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Nuusbrief Uitgawe 2|22 Maart 2011

NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY YUNIBESITI YA BOKONE-BOPHIRIMA NOORDWES-UNIVERSITEIT

POTCHEFSTROOMKAMPUS

Boodskap van die Dekaan Met Aprilmaand voor die deur (of soos deur TS Eliot bestempel as daardie “most cruellest of months” − moontlik verwysend na die Engelse weer (!), maar meer waarskynlik met verwysing na die Christelike datumrooster) is ons fakulteit (personeel en studente) reeds goed op dreef met die akademiese jaar. Ons het verlede week vir die eerste keer ʼn reeks spesiale toekennings aan studente wat oor die laaste vier jaar by ons Baccalaureus in Opleiding- en Ontwikkelingsprogram (BTD) betrokke was, gevier. Hierdie seremonie, bygewoon deur prof Lowes, studente en akademici betrokke by die program, verteenwoordig dit wat Opvoedkunde by die Noordwes-Universiteit besonders en eiesoortig maak. Daar is verskeie gebiede binne ons programme wat op so ʼn wyse eiesoortig is (die BTD is een daarvan, asook Tegnologie vir Onderwys), en ek het deurgaans in my gesprekke met ons vakgroepe en programleiers die nodigheid beklemtoon om dit wat Opvoedkunde hier spesiaal maak, uitdruklik te identifiseer, en dan te besin hoe ons hierdie eiesoortige werksareas in gebiede of kenmerke van uitsonderlikheid kan omskep. Kollegas, ons fakulteit is gereed om op ’n aantal gebiede met werk te begin en met elke geleentheid hierbo genoem, raak ons bewus van ons unieke posisie op streeks-, nasionale en internasionale gebiede. Verskeie van ons akademiese personeel (wat direkteure, professore, asook opkomende vakkundiges insluit) is na oorsese konferensies genooi. Ons het in Maart die voltooiing van hul onderskeie grade en diplomas saam met meer as ʼn duisend van ons studente gevier, en ek het ook ʼn plaaslike gemeenskapsprojek, wat deur die kampus-SJGD onderneem is, besoek. Ek het ook vir kollegas en besoekers ʼn lesing aangebied oor die profiel van nagraadse Opvoedkundige navorsing in Suid-Afrika in die eerste dekade van transformasie, waarin ek die eenvormigheid van ons navorsing betreffende die metodologiese- en onderwerpsgebiede wat deur studente gedek word, beklemtoon het. As ons daarna streef om uitnemendheid te ontwikkel, moet ons die behoefte aan diversiteit erken, nie alleen binne hoër onderwys oor die algemeen nie, maar ook ten opsigte van navorsing onderweg na innovasie. Ons het ook gedurende Maart in die Dekaanskantoor ander vorme van onderskeiding erken deur meer as 15 van ons kollegas, wat gedurende die afgelope twee weke hul meesters- of doktorale grade ontvang het, na ʼn geselligheid te nooi. Ons bied ook gedurende April nogmaals ʼn groot navorsingsgeleentheid aan (na aanleiding van die uitstekende aard van die Grondslagfasekonferensie wat in Januarie plaasgevind het) in die vorm van die HREiD-konferensie, waarby ek hoop u sal kan inloer, mits u roosters dit toelaat. ʼn Gelukkige sameloop van omstandighede het in Maart die viering van Menseregtedag deur die Universiteit tot gevolg gehad, asook die aanvoor van ʼn reeks besprekings deur die Minister van Hoër Onderwys (Opleiding en Ontwikkeling) met universiteite (waar ons teenwoordig was), wat daarop gerig is om ʼn handves ter ondersteuning van die geestes- en sosiale wetenskappe te ontwikkel. Die rol van die geestes- en sosiale wetenskappe in die ontwikkeling van ons menslike hulpbronne, en in die bewaring van ons nasionale en natuurlike erfenis, word nou in regmatige perspektief gestel. Teen die agtergrond van die erkenning van ons baie duidelike sterk punte, asook ons aanvaarding van die rol wat ons as fakulteit streeksgewys en verder behoort te vervul, dink ek ons moet ons tot die ontwikkeling van vennootskappe met ons belanghebbendes en rolspelers in onderrig (intern en ekstern) verbind. Op ʼn praktiese vlak moet dit beteken dat ons, deur ons individuele pogings as akademici, en deur akademiese leierskap, ons verpligtinge nie alleen met betrekking tot die professie nie, maar ook tot die vakkundige gemeenskappe, volhoubare verandering en tot voordeel van ons land, nakom. Die fakulteit behoort die aanbieding van ʼn ontwikkelingskonferensie vir opvoeders binne die wyer streeksgebied en verder te oorweeg, en die geleentheid te gebruik om innovasie en insig, nie alleen met amptenare nie, maar ook met mede-opvoeders in die onderskeie sektore van die onderwysstelsel, te deel. Ons moet ons intern tot diversiteit as ʼn sterk punt van die onderrigkurrikulum hier verbind, en die aandag van ons studente (soos by HREiD) fokus op die reeks diverse onderrigervarings wat absoluut krities

