Venue: DUT conference centre, Block E&V, Ritson Campus, Durban University of Technology,
Winterton Walk
29.8518° S, 31.0078° E
Transport for delegates who have indicated they require such to and from the workshops will leave the Maharani Hotel at 08.00 sharp
08:00 to 08:55 – Registration and Early-morning tea/coffee
Venue: DUT conference centre, Block E&V, Ritson Campus, Durban University of Technology, Winterton Walk
Facilitator: Dr John Choonoo, Director Office of Institutional Research and Program Assessment, City University of New York
This workshop provides a method for assessment of administrative student services that include programs and interventions developed by various administrative areas such as academic counselling and advisement, admissions, registrar, student government, food services, residence life, tutoring services, career development, teaching and learning centre, athletics, student clubs, financial support services, and community-based projects. A Logic Model is a simple but useful framework for assessment of programs, interventions and student support services developed by various administrative areas to improve student learning outcomes. This framework relates mission, activities/processes and, operations to intended outcomes through words, pictures, flowcharts, and/or maps. Arrows are used to match activities/processes and operations to specific outcomes.
Learning Objectives
Planned Activities
Target Audience
Requirement
08:00 to 08:55 – Registration and Early-morning tea/coffee
Venue: DUT conference centre, Block E&V, Ritson Campus, Durban University of Technology, Winterton Walk
Facilitator: Angel Calderon, Principal Advisor Planning and Research at RMIT University, Australia
This workshop is designed to provide participants with the essentials for an effective practice of institutional research and planning (IRP) in a rapidly changing higher education landscape. Participants will be guided through the fundamentals of IRP, what it means to be a professional in this field as well as discussing best practices. Central to the workshop is the critical role IRP professionals play in decision making, how their contributions align to the institution strategic directions and how their input can be catalyst for institutional change.
Objectives:
Target audience: Early career professional staff from institutional planning, strategy, information management and related areas
08:00 to 08:55 – Registration and Early-morning tea/coffee
Venue: DUT conference centre, Block E&V, Ritson Campus, Durban University of Technology, Winterton Walk
Facilitator: Dr Jan Lyddon, Achieve the Dream/Siyaphumelela Data Coach
IR professionals are often focused on providing the data, giving some assistance with interpretation, and that’s the end of it. Or is it? Taking a look at data in different ways and shining a bright spotlight on critical trends can – and has – served as a significant disruptive force. The most prominent example is looking at student success rates through the full spectrum of the students’ life cycles in postsecondary education. Before 2004 in the US, this was given scant attention except for sending a mandatory graduation rate survey (GRS) to the federal government. Since 2004, however, more and more higher education institutions are relying on their institutional researchers to help them understand and make use of student success data. Initially these data were easy for institutional leaders to overlook, or even actively ignore. Through persistent reminders of the implications, IR personnel helped top leadership shift their attention from access to both access and success.
IIE as a disruptor for IR: But there is more. Bringing coherence to many parts of the institution is a new role that many are stepping up to. Described as integrated institutional effectiveness (IIE), this chief coherence officer role is plowing new ground in bringing forth and making use of a variety of forms of evidence to help institutions live out their missions and roles. It challenges us to bring together under one umbrella functions such as planning, learning outcomes measures, continuous improvement (program review), stakeholder communications/compliance, and various forms of IR. This disrupter aspect of work opens up new challenges to improve our skills and perspectives, but also contributes greater benefits to institutions.
