A Focus on Pedagogy

Abstract

Session Chair: Anika van Aswegen

Speakers: Johan Swart; Jan Hugo; Ida Breed; Carin Combrink

While the coronavirus has changed many aspects of teaching and learning practices in recent times, many of the issues we face and deal with daily as educators remain the same. Issues of deep learning and engaged scholarship are just two examples that are important at the University of Pretoria. These issues reflect our interest in the role of external stakeholders in educational projects, and complex site and human conditions that often require interaction with unframed scenarios. They are premised on our argument that the changing world, and our shifting living patterns, directly influence how we integrate teaching-learning-research as a connected experience, whether dealing with a pandemic or not.

In addition, we are interested in human-centred approaches, collaborative learning and participatory practices in educational projects seen as interdisciplinary and multi-scalar endeavours. We will discuss education as situated in place and consider creative, cultural, social, environmental and historical lenses for exploration. Themes of interest are diverse and include: identity formation and empathy, human and sustainable ecologies, memory and practice, cultural, heritage & archival practice, co-creation & community, & more.

Sitting alongside these interests are concerns with practical problems facing South Africa and multiple other places across the world: sustainability and climate adaptation, resilience and regenerative design, flexible design, climate responsive technologies, biodiversity and ecological thinking. Together, these themes encapsulate the research, practice and teaching ethos of the creative practice at the University of Pretoria and its eco-systemic approach.