May 8, 2025, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) has marked an important step in its career to improve digitally with the official launch of its online studios. The launch brought together university management, university staff and various other stakeholders to celebrate future learning.
The launch presented three studios specially designed to support mixed learning, the creation of visual content, podcasting and the dissemination of research. The facilities were developed by the Center for Teaching, Learning and Program Development (CTLPD) in collaboration with the learning and curriculum design team. Two studios are located at the Building of Economic Sciences and Management, and one at the Faculty of Education.
“Studios are not what we are promoting, teaching is what we put forward, so we are constantly showing how teaching can be improved,” said Ms. Nawaal Deane, head of online education and the design program design, CAP University (UCT), who pronounced the opening address. She praised the university for adopting technological tools that promote academic excellence and accessibility. Dr. Lebohang Mahlo, lecturer in information, communication and technology (ICT) of the faculty of education said that the importance of online studios for students is the opportunity to access online journals, electronic books, to look at archived conferences and to download educational resources.
The three studios serve each unique end:
Studio 1: A hybrid conference and streaming space for live classes live.
Studio 2: an ideal light studio for visual explanations in the rod fields
Studio 3: A podcast studio for academic dialogue, research narration and community engagement.
These spaces offer teachers the opportunity to experiment with reverse classrooms, interactive sessions and asynchronous learning.
A video presentation on the operational aspects of the facilities was given by Mr. Godfrey Rudolph, Director: E-Learning and Curriculum design.
The official ribbon cup ceremony was led by Dr. Severino Machingambi, director of the CTLPD, and in his thank you vote, Dr Machingambi recognized the efforts of the online learning design team and the curriculum to give life to the studios.
Among the strengths of the event was a message from Mr. Benjamin Matshediso, program director at Stereo Teemaneng Radio (RTS) A local radio station in Kimberley. He expressed his enthusiasm at the idea of ​​associating himself with SPU to broaden access to education by disseminating academic content to students in distant fields.
While SPU continues to develop as a digitally autonomous institution, online studios will serve as the cornerstone of its strategy to integrate technology significantly in higher education to change lives for all the power of technology.
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.