Rhodes University represents at the 5th International Legitimation Code Theory conference

Eleven Rhodes University staff and doctoral candidates presented at the 5th International Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) conference hosted by the Wits LCT Hub at the School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, in January 2024. These included Dr Jennifer Williams (Physics), Prof Jo-Anne Vorster (CHERTL), Prof Sioux McKenna (CPGS), Dr Kirstin Wilmot (CHERTL), Dr Ian Siebörger (Linguistics), Tanusha Dukhan (Pharmacy) and Sisonke Mawonga (CHERTL) as well four affiliated doctoral candidates, Olebogeng Mokgantshang, Retha Knoetze, Janét West and Emaculate Mvundura. The conference hosted 130 delegates from 17 countries and included 64 papers.

Getting off on the right foot: SJQ doctoral scholars start 2024 with a writing retreat

On 8 January 2024, the Social Justice and Quality in Higher Education (SJQ) doctoral group headed into the Stellenbosch mountains to Mont Fleur conference venue for a writing retreat. Attended by 12 doctoral candidates and four supervisors, the group started 2024 with an intensive four days of writing and revising as they head into their final year of doctoral studies.

Rhodes University hosts Higher Education Close Up HECU 11 - 3 TO 5 July 2024

The theme for the Higher Education Close Up (HECU) conference, to be hosted at Rhodes University in July 2024 is ‘trust’ and mistrust. The conference is being organized jointly by the Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPGS) and the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL).

Collaborating for postgraduate education projects globally

Rhodes University recently joined partner universities from Kenya and the Netherlands for a Summer School hosted by Maseno University as part of the ongoing EU-funded Creating Postgraduate Collaborations project [https://postgradcollaborations.com]. The Summer School focused on developing grant development and management skills, in line with the goals of supporting international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations.

PhD scholars gather for the first Higher Education Studies Doc Week of 2023

PhD scholars gather for the first Higher Education Studies Doc Week of 2023

Empowering academic staff: CHERTL launches New Academic Staff Mentorship Programme

Empowering academic staff: CHERTL launches New Academic Staff Mentorship Programme

Rhodes University academics take on three projects with significant national impact

The Department of Higher Education and Training has awarded Rhodes University R13 497 000 to run three projects aimed at making a national impact on the higher education sector.

Investec uplifts first-year Commerce Extended Studies Programme students

Investec recently hosted a welcome event for first-year students of Rhodes University's Commerce Extended Studies Programme (ESP). Representing Investec were Mr Setlogane Manchidi, the Investec Head of Corporate Social Investment (CSI), and Mrs Thembiso Kodisang, an Investec CSI Practitioner. The Acting Dean of Commerce, Professor Lynette Louw, also attended the welcome event.

ChatGPT is the push higher education needs to rethink assessment

The COVID-19 pandemic was a shock to higher education systems everywhere. But while some changes, like moving lectures online, were relatively easy to make, assessment posed a much bigger challenge. Assessment can take many forms, from essays to exams to experiments and more.

Rhodes welcomes new academics

Rhodes welcomes new academics

Rhodes University mentors ready to welcome our 2023 first years

As the 2023 academic year begins, the Rhodes university mentorship program is excited to welcome first-year students and assist them in this beautiful and exciting journey they are about to embark on. Rhodes University prides itself on excellent retention and throughput rates. For Rhodes to sustain its performance in relation to retention, throughout and graduation rates, it aims to keep strengthening its claim as an institution of solidarity and care, one that deliberately builds the resilience and character of its students.

Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (National) Tutor Workshop with Dr Bella

Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (National) Tutor Workshop with Dr Bella

A special graduation season for our Doctors in red

A special graduation season for our Doctors in red

CHERTL colleagues contribute towards the success of HELTASA's first (Un)Conference

CHERTL colleagues contribute towards the success of HELTASA's first (Un)Conference

Higher Education Studies Doc Week: International perspectives on higher education

In our August 2022 Doc Week, we were fortunate to host international guests stemming from a variety of projects Professor Sioux McKenna has been involved in for the past few years. Guests included Professor Kevin Kinser and Dr LaWanda Ward (Penn State University, USA), Dr Jan McArthur (Lancaster University, UK), Dr Patrick Onyango (Maseno University, Kenya) and Dr Lynn Kisembe (Moi University, Kenya), along with a number of their own doctoral candidates. We also hosted supervisors and scholars from Durban University of Technology and the University of Zululand.

