Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African Council on Higher Education has allowed institutions to offer traditionally contact-mode programmes via online, blended or hybrid learning. So, earlier this year, the college was pleased to announce that all of our postgraduate modules will be available online next year. That is, postgraduate students will be able to choose between attending classes online or in person. This option extends to everyone, from those enrolled full-time to those auditing select modules.
Technically, the college will be offering what’s called a HyFlex model for all postgraduate students and courses. Distinguished from online learning, this model allows people to attend classes virtually instead of watching recordings independently. This should retain the classroom feel and involvement for those not present in person. So even though people can study towards their master’s or honours degrees without living at college, they won’t lose out on classroom participation.
The college has been working hard to ensure that the teaching, support, and technologies associated with such a program don’t merely meet the standard but are of a high quality. The Elma Kingswell room is being transformed into a digital classroom supporting this teaching and learning mode. Furthermore, we’ve conducted staff training for online teaching and curriculum design, developed student information and learning management systems, and conducted feasibility studies and strategic planning workshops.
A lot of hard work, serious planning, and prayer have made this option available for postgraduate students from 2024. Contact the college if you’d like to learn more or, even better, if you are eager to enrol for a course or module.
by Graham Heslop