Empowering 21st-century skilled teachers A holistic approach

Byron J Bunt is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. He specialises in history education and is a member of the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning (SDL). With over a decade of experience in teacher education, his research primarily focuses on cognitive education and game-based learning (GBL). He advocates for enhancing students’ creative and critical thinking skills through gamification. He has made significant contributions to history education and GBL through scholarly book chapters and articles published in prestigious academic journals. He pioneered a teaching and learning initiative using his self-developed trading card game, ‘Dogs of War’, to foster SDL skills in his history classes. Additionally, he is involved in projects that integrate open educational resources (OERs) and games to develop educational board and card games. Another notable project involved using the mobile gaming app ‘Habitica’ in an intervention where students role-played in the history classroom to cultivate habits of mind.

Eddie Kok is a lecturer at NWU, South Africa, where he teaches the Understanding the Education World (Philosophy of Education) modules and serves as the work-integrated learning (WIL) academic coordinator for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes. He holds a BA (Hons) degree in Philosophy and a Master of Education (MEd) in Special Needs Education. His research interests focus on the ethics of care in education and inclusive education.

Elize Küng is the Deputy Dean of Community Engagement and Stakeholder Relations in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She has over 20 years of experience teaching at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Her research interests focus on the role of educators in creating and maintaining successful public schools in South Africa. She is a member of the Education and Human Rights in Diversity (Edu-HRight) Research Unit. She has a long-standing passion for community engagement and recognises the important responsibility educators have towards their communities. Over the years, she has participated in various community projects and non-profit organisations outside NWU. She has presented papers at both national and international conferences and has published in accredited journals. By combining her passion for the role of educators in ensuring successful public schooling with her commitment to fostering social responsiveness in future educators, her publication focus has shifted towards the development of socially responsive pre-service teachers.

Elma Marais is an associate professor in Afrikaans for Education at NWU, South Africa. She specialises in language education, curriculum innovation and educational technology, focusing on integrating digital tools and play-based pedagogies, such as LEGO® Six Bricks®, into teacher training. She holds a PhD in Curriculum Studies from NWU and has completed additional postgraduate qualifications in Higher Education, Instructional Design and Teaching with Technology. Throughout her career, she has contributed to teacher education in various roles, including lecturer, programme leader and subject group leader. In 2023, she received the institutional award for community engagement in teaching and learning. She is an experienced researcher in educational technology, play-based learning, and teaching practice. She has led and participated in multiple funded projects that explore the use of mixed reality to facilitate language teacher training and the inclusion of manipulatives like LEGO® Six Bricks® in education. She haspublished extensively in academic journals and has supervised MEd and Doctor of PhD students in related fields. Her work continues to shape innovative teaching practices and support the professional development of future educators.

Erika Fourie earned her PhD in Risk Analysis from NWU, South Africa, in 2015. Her professional journey began in 2005 at Standard Bank, where she worked as a quantitative analyst. In 2010, she transitioned to Statistical Consulting Services at NWU as a subject specialist, contributing to numerous research projects and supervising postgraduate studies. In 2017, she expanded her academic involvement by beginning to lecture at NWU’s School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. She currently serves as a senior subject specialist and lecturer at NWU.

Erika Potgieter is deeply invested in exploring and expanding the frontiers of educational methodologies as a dedicated lecturer in Mathematics Education at NWU, South Africa. With an MEd, she focuses on the pedagogies of play to develop metacognitive awareness, a theme that continues in her PhD research at Stellenbosch University. Her work delves into post-qualitative inquiry, metacognition and ethnomathematics, showcasing her commitment to pioneering and culturally responsive teaching approaches. Her academic trajectory has been marked by a steadfast commitment to refining and reimagining Mathematics Education. This passion is evident in her publications, which include numerous scholarly articles and her latest contribution to this book. Collectively, these works underscore her expertise in integrating innovative, playful and relevant pedagogies in the field of mathematics. Her contribution to Mathematics Education emphasises a dynamic and inclusive approach to learning and research.

Erika M Serfontein is an associate professor of Law at NWU, South Africa. She is the deputy director of the School for Professional Studies in Education at NWU and is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. She earned her law degrees from the then Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) and the University of South Africa (Unisa). Additionally, she completed her MEd cum laude and her PhD at NWU under the supervision of the late Eldade Waal. Her research focuses on fundamental human rights, school governance, labour law and legal research, specifically the realisation of the rights to life and to a basic education. She is a member of the Edu-HRight Research Unit at NWU, which aims to establish itself as an internationally recognised leader in socially relevant research on social justice and human rights, as well as education in South Africa and Africa.

