The workshop on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) similarly attracted high attendance from across faculties (101). This increased interest in SoTL, indicates that lecturers are not only discipline orientated but are beginning to see the value of becoming reflective practitioners. SoTL aims to advance teaching excellence through praxis, promote student success, and fosters a culture of inquiry and evidence-based practice in higher education. SoTL contributes to the continuous improvement of teaching and learning experiences for educators and students. Feedback from participants is overwhelmingly positive and is reflected in the comments below: The workshop was very useful and it made me well prepared to embark on my journey as an academic. It was very informative. Content covered will assist me in conducting and preparing for my classes. Having to have strategies, planning and creating a community is important. Higher education is constantly changing which has significant implications for how students and staff learn and teach. One of the reasons for dramatic change is developments and consequent influence of technology in teaching and learning. Staff in CASD also require ongoing development to ensure that they are familiar with how technology influences pedagogical and assessment practices. To address this and to facilitate the ongoing professional development of CASD staff, the Centre piloted an interactive Plug and Play session facilitated by an educational technology postgraduate student. CASD plans to introduce more of these sessions as they are useful in facilitating engagement and reflection on theory and practice in the use of technology. Head of Department (HoD) Induction Workshop and Follow-Up Workshops Heads of academic departments play a crucial role in ensuring that the academic programme runs smoothly, yet many HODs are not prepared for this role. CASD supports HODs in this challenging leadership role through the HOD Induction and follow-up workshops. The workshops are open to all HODs who wish to develop their academic leadership skills. The aims of the workshop are to: • provide a broad overview of the role of the HOD within the department and UJ. • discuss how to lead teaching and learning within academic departments. • explain how to lead research and innovation in academic departments. The HOD induction workshop session was held in semester 1, on 28 February 2023 and was attended by 22 participants. 4 follow-up workshops were conducted, addressing the following: Leadership Presence and Empathy, Effective Communication, and Managing Department Finances. During the second semester a workshop was presented addressing the importance of policies and reporting requirements. The table below illustrates the first and second semester workshop names as well as the total number of participants. 2023 ANNUAL REPORT DIVISION FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE 57
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