Permanent Staff
Prof Shireen Motala
Chair holder
The DHET/NSF-DSI/NRF SARChI Chair in Teaching and Learning (PSET) (SARChI T&L) Tier 1 was awarded to Professor Shireen Motala in July 2020. The inception of the Chair took place in October 2020 and the first term of the Chair continues until 2024 in a four-year cycle. The national research chair is funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and coordinated by the National Research Foundation, South Africa in July 2020 at a Tier 1 level.
Prof Motala is formerly the Head: Postgraduate School (PGS), University of Johannesburg (UJ) and a professor in the Faculty of Education (FoE), UJ. The SARChI: T&L is located within the FoE. Prior to joining UJ in 2010, Professor Shireen Motala, was the Director of the Education Policy Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her academic qualifications include: a BA (University of Durban-Westville), a B Social Science Honours (University of Cape Town), an MA (University of Warwick), a PGCE (University of London) and a PhD (University of the Witwatersrand). In March 2010, she was appointed as the Director of the newly established Postgraduate Centre: Research and Innovation at the University of Johannesburg. In May 2016, she was appointed as the Senior Director of the Postgraduate School. She is currently UJ’s representative on the international body, the Council Graduate Schools and participates in the Universitas 21 activities.
She has held numerous leadership roles related to Higher Education including: Chairperson of the Education Policy Consortium (2006-2010), Chairperson of the UNESCO South African Commission (2001-2006), and first inaugural president of the South African Research Association (SAERA) (2013-2014). She was appointed by the Minster of Higher Education and Training to serve on the Council of Higher Education (CHE) for two terms from 2010-2010. In 2013, she served on the Ministerial Committee to review the national Senior Certificate examination. She is currently a trustee at the South African Institute for Distance Education. She is on the Assessment and Accreditation committee of UMALUSI.
Research Interests
An NRF rated researcher, she has initiated collaborations between universities across Africa and with Asia and Europe, and this has led to the formation of long-term regional and international partnerships. Playing a leadership role in research, she was the principal investigator or the international Consortium for Research on Equity, Access and Transitions in Education (CREATE). Her research record is substantial and includes publications in journals and books and editorship of local and international journals. Her research interests and expertise have been in the areas of education financing and school reform, access and equity, and education quality. Her doctoral research examined how financial redistributive strategies can provide equitable access and reduce inequalities in the South African public schooling system. Spanning a long career in research in all its aspects, she led strategies for: research capacity development, knowledge management, research income generation, and stakeholder relationship management. Promoting scholarship and a sound intellectual culture and developing the next generation of scholars in order to contribute to societal transformation, have been in the forefront of her activities, and will continue to be during tenure as Chair. In 2022, Prof Motala co-edited three special issues: Southern African Review of Education (Special Issue), 27(1); Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South, 6(1); Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South, 6(2).
Selected Publications
Motala, S., & Menon, K. (2020). In Search of the ‘New Normal’: Reflections on Teaching and Learning During Covid-19 in a South African University. Southern African Review of Education, 26(1), 80–99
Chiramba, O., & Motala, S. (2022).’The Hill We Climb: In Search of a New Pedagogy’. Southern African Review of Education: Special Issue. 27(1), 140-159.
Fataar, A., Motala., S, Keet A., Lalu P., Nuttall, S., Menon, K. & Staphorst, L. (2022). The university in techno-rational times: Critical universities studies, South Africa.Educational Philosophy and Theory, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2022.2142555 https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2022.2142555
Ms Thembela Cebekulu
Administrator
011 559 7208
thembelac@uj.ac.za
PDRFs
Dr Marcina
Supervisor: Prof Shireen Motala
Research Topic:
Selected Publications:
Dr Otilia Chiramba
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Prof Shireen Motala
Research Topic: Epistemic disruptions in reconstituting higher education pedagogy in South Africa: The student and management perspective
Doctor Otilia Chiramba is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg with the SARChI Teaching and Learning. She holds a PhD in Educational leadership, Management and Policy studies with the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research interest is in higher education specifically focusing on underprivileged groups of students like refugees, international students, and students from marginalized communities in South Africa and beyond. Otilia’s research work is informed by theories of resilience, decolonisation and social justice and has published a number of articles and book chapters. She is currently leading one of the big projects for the Chair titled, Epistemic disruptions in reconstituting educational pedagogy: the student and management perspective. Otilia has co-edited one book and one Special Issue. Another Special Issue has been accepted for publication. She has also been involved in grant funded projects and has also been presenting her work at local and international conferences.
