Doctoral Degrees (School of Higher Education Studies)

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Open Access
Academic staff performance appraisal system for higher education in Lesotho
(University of the Free State, 2004-05) Mpooa, Ts'ebetso Margaret 'M'amokheseng; Alt, H.; Hay, H. R.
English: The changing social, political, economic and technological environment exerts pressure on governments throughout the world to ensure that higher education institutions are efficient and effective in the delivery of services. The continuing environmental change and, in particular, the financial decline has caused governments to apply stringent financial control measures and to demand higher education institutions to address external and internal demands for efficiency (see 2.2; 3.2.1; and 4.3). Likewise, the Lesotho government ensures that higher education institutions provide efficient services to justify the funds invested in them (see 2.2.2). In recognition of the significant role that a skilled workforce could perform in initiating change, governments - including the Lesotho government - shifted from a confidential to a developmental performance appraisal/management system as a performance control measure with the intention to improve efficiency (see 3.2.2; 4.3; and Table 4.1). This shift from the confidential performance appraisal system was based on the assumption that a holistic, integrated, democratic system would effect a change in staff performance compared to the autocratic system of assessing staff performance (see 3.2.2; Table 4.3; and 4.5.2). The purpose of this study was to determine the type of performance management system used in Lesotho institutions of higher learning and to suggest improvements that would ensure efficient staff performance. The main research question was what system of performance management could bring about efficient academic staff performance in the Lesotho higher education institutions, given the context within which higher education exists. In addressing the main question, this study set out to obtain responses from the Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), the National Health Training College (NHTC) and the National University of Lesotho (NUL) concerning the following subsidiary questions: the meaning, purpose, principles and objectives of performance management; the existing policies and procedures of performance management; the relation between scholarship and performance management (see 4.2; 4.5.2; and 4.5.3). In addition it required suggestions for the improvement of the existing performance management system (see 8.6). Both a theoretical and a field study were conducted. In the field study, a combination of methods was used, which included a survey descriptive research design adopting both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Quantitative data was collected by means of the self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was gathered by means of interviews and focus group discussions. The findings from LP and NHTC with regard to the purpose of performance management revealed that performance management had been instituted to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The intention was to make these institutions responsive to the demands of the internal and external stakeholders. The purpose of the system in both institutions seems to linger more towards judgement than towards scholarship development, which would result in staff efficiency. Similarly, findings from NUL seem to emphasise punishment and not scholarship development. The findings from NUL with regard to the performance management policy showed that a clear performance management policy did not exist and that preparations were made to introduce an appraisal policy. The staff were evaluated annually based on the point system. The activities of teaching and learning, research and community service are allocated points according to their perceived importance by management. Research is allocated more points, since it is considered to contribute to the improvement of subject content and the methodology of teaching. The findings also reflect that consultancy work contributes to the subject content. But it seemed that the respondents were dissatisfied with the value attached to research, since they had large teaching loads that made it difficult for them to conduct research. In addition, allocated funds were limited to conduct research. Also, the appraisal policy in the three institutions attached more value to research than teaching, yet the latter formed the core of the lecturers’ activities. These findings reflect that for a performance management system to be sustainable, a performance management policy should have clear guidelines to ensure that all forms of scholarship are equally valued and assessed. Based on the afore mentioned findings from the three institutions, it is recommended that the review of the existing performance management system should emphasise promotion of staff efficiency and effectiveness to enable the higher education institutions to respond to the internal and external demands for efficiency. The purpose of the appraisal should be to reflect staff skills and knowledge that need development and also factors that inhibit efficient performance. In all the institutions the recommendation is that the purpose of the performance appraisal system should be to develop staff competencies to enable staff to address knowledge and skill requirements in their contexts. This recommendation is in line with the argument of this thesis namely that for a performance management system to be effective, its purpose must be to develop scholarship. Various recommendations were made to ensure that a performance appraisal system, which supports scholarship development should be in place. The recommendations from both LP and NHTC were that the policy should be clear on the purpose and the procedure of the performance appraisal system. In addition, a policy that emphasises staff development is recommended, since it is not threatening and such a system supports staff to be efficient. With regard to the procedure the recommendation from LP and NHTC was that performance assessment should be based on agreed standards and indicators of performance; that job descriptions be aligned to the mission; the rating of staff should be consistent; and that the grievance procedure should be clear. The recommendations from NUL on procedures of performance management were that the methods and instruments used for collecting evidence on performance should be clearly stipulated; feedback on performance appraisal results should be provided to appraisees; and that the rating of the research and the teaching staff should be consistent. The recommendation from the respondents at LP, NHTC and NUL was that all forms of scholarship should be given equal recognition in appraisal. The institutions should also ensure that the necessary resources to conduct research are available. The respondents from the institutions studied indicated that the success of a developmental, continuous and democratic system of performance appraisal depended on the dynamic leadership that is supportive to change. Recommendations on future research are that research should be conducted on leadership and the management of staff performance in the three institutions studied. Such research is essential, since it will highlight whether the existing type of leadership is conducive for the success of a performance management system. Future research can also be conducted on the interaction between appraiser and appraisee in decisions on the action plans. Interaction promotes involvement in decisions. Without staff involvement in plans and decisions on appraisal, the appraisal system may not be sustainable. In addition, research on the process of appraisal is essential, since the processes determine the success and the continuity of appraisal.
Open Access
Analysing student affairs research within higher education through Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model lens
(University of the Free State, 2020-07) Holtzhausen, Sophia Maria; Wahl, W. P.
Through Bronfenbrenner’s Person, Process, Context and Time (PPCT) model lens, this study identified the most important student affairs research themes for transforming student (including postgraduate students) learning and development in higher education, as well as how these themes might be managed or implemented best by higher education institutions. In order to address these questions, this five-article doctoral journey is situated within the parameters of Higher Education Studies, Student Affairs, Student Development Theory, and Ecology of Learning. All these fields of study and theories play a fundamental role in accomplishing student learning and development. However, this study predominantly is positioned within the field of student affairs, with special reference to Jones and Asbes’ (2017:143) third student development theory category. The motivation for this is that the study specifically concentrated on the ecological aspects of student development, reinforcing the applicability of Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bio-ecological systems theory (i.e. the PPCT model) as a theoretical lens. Mainly qualitative data generation methods were employed in this study. The research findings are put forth in the format of five articles, which present a kaleidoscope of research that focused on the historical interval of 2008-2019: In Article 1 four North American directives and Kuh’s High Impact Educational Practices provided a development trajectory of the student affairs profession. Although Bronfenbrenner’s PPCT model lens has signposted four historical movements (in loco parentis, service providers, out-of-class development officers, and multiple educators), the reader should note that these student affairs practitioners’ roles are evolutionary. This study also found that scholarly student affairs practitioners should be flexible and theory-based in their praxis. Also, because student affairs function under a contemporary umbrella with broad and diverse responsibilities, there is substantial scope for further development in this field. Article 2 explores the student affairs research position worldwide between 2008 and 2019 in the light of an extensive document analysis of 926 student affairs research articles published in 91 peer-reviewed journals. The thematic categorisation of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) was used to determine nine prominent and five new international publication trends as derived from the document analysis (CAS 2019). Thereafter, Bronfenbrenner's PPCT model, particularly the chrono-system, provided critical insights in this study about how and why student affairs manifest in worldwide higher education. Article 3 established an increase in and emphasis on African student affairs research. This provoked the significance of mapping African student affairs research during the past interlude (2008-2019) through Bronfenbrenner’s lens. The document analysis of 121 articles (published in 34 selected academic journals) confirmed nine of CAS’s prominent African student affairs research trends, while four new local themes were observed. Finally, postgraduate programmes and services requiring future exploration to extend and promote student affairs as a field of research and studies in the African context were identified. Article 4 focused on the interrogation, namely: In what way can scholarly article style postgraduate studies specifically enrich the field of student affairs? In this qualitative research journey, taken through Bronfenbrenner’s theoretical microscope, higher education experts and supervisors agreed that well-defined institutional policies, faculty/departmental guidelines, and assessment are essential for success. Subsequently, article option training and support for postgraduate students, supervisors, and student affairs practitioners are essential. This study’s final, proposed outcome is postgraduate attribute indicators for quality assessment of article style postgraduate studies, which require extensive future exploration. Finally, in Article 5 the findings of a 360-degree circle reflection on the four intervention guideposts are presented and analysed (through Bronfenbrenner’s PPCT model). Lessons learned to promote postgraduate student development could serve as catalyst for further research.
