QUALIFICATIONS
QUALIFICATIONS
After all is said and done, we usually get judged based on our qualifications and accomplishments. This page is designed to prove competence by showing my educational background (degrees), workshops, trainings and professional development opportunities (certificates), and other awards/recognition.
Educational Background
My chief educational qualifications (degrees) are listed below. Beyond technical prowess attained in areas such as graphic design, brand identity and management, public relations, journalism, organisational communication, sociology, psychology, enterprise architecture, stakeholder theory and serious game development; I also acquired non-technical skills such as writing skills, time management techniques, cooperative group skills, adaptability, confidence, problem solving skills, organisation capabilities and storytelling techniques.
BA
Communication
2011 - 2013
North-West University
The purpose of the qualification is to enable students to operate professionally and with authority in the different communication environments. A prospective communication practitioner can specialise in Advanced Corporate Communication, Development Communication or Journalism and Media Studies. Communication practitioners can work in any environment, be it in profit and non-profit organisations, or for commercial news media.
Subjects: Graphic design, Web design, Journalism, Public Relations, Film Studies.
BA Honours
Communication
2014
North-West University
This postgraduate research programme is part of the Social Transformation Focus Area and the focus is on communication in changing contexts. This implies that in the themes of postgraduate studies we focus on addressing communication challenges arising from changes that are predominant in the South African context. The aim of focused research was to perform an eye tracking experiment on students whilst using SMARTguides developed for the North-West University.
Subjects: Journalism, Desktop Publishing, Graphic design, and Research.
MSc
Computer Science
2018 - 2019
North-West University
The MSc Computer Science (203155, N861P) programme allows selected students to pursue rigorous academic research and embody it in the form of a dissertation. This degree typically takes between one and three years to complete. The focus of my study was a defunct case study of a serious game production unit that used to produce edifying media at the institution. This evaluation lead to best practice lessons learned for such groups.
Dissertation topic: Serious game stakeholder evaluation.
PhD
Computer + Information Sciences
2020 - 2023
North-West University
In the thesis, "A Stakeholder-Centered Framework for the Design of Serious Games," Lance formulated a system to aid serious game development, focusing on an integrative review of stakeholder theory, serious games, and enterprise architecture. The research aimed to establish a comprehensive design framework and key performance indicators for well-informed design decisions.
Thesis topic: A stakeholder-centred framework for the design of serious games
Training, workshops, courses
I have undertaken various training opportunities, workshops and courses over the years. My interests lie within game development, educational technology, innovative teaching and learning, conceptualisation, animation and general teaching and learning practice. My personal interests include technical aspects such as visual arts, game design, web development, learning design and programming.
3D Animation Workflow
short course, Open Window (2017)
This short course introduces learners to professional-grade 3D and 2D animation software so you can create your own short animated film. One learns how to use Blender to create and animate a simple 3D character.
3D Concept Development
short course, Open Window (2017)
With the lecturer’s assistance, one renders a short looping sequence which is used in a mock film. In After Effects, one designs and animates an environment for your character and composite them into the scene.
Introduction to Game Development
short course, Open Window (2017)
This short course explores the arena in which games are produced. Learners conceptualise their ideas in a proposal document and are introduced to the business of game development, game styles and titles.
Introduction to Research Ethics
TRAINING & RESOURCES IN RESEARCH ETHICS EVALUATION (TRREE) (2020)
At the end of the module course participants will: be able to identify values and concepts of ethics relevant to the conduct of research involving humans; be able to identify and consult relevant normative documents.
Research Ethics Eval.
TRAINING & RESOURCES IN RESEARCH ETHICS EVALUATION (TRREE) (2020)
At the end of the module course participants will: understand the role of research ethics committees in the promotion of ethical research and the protection of research participants; understand the roles and responsibilities of members of research ethics committees; and be able to contribute to research ethics evaluation based on the application of principles of ethics and relevant normative documents. At the end of this module, a certificate is available for participants who got 70% correct answers on their first try.
Informed Consent
TRAINING & RESOURCES IN RESEARCH ETHICS EVALUATION (TRREE) (2020)
At the end of this module all participants will: understand the importance of informed consent for participation in research on humans; know when the requirement of individual informed consent can be waived; know how to seek informed consent from competent potential research participants; and know how to seek informed consent for potential research participants who are unable to give consent; be able to evaluate the informed consent provisions in a study protocol; and be able to evaluate a consent form.
Video & Film Editing
NWU-Creativity Centre (2016)
The NWU Creativity Centre strives to provide excellent training in visual creativity to the public. The Centre presents after-hours short courses at the Potchefstroom Campus or online in various creative categories including Drawing, Graphic & Web Design, Digital Photography, Adobe software and Drama, Sound & Film. They strive to provide excellent training in visual creativity to the public and their offerings are aimed at equipping participants with the appropriate practical skills and theoretical knowledge in order to develop and hone their specific creative interests.