RU Mentorship Program

Rhodes University takes mentorship seriously. This year saw the Centre for Higher Education Research Teaching and Learning in collaboration with the Division for Student Affairs strengthening the university mentorship Programme for residence-based students and Oppidan students by launching the RU Mentorship program.

CHERTL graduation 2022!

Finally, after two years of virtual graduation ceremonies, CHERTL staff and students were delighted to attend the face-to-face graduation ceremonies in April 2022.

2022 Academic Orientation Programme for new staff members: an nGAP perspective

Imagine you are a new academic staff member at Rhodes University. You are excited but nervous about what being an academic staff entails. Well, the Academic Orientation Programme put together by the Centre for Higher Education, Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) is designed to put new academics at ease

Starting 2022 in style in the Stellenbosch mountains

In January this year, PhD scholars and supervisors from the Social Justice and Quality in Higher Education project, which forms part of the broader CHERTL Higher Education Studies Doctoral Programme, were lucky enough to spend four days in the Stellenbosch mountains on a doctoral writing retreat.

CHERTL at the forefront of professional development in Higher Education

Friday, 16 August 2019 marked the last of CHERTL’s Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDip (HE)) block contact sessions of the course for this year.

CHERTL Conversation focuses on translanguaging as a teaching and learning strategy

CHERTL, in collaboration with the University’s Language Committee, held a campus-wide Conversation on using language as a resource for teaching and learning on 4 September in Eden Grove Blue. The Conversation was part of CHERTL’s on-going series on various aspects of transformation at Rhodes University.

Experts trouble curriculum change in panel discussion

As part of the Education Faculty’s Doc Week, on Wednesday evening, CHERTL hosted a campus-wide panel discussion on “Troubling Curriculum Change”. Read more...

CHERTL courses for Rhodes academics

This week a number of Rhodes academics have been attending two courses offered by CHERTL staff.

Rhodes University Education Faculty hosts a ‘Doc Week’

The Rhodes Faculty of Education has this week (22 -26 July) hosted its second ‘Doctoral Week’ for 2019 at the Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC). Read more...

CHERTL Conversation Zooms In On Lecture Attendance at Rhodes

Following campus-wide concerns over poor lecture attendance in various academic disciplines, CHERTL initiated a ‘conversation’ on Tuesday 6 August using the question ‘Why DO students attend lectures?’

CHERTL hosts online conversation about using language as a resource for teaching in diverse learning contexts

The Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching, and Learning (CHERTL) hosted an online lecture on Wednesday the 15th of September 2021 for academics, students, and staff interested in using language as a resource for teaching in diverse learning contexts, specifically in the context of the student-lecturer partnership.

Dream of authentic SA universities yet to be realised

South Africa has failed to produce a higher education system that meets its fundamental social and developmental needs in the democratic era, according to a new book, Understanding Higher Education: Alternative perspectives by two academics at Rhodes University, Chrissie Boughey and Sioux McKenna.

Rhodes University to boost community-based research training

Last week, Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) and Durban University of Technology partnered to launch the Knowledge for Change (K4C) South Hub amid much excitement.

[19 September] VC letter to staff and students on Level 1 arrangements

On Wednesday, 16 September 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation regarding the move from national Alert Level 2 to 1. In his speech, the President emphasised the need for the country to open the economy as a result of a significant decrease in COVID-19 infections and deaths, as well as the preparedness of our health system. However, he warned us not to lower our guard as we embrace the ‘new normal’, but to keep adhering to health and safety protocols and non-pharmaceutical interventions of wearing a face mask, washing our hands regularly with soap and water or a sanitiser and practising safe physical distancing at all times.

CHERTL and CPGS celebrate new book on higher education studies

On 23 July 2020, during the Higher Education Studies ‘Doc Week’, Professor Sioux McKenna (CPGS) and Dr Kirstin Wilmot (CHERTL), along with co-editor, Professor Christine Winberg (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), launched their new book, Building knowledge in higher education: Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Legitimation Code Theory.

Oppenheimer Memorial Trust donates R3.8 million to support remote teaching

The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) has granted R3.8 million to Rhodes University to support the University’s efforts to transition to online teaching and learning and implement an effective response strategy that adapts its classroom-based methods to effective delivery on digital platforms following the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Update on the phased return of students to campus

Today marks day 79 of the national Covid-19 lockdown, although under eased conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives in ways no one could have imagined a short five months ago. Many of us have adjusted to this as our temporary new ‘normal’ and are ensuring that our daily business processes continue with as little disruption as possible. However, for many people these conditions are hard to comprehend.