Selected Publications:
Chiramba, O., & Motala, S. (2022). Teacher Professional Development and Resilience: Frameworks for Promoting Social Justice in Times of Disruption in South African Higher Education. Journal of Educational Studies, 2022(si1), 4-17.
Maringe, F., & Chiramba, O. (2022). Disruptions in higher education: mitigating issues of access and success in the Covid-19 pandemic. South African Journal of Higher Education, 36(4), 6-20.
Chiramba, O., & Maringe, F. (2022). State-Less, Identity-Less and Miseducated: The Experience of Refugee Students in Higher Education in South Africa. In E. Walton & R. Osman (Eds.), Pedagogical Responsiveness in Complex Contexts. Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity (Vol. 9, pp. 37-54). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12718-2_3
Chiramba, O., & Maringe, F. (2022). Organisational Resilience as an Urgent Strategic Goal in Post-COVID-19 Higher Education in South Africa. In E. Mogaji, V. Jain, F. Maringe & R.E. Hinson (Eds.), Re-Imagining Educational Futures in Developing Countries (pp. 39-63). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Dr Halima Namakula
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Prof Shireen Motala
Research Topic: Exploring academic support services offered to postgraduate students in South African universities
Dr Namakula is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the SARCHi Chair for Teaching and Learning, University of Johannesburg. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research interests are on access to higher education, academic literacy support and development in higher education and teacher development in early child development. Prior joining the university of Johannesburg, Halima has been tutoring for Education studies 1-4 on the B. Ed programme at Wits School of Education. She was also involved with the Wits School of Education Writing centre from 2016-2017 as a writing consultant.
Selected Publications:
Namakula, H., & Prozesky, M. (2019). In-between access and transformation: Analysing a university writing centre’s academic support programme for education students as third space. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus, 57(1), 39-56.
Dr Tabe Hennades
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Prof Shireen Motala
Research Topic: Teacher education and professional development: Becoming a qualified teacher through the post graduate certificate in education
Dr Tabe Hennades was born on July 19,1986 in the South West Region of Cameroon. Obtained his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Buea, Cameroon and continued for the most part of his tertiary education at the North West University, SA. He is a former writing consultant with the Academic Development Centre (ADC); and a temporary lecturer with the School of Professional Studies Faculty of Education, NWU. Currently a PDRF with the South African Research Chair Teaching and Learning. Was previous involved in different community projects wherein he visited nearby rural schools to encourage and motivate the grade 12 matriculants. He is author and co-author of articles published at both national and international journals with the most recent being “Tabe, et al. (2022). School Governing Body Chairpersons’ Perception on their Accountability in the Running of Schools. Education. Innovation. Diversity, 1(4):44-56. He is a member of the South African Education Research Association (SAERA), and the Golden Key International Honours Society.
Selected Publications:
Tabe, H., Heystek, J., & Warnich, P. (2021). Leadership of learning and change for successful learning outcome in history education. Perspectives in Education, 39(4), 172-186.
Dr Mthobisi Ndaba
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Prof Shireen Motala
Research Topic: Academics’ Role in Higher Education’s Contribution to the Public Good
Dr Mthobisi Ndaba holds a B. Social Work, MA Sociology, and a PhD in Education awarded by the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Chair. His PhD research looked at the role of academics in serving the public good in and through higher education. His research interests include education inequalities, access and success in higher education, academic development, and higher education studies.
Research Assistants
Thabo Motshweni
Research Assistant
Thabo Motshweni is a master’s candidate in the Sociology department at the University of Johannesburg. He holds two honours degrees from the University of Johannesburg in Psychology and Sociology (cum-laude). He is a research assistant for the South African Research Chair (SARChl), working on the Epistemic Disruption Project. He works as a Research and skills development specialist at the Young African Entrepreneurship institute NPC and as a Life Orientation project coordinator for the Department of Basic Education. He has also published three opinion editorials about various subjects.