Inspireer tot innovasie | Inspires to innovate

Dr Balfour, die dekaan van die Fakulteit, kuier gesellig tydens sy verwelkomingsfunksie met proff Cornelia Roux en Barry Richter.

is ten einde ʼn effektiewe opvoeder te word binne ʼn bestek en verskeidenheid van kontekste. Effektiewe onderrig in hierdie nuwe eeu moet ook ʼn verbintenis tot eko-bewustheid en omgewingswaardering en -koestering beteken. Ons het tydens die laaste week van Maart ’n tweedaagse werkswinkel oor omgewingsopvoeding gereël en aangebied, nog ʼn uitstekende inisiatief wat ek hoop in die toekoms net nog beter resultate sal lewer. Hierdie geleentheid behoort ons bewus te maak daarvan dat ons, as ʼn opvoedkundige instelling, aan die voorpunt van “om groen te wees”-veldtogte moet wees, hetsy deur die herwinning van ons kantoorrommel, deur elektroniese bronne in plaas van papier meer oordeelkundig te gebruik, of deur ʼn beroep op studente en personeel te doen om buite die tradisies van leer en onderrig soos ons dit verstaan, te handel. Ten opsigte van die idee van omgewingsopvoeding, met verwysing na die beboude gebied, het ons bygedra tot planne om die Kunsvlytgebou (1942) te restoureer sodat dit teen die einde van 2011 gereed sal wees vir die sewentigste herdenking in 2012 van die gebou se inwyding (hou hierdie spasie dop - sien ook bladsy twee vir ‘n artistiese voorstelling van die gebou!). Ten slotte het ʼn aantal van ons kollegas in Maart (soos ons natuurlik binne die Fakulteit kon verwag!) ITOU-toekennings ontvang, en met ons hartlike gelukwensings keer ek terug na die tema van professionele ontwikkeling en “wat nuut is” in die professie. Ons sien uit daarna om diegene, wat gedurende die afgelope ongeveer vier jaar met toekennings vir uitnemendheid in onderrig vereer is, te nooi om daardie ervarings met die fakulteit te deel, en om erkenning aan hul te gee vir hul voortgesette wonderlike werk met studente in ons onderrig- en navorsingsintervensies.

Robert 1.

