Scaffolding work-integrated learning excursions

Ann Haley MacKenzie is an associate professor of Science Education at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). MacKenzie is an award-winning educator and researcher. She earned her doctoral degree (PhD) in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Cincinnati and her bachelor’s degree (BA) in Biology and Biology Education at Purdue University. She was the editor of The American Biology Teacher and is currently the editor of The Science Teacher. MacKenzie is an extraordinary professor at North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, in the Research Unit of Self-Directed Learning and worked with the University of Johannesburg in the Science and Mathematics department. She currently serves on the Advisory Alumni Board for the College of Sciences at Purdue University, Indiana, United States of America (USA). Her areas of research focus on self-directed learning (SDL), the perceptions of teachers in engaging learners who experience chronic trauma, the use of AI by pre-service teachers in creating innovative inquiry-based lessons and exemplary teaching practices. MacKenzie is involved in research focusing on the indigenous Myaamia people for whom her university is named.

Annah Ndlovu Nkomo is a dynamic postdoctoral research fellow at North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa, in the Research Focus Area Community-Based Educational Research (COMBER). Nkomo showcases expertise in research methodology (precisely body mapping and photo-voice), data analysis and scholarly writing. With a research focus on inclusive education, cultural diversity and positive teacher–learner relations, she has presented mould-breaking research at international conferences. As a part-time lecturer, she has successfully taught and mentored diverse groups of students, achieving remarkable distinctions. Nkomo’s commitment extends to various ongoing research projects and contributing book chapters in various academic publications emphasising inclusive classroom practices, cultural awareness and research methodology. She also brings a wealth of experience to her multifaceted role in academia stemming from her rich history as a visionary school principal, teacher and educational leader.

Annerie Kruger is a lecturer in Movement Education at the Faculty of Education, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. Kruger has worked in the field of teacher education over the past 15 years. She is a member of South African Physical Education Association (SAPEA). Her subject speciality is physical education, and her research interest focuses on online or distance physical education teacher education. She is working towards obtaining her PhD in Movement Education, provisionally titled: ‘A “best-practice” model for Physical Education teacher training in distance education mode’. Kruger was engaged in the training programme for work-integrated learning aimed at first-year students, encompassing both those attending physical contact sessions and those pursuing their education remotely. Her expressed interest in the work-integrated learning (WIL) programme is to gain involvement in forthcoming research and planning initiatives.

Corlia Twine is a lecturer in the School of Psycho-Social Education within the Faculty of Education at North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Twine earned her PhD in 2018, specialising in Learner Support, marking the onset of a career marked by a profound commitment to education. Her passion for education goes beyond the classroom. She is a member of the Education and Human Rights in Diversity (Edu-HRight) Research Unit. Her academic journey has led her to develop and contribute to the body of knowledge, with a strong emphasis on the themes of aggression and violence, cultural agility and the creation of inclusive student cultures imbued with a human rights perspective. Twine’s work has made an impact, as evidenced by her numerous publications in international and national journals. Her expertise extends to contributing to book chapters in AOSIS publications and collaborating on various research projects. In addition to her research contributions, Twine is known for her active involvement in the supervision of postgraduate students, guiding and nurturing the next generation of scholars. She is also enthusiastic about forging new international collaborations, as she is currently engaged in a project focused on inclusive and intercultural education.

Gontse G Mokwatsi is a researcher in the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) in the Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Within HART, Mokwatsi’s main research focus is the early development of hypertension and blood pressure monitoring for the control of hypertension. She is also a senior lecturer within the Department of Physiology with teaching and learning responsibilities at first, third and Honours (Hons) year levels. She also has an interest in student development and support to assist first students to transition into university life (academically and socially). Fulfilling this role, Mokwatsi is part of a first-year WIL project, which uses online excursions for students to focus on self-development, leadership, problem-solving and professional identity. She has published articles (as first or co-author) in international peer-reviewed journals and is also a supervisor for postgraduate students (Hons, MSc and PhD).

