Community Projects

A number of stakeholders are involved in the project, supporting the project in different ways. Some of these are the Department of Health, City of Tshwane municipality, Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre in Mamelodi, Department of Environmental Affairs, Agricultural Research Council, University of Pretoria, Department of Science and Technology and UNISA African Renaissance Centre.

Outcomes:

• Develop the site for large scale production of medicinal species
• Introduce other short term crops such as indigenous vegetables
• Assist with the development of the school programme
• Assist with a management plan for the project

At the beginning of this year (2012), the department expanded their community engagement activities by getting involved in the nutritional programmes of the school. The government is running feeding schemes in underprivileged schools throughout the country. With expertise that we have in the department, it was felt that we could offer some assistance on issues like food preparation, food security, food storage and also to offer some informal training to the volunteers who prepare food for the learners.

Research activities and output

• The role CAMP plays in enabling communities to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (accredited articles).
• Development of a mapping tool that is relevant for the global south with the purpose of enabling communities to become their own change agents
• HIV/AIDs awareness (PhD research).

Tuition activities and output

• Development of short learning programmes in Community Asset Mapping for Change and Philanthropic Community Foundations
• Possible introduction of a short learning programme in GIS for teachers.
• Case studies for use in the GGH3708 module in Environmental Awareness and Responsibility.

Sharing of technical expertise and knowledge

• As required by the individual communities the team will identify relevant academics in Unisa and outside the institution to assist with the sharing of technical expertise in the communities.

Water Quality and Community Based Tourism Workshop

• The Department of Geography will present Water quality and Community based tourism workshops in identified communities. At the moment this falls within an outreach programme, and will hopefully develop into community engagement initiative with the required two way collaboration with the community, input into formal tuition and/or have specific research outputs.

GIS Workshop

• The Department of Geography will present two GIS workshops to teachers in the schools in the area. The purpose of these workshops is twofold, firstly, a possible research output, and secondly to do the ground work for a non-profit SLP for teachers who need to teach GIS.

Research activities and output

• Conference presentation (s)
• Accredited research article (s)

Creating an awareness amongst school learners of the importance of living green

• A secondary output of the project is to market the programmes of the Department of Geography (Unisa) at high schools.

The activities of this project focus on the environment and general map literacy.

Activities 2012

• Map literacy awareness day/s – national roll out in collaboration with KZN regional centre and GRCF (Bojanala)
• Approach schools (nationally) to participate in the project
• Start draft article on a comparison of the map literacy levels of Sout African and children elsewhere in the world.
• Presentation of findings at a local conference.

The goal of the project is capacity building of science teaching and learning in order to improve pass rates of science subjects and to increase the enrolment of school leavers into science disciplines in tertiary institutions. It is hoped that ultimately it will assist in alleviating science skills shortages in South Africa.

The specific aims of Phase 1 and 2 were:

• To transfer knowledge and skills to educators of Agricultural Science through workshops, demonstrations and mentoring.
• To encourage the educator for agriculture science to improve her qualifications by enrolling for Diploma in Agricultural Management at Unisa.
• To support the educator for Agricultural Science by providing extra teaching capacity to enable the educator to attend workshops and mentoring exercises.
• To stimulate the interest of learners in Agriculture and related science subjects so that they may have a desire to make this field a career of choice.
• To increase research capacity of Unisa staff through publications.

The specific aims of Phase 3 are:

• To transfer scientific knowledge and skills to educators of 6 science subjects (Life Science, Physical Science, Mathematics, Maths Literacy, Agriculture and Geography) through demonstrations and mentoring.
• To assess the school community (learners, educators, school management and school governing body).
• To recommend remedial measures.
• To implement remedial measures.
• To monitor and evaluate the impact of all remedial measures on science educators and learners.
• To increase research capacity of Unisa staff through publications.

Expected outcomes

• Improved knowledge and teaching skills for School educators.
• Improved performance of Matric learners.
• Improved overall performance of the whole school.
• Increased number of numbers willing to study science subjects.
• Increased enrolment at the school.
• Change of attitude towards the teaching and learning of science subjects in rural schools and the retention of learners.

Achievements of Phases 1 and 2

• The intervention in the teaching and learning of agriculture has generated a lot of interest in agriculture subject in particular and in science subjects by association.
• Mandlethu FET School has become a school of choice because of its association with UNISA and the attention it has received.
• More parents have become more active in school activities in support of their children’s education.
• More girls than boys are now enrolled at the school.