The first three MOOCs on the edX platform, WitsX, will be available within the next six months:
System Dynamics for Health Sciences: Learn to use system dynamics to understand complex medical issues and interventions. Wits Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering, David Rubin; Wits biomedical engineer and lecturer, Robyn Letts; and Professor Tak Igusa, Johns Hopkins University, teaches the MOOC. Launch date: 3 August 2016
Research Methods: An Engineering Approach: Learn how to successfully design your research and understand the underlying principles of postgraduate research from an engineering perspective. Wits Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Ivan Hofsajer teaches the MOOC. Launch date: 7 September 2016
Results-Based Project Management: Monitoring and Evaluation: Learn how to design and implement results-based, public sector programmes that optimise the use of resources. Wits School of Governance Lecturer and Senior Technical Advisor, Kieron Crawley teach this MOOC. Launch date: 5 October 2016
In the first phase, Wits has become the first university in Africa to offer MOOCs on edX, an online learning platform established by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2012.
Professor Andrew Crouch, deputy vice-chancellor: academic at Wits University, says, “There is no doubt that there is a dire need for more places at South African universities and for access to quality post-school training. Wits is proud to be the first African university on the edX platform, where we offer free online courses unique to South Africa.”
“Developing these three edX MOOCs has been an exciting collaboration between eLearning staff in the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD) and teams of academics. We envisage that the capacity and systems we have developed will inform and strengthen future institutional online course development and other blended learning initiatives,” adds associate Professor Christine Woods, Wits CLTD director and head of WitsX.
Professor Adam Habib, vice-chancellor and principal of Wits University, concludes, “This is a pioneering, innovative project that is unlocking new opportunities for South African universities. We will continue to develop course content to enable students from around the world to access our international expertise in fields ranging from the palaeosciences to infectious diseases and deep-level mining.”
* A certificate of completion costs $49 (approximately R720 based on the current exchange rate).