Florence Coertzen is a lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans for Education at NWU, South Africa. With over a decade of teaching experience, she has an impressive track record in educating students from the Intermediate to Senior Phases. She holds an MA in Humanities and is pursuing her PhD in Curriculum Studies in the field of education.

Gideon P van Tonder, an associate professor at NWU, South Africa, is renowned for his work in the self-directed professional development of teachers. He is a member of the Research Unit SDL in the Faculty of Education at NWU. He has made significant academic contributions, including numerous papers published in international education journals that focus on education management, critical thinking, metacognition and teacher professional development. Since 2015, he has authored various book chapters for publishers such as Van Schaik Publishers and AOSIS. His initiatives at NWU include projects aimed at enhancing research capabilities among staff and developing SDL skills in pre-service teachers through innovative teaching strategies. Additionally, he is deeply invested in community projects that seek to integrate entrepreneurship education across all subjects and school phases in South Africa by 2030. His excellence in teaching was recognised in 2019 when he received both the North-West University Teaching Excellence Award and the Distinguished Teaching Excellence Award across NWU’s faculties.

Hermann D Bosch is an Economics lecturer in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. With two decades of experience, he has taught Economics at both secondary and tertiary levels. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Economics and International Trade, an Honours Bachelor of Commerce (BCom (Hons)) in Economics, a Master of Commerce (MCom) in Economics, and a PGCE, all from NWU. He has co-authored a scholarly article on SDL and is conducting further research in this area. His primary research interests focus on SDL and economics teaching methods.

Janet Kruger is a lecturer and the deputy subject leader for English in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. Her work focuses on the teaching and learning of English, as well as the training of English teachers in both the Senior and Further Education and Training (FET) Phases within the context of 21st-century South Africa. She believes that modelling is the most effective way to train future teachers, equipping them not only with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world but also demonstrating that they can truly make a difference in the future of education.

Kotie Kaiser is an associate professor and the director of the School of Language Education at NWU, South Africa. Her work specifically focuses on teaching and learning English as a second language within the multilingual context of 21st-century South Africa. She believes that by instilling a passion for teaching and a culture of care in the training of future language teachers, and by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to teach effectively and remain lifelong learners in a VUCA world, we can reach the next generation in ways we have yet to imagine.

Lizelle van Schadewijk is a junior lecturer at NWU, South Africa, specialising in Accounting Education. Her passion for this field is evident in her extensive experience, which includes several years as an Accounting teacher for Grades 10–12 before joining NWU’s Faculty of Education. Committed to nurturing the next generation of Accounting educators, she shares her knowledge and experience with aspiring teachers. Her academic achievements are noteworthy: she earned her BEd (Hons) in Curriculum Studies cum laude and is advancing her expertise through her MEd studies. Her research focuses on ‘Practical guidelines for implementing problem-based learning to foster self-directed learning characteristics in pre-service Accounting teachers’. She has co-authored an article and contributed to a chapter in an AOSIS book. She is actively involved in research, professional development and various academic initiatives, demonstrating her commitment to staying updated on key educational trends. Her multifaceted involvement in the academic community highlights her ongoing dedication to scholarly growth and ethical considerations in education.

Magda Kloppers completed her Bachelor of Science (BSc), PGCE and BEd (Hons), MA and PhD degrees at NWU, South Africa. With 20 years of teaching experience in the secondary education sector, Kloppers has gained valuable skills and knowledge that she now applies as a senior lecturer in professional teacher education. She taught Mathematics, Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Computer Typing at school level before joining NWU in 2006. She serves as an associate professor and deputy school director of the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education at NWU. She is a member of the Research Unit SDL and has presented papers at various national and international conferences. She is also a member of the Institute for the Advancement of Cognitive Education and a lifelong member of the Institute for the Advancement of Vedic Mathematics. She has published articles in both national and international journals and is recognised by her academic peers at other higher education institutions as an expert in critical thinking, critical thinking dispositions, SDL and mathematics. She is working on several research projects approved by the Research Unit SDL and the Research Office of Education. Additionally, she has supervised several postgraduate students.

Mariëtte Koen is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She began her career as a remedial and Foundation Phase teacher before obtaining a professional qualification as an educational psychologist. For ten years, she served as an Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) lecturer in Life Skills Education at the University of the Free State (UFS). She is the acting director of the Research Focus Area Community-Based Educational Research (COMBER), with her research focusing on teaching, learning and community-based research in ECDE.