- Big Brother’s plans to watch you via the e-toll system – The Mail & Guardian (mg.co.za)
- Blockchain tech gives waste pickers the opportunity to enter the formal economy – The Mail & Guardian (mg.co.za)
- Government needs to act against Operation Dudula and combat violence against immigrants (sowetanlive.co.za)
Arina Sibanda
Research Assistant
Arina Sibanda is a research assistant at the South African Research Chair in Teaching and Learning. She has worked as a tutor at the University of Johannesburg; research coordinator, assistant and trainee at the Centre for Social Change (UJ), JET Education Services and Ubora Research Solutions. Arina is a Sociology PhD student and her thesis focuses on household livelihoods amid COVID-19 and beyond. Her research interests include youth identity, drug misuse, belonging and livelihoods.
Her publications:
Sibanda, A and Batisai, K. 2021. The Intersections of Identity, Belonging and Drug Use Disorder: Struggles of Male Youth in Post-Apartheid South Africa. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 26 (1): 143-157, Govender, D, Hindle, D, Marneweck, L, Reddy, D, Nkondo, G, Sibanda, A, Mangalibi, E, Moholi, B, Ndaleni, L, Sibhayi, S and Maphelele, L. 2020. Lessons on How Countries Manage Schooling During and After Disasters: A Study of Four Cases. Jet Education Services.
Research Associates
Prof Solomon Arulraj David
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: The British University in Dubai (UAE)
Solomon Arulraj David is an associate professor of education at the British University in Dubai. He is also an honorary visiting fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK and a visiting research associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He has a doctorate in education from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and other degrees from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, India. He has 11+ years of post-PhD and 20 years of experience in teaching, research, and administration in education.
He worked in India, and South Africa prior to the current position in the UAE. He has been an intern at UNESCO (Paris, France), a trainee at European Commission (Brussels, Belgium), has been a volunteer and consultant to various organisations. He is also a TEDx speaker. He is a licensed (by CAA-UAE) higher educational institution and programme reviewer. His core research interests are comparative international higher education, educational leadership, management and policy.
Selected Publications:
Solomon, A, D., Motala, S., Lawrence A, S., & Pio. A, A. (2022). Exploring Student’s Experiences on Epistemic Access for Effective. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. International Journal of Instruction, 16 (1), 151-172.
Dr Venise Joubert
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: SANTS Private Higher Education Institution
Venise Joubert is Professional Studies Lecturer at SANTS and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg. Venise is also acting as a project coordinator as part of the Teaching and Learning in PSET SARChI Chair.
Venise’s research focuses on teaching and curriculum transformation in higher education (HE) and will serve as a postcolonial critique of curriculum change in South African HE. Venise completed her Ph.D in 2021 at the university of Pretoria in policy, specifically postcolonial curriculum policy. Her thesis explored lecturers’ understandings of postcolonial policy change in curriculum.
Selected Publications:
Weber, E., & Joubert, V. (2023). Postcolonialism in the movies and the narratives of South African and international students at the University of Pretoria. In R.J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education, 4th edition. Elsevier. B978-0-32-3958080
Prof Moyra Keane
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Johannesburg
Moyra Keane, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg and an Educational Developer and Research consultant for a number of universities. She has a number of formal coaching qualifications. She coordinates and teaches on postgraduate courses, and presents workshops for academic staff. She has completed a number of leadership courses and coach training programmes. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, 28 books and book chapters, 60 conference presentations and been an invited speaker in Tanzania, Malaysia, Tunisia, Australia and Iran. Her current research interests are in Indigenous Knowledge, worldview and decolonising the curriculum; doctoral supervision; mindfulness. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Moyra_Keane
Selected Publications:
Keane, M. (2022). [Review of Education, Communication and Democracy in Africa: A Democratic Pedagogy for the Future, C.H. Manthalu, V. Chikaipa. & A.M. Gunde, (Eds.)]. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning. 10(1) DOI:10.14426/Cristal.V10i1.575
Keane, M., Raciti, M., Van der Westhuizen, G., Motala, S., Stanton, S., Gilbey, K., Msimango, S., Manathunga, C., & Qi, J. (2022). Indigenous Knowledge Systems in South Africa and Australia: Transforming Doctoral Education. Journal of Curriculum Perspectives.
Dr David Matsepe
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: South African Democratic Teachers Union
Dr David Matsepe is Head of Research at the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), and a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). He is the founder and Chief Editor of the Journal of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (JSADTU), and serves as editorial board member for the Journal of Educational Studies (JES), University of Venda. Dr Matsepe holds membership of several professional organisations, including the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), South African Education Research Association (SAERA), the Research Committees of Education International (EI) and the Southern Africa Teachers’ Organization (SATO). He has several peer-reviewed publications to his credit, of which the most recent are Matsepe, D., & Maluleke, M. (2021), The Role of Contexts in the Construction of Academic Identity in Selected South African Universities, International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 10, 1509-1514; and Matsepe, D., Maluleke, M. & Cross, M. (2020) Negotiating successful academic careers in South African Higher Education Institutions, Gender and Behaviour, 18(4), 17022-17033.
Selected Publications:
Matsepe, D., & Maluleke, M. The Role of Contexts in the Construction of Academic Identity in Selected South African Universities. International Journal of Criminology.
Matsepe, D., & Mugwena, M. (2021). Embracing an Academic Career: Context, Choice and Agency. Journal of Education Studies.
Prof Joel Samoff
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: Stanford University (USA)
Selected Publications:
Samoff, J., & Carrol, B. (2022). Education For All in Africa: Not Remediation, but Transformation and Innovation. In C. A. Torres, R. F. Arnove & L. A Misiaszek (Eds.), Comparative Education: The Dialectic of The Global and the Local (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, Fifth Edition.
Prof Everard Weber
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Pretoria
Selected Publications:
Weber, E., & Joubert, V. (2023). Postcolonialism in the movies and the narratives of South African and international students at the University of Pretoria. In R.J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education, 4th edition. Elsevier. B978-0-32-3958080
Weber, E., & Sehoole, C. (2023). Higher Education Policy and Governance. In R.J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education, 4th edition. Elsevier. B978-0-32-3958080
Weber, E., & Sehoole, C. (2023). Introduction. In R.J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education 4th edition. Elsevier. B978-0-32-3958080
Prof Gina Wisker
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Bath, UK
Selected Publications:
Wisker, G. (2022). Decolonising The Literary Doctorate. In C. Beyer (Ed.), Decolonising the Literary Curriculum. London: Palgrave.
Dr Mukovhe Masutha
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Johannesburg
Selected Publications:
Masutha, M. (2022). Highs, Lows and Turning Points in Marginalised Transitions and Experiences of Noncompletion amongst Pushed Dropouts in South African Higher Education. Education Sciences, 12(9), 608.
Dr Zahraa McDonald
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Johannesburg
Selected Publications:
McDonald, Z., & Motala, S. (2022). Beyond heteronormativity towards social justice: Disrupting gender operationalisation in teaching and learning trends in higher education. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning (CriSTaL), 10(1), 23-38.
Prof Gert van der Westhuizen
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Johannesburg
Dr Kirti Menon
Research Associate
Appointed at UJ, Faculty of Education (FE)
Affiliation: University of Johannesburg
Advisory Members
| Name | Title |
| Prof Jonathan Jansen | Distinguished Professor, Stellenbosch University |
| Prof Yusuf Sayed | South African Research Chair in International Teacher Education and Director of CITE and University of Sussex |
| Prof Mohamed Saleem Badat | Research Professor in Humanities, University of Kwazulu-Natal |
| Professor Suzanne Ortega | President, Council of Graduate Schools, Washington DC, USA |
| Dr. Emnet Tadesse Woldegiorgis | Associate Professor, APK Ali Mazrui Centre for Higher Education Studies, UJ |
| Prof Angina Parekh | Emeritus Professor, UJ |
| Prof Letlhokwa Mpedi | DVC Academic, UJ |
| Prof Sarah Gravett | Professor of Education, Faculty of Education, UJ |
| Prof Thea De Wet | Senior Director, Academic Development and Support, UJ |
| Prof Laura Czerniewicz | Professor, UCT |
| Dr Kirti Menon | Senior Director, Centre for Teaching Excellence, UJ |
| Prof Chrissie Boughey | Emeritus Professor, Rhodes University |
| Prof Gina Wisker | Professor, University of Bath, UK |
| Dr Whitfield Green | CEO, Council on Higher Education (CHE) |
| Thandi Lewin | Deputy Director General, Department of Higher Education and Training |
| Prof Ahmed Bawa | CEO, Universities South Africa |
| Prof Barbara Dooley | Dean of Graduate Studies and Deputy Registrar, University College Dublin, Ireland |
| Prof Leila Patel | Professor, SARChI Chair, SARChI Welfare & Social Development |
| Prof Adekeye Adebajo | Senior Research Fellow, Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship (CAS), University of Pretoria |
| Prof Andre Keet | Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Engagement and Transformation, Nelson Mandela University |
| Prof Joel Samoff | Adjunct Professor, Center for African Studies, Stanford University |
| Prof Aslam Fataar | Distinguished Professor, Faculty of Education Transformation Division, and University of Stellenbosch |
| Prof Ruksana Osman | Senior DVC Academic, Wits |
| Prof Moyra Keane | Professor UJ. |
| Prof Gert van der Westhuizen | Emeritus Professor, UJ |
| Prof Narend Baijnath (posthumous) | Chairman, Board of Governors, Commonwealth of Learning |
| Prof Nadine Petersen | Executive Dean, Faculty of Education, UJ |
| Prof Michael Samuel | Professor, University of KwaZulu Natal |
| Prof Elaine Unterhalter | Professor of Education and International Development, University College London, London University, UK |
| Prof Stephanie Burton | University of Pretoria |
| Prof Teboho Moja | Professor of Higher Education, New York University, New York, USA |
| Prof Jane Knight | Professor, University of Toronto, Canada |
| Prof Lis Lange | DVC Academic, UCT |
| Prof Felix Maringe | Emeritus Professor, Wits University |
| Prof Jean Baxen | DVC : Academic, Sol Plaatjie University |
| Prof Crain Soudien | Emeritus Professor, UCT and NMU |
| Prof Juliet Perumal | Head of School of Education, Wits University |
| Prof Premesh Lalu | Professor, Centre for Humanities Research, UWC |
| Dr Andrew Kaniki | Former Executive Director NRF |
| Prof Vasu Reddy | Dean, Faculty of Humanities, UP |
| Dr Carol Nonkwelo | Director of Research, UP |
| Prof Leila Kajee | Professor, Faculty of Education, UJ |
| Dr Alexander Hasgall | Head: Council on Doctoral Education, European Universities Association |
| Prof Penelope Andrews | John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law; Director, Racial Justice Project, New York Law School |
Students
Doctoral Students
Sphiwa Nsibande
The integration of Information and Communication Technologies in the teaching of reading in high schools in Eswatini
Rose Adegoke
Transitions: University-Workplace Trajectories of Previously Disadvantaged Individual Graduates in Non-professional Disciplines
Precious Siphuka
Good teaching in higher education as a policy object: A South African multi-site study
Plaki Chikunda
Curriculum transformation in teacher education in Zimbabwe: The case of Sociology of Education at a selected university
Leoné Michaels
Postgraduate student support and academic success in the rapid transition to online during the pandemic
Albert Garcer
The role of a finance officer in the administration, governance and decision making of a school’s finances and resources in Gauteng
Yuraisha Chetty
The implementation of social justice frameworks around access and equity in the context of the application of teaching and learning technologies in public higher education
Emelda Ndinteh
The realities of language policy implementation – a case study of the University of Johannesburg
Masters Students
Nhanhla Maphumulo
Teachers’ understanding and experiences of integrating Natural Sciences and Technology and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in relation to improve teaching and learning.