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Message from the Dean As we approach April (or what TS Eliot referred to as that “most cruellest of months” in reference possibly to English weather (!), but more likely in reference to the Christian calendar), our Faculty (staff and students) is already well into the ‘swing’ of the academic year. Last week, we celebrated for the first time a series of special awards over the last four years to students associated with our Bachelor of Training and Development (BTD) programme. This ceremony, attended by Prof Lowes, students and academics involved in the programme, marks what makes Education at the North-West University special and distinctive. We have several areas in our programmes that are distinctive in this way (the BTD is one such area, Technology for Education is another), and throughout my talks with our subject groups and programme leaders, I have emphasised the need for us to identify, explicitly, what makes Education here special, and then to consider how we turn these distinctive areas of work into areas, or hallmarks, of distinction. Colleagues, our Faculty is poised to launch itself in a number of areas of work, and with each event mentioned above we become mindful of our unique position regionally, nationally and internationally. Several of our academic staff (including directors, professors and emerging experts) have been invited to conferences abroad. In March, we celebrated with over a thousand of our students, the completion of their various degrees and diplomas, and I also paid a visit to a local community project run by the campus SRCS. I also gave a lecture to colleagues and visitors on the profile of postgraduate education research in South Africa in the first decade of transformation, in which I emphasised the uniformity of our research in terms of the methodological and topic areas covered by students. If we seek to develop excellence, we need to recognise the need for diversity, not only in higher education generally, but also in terms of research towards innovation. In the Dean’s Office in March, we also recognised other forms of distinction by inviting more than 15 of our colleagues who attained their master’s or doctoral degrees in the last two weeks to a function. In April, we will host yet another major research event (following on the excellent tone set by the Foundation Phase Conference that was held in January) in the form of the HREiD Conference, which I hope, your timetables permitting, you will be able to attend. By felicitous coincidence, March saw Human Rights Day being celebrated by the University, as well as the Minister of Higher Education (Training and Development), initiating a series of discussions with universities (where we were represented) aimed at developing a charter to support the humanities and social sciences. The role of the humanities and social sciences in developing our human resources, and conserving our national and natural heritage, is coming into its rightful perspective. In this year, and with this background of acknowledgement of our palpable strengths, and also our coming to terms with the role we need to play as Faculty regionally and beyond, I think we should commit ourselves to developing partnerships with our stakeholders and role-players in education (internally and externally). At a practical level, this needs to represent our individual efforts as academics and academic leadership, be meeting our obligations not only to the profession, but also to the communities of scholarship, and to change that into sustainable efforts and to the benefit of our country. The Faculty should consider hosting a teacher development conference for educators in the wider district and beyond, and use this opportunity to share innovation and insight not only with officials, but also with colleague educators in the various sectors of the education system. Internally, we need to commit ourselves to diversity as a strength of the Education curriculum here, and focus (as

An artistic impression of possible changes to the Kunsvlyt-building.

Dr Balfour, the dean of the Faculty, with profs Cornelia Roux and Barry Richter during his welcoming party.

we are doing at HREiD) the attention of our students on the range of diverse education experiences absolutely critical to becoming an effective educator in a range and variety of contexts. Effective education in this new century must also mean a commitment to eco-awareness and environmental appreciation and nurturing. In the last week of March, we organised and hosted a two day workshop on environmental education, another excellent initiative that I hope will bear more fruit in months to come. This event should make us aware that as a learning institution we need to be at the forefront of “going green” campaigns, whether by recycling our office waste, using electronic rather than paper resources more carefully, or calling students and staff to action beyond the conventions of learning and teaching as we understand them. In relation to the idea of environmental education, with reference to the built environment, we have been instrumental in plans to renovate the Kunsvlyt-building (1942) so that it will be ready at the end of 2011 for the seventieth anniversary (in 2012) of its inauguration (watch this space!). Finally, a number of our colleagues received (as we would expect naturally at the Faculty of Education!) ITEA awards in March, and with our hearty congratulations, this brings me back to the theme of professional development and “what’s new” in the profession. We look forward to inviting those who have been honoured over the last four years or so with awards for teaching excellence to share that experience with the Faculty, and we recognising their continued wonderful work with students in our teaching and research interventions.

‘n Artistiese voorstelling van die moontlike veranderinge aan die Kunsvlytgebou.

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WERKSWINKELS

Spesiale lesings/seminare SANPAD IT, a project entitled Empowering Information Technology Teachers in Economically Deprived Rural Schools held its start-up workshop on 8 and 9 March 2011. It was attended by project research partners from the Netherlands, KwaZulu-Natal and the NWU. Furthermore, the IT subject coordinator from the North West Department of Education gave a presentation on the state of IT both in the province and nationally. It was an enlightening two days. Congratulations to prof Elsa Mentz on the success of the workshop!

C6 Gebou van voor.

SANPAD-PROJEK (SOUTH AFRICAN NETHERLANDS RESEARCH PROGRAMME ON ALTERNATIVES IN DEVELOPMENT) SANPAD-projek (South African Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development) Plek: Sports Village Wanneer: 15 tot 17 April 2011 Aangebied deur: HREiD (Human Rights Education in Diverse Religious and Cultural Contexts) en SANPAD Kontakpersoon: Me M Verster Tel: 018 299 4769 E-pos: [email protected]

OMGEWINGSOPVOEDING Geluk aan die Vakgroep Geografie-Onderwys wat ʼn baie geslaagde Omgewingsopvoedingswerkswinkel tydens die reses vir die Departement van Omgewingsake by die Elgro Hotel aangebied het. Die geleentheid, wat oor drie dae gestrek het, is deur 42 onderwysers van regoor die land bygewoon.

