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ODL explored by the Department of Psychology
Unisa Community Psychology students had the time of their lives recently when the Department of Psychology hosted Prof Isaac Prilleltensky from the University of Miami. He visited Unisa to explore the integration of laboratory psychology principles into open distance learning (ODL) practice.
The symposium’s theme was "Liberatory psychology in the ODL context". Explaining the term "liberatory psychology", Prof Martin Terre Blanche said that this academic field aspires to influence psychology to take a political direction.
In her welcoming address, Prof Rosemary Moeketsi, Dean of the College of Human Sciences, said: "In an ODL institution that aspires to be the best in Africa, for Africa and by Africa, you want to set your graduate students free to find their own niche, to do empirical study and thereby contribute to scholarship. You want your students to make a difference, rather than re-create them in your own image." She added that the biggest challenge in an ODL setting is for the academic to mediate the distance between the university and the student. She stressed the need for the academic to be available, not only physically and academically, but also emotionally.
Lesiba Molepe explored the manner in which the Department of Psychology mediates the distance. He said that they expose students to a kaleidoscope of disciplinary concepts, processes, languages and theories within a socio-constructionist learning approach. He used an example where students are requested to think about personal reflections such as weddings, funerals and the origin of their names and beliefs. Prof Terre Blanche said that community psychology in an ODL environment requires the department to be more creative in its method of teaching, because community psychology is a very practical subject.
Prof Isaac Prilleltensky shared his experiences about maintaining contact with students in an ODL setting. The students and staff had an informal discussion with Prof Prilleltensky. During this session, everybody had an opportunity to discuss pressing social issues in the context of community psychology. Prof Prilleltensky warned that positive psychology is not always good. "It tends to give an idea that everything is alright," he said. | 
