Welcoming Post: Course Introduction

Dear participant

Welcome to the CHECET 2013 course!  We are looking forward to meeting all of you and to learn from each other in the following weeks.

Let's begin by giving you a quick overview of the course and what to expect in the following few weeks:

The course will provide a unique opportunity for academics from the HEIs in the Western Cape to come together in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere to learn, discuss and benefit from the valuable experiences of peers and expert facilitators from the four institutions in our region regarding the use of technologies for improved teaching and learning in Higher Education.

This short course will give you an experience of how technologies can be used to enhance your own teaching and learning in higher education.  In the course, you will have the opportunity to analyse your current context in relation to pedagogic problems, your students' learning needs and current available technologies.

You will then have the opportunity to design and develop a small-scale learning activity using at least one technology tool suitable to the context in which you work, and formatively evaluate this learning activity with one peer and/or a student(s) of your choice.  In the last session you will present this learning activity in the form of a case study to the course participants and the facilitators.

How would you benefit by participating in this short course?

• Deepening your learning about using emerging technologies in higher education learning and teaching
• Enhancing your knowledge of your context, available technologies and your students' needs as a helpful resource in higher education
• Reducing isolation and creating community across boundaries of discipline and institution
• Learning more about designing and developing a technology-enhanced activity for your own context
• Reflecting on and evaluating your learning experience.