop curriculum outputs to use in your course. Outputs may include a curriculum course map, module outline, student guide, assessment instruments and tools, multimedia, etc. 

Date: 30 May - 3 June 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 24 May 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting 

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 25 May 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 26 May 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting 

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Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner

The COVID19 Pandemic sent learning and teaching into a whirlwind spin for both students and staff. This changed experience left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. This workshop will allow you to reflect and rethink your course design from the learners’ perspective. This asynchronous course will explore various aspects that would enhance your course design from a student’s perspective.

This asynchronous course explores various key aspects such as:

• The initial student experiences
• The interactions and engagements
• Learning and assessments
• Technology, student support and accessibility; and
• Course structure

Date: 16 May - 20 May 2022

Time: Asynchronous course

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 4 May (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting 

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 5 May (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 3 May 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 10 May 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 10 May 2022 

Time: 9:00-10:30

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 17 May 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 18 May 2022 (Day 2: Onsite)

Time: 9:00-12:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Project Planning in the Research Context

How do you plan a research project? Is it possible to plan research? The classical project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) is often unsuitable for research projects simply because it is impossible to estimate the time for each task. Research is, after all, a step into the unknown. Take heart, this does not mean your research project will descend into chaos. There are other ways of managing research projects that are agile enough to deal with the complexities of volatile research projects. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will describe some of these more agile project management techniques that will allow you to plan, in the absence of information and despite uncertainty, for the unknown.

Date: 13 May 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Project Planning in the Research Context

Discover, with the support of Dr Robin Drennan, Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, how to write a persuasive proposal for research funding. Having understood that every funder is contractually bound to deliver a return of some sort on the funds under their management, it is plain to see several ‘magical buttons’ that will get you funding. Some of these buttons are explicit but others are not. The trick is to find them. The workshop material also covers the differences between a research plan, a problem statement, rationale and motivation, and aims and objectives, all elements of typical proposals. The importance of selecting appropriate reviewers, leaving nothing to chance and the need to make every part of the proposal supportive of your bid for funding are also discussed. Finally, the workshop explores differences in writing styles: Persuasive writing used in proposals and standard writing techniques used in the publication of research outputs.

Date: 20 May 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Zotero

This is a virtual workshop that will introduce you to Zotero, a free, open-source alternative to reference manager systems. Zotero allows you to easily save bibliographic details, comments, indexing terms, and direct links to webpages, word documents, and even articles that are in library subscription databases. You will be shown how you can use Zotero to integrate your references into your research in many citation styles using Microsoft Word. For more information, please visit Library Libguides. http://libguides.wits.ac.za/zotero

Date: 20 May 2022 

Time: 09:30-11:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Postgraduate Supervision

Good supervision is central to successful graduate research, yet it is difficult to define and develop. This half-day introductory workshop explores models and systems of supervision, institutional policy and procedures, and supervisor-student relationships.

Date: 17 May 2022 

Time: 9:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Mentoring

This half-day mentoring workshop aims to guide efforts towards adding a mentoring component to programmes. Come and explore skills, principles, concepts, and activities that may contribute to mentoring relationships and collaboratively suggest guidance on staying connected with mentees during a time of social and physical distancing.

Date: 22 June 2022 

Time: 09:00-11:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 13 June 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting 

Add event to calendar

Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 14 June 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 15 June 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Click here to join the meeting

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Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner

The COVID19 Pandemic sent learning and teaching into a whirlwind spin for both students and staff. This changed experience left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. This workshop will allow you to reflect and rethink your course design from the learners’ perspective. This asynchronous course will explore various aspects that would enhance your course design from a student’s perspective.

This asynchronous course explores various key aspects such as:

• The initial student experiences
• The interactions and engagements
• Learning and assessments
• Technology, student support and accessibility; and
• Course structure

Date: 27 June - 8 July 2022

Time: Asynchronous online course

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date:  1 June 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there  is  a  need  for  academics  to  appreciate  the  role  of  assessment  in  student’s learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempt and time limit
• Grading a Quizz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 2 June 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 29 June 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 21 June 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 22 June 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00-12:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Planning your Academic Career

Do you know what you need to do today to achieve your career goals in six years’ time? A successful academic career requires a considerable amount of juggling. Research, teaching, supervision, community engagement, funding, sabbaticals, conferences, promotion, NRF ratings—they all need to be factored into your plan. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will help you develop a five to seven-year macro plan that will ensure you are well placed to make the best of your career. An emphasis is placed on research throughout this workshop.

