EduCafé: Founders Bio’s
Chief Executive Officer/ Online Learning Strategy
Nico offers more than twenty years’ experience leading innovation and implementation of strategy blended and online learning, higher education leadership and management, and online programme development in a range of higher education contexts. He holds a Master and PhD in Health Professions Education. He has provided support and guidance to 50+ international Universities on the deployment of hundreds of programmes. Putting in place efficient, effective, scalable processes to ensure faculty and learner success. His passion is for expanding access to high-quality, affordable education, and he is privileged to be able to strengthen professional standards of practice through invitations to speak at a range of national and international events. In a similar vein, he served as an executive member of various national professional bodies and have very much enjoyed further roles as external moderator and examiner, reviewer, and media contributor. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator and member of the Golden Key Society.
Critical thinking and a methodical, data-driven approach underpin sound decision-making and planning, and enable my delivery of multiple concurrent goals on time and to scope. Adaptable and versatile, he collaborates across professional and organisational boundaries to embed an ethos of quality education, and to ensure the delivery of high-quality courses and programmes. Positive, pragmatic, and personable, exemplary interpersonal and communication skills enable me to build trust-based relationships, reconcile differing perspectives and create cohesion.
Above all, he places the highest value on integrity, continuous improvement, and setting a positive example in all aspects of professional and personal activity.
Curriculum and Educational Strategy
Sarietjie has been teaching for more than 25 years across the education spectrum, from Early Childhood and special needs education to adult education. Currently she is the director of Academic Services at Higher Ed Partners and supports faculty and instructional design teams with best practices in the design, development, and optimisation of their online courses to deliver rigorous, engaging and high-quality learner experiences.
Prior to this she was the director of IDEAS Lab at the University of the Free State where she led a diverse, creative team that focused on shaping the digital learning landscape of distance learning. Under her leadership the IDEAS Lab team worked closely with various departments and national funders in the design, development and evaluation of new digital learning initiatives that unlocked engaged, personalised and lifelong learning. Projects that she headed up include classroom support to 73,000 learners across an online learning platform. This project has received numerous international awards which included a Commonwealth Good Education Practice award in 2015. She served on the International advisory board for the New Horizon K-12 report and Microsoft Global Education and did research for UNESCO’s Institute for information technologies in education (IITE) focusing on ICT in Primary Schools.
Sarietjie is a team player, embraces challenges and has a passion for education and how online learning can impact the future of education and provide access to those who cannot attend on-campus learning opportunities.
Innovation and Instructional Design
Linley leverages insights in behavioural psychology and her experience in design thinking to advise functional and desirable student learning experiences. Linley has supported 700+ modules throughout K-12 and tertiary levels across SA, Africa, and the UK, has presented at both national and international forums, and, among others, was invited as guest speaker to Penn State’s Instructional Design mentoring programme. Linley has been featured on the EDUCAUSE Review as a guest blogger, publishing a series of instructional design topics shared with 100k+ global subscribers.
Linley is highly experienced in innovative instructional design and content development. With experience in several Learner Management Systems. Additional relevant certifications include Peer Reviewer (Quality Matters), Applying the QM Rubric (Quality Matters). ID2ID Networking Programme (EDUCAUSE). Universal Design for Learning (CAST). Creative Commons and OER Workshop (Butcher & Associates). Developing Open Educational Resources (OER Africa). Gamification Apprenticeship (Sententia). Articulate Storyline (Articulate). Blackboard Trainer (Blackboard). Objective Assessment Workshop (UP).
Skills Development
Igno brings over three decades of experience to the realm of e-learning, having transitioned from a background in teaching to becoming a dynamic corporate trainer and lecturer on leadership and MBA programmes. He holds dual MA degrees, one in History from the University of the Free State and another in Linguistics from the University of Stellenbosch. His foray into technology integration in the classroom during the early 1990s laid the foundation for his passion for online learning.
In his role at Liberty Life, he played a pivotal role in creating and implementing various online learning programmes, including podcasts and micro-learning courses. Notably, he designed an online course on Negotiation Skills for the University of Johannesburg’s Business School. His expertise extends to digital marketing and digital transformation, acquired through courses with leading South African Business Schools.
A testament to his commitment to online education is the creation of motivational courses like “Change your Angle, Change your Life,” as well as an upcoming course based on his book, “Light on Leadership.” Additionally, he leads an Afrikaans online network on photography, showcasing his dedication to promoting learning in his native language.
In essence, his journey encompasses a rich blend of academic achievements, extensive experience in e-learning, and a continuous commitment to staying at the forefront of educational innovation.