Open Access
An analysis of factors inhibiting the access of students with special educational needs to higher education in the Free State
(University of the Free State, 2006) Nkoane, Molebatsi Milton; Mahlomaholo, M. G.; Van Tonder, S. P.; Hay, H. R.
English: The major focus of this study is an investigation into how higher education institutions in the Free State Province could enhance access of students with special educational needs. In order to make a systematic and scientific research analysis, the thesis seeks to examine practices that inform higher education, and how students with special educational needs make sense of their experiences concerning higher education. The purpose of the research is therefore to explore the factors that inhibit access to higher education institutions (HEIs) for the SEN students in the Free State region. Equally important, the challenges facing higher education institutions are investigated, drawing on evidence of the policy framework, i.e. the Bill of Rights (1996); the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996); the South African Qualification Authority (1995); the National Qualification Framework (2002), the Education Green Paper on Higher Education Transformation (Notice 1196 of 1996); and Education White Paper No 6: Special Needs Education; Building an Inclusive and Training System (2001). These policies will be examined and the researcher identifies, defines and looks for causality and the manifestation of students with SEN in HEIs in order to propose ways for South Africa to initiate a public policy that will encourage understanding among policy-makers, practitioners and researchers in order that they might reflect upon these challenges. Equally important, interest in inclusive education has grown substantially in the last decade in South Africa as a new paradigm in the education sector has occurred whereby the Ministry of Education has to introduce an inclusive education system at school level [see DoE Education White Paper No 6 (2001)]. However, universities do not seem to be fully geared for SEN students. Access to higher education is used interchangeably with the concept inclusive education in this thesis because the researcher of this particular study understands them to basically mean and refer to the same process. Equally important, these concepts are central to this investigation. It is vital to provide a more in-depth and clear discussion thereof. In doing so, this thesis indicates why these concepts are so essential as well as central to this study. Furthermore, this research interrogates different literature sources on inclusive education. The review of challenges and possibilities for broadening access to education with focused view on (i) curriculum; (ii) assessment to promote access; (iii) access and fair chances to higher education. These are some of the issues that will be interrogated in this study. A close scrutiny and critical interrogation and/or review of possible barriers that could inhibit access to higher education for SEN students will be undertaken. This thesis presents and interprets data from seemingly contradicting approaches, namely positivistic; critical emancipatory and textual orientated discourse analysis (TODA). Thus implying the data collection techniques includes qualitative and quantitative methods, such as the use of questionnaires, open-ended questions using the free attitude interview (FAI) technique. The reason for this thesis to adopt the triangulation model are mutual validation of results on the basis of different methods and to assist the research to obtain a more in-depth or a complete picture of the phenomenon under investigation and produce a sound explanation. Equally important this thesis reflects on findings. It also draws various conclusions which lead to recommendations that could be followed up. These reflections are viewed against the backdrop of a situation that is unfolding in South Africa, a country that is beginning to shed some of the vestiges of the past. But contrary to popular belief, forces retarding progress towards aspired inclusivity and accessibility or democracy as well as a lack of “utopia” seem to have merely disguised themselves rather than actually retreating in shame. Based on the data collected and analysed it seems sound that the services provided by HEIs in the Free State serve certain section of the population of students. However, departments, units, administrators and SEN students alike believe that there are numerous administrative and other issues that must be addressed to provide equal services to all. Lastly, suggestions and recommendations that are important for the purpose of access to be realised in HEIs by students with SEN are made. This could enable future relevant research based on the theory generated in this study. The purpose of the thesis is to empower SEN students, rather than blowing the deficiencies or challenges out of proportion. The study aims to destroy the reproduction of the status quo of segregation, inequalities, exclusion and marginalisation of SEN students in HEIs. Access to equal higher education provision will be discussed and defined through various discourses. In fact, the understanding of SEN students and access to higher education remains a social construction. Access to higher education provision has to do with how marginalised and excluded SEN students understand the barriers and what they think could be done to overcome them and what they as equal human beings feel and aspire to become. The discourse raised challenges such as oppression, exclusion or marginalisation of students with SEN. HEIs should avoid ignoring the existence of SEN students at all costs. The vision and frame of reference of these institutions should always be conscious of those they are serving in the broad spectrum. Research in this area could be understood as playing a role in the process of the emancipation of marginalised SEN students. Inevitably, the thesis can therefore only be judged emancipatory after SEN students themselves have made their voices heard. This study can be viewed as a forum of amplification for the voices of those who are marginalised or excluded from mainstream university culture. It might also be engaged as a tool for those who are seeking emancipation for themselves.
Open Access
Appreciating the University of the Free State's transformation: a juxtaposed journey with Alice to Wonderland
(University of the Free State, 2013-01) Smit, Emmerentia Jacomina; Niemann, S. M.
