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Item Open Access Exploring experiences of visually impaired students on support services in Higher Education Institutions in Lesotho(University of the Free State, 2023) Kojana, Retselisitsoe Kitima; Mukuna, Kananga R.𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗶𝗺: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are regarded as the apex of the education system in many countries of the world. These institutions play a leading role in providing qualifications for their students, intellectual and physical skills necessary for innovation, creativity, self-reliance, and to survive societal and economic demands. Inclusion and admission of persons with disabilities has increased diversity in the student population. The admission of persons with disabilities brings with itself a package of factors and demands among the visually impaired students (VIS) who encountered multi-faced experiences. This study aimed to explore the daily experiences of VISs towards various available student support services in two Lesotho higher education institutions to address a significant gap in the existing literature. In the context of Lesotho, much literature has been published on disability issues specifically on visual impairment in educational institutions. However, limited studies and research addressed the support services provided to students. Appreciative inquiry, as a theoretical framework and a human rights-based approach as a conceptual framework were triangulated to establish how VISs are embraced, celebrated and appreciated by support services in their respective institutions. The human rights-based approach was used to uphold the support offered to VISS as education rights holders in higher education institutions. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱: The philosophical underpinning of this study was the Interpretivism paradigm that enabled the researcher to make reflections on beliefs, views and principles about the world that one lives in. The study was guided by the phenomenological research design to understand the participants‟ perceptions, experiences and perspectives towards support services. Nine (9) VISs and thirteen (13) student support services officials in two higher education institutions participated in this study. In-depth interviews, narrative interviews and an observation adopting complete observer were used as data collection tools. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse qualitative data which is flexible and participant-oriented to acquire the real-life experiences of visually impaired students. The IPA allowed the interpretation of single units to reflect the general patterns across units. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: several findings relating to the experiences of VISs towards support services were made. Higher education institutions have academic and non-academic support services for student in their academic journey. The findings are that disability the units are the most favoured and used support services by VISs in the institutions. The library, health centre, computer lab, counselling and guidance services are the least used support services. Student affairs, student welfare and special education services are partially used by visually impaired students. There are no guiding principles, models or policies guiding and governing disability issues in both institutions. Further findings are that lack of expertise, assistive devices or lack of learning material in the library not only compromise the learning by VISs but they also influence negative perceptions towards the use of these services. Disability units must be equipped with more assistive devices such as desktops with JAWS, screen readers and magnifiers. The relationship and attitude of non-visually impaired students, lecturers and support staff differs from one visually impaired student to the next. The study finds that VISs encounter several challenges in their residences including theft of properties, poor living conditions, and poor security. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: The study concludes that the journey and experiences of each student are dynamic. Each student has his or her highs and lows towards different support services that may compromise or enhance one's academic success. To safeguard the academic and social well-being and success of visually impaired students, it is important for institutions to consider developing disability policies that will guide disability issues. This will protect their rights to receiving quality education, eradicating learning and teaching barriers that hinder their academic success. Development of a disability policy and guidelines will be a token of appreciating and embracing diversity in higher education institutions.Item Open Access The potential of South African curriculum statements to promote more-than-human communal relationships: an ecojustice perspective(University of the Free State, 2023) Von Solms, Nastassja; Barnett, E.The South African curriculum has undergone several changes since the Apartheid-Era, in an attempt to transform its education system and rid it of the injustices of the past. The curriculum therefore plays a significant role in making sure that learners are empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills to be functioning members of society regarding ecological issues. Curriculum development and implementation can be a long-term solution to address ecological issues. Hence, the implementation of the 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, which comprises of different 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 for the different learning areas of every phase of education. This study was aimed at exploring the potential of 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 for promoting more-than-human communal relationships from and ecojustice perspective. The study was therefore aimed specifically at exploring the extent to which the 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 (2014) specifically