Peak Performances: Covid-19 and the Transformation of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The ‘Peak Performances’ Conference is proudly organised by the University of Johannesburg‘s Faculty of Humanities in collaboration with the SARChi Chair: Teaching and Learning and the Department of Academic Planning, Quality Promotion and Professional Academic Staff Development.

The conference organisers are calling for papers that critically reflect on experiences of teaching and learning in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic: responses, complexities, and implications of Covid-19 on higher education institutions in South Africa, regionally and elsewhere. They encourage papers that promote the sharing of experiences, challenges and innovative ways of delivering higher education virtually. Critical reflections on the pandemic and the implications for the future are welcomed.

Proposed papers could focus on (but are not limited to) any of the following themes:

  • Institutional readiness for adaptation and emergency transition
  • (Re)strategizing for optimal institutional success
  • Quality assurance in higher education in a rapidly changing environment
  • Strategies for retaining staff and students during the crisis
  • Academic governance and leadership
  • Internationalisation strategies under lockdown
  • Teaching and learning innovations during the pandemic:
  • Dealing with applied/practical courses and student internships during remote learning
  • Challenges and opportunities in teaching and assessing on multiple platforms
  • From business as usual to business unusual – transitioning from contact to online learning
  • Tutoring and tutorials during the pandemic
  • ‘Managing’ departmental processes – teaching, learning and research during the pandemic
  • Support and Professional development during the pandemic for academic staff, and Heads of Department

Submission guidelines:

Abstracts of no more than 250 words must be submitted to CovidTandLconfUJ@gmail.com by 31 January 2021. Selected papers presented at the conference will be included in an anticipated peer reviewed journal publication or a book publication.

Important dates:

  • Abstract submission deadline: 31 January 2021.
  • Notification of acceptance of abstracts: 19 February 2021.
  • Deadline for submission of full papers:  20 April 2021.
  • Presentation of paper at the conference: 28 April 2021.

Click here for further details.