Dr Kathleen Froneman Presents at SAAHE 2025 Conference: Fostering Presence in Large Classes Through Reflective Practices

We are proud to announce that Dr Kathleen Froneman from North-West University’s NuMIQ Focus Area presented an oral paper at the 2025 South African Association of Health Educationalists (SAAHE) conference.

The presentation, titled “Perspectives on a model for fostering ‘presence’ in large classes through reflective practices,” was co-authored with Prof Emmerentia du Plessis and Prof Anna Catharina van Graan.

This research addresses the challenge nurse educators face in cultivating authentic, engaged connections with students in large-group teaching settings. The model presented integrates presence—a deliberate, meaningful educator-student interaction—with reflective practices to support both cognitive and emotional learning.

Using a qualitative two-phase approach, the model was refined through expert evaluation and participatory feedback from nurse educators and students. Key themes explored included the model’s benefits, limitations, essential conditions for effective use, and recommendations for ongoing development.

The refined model aims to enhance nursing education curricula at undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional development levels. It provides nurse educators with practical guidance to deepen presence in their teaching, fostering student engagement, compassion, and professional growth.