Introduction and background to the study The dynamic higher education (HE) sector is continually adapting in order to enhance scholarship. The University of the Free State (UFS) experienced extreme pressure to stabilise the institution in the aftermath of the Reitz debacle in 2008. As a UFS staff member involved in marketing and publicity, I often experienced cognitive dissonance about the resulting changes in the institution. Directly after the Reitz debacle, the Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, introduced a Ministerial Committee on Progress towards Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions. The ensuing briefing paper reported that the challenges of transformation should not be underestimated. Inherited legacies “produced at the structural level … social and economic inequalities which were accompanied and underpinned by a complex skein of discriminatory political and cultural attributes, dispositions and orientations” (Soudien, 2010). Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, argued that “explicit bigotry, such as the videotaped incident at the University of the Free State, [is] met with public outrage. Meanwhile, covert forms of racism [discrimination] remain prevalent” (McEvoy, 2009). The transformation debates led me to consider creating a post-critical living theory (Polanyi, 1958; McNiff, 2006) on the institutional identity consciousness (Corbey, 1991) of the UFS (Jansen, 2008). In addition, I considered the possibility of appreciating the Reitz debacle as a public catalyst to a wonderland of transformed identity (Cooperrider, 2010). I also reflected on the outcomes of Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) leadership styles and their contribution towards supporting and developing authentic institutional identity at both rural and urban HEIs (Cameron, Dutton & Quinn, 2003; Bushe, 2005; Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010). By breaking down the disciplinary boundaries, I unpacked the changes in terms of consciousness development, leadership, vision, and identity at the UFS and then reflected on my own identity transformation within the context of the broader institution. In doing so, I juxtaposed a journey with Alice in Wonderland, using the Wonderland characters, sites and experiences to reflect on the transformation at the UFS. I called it my Metaphor Positioning System (MPS), in contrast to a Global Positioning System (GPS). I met Alice at our agreed point-of-departure. Instead of using a GPS (Global Positioning System) to make sense of our journey, I used a MPS (Metaphor Positioning System) and BBM, using the browser option on our mobile phones to record Alice’s route. Science differs in Wonderland, where the different branches of Arithmetic are Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision, and where the future is beforehand documented on the Oraculum – a calendar of all the days of Underland, each having its own title and illustration. We had no predetermined “route” or “course” and, therefore, had no ETA [estimated time of arrival] or ETE [estimated time [en route] or [geo-fencing] boundaries] for our journey. My “position” was the present “epoch” and Alice’s 150 years ago. Our position was somewhere between the beginning and the end of the journey. The UFS campus was our “control point” and I could locate Alice’s actual position on the “moving map” screen. Adapted from screenwriter Linda Woolverton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010). Theoretical framework For the purpose of this study, a qualitative, post-critical and postmodern Appreciative approach (Bushe, 2005; Cooperrider, 2010; Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010) is applied to the processes of institutional identity transformation at the UFS. The study is primarily located within the field of Higher Education Studies but borrows notions from industrial and social psychology, visual culture and management studies. Research problem, aim, and objectives The apparent devastating Reitz debacle in February 2008, when four White students humiliated four Black service workers while capturing the incident on video (CNN, 2008), introduced major changes to the UFS. These actions of transformation must have been so radical that it resulted in the World Universities Forum’s 2011 Award for Best Practice in Higher Education. I had to make sense of these processes of change at the UFS and, as a staff member at the institution, observed the numerous changes, which urged me to engage with it on various conscious levels. However, as I engaged on my journey towards coming to terms with the changes, I realised that in my subconscious mind I had also changed, resulting in my final article. This study, as a juxtaposed journey with Alice, was driven by the following questions: What is the authentic identity of the UFS when it needs to identify and brand itself? Is the institution aware of that identity which lies at its heart? The purpose of this study is, first, to apply an Appreciative approach to what appears as an enormous disaster in the existence of the UFS and, secondly, to lead the UFS to consciousness and appreciation where the institution can declare: I am Me. In the entire world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine because I chose to be authentic – I own everything about me: my being, my feelings, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes … I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay. Virginia Satir’s Declaration of Self-Esteem. Article landscape This study consists of 5 articles.
Open Access
Appreciating the University of the Free State's transformation: a juxtaposed journey with Alice to Wonderland
(University of the Free State, 2013-01) Smit, Emmerentia Jacomina; Niemann, S. M.
Article 1 The University of the Free State (UFS) experienced extreme pressure to „normalise‟ all aspects of the institution in the aftermath of the Reitz debacle in 2008. This urged me to undertake a journey juxtaposed with Alice in Wonderland as a UFS staff member experiencing some dissonance about the changes in leadership. Being involved in marketing and publicity, I realised how my personal consciousness contributed to the collective consciousness, enabling me to share the unifying identity of my institutional environment. During this period of turmoil and change, the UFS had to revisit its identity and, like Alice, my institution and I had to embark on a journey in search of an authentic identity and to develop a consciousness of what that identity might be. Characters, sites and experiences served as Metaphor Positioning System (MPS), and not Global Positioning System (GPS), coordinates that assisted me in my journey towards identity consciousness. I also used observations, visual culture, literature and auto-ethnographic work to break down disciplinary boundaries as I unpacked the development of an institutional identity consciousness with aspects of the narrative genre – characters, time, space, themes, intrigues and the narrator‟s perspective. This study, therefore, provides insights that might add value to other institutions‟ processes of being conscious of their identities, and supplies beacons that will illuminate their journeys. Article2 Geographical settings contribute greatly to the unique identity of the institution. The urban campus is perceived as superior because of the access to technological, educational and recreational resources. The opposite is perceived of the rural campus, which often desires to copy the institutional identity of the urban campus. Directive documents and developmental programmes urge governments, urban HEIs, HE practitioners, and the global community to change their perception of rural campuses. However, self-image, self-esteem and individuality are internal processes of strategic self-appreciation and are applicable to the authentic institutional identity development of rural HE settings, as well as the conscious and unconscious branding of the HEI, as presented in this psycho-social perspective. Metaphors from Alice in Wonderland illustrate the pointlessness of an unauthentic identity. By synergising theories from the disciplines of social and developmental psychology and internal branding, and applying AI principles, the researcher re-conceptualises strategic authentic institutional identity formation. Article 3 A vision is perceived as a valued and strategic tool for a leader, but a dreaming leader might be frowned upon. However, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Appreciative Leadership (AL) employ “dreams” as one of the crucial elements of this qualitative research method. This conceptual article differentiates between a predominantly conscious-mind or preconceived dreaming (where the vision is restrained and directed by components of strategy formation) and a predominantly subconsciousmind or free-range dreaming (where the vision unveils a future unlimited by conscious constraints). An alternative concept of vision that might assist leaders drive creative transformation, instead of merely adjusting and upgrading existing strategies and practices, is conceptualised. Theoretical support is supplied by the Alice in Wonderland chronicle (Carroll, 1969) as well as by research conducted by Harvard‟s Medical and Business Schools. The article forms part of a larger research project within a post-critical paradigm, whereby the reflective and theoretical epistemology of leadership includes metaphors from Alice in Wonderland. These metaphors are juxtaposed with the UFS – where an internationally awarded transformation took place after a debacle that was covered by various major international news agencies. Article 4 This study documents the apparently devastating Reitz debacle – where four White students humiliated four Black service workers while capturing the incident on video – from one week prior to the incident which occurred in February 2008 to only 30 months later when the UFS received the World Universities Forum‟s 2011 Award for Best Practice in Higher Education. The purpose of the research was to apply the Appreciative approach to what seems to be an enormous disaster in the existence of the UFS. Motivation for the study manifested in a journey about sense-making of the defining factors that accomplished the transformation on the UFS campus. Intuitive as well as scholarly consideration determined the selection of the research design, approach and method. The Appreciative approach is applied within action research methods, especially participative and juxtaposed by an insider-author. The dynamics and opportunities that resulted from the Reitz debacle and the application of an Appreciative approach to leadership facilitated transformation on the campus and within its community. Data was collected by means of personal observations, interviews, photographs and documentation. The international media documented this uncontrolled case study extensively. To illuminate this study, traditional problem-based and appreciative strength-based leadership styles and images are juxtaposed with aspects in logician Lewis Carroll‟s fantasy novel Alice in Wonderland (1865). By applying an Appreciative approach, a life-giving transformation may develop from a seemingly disparaging debacle. This finding suggests some practical and/or managerial implications. Extensive international exposure not only contributes to the relevance, reality and validity of this case study on the Reitz debacle, but also illustrates the possibilities of alternative approaches to a global audience of leaders. The extraordinary success of the Appreciative approach may contribute and add value by challenging other institutions to employ this approach in order to heal, unite, and invigorate troubled and diverse communities. Article 5 The University of the Free State (UFS) underwent a well-publicised transformation process following a well-publicised dilemma. Over the past few years, the author experienced an unpublicised transformation process after one of those everyone-knew-but-you dilemmas. Auto-ethnography (AE) was my travel vehicle on my journey from institutional awareness to personal transformation. Through self-reflection, qualitative research methods and observation, travel-related metaphors, theories on transformation, personal development, personal transformation and authentic leadership were used as a vehicle to connect Self, Others and Culture in institutional and personal identity consciousness. The author‟s travel companion, the unpretentious and individualistic Alice of Wonderland, provides insight into and understanding in complex circumstances. The readers are taken along a ten-phase journey to experience the practical and theoretical processes of transformation, during which they will be allowed to linger among the locals at various Wonderland stations.
