Incorporating AI into learning practices MEM student and academic shares knowledge
Dr Albert Strever, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University and a second-year student on the structured Master’s degree in Engineering Management (MEM) Programme. On Tuesday, 23 May, he will demonstrate how he utilises ChatGPT to promote student learning in the modules he teaches. Albert and his co-presenter Dalene Joubert (an advisor at the Centre for Teaching and Learning) will focus on the essential literacies and skills students need to acquire to be “robot-proof” and in service to society.
Albert’s presentation will form part of the second AI² x Auxin (the word Auxin originates from Greek and means “to grow”) session organised by the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Stellenbosch. In these monthly sessions, academics share their innovative teaching, learning and assessment practices with the rest of their peers at the University.
In addition to teaching Viticulture, Dr Strever works closely with INNOVUS and Launchlab and is part of the Winetech innovation committee which aims to promote new business ideas and development in Agriculture. His involvement in these entities has led to an ambition to specialise in entrepreneurship and innovation/technology integration in higher education. To this end, he registered in 2022 for the first intake for the Master’s degree in Engineering Management (MEM) at Stellenbosch University, and he’s also engaged in a TAU (teaching advancement in Universities) fellowship on the topic of entrepreneurship incorporation in curricula in agriculture.
In Dr Strever’s own words: “the MEM degree for me is a way to build a growingly essential bridge between industry (i.e. agriculture in my case) and science, engineering, innovation, business and managerial skills. During my studies I have learnt about “soft” skills or rather professional competencies and have also been able to apply my knowledge to my teaching and programmes in Agriculture. The degree in principle, is based upon the true meaning of lifelong learning within a VUCA world!”.