Date: 3 June 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Planning your Sabbatical

A sabbatical comes once every six years—so it is vital to make the most of it. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will share some pointers on how, when and what to plan for a successful sabbatical. This workshop will help you develop a plan and so make the most of the opportunity. Your sabbatical plan should maximise the impact of the time on your research. Various funding options will also be discussed.

Date: 10 June 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Enhancing Research Supervision

This course aims to enhance research supervisory capacity taking into account the diverse context and conditions in which supervisors work as well as the differences in institutional and disciplinary postgraduate supervisory practices and processes.

After engaging with the course and the course materials the participant should be able to:

• Develop a strategy to address power relations and create an inclusive and participatory learning environment in their supervisory context
• Critically reflect on the importance of scholarship in their learning environment
• Critique their supervisory practices and implement changes aimed at enhancing student learning
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the supervisory processes in their context and recommend improvements
• Participate in a collegial network of support and build a community of practice that enhances supervisory practice
• This 30-credit short course at NQF Level 8 comprises the following phases: 3 days face-to-face; 6 weeks on-line; and 3 days face-to-face and includes assessment tasks. An e Portfolio (100%) inclusive of formative and summative assessments must be submitted at the conclusion of the course for credit assessment.

Date: 13 June - 12 August 2022 

Time: 13:30 - 14:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Students at emotional risk

The Counselling and Careers Development Unit is offering a half-day workshop to Wits academic and administrative support staff. The workshop covers mental wellness, as well as basic skills to identify, contain and refer students in need of psychological or psychiatric intervention. This includes the identification of certain high-risk characteristics/circumstances associated with the deterioration of the functioning of a student.

The primary objectives of this workshop are to provide university staff with that lecture, support and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university careers.

Date: 28 July 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Wits Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP)

The Tutor Professional Learning Programme (TPLP) provides tutors with the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to enable them to execute their tutoring responsibilities. The programme consists of a series of asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities that will provide tutors with practical insights on tutoring in a blended mode. The training workshops will focus on how design and facilitate for meaningful tutoring that will stimulate students’ learning. 

The following topics will be covered: 

• Exploring the tutoring space from the South African context 

• Teaching for learning in the tutoring space 

• Blended learning in the tutoring space 

• Introduction to assessment and feedback 

• Diversity in the tutoring space 

• Digital tools for learning and teaching 

Date: 21 July

Time: 10:00-13:30

Venue: The meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed 

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Zotero

As a requirement for probation confirmation or promotion processes, the Teaching Portfolio provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your professional growth and excellence in teaching. Reflecting on these aspects in line with efforts to support student success in your course/s is an important process of being a teacher in higher education. Your teaching practice is informed by an understanding of who you are supposed to be as a teacher, what it means to facilitate learning, who are your students, and what it means to learn in your discipline. These conceptions are not static but evolve over time thus it is crucial to continuously reflect and improve on them, and the teaching portfolio provides the space for this.

Developing Your Teaching Portfolio is hands-on, and you may expect the following:

• Engage in activities to help you think and draft your teaching philosophy and demonstrate how your philosophy translates into practice focused on student success.
• Develop awareness of aspects that should be included in your teaching portfolio 
• Identify relevant evidence that you need to collect and include in your portfolio to demonstrate aspects of your teaching practice.

There is, however, an assumption that academics participating in this session have a basic scholarly understanding of curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment principles in higher education.

Date: 20 July 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on designing, building, and publishing your course site. Some topics that will be covered include: 

• Structuring course
• Adding content to your course
• Uploading and managing your files
• Setting up your homepage

Date: 5 July 2022 

Time: 10:00- 12:00

Click here to join the meeting

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Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on designing, building, and publishing your course site. Some topics that will be covered include: 

• Structuring course
• Adding content to your course
• Uploading and managing your files
• Setting up your homepage

Date: 12 July 2022 

Time: 12:00- 14:00

Click here to join the meeting

Add event to calendar

Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 6 July 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 7 July 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 20 July 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 27 July 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Intro to Conferences (“BigBlueButton”) in ulwazi

