Research profile for Joalise Janse van Rensburg

Qualifications

• MEd - Technology Education. Fostering Critical Thinking Dispositions. University of Pretoria.
• BEd Honours - Teacher Education and Professional Development. Indigenous spaces of Learning. University of Pretoria.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Engineering Graphics and Design and Design and Technology. University of Pretoria.
• BSc Interior Architecture. University of Pretoria.

Research interests

• Critical Thinking
• Education practice
• Generative Artificial Intelligence
• Large Language Models

Biography

I hold a Master of Education in Technology Education from the University of Pretoria, where my research explored ways to foster critical thinking dispositions. My BEd Honours in Teacher Education and Professional Development focused on Indigenous spaces of learning, while my Postgraduate Certificate in Education specialised in Engineering Graphics and Design, as well as Design and Technology. I began my academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture, also at the University of Pretoria. My research and publications centre on critical thinking, technology-enhanced learning, and the role of generative AI in education. I am currently developing additional papers and a conference proceeding that build on these themes. I plan to pursue a PhD in Education, further investigating how generative AI can support and extend critical thinking. I am passionate about empowering educators to think more deeply and creatively through meaningful engagement with technology.