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7

M U T

S P I R I T

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J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 2 0

Technology (and the TLDC) to the rescue to maintain

teaching and learning

Addressing the media on 18 March 2020, MUT Vice-

Chancellor and Principal, Dr Enoch Duma Malaza,

said the institution would use technology to ensure

that teaching and learning continued despite the

COVID-19 pandemic. “To reduce the heavy reliance

on the contact mode of teaching, the University will

strengthen its use of Blackboard, which is an online

software to enhance teaching and learning,” said Dr

Malaza.

The University’s Teaching and Learning Development

Centre (TLDC) is at the coalface of this digital way of

teaching and learning, and has crafted a plan that will

be used to trainMUT academics in the delivery of online

lectures. Cebo Nyondo, E-learning and Educational

Technology Specialist at the TLDC, said the plan

was to capitalise on the current expertise available

at the University by leveraging the experience of staff

members that are already familiar with Blackboard

(one of the technologies that MUT has been using for

some time).

“In the current situation, the focus is on how the

teaching and learning activities will be moved to

an online environment, thereby implementing a

distance learning approach. The TLDC is proposing

a structure that will be followed for all courses. By

way of implementation, we will provide training to all

who require it during the recess period and will extend

this initiative even after contact sessions resume,”

said Nyondo. He said the proposed structure adopts

the “constructive alignment” approach advocated by

Professor John B. Biggs. “This will help in developing

courses that will mimic the nature of contact

sessions and thereby create an interactive learning

environment,” he concluded.

While it is true that the academic programme has been

disrupted by the early autumn break and the COVID-19

lockdown, it has also become an opportunity for

academics and administrative staff to use technology

more actively to reduce the loss of contact time.

Cebo Nyondo

“While it is true that the academic programme has been disrupted

by the early autumn break and the COVID-19 Lockdown, it has also

become an opportunity for academics and administrative staff to use

technology more actively to reduce the loss of contact time.”