DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR: ACADEMIC Reflective Report 2020
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DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR: ACADEMIC Reflective Report 2020 Contents DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (ACADEMIC) Reflective Report 2020 2 FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES 26 FACULTY OF COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SCIENCES 46 FACULTY OF DENTISTRY 62 FACULTY OF EDUCATION 80 FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES 108 FACULTY OF LAW 130 FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 140 ACADEMIC PLANNING UNIT 156 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNIT 160 CENTRE FOR INNOVATIVE EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (CIECT) 168 CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 186 DIRECTORATE OF LEARNING, TEACHING AND STUDENT SUCCESS (DLTSS) 192 page Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic | Reflective Report 2020 1 DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR: ACADEMIC PROF VIVIENNE LAWACK Reflective Report 2020 Since 2017, every Dean and Director within my line has compiled a Reflective Report, which I consolidate, adding my own reflections. The consolidated DVC (Academic) Reflective Report is intended to reflect on the state of the academic project, through the lenses of the seven faculties at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), together with the academic professional support directorates within this portfolio. Given the cataclysmic effects of the ongoing pandemic, it would be remiss not to reflect fully on the impact of the pandemic on the academic project and how we managed to complete the 2020 academic year and start the 2021 academic year timeously. This Reflective Report contains an overview of our academic approach and decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as a self-evaluation of the most pertinent work done during the course of the current Institutional Operation Plan (IOP 2016—2020), including the successes and work that need to be consolidated or accelerated, and opportunities for innovation in the next IOP. To this end, this report includes: making during the pandemic. 2016—2020. well as the four directorates. 1.2 THE DVC (ACADEMIC) PORTFOLIO The DVC (Academic) portfolio is the largest DVC portfolio at and Teaching, Academic Planning, the University in the Digital Age, as well as Community Engagement and Performing PROFESSOR VIVIENNE LAWACK Arts. Central to the academic project are the notions that our DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (ACADEMIC) students and academic staff members are co-creators of knowledge and that the excellence and success of our students, 1.1 INTRODUCTION with a deep commitment to social justice and being change agents, lie at the heart of this endeavour. The seven faculties The year 2020 was an extraordinary year. As every other person are centrally positioned within the portfolio, supported by the and organisation did, we had to grapple with an unforeseen global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic made us rethink a lot of what we thought we knew in the academic project, while Communication Technologies (CIECT), Academic Planning Unit coping with its impact on our lives and the health of ourselves (APU), and Community Engagement Unit (CEU, which, as of and our families. 2019, includes the Centre for Performing Arts). 2 page The organogram below depicts the structure of the portfolio: DVC: ACADEMIC DEANS DIRECTORS ARTS Prof Monwabisi Ralarala Director: Strategic Academic Projects: APU Dr Anita Maurtin Dr Vanessa Brown CHS Prof Anthea Rhoda Teaching and Learning Specialist DENTISTRY Dr Subethra Pather CEU Prof Neil Myburgh Prof Priscilla Daniels EDUCATION Continuing Education Coordinator Prof Rajendran Govender Freda Daniels CIECT Dr Juliet Stoltenkamp ECONOMIC & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES Office Co-ord. & Exec PA Prof Michelle Esau Catherine Cebindevu LAW Learning, Prof Jacques de Ville Administrator Teaching and Janine Fielies Student Success Dr Subethra Pather (Acting) NATURAL SCIENCES Prof Michael Davies-Coleman 1.3 OVERVIEW in decisive action being taken among institutional leaders as An overview of our evidence-based approach to learning and they tried to grapple with the sudden change. In order for the teaching during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic follows (Dr Subethra institutional leadership to develop a strategy that was holistic, resilient, equitable and student-centred, it was imperative that evidence-based support be offered to staff and students to 1.3.1 Context and background engage with online teaching and learning. On 5 March 2020, South Africa’s Health Minister confirmed that An evidence-based decision-making approach encouraged the first case of COVID-19 had been detected in the country the UWC leadership to rely on available evidence, analyses and and on 15 March, the President announced a national state of facts to develop university guidelines for learning, teaching and disaster, followed by various measures, including the closure of assessments during a time of crisis. The objective was to ensure schools on 18 March. On 17 March 2020, the Minister of Higher that university leadership did not take for granted the resource Education announced