Open Access
Attitudes towards computer usage as predictors of the classroom integration of information and communication technology at a rural South African university
(University of the Free State, 2014-01) Wario, Ruth Diko; Viljoen, M. C.
The aim of this research was to determine whether attitudes towards computer usage predict ICT integration in the classroom at the QwaQwa campus of the University of the Free State. Attitudes towards computer technology were operationalised by using the scores of Computer Anxiety Scale, Attitudes towards ICT Scale, the Perception of Computer Attributes Scale, Cultural Perception Scale and Computer Competence Scale. The effect of confounding variables (age, gender, ethnicity, educational level, teaching experience, and computer training history) was controlled by building them into the design and measuring their effect on the dependent variables (ICT integration). The empirical study was supported by literature related to ICT integration in the classroom. Various theoretical models including Rogers’s Theory on Diffusion of Innovations (1995) and Ajzen and Fishbein’s Theory of Reasoned Action (1980) were used to better understand the key factors affecting ICT integration into the classroom, as well as the academic staff’s attitudes towards ICT integration in the classroom. The researcher followed a quantitative inferential research design to investigate the possible relationship between attitudes towards computer usage and ICT integration in the classroom. An adapted questionnaire was administered to all academic staff at QwaQwa campus of the UFS during the 2011-2013 academic years. A total of one hundred academic staff participated in the study. Descriptive and inferential analyses (full-model linear regression and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to assess the relationship between attitudes towards computer usage and ICT integration in the classroom. The results from the study did not show a significant relationship between computer anxiety and attitudes towards computer usage and ICT integration, but did indicate a moderate relationship between computer attributes, cultural perception and ICT integration. Computer competence was seen as the most influencing factor affecting ICT use in the classroom. Based on the findings, it was recommended that effective institutional support (in terms of providing opportunities to academic staff to master adequate skills and knowledge) is required to ease and promote ICT integration in the classroom. Given the recent introduction of technology on the QwaQwa campus of the University of the Free State, the institution should not only focus on providing computers for the academic staff and students alike, but also foster a culture of acceptance of these tools amongst the academic staff and students. Academic staff needs to be assured that technology can make their teaching interesting, easier, more fun for them and the students, more motivating and more enjoyable.
Open Access
Attributes for economic and management sciences graduates entering the world of work: a curriculum perspective
(University of the Free State, 2014-12) Kruger, Susanna Aletta; Van Tonder, S. P.; Crous, M. J.
English: The study has been undertaken against the contextual background of a changing higher education and labour market. Global and national labour market requirements, trends and challenges such as economic pressure, the knowledge economy and unemployment rates have a significant impact on the expectations placed on higher education. In the national and international higher education arena rapid expansion and access of a diverse student population further impact on higher education. Different stakeholders such as government, funding bodies, professional associations and students have growing expectations that universities should address the graduate attributes that will enhance the employability, social responsibility and lifelong learning of students. It is in the light of this movement toward equipping students with more than discipline-specific knowledge and skills that the study endeavoured to identify graduate attributes that will appropriately prepare Economic and Management Sciences students for the world of work and to subsequently design a framework that may ultimately assist in accommodating these attributes in undergraduate curriculum design and delivery in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), University of the Free State (UFS). The literature review focused on answering four research questions, namely (i) identifying contemporary perspectives pertaining to graduate attributes required for preparing students for the world of work; (ii) determining how curriculum design/mapping models can assist in addressing and embedding these graduate attributes that have been identified in EMS curricula, (iii) determining how graduate attributes can be taught and the evidence of their development and attainment collected and assessed; and (iv) identifying the educational considerations pertaining to the transferability of graduate attributes in higher education. The literature review informed the empirical investigation. The empirical investigation entailed a qualitative multi-method case study with limited quantitative enhancement. The first round of data collection involved an online questionnaire consisting mainly of open-ended questions. The views of purposefully selected university teachers, graduates and human resource practitioners were collected, pertaining to: the graduate attributes required to prepare undergraduate EMS students of the UFS for the world of work; the extent to which these attributes are adequately addressed in undergraduate curricula, as well as related curriculum design and delivery. An integrated interpretation of the findings from this stakeholder questionnaire survey and the extensive literature review subsequently led to the construction of a preliminary framework for accommodating graduate attributes in undergraduate curriculum design and delivery in the Faculty concerned. The preliminary framework was subjected to evaluation by a purposefully selected validation panel by making use of an online questionnaire allowing participants to rate each feature and make comments and suggestions. Based on the findings from this second round of data collection the necessary adaptations were made to the preliminary framework to arrive at a final proposed framework. The significance of this study is found in the development of a framework for accommodating graduate attributes in undergraduate curriculum design and delivery applicable to the current higher education environment. The framework is based on sound theoretical principles takes into account international and national trends, and directives from national governing bodies, the institution and professional associations, and was informed by participants with contextual and real-world experience in both the higher education environment and the world of work. Although the aim was not to generalise the findings, the generic nature of the features of the framework could serve as a vantage point for other interested parties wishing to explore the accommodation of graduate attributes in undergraduate curriculum design and delivery. The framework is grounded in an asset-based approach where the exploration of existing effective practices are encouraged and individuals can learn from one another by continually exploring the strengths and challenges pertaining to practices and find pro-active solutions to problems. It is non-static and allows for innovation and choice within the contextual realities of those tasked with such undertakings.
Open Access
A capabilities approach to student experiences of pedagogy, power and well-being at a South African university
(University of the Free State, 2015-11) Calitz, Talita M. L.; Walker, Melanie; Wilson-Strydom, Merridy
English: Persistent educational, economic and social inequalities in South Africa perpetuate patterns of unequal access and participation for a significant number of university students. In particular, many first-generation, working-class and African students are positioned precariously within institutions, and have fewer opportunities to convert academic resources into successful outcomes. In response to these structural constraints, the study investigates undergraduate student experiences of pedagogical and institutional arrangements at a historically advantaged South African university. The study is guided by the following research question: Given the structural inequalities within universities, how could pedagogical and institutional arrangements enable first-generation students to convert available resources into the capability for equal participation? The research problem is informed by the assumption that having access to higher education does not mean that individuals have the freedom to participate in an equitable way, or to achieve the same outcomes. The research problem informed the design of four research questions: 1. How do structural conditions at school, in the family, and the community enable and constrain the conversion of resources into capabilities for equal participation? 2. How do pedagogical and institutional arrangements at university constrain the conversion of resources into capabilities for equal participation? 3. How do pedagogical and institutional arrangements at university enable the conversion of resources into capabilities for equal participation? 4. How could student experiences be used as evidence to inform the design of capability praxis for equal participation? The study is situated within a transformative paradigm, where qualitative methods are applied to track the experiences of eight undergraduate university students over a period of two years. I collected qualitative data using a number of narrative research tools, including in-depth interviews, focus groups and digital stories. Another aspect of data collection was involving students as co-researchers in the study, in order to draw on student voices to shed light on the complexities underlying unequal participation. The theoretical framework used to conduct the research integrated Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s capability approach with critical social theory. The capability approach is a multidimensional approach that I used to evaluate the comparative opportunities for participation available to the research participants. The capability approach offers an egalitarian evaluation of the individual consequences of inequality, while retaining a focus on the agency and resources that students bring to higher education. Based on this framework, I make the argument that unequal participation is a remediable injustice that can be partially addressed by creating enabling arrangements for capability development. The outcome of the data analysis is a capability-informed praxis, in which I propose and defend six capabilities as a pedagogical response to inequalities identified in the student data. These capabilities are listed below: 1. Practical reason 2. Critical literacies 3. Student research 4. Deliberative participation 5. Critical affiliation 6. Values for the public good The capability-informed praxis conceptualized equal participation on a spectrum where on the one end, equality is defined as access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve valued outcomes aligned with student capabilities, agency and aspirations. On the other end of the spectrum, unequal participation refers to students who are vulnerable to drop out, face resource scarcity, and do not have sustained access to pedagogical or institutional arrangements that enable them to convert available resources into equal participation. I conclude the study with recommendations that could expand opportunities for equal participation for undergraduate students at the university.
