Carisma Nel is a research professor within the School of Languages in Education, in the Faculty of Education. She in an Educational Linguist specialising in reading literacy from the foundation phase (Grade R-Grade 3) through to the higher education sector. Her research interests include reading literacy assessment and interventions, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and pre- and in-service teacher training in reading literacy, specifically practice-based teacher education with a focus on mixed reality simulation. She was the project leader for the SANPAD project, the Work Integrated Learning project within the DHET and European Union funded Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme. She has published approximately 70 articles, and acted as supervisor (46 students) and promotor (40 students) for postgraduate students where she has won an award twice for most productive supervisor. Additional awards include: Team teaching excellence award (2025), Best research article in the Reading and Writing Journal, and a Recognition for service excellence in engaged teaching and learning for work integrated learning.
One of the innovations I am currently focusing on is the use of a mixed reality classroom environment where student teachers are given the opportunity to engage with avatars in order to practice a variety of core reading practices. Mixed reality simulation has been shown to improve pedagogical proficiencies through structured simulated practice. Mixed Reality Simulations are technology-enhanced scenarios that merge real and virtual worlds. The technology currently used for MR student teacher simulations utilizes a combination of immersive virtual environments and human directed in-the- moment puppetry, a model known as human-in-the-loop (HITL). The immersive quality of these environments leads to a suspension of disbelief, leaving participants feeling not as if they are pretending, but that they are actually interacting in a real-life scenario.
Faculty of Education
Potchefstroom Campus
Building B6, Office 102