Pandemic launches Rhodes University into new method of teaching and learning

Although the concept of remote teaching at Rhodes University is not new, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought this form of teaching and learning into focus.

Rhodes University running a successful nGAP programme

The New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) is Department of Higher Education’s national initiative forming part of the Staffing South Africa University Framework.

CHERTL PhD scholar presents her work at James Madison University, USA

Bella Vilikazi’s PhD is looking at the ways in which feedback on students’ work can open the doors of learning or keep them firmly shut. Her narrative approach to data collection is emerging in a rich collection of stories which offer academics significant insights.

Two new colleagues joined CHERTL at the end of 2019

Originally from Chile, Roxana Chiappa joined CHERTL last November 2019, after completing her doctoral degree in higher education at the University of Washington, Seattle (2019). Read more

Rhodes University affirms its commitment to Open Access

Dr Peter Clayton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, officially opened Rhodes University’s Open Access Day on 20 November 2019 at the Main Library.

HELTASA to bring together top minds in higher education

The Higher Education Learning & Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA) Conference, hosted by the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) will return to Rhodes University almost a decade after they last hosted the Conference.

Rhodes University honours late alumnus, philanthropist, Allan Gray

The Rhodes University community is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Allan William Buchanan Gray. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Gill, daughter Jennifer, and his two sons, William and Trevor.

Doctoral supervisors from African universities share valuable ideas in Stellenbosch

DAAD funding allowed the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University to develop an offer an online course for postgraduate supervisors across Africa.

CHERTL writing retreat at The Edge

CHERTL once again organised a writing retreat for 13 lecturers, all working on writing-related to teaching and learning such as Scholarship of Teaching and Learning publications, teaching portfolios, CATALyst assignments or PhDs.

Engaging with tutor development: CHERTL launches pilot short course

2018 saw the launch of an innovative tutor development short course by the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) at Rhodes University. A group of 20 tutors from third year to Masters Level from the faculties of Humanities, Science and Law participated...

Engaged in Tutor Development

CHERTL's 2019 tutor development course, Engage, has doubled the number of places on offer for RU tutors. Funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training South Africa, the course currently has 30 registered students spanning the faculties of Humanities, Commerce and Science.

Rhodes University represents at LCT3 – A Conference of Community, Collegiality and Creativity!

The third International Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) conference, hosted by Wits University in July, was a huge success. The biennial conference boasted 160 delegates from 48 universities from across the world, showcasing 98 papers using LCT as the primary theoretical framework from across the disciplines.

Using technology to innovate teaching and learning

The Teaching with Technology Showcase on 22 October 2018 saw a group of academics come together to present and share new and exciting technological innovations that they have implemented in their teaching.

When east meets west: Rhodes University lecturers join Western Cape Universities teaching and learning colloquium

The New Academics Programme (nGAP) lecturers recently participated (5 April 2018) in the New Academics’ Transitions into Higher Education Regional Colloquium hosted by the Western Cape Universities (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, University of the Western Cape) at UCT.

2018 CHERTL graduation

At the Rhodes graduation ceremony at 9.30 on Thursday 5 April 2018 CHERTL staff were proud to witness thirty-two Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDip (HE)) students and three PhD students crossing the stage.

Visit by Professor Karl Maton

Professor Karl Maton’s visit was greatly anticipated by the many academics and PhD scholars drawing on Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) for their research.

Launch of 'Going to University'

The launch of the book, Going to University- The Influence of Higher Education on the Lives of Young South Africans, took place at Rhodes University on 5th March 2018.

Rhodes lecturers honoured for receiving Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished and Senior Distinguished Teaching Awards

The Rhodes University community along with various guests gathered recently at the Blue Lecture Theatre in Eden Grove to celebrate Prof Catherine Foxcroft and Dr Jennifer Williams for having received the Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award for 2015.

Academic Orientation Programme 2018

The first part of the annual Academic Orientation Programme (AOP) for academics new to Rhodes took place last week. The AOP is an important event as it is an opportunity to welcome lecturers new to Rhodes.

nGAP: Building the next generation of African scholars

The Next Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) simply deals with the need for universities to ensure that a future generation of academics is developed to serve higher education into the future.

Insights and discussions on being an academic at Rhodes

The Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) at Rhodes University is hosting the initial phase of the 2018 Academic Orientation programme from Monday, 22 to 26 January & 30 January to 01 February.