Open Access
The challenges of designing a new programme and qualification mix (PQM) for a comprehensive university in South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2009-04) Dandala, Maxwell Andile; Hay, Johnnie F.; Van der Westhuizen, Louis J.
English: This study focused on the challenges of designing a new Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM) for a Comprehensive University (CU) in South Africa. The mergers and incorporations of higher education institutions in South Africa resulted in the formation of three institutional types, namely, traditional universities, universities of technology (former technikons) and comprehensive universities (offering both university-type programmes and technikon-type programmes). The interest in pursuing this study was initiated by the challenges that the CUs would face in designing their first post-merger PQMs. Walter Sisulu University (WSU) which resulted from the merger of three historically disadvantaged institutions (HDIs) was used as the case study. WSU was one of the six South African CUs, four of which were currently offering both university- type programmes and university of technology-type programmes. The other two CUs were seemingly at the initial stages of offering both types of programmes. The study explored the transformation of the South African Higher Education system which was informed by what the position was before 1994 and also by examining the higher education transformation agenda after 1994 through attempts by the first democratic post-apartheid government of South Africa to create a single higher education system through the National Commission on Higher Education (1996), the Education White Paper 3 (1997), the Higher Education Act, Act No. 101 of 1997, as amended, the National Plan for Higher Education (2001), as well as the Guidelines for Mergers and Incorporations (2003). Documents such as the Qualifications Structure for Universities in South Africa – Report 116 (1995), the Qualifications Structure for Technikons in South Africa – Reports 150 and 151 as well as the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) – 2007 were used in conjunction with the Eastern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) – 2004-2014 in order to enrich the debate that informed the designing and development of the PQM for WSU as a comprehensive university. The above legislative framework was followed by an attempt to define or explain terminologies like “university”, “comprehensive university”, “programme”, “qualification”, “programme and qualification mix”, in the context of the South African higher education system. These definitions were compared with equivalent international practice. This study, in attempting to analyse the PQMs of CUs, discussed the inherent nature and roles of universities as well as the classification of university types in South Africa which resulted from the mergers and incorporations of certain higher education institutions. The chapter described in the above paragraph was followed by a discussion of academic programmes and qualifications1 offered at selected comprehensive universities on five continents, namely, Africa, Asia, America2, Australia and Europe. This was done in conjunction with an exploration of the process of the development of the PQM of two South African traditional universities, two South African universities of technology and four3 South African comprehensive universities. In order to analyse the challenges associated with the designing and development of the first post merger PQMs for comprehensive universities in South Africa a sample of eight universities were asked to respond to a survey using questionnaires. Research questionnaires were distributed and retrieved from the selected eight universities including two merged traditional universities, two merged universities of technology and four merged comprehensive universities as well as one questionnaire to each of the three former Vice Chancellors of the three institutions which merged to form WSU. The Executive Deans of the four faculties of WSU had to respond to the same questionnaire and this gave a clearer hands-on and current view of the process of PQM design and development at WSU. These universities were asked questions on the definition of terms like what Programme and Qualification Mix are understood to be, what comprehensive universities are, what their views are in terms of the sustainability of the binary divide, what their PQM development processes entailed, which stakeholders were involved in their PQM development processes and what challenges faced their PQM development processes. A selection of stakeholders who are interested and affected parties in the PQM design and development process of WSU was interviewed. Interviews were conducted with a senior official of the Higher Education division of the national Department of Education, the Eastern Cape Provincial Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education, the official who led the process of developing the Eastern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) as well as the Executive Mayors of the three District Municipalities, namely, Amathole, Chris Hani and OR Tambo, in whose areas all four campuses of Walter Sisulu University are situated. The interview schedule covered questions like the roles of the above stakeholders in WSU’s PQM development processes and what these stakeholders expected to achieve from the aforementioned PQM processes. They were also probed on what specific programmes they would like the PQM processes to include. The results of both the questionnaire and the interview surveys were analysed and conclusions were drawn therefrom. Since WSU is used as a case study, the challenges of designing the first post-merger PQM for this specific university as a comprehensive university were outlined in detail with a possible model proposed for its PQM. The last chapter drew general conclusions, recommendations and suggested areas for further empirical studies in this field.
Open Access
A collaborative self-study of educators working towards anti-oppressive practice in higher education
(University of the Free State, 2016-01) Muller, Marguerite; Francis, Dennis
In writing this thesis I tried to create an ‘artwork’ in which theory, literature, narrative and art become interwoven to illuminate the lived experiences of educators working towards anti-oppressive practices in a higher education context. I used an illustrated narrative inspired by the memories and experiences of the participants (including myself) in order to create ‘portraits’ of educators working in this context. These portraits are presented as collages which then become part of a bigger narrative. This narrative explores the connections between educator identity and the issues arising in the broader South African higher educational landscape. I employed Kevin Kumashiro’s (2002) four conceptualisations of anti-oppressive education as a theoretical lens through which to read and discuss the stories. Often, when we talk about social justice we talk about social identities and constructed identities. But these fixed categories can reduce us to measurable and quantifiable units that function in set hierarchies which and can never be disrupted or troubled. Through my research I rather attempt to emphasise the complex and messy nature of educators’ experiences and emotions as they try to teach in anti-oppressive ways. This study is rooted in arts-based practice and experiments with ways in which this research methodology can inform social change. The use of art in the thesis is thus purposefully connected to a theme of anti-oppressive change as it engages not only with different ways of being, but also different ways of learning and knowing. The work is situated in a poststructuralist framework in which oppression is read as intersectional, situated and multiple. Art opens up new spaces for the researcher to explore the social context and educational landscape. The extension of self-study into anti-oppressive theory made it possible to explore the contextual realities through the ‘eyes’ of the participants. In this exploration I used a collaborative self-study to connect the theory to the experiences of the educator where it can open up an in-between space in which anti-oppressive change becomes possible. Art assisted me to challenge certain academic conventions of thesis writing, but it also helped me to make connections between theory and experience that would otherwise have been impossible. The methodology informed me theoretically as working towards anti-oppressive change also involves giving up some control so that we can learn from uncertainty and crisis in order to trouble existing knowledge. The implication being that as educators we cannot learn or be ‘told’ how to work towards anti-oppressive practice but have to build such knowledge through our experiences – and our creative engagement with these experiences. The portraits foreground educators as complex beings dealing with complex issues and resist the idea that there is a correct way to be or to teach. In this way, it troubles prescriptive recipes for anti-oppressive practice by looking at creative avenues of exploring one’s identity to become different. This research shows how we work in in-between spaces of uncertainty, discomfort and self-doubt, and how our experiences are disruptive, interrupted, and messy. We are troubled and haunted by our own identities as we try to move our experience into a new frame in which difference is possible.
