Teaching & Learning
Advancing Higher Education Through Innovative Teaching and Learning
Hear from our Deputy Vice Chancellor
The Teaching and Learning portfolio is the foundation of our university’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation. As we continue to enhance the quality of education, our focus remains on fostering a dynamic and effective learning environment for both students and academic staff. Through the adoption of best teaching practices, ongoing curriculum renewal, and professional development initiatives, we aim to ensure a holistic and enriching educational experience. The recent organogram review has further strengthened our ability to adapt to the evolving landscape of higher education, bridging our rich traditions with forward-looking strategies. Together, we are shaping a future where teaching and learning remain central to our mission of academic excellence.
Professor Renuka Vithal – Deputy Vice Chancellor
About Teaching and Learning
Enhancing Teaching Skills and Student Learning
The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) was founded in 2004 to meet the ever-changing needs of higher education and ensure that the University of Fort Hare (UFH) is at the forefront of educational excellence. The Centre aims to ensure that students and staff fully benefit from the academic environment at UFH.
The TLC, a stand-alone Centre led by a director who reports to the DVC: Academic Affairs, is dedicated to supporting academics and students. It plays a crucial role in all aspects of teaching and learning and offers various initiatives, programs, and services.
The Centre has three primary focus areas: teaching development, which includes professional development for academic staff, enhancing student learning, and integrating technology into learning processes.
Transformative Learning
Strengthening Educator Success
Faculty Support
The Teaching and Learning portfolio concentrates on faculty development, recognising that well-supported academics are key to student success. It ensures comprehensive support programs aimed at professional growth and skills enhancement for academic staff at all career stages, and the portfolio facilitates faculties to be well-prepared to address contemporary academic challenges. Ongoing investments in development for all academic departments has over recent years supported the University with a more engaged, effective, and innovative teaching community, directly benefiting student learning experiences, outcomes and engagement.
Empowering Digital Transformation
Technology Integration
The portfolio is also responsible for technological integration in classrooms, equipping both academic staff and students with the tools and knowledge necessary to incorporate digital resources effectively in teaching and learning. In our changing technology-driven world, the Teaching and Learning portfolio as whole galvanizes new approaches, integrating traditional teaching with modern technology – crucial for engaging students and enhancing authentic learning experiences.
Advancing Academic Excellence
Curriculum development
The Teaching and Learning portfolio is instrumental in curriculum development, renewal and assessment strategies. Working collaboratively, the University’s six faculties design curricula that are both current and relevant, aligning academic programs with societal shifts, industry needs and global trends. By implementing effective and valid assessment techniques, the portfolio ensures that student learning outcomes are measured accurately, contributing to continuous improvement in educational offerings. This alignment of teaching, learning, curricula and assessment is essential for preparing students to thrive in their future careers and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Learning Initiatives
Facilitation of Learning
The vision of the University of Fort Hare (UFH) is that of a ‘vibrant, equitable and sustainable African university, committed to teaching and research excellence at the service of its students, scholars and wider community’. Its mission is to provide high quality education of international standards.
The current Higher Education context calls for a responsible approach to the training and development of facilitators. The traditional lack of quality and support associated with facilitator practices and systems, challenges UFH to find innovative and responsible ways in which to address such potentially negative factors in its overall aim towards quality teaching and learning.
Contact Details:
SI Coordinators
(Alice Campus)
Ms Khanyisa Mabece
+27 (0)40 602 2711
kmabece@ufh.ac.za
Tutor Training Coordinator
(Alice Campus)
Dr Florence MudehweGonhovi
+27 (0)40 602 2701
FMudehweGonhovi@ufh.ac.za
Tutor Training Coordinator
(East London Campus)
Mrs Bongo Mqukuse
+27 (0)43 704 7184
bmqukuse@ufh.ac.za
LWAP Coordinator
(Alice Campus)
Dr Florence MudehweGonhovi
+27 (0)40 602 2701
FMudehweGonhovi@ufh.ac.za
LWAP Coordinator
(East London Campus )
Ms Vuyelwa Dondolo
+27 (0)43 704 7185
vdondolo@ufh.ac.za
Curriculum Development
Curriculum is a key element in the educational process and it touches virtually everyone who is involved with teaching and learning. It is not limited to the development of knowledge about a particular area but deals directly with helping the student to develop with a broad range of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values, each of which ultimately contributes in some manner to the graduate’s employability.
