The student success model

Transmitted information does not automatically transform itself into student understanding. Students make meaning of the information based on their prior knowledge and build new understandings by making logical connections between pieces of information.

Educational research provides a better understanding of how to develop the knowledge and skills students need for their future. The application and effective retrieval of knowledge require a well-organised and connected knowledge structure.

This entails a learning environment in which students actively participate to take control of their learning. Effective teaching encourages students to construct a personal understanding and develop a critical attitude towards knowledge.

Extending the classroom experience

For these reasons, the University of Pretoria applies a flipped inquiry-based pedagogical approach when it comes to learning. This teaching approach requires students to prepare before class, enabling new teaching to build actively on existing knowledge.

In this way, more time is available in class for inquiry-based teaching, as lecturers can focus on inquiry-based activities such as developing ideas, exploring consequences, justifying solutions, discussions, and solving problems. This hybrid approach has the potential to extend the classroom experience beyond the lecture period—before and after class.

The UP teaching and learning model not only addresses the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills needed for the modern workplace, but the optimal usage of the latest technology as well. Based on a deeper understanding of the characteristics and learning needs of this generation of students, the learning experience includes pre-class work like videos, reading, and research. After seeking information independently and on-demand, students interact and engage to discuss their views and share their concerns.

Quality instruction requires students to come to class prepared, as this enables new teaching to build actively on existing knowledge. Students should receive detailed information on how to prepare for each session. The study guide and the clickUP module should stipulate a clear, weekly work schedule, so that students can keep up independently.

Student preparation for class includes utilising traditional textbooks, e-textbooks, PDF, and MS-Word files, videos, or publishers’ learning systems. One of the most important and basic requirements for student success is to ensure that all students have access to essential course materials. OpenStax and the free OpenStax app provide high-quality, open-source courseware at no cost.

For more information on textbooks and open education resources, please see the UP’s Guidelines for Prescribed Materials.

Educational resources in addition to textbooks and open educational resources include:

VitalSource e-books
Personalised adaptive learning systems
In-video assessment
Blackboard assessment

Inquiry-based learning enables students to think, communicate, and justify their ideas. Information gathered before class should be used to formulate a few challenging questions or class assignments that could lead to in-depth discussion. Research shows that inquiry-based learning motivates students, stimulates critical thinking, and creates opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of concepts.

Face-to-face interaction
Interaction during lectures can be achieved in various ways. One method is to ask students to respond to a question. Thereafter, they should find peers with different answers and try to convince them of their position. Students can now be asked to respond again. At this point, the correct answer can be explained (by either the lecturer or students). When students explain the work to their peers, it enhances their own understanding and retention.

Practical learning
Laboratory work and practicals can support learning by providing an opportunity for students to experiment practically, discover important concepts, and help them to develop team-working skills. They are an important part of learning in science, engineering, and health sciences. Practical work also introduces students to discipline-related, work-safety precautions and rules.

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Lecturers can embark on a teaching and/or learning international collaboration with another university. This could include the sharing or co-developing of materials or resources (e.g. open educational resources), co-lecturing a topic or a theme, or students working collaboratively on a project/assignment. On a more formal level, this also includes joint modules or programme offerings as a combined qualification or part-qualification.

It is critical to create opportunities for students to reflect, integrate, and restructure their knowledge. This could include the opportunity to prepare for summative assessment, working on an assignment, watching a class recording and reflecting on it, drawing a concept map, making a summary, working on a project, applying knowledge to solve an integrated complex problem, or watching the recording of the lecture again.

An important part of the university’s consolidation process is curricular-related, work-integrated learning and community engagement fieldwork, which sees students earn credits towards their degrees while applying their knowledge in the service of their community.

Summative assessment is usually done at the end of a teaching period or instruction unit, and its purpose is to make a high-stakes judgement about a student’s learning (SAQA, 2017:57). However, summative assessment involves more than traditional examination. Assessment should aim to provide students with authentic learning and performance opportunities that are as close to real-life experiences as can be allowed within the scope of the programme or module, in line with the expected level of performance.

Assignments and assessments after class provide further opportunities for students to consolidate their knowledge and organise it into meaningful hierarchical patterns. Clarity and transparency are critically important. It is, therefore, essential to provide students with a detailed assessment plan, clear task descriptions, and unambiguous assessment criteria for the judgement of performance.

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