Open Access
A communication strategy to foster social cohesion in a higher education institution
(University of the Free State, 2022) Smith, Michael; Fru, Raymond Nkwenti
The aim of the study is to design a communication strategy to foster social cohesion in a higher education institution. Bricolage is the theoretical framework/lens through which I view and approach this study. The reason is institutions of higher learning have over the decades become communities of diversities of culture, religion and various other aspects of human life. Literature Reviewed include that of the two main disciplines in the title namely Communication and Social Cohesion. Because Communication deals largely with behavioural factors, the study dictates a review/exploration of both main legs namely Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. That is followed by literature regarding the three pillars of Social Cohesion, namely Social Capital, Social Inclusion and Social Mobility. Main objectives of the study include challenges, solutions, conditions, threats and indicators of success. Three countries are discussed based on their experiences relating to such objectives namely Britain, Kenya and South Africa by focusing on their political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal environments. Habermas’ Communicative (Participatory) Action is used in methodology, with focus group interviews and participant observation to collect data amongst community members of the University of the Free State. Analysis includes a SWOT Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis and Nonverbal Communication Analysis, which provide components/answers for the intended communication strategy for social cohesion. Based on the theoretical framework, literature reviewed, data collected, analysis, findings and discussion thereof, a conclusion is reached, which informs the recommendations for the type of communication strategy suitable to foster social cohesion in the University of the Free State. The study therefore concludes and recommends a communication strategy based on based on the principles of Ubuntu with Participatory Development Communication as its bloodline that infiltrates all its veins for its survival.
Open Access
Community service learning as a transformative tool for infusing the university curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery
(University of the Free State, 2016) Pitso, Pulane Lerato; Erasmus, Mabel A.; Teise, Victor N.
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Over the past few years, higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide, including in South Africa, have come under increasing pressure to bridge the gap between employer expectations and higher education outcomes. As such, community service learning (CSL) as a form of community engagement has been identified as an important transformative pedagogical tool that can transcend lecture halls and realign the curriculum to resonate with the demands of society. The aim of this study was to design a framework for the infusion of graduate attributes (specifically those required for the implementation of the Batho Pele principles) in CSL modules towards improved public service delivery. This was done by means of a contextualised perspective on public service delivery, with reference to the implementation of the Batho Pele principles, as central to the transformation of public service delivery and the role of CSL in infusing such graduate attributes for improved service delivery. This study was predominantly qualitative in nature, using a phenomenological research design conducted in the transformative paradigm to generate empirical data. The first stage of the empirical part of the study focused on determining the current state of public service in terms of the implementation of the Batho Pele principles. In this regard, data was generated through a focus group discussion with the managers of the selected non-profit organisations, as well as semistructured interviews with selected public servants. In the second stage of the empirical study, the focus was on determining the extent to which the graduate attributes (specifically those required for the implementation of the Batho Pele principles) are instilled in students by means of an exit-level CSL module (GOVE3724). This was achieved through document review, as well as pre- and post-implementation student questionnaires completed by students enrolled in the Governance and Political Transformation undergraduate programme. In addition, GOVE3724 academic staff members/facilitators participated in semi-structured interviews and self-administered survey questionnaires. The findings of the study culminated in a framework outlining the graduate attributes (specifically those required for the implementation of the Batho Pele principles) in CSL modules towards improved public service delivery. The resulting framework points to the need for a realignment of the entire curriculum with the infusion of such graduate attributes, entrenching and institutionalising the organisational culture characterised by a citizen-oriented approach (the Batho Pele initiative) through the use of CSL as a transformative pedagogical tool to explicitly infuse graduate attributes in university students for improved service delivery. The study revealed that although the Batho Pele principles are central to public service transformation, their implementation is currently lacking, partly due to a lack of supervision within government. Internal weaknesses and operational challenges within the system must be removed, while government must shift from perceiving citizens as ‘mere’ sources of information and instead treat them as active partners in the effort to improve service delivery. It is crucial that initiatives aimed at improving service delivery are executed through a multifaceted and collaborative approach, as a crucial requirement for effective and efficient service delivery, to the benefit of all sectors of civil society, including those that have been historically marginalised. ___________________________________________________________________
Open Access
Competence directives for enhancing the employability of hospitality management graduates in South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2012-12) Moolman, Hermanus Johannes; Wilkinson, A. C.; Van Schalkwyk, F. E.
English: Hospitality education institutions are often confronted by claims that they do not meet one of the most significant challenges facing contemporary higher education, namely the challenge to develop employable graduates in a time characterised by major changes in the higher education environment and the world of work. This study sets out to propose a comprehensive competence framework that will serve as a directive for enhancing the employability of hospitality management graduates in South Africa. In realising this aim, a mixed methods research design was adopted that incorporated characteristics of the exploratory, embedded and evaluation research designs. The incorporation of different research paradigms reflects the researcher's pragmatic world-view. The study was completed in two phases. A literature review was undertaken in the first phase to identify the unique characteristics of the international and South African hospitality sector; and the challenges facing higher education in South Africa. These aspects had to be considered in the development of the competence framework. The literature review also served to conceptualise the notions of employability, generic graduate attributes, competence(s), competency and competencies. A time-consuming qualitative content analysis process was followed and 2544 competence statements were collected from 44 purposefully selected documents. These competences were then reduced to 220 competence statements that could potentially enhance the employability of hospitality management graduates. Based on the researcher's experience and expertise, seven competences were added. The 227 competence statements were categorised within 25 competence domains and three competence clusters and were incorporated in a draft competence framework. In order to promote the adaptation of the draft competence framework to South African circumstances, a Delphi evaluation of the framework was undertaken by 39 experts in the field. Additional competences were identified by panellists and the researcher and 195 of all the competences (n=256) were categorised as "Essential (over the four rounds of the Delphi evaluation). After careful review, the researcher reduced the competence domains to 22 and the competence statements to 194 in his final proposal of a competence framework for enhancing the employability of hospitality management graduates in South Africa. The competences of the proposed competence framework were categorised within three main clusters. The first two are respectively vocational/hospitality and management based, while the third cluster focuses on the generic graduate attribute concept. The significance of the study lies in its contribution towards theory building in competence modelling. This contribution to theory predominantly lies within the field of higher education studies as applied in hospitality management course design and quality assurance. As a directive for enhancing the employability of hospitality management graduates, the competence framework can play an important role in curriculum development; it can be used as a set of standards to judge the employability of graduates against; it can assist to engage students in the process of enhancing their employability; and could serve as a clear description to potential employers of the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes that can be expected from hospitality management graduates. The proposed competence framework furthermore supports the second strategic objective of the National Tourism Sector Strategy that deals with the provision of excellent people development within the South African tourism industry. It is recommended that hospitality management academics and employers take note of the important implications the study can have on the enhancement of the employability of hospitality management graduates in South Africa.
Open Access
Competency-based education and training for Technical and Vocational Education Training in Namibia: an evaluation of the technical teacher training programme
(University of the Free State, 2023) Hauuanga, Lance Paendohamba; Holtzhausen, S. M.; Khanare, F. P.; Jansen van Rensburg, L.; van Tonder, F.
