Dr. Susan Gredley is the primary lecturer and departmental lead for Cornerstone's BA Alternative Education programme. She holds a Master’s in Adult Education from the University of Cape Town and a Ph.D. from the University of the Western Cape. Her doctoral research explored socially just pedagogies in higher education through the lens of participatory parity. Before joining Cornerstone in 2022, Susan worked at UCT and UWC in a range of convening, lecturing, and research roles, including, at UCT, in the Writing Centre, Disabilities Studies Unit, English Department, Language Development Group, Global Citizenship Programme, and Cases of Open Learning project and, at UWC, in the Women’s and Gender Studies department, convening and lecturing on two undergraduate gender studies courses. Her published research spans students’ teaching and learning experiences in higher education, open learning to promote access to higher education, and socially just teaching and assessment practices. Susan’s teaching and research continue to reinforce her interest in exploring socially just ways of teaching, learning, and engaging with students who are, in turn, motivated to contribute to social transformation in South Africa today. When not involved in academic pursuits, she loves running, reading, exploring local spaces, hanging out with her dogs, and quality time with family and friends.

Shaun Viljoen taught South African and African literature at Cathkin High School, Hewat College of Education, Wits University, and Stellenbosch University. He has a particular interest in queer biography and memoir. He is the author of the book Richard Rive: A Partial Biography (Johannesburg: Wits Press, 2013), shortlisted for the Alan Paton prize for non-fiction in 2014. He is currently Deputy Dean of Education at Cornerstone Institute and Emeritus Associate Professor in the English Department at Stellenbosch University. At Cornerstone, his work includes designing undergraduate and postgraduate education courses for the Teachers College.

With a PhD in English Studies and an unrelenting love for literature, I combine expertise and passion in my lecturing and research. Having worked as a tutor, teacher and lecturer while completing my post-graduate degrees and beyond, I have 15 years teaching experience and a varied knowledge base and skillset to complement my dedication and fervour. My areas of special interest include creative writing, women’s writing, feminist revision and, most

Dr. Alvin Riffel is a highly qualified educator with a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science Education, a Master's degree in Science Education, and a B.Ed.

Honours degree and a Higher Diploma in Education earned from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). He is a South African Council of Educators (SACE) registered teacher. He has over 16 years of experience teaching primary and secondary school students and over 13 years of experience in tertiary university teacher education and training.

Dr. Riffel is an accomplished academic with numerous scholarly journal articles and academic research periodicals published in natural sciences classroom teaching and learning, focusing on the CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement) framework from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa.

His research interests center around Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), exploring ways to integrate IKS into the science classroom environment at school to enhance both teacher and learner understanding of science concepts. Dr. Riffel's research is informed by argumentative theories, such as Toulmin's Argumentation Pattern (TAP) from Stephen Toulmin (1985) and Mesach Ogunniyi’s (2007) Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT).

I am a Cornerstone alumnus with a BA Degree in Psychology who continues striving to further my post-graduate studies within the academic field of Education. I have been a dedicated employee at Cornerstone Institute for over three years and am currently the Senior Academic Administrator within Cornerstone Institute for over three years and am currently the Senior Academic Administrator within my core occupational areas of expertise. My strengths are around interacting, apprehending, and empathizing with various personalities. I thrive on Inspirational affirmations and self-assuring quotes.

I advocate for mental health and believe we can utilize our minds as powerful tools to promote and stimulate positive change.

I have a background in Education and Psychology with a strong focus on Special Needs Education and Child Development. I have experience as a Foundation Phase teacher and a Remedial teacher, and I have been teaching through online education for more than ten years. I have been lecturing at Cornerstone for the past seven years. I have a BSc Honours degree, a BA Honours degree, and PGCE in Early Childhood Education and Foundation Phase. I am passionate about education and believe all learners should have access to quality education. I am motivated to train teachers of excellence, as teaching is a challenging calling. I am interested in online learning, specially the eective creation of an engagement with online learning platforms.

We all have a story to tell. Mine is that of a passionate literature teacher who fell in love with nature. All living things fascinate me. In my youth, I graduated with a BA degree in languages and a Higher Diploma in Education. After teaching for a few years, I did a Post-Graduate Diploma in Translation to work as a translator for an export company. I returned to teaching when my daughter went to school, so, in total, I have more than 30 years of teaching experience.