Links bo: Prof Frank Dignum (Nederlandse vennoot), dr Betty Breed (Senior Navorser aan die NWU), Roxanne Bailey (Junior Navorser aan die NWU) en dr Desmond Govender (Senior Navorser aan UKZN). Voor van links: Prof Elsa Mentz (Projekleier), drs Irene Govender (Senior Navorser aan UKZN) en Marietjie Havenga (Senior Navorser van NWU). Afwesig: Prof Virginia Dignum (Nederlandse vennoot).

INTERNASIONALE KONGRES: MENSEREGTE EN ONDERRIG IN DIVERSITEIT – UITDAGINGS EN VOORSTELLE PLEK: Gebou C5, Lesingslokaalkompleks WANNEER: 18 tot 20 April 2011 AANGEBIED DEUR: HREiD en Onderwysreg KONTAKPERSONE: Mee S Venter, M Verster en S Simmonds TEL: 018 299 4779

Van links: Mee Jennifer Sithole (Departement van Omgewingsake), Brenda Malan (Geografie-Onderwys), Luiza de Sousa (Geografie-Onderwys), dr Schalk Raath (Koördineerder: Geografie-Onderwys), prof Barry Richter (Direkteur: Skool vir Kurrikulumgebaseerde Studies), en mnr Schadrack Moreni (Departement van Omgewingsake).

Inspireer tot innovasie | Inspires to innovate

E-pos: [email protected], [email protected] en hreidconference@gmail. com

5.

INTERNASIONALE SPREKERS TYDENS DIE HRED-KONGRES

Kollegas reis internasionaal

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Prof Cornelia Roux het as uitgenooide spreker by die Oxford Roundtable, wat vanaf 20 tot 25 Maart 2011 by die Lincoln College aan die Universiteit van Oxford aange-

1 Dr Bruno Vanobbergen (Flemish Children’s Rights Commissioner, Belgium) 2 Prof Petra Engelbrecht (Research Professor, Faculty of Education, Canterbury Christchurch University, UK) 3 Prof Alan Dyson (Professor of Inclusive Education, School of Education, University of Manchester, UK)

bied is, opgetree. Die 19 uitgenooides sprekers het vier lande verteenwoordig met die tema, Women, the quest for social justice. Prof Roux se referaat het oor die HREiD- en SANPAD-projek gehandel met die titel, Taking note of the opaqueness of their voices. Die akademiese interaksie en beprekings was uiters stimulerend. ʼn Boekpublikasie (monograaf) is as ʼn direkte uitvloeisel van die Roundtable se aanbiedinge

4 Prof Charles Russo (University of Dayton, USA)

beplan en prof Roux is as een van die redakteurs van dié boek, wat in 2011/2012 sal

5 Prof Hannu Savolainen (University of Eastern Finland, Finland)

verskyn, aangestel. Sy beskryf haar ervaring gedurende die Roundtable as “ʼn uiterse

6 Dr Kyriaki Topidi (University of Lucerne, Switzerland)

kritiese en openlike diskoers waar jy elke oomblik bewus is van die dinamiek van

7 Dr Ina Ter Avest (Vrije University Amsterdam, Netherlands)

akademiese uitnemendheid”.

8 Prof Dolana Mogadime (Brock University, Canada) 9 Prof Siebren Miedema (Vrije University Amsterdam, Netherlands) 10 Mrs Sabine van de Brink (Utrecht University, Netherlands)

Besoek gerus http://www.hreid.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task= view&id=7&Itemid=10 om die HREiD-kongres se program te vind.

Besoek ook die boekuitstalling wat tydens dié Kongres sal plaasvind PLEK: Gebou C6, Saal

Prof Cornelia en haar oorsese kollegas in die Lincoln College-ontvangskamer tydens die Oxford Roundtable. Van links: Prof Sanaa Sadek (Annapolis, VSA); Prof Cornelia Roux (Potchefstroom, RSA); Prof Marian Perkins (Chicago, VSA); Prof Renee Walker (Trenton, VSA); Prof Karen Tatum (Northfolk, VSA).

