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: 16 February 2023

Time: 10:00-13:30

Venue: 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: 23 February 2023

Time: 10:00-13:00

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 intentionally designing, building, and publishing your course site. 

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of the session, you should be able to: 

• Structure your course using the Modules function 

• Set up your homepage 

• Upload and manage your files 

• Add content to your course by 

• Building activities into a module 
• Outlining your own outcomes 

Mode of Delivery: Online 

Date: 22 February 2023

Time: 10:00-12:00

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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: 23 February 2023 (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

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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: 24 February 2023 (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: 28 February 2023 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

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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: 27 February 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30

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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: 16 February 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30

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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: 16 February 2023

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

Date: 23 February 2023 

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.

I

Date: 28 February 2023 

Time: 12:30 – 14:00 

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

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Academic Role

The role of a university teacher is an exceptionally demanding one that comprises and combines teaching, research, and academic citizenship. This short course explores these roles and focuses on the expectations of a university teacher in a blended learning environment. Teaching methods, practices, tools, planning, microteaching, reviews, and feedback are included.

Who should attend?

University teachers who are new to teaching, or new to blended learning, and anyone interested in learning more about teaching in higher education.

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Assessments: Diversify, Digitise, and Discover

There exists an urgent need in Higher Education to rethink assessment practices. This short course focuses on diversifying assessments and examining the critical role assessments play in learning. The journey begins with theoretical fundamentals and travels through diversity, equity and inclusion considerations, an exploration of tools and methods, curriculum alignment, assessment design and feedback.

Who should attend?

University teachers and anyone interested in exploring different ideas and options for assessment.

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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.

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Facilitating Online (FO)

As a Wits academic, you are now required to develop a blended approach to your courses and include an online component. This facilitating online course (FO), an open educational resource (OER) has been reconceptualised for the Wits context and will support you in your new role as an online facilitator and designer of online interactions and engagements. You will develop the design skills required to create interactive online learning experiences and the facilitation skills required to enable meaningful online discussions. Additionally, you will acquire technical skills to use tools (such as blogs, podcasts, and synchronous communication software) to deepen student engagement. At the end of this course, you have the option to submit a portfolio (electronic collection of evidence) of your personal growth as an online facilitator where you receive a certificate of competence. As a summative assessment, the portfolio will demonstrate your learning journey over a period. You may also choose not to complete the portfolio where you will receive a certificate of attendance. The course is offered twice a year with each offering facilitated over a period of eight weeks (weeks 0—7).

Notional hours for this accredited course are calculated at 270 hours for the attendance certificate and 300 hours for the competence certificate, as follows:

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Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on intentionally designing, building, and publishing your course site.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you should be able to structure your course using the Modules function:

• Set up your homepage.
• Upload and manage your files.
• Add content to your course by
  • Building activities into a module.
  • Outlining your own outcomes.

Date: 1 March 2023

Time: 12:00 - 14:00

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Designing & building your course on ulwazi

This webinar will focus mainly on intentionally designing, building, and publishing your course site.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you should be able to structure your course using the Modules function:

• Set up your homepage.
• Upload and manage your files.
• Add content to your course by
  • Building activities into a module.
  • Outlining your own outcomes.

Date: 15 March 2023

Time: 10:00 - 12:00

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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: 2 March 2023 (Session 2)

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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  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: 3 March 2023 (Session 2)

Time: 12:00-13:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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 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 topics.
  • 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 Quiz (manual grading).
  • Re-grading a Quiz.
  • Releasing feedback.
• Studio tool
  • Embedding a quiz to a video.
  • Setting up an assignment with a quiz embedded video.

Date: 16 March 2023 (Session 1) 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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  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 March 2023 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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: 7 March 2023

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: 23 March 2023 

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: 9 March 2023 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

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

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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: 2 March 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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.

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: 28 March 2023 (Day 1: Online)

Time: 9:00 - 10:30

Venue: Online (Meeting link will be emailed 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 (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.

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: 29 March 2023 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 11:00 - 13:00

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: 10 March 2023 

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: 3 March 2023

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: 17 March 2023 

Time: 09:00-13:00

Venue: CLTD

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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: 28 March 2023

Time: 09:00-12:00

Venue: In person (CLTD Building)

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CD 1: Curriculum Orientation and Contexts

Curriculum orientation and curriculum context means different things to different people and operates at different institutional levels. 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 14 to evaluate, design, interpret and implement curricula. At the end of the workshop you should be able to: Develop, describe and have an informed understanding of curriculum concepts and orientation; identify and analyse the global, national and institutional forces that shape the curriculum and the relationship between these; discuss the shifting nature of knowledge showing basic shifts in application and processes; reliably, accurately and coherently engage with the principles of constructive alignment; reflect on your current curriculum development practices and processes and create a curriculum map for your course. This course will follow a blended approach in the first semester and fully asynchronous (Ulwazi only) in the second semester.

Date: 17 April - 21 April 2023 

Time: 10:00 - 11:30 

Venue: MS Teams/CLTD: 18th and 20th April (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Activities and requirements on the Ulwazi course site.

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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 to 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: 20 April 2023

Time: 10:00-13:30

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

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Conceptualise, Design, Build and Evaluate your Course (First Run)

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past few years. Now you have a chance to meet with your students face to face again. How are you going to help them gain that engaged earning experience, so no one is left behind? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritizing equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. To get the best out of this course, we recommend that you attend (Design and Develop your course in ulwazi) or are familiar with using ulwazi. To register for this course, please refer to the booking form in the table above. 