Learning outcomes:
Target audience: Institutional researchers
Session |
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08:00 - 08:45 Registration and Early-morning tea/coffee |
Session 1 Session 1 - Conference Chair: Nicky Muller |
Session 1.1 08:45 - 08:55 Welcome by SAAIR President Dr Juan-Claude Lemmens |
Session 1.2 08:55 - 09:15 Welcome on behalf of Vice-Chancellor and Principal DUT Professor Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement |
Session 2 Session 2 - Chairperson: Prof Jan Botha |
Session 2.1 09:15 - 10:00 Keynote address - Institutional Research at the crossroads: the impact of technology and global forces on the profession - Angel Calderon, RMIT, Australia abstract presentation |
10:00 - 10:30 Mid-morning tea/coffee |
Session 3 Session 3 - Chair: Ntsundeni Mapatagane |
Session 3.1 10:30 - 11:00 The Institutional Needs Hierarchy: a heuristic for information needs prioritisation - L Archer (UWC) abstract |
Session 3.2 11:05 - 11:35 The interface between learning analytics, IR and pedagogy in designing effective interventions - A Fynn (Unisa) abstract |
Session 3.3 11:40 - 12:10 Responding to his/her master's voice: a tale of two cities - P Prinsloo (Unisa), O Nthebolang (HRDC, Botswana) abstract |
Session 3.4 12:15 - 12:45 Why decolonising the South African university curriculum will fail - S Vandeyar (UP) abstract |
Session 3.5 12:50 - 13:20 Historical and theoretical perspectives on higher education research (HER), institutional research (IR) and research uptake - J Botha (SU), R Hwami (RU) abstract |
13:20 - 14:00 Lunch |
Session 4 Session 4 - Chair: Ntsundeni Mapatagane |
Session 4.1 14:00 - 14:30 A collaborative framework for data-sculpting student information and predicting success - R Rawatlal, UKZN |
Session 4.2 14:35 - 15:05 Responding to the absent voices and participation of students in the quality assurance (QA) process – M Sutherland (SU) abstract |
Session 4.3 15:10 - 15:40 Democratising the learning space: the use of games to teach economics - J Davis (DUT) abstract |
Session 4.4 15:45 - 16:15 IR Research uptake in a comprehensive university: The case of the University of Johannesburg - H Visser (Unisa), T Moyo (DHET) abstract |
16:15 - 17:00 Afternoon tea/coffee |
17:00 Your evening is free to explore what Durban offers you |
Session |
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10:00 - 10:30 Mid-morning tea/coffee |
Session 3 Session 3 - Chair: Lefuno Netshifhefhe |
Session 3.6 10:30 - 11:00 Students Psychological Grit: So, does it hold promise for South African ODeL institutions? - KA Young (Unisa) abstract |
Session 3.7 11:05 - 11:35 You can't solve a problem until you ask the right question: all-inclusive ownership is therefore key! - R Plaatjes, C Mapaling (NMU) abstract |
Session 3.8 11:40 - 12:10 How might diagnostic assessments be used to support teaching and learning in higher education? - D Mutakwa, R Prince (UCT) abstract |
Session 3.9 12:00 - 12:30 Institutional resources that promote self-directed learning at a University of Technology in Durban – B Daweti (DUT) abstract |
Session 3.10 12:50 - 13:20 Understanding and supporting First Year students - R Govender, S Bala (DUT) abstract |
13:20 - 14:00 Lunch |
Session 4.5 14:00 - 16:15 Mini-Workshop - An approach to internal programme reviews - Facilitators I Pretorius, M Vongo (UJ) Since the implementation of QA in 2000, the focus has been on the scrutiny of the quality of programmes, as expressed either in the HEQC Accreditation or in the National Review Criteria. Internal programme reviews at HEIs have tended to mirror these processes, for example, in the use of external peer reviewers, the application of criteria, and the inspectorial approach. After 20 years of existence, every QA unit has to re-examine itself and position itself in relation to changes within the institution and responses to the external environment. The Centre for Academic Planning and Quality Promotion at UJ has identified several areas in which the academic teams require guided assistance, these are: curriculum, modules, teaching and learning considerations, and assessment. We propose a new model of programme review which adopts a benevolent and developmental approach as opposed to an approach designed to ‘catch out’ or ‘inspect’ programme delivery issues. |
16:15 - 17:00 Afternoon tea/coffee |
17:00 Your evening is free to explore what Durban offers you |
Session |
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10:00 - 10:30 Mid-morning tea/coffee |