WANNEER: 18 tot 20 April 2011 AANGEBIED DEUR: Van Schaiks en verskeie ander uitgewers KONTAKPERSOON: Me S Venter TEL: 018 299 4779

Prof FJ Potgieter woon vanaf 8 tot 12

E-POS: [email protected]

April 2011 die American Educational

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Research Association-kongres te

Kongresreferate van kollegas

New Orleans by.

Prof FJ Potgieter

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Prof Gerda Bender

Verbetering van nagraadse kwalifikasies/ toekennings: Personeel

• Prof Gerda Bender het tydens die Knowledge 2011: Knowledge, Production and Higher Education in the 21st Century-konferensie, wat vanaf 28 tot 31 Maart vanjaar in Kaapstad aangebied is, twee voordragte gelewer. Die titels van die voordragte was Curricular Engagement for social responsiveness and Justice en Social innovation through curriculum-based engagement in Higher Education. Dié Konferensie is onderskeidelik deur die Universiteit van Bergen, Noorweë, die Universiteit van Pretoria en die Universiteit van Stellenbosch aangebied.

DR NEAL PETERSEN Dr Neal Petersen sal gedurende Mei sy doktorsgraad in Lewenswetenskappe aan die Universiteit van Johannesburg ontvang. Baie geluk, Neal!

• Prof Bender gaan ook tydens die Service Learning Research Colloquium, wat op 20 en 21 April te Stellenbosch Universiteit plaasvind, 'n voordrag met die titel, Social innovation in Service-Teaching-Learning-Research: Valuing, Envisioning, Dialoguing and Innovating lewer. Dr Neal Petersen

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NAVORSINGSUITSETTE VAN PERSONEEL Die volgende geakkrediteerde artikel is gepubliseer:

OUTEURS: Proff PC van der Westhuizen, JL van der Walt en CC Wolhuter TITEL VAN ARTIKEL: How an analysis of reviewers’ reports can enhance the quality of submissions to a journal of education TYDSKRIF: South African Journal of Education VOLUME: 31:1 – 14 STATUS: SA ABSTRACT Not only has the number of scholarly journals worldwide increased substantially in recent years, but also the number of articles published in them. However, closer examination reveals that the percentage of articles actually published has remained in the region of 25%. This implies that much of researchers’ time and energy has been wasted because of failure to have their research findings published. This has occurred despite the availability of a surfeit of publications on the theme of “how to write and publish a scientific article”. Analysis of the process of article writing and publishing reveals that this consists of four phases: writing and submitting an article, processes followed by the editor, actual review process by the reviewers, and how authors deal with the feedback. A literature review shows that the last phase has not been discussed in the same detail as the other three. The authors contend that if prospective authors gave greater attention to this phase and learned from the findings outlined in this article, it would lead to an improvement in the quality of future submissions to a journal of education in this particular case. Besoek gerus die SAJE-webwerf by http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za om

hierdie artikel, sowel as ander artikels, gratis te bekom!

Akademiese prestasie- toekenningsfunksie 2011: aangebied deur Studente-ontwikkeling

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Na afloop van die jaarlikse gradeplegtigheid vir studente aan die Fakulteit Opvoe-dingswetenskappe, wat op 15 Maart 2011 plaasgevind het, is die beste presteerders in die onderskeie programme vir hulle prestasies beloon. Op hierdie wyse is daar tydens die prestasie-toekenningfunksie erkenning aan studente gegee vir hulle volgehoue harde en uitsonderlike werk en hul insette as rolmodelle op die akademiese terrein. Daar is ook ’n spesiale toekenning aan Carina de Waal oorhandig vir die beste algehele prestasie in al die programme en modules van aflewering. Die volgende studente is as die beste presteerders in die onderskeie programme aangewys: • Grondslagfase: Me C van der Merwe

Prof RJ Balfour (Dekaan) en me Carina de Waal.

Besondere prestasies van personeel

• Intermediêre- en Seniorfase: Me JC de Waal

Mnr Johan Zerwick is as finalis in die PanSALB Multitalige 2010/11-toekennings vir Setswana, in die kategorie van Letterkunde en Skryfwerk, genomineer. Baie geluk Johan.

• Senior en Verdere Onderwys-en-opleidingsfase: Me W Kirchner • Senior en Verdere Onderwys-en-opleidingsfase – Technika: Mnr MR van Huyssteen • Nagraadse Onderwyssertifikaat: Me I Nel

ick

an Zerw

Mnr Joh

Van links: Mee C van der Merwe, W Kirchner, mnr MR van Huyssteen en me JC De Waal tydens die geleentheid.