This webinar will focus on facilitating synchronous online learning interactions in ulwazi. Some of the topics that will be covered include:

• Accessing conferences
• Setting up online meeting spaces
• Facilitating synchronous learning in your course sites 

Date: 21 July 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:

• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning

Date: 20 July 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 19 July 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Click here to join the meeting

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 22 June 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00-12:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 12 July 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Zotero

Whether you are driven by altruism and want your research to improve the world, by a desire to increase your reputation as a research-focused scholar, or a combination of both, you need to plan where, when, and how you publish your research. Too often we base our publishing habits on what we picked up from our PhD supervisors and colleagues without giving any thought to a careful strategy. Join Dr Robin Drennan in a workshop that looks at the wide array of possibilities for sharing your knowledge with others. In this workshop, you will be exposed to ideas that may help you strategically decide where your research output is to be shared and/or published.

Date: 21 and 22 July 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Postgraduate Supervision

Good supervision is central to successful graduate research, yet it is difficult to define and develop. This half-day introductory workshop explores models and systems of supervision, institutional policy and procedures, and supervisor-student relationships.

Date: 20 July 2022 

Time: 9:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Blue Explorance tools: Question Personalisation & Response rate monitor

The CLTD recommends that lecturers use student feedback as a formative opportunity to learn from input. The results offer useful indicators of trends but have limited value in getting to the heart of facilitation practices. They are most useful when contextualised in information obtained from the more qualitative forms of evaluation as scores can often be the consequence of multiple factors, e.g., mismatched expectations.

In 2020 the Blue Explorance system was launched across all faculties. This means all academic staff should use the online system for conducting student evaluations. CLTD will continue to on board staff to the Blue Explorance system and further stabilise the use of the platform. This will be done through self-help material and webinars open to all staff. Faculties or schools may request for customised sessions.

This webinar will explore Blue Explorance features that can enhance user experience. It will cover:

• Question personalisation (this tool can be used to design evaluation forms for quality feedback) 
• Response Rate monitor (this tool that can be used encourage students to complete forms)

Date: 18 July 2022 

Time: 12:30-14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 0: Learning and Teaching Philosophy

This fully online component of the curriculum development workshop series kicks off with an exploration of learning theories and how these theories inform personal learning and teaching philosophies. An understanding of how one views knowledge and how one comes to know is important as it shapes methodologies, approaches, and practices. Deep reflection on one’s philosophies (often tacit) goes a long way in being intentional about curriculum design.

Date: 1 August - 5 August 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 1: Curriculum Orientation and Contexts

Curriculum means different things to different people and operates within different levels at an institution. This makes the concept of curriculum highly contested and complex especially within the curriculum decolonisation and transformation debates. To enable coherent and meaningful curricula, academics should critically interrogate their curriculum orientations and the influence this has on their curriculum decisions. Their curriculum design and development should be approached in a scholarly manner especially when required to evaluate, design, interpret and implement curricula. 

The workshop will address curriculum as a concept and enable academics to further examine how curriculum policies are shaped by societal, institutional, personal, and interpersonal contexts and processes. The workshop will also introduce academics to key theories that underpin the principles of curriculum design. The workshop provides an opportunity to engage with the conceptual and contextual aspects of curriculum design like constructive alignment and being able to construct contextually relevant intended learning outcomes. 

Date: 15 August - 19 August 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 2: Open pedagogies

Discover practical ways of making your teaching practice more contextually relevant and open to diversity. In the (half-day), synchronous workshop, we will explore ways of using open educational resources, open education practices, open access, and open facilitation practices leading to more engaging learning experiences. We will focus on approaches which take into account who students are (student identities) and what they bring with them (experiences and practices). 

Date: 22 August - 26 August 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Facilitating Online (FO)

As a Wits academic, you are now required to follow a blended approach to designing your courses. The facilitating online course (FO), an open educational resource that has been reconceptualised for the Wits context, will support you in this new role as facilitator and designer of blended interactions and engagements. You will develop the design skills required to create interactive online learning experiences, the facilitation skills required to enable meaningful online discussions, and the technical skills to use tools (such as blogs, podcasts, and synchronous communication software) to deepen student engagement. At the end of this course, you are required to submit an e-portfolio (electronic collection of evidence) of your personal growth as a facilitator of online learning interactions. As an end of course assessment, the e- portfolio will demonstrate your learning journey over a period of time. The course is offered twice a year with each offering facilitated over a period of eight weeks (week 0—7). The offering is fully online. 

