Events and Projects

New teachers' support program

A Forum member will develop an exciting support programme for early-career teachers that adopts a reflexive and research-informed approach to classroom practice. The initiative is currently being piloted by the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship across three South African provinces. This project will be supported through dedicated grant funding.

Pedagogical resource materials development project

A Forum member will work jointly with the UNESCO Section for Global Citizenship and Peace Education to develop pedagogical resource materials. These materials will support the Colonialism and Its History in Africa project, which forms part of the second phase of the Priority Flagship Programme. The initiative aims to contribute to critical, historically grounded, and contextually relevant teaching resources that advance peace education and global citizenship through a nuanced understanding of Africa's colonial past.

Transforming STEM Teacher Education

The Transforming STEM Teacher Education in South Africa through Self-Directed Open Educational Practices (TED-SOEP) is a large, collaborative project involving multiple partners, including universities from Europe and South Africa and funded by Eramus+. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of STEM lecturers and students in teacher education programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The project's team consists of the Chair, Forum members, and two early career academics from the School of Education, who will work together with the UNESCO Chair in Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources (OER) at North West University.

School leadership mentoring project

The Chair, in collaboration with a member of the Forum, will launch a specialized Master of Education (M.Ed.) programme called the MEL Project, designed to support the development of aspiring school leaders. This two-year programme will enroll a select cohort of in-service middle managers who demonstrate a strong interest in transitioning into formal leadership roles within schools. A central feature of the programme will be a structured mentorship component, pairing early-career school leaders with experienced principals in one-on-one mentoring relationships. This mentorship model will form the basis of a longitudinal research study, aimed at documenting and analysing the developmental trajectories, challenges, and professional growth of both mentors and mentees throughout the programme. The Independent Association of Schools will fund this initiative.

Hybrid Maths knowledge for teaching project

The Hybrid Maths Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) development project, led by our valued network partner at Dublin City University, is a collaboration between Dublin City University and the South African NGO OLICO. This initiative focuses on improving mathematics teaching and learning. The project will explore the processes and outcomes associated with an innovative WhatsApp-based course on "Maths Knowledge for Teaching." This course is being tested in South Africa in conjunction with primary after-school math clubs run by teachers and youth facilitators. This initiative aligns with the mission of the Chair, which aims to enhance the pedagogical skills and content knowledge of both in-service and pre-service teachers. The project is funded by Research Ireland.

Knowledge partnership project for reading competencies

The Chair, in collaboration with our esteemed network partner, the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), is embarking on an exciting initiative aimed at enhancing teacher training in the vibrant state of Jharkhand, India. Renowned for its rich cultural heritage and significant indigenous population, Jharkhand presents unique challenges and opportunities in the field of education. This innovative teacher education program will concentrate on developing reading competencies among primary school students, fostering essential literacy skills that are vital for academic success and lifelong learning. The anticipated outcome of this initiative is the creation of a comprehensive policy brief, which will serve as a strategic guide for educational stakeholders. This initiative is generously supported by Indian grant funds.

Spring School on ‘Proximate Worlds from the South’ held in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Global South Studies, at the University of Tubingen

Prof. Ruksana Osman and Dr. Douglas Andrews were invited to participate in a Spring School on ‘Proximate Worlds from the South’ held in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Global South Studies, at the University of Tubingen. This vibrant event brought together esteemed academics from around the world, each sharing their insights on critical themes such as inclusion, social justice, and decoloniality, aimed at inspiring university postgraduate students.

The experience was truly enriching, as it provided a platform to showcase our research work in the UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education for Diversity and Development. We used the opportunity to focus on the vital role of school leadership in fostering inclusive educational environments. We delved into the intricate interplay of personal, political, and academic factors that influence the development and sustainability of inclusive teaching practices in the global South. Below are the slides we presented during this productive forum, highlighting the complexities and the transformative potential of our work.

Teacher professional development through Knotworking: facilitating transformational agency to overcome constraints to teaching in relation to disruptive events.

A successful GALA Network and UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education for Diversity and Development Conference 2023 was held at the University of Witwatersrand, April 19, 2023.

UNESCO World Teachers’ Day, 6 October 2023. The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.

Pedagogical responsiveness suggests a disposition or orientation to pedagogy that is sensitive, open and empathetic, not only to individual students or groups of students, but to wider factors in that community and context. Responsiveness is active.

Academics from Michigan State University were hosted by the UNESCO Chair at WITS University, for a fellowship seminar to enhance global understanding and to engage students in a study of race, colonization, and social inequality. These topics have special significance to both countries.

This seminar is the first of its instalments, held in collaboration between the UNESCO Chairs of the University of the Western Cape and University of Witwatersrand, Prof. Marion Keim and Prof. Ruksana Osman.

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