Image: Shelley Christians/UWCForget sitting in a lab with textbooks. First-year Extended Curriculum Programme students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) were sprinting across campus last week, decoding clues and chasing treasure in what can only be described as a leafy twist on The Amazing Race.
Lecturer Rosemary Eager, known for her innovative teaching style, turned a regular ecology practical with 152 students into a three-part campus-wide adventure.
“I used to take my students on a three-night camp,” she explained. “We did all sorts of activities, and it was the highlight of the year. But with budget cuts, I had to improvise.”
And improvise she did. The new format, dubbed the Biodiversity Blitz Run, kicked off in the labs with a race-themed activity on phylogenetic trees - a topic students often find tricky.
“Somehow, making it a race helps them get it,” Eager said.
From there, students dashed into a scavenger hunt stretching from the Life Sciences building to the Chemistry Building’s parking lot.
“It’s not just about finding objects,” Eager noted. “Each item ties back to our curriculum as well as serving as revision. It’s learning disguised as fun.”
Image: Shelley Christians/UWCBut the real excitement began in the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, located on the UWC Main Campus, where the final leg of the race unfolded. Seven checkpoints awaited, each manned by demonstrators armed with curriculum-based challenges. Only after solving each one could students receive a clue to move forward.
“I’ll be at the last checkpoint,” Eager told them. “And yes, there’s a prize for the winners. Who says science can’t be competitive?”
Students raced past trees, tackled tricky questions, and collaborated in teams, all while soaking up the biodiversity around them. The format not only encouraged movement and engagement but also brought textbook concepts to life.
“This is the first time we’re doing this practical on campus,” Eager said. “I’m trying to incorporate some of the magic we had at camp. It’s about making learning memorable.”
Laughter and excited chatter marked the day in the reserve and saw students high-fiving at checkpoints. It wasn’t your average day in class, needless to say, but it certainly made learning more memorable..
Earlier this year, the UWC Economics and Management Department hosted the Fourth International Transformative Conference. UWC Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour, praised innovative teaching, stating, “Transformative education is not just about content, it’s about context, connection and creativity. When lecturers turn learning into an experience, they empower students to think differently and engage meaningfully.”
Eager’s approach was the embodiment of the key points Prof Balfour mentioned at the conference. These include turning lessons into immersive experiences, emphasising student engagement through movement, teamwork and challenge, and it highlighted how creativity can overcome logistical constraints and reinforce the value of experiential learning in science education.