Notional hours for this accredited course are calculated at 100 hours. 

• 60 hours online engagement—readings/activities, discussions, desktop research 

• 20 hours self-study research/following links 

• 10 hours live virtual sessions 

• 10 hours final assessment—comprises approximately 60—90 minutes a day over a week to complete an e-portfolio

Date: 22 August - 19 September 2022 (Second run: 8 weeks)

Time: Asynchronous Activities and Weekly Synchronous Sessions

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Supporting diversity in the classroom

The massive increase in enrolments at institutions of higher learning in South Africa resulted in increased diversity in the student population. A diverse classroom not only enriches the learning experiences for all students, but it also prepares them for the world  of  work  and  beyond. Diversity  further  enhances  students’  cognitive  skills particularly problem solving and critical thinking skills.

This workshop aims to challenge your thinking while exploring the benefits of teaching a diverse group of students. In this session participants will deliberate and debate practical methods of creating a learning environment that ensures all students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives feel included, heard and valued.

ort and/or work with students with relevant information to assist and support these students during their university career.

Date: 2 August - 5 August 2022 

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 2 August 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 3 August 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 4 August 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

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Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner

The COVID19 Pandemic sent learning and teaching into a whirlwind spin for both students and staff. This changed experience left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. This workshop will allow you to reflect and rethink your course design from the learners’ perspective. This asynchronous course will explore various aspects that would enhance your course design from a student’s perspective.

This asynchronous course explores various key aspects such as:

• The initial student experiences
• The interactions and engagements
• Learning and assessments
• Technology, student support and accessibility; and
• Course structure

Date: 29 August - 9 September 2022

Time: Asynchronous online course

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 10 August 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 11 August 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

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Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 18 August 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 24 August 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

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Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:

• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning

Date: 25 August 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 23 August 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date:16 August 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 17 August 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 12:00 - 14:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Project Planning in the Research Context

Discover, with the support of Dr Robin Drennan, Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, how to write a persuasive proposal for research funding. Having understood that every funder is contractually bound to deliver a return of some sort on the funds under their management, it is plain to see several ‘magical buttons’ that will get you funding. Some of these buttons are explicit but others are not. The trick is to find them. The workshop material also covers the differences between a research plan, a problem statement, rationale and motivation, and aims and objectives, all elements of typical proposals. The importance of selecting appropriate reviewers, leaving nothing to chance and the need to make every part of the proposal supportive of your bid for funding are also discussed. Finally, the workshop explores differences in writing styles: Persuasive writing used in proposals and standard writing techniques used in the publication of research outputs.

Date: 19 August 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Postgraduate Supervision

Good supervision is central to successful graduate research, yet it is difficult to define and develop. This half-day introductory workshop explores models and systems of supervision, institutional policy and procedures, and supervisor-student relationships.

Date: 15 August 2022 

Time: 9:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Basic Supporter Skills Training

The Counselling and Careers Development Unit staff are offering academic, support and residence staff a two-day workshop on supportive skills and basic counselling.

The requirement for the attendance of this Supportive Skills course is full attendance of the Students at Emotional Risk workshop. This training includes sections on self- reflection and self-awareness, as well as supporter and counselling skills.

Please note: Staff who are feeling emotionally fragile or who have experienced recent trauma or bereavement are advised not to attend at this point.

Date: 21- 22 September 2022

Time: 08:30 - 14:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 3: Assessment for learning in higher education

Participants in this workshop will consider assessment from the viewpoints of the different stakeholders and will gain a deeper appreciation of assessment as an intrinsic part of the student learning process. Focusing on a particular course, participants will explore how learning outcomes, assessment tasks, and learning and teaching activities build and enhance the growth of desirable attributes, knowledge, skills and values using appropriate assessment methods and educational technologies that are diverse, complementary and embedded strategically throughout the course. Challenges associated with providing meaningful feedback for undergraduate and postgraduate students will also be considered. 