Since 2008, with the establishment of the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), there has been an unprecedented focus on vocational education and training (VET) in the country. The establishment of the NTA reflects the government's commitment to addressing issues such as high youth unemployment, economic struggles, and the need for (re)industrialisation as well as revitalising the economy through technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Quality TVET depends heavily on the competencies and performance of TVET teachers, trainers, and instructors, which includes their theoretical knowledge, technical and pedagogical skills, and positive attitudes as well as staying up to date with new technologies in the workplace. Recognising the need for competent TVET teachers in a knowledge-based society undergoing technological transformation is crucial to producing skilled artisans and craftsmen in the country. This research addressed this gap by reconsidering the training and competence of TVET teachers in technical settings through assessing the adequacy, appropriateness, effectiveness and relevance of the DTVT qualification in training vocational teachers and trainers in Namibia. Bridging this gap is essential for TVET teachers to effectively prepare students and trainees for the world of work and the demands of the modern workforce. This new approach requires a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and it is acknowledged that many TVET teachers currently lack these integrated abilities, which confirms the study’s relevance and contemporariness. The study conducted in Namibia used a qualitative phenomenological case study approach to evaluate the DTVT programme offered at NUST. This approach was selected due to its ability to provide in-depth insights into the lived experiences within the TVET context, enabling a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. To guide its activities, the study adopted a dual theoretical framework that focused on Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model and the Capability Approach (CA). These models aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the TVET teacher training programme’s effectiveness and to identify areas for improvement. By using these evaluation frameworks and conducting further research, the study aims to identify strategies and recommendations to transform TVET teachers’ education in Namibia. The ultimate goal is to either enhance, amend, or replace the existing programme to transform and equip TVET teachers with the necessary skills to effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. Overall, this study emphasises the importance of TVET in addressing Namibia’s socioeconomic challenges and highlights the need to invest in quality TVET teachers to ensure the successful transformation of the TVET industry in the country. Two of the major findings were DTVT programme was inappropriate as it was not preparing student-teachers to effectively fulfil the demands of a dual profession. This encompassed the necessity for them to possess both practical/technical skills, and a comprehensive understanding of methodological approaches as well as work integrated learning (WIL) that affected its appropriateness.
Open Access
A comprehensive university at the heart of its communities: establishing a framework for engagement
(University of the Free State, 2015-08-04) Boughey, John Desmond; Erasmus, M. A.
English: The thesis documents the construction of a coherent conceptual and practical framework in which to locate the quest to establish community engagement as a legitimate, feasible and viable undertaking in higher education alongside its more established and accepted counterparts of teaching and research, with particular focus on the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) – a rural-based comprehensive university with an urban footprint. The thesis begins with a brief outline of the national context of community engagement before moving on to a more specific description of the context and recent history of UNIZULU. Certain key concepts are then clarified. A statement of the research concern and objectives of the study is followed by an account of the theoretical framework and research perspective underpinning the thesis, and a description of the methodology employed in the research. Ethical considerations are noted. There then follows a brief indication of the scope and intention of each of the papers, and the rationale behind the order in which they appear in the thesis. This brief introductory section concludes with speculation on what the significance of this study might be. Paper 1, Notions of ‘community engagement’ appropriate to a Community-University Partnership Programme (CUPP) in a South African rural-based comprehensive university – Siyanibona!, seeks to tease out contested understandings of the notions of ‘identity’, ‘community’ and ‘engagement’. In so doing it explores three particular ideas, taken up in later papers, namely: the notion of ‘relationships of fate’ needing to transform into ‘partnerships of choice’; the link between the circumstances of a particular university’s birth, and its acceptance or otherwise of its responsibility to its locale; and the need for all stakeholders in the community-university engagement endeavour to know more about each other at a level deeper than simply the institutional or organisational. Paper 2, From pillars to people: Reconceptualising the integration of teaching, research and community engagement in higher education, addresses the struggle community engagement has faced in achieving par with higher education’s other core activities of teaching-and- learning and research in a way which chooses not to look at teaching, research and community engagement as activities or objects, but from the perspective of the individual stakeholders (staff, students and community members) engaged in those activities. The exploration of this idea picks up on the distinction between ‘relationships of fate’ and ‘partnerships of choice’ first articulated in Paper I and expands the concept of ‘engagement’ to encompass the relationships between staff and students (not just those between the university and community members), and discusses ways in which staff, students and communities might more usefully interact with each other. Paper 3, SMMEs and higher education: Possibilities for partnership? homes in on a particular sector of the business community, to ascertain the extent to which the sector might be able to partner with the University to their mutual benefit. Using data from a questionnaire and interviews the study reveals that opportunities for work experience for students in micro and survivalist enterprises are limited but that the University could be doing more to ‘reach out’ to its communities by making them aware of who the university is, what it can offer, how it can assist, and perhaps most importantly, how it can be accessed. Paper 4, ProAct: An integrated model of action research and project management for capacitating universities and their communities in the co-production of useful knowledge, tells the story of the evolution of a hybrid model of action research and project management (ProAct) which takes account of the need for research in the university-community context to be accomplished democratically, but within specific parameters of time and other resources by grafting selected project management tools onto the basic action research cycle. The model gives practical and concrete form to the conceptual and theoretical constructs of other researchers who have considered the linking of action research and project management. Paper 5, A comprehensive university and its local communities: Establishing a framework for engagement, addresses the overarching question of how to establish a framework for engagement between a university and its communities. The paper employs the well-used ‘building construction’ metaphor, identifying the management and governance building blocks (including institutional self-identity, unequivocal support from institutional executive leadership, plans, policies, structures, and funding), and the ‘cement’ for holding the framework together (including familiarity with communities and knowing how to interact with them, changing mindsets and building capacity). The paper offers the opinion that the necessary foundation for the edifice is the institutional belief that engaging with communities is actually an integral and enhancing enabler of the higher education learning experience, not something which one is empowered to do after having been prepared exclusively in the lecture hall. The paper avers that if an institution does not come close to holding the view that the purpose of higher education is to provide something useful to society, starting with the communities that surround them, community engagement will always struggle to be accepted by the academy. In considering the significance of this whole study the thesis identifies the key ‘realisations’ which have given food for thought and which other researchers might find worthwhile exploring further too. These are: the significance of how institutional and community identities are established, by choice, fate or fiat; re-thinking the concept of ‘engagement’ to focus not on the activities per se of teaching, research and community engagement but on all of the stakeholders working as willing partners; the need for institutions and communities to embrace the belief that university-community interaction is one of the purposes of higher education, and the belief that community engagement is a vehicle for staff, student, curriculum and institutional development. In concluding, the thesis additionally notes the significance to the author himself of having taken this research journey. As a consequence he feels he is in a better position to promote a more integrated model of teaching, research and community engagement to his university, community colleagues, students, and community engagement peers in other universities. However, the author indicates that in furthering the cause of community engagement in higher education he will need to explore alternative paradigms, notably complexity science, and systemic action research.
Open Access
Creating meaningful blended learning experiences in a South African higher education classroom: an action inquiry
(University of the Free State, 2005-12) Nel, Elizabeth; Wilkinson, A. C.; Van Tonder, S. P.
