Narrowing the geographical divide: a critical reflection of an accordance of the Covid-19 pandemic for collaborative professional learning and development
Date
2022
Authors
Fontaine-Rainen, Danny
De Klerk, Danie
Frade, Nelia
Ramrung, Arthi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
HELTASA (Higher Education Learning & Teaching Association of Southern Africa)
Abstract
Globally, Covid-19 has disrupted practices within higher education
forcing us to relook at how we engage, what we do and how we do
things. The pandemic has changed how we teach and how our students
learn. It has also changed the way we, as professionals working in
higher education, do our work including how we interact with each
other. While much has been taken away from our lived experiences and
daily realities because of the need to live carefully and safely for
ourselves and others, there are some very real, innovative, and genuine
accordances that Covid-19 has promoted that provide current realities
and future possibilities that are quite different from our past
experiences. In this critical reflection we explore how we – four
individuals from different universities across South Africa working
together on the Student Learning Scholarly Project (SLSP) of the Higher
Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa
(HELTASA) – are communicating, collaborating, and learning in ways
where, among other things, geography no longer matters. In spite of
our physical separation, we are able to work together in ways that
create and maintain momentum, generate a plethora of new ideas for
consideration and action, and in many ways, produce more materials
and products to enhance the student experience of higher education in
South Africa. We will consider and reflect on what this different way of
working means to us, both individually and collectively and what it
means for higher education for the now and for the future.
Description
Keywords
Professional learning, Community of practice, Collaborative engagement, Geography