Gordon Keabetswe Sekano is a senior lecturer in Mathematics at the Faculty of Education, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa. Sekano has worked in the field of teacher education for the past seven years. He completed his PhD in Mathematics Education, and his main research focuses on integrating technology in teaching and learning, teacher professional development, cooperative learning and SDL. He is also an executive member of the UNESCO Chair on Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources (MLOERs). He has published on national and international levels, and he acts as a postgraduate student supervisor.

Hendrik du Plessis is a dedicated educator who has a real passion for teaching. During his studies, Du Plessis immersed himself in various teaching methodologies, emphasising inclusive and interactive learning environments. He embarked on his teaching journey as an Accounting and Business Studies teacher in 2001 in South Africa and continued his teaching career in 2002 in the United Kingdom, where he obtained his Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through the University of East London, London, United Kingdom. His commitment to fostering a nurturing and engaging classroom environment became evident as he tailored lessons to cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring every learner felt valued.

Du Plessis acted as a mentor to the newly qualified teachers. As a Sixth Form tutor, he guided his learners towards their Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) applications. When he returned to South Africa in 2013, he started lecturing at the North-West University, Potchefstroom. As part of community service, he led workshops for Grade 7 learners at a local rural school with a focus on social entrepreneurship. Du Plessis presented a paper on the structure of teaching at the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society (BCES) conference in 2022 and is part of the Entrepreneurship for Employment and Education Task Team at the faculty.

Iman C Chahine holds a PhD in Mathematics Education and a postmaster’s degree in Quantitative Research Methods. Chahine’s research centres on ethnomathematics and indigenous mathematics knowledge systems in diverse geographic regions. She also specialises in composite index development and validation as well as measuring country-specific policy-driven constructs. As a two-time Fulbright US Scholar (2019–2020 and 2021–2022), Chahine collaborated with scholars from North-West University (NWU) and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in South Africa on a research partnership titled Project ethnomathematics: Pedagogy, place and power for sustainable South Africa. She has been commissioned by several international organisations such as USAID (Morocco, 2020–2021), UNESCO (Qatar, 2014–2015), World Bank (Kuwait, 2017; Morocco, 2022), UNICEF (Rwanda, 2020–2021; China, 2022; Nigeria, 2023), UNDP (Saudi Arabia 2020–2022) and International Organisation for Migration (Iraq, 2020) to critically appraise the quality of education systems worldwide. Chahine is a professor at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Lowell, USA, an appointed extraordinary professor at NWU, Potchefstroom, South Africa and a C-rated researcher at the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa. She serves as the co-editor of the Journal of Mathematics and Culture, treasurer for the International Study Group on Ethnomathematics and the director of awards at the Eastern Educational Research Association.

Jessica Pool is the director of the Centre for Health Professions Education(CHPE) in the Faculty of Health Sciences. In her role as director, Pool is responsible for the coordination and implementation of initiatives including the development of a scholarly approach to teaching and learning (SoTL), enabling discipline- and subject-based teaching-focused communities of practice, promoting research-led teaching development workshops and promoting knowledge production and knowledge sharing about university teaching and learning. Pool has completed her PhD in Education, and her research interests include curriculum development, implementation and evaluation. More recently, her research focus has shifted to the development of academics as university teachers. Her publications include book chapters, refereed journal articles, non-refereed journal articles and book reviews. She is actively involved as a reviewer for conference abstracts and proceedings, as well as serving as a keynote speaker. Additionally, she is the chief editor of the book titled Scholarly approach to student success in higher education.

