The primary objective of the conference was to improve teaching and learning in tertiary institutions globally.
A host of guest speakers, including university professors from across the globe, gathered at Mofet Institute, a prominent Israeli centre for research and development in the realm of teaching and learning.
They discussed a number of issues in the teaching and learning processes in educational institutions, particularly with regard to the academic assessment aspects, under the theme Assessment Revisited.
Some of the sub-themes underlying the overall conference topic were: assessing student learning, evaluating faculty performance, rating educational institutions, improving self-assessment, summative versus formative assessment and recent research in assessment.
The Reiger Park born and bred Adolph participated in the meeting in her capacity as an experienced teacher and managing director/owner of Edu-build Development.
Edu-build Development is an educational institution which was started by Adolph’s mother, 68-year-old Reiger Park resident Elizabeth Foster, in Freeway Park, in 2002.
It has expanded its footprint nationwide, is registered with the Department of Basic Education and its courses are registered and accredited.
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The management is currently in the process of registering it with the Department of Higher Education.
In her presentation to the large audience of mostly professors from prestigious universities, Adolph gave background information on the institution, what the centre offers, spoke about what makes her institution different from others; their ways of attaining between 95 per cent and 100 per cent pass rate; the impact substance abuse and economic challenges faced by some South African communities, such as child-headed families and the impact these have on school-going children, their parents and the community at large, as well as how the institution created opportunities and changed people’s lives for the better.
Adolph added that, based on what was discussed at the conference, she came to realise that South Africa is doing well in terms of teaching.
“The discussions among attendees made me realise that some countries are still dealing with challenges that South African institutions have addressed a long time ago.”
Adolph attended the Rand College of Education, in Johannesburg, where she completed a higher diploma in education.
In 1993, she started her teaching career at Oos Rand Secondary.
Six months later, the then Reiger Park technical high school was opened and she and other teachers opted to go to this school, where she served as a teacher for 13 years.
At the same time, Adolph was involved in a number of community projects aimed at uplifting local communities. She served as a board member of several local NGOs, including child welfare and SANCA Eastern Gauteng.
As a teacher and member of the several organisations, Adolph played a very important role in ensuring that every child, in particular, those from poor communities, has access to a formal education and are also protected from drugs.
After her more than a decade-long teaching career, Adolph retired and took on another adventure.
She joined her mother and later became the managing director and owner of her mother’s educational institution, Edu-Build. The institution has so far produced hundreds of qualified Grade R practitioners across the country.
The majority of the ECD practitioners had started their own ECD centres and others are permanently employed by the department of education. -@FanieFLK