the 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 for Natural Sciences Grades 7-9, is able to nurture the relationship(s) between humans and the more-than-human world. In order to reach the aim of my study, I made use of a literature review as well as a document analysis and policy analysis. I first unpacked the implications of an anthropocentric worldview for education and the interconnectedness between humans and the more-than-human. The educational implications of a shift from an anthropocentric to an ecocentric worldview for establishing relationships between humans and the more-than-human, was then foregrounded. I further explored the ways in which ecojustice and ecojustice education can be reconceptualised for the nurturing of more-than-human communal relationships. After conducting the literature review, I was able to explore the potential of South African curriculum statements for promoting harmonious more-than-human communal relationships by analysing the 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 (Act 108 of 1996), the 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 Act (Act 107 of 1998) and the 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 for Natural Sciences (Grades 7-9) (2014). The findings from my document analysis suggested that even though the 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (1996), provides a legislative framework for the safeguarding of the environment, it is silent on issues relating to environmental remediation. The enactment of the NEMA (1998) provides guidelines for ways in which the environment is managed and for the ways in which environmental management is implemented in an attempt to promote sustainability. One of the ways in which sustainability can be promoted is through education. By analysing the CAPS (2014), I found that the South African curriculum does promote sustainability and in doing so, it also nurtures the relationship between humans and the more-than-human. This analysis enabled me to comment and make suggestions on the potential of South African curriculum statements for promoting harmonious more-than-human-communal relationships. These suggestions involve the inclusion of teachings on anthropocentrism and African communitarianism in the explicit curriculum.Item Open Access The influence of LGBTQ celebrities on school youth’s perceptions of gender and sexual diversity(University of the Free State, 2023) Botha, Tercia; Nichols, H. J.𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 In recent times, South Africans have started to acknowledge and support counter-normative celebrities; celebrated Gay Pride Parades in cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town; watched same-sex relationships on popular soap operas such as “Generations”; listened to music from counter-normative performers within the music industry and elected gay and lesbian members in the South African parliament. Role models such as celebrities, parents, teachers, and peers influence the attitudes and behaviours of teenagers and school youth. This can determine what kind of person they become, including their appearance, attitudes, gender and sexual diversity, and goals in life. A key aspect of identity development is the media, specifically social media, and television; hence, there is increasing concern that the youth learn more about gender and sexual diversity outside schools than in the formal curriculum. It is not surprising that the school youth are bound to look at LGBTQ celebrities in the media, in order to form their perceptions based on gender and sexual diversity. This research study explores the influence of LGBTQ celebrities on school youth’s perceptions of gender and sexual diversity. Using a case study methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Grade 10 high-school learners studying at a co-ed high school in the Free State province of South Africa. Findings reveal that exposure to LGBTQ celebrities does influence their perceptions of gender and sexual diversity; the high-school learners expressed a need to be taught about gender and sexual diversity for their peers and teachers to have a better understanding; they revealed that they educate themselves on social media and learn more about gender and sexual diversity outside the schoolyard rather than in the formal curriculum; religion, culture and their parents also played a role in their perceptions of gender and sexual diversity. While the data is clear evidence of the influence of LGBTQ celebrities on their perceptions of gender and sexual diversity, it also revealed that the school youth realised the importance of being taught about gender and sexual diversity in the school system and they expressed a need to be taught for a better understanding. I conclude by calling on UMALUSI; the Department of Education; the Independent Examinations Board, and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute officials and inspectors of schools to pay regular visits to schools to ensure that the codes of conduct and policies are implemented thoroughly according to the South African Schools Act of 1996, the South African Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. ___________________________________________________________________Item Open Access Exploring place-attentive education and decoloniality in the english home language curriculum and assessment policy statement(University of the Free State, 2023) Tsoeu, Matladi Rosina; Barnett, E.In my study I undertook to explore place-attentive education and decoloniality in the 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 (2011), with the overarching aim of the study being to explore how place-based education and Ingold’s (2017) concept of attention can be read together to create the concept of place-attentive education. This was achieved by garnering a better understanding of concepts such as place and attention and place-based education. Moreover, a thorough understanding of Ingold’s principles of attention, namely the principle of habit, volition and correspondence as well as coloniality and decoloniality