Inspireer tot innovasie | Inspires to innovate

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5.

* ALGEMEEN Me Dedré Victor en studente – uitgevat vir die geleentheid!

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KUNSVLYT HOU JOLYT!

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Die Kunsvlytgebou het die jaar afgeskop met ’n jolige vinyl-partytjie. Almal moes ou vinyl-langspeelplate bring, terwyl daar lekker geëet en daarna gedans is op die ritmes van onder andere Abba, Dan Hill, Fame en Bob Marley. Ons hoop om hierdie funksie ’n kwartaallikse instelling te maak, waar almal saam kan kuier en na lekker musiek kan luister. Ons sien uit na die volgende GROTE!

New Building for the SCTE Prof Barry Richter en SAPD-beamptes tydens die fondsinsamelingsprojek van SJGD.

Prof Barry Richter, Direkteur van SKS, en prof Cornelia Roux, Direkteur van NFA, is op Donderdag 10 Maart 2011 in hegtenis geneem as deel van ’n fondsinsamelingsprojek van SJGD. ʼn Losprys van R500 is vir prof Barry se vrylating betaal, terwyl prof Cornelia se bedrag vir haar vrylating baie “vertroulik” is.

Prof Cornelia Roux en ʼn SAPD-beampte tydens haar “arrestasie”!

SJGD wil ook graag met die volgende skrywe elke deelnemer van hierdie jaar se Jail and Bail hartlik bedank vir hul ondersteuning: “Graag wil SJGD elke persoon wat aan hierdie jaar se Jail and Bail-fondsinsamelingsprojek deelgeneem het, hetsy deur middel van ʼn donasie of ʼn arrestasie, hartlik bedank vir hulle ondersteuning. U elkeen se bydra word opreg waardeer, want elke klein bietjie maak ʼn daadwerklike verskil aan minderbevoorregte mense en instansies se lewens.”

The New SCTE Building

The SCTE may have moved but that has not affected their work performance one bit. During the past few weeks, 53 259 assignments have been attended to by the assignments department. And while managing this mammoth task, they even managed to move premises. It was observed that they achieved this by working late into the night. Thanks to Marinda van Zyl and her team who had to process all these marks according to the deadline!

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REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY CELEBRATIONS 18 MARCH 2011

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(MS DOLLY DLAVANE AND DR JOHN VAN DER MERWE ATTENDED THIS DAY ON BEHALF OF THE DEAN.) Senior advocate Solly Sithole (Chairperson: NWU Human Rights Committee) opened the celebrations and welcomed everyone present, extending his gratitude to the delegates for attending this significant occasion. MR THWADI KOMANE of the South African Human Rights Commission introduced the following speakers: • MS LUCY HOLBORN – Researcher and author at the South African Institute of Race Relations; • DR KOMETSI KGAMADI – National Coordinator: Racism and Non-discrimination at the South African Human Rights Commission; and • PROF MELVIN MBAO – Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Mafikeng Campus, NWU.

Friday 25 March), which has undertaken an initiative under Minister Ndimande’s leadership to formulate a Charter for the Humanities in South Africa, arising from the need and recognition to better develop and support the humanities in higher education. DR SARAH MOSOETSA (from the DHET) gave an overview behind the reason for the visit, namely to consult role-players in Humanities and Social Sciences with a view to establish a charter. The NWU was the task team’s eighteenth institution that they visited since their appointment in June 2010. Dr Mosoetsa indicated that the ministry is aware of the crises inside and outside the Humanities and Social Sciences. She did not elaborate much on what she meant, except to allude that the disciplines have some tendencies which put themselves at risk, for example, the lack of aggressive marketing, and that perceptions from outside that the discipline are strongly influenced by government’s drive for the sciences, engineering and technology. For the discussion she suggested a format: strengths, innovations, challenges and profile.

