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Contact: Bheki Hlophe – 082 4321805
Global education leaders convene in Durban to address the “Magic and Mess” of classroom technology
The seventh annual Teaching with Technology Summit officially commenced today (26 March 2026), at the International Convention Centre (ICC), bringing together a prestigious cohort of international and local academics to redefine the role of digital tools in the modern classroom.
Opening the summit, Dr Manyane Makua, Senior Director: Learning and Teaching Development Centre (LTDC), delivered an address which balanced the high-tech potential of the future with the grounded realities of the South African educational context. Addressing a capacity audience of educators who travelled from across most South Africa’s higher education institutions, and beyond, Dr Makua emphasized that the 2026 theme — Designing learning that works: technology, e-Pedagogy and the pursuit of student success, is centred on human connection rather than digital trends.
“It is about doing what we have always done: helping students think, question, connect, and grow,” Dr Makua stated. “Only now, we have got tools that can scale that magic, or mess it up, if we’re not careful.”
The opening address specifically highlighted the unique challenges faced by South African institutions, including the “myriad of challenges” present in local lecture rooms. Dr Makua framed these hurdles as part of a global dialogue on:
- Bridging the Digital Divide: Ensuring technology acts as an equalizer rather than a barrier.
- The AI Revolution: Maintaining academic integrity and teaching ethics in an era where AI can generate content instantly.
- Student Engagement: Combating shrinking attention spans through active, dialogue-based learning.
International Keynote: Professor Diana Laurillard
The summit is headlined by Professor Diana Laurillard from the United Kingdom, a world-leading expert in educational technology and the creator of the Conversational Framework. Dr. Makua expressed the collective excitement of the delegation in hosting Professor Laurillard, noting that her work proves “screens do not replace people; they amplify them, if we design right.” Her framework, which prioritises teacher-student and student-machine dialogue, serves as the pedagogical backbone for the summit’s workshops and discussions.
A call for active participation
The two-day event, running from 26–27 March 2026, serves as a collaborative “newsroom” for educational strategy, where failures and successes are shared with equal transparency. Dr Makua closed his address with a call to action for all delegates to “speak up” and ensure the outcomes of the summit are both practical and transformative for their home institutions.
“Let’s make this useful,” said Dr. Makua. “Let’s make it ours.”
About the Teaching with Technology Summit: Now in its seventh year, the Teaching with Technology Summit is a premier forum for higher education professionals to explore the intersection of pedagogy and digital innovation, with a specific focus on the African context.
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Bheki Hlophe
Media Relations and Publications Officer