Session 3.11 10:30 - 13:20 Training - AI and Machine Learning for Humans - Facilitator Innocent Mamvura (Wits) Maximum number of participants: 20 Own laptops required Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning are transforming the higher education space through disruptive innovations such as adaptive learning, automated student support systems, virtual classroom reality, block chain and many more. This training introduces delegates to business requirement gathering, data preparation, modelling, evaluation and deployment of machine learning models. Delegates will learn the difference between supervised and unsupervised learning techniques such as cluster analysis and neural networks. |
13:20 - 14:00 Lunch |
Session 3.11 14:00 - 16:15 Training continued - Facilitator Innocent Mamvura (Wits) Maximum number of participants: 20 Own laptops required abstract Learning Outcomes: Participants should be able to: Explain the concepts of machine learning; Have an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of machine learning techniques; Design and implement various machine learning algorithms in a range of real-world applications Definitions • Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. • Machine Learning is the science of getting computers to learn and act like humans do, and improve their learning over time in autonomous fashion, by feeding them data and information in the form of observations and real-world interactions. |
16:15 - 17:00 Afternoon tea/coffee |
17:00 Your evening is free to explore what Durban offers you |
Session |
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08:15 - 08:45 Early-morning tea/coffee |
Session 5 Plenary Session - Chair Ms Juanita Frans |
Session 5.1 08:45 - 09:30 Keynote address: Ms Thandi Lewin, Chief Director: Institutional Governance and Management Support for University Education, Department of Higher Education and Training - Policy Directions: implications for institutional research in public universities |
Session 5.2 09:30 - 10:30 Panel discussion - Reflections on privacy legislation as a disruptor in SAHE sector – J Toi, J Naidoo (US), E de Stadler (Novation consulting) Dr Brett van Niekerk, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Trishana Ramluckan, University of KwaZulu-Natal abstract |
10:30 - 11:00 Mid-Morning Tea/Coffee |
11:00 - 11:15 Conference photograph |
Session 6 11:15 - 13:15 Annual General Meeting |
Session 6 12:15 - 12:45 Elections – introduction of nominees; voting |
Session 6 12:45 - 13:15 Introduction of Scholars / Announcement of election results |
13:15 - 14:15 Lunch |
Session 7 Session 7 - Chair: Liile Lekena |
Session 7.1 14:15 - 16:30 University ranking systems - A Calderon (RMIT, Australia) abstract University rankings have become an integral feature in management regimes for many universities globally. Considering their critical role in shaping policy and practice in higher education, this session seeks to provide in a synthetised and structured way, the critical elements required for participation in university rankings, whether these are national, regional or global in scope and orientation. From this perspective, this session seeks to address the main strategies required to improve quality, standing and international competitiveness of institutions as well as how and why university rankings have gained legitimacy and have become proxy instruments that distils the impact, effectiveness quality and standing of an institution. This will focus on the major ranking schemas and those of relevance to Southern Africa, including QS, Scimago, Webometrics and U-Multirank |
16:30 - 16:45 Afternoon tea/coffee |
18:00 - 22:00 Nautical themed dinner Ocean Breeze, Elangeni Hotel - Come dressed appropriately! |
Session |
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13:15 - 14:15 Lunch |
Session 7 Session 7 - Chair: Koo Parker |
Session 7.2 14:15 - 14:45 Research uptake in support of national higher education policies and programme: the case of South African Higher Education with specific reference to the Council on Higher Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training – H Visser (Unisa), T Moyo (DHET) abstract |
Session 7.3 14:50 - 15:20 A systematic review of research on women staff at higher education institutions in South Africa, 2006-2018 – H Prozesky, A Mlitwa (US) abstract |
Session 7.4 15:25 - 15:55 Size and shape of Universities of Technology in South Africa – R Subbaye, J van Koller (MUT) abstract |