Date: 29 August - 2 September 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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CD 4: Curriculum Development

Do you currently teach a course you would like to revamp or improve? This workshop will give you practical ways to enhance your course through curriculum (re)design, adding multimedia and interactive elements, and developing authentic assessments. You will develop curriculum outputs to use in your course. Outputs may include a curriculum course map, module outline, student guide, assessment instruments and tools, multimedia, etc. 

Date: 5 September - 9 September 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Mentoring

This half-day mentoring workshop aims to guide efforts towards adding a mentoring component to programmes. Come and explore skills, principles, concepts, and activities that may contribute to mentoring relationships and collaboratively suggest guidance on staying connected with mentees during a time of social and physical distancing.

Date: 21 September 2022 

Time: 09:00-11:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Developing Your Teaching Portfolio

As a requirement for probation confirmation or promotion processes, the Teaching Portfolio provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your professional growth and excellence in teaching. Reflecting on these aspects in line with efforts to support student success in your course/s is an important process of being a teacher in higher education. Your teaching practice is informed by an understanding of who you are supposed to be as a teacher, what it means to facilitate learning, who are your students, and what it means to learn in your discipline. These conceptions are not static but evolve over time thus it is crucial to continuously reflect and improve on them, and the teaching portfolio provides the space for this.

Developing Your Teaching Portfolio is hands-on, and you may expect the following:

• Engage in activities to help you think and draft your teaching philosophy and demonstrate how your philosophy translates into practice focused on student success.
• Develop awareness of aspects that should be included in your teaching portfolio 
• Identify relevant evidence that you need to collect and include in your portfolio to demonstrate aspects of your teaching practice.

There is, however, an assumption that academics participating in this session have a basic scholarly understanding of curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment principles in higher education.

Date: 28 September 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 14:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 27 September 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 28 September 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Date: 29 September 2022 

Time: 10:00-12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 7 September 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 8 September 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 15 September 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 20 Septmber 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 13 September 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 1 September 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 21 September 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 22 September 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Project Planning in the Research Context

How do you plan a research project? Is it possible to plan research? The classical project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) is often unsuitable for research projects simply because it is impossible to estimate the time for each task. Research is, after all, a step into the unknown. Take heart, this does not mean your research project will descend into chaos. There are other ways of managing research projects that are agile enough to deal with the complexities of volatile research projects. Dr Robin Drennan, the Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, will describe some of these more agile project management techniques that will allow you to plan, in the absence of information and despite uncertainty, for the unknown.

Date: 9 September 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Enhancing Research Supervision

This course aims to enhance research supervisory capacity taking into account the diverse context and conditions in which supervisors work as well as the differences in institutional and disciplinary postgraduate supervisory practices and processes.

After engaging with the course and the course materials the participant should be able to:

• Develop a strategy to address power relations and create an inclusive and participatory learning environment in their supervisory context
• Critically reflect on the importance of scholarship in their learning environment
• Critique their supervisory practices and implement changes aimed at enhancing student learning
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the supervisory processes in their context and recommend improvements
• Participate in a collegial network of support and build a community of practice that enhances supervisory practice
• This 30-credit short course at NQF Level 8 comprises the following phases: 3 days face-to-face; 6 weeks on-line; and 3 days face-to-face and includes assessment tasks. An e Portfolio (100%) inclusive of formative and summative assessments must be submitted at the conclusion of the course for credit assessment.

Date: 19 September - 11 November 2022 

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Academic Role

Given the continuous change and those especially associated with the shifts to remote learning and teaching, within the Higher Education sector and its influence on the academic role within universities, there is a need for academics to unpack and explore their changing academic roles. This interactive workshop aims to bridge the age-old teaching and research divide that exists within universities, specifically research-intensive institutions. The workshop will introduce academics to the basic principles of their academic role within the South African higher education sector and within Wits in particular. The focus will then shift to academics exploring their scholarship through their learning and teaching role within a faculty. 

The university teacher has an important and demanding role to play in the process of supporting student learning through the design of learning and teaching contexts in which students can learn most effectively. 

The teaching role within the Wits context, has many dimensions: providing a broad context of knowledge; helping students to understand, locate and create personally and contextually relevant meaning of the knowledge; providing a learning environment that encourages students to think critically, solve problems and to be able to communicate in the language of the discipline or knowledge and it involves ongoing reflection on their practice. It also requires teachers to help students set and achieve their own aims through commitment and being responsible for their own learning. 