that universities would close until 15 April disparities that exist, not only among the student population 2020 for an early recess. At this time, the Minister also instructed but also among university academics. Evidence was gathered higher education institutions (HEIs) to begin preparations for from students and staff in two stages. First, data was collected online teaching and learning that “may need to be put in place to support the academic programme at a later stage”. Following second, later in the semester, data was collected on staff and his announcement, most universities announced their intention The collection of data at the different stages allowed UWC to on 16 April 2020. provide evidence-based plans and support to staff and students The unprecedented lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a staggered manner to ensure relevance as we were dealing resulted in universities transitioning in a rushed manner from their with the unknown. page Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic | Reflective Report 2020 3 1.3.2 Understanding students’ resource The results of this initial survey provided a basis to enable the readiness for online learning engagement university leadership to frame a business continuity response at the start of the lockdown. In particular, the evidence captured The first university survey was administered within 48 hours of informed how the academic project would be adjusted to the announcement of the national lockdown. The survey was consider the realities of the pandemic and the students’ administered online to the entire student population of the environments. The findings brought to the fore several issues university (N = 23 788). The following indicators were probed in that were pivotal to how the university organised itself during the the survey. period of lockdown. Device ownership and device capability to connect to a network 1.3.3 Understanding student and staff resource The results indicated that almost all respondents (98.8%) either needs: data and findings owned or had access to a suitable device. The majority of the students (92.9%) owned smartphones. A small minority (1.2%) information on students’ needs for data and device resources to did not own any suitable device whereas 69.6% of students adequately engage in online learning. The purpose of the Data reported owning or having regular access to a laptop, 8% a and Devices Survey was to determine the numbers of students desktop and 7% a tablet. However, 15.7% of the respondents who would need the university to provide them with laptops and indicated that their devices were not capable of connecting to data. A total of 7 699 students responded, requesting devices the internet. and/or data. Of this number, 60% were National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students. Device preference The university provided 5 691 laptops to students by mid- Although most students owned m obile phones, only 23.4% of September (28% of all students). UWC reported that all who had students preferred to use a mobile phone for online learning requested a laptop had received one by the end of September. activities. A laptop was preferred for online learning by 70.0% of Data bundles were provided to 58% of the university’s students respondents. Since 69.6% of respondents owned or had regular in the same period: 14 748 students in July, 13 544 in August and access to a laptop, the survey established that about 30% of 13 962 in September. students would face difficulties in many online learning tasks. Internet access 1.3.4 Understanding student success: data and Just over half of the students (56%) indicated having access to an findings internet connection at home. The remaining 43.9% of students On 23 October 2020, the Department of Higher Education had no access to online learning materials and platforms at and Training (DHET) presented a briefing to the parliamentary home. portfolio committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology on the steps taken towards successful completion of Affordability the 2020 academic year. In this briefing, the DHET indicated that With regard to affordable access to the internet on a daily basis, an average of 7% (ranging from 0% to 29%) of students across 51% of the students indicated that they were unable to afford the sector were reported by universities to be not fully engaged. access to the internet through their preferred devices. The DHET reported the percentage for UWC as 8%. UWC’s internal data for students’ participation in online assessment in Conducive environment the first semester confirmed that 8% did not participate online at We asked students if they had an appropriate place that was all, whereas about 22% did not participate fully in online learning. safe and relatively private and quiet in which they could engage In August 2020, the DHET commissioned a national survey in academic activities when off-campus. A total of 73.7% of students confirmed having a conducive home environment in which was a comprehensive survey of the quality of students’ which to work. engagement in online learning during the pandemic, their access Confidence to engage online to the resources required for participation in online learning as well as their levels of the technological skills and knowledge Our concern in asking this question related to whether the required to navigate e-learning.