Session 7.5 16:00 - 16:30 A funding contribution analysis of research and instruction staff at public universities in South Africa based on institutional type – R Nnadozie (RU) abstract |
16:30 - 16:45 Afternoon tea/coffee |
18:00 - 22:00 Nautical themed dinner Ocean Breeze, Elangeni Hotel - Come dressed appropriately! |
Session |
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13:15 - 14:15 Lunch |
Session 7 Session 7 - Chair: Rajan Naicker |
Session 7.6 14:15 - 14:45 Leveraging unstructured data in Higher Education – I Mamvura (Wits) abstract |
Session 7.7 14:50 - 15:20 Investigating the relationship between NSC subjects and academic success at University first year – P Masemola, N Lepota (Umalusi) abstract |
Session 7.8 15:25 - 15:55 Student throughput analysis using “What if” scenarios from a Bayesian Network – B Ntshabele (UP), F Ndluli (Wits) abstract |
Session 7.9 16:00 - 16:30 Towards an institutional strategy for the use of technology in teaching and learning: lessons learned in turbulent times – A Meintjes (UFS) abstract |
16:30 - 16:45 Afternoon tea/coffee |
18:00 - 22:00 Nautical themed dinner Ocean Breeze, Elangeni Hotel - Come dressed appropriately! |
Session |
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08:00 - 08:40 Early-morning tea/coffee |
Session 8 Plenary Session - Chairperson: Dr Liz Archer |
Session 8.1 08:45 - 09:30 Keynote address: Public Universities and the Quest for Relevance in the Face of Digital Disruption Neil Butcher, OER Africa abstract |
Session 8.2 09:30-10:00 Sponsors presentations |
Session 9 Session 9 - Chair: Fezile Mdluli |
Session 9.1 10:00-10:30 Intentionality on student success and its interventions: the case of uptake at two higher education institutions – JC Lemmens, B Ntshabele (UP) abstract |
Session 9.2 10:35 – 11:05 The role of institutional researchers as change agents in designing universities for student success: lessons from the student engagement and Siyaphumelela projects – F Strydom, S Loots (UFS) abstract |
Session 9.3 11:10 – 11:40 The Perfect Storm: Student disruptions in South African universities - N Mapatagane (Unizulu), N Muller (DUT) abstract |
11:40 - 12:00 Morning tea/coffee |
Session 10 Session 10 - Chair: Lefuno Netshifhefhe |
Session 10.1 12:00 – 12:30 Who's afraid of the big bad GDPR – E Archer, E Booi (UWC) abstract |
Session 10.2 12:35 – 13:05 A bibliometric study of Higher Education Research (HER) and Institutional Research in Higher Education (IR) in South Africa - J Botha, H Prozesky, H Redelinghuys (SU) abstract |
Session 11 12:15 - 12:45 Session 11 - Conference closure |
13:05 - 14:00 Lunch and departure |
Session |
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Session 9 Session 9 - Chair: Esther Joubert |
Session 9.4 10:00 - 11:40 Ten Minute Pitch World Café style 9.4.1 Impact of Big Data on the University of South Africa Business Intelligence Analytics abstract 9.4.2 An outline of Institutional Research (IR) challenges abstract 9.4.3 Enhancing policy implementation through the use of knowledge to action framework abstract 9.4.4 Modelling student unrests for Institutional Research abstract 9.4.5 Shifting the paradigm: the human factor perspective of institutional research in South Africa abstract 9.4.6 Higher Education Research [uptake] as violence abstract |
11:40 - 12:00 Morning tea/coffee |
Session 10 Session 10 - Chair: Mxolisi Masango |
Session 10.3 12:00 – 12:30 First-year students' expectations about tertiary education - an analysis of the 2017 Beginning University Survey of Student Engagement at DUT – K Parker (DUT) abstract |
Session 10.4 12:35 – 13:05 Wide-lens angle: international postgraduate students' constructions of academic support in a selected South African university – P Nwokedi abstract |
Session |
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Session 9 Session 9 - Chair: Mxolisi Masango |
Session 9.5 10:00 - 10:30 A window to teachers' ICT practices: discerning between pedagogy and teaching – T Vandeyar (UP) abstract |
Session 9.6 10:35 - 11:05 IR Graduate Destination Survey (GDS) at UNIZULU - P Mbatha, H Janse van Vuuren (Unizulu) abstract |
Session 9.7 11:10 - 11:40 Access and Success of Students in Extended Programmes – S Joubert (NWU) abstract |
11:40 - 12:00 Morning tea/coffee |
Session 10 Session 10 - Chair: Fezile Mdluli |
Session 10.5 12:00 – 12:30 Using the unsupervised machine learning approach to identify first year students at risk of dropping out : K-means Clustering - B Ntshabele abstract |
Session 10.6 12:35 – 13:05 Technology: solution to quality rural university education – C Uleanya, B Gamede (Unizulu) abstract |