Mathai C Monyakane is a member of Golden Key, a PhD candidate and a Sesotho nGAP lecturer in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She holds a BA degree in African Languages and Development Studies from the National University of Lesotho, along with a PGCE, and both BA (Hons) and MA degrees from UFS. She has five years of experience as a Sesotho secondary school teacher at Oziel Selele Comprehensive School and is a former Sesotho lecturer at UFS. Her research interests focus on pragmatics in Sesotho, and she is exploring evaluative language through appraisal theory. In 2023, she published one article and has attended nine conferences, including the African Language Association of Southern Africa (ALASA) conference, as well as various teaching and learning conferences.

Nicolaas van Deventer is a lecturer in History for Education within the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa, and a member of the Research Unit SDL. He has achieved academic distinction at NWU, earning an MEd in Curriculum Studies, a BEd (Hons) in Curriculum Studies, and a BEd in both the Senior and FET Phases. His research primarily focuses on SDL and historical thinking. He has contributed to the academic community by co-authoring several articles and book chapters centred on SDL. Additionally, he plays a key role in various research initiatives aimed at developing SDL skills among pre-service teachers, employing innovative and effective teaching strategies.

Rochelle Marais-Botha is a lecturer in Afrikaans for Education in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She obtained her MA degree in 2013, with research that explored migration and displacement in literary works, focusing specifically on gender perspectives in her thesis, ‘Migrasie en verplasing in Anderkant die stilte (André P. Brink), De reis van de legeflessen (Kader Abdolah) en Idil, een meisje (Tasmine Allas): ’n Genderbeskouing’. In 2021, she earned her PhD with a comprehensive study titled ‘Die representasie van die Anglo-Boereoorlog in Afrikaanseromans en rolprente na 2002’. With a decade of rich academic experience, she actively engages with undergraduate and postgraduate students and serves as a study leader for various postgraduate programmes. Herscholarly pursuits are complemented by her interest in leveraging technology to enhance the teaching and learning of Afrikaans, demonstrating her commitment to innovative educational methodologies.

Rhelda Krügel, who retired in 2022, was the deputy director of the School of Language Education at NWU, South Africa. She has always been passionate about teaching and learning English, as well as training English teachers in both the Senior and FET Phases. She obtained her BA degree and Higher Education (HEd) diploma from UFS. She later earned a BEd (Hons), an Med and a PhD from NWU. With 35 years of experience in academia, she has worked with both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Skyler Pedro is a lecturer in ECDE in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She began her career as a Foundation Phase teacher, which she did for seven years. She lectures on undergraduate modules focused on teaching English as a home language and she assists with postgraduate supervision, with research interests in language, literacy, literature and language assessment. She also serves as the subject group leader for ECDE and has completed her MEd, focusing on reading instruction in Grade 1.

Stef Esterhuizen is an associate professor in ECDE in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. She teaches undergraduate students and mentors postgraduate students as a supervisor and promoter. Actively engaged in community-based research, she focuses on fostering young children’s holistic development through play-based learning. She leads a play-based project that is set to expand across two provinces in South Africa in 2025. Her research interests centre on equipping prospective teachers with effective teaching and learning strategies to support children’s holistic development from birth to nine years through play-based learning. she is committed to the belief that all children can reach their full potential through well-designed early instruction that nurtures their overall growth within a play-based learning framework.

Viné Petzer is an Accounting lecturer at NWU, South Africa, where she also leads the Economics and Management Sciences subject group in the School for Commerce and Social Studies. Her educational journey began with a BCom degree in 1996 and an HEd diploma in 1997 from the then Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. She enhanced her qualifications by earning a BEd (Hons) in 2007, an MEd in Teaching and Learning in 2010, and a PhD in 2019, all from NWU. With a combined experience of nineteen years in higher education and eight years of teaching in both the Senior and FET Phases, she specialises in Accounting. Her research focuses on improving teaching and learning strategies in Accounting education, with the goal of fostering cognitive development in both learners and aspiring teachers.

Yolanda V Fourie is an English teacher at The Matthew Arnold School in Staines, England. Before relocating to the United Kingdom (UK), she was a junior lecturer in English education in the Faculty of Education at NWU, South Africa. Her primary responsibilities included mentoring and lecturing BEd students in the Intermediate Phase through contact learning. Her research interests encompassed SDL, multimodal learning and language learning.