PRESENTATIONS MS LUCY HOLBORN gave a brief overview of the state of human rights since 1994. In the last five years, the media has started to report on human rights issues differently. She referred to several human rights incidents. She mentioned that politicians regularly fall into the trap of racism and that the public has the right to make them aware of this. She is of the opinion that issues, not race, should be addressed. As individuals, we have the right to be responsible to race and should start with the individual not stereotype, pre-judge, etcetera. DR KOMETSI KGAMADI started his presentation by referring to a number of racial incidents and asked whether we can be certain that every so-called racial incident is truly race driven. He quoted dr Mamphela Ramphele, who referred to the ghosts of the past, of which racism is the most frightening ghost. Racism is a reality and cannot be viewed as an unfortunate historical event. DR KGAMADI is of the opinion that the effect of the incident or action will determine whether it is racial. The media is sometimes at fault in that they tend to blow incidents out of proportion just for the sake of sensation. Reconciliation does not come in packages, but we must be sincere to send out a powerful message. PROF MELVIN MBAO began his presentation by stating that we are all equal before the law, BUT not otherwise, for example in the economy, background, beliefs, and etcetera. He gave a brief historical overview on Human Rights in South Africa. He referred to JJ Rousseau, who said that we are born free but spend our lives in chains. Equality is a basic human right as enshrined in our Constitution but prof Mbao believes that our Constitution ignores social disparities. It is the responsibility of the government to take positive steps to curb racism and promote human rights through legislation. He also referred to the international state of human rights, which is being driven by legislation. In this regard, he cited UN treaties, international labour standards and freedom of association. A CHARTER FOR THE HUMANITIES (AND SOCIAL SCIENCES) Members of the Humanities and Social Sciences were invited to the Vice Chancellor’s Office to participate in a visit from the Department of Higher Education (on

Dr Willy Nel and Ms Franciska Bothma

Interdisciplinarity remains a challenge to Humanities and Social Sciences. At one stage a discussant dwelled on the need to keep disciplinary research separate so as not to “lose” the disciplinary focus amongst applied programmes. This sentiment was fuelled by dr Mosoetsa’s remark that she noticed at one university that there were mostly applied programmes, for example English for Education, and hardly any stand-alone disciplinary programmes. Education was represented by dr Willy Nel and ms Franciska Bothma. From the Education side it was noted in the Basic Education landscape there appears to be a re-emergence of subjects in the school curriculum, hence spelling hope for the disciplines at university. At the same time university centres, for example, the African Centre for Disaster Management, provide forums in which interdisciplinary research can be pursued. The development, by the Dean and Faculty leadership in Education, of what is coming to be termed a “Partnership for Hope Initiative” with the Department of Education (North West) also provides for the possibility of a closer connection between research and communities, through teachers’ conferences and other avenues. The meeting suggested that a future Charter should portray an image of disciplines that foregrounds innovation. On that note, dr Mosoetsa encouraged participants to include documents that showcase innovation in the disciplines when we comment on the draft Charter later this year. Faculty representatives at the meeting were encouraged to also provide student perspectives on a draft Charter and to include student representation when submissions are entertained by the Department.

PERSONALIA

Me Catrien Mulder (tydelike dosent by Onderwyskuns en -musiek) het op Saterdag 27 Maart 2011 met mnr Gideon Wentink in die huwelik getree. Beste wense met jul huwelik! Baie sterkte aan mnr Johan Zerwick, me Veronique Swarts en mnr Bernie Swart, wie geliefdes aan die dood moes afstaan. Ons bid hulle troos toe gedurende hierdie hartseer tyd.

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Kollegas, b aie dankie vir d via die dire kteurskanto ie inligting wat re ontvang draes vir d is. Byie Mei/Jun ie-uitgawe die volgen kan na de e-pos g est EnquiryPo [email protected] uur word: Educ.za. Die re van hierdie daksie nuusbrief maak staa die korrek theid van t op die inhoud afsender e van die n vrywaar hulself du enige foute s teen w verwelkom at gepubliseer word . Ons voorstelle, kommenta regstelling ar oor die inhoud van s of nuusbrief. hierdie

Baie geluk aan prof Manie Spamer wat op 1 April sy verjaarsdag saam met die SVO gevier het. Die Dekaan en die Rektor het hierdie spesiale dag saam met Prof Spamer en kollegas gevier. Prof Gerda Bender het op 13 Maart 2011 aan die Cape Argus-fietswedren (110 kilometer) suksesvol voltooi. Hierdie was haar tiende Argus-wedren waaraan sy deelgeneem het!

Inspireer tot innovasie | Inspires to innovate

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