Wits to switch to remote online learning

Wits University in Johannesburg will be switching to remote online teaching and learning from next Monday.

The university closed for its mid-term break last month four days earlier than scheduled to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

This after a student had tested positive for the virus and was subsequently placed under quarantine.

Wits says they have spent the past few weeks adapting their academic programme to go online.

?? ANNOUNCEMENT: Wits University institutes an emergency remote teaching & learning programme. #HigherEdTogether

The University will open for the second term online from 20 April 2020.Wits has considered issues like access to computing devices & data: https://t.co/53ySN1MOs5 pic.twitter.com/8dTngUaaJJ— Wits University (@WitsUniversity) April 14, 2020

This has happened largely through the university’s learning management systems to develop additional resources for remote learning and in preparing to host the sites online.

The university has also put in place additional measures to address challenges related to the lack of appropriate mobile computing devices and access to data.

Wits Spokesperson Shirona Patel says, “Our Wits academics have been working hard over the past few weeks in adapting the academic programme to go online. They have developed additional learning resources for remote learning. Wits has also negotiated with service providers to host our learning management systems in the cloud and this will ensure that it doesn’t crash if many students log on to the system. We have also developed a Wits mobile computing device bank. This is where students will have access to appropriate mobile computing devices.”

Prior to its closure, the university put in measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus on its campuses.

The video below outlines preventative measures that were implemented by the university’s Kingsway Campus in Johannesburg: