One of the students, Nikita van Zyl, did her fieldwork for her Community-Based Project Module at a camp of the Eleos non-profit organisation. The camp, where she was a group leader, was held for children who come out of exceptionally difficult home environments and the object of the camp was to express how they feel, to develop dreams and goals and to come to conclusions on how they will rise out of their circumstances and make their dreams a reality. She reported: "This was a life changing experience. I obtained knowledge in counselling, I connected with children and had a peek into their lives and their struggles and I learned that I have a lot to be grateful for and that I have so much to give."

The best feedback

It is not always easy to be responsible for such a module. There is a lot of administration to do, lots of students and the regular hick-ups. But this week a student told me that he thinks I have the best job in the world and it must be nice to know you are making a difference in the world. I realise I am just the admin lady organising everything but this was the best feedback I received. Thanks to you - I do appreciate!

Community Project and blended learning

This year there is already 1592 students enrolled for the module. That means it is really impossible to have person contact with the students.  I therefore developed the module in a blended learning format.  That means I am trying to blend various learning methods into the module. That include the following:

-          Have a mass orientation session to run through the processes

o   (I tried one ear to divide the group in smaller groups and had to repeat the lecture 22 x a week)

-          Using the learning management system – for assignments/ FAQ / announcements

-          Project proposal session 1tot 1 in my office

-          Making use of a App for new info

-          Using twitter for short announcements

-          And as part of the module – of course the students have to work in the communities

-          Using a report in the form of a blog on the Universities website

-          Presentation to me with a PowerPoint

-          E-mail communication (±150 e-mails a day)

-          SMS communication

This blended learning module has the advantage that I can stay in touch with the students – but it still is very exhausting and time consuming.

Central Prison in Pretoria also a community project

Computer training for community members are one of the most popular projects for students enrolled for the Community-Based Project Module. There is such a great need for community members to be trained in basic computer literacy that it is very easy to organise these projects. One of the JCP-students, JG Heyneke, trained prisoners at the Pretoria Central prison to use and repair computers. He worked specifically with a small group of prisoners who are going on parole within a few months. He reflected afterwards that training these inmates was a great learning curve. He had to learn to talk to people on a level so that they can understand. He also had to have patience and experienced it that the inmates have a hunger for learning and that they respected him.

JCP 2011

(Rowan Watson from Security - what a dynamic speaker!)

There are 1592 students registered for the module this year. Every year I do an orientation session with the students.  For most of the students it will be the first time that they will do community work. I am the only lecturer for the module and tried various options to do the orientation session.  To find a time slot that suits all the students is impossible.  In 2008 I repeated the same lecture 22x a week.  WOW I really got mad.  Then the Dean suggested that I lecture in the auditorium of the University. On the one hand it is a bit better for my health (!) but on the other hand it feels like a one man show and I do not have contact with my students. One year I had two short sessions per year and then the students requested that I rather make it one lecture and get it over and done.  But I still get students that complain... Will it ever be possible to satisfy a student????

NGOs and tenders vs students community outreach

The last few weeks a lot of NGOs contacted me that submitted a tender to one or other government organisation and they want my students to assist in these projects. My logic indicates that if they tendered for this project they will add salaries and if my students do the work for free the possibility exposits that the NGO is making profit out of my students free labour.Can that be correct?

Funny photo's

My students have to take at least five pitures while they are working on their project.  Each year there are some really funny poses and photo's...

Our mascot

At the end of the first year of lecturing the module, my friend, Anina Remchin, donated a handmade teddy bear to the module for the student that cared the most. Teddy bears and engineers are not associated and my Dean was very skeptical about this idea.

That year (2006) one of my students, Israel Sibisi, assisted learners from his old school in Soshanguve (a big township next to Pretoria) with Maths. The module had no budget and he used his own money to go to the schoo,l via taxi, Saturday after Saturday. During the July recess he continued with the Maths classes.

At the JCP-Swank (the year end function) he received the teddy bear. What a success. The teddy bear became part of the module. The following year a group of five students received one teddy. (I really did not think this through. How can a group of five students receive one teddybear?)

Anina then made a mascot for the module (Johannes Christoffel Pretorius) and now each students, that really did more than were expected, receive annually a little version of the teddy.

Our Mascot

Israel Sibi graduating as a mining engineer

Making me proud

One of the most memorable presentations of 2010 was a group that revamp a room into an after school centre in a township, Thembisa. They had to seek for funds as the module only provides each student with R300 (±€30). The photograph when the community members saw the final product the first time is still one of the best examples of the positive impact the students can have on the communities. (During this presentation I was crying – I was so proud of the student’s work – perhaps not so professional?)

Logo of the module

The first year of lecturering the module I requested the students to design a logo and then vote for the best option. The last 6 years this logo has been used. Every year 2000 t-shirts are printed. The students have to wear it while they are working in the communities. Thus a lot of T-shirts with logo’s - very good exposure for the university and the module. 

This entusiatic group of students gave the outdoor play area at a pre-school a face-lift

My name is Martina Jordaan and I am a lecturer at the University of Pretoria (South Africa).

I am responsible for the compulsory undergraduate course, Community-Based Project (JCP) at the Faculty Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at the University of Pretoria. It entails that all undergraduate students have to work at least 40 hours in a community and thereafter reflect on their experiences. They also create a report in a form of a blog. Yearly more than 1500 students are registered for the module and there are usually about 400 to 500 projects. I have been responsible for this course the last six years. Even though I do blog on the Universities blog, I would like to share the experiences I had for the past six years.

I am alone responsible for the module and am the only one that is aware of all the wonderful things the students do in the communities. The feedback from the communities, the problems experienced the interesting and funny things that happen and the problems experienced when students work in the communities.