DIGITAL PLATFORM: MindTap  
LMS USED: Blackboard  
DISCIPLINE: Psychology
INSTITUTION: University of Pretoria, South Africa

Tackling the Post-pandemic Mind Shift towards Hybrid Teaching  

Mr Sulaiyman Philander is a Clinical Grade Lecturer I at The University of Pretoria. Having completed a Bachelors degree (BSociSci Psychology) and an honours degree in Psychology (BSocSci Hons), Sulaiyman is currently completing the MA academic programme with a research focus on Emotional Regulation, with specific reference to self-defeating behaviours.  He is also a contributing author to the fourth edition ‘Psychology Themes and Variations: A South African Perspective’ textbook. Sulaiyman teaches undergraduate Psychology courses to large cohorts of students (500+ per class) and his goal as an educator is to provide students with a good introduction to psychology that allows for both engagement and learning. 

“The introductory psychology I coordinate and teach is currently fully online. I provide a highly structured environment that helps new students adapt to both psychology and requirements of higher education. My team and I strive to make psychology engaging and applicable to student experiences. As a result, we aim to promote self-directed learning and critical thinking skills that address the needs of different students across various faculties.”

An advocate for learning technologies, Sulaiyman has used Aplia and MindTap for a number of years and having experienced how digital resources can help students fulfil their potential, he presented a paper on the topic at the Flexible Futures: Teaching Innovation Expo Conference in 2018. 

“MindTap has provided students with the space to take charge of their own learning and really engage with the content. Our course is purposefully designed for our needs and helps our students become acquainted with material that is often very new to them.”