The experiential learning activities within the workshop is designed so that the academic will engage with the academic role within the higher education sector. Principles of facilitating for learning to occur includes: 

• principles of learning 

• an overview of curriculum knowledge and blended learning experience design 

• an overview of assessment 

• embedding writing within the curriculum 

• a micro teaching session (a scaled down teaching session), and 

• feedback as well as reflective practice. 

The aim of the workshop is to encourage lecturers to take up their teaching role in a scholarly manner with creativity, enthusiasm, and self-reflection. 

Who should attend? 

New academics, early career academics or academics who have been at Wits for a while and who would like to improve their learning and teaching environments. Numbers are limited, and early booking is advised. Attendance is expected for all sessions. 

Date: 18 - 20 & 24 October 2022 and 25 January 2023

Time: 08:30 - 16:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age

Effective learning and teaching involve the integration and alignment of three core elements, namely curriculum, facilitation practices and learning interactions1, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content, learning interactions and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity and reliability of assessments. Consequently, there is a need for academics to appreciate the role assessment plays in students’ achievement of structured learning outcomes, and to be able to design quality assessments for specific contexts. In addition to the need for understanding assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to understand and know how to develop different types of assessments. In response to this need, the Centre for Learning Teaching and Development (CLTD) at Wits has developed this short course on assessment with a special focus on assessment in the digital space. 

Date: 7 October 2022 

Time: TBC - 8 weeks

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner

The COVID19 Pandemic sent learning and teaching into a whirlwind spin for both students and staff. This changed experience left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. This workshop will allow you to reflect and rethink your course design from the learners’ perspective. This asynchronous course will explore various aspects that would enhance your course design from a student’s perspective.

This asynchronous course explores various key aspects such as:

• The initial student experiences
• The interactions and engagements
• Learning and assessments
• Technology, student support and accessibility; and
• Course structure

Date: 24 October - 4 November 2022

Time: Asynchronous online course

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 5 October 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 6 October 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Digital Assessments (Session 1)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 26 October 2022 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Digital Assessments (Session 2)

Effective education involves the integration and alignment of three core systems, namely curriculum, learning and teaching, and assessment. In this context, ensuring alignment between course outcomes, content and assessment is important for curricular coherence, and contributes to the validity of assessments. Consequently, there is a  need for academics to appreciate the role of assessment in students’ learning and to be able to design quality assessments for particular contexts. In addition to the need for authentic, valid assessment practices, more generally, there is a growing need to become familiar with technologies for use with assessments.

This workshop focuses on assessment in the field of Higher Education with special emphasis on assessment tools in ulwazi and other available platforms.

Session 1: Discussion & Assignment tool

Discussion tool:

• Setting up a graded discussion
• Grading discussion topic using rubrics
• Grading discussion topic using SpeedGrader

Assignment tool:

• Setting up an Assignment link
• Setting up Peer review & group assignment
• Grading assignments using rubrics
• Grading assignments using Speedgrader
• Setting up assessment weighting linked to gradebook

Session 2: Quizzes (Quizzes tool & Studio)

New quizzes

• Setting up a quiz using various question types
• Setting up question banks
• Randomising from question banks
• Moderate function for grading, adjusting attempts and time limit
• Grading a Quiz (manual grading)
• Regrading a
• Releasing feedback

Studio tool

• Embedding a quiz to a
• Setting up an assignment with a quiz-embedded video.

Date: 27 October 2022 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using Gradescope in ulwazi

Gradescope is an assessment tool that allows lecturers to grade and provide feedback on handwritten paper-based student work, quizzes, and assignments in an online platform. The tool is well suited for grading assessments based on handwritten

work, calculations, drawings or chemical structures, cells, circuits, coding, etc. With Gradescope, students can upload written assessments to be graded. Lecturers can mark student assessments with annotation tools using text and pencil comments as feedback with reference to a dynamic rubric. The session will cover the following:

• How to create different question types in Gradescope
• How to enable your students to submit their work to
• How to grade assessments in Gradescope
• How to create rubric items

Date: 12 October 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using Mastery Paths in ulwazi

Mastery Paths allows you to create differentiated assignments that would enable you to customise a learning pathway for your students based on their performance of a particular assessment. The learning pathway could consist of different Content Pages, Quizzes, Discussions and Assignments.

