UCT Teaching and Learning Conference 2022 | Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching

The purpose of this conference is to reflect, connect and envision a socially just teaching and learning environment at UCT. It has been an extraordinary two years for teaching and learning at UCT, including the COVID-19 pandemic that called for the rapid series of shifts from emergency remote teaching to physically distanced learning and hybrid learning.

UCT’s Vision 2030 has a transformative purpose to “unleash human potential to create a fair and just society”. Critically reviewing the UCT teaching and learning landscape, along with curriculum change (transformation and decolonisation of the curriculum), curriculum renewal and reform, teaching and learning innovations and digital modes of provision, is core to transforming and supporting the systems that enable and sustain this work at UCT. Exploring challenges related to achieving UCT’s Vision 2030 and the institutional mission is alo critical.

The Teaching and Learning Conference (TLC) 2022 (to be held in person for the first time since 2019) provides an opportunity for the UCT community to connect, reflect on recent developments in teaching and learning, think beyond “emergency remote teaching” responses and take action in terms of working towards a more inclusive, socially just higher education system. This involves thinking about our teaching, learning and assessment practices, as well as how we undertake scholarship of teaching and learning going forward.

There is a general concern that higher education is moving away from traditional values that have sustained these institutions for centuries. These days universities are no longer preparing people with generic skills and civic values and virtues, instead they operate as corporate industry with predominantly economic goals and market-oriented values. This has led higher education institutions to become competitive and adopt the strategies and techniques of corporate businesses. However, the purpose of higher education should not only be about personal advancement and gratification; it should encompass a wide variety of elements including public service to society, the development of students’ social skills, empathy and commitment to civic engagement. To address social injustices that have been fuelled by past and present practices, higher education should aspire to address maldistribution of resources and economic inequality to enable access to education in an equitable way. This will be done by positioning social justice at the centre of universities’ strategic thinking. Social justice framing requires ethical action to address epistemologies that continue to dominate and to probe the construction of injustices across education systems, processes and practices. Using social justice as a visionary lens will assist us to make better decisions today that may impact the future we aspire for. The idea is to ensure that higher education is accessible, affordable, inclusive and equitable and gives every person a chance to develop to their full potential as part of the community.

Mpine Makoe | University of South Africa | qakisme@unisa.ac.za