In 1993 I obtained a Master of Education degree at the University of the Western Cape, which equips me for the post of teaching Ethics and Education in a Social Context. In addition to this, I served the teaching profession for 45 years. Thirty-nine years of my teaching career were spent in colleges of education and the education faculties of institutions of higher learning. I also developed organizational skills by serving on and coordinating curriculum and teaching practice committees, international student exchange programmes, and college sporting bodies. My passion for teaching and learning and unlocking students’ potential were always determining factors in my perspective of the nature and role of education in society. My involvement in community-based organizations affirms my belief that ethical integrity is vital in our quest to address our national and international challenges.

Dr. Wessels obtained her Ph.D. in Philosophy of Education at UNISA. She served as an educator teaching Grades 1 to 12 (all the phases), after which she worked at the Western Cape Education Department Head Office Cape Town in the Research and Human Resource Directorates. She surveyed to compile a Gender Audit at Western Cape Schools for the WCED and assisted Professor Rainer Hampel of the University of Freiburg with research on the feasibility of Outcomes-Based Education. Dr. Wessels joined the UWC and supervised the Practicum of Student Teachers at B.Ed. Foundation, Senior Phase, and PGCE levels. She is currently lecturing B.Ed. Foundation Phase students at UWC and PGCE Foundation Phase students at Cornerstone Institute South Africa. In 2020, she received the Lecturer of the Year award at Cornerstone Institute. She joined Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) to allow student teachers to meet others abroad, share ideas and experiences, and become globally inter-culturally competent. She wrote and directed plays and a Performing Arts group in Spiritual, Societal, and Corporate Theatre. Workshops and training sessions usually followed the performance of these plays. Currently, she is compiling the plays in book form for publishing. She co-authored two English Language textbooks, Shuters English 7 1994 and Shuters English 8 1994 Shuters & Shooter. Dr. Wessels is preparing articles focusing on her experiences as an educator and lecturer, especially preparing student teachers online and conducting online visits to classrooms where they complete their practicum. She is also working on her autobiography, “I came full circle.” She bases her personal Philosophy on the following words of George Bernard Shaw, “Some men see things as they are and say, why? I dream of things that never were and say why not?”

I have a finance and IT background and years of administration experience. I am naturally friendly and quiet, and I go the extra mile to help the next person. I have been working for Cornerstone Institute for two years now as an administrator in the Education department—a position I thoroughly enjoy. I have been on dialysis for five years but have not let it stop me from working. I am married to a professional ballroom dancer, yet I still cannot dance one step.

The beauty of studying literature and writing poetry and short stories is that your terms of reference are vast. Whatever you know may be useful for your comprehension or creativity. Aristotle said, “...a surprising development in a tragedy is most effective when it does not merely produce shock at an unexpected occurrence, but rather has an “air of design” and seems to be the necessary, inevitable (but still frightening) outcome of a chain of actions”. This describes the challenges and the wonder of literature. English has been my life, and I have decades of experience teaching it from Grade 7 to post-graduate levels. I have an MA in English Literature from the University of Cape Town and a teacher’s post-graduate diploma. I have written two novellas, one set in the Karoo and one in South Korea, where I taught in the education department at a university for ten years. You can see the books here: amazon.com/author/melanie.steyn. My philosophy of education is that students need stimulating and enriching content, challenging but enjoyable assignments, and plenty of encouragement to develop personally. If the lecturer employs energy and love, everything will go smoothly.

I am married and have two children, and one grandson. I live in Durbanville I am an avid student who has always been and always will be. Thus I obtained the following degrees and diploma: BSc (US), LSOD (US), B.Ed. (RAU), MSc (Mathematics Teaching) (UWC), Hons BSc (Mathematics and Statistics) (UWC). I also dabble in languages and have proof of passing various subjects, I studied out of curiosity at UNISA. These include Latin, Italian, Romance languages in English, some Computer Science Courses, and a single course in Descriptive Architecture. I also have a TEFL qualification. Through Udemy, I did a course in Operational Management. Everything that is about numbers piques my interest! At Cornerstone, it delights me to teach Statistics to Education students. It is a most rewarding endeavour and I delight in being able to help students, whether it is in understanding Statistics or how to submit their assignment! I have taught at various Educational institutes - Ordinary High Schools, both English and Afrikaans, Technical High Schools, Krugersdorp Technical College, Goudstad Teacher's Training College, RAU (now UJ), UWC, and now at Cornerstone. My students, through the years, have spoken highly of my skill in breaking down a difficult question in Mathematics to the level where they can pick it up and progress further by themselves. This is the one thing that motivates me, above all else, to be able to help people understand Mathematics! When not teaching, I like making bobbin lace, knitting, reading, doing crosswords, building puzzles, and studying! My philosophy of education is that students need stimulating and enriching content, challenging but enjoyable assignments, and plenty of encouragement to develop personally. If the lecturer employs energy and love, everything will go smoothly.