Intermediate HTML and CSS training
Alchemy 360 (2016)
One learns flexboxes, positioning, calculating sizes, transforms, transitions and more in this hands-on training. Attendees combine knowledge and create a design. No libraries, no frameworks. After this course, participants are able to create more professional websites and be more confident about building modern web applications. It is recommended that one learn the basics of HTML and CSS before undertaking this course. #DesignReal-worldWebProject #BasicsofUIDesign
Adobe Edge Animate training
Alchemy 360 (2016)
This Learning Adobe Edge Animate CC training course helps you learn how to get started with a unique web creation tool from Adobe. This course is designed for the absolute beginner, meaning no previous experience with Adobe Edge or Edge Animate is required. You start by learning the basics of the interface, such as how to arrange your workspace, use the code panel, and execute various shortcuts. The instructor then shows you how to import images and teach you about Photoshop and Illustrator integration.
Basic HTML and CSS training
Alchemy 360 (2015)
Whether you are a novice, hoping to delve into the world of web design or an experienced webmaster keen to improve your skills, we’ve got online tutorials tailored to your web design needs. Unlike many other HTML tutorials, it’s a step-by-step guide – not a boring long-winded reference. This step-by-step course teaches you the basics of HTML and how to build your first website. That means how to layout an HTML page, how to add text and images, how to add headings and text formatting, and how to use tables.
Adobe After Effects training
Alchemy 360 (2016)
Composite and motion graphics are in high demand these days, and there’s no better tool for producing them than Adobe After Effects. During this course you learn how to create top-notch motion graphics, composite various assets into a single video using industry-standard workflows and export the final output to the most commonly-used formats. We also explore design principles relating to graphics and text in motion.
Adobe Illustrator training
Alchemy 360 (2015)
This course has been purposely designed for users of all experiences, from complete beginners to existing Adobe Illustrator users, who want to take their skills to the next level. Being able to confidently work in Illustrator is an essential skill for any Graphic Designer or Illustrator, but it is an equally useful tool for Product Designers, Fashion Designers, UI/UX designers and various other areas within and outside of the creative industry.
HTML5 Animation training
Alchemy 360 (2016)
Learn the mathematical foundations that form the basis of any complex animation, such as vectors, vector operations, interpolations, and easing and acceleration. Discover how to display graphics on the screen using HTML5's latest APIs such as DOM, CSS3, SVG, Canvas, or WebGL. Learn how to use Raphaël to easily display and animate graphics using SVG. Learn how ThreeJS makes everyone's lives easier by harnessing the power of WebGL. Implement functions that will allow you to use cameras, animate simple geometries, or import 3D models from Blender with ThreeJs.
Adobe Premiere Pro training
Alchemy 360 (2016)
You'll learn a solid basis of Premiere Pro which allows you to do the following: Organising and starting a Premiere Pro project; Performing basic edits, arranging clips and working in multiple layers; Performing advanced edits using the toolbox, masks and blending techniques; Applying and adjusting video/audio effects; Creating custom graphics and texts; Making custom templates and using third party templates; Creating custom animations and understand its mechanics; and Exporting a video with the proper settings.
Awards & Recognition
High School Testimonial
Hoërskool Drie Riviere (2009)
The following testimonial was penned by my High School homeroom teacher, Ms Botha. This letter shows some of my best attributes, including leadership skills, humility, politeness, friendliness and modesty. Despite growing exponentially from then, I still retain these core attributes; and I feel they set me apart from many others in the workplace. I look back fondly on these years, as they helped shape my morals and virtues.
Research Excellence
North-West University (2015)
This award was given to myself and two colleagues who spearheaded an initiative to set up a One Button Studio on the North-West University, Vanderbijlpark campus. The self-service studio space was originally developed by academics and support services at Penn State University in the United States of America. The service was a hit and still persists to this day. Setup of the studio took concerted effort to source, purchase and install equipment into the dedicated room(s) on campus.
Golden Key International Honour Society
North-West University (2013)
The Golden Key International Honour Society is the world's largest collegiate honour society for graduate and undergraduate students, and has strong relationships with over 400 universities around the world. Golden Key is built on the pillars of academics, leadership, and service, and our chapters are committed to implementing service projects and leadership development for all students. Members qualify when they are at the top 15% of their class.
Faculty Staff Award, Teaching & Learning
North-West University (2020)
Dr Suné Van Der Linde, deputy director of the School of Computer Science & Information Systems (Vanderbijlpark campus), recognises my efforts at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Staff Acknowledgement Function. The function took place in December of 2020. You can view the full presentation HERE.