3 Fellow (PDRF) programme continued to grow and flourish. Our PDRFs engaged in cutting edge research and published in sought after publication outlets. They also contributed enormously to the scholarly ethos of departments and centres through virtual conferences, presentations and co-supervision. Our PDRFs published over 60 research output units in 2021. Our international partnerships continued to flourish, and our academics continued to develop international partnerships, joint degrees, and joint short learning programmes. TEACHING AND LEARNING Vice Dean Teaching and Learning: Prof Suzy Graham The Faculty is committed to excellence in academic scholarship and technology supported teaching and learning. In 2021 we continued with mainly online teaching and learning in the Faculty. Our lecturers and tutors and peer mentors were able to build on their previous experience and offer online access and support to students in various platforms including via Blackboard Collaborate Ultra; Zoom, Teams and WhatsApp. We had an increase of 0.2% in the undergraduate success rate from 90.1% in 2020 to 90.4% in early 2022. Student feedback in 2021 revealed that learning material was easily accessible on Blackboard, the majority were satisfied with their learning experience and that the Humanities tutors supported them well. Although the dropout rate from an institutional perspective was 10.6% for 2021, 0.2% lower than the 10.8% in 2020, the percentage of student dropouts remains a concern and various initiatives including extra tutorial interventions and skills enhancement through access to a Learning Development Module on Blackboard were introduced to students at risk of dropping out in order to try to mitigate this challenge. I FELT IT IN ME | R Phohleli I felt the energy and enthusiasm in me starting to fade away While my body started shivering fearing change Not to question I didn’t have the right tools to even start thinking of adaptation I wanted to be grateful for saving my mom traveling expenses to school everyday But I couldn’t foresee beyond that I felt it in me Pressure I put on myself & of the society My family and siblings who looked up to me I could not afford to disappoint anybody Crazy how I found myself feeling something I couldn’t pin into words I felt it in me I knew I was drowning To make it worse am not a swimmer In the water there were external forces I had to battle Network, data & load shedding How do I make it to the ultimate goal of success I am contaminated by a virus that gave birth to online learning I felt it in me I heard a little voice in my head saying you asked for strength Now overcome I remembered growth has always been in my vocabulary So I overcame On the bright side I gained new siblings in the water Today I raised up the water like a queen I am Two qualifications in my hand And now I am digitized & accessorized for the future L Chetty
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