Sene van Heerden’s prior teaching experience includes teaching in the Intermediate Phase, as subject lead for English and the Social Science, and lecturer at various private colleges. During her extensive teaching career, she obtained a BSc Honours in Criminal Justice and a PGCE at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Sene has served as a junior research assistant at the Centre for International Teacher Education (CITE), based at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Currently she holds a Master’s degree in Education. Her main research interests include teacher education and development, teacher professionalism, diversity education, educational policy implementation, and best practices in using ICT in teaching and learning.

Sharon-Lee Engelbrecht is a dynamic professional with a wealth of expertise in the Oil and Gas Industry. Joining Cornerstone in 2020, she has signicantly impacted her eld. Beyond her professional achievements, Sharon is a dedicated volunteer at the Rape Crisis Counselling and Victim Support Unit, offering compassion and assistance to survivors of assault. Passionate about education and cross-cultural communication, Sharon obtained a TESOL certificate through Cornerstone Institute. This certification has enabled her to teach English to individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering inclusivity and language development. Sharon's academic journey is marked by her commitment to personal growth and intellectual development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and pursued an Honours degree in Psychology, further solidifying her expertise and research skills.

Dr Abel Wilson Magongo is a highly experienced Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education who has dedicated more than 20 years of his life to the field of education, working across various educational settings in Swaziland, Botswana, the UK, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. He holds a Doctorate of Education (EdD) from Unicaf University, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from UNISA, and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) along with a Secondary Teacher's Diploma (STD) from the University of Eswatini. Dr. Magongo's impressive educational background and extensive experience make him a highly accomplished educator and academic leader. His expertise is primarily in curriculum development, educational management, and teacher training, especially in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Mathematics, where he has served as an examiner and curriculum developer for more than 14 years. Dr Magongo has received multiple awards and certificates for his outstanding educational contributions, including recognition for achieving a 100% pass rate in various mathematics examinations. He is a respected member of several professional organisations, such as the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and the Council of International Schools. He has provided consultative services to educational institutions. Dr. Magongo's unwavering commitment to academic excellence and remarkable experience and expertise make him an invaluable asset to any educational institution, inspiring colleagues and students alike.

My journey started with a B.Tech in Fashion Design and Technology, designing clothing ranges for children, then followed PGCE in ECD and Foundation Phase at UP. With a passion and love for teaching I have more than 17 years teaching experience, worked with children from 18 months up to University students as well as learners with special educational needs. At Cornerstone I'm living out another passion, lecturing Afrikaans First Additional Language Didactics. At the School of Botanical arts and Science I'm studying to be a herbalist.

I am an experienced and passionate teacher who has dedicated almost thirty years to the profession. Over the years, I have taught students of all ages, from pre-schoolers to teenagers and adults. My commitment to honesty and integrity is unwavering, and I hold family values in high regard. I have been married for twenty-seven years and have been blessed with three wonderful children.

As an educator, I aspire to be more than just a teacher to my students. I strive to be a mentor, coach, counsellor and friend – guiding and supporting them through their learning journeys. My husband is a pastor, and we run a marriage and enrichment ministry together. Our faith is central to our lives, and we believe in the importance of freedom and responsibility in choosing our path. We endeavour to show love, grace and kindness to God and everyone in our free time. I enjoy being outdoors, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, watching quality movies, and sharing a bottle of fine Cape wine with friends and family.

With a family deeply rooted in education and activism, I have always known learning as a pathway to liberation. After completing my BA in Dance and Theatre, I deepened my study of the moving body and complexities of embodiment by pursuing my Honours in Physical Performance and MA in Interdisciplinary Performance Praxis – making an intentional shift from dance practice to movement research praxis. Subsequently, my intellectual curiosity led me beyond my specialisation and into the realm of education, to the study and practice of teaching, learning, pedagogy, and educational writing. Most recently this culminated in my completion of a PGCE from the University of Cape Town.

My work with Cornerstone began a few years ago as I contributed to the research and development of curricula for various pedagogical courses, including the BA Alternative Education programme. I’m excited to now be lecturing a few Alt Ed modules this semester.