Download the Annual report 2011 - Unisa

Teaching and learning
Teaching and learning is the core business of Unisa and
all seven strategic goals of the university are apposite.
However, particular emphasis must be placed on Goal
1: Revitalise teaching and learning and Goal 4: Position
Unisa as a leading ODL institution. It is these two goals
that formed the backbone of the academic imperatives
in 2011 and should be read into all the initiatives highlighted
in the Report of the Senate on teaching and
learning.
Policy review
During 2011, the Academic Portfolio engaged in a number
of processes that led to the review and approval of
teaching and learning policies, guidelines and procedures
of the institution. The Admissions Policy was amended
in March 2011 through the introduction of new generic
admission requirements for the undergraduate diplomas
and degrees. In line with Unisa’s character as an ODL institution,
Senate accepted the principle that all students
who meet the basic statutory requirements will be admitted
to Unisa (access), but also accepted that additional
requirements may be set (success). Students who
do not meet these additional requirements will be provided
with alternative pathways or opportunities to gain
admission or may be placed on extended programmes,
ensuring both access and success. Based on this principle,
Senate approved an achievement rating of 4 (50%)
in the NSC (or NCV) as additional generic admission requirement
for the undergraduate diplomas and bachelor’s
degrees.
There was a focus on ensuring the comprehensiveness
of the institution, and the Wor- Integrated Learning Policy
was therefore reviewed and replaced with the more
widely encompassing Policy on Experiential Learning, approved
by Senate in June 2011. The university expresses
its comprehensive nature by including experiential learning
components in some of its qualifications. Experiential
learning at Unisa includes work-integrated learning and
simulated work experience. The policy supplements the
Tuition Policy and aims to provide guidelines for standards
and procedures for experiential learning at the university.
The curriculum development policy implementation plan
was approved by Senate in May 2011. This plan provides
for roundtable discussion to which all departments will
be invited, the integration of the policy in the development
of study material and the implementation of a due
diligence form to ensure that all processes were followed.
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As part of its contribution to the development of a national
distance education policy, the university developed
a Policy on Open Distance Learning (ODL) Pedagogy,
which was approved by Senate in October 2011. The
ODL pedagogy policy is a first for the university, as no
other such formulations have been made in the past.
The main aim of this policy is to provide a shared and
agreed-upon broad framework for teaching and learning
in an ODL context.
Senate amended the criteria for the Excellence in Tuition
awards in August 2011 to be aligned with ODL practices
and to facilitate the evaluation of the applications.
Social media guidelines were approved by the then Senate
Tuition and Learner Support Committee in January
2011. These were developed to provide guidance in the
use of social media in communication between Unisa
employees and students. The purpose of the guidelines
is to protect the university’s corporate data and information
and the privacy of employees and students of
the university.
Evolving university culture
The Academic Portfolio continually reflects on its operations
and functions to ensure renewal. The Senate
Teaching and Learning Committee (STLC) was created
from the erstwhile Senate Tuition and Learner Support
Committee to ensure that all aspects of teaching and
learning receive attention, including student support, and
its terms of reference were approved by Senate in October
2011. The Framework and Strategy for Enhancing
Student Success, Retention, Graduation and Satisfaction
at Unisa, approved by Senate in June 2011, is widely acknowledged
as innovative, cutting-edge and appropriate
to its context. Considerable progress was made in 2011
in terms of the implementation of the framework. The
transformation of Unisa into a recognised ODL institution
gained momentum in 2011 with the implementation
of the ODL Policy plan, and to give all members of
Senate an opportunity to engage on ODL matters, a
special Senate meeting was scheduled in May 2011. A
very successful teaching and learning festival was held in
September 2011 to celebrate Unisa’s achievements in
ODL. The festival drew on work undertaken by a number
of ODL practitioners internationally and on best
practice by local academics.
New developments
The institution is poised to embrace ICTs in its operations
and in facilitating relevant learning and support to
students in the 21st century. Unisa’s commitment to the