The Teaching and Learning Centre supports academic staff in the systematic development and understanding of:
- Programme/Module Design
- Programme/Module Compliance
- Programme/Module Review
- Learning Guide Design
- Curriculum Development Policy
- Recurriculation
Contact:
Mrs Lulekwa Baleni
+27 (0)40 602 2701
lbaleni@ufh.ac.za
Mr Luvuyo Ndawule
+27 (0)43 704 7659
lndawule@ufh.ac.za
Language and Writing
Language & Writing Advancement is an academic development program housed in the Writing Centre within the Teaching & Learning Centre. It operates peer collaboratively in order to facilitate students’ access to academic literacy.
The Writing Centre focuses on academic writing and attempts to bring the advantages of process writing closer to students. It promotes the development of academic competencies such as critical thinking, information management and effective communication. Assistance is provided through specially trained Student Assistants who are both subject experts and competent writers in their respective fields.
- Brief Guides/ Resources/ Policies:
- Langauge and writing advancement centre
- Plagiarism policy
Contact:
Ms. Martha Chigovanyika
+ 27 (0)40 602 2707
mchigovanyika@ufh.ac.za
Mrs Noluthando Mayaphi
+27 (0)43 704 7140
nmayaphi@ufh.ac.za
Portfolio Development
Teaching is being taken more seriously and more and more higher education institutions across the world are re-examining their commitment to teaching and exploring ways to improve and reward it. In SoTL an individual academic has the personal responsibility for providing evidence of that quality in a Teaching Portfolio.
In order to measure its performance with regard the aim of providing high quality education of international standards, the university requires evidence that demonstrates excellence in teaching. The most appropriate way to collect this evidence, consisting of quantitative, qualitative and contextual data, is through a portfolio. A Teaching and Learning Portfolio enables relevant information to be synthesized into a meaningful account of teaching performance.
- Brief Guides/ Resources/ Policies:
- Creating your own professional portfolio
- UFH guide on developing a teaching portfolio
Contact:
Mrs Bongo Mqukuse
+27 (0)43 704 7184
bmqukuse@ufh.ac.za
Evaluations
Evaluations are one of the mechanisms to enable two way communication among stakeholders about the effectiveness of the course or program goals. Evaluations can be carried out using many tools ranging from oral, written or review of documents. This is important in order to inform curriculum design, student support and research.
Students should also be given an opportunity to comment on the courses they are enrolled, hence a special database of questions on course design, teaching strategies and student support is available for use by all academic staff .
The Teaching and Learning Centre also supports staff with:
Designing of Teaching and Course Evaluations
Peer Evaluations
Design of Program evaluations
Support in the implementation of the Evaluations Policy
Brief Guides/Resources/Policies:
Evaluation of Teaching and Course Policy Review
Sample Evaluation Questions
Observation Sheet Guide
Contact
Alice Campus
Dr F Mudehwe-Gonhovi
+27 (0)40 602 2701
fmudehwegonhovi@ufh.ac.za
East London Campus
Ms V Dondolo
+27 (0)43 704 7185
vdondolo@ufh.ac.za
Blackboard
Governance and Guidelines
Reporting Lines to the DVC: Teaching and Learning
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Management and Commerce
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Agriculture and Science
Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC)
Planning, Quality and Assurance
Policies
- Policy and procedures on Assessment
- Policy and procedures for the Approval of new Programmes
- Policy and procedures on Plagiarism
- Policy and procedures for amendments to Programmes and Qualifications
- Policy and procedures on Professorial Inaugural Lectures
- Policy and procedures for the Appointment of Emeritus Professors and Associate Professors
- Policy and Procedures for the Evaluation of Modules and Teaching
- Policy and Procedures for UG Academic Admissions and Selections
- Policy and Procedures on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Revised Rules for Undergraduate Qualifications
- Revised Rules for Postgraduate Diplomas, Honours, Masters; Doctoral Degrees
Have any Feedback & Suggestions?
Contact Information
Office of the DVC: Teaching and Learning
Dr. Nkosiyephana Mabaso
Executive Operations Manager (EOM): DVC Teaching and Learning
E-mail: nmabaso@ufh.ac.za
Tel: +27 43 704 7008