Date: 11 October 2022 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 25 October 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 13 October 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 18 October 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

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Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 19 October 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 12:00 - 14:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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Project Planning in the Research Context

Discover, with the support of Dr Robin Drennan, Director for Research Development in the University Research Office, how to write a persuasive proposal for research funding. Having understood that every funder is contractually bound to deliver a return of some sort on the funds under their management, it is plain to see several ‘magical buttons’ that will get you funding. Some of these buttons are explicit but others are not. The trick is to find them. The workshop material also covers the differences between a research plan, a problem statement, rationale and motivation, and aims and objectives, all elements of typical proposals. The importance of selecting appropriate reviewers, leaving nothing to chance and the need to make every part of the proposal supportive of your bid for funding are also discussed. Finally, the workshop explores differences in writing styles: Persuasive writing used in proposals and standard writing techniques used in the publication of research outputs.

Date: 14 October 2022 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 1)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Session 1:

• Date: 22 November 2022 
• Time: 10:00-12:00
• Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 2)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Session 2:

• Date: 23 November 2022 
• Time: 10:00-12:00
• Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (Session 3)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past 2 years – what now? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritising equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. Please note that this workshop will run for 3 mornings from 10am – 12pm each morning

Session 3:

• Date: 24 November 2022 
• Time: 10:00-12:00
• Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

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Creating engaging videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is a modern video platform that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video media. Studio makes it easy for lecturers to create engaging videos and for students to participate in dynamic conversations and assessments. This webinar will look at how to:

• Navigate studio
• Create videos using studio
• Design and deliver assessments that are embedded directly in the video
• Use studio analytics to improve learning

Date: 16 November 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

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Engaging approaches & strategies for facilitating learning

Have you ever been frustrated by the quiet whisperings of students in the background or students that simply do not engage during a lesson? These whisperings or non-responsiveness of students may be perceived as a distraction. One could however encourage these whisperings and draw on students to engage interactively by creating a safe and collaborative learning environment. Depending on your teaching approach, this could be done by the creative use of tools such as chat, discussion forums, emoticons, or voice participation. This workshop focuses on how we can use various educational technologies to meaningfully enhance student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching environments.

Date: 15 November 2022 

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Add event to calendar

Using ulwazi’s New Analytics to improve student engagement

In an online class we don’t receive feedback from our students in the same way that we do in a face-to-face class, so how do we know how our students are doing in an asynchronous learning environment? The Canvas New Analytics tool helps you see the interaction students are having with the course materials in your course on ulwazi. These analytics can help you identify which students may not be as engaged and allow you to reach out to those students.

This webinar will look at how to:

• enable the new analytics tool
• view student page views and participation activity
• track average course grades using interactive graphs or tables
• message students who meet certain criteria
• download student views and participation data

Date: 3 November 2022 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Add event to calendar

Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 1)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 8 November 2022 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00-10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed) 

Add event to calendar

Smart Educational Technologies for Student-centered (Inter)active Learning (Day 2)

The evolution of technology has changed the landscape of education. The use of smart technologies that could enable agentic, interactive learning and teaching have become widespread. Smart learning environments have been gaining traction in education since it allows the fostering of collaborative learning opportunities where educational technologies are used meaningfully. Our two-day training webinar and face-to-face workshop consist of the following:

Day 1: Online (9:00 – 10:30)

This session will introduce participants to the Smart Classroom teaching and learning technologies and suggest ways to use these technologies to create an (inter)active student-centered learning experience.

Day 2: Face-to-face, onsite (10:00 – 12:30 in Gatehouse building GH403, East Campus)

 This face-to-face workshop occurs the day after the webinar and will demonstrate how smart technologies may be applied in real-life teaching and learning situations and will offer participants an opportunity to test out various teaching and learning scenarios.

Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations we will only be accepting 12 participants per training session. Bookings need to be made at least 48 hours prior to the training session and participants should arrive at the onsite workshops at least 15 minutes before the session begins.

To support you further, we have also developed a self-directed course that provides suggestions of various approaches that one could use in the Smart Classroom. To learn more about this course, click here.

Date: 9 November 2022 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

Venue: Gatehouse (GH403) Face-to-face session 

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