and the intersection of place-attentive education and decoloniality also proved seminal to my study. In that understanding how Ingold’s concept of attention intersects with decoloniality through the concepts of grounded normativity and grounded relationality enabled my analysis to be informed by these critical concepts. I sought to address the aim of the study through conducting an analysis of policy and education related documents, namely, the 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 (1996); the 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 1 𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 (𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 10-12) (2011). I found that the policy and documents achieve alignment, the White Paper 1 (1996) and the 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 (𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 10-12) (2011) essentially echo the Constitution (1996) which is befitting since it is the supreme law of the land. Place-based education is premised as central throughout the documents as the importance of environmental education is emphasised, a factor which I contend is essential for the promotion of place-attentive education in order to promote decoloniality.Item Open Access “I Mainly Rely on the Textbook:” a call for teacher enhancement in agricultural sciences(OpenED Network, 2023) Baas, Nkwenyana Solomon; Tsotetsi, Cias ThapeloUniversities play a crucial role in teachers' professional development. This study aims to examine the following research question: How can universities enhance the teaching of agricultural sciences in schools? Previous research has focused on the university’s collaboration with stakeholders, such as parents, to enhance teaching, but without a specific focus on the teaching of agricultural sciences. In response to this question, a transformative theoretical framework anchors this study. This study employed a participatory action research design involving focus group discussions to determine the need for improving the teaching of agricultural sciences. Eleven participants were involved in this research, and pseudonyms were used to ensure privacy and protect their identities. The study findings from the three schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Free State Province, included in the study, revealed that there is an inability to meet curriculum requirements, accompanied by a reluctance to implement continuous professional teacher development. The findings emphasize the need for extended university involvement in the implementation of teacher development policies to address the teachers’ needs.Item Open Access Teachers’ lived experiences of school violence and their coping strategies(University of the Free State, 2024) Okeke, Charity; Simphiwe, WindvoëlSchool violence perpetrated against teachers is becoming a scourge in South African schools, and as a result, teachers feel stressed, depressed, unsafe and demotivated to continue teaching. This problem, which has had a severely negative impact on the quality of teaching and learning, has also permeated the entire educational system in South Africa. Hence, the emergence of this study, which applied the routine activity theory also to investigate factors influencing perpetrators (learners) to target their victims (teachers) in the absence of capable guardians. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological case study design to establish teachers’ lived experiences of school violence and their coping strategies to improve teaching experiences. The sample size comprised eight purposively selected high school teachers who had experienced at least one form of violence at a school in the Free State Province. Data were collected via audio recordings during face-to-face semi-structured interviews, which were then transcribed and analysed following Braune and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach. The findings indicate that the teachers interviewed were emotionally stressed and demotivated by their experiences of school violence. Additionally, data revealed that the teachers in the study expressed strong feelings of insecurity and disappointment with the teaching profession. Regarding teachers’ coping strategies, the findings indicate that school-based counselling services and sharing experiences with colleagues help to alleviate the influences of school violence. It is recommended that incidents of school violence experienced by teachers be reduced or even eliminated if all relevant stakeholders consider the coping strategies.Item Open Access Social capital, culture, and codes in higher education: Bourdieusian and Bernsteinian philosophical underpinnings in the South Africa environment(OpenED Network, 2024) Pietersen, Doniwen; Tsotetsi, Cias; Barnett, EmmaSocial capital ignored is an “object of political and ideological struggle” created to stifle working-class students in educational spaces. Furthermore, as societal dynamics are constructed in the student-lecturer relationship, this article seeks to evaluate how deliberative democracy in the online higher education space can inspire care through the ongoing dialogue between student and lecturer. This is framed against the Bourdieusian (social capital) and Bernsteinian (social code) framework because both theorists’ work highlights how the dominant class (represented by lecturers) consciously and unconsciously tends to ignore students’ social and cultural capital and codes. This, in turn, leads to a lack of dialogue and care in student-lecturer relationships in higher education. One of this study’s findings is that higher education is aimed to support more middle-class students. The reason for this is that our findings show that lecturers tend not to know what to do with the social habitus of working-class or disadvantaged students. The aforementioned phenomena were foregrounded through Bourdieusian (social capital) and Bernsteinian (social code) model that is situated in the sociological approach, which is interpretive in nature, to explore whether dialogue and care were shown.