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

Week 1 – Plan

• Plan learning environments that intentionally accommodates the 3Cs (Communicate, Care, Collaborate) (F2F).
• Familiarize the concepts of 3Cs in a blended learning environment.
• Using QM rubric to assist you in planning an intentional learning environment.

Week 2 – Design

Design a learning environment that is aligned to your outcomes for engaging learning experience. Do they apply?

• Identify the importance of Storyboard and Curriculum Mapping (F2F).
• Demonstrate your intentional planning that accommodates the 3Cs by using the Curriculum Map (align with QM standards) (F2F/Online).

Week 3 & 4 - Build (2 sessions)

• Create your own lesson using given storyboard template or curriculum mapping.
• Refer to other courses (CR).

Week 5 - Evaluate and Reflect Evaluate and reflect on your curriculum map and aligning to outcomes:

• Showcase the curriculum map.
• Facilitators and participants give feedback.
• Self-evaluation by presenters.

Dates: 19 April - 17 May 2023

Time: 10:00 - 12:00

Mode/Venue: Blended (One session per week over 5 weeks)

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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: 13 April 2023 (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: 14 April 2023 (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: 18 April 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

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: 28 April 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

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

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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: 25 April 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Venue: The online meeting link will be emailed once the booking is 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: 24 April 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Venue: The online meeting link will be emailed once the booking is 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: 6 April 2023 

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 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.

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: 11 April 2023 (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.

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 April 2023 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

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

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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 June - 9 June 2023

Time: Varied

Venue: Online&F2F (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: 29 June 2023

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

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

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: 21 June 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: The online meeting link will be emailed once the booking is confirmed.

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: 19 June 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: The online meeting link will be emailed once the booking is 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: 22 June 2023

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 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.

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: 27 June 2023 (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.

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: 28 June 2023 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

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

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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: 9 June 2023

Time: 10:00 - 14:00

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

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Introduction to 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: 6 June 2023 

Time: 10:00 - 14:00

Venue: CLTD Building

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Academic Role

The role of a university teacher is an exceptionally demanding one that comprises and combines teaching, research, and academic citizenship. This short course explores these roles and focuses on the expectations of a university teacher in a blended learning environment. Teaching methods, practices, tools, planning, microteaching, reviews, and feedback are included.

Who should attend?

University teachers who are new to teaching, or new to blended learning, and anyone interested in learning more about teaching in higher education.

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Assessment in Higher Education: Strategies for the digital age

There exists an urgent need in Higher Education to rethink assessment practices. This short course focuses on diversifying assessments and examining the critical role assessments play in learning. The journey begins with theoretical fundamentals and travels through diversity, equity and inclusion considerations, an exploration of tools and methods, curriculum alignment, assessment design and feedback.

Who should attend?

University teachers and anyone interested in exploring different ideas and options for assessment.

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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.

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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: 13 July 2023

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: 12 July 2023

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

So, you have been teaching during the pandemic for the past few years. Now you have a chance to meet with your students face to face again. How are you going to help them gain that engaged earning experience, so no one is left behind? This workshop is designed to help you plan, build, and evaluate your course taking into consideration grounded learning experience design principles. This includes prioritizing equity and inclusion in blended learning strategies. To get the best out of this course, we recommend that you attend (Design and Develop your course in ulwazi) or are familiar with using ulwazi. To register for this course, please refer to the booking form in the table above. 

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

Week 1 – Plan

• Plan learning environments that intentionally accommodates the 3Cs (Communicate, Care, Collaborate) (F2F).
• Familiarize the concepts of 3Cs in a blended learning environment.
• Using QM rubric to assist you in planning an intentional learning environment.

Week 2 – Design

Design a learning environment that is aligned to your outcomes for engaging learning experience. Do they apply?

• Identify the importance of Storyboard and Curriculum Mapping (F2F).
• Demonstrate your intentional planning that accommodates the 3Cs by using the Curriculum Map (align with QM standards) (F2F/Online).

Week 3 & 4 - Build (2 sessions)

• Create your own lesson using given storyboard template or curriculum mapping.
• Refer to other courses (CR).

Week 5 - Evaluate and Reflect Evaluate and reflect on your curriculum map and aligning to outcomes:

• Showcase the curriculum map.
• Facilitators and participants give feedback.
• Self-evaluation by presenters.

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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 has left some academics with courses that were not designed to provide engaging, memorable learning experiences. Course Review: Through the Lens of a Learner is an asynchronous course that focuses on how educators/facilitators could enhance an online/blended course that would positively contribute to students’ online learning experience.

This course explores various strategies and frameworks that educators/facilitators could use to improve on an online/blended course design. To get the best out of this workshop, it is advisable to have your course site that you can review at the end of the workshop.

The content of this course is based on four supporting pillars that are essential to a well-designed online/blended course:

Pillar 1:

The initial learner experience: strategies on how to prepare and orientate students to the new “online” learning environment.

Pillar 2:

Guiding students and their learning: strategies how to provide frequent meaningful and relevant learning opportunities to establish a learning community.

Pillar 3:

Accessibility, design and usability: Get insight on Universal Design for Learning and techniques for creating accessible content.

Pillar 4:

Course Evaluation: course participants will use the adapted Quality Matter Rubric to review their own online courses and develop a course improvement plan.

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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

Date: 5 July 2023 (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 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 2023 (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: 11 July 2023

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

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

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: 5 October (Session 1)

Time: 10:00-11:30

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

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 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 2023 (Session 2)

Time: 10:00-11:30

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

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: 10 October 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

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

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: 10 October 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

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.

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: 30 October 2023 (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.

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: 31 October 2023 (Day 2: Onsite - Face to Face)

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

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

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