At UoK, we are acutely aware that, although all our academic staff are subject experts, not all of them have pedagogical training and background to enhance their instructional effectiveness. The University Certificate for Higher Education Practice (UCHEP) was developed specifically to fill that gap. As a university deeply committed to delivering quality educational experiences to our students, UCHEP was designed to nurture the development of critical pedagogical skills in our academic staff and is based on the following content areas:
- Exploring the basic theories of learning in HE
- Examining the fundamentals of effective teaching and learning in HE
- Critically examining the role of technologies in adopting blended teaching and learning
- Effective assessment for learning and of learning in HE
- The nexus between teaching, the law, equity, and social justice in HE
- Launching an effective research career in HE
- Working in increasingly multidisciplinary contexts in HE
- The role of AI in teaching and learning in the 21st century.
The course enrolled eight staff in 2024 and 5 survived to the end, having achieved 100% attendance. The students are assessed through portfolio assessment, which involves critical reflection and documentation of the impact of the course topics on academic practice. Every student will also have an opportunity to present a 20-minute summary of their thoughts to the wider staff group and respond to staff questions as members of a panel.
The staff will receive a university certificate, which in due course will be a pre-requisite for anyone seeking promotion in the university.
The potential certifcands in 2024 include:
Mr Bernadine Bukomeko; Ms Mercy Nyakundi; Mr Straton Ndyamuba; Ms Shilpa Nair and Mr Umar Luzinda.
Congratulations on going through the course under the most difficult circumstances. I look forward to having more participants in 2025.