Johan Botha is the research director of the Education and Human Rights in Diversity Research Unit (Edu-HRight), Faculty of Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Botha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education, School of Psycho-Social Education at the North-West University, South Africa. He holds academic and professional qualifications that include a Higher Diploma in Education (HDE) diploma, a Further Diploma in Education (FDE) diploma (Gifted Education), a BEd Honours degree (cum laude) and an MEd degree (cum laude) from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He received the Chancellor’s Award for the best MEd (cum laude) in the Faculty of Education and Nursing at the Rand Afrikaans University (University of Johannesburg) in 2004. Botha holds a PhD in Psychology of Education. In 2008, VDM Verlag Publishers, Saarbrücken, Germany, published his book, The experiences of SA secondary school male educators own aggression. He has contributed several chapters and articles to books and accredited scientific journals both in South Africa and abroad. Botha is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, and his papers have been published in peer-reviewed conference proceedings. Botha’s research field is education, psychology of education, well-being, flourishing and mental health, with a special interest in behavioural difficulties such as aggression, violence and discipline in diverse educational contexts (schools and higher education institutions). He has also been actively involved in postgraduate programme development and student supervision and has successfully supervised various MA and PhD students.

Mmankoko Ziphorah Ramorola is a research professor at the Faculty of Education, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa. Ramorola’s main research foci are computer-integrated education, e-learning and open distance learning. She is currently involved in a project that focuses on teacher pedagogic content knowledge in mathematics, surveying and transportation engineering (MSTE) subjects. She acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students and has published at national and international levels.

Neal Petersen holds a PhD and is an associate professor of Life Sciences Education in the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in the Faculty of Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Petersen is a member of the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning at the same faculty. His main research focus is engaging pedagogies and contextualised learning, including indigenous knowledge in science education, first-year students’ experience during WIL educational excursions, cooperative learning and teacher professional development in science education. He was the principal investigator of a project on using engaging pedagogies in science education, including the infusion of arts in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education moving towards science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) education. He has published on national and international levels, and he also supervised postgraduate students to completion and is currently supervising more postgraduate students.

Pateka Pamella Jama holds a PhD in Inclusive Education and is a lecturer in Learner Support at the School of Psycho-Social Education at North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Jama teaches learnersupport modules to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Jama was supervising Honours, MA and PhD students during the time of contributing to this publication. Jama is involved in a South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), Re-imagining community education post-COVID-19: Mobilising youth as community assets to reduce the educational divide in a South African township. This project aims to capacitate the youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) with different skills. She has published work focused on learner and teacher support and has presented at reputable conferences such as COMBER, Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) and Education Association of South Africa (EASA). Her research interests include learner support and inclusive education.

Rachel Rirhandzu Mayimele is a lecturer teaching early childhood development (ECD) modules at the School of Psycho-Social Education at North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. Mayimele’s experience includes 23 years of teaching in basic education and eight years as a higher education lecturer. She supervised Honours, MA and PhD students in the School of Psycho-Social Education. Furthermore, Mayimele is also registered with the South African Council of Educators (SACE) and Health Profession Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a psychologist and the South African Board for People Practice (SABPP) as a human resource practitioner. Her research interests are in learner support, inclusive education and resilience. She was awarded the best community award (Central University of Technology 2012), and in 2020, she received the Teaching Excellence Award at North-West University. She also obtained a Women as Leaders programme certificate from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria). Her values as a professional are to maintain her integrity and respect other people’s cultures and values.

Rhea Koch obtained her BA Hons in Psychology and her MA in Sociology in 2001. After working in the private sector for many years, Koch has returned to the academic world and recently obtained her PhD in Health Science Education. In 2021, Koch was appointed as an academic developer at North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, for a three-year project to decolonise health sciences curricula, which is managed by the Centre for Health Professions Education and funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). She has a keen interest in instructional design and collaborative online learning.

Yolande Heymans is a professor in the Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Heymans’ main research focus is on health professions education in the higher education context, with specific reference to the scholarship of teaching and learning, enhancing student engagement and interprofessional collaborative learning. She also has a keen interest in large-class teaching and online learning. Heyman’s accolades include the National Teachers Awards for Excellence in Secondary Teaching (2010), the HB and MJ Thom Award for contribution to education (2011), the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) fellowship (2019–2020) and the Open Educational Research Fellowship (2021–2022). Heymans acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students in the field of health professions education, and her recent publications include a book chapter titled ‘The potential of scholarship of teaching and learning research towards transformative pedagogies in higher education: An approach to ethical mindedness’.