Keynote Speakers

SARINA DE JAGER

 

Sarina de Jager, a mom of two boys who adores reading and exploring new places, is passionate about understanding and promoting relational wellbeing. She wears many hats as a lecturer in the Humanities Education Department and a registered Educational Psychologist, but her heart lies in uncovering the factors that contribute to the happiness and fulfilment of students in Higher Education. In her recent research, Sarina dives into the intricate link between students' wellbeing and their feelings of vulnerability and worthiness. Alongside this, she delves into mindfulness in education, seeking wisdom, courage, and self-transcendence within the learning environment.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Sarina has a knack for sparking courageous conversations and empowering voices through Photovoice research projects. Currently, she's deeply involved in various research projects and enjoys mentoring Hons, MEd, and PhD students, guiding them through their academic journeys. When she's not in the lecture hall or immersed in research, you can find Sarina coordinating Life Orientation and Religion Education, and teaching B.Ed and Hons students in Life Orientation and Learning support.

 

 

DANIELA LEHNER

 

Daniela Lehner is peace education researcher and lecturer at the Department of Education Research and Teacher Education at the University of Graz in Austria. She is excited about peace education and relational pedagogical approaches. Her current research project focuses on pluriversal pedagogies of care. Daniela wants to create and formulate a teaching and learning approach that enhances learners’ ability to think, feel and act interdependently and pluriversally, allowing for the coexistence of different worlds and realities.

Daniela is passionate about teaching and wants to understand how care, peace and solidarity can be taught and learned. In her classes she works with embodied, arts-based and participatory approaches to work with various forms of knowledges. Daniela is aiming to create spaces where learners move from individual to collective meaning-making and explore new ways of being, knowing and doing that create interconnection with oneself, others and the world.