Learning & Teaching at Nelson Mandela University

As Day 3 of our retreat came to a close, we found ourselves returning to what matters most, reflection, commitment, and community. Across the three days, we wrote, questioned, listened, unlearned, and leaned into difficult yet necessary conversations about teaching, learning, and humanity ✨🫂

Day three offered a moment to pause and gather through a commitment circle where intentions were spoken and held collectively, and through a powerful reading from Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Dr Muki Moeng, which reminded us that humanising pedagogy is not a concept we visit, but a practice we choose daily.

This retreat marked more than an opening for the year it affirmed our shared responsibility to create learning spaces that honour the human behind role and title in our Mandela university.

As we move forward, the work continues in our classrooms, our curriculm, and our relationships with one another. Thank you to everyone who journeyed with us. This is not the end , but a continuation of building towards a goal of a better learning environment ✨🫂📚

While we normally have our conversations within the four walls of our university, this time time around, the Faculty of EBEIT led by Dr Jean Pierre-Basson, took us out and held our first Humanising Pedagogy activation at the Kraal ✨🥳.

Students had the chance to engage with Humanising Pedagogy, exploring what the concept truly means and how they, together with their lecturers and faculties, help shape a curriculum and learning spaces that honour the human behind every student 🧑🏻‍🎓📚

Stay tuned for more events and updates from the Humanising pedagogy.

At Nelson Mandela University, we cannot speak about humanising pedagogy without recognising the realities that dehumanise our students including the ongoing violence faced by women in our communities. 💜

Under the leadership of our, DVC: Learning & Teaching, Dr Muki Moeng, We stand in solidarity with every student whose learning, well-being, and future has been impacted by gender-based violence. Humanising pedagogy calls us to create spaces of dignity, safety and care in and beyond the classroom 💜

May we continue to learn, teach, and live in ways that honour and protect every life 💜💜💜

Day two was nothing short of amazing. From heartwarming conversations between staff and students, to courageous moments of self-reflection, the day invited us to pause, question and truly reflect

Through creative storytelling, dialogue and collaborative activities, we reflected on injustice, power, care and the responsibility we carry towards one another in education. From writing letters to the “oppressor,” to world café conversations and identity mask reflections ,the day invited us to critically examine and confront the systems of injustice we’re part of, and imagine more humanising ways for teaching and learning, ways that honour the Human.

Stay tuned for more updates 😇✨🙂‍↕️

We began our three-day retreat with a reflective Writing Retreat led by Mr Raban, joined by our faculty fellows. Using the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes writing, 5 minutes pause), participants dedicated the day to advancing their research from refining problem statements to drafting literature reviews and outlining publication plans ✨😇

In between writing sessions, we shared research interests through the lens of humanising pedagogy, explored writing challenges, journal requirements, and practical strategies like thematic folders, colour-coded notes, and structured outlines📝🧑‍💻.

Set in a calm, flexible environment with space for reflection, conversations and community reminded us that writing is not just academic, it’s personal and intentional 🤏🏼🙂‍↕️.

Stay tuned as we share Day 2 and 3 of the retreat 🤭🌿✨