English: The overall aim of this study was to establish guidelines for creating meaningful blended learning experiences in a South African higher education classroom at undergraduate level, and specifically in the context of the University of the Free State (UFS). Blended learning in this study refers to the combination of face-to-face and online modes of educational delivery as applied in the field of Information Technology (IT). For “meaningful learning” to take place, the focus is placed on inter-related dimensions which have to be addressed, such as the pedagogical, the ethical, the interface design and the evaluation dimensions. The significance of the research lies with the possible benefits the blended learning mode offers the institution and its community (students and facilitators), as well as the possibilities for improving educational practice in similar contexts. In order to address the above issues and simultaneously improve her own practice, the researcher embarked on an action research project. This study has already stretched over two full cycles of inquiry and the perspectives gained in this period are utilised in discussions on the (re-)planning of a third research cycle of plan, act, observe and reflect. The data collection methods employed were mainly qualitative in nature. Most of the information was gathered by means of comprehensive online feedback by the students while student profile questionnaires provided a basic understanding of the diversity of the students involved. The researcher also kept a detailed research diary/journal during both cycles. As part of the action inquiry, an inter-institutional web-based questionnaire survey was conducted. The aim was to get experienced practitioners in the field of blended/online-learning to evaluate some of the learning principles for blended learning which had been identified in the study. The research findings are presented in the format of five articles: In Article 1 the focus is on the research design and methodology employed in search of effective online collaboration in the blended learning mode at the University of the Free State. It includes a brief overview of the nature and underlying assumptions of collaborative learning; an indication of the potential benefits of online collaborative work; and a discussion of and reflection on the two completed research cycles of the action inquiry. 200 In Article 2 it is demonstrated how the incorporation of student feedback can be utilised in the enhancement of online collaborative activities. The large amount of data gathered from the students' reflections were analysed by means of a SWOT analysis. Through this analysis it has become clear that involving students as “co-researchers” in the reflective process of an action inquiry project holds numerous benefits for the practice of university teaching. In Article 3 the theory on online and blended learning is discussed against the background of the researcher’s experience as facilitator and action researcher in a blended learning environment. The use and value of the research diary/journal as valid data collection method is illustrated and it is shown how the researcher’s growing understanding of practice has led to the development of important learning principles for blended learning in the specific context. The intention in Article 4 is to illustrate how an existing process planning model was effectively adapted and applied during the re-planning phase for the third cycle of inquiry. The final deliverable in this process is a set of action plans for future collaborative learning that could help to make the student learning experience in the blended learning environment more effective and meaningful. Finally, in Article 5 the findings of the inter-institutional opinion survey are presented and analysed. The researcher also makes use of various “agreed upon” learning principles to develop a preliminary framework for meaningful blended learning which could serve as a springboard for further investigation.
Open Access
Cultural competence: a living theory of personal transformation within the context of higher education
(University of the Free State, 2011) Van Jaarsveldt, Deirdre Elizabeth; Wilkinson, A. C.; Sienaert, E.; Esterhuizen, H. L.
English: This living theory was developed in response to indisputable evidence that racism and other forms of discrimination are still being experienced at South African universities. As a white female educator, it was important to investigate my practices to ensure that I am sensitive to the needs of a diverse student body. Committed to a process of personal transformation, I engaged in living action research to find answers to the question: “How do I transform my practices to be more inclusive, appropriate and effective in relating to a diverse body of people within the context of higher education?” In order to gain a better understanding of inter-group relationships, I conducted a comprehensive concept analysis by engaging in a review of literature from a multiplicity of perspectives. Ethnocentrism, in its various forms of expression, was found to be the main stumbling block in intercultural relationships and therefore I engaged in an enquiry to find ways of overcoming ethnocentrism. Cultural competence, a transformative process, which involves continuously striving towards relating more appropriately and communicating more effectively within a diverse context, was employed. This is a process of cultural humility, as it involves a desire to learn from others. Cultural competence is a continuous process and not an event, which involves cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skills, cultural encounters and cultural desire. To gain cultural awareness, I performed an autoethnography, as well as an ethnographic analysis of South African history to discover the intellectual baggage transmitted to me from generation to generation. White supremacy, an ideology based on eurocentrism, a specific form of ethnocentrism, was found to have had a major influence in the cause and maintenance of oppressive inter-group relationships. With this knowledge, I conducted a self-redefinition to set standards for my future practice based on the internal cultural constructs of values, beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, norms and lifeways. Ultimately, I discovered that excellence in teaching practice, scholarship and leadership can be achieved by means of a teaching philosophy based on an ethic of caring. In other words, values stemming from a caring ethic steer practices towards being inclusive, appropriate and effective in relating to a diverse body of people within the context of higher education.
Open Access
Designing an academic support and development programme to combat attrition among non-traditional medical undergraduates
(University of the Free State, 2009-05) Moagi-Jama, Mpho Priscilla; Monnapula-Mapesela, M. L. E.; Beylefeld, A. A.
English: The overall aim of this study was to design an integrated and holistic programme for the academic support and development of non-traditional undergraduate medical students. The study was motivated by the need to increase the retention rate of these students. The conceptual framework of this study is based on the theories of Spady, Bean and Tinto. These theories were used to design a retention theory called “Circles of Progression” for non-traditional students in the South African context. As a framework, this theory has guided the empirical investigation and the outcome of this study. The study adopted a case study design to gain an in-depth understanding of the non-traditional undergraduate medical students in the medical school at the University of the Free State. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct the study. Data was collected by means of are a questionnaire and extensive engagement. These methods allowed triangulation and improved the reliability and validity of data and findings. From this study, it became clear that student retention is not due to an isolated factor, but it is a result of a whole range of interrelated factors and therefore there is no one single explanation and solution to student attrition. Based on the literature, generalisations about student retention can be misleading because each country, each institution and each student is unique. South Africa, for instance, cannot be compared to other countries because of its previous political history, its uneven schooling system and the different social backgrounds of the various population xixgroups. Moreover, issues related to retention in the different higher education institutions will not be precisely the same because of different educational systems that existed before political transformation started in 1994. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among both academics and non-academics to provide a single bold answer when asked why students do not perform well. One example of a common answer is that “students do not study”. This answer is often provided without even considering other interrelated factors. The question is “do institutions understand the nature of the problem?” If institutions and the key stakeholders in these institutions could understand the nature of problems faced by non-traditional students, especially undergraduate medical students, they could collaborate, communicate and work together as a team to provide an integrated and holistic programme of action to support and develop these students and therefore, increase their retention rate. The programme of action as proposed in this study could start even before the students enter the university and continue up to their clinical years where they begin to specialise and become professionalised in the medical field.
Open Access
Developing the academic literacy of undergraduates studying by distance education in South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2002-11) Collet, Philip Godfrey; Hay, H. R.
English: This research has been conducted at a time of major transformation in higher education, both in South Africa and internationally, which involves the re-engineering of education processes, such as content delivery, assessment and learner support, in order to meet the needs of lifelong learning in an information society. Distance education, as an important component of South African higher education, is a key to this transformation due to the convergence of traditional and more open and flexible forms of higher education and as such needs to respond to multiple challenges of enabling access to growing numbers of non-traditional higher education students; improving teaching and learning; implementing new information and communications technologies; articulating with new qualifications and quality assurance frameworks; and rationalising and optimising available institutional resources to respond to these challenges. A review of the fields of distance education and academic literacy revealed that older 'transmission' type paradigms, epitomised by content based correspondence education in which the distance learner absorbs theoretical knowledge in isolation, are inimical to the development of academic literacy. Academic literacy is understood as that complex of knowledge, attitudes. and values which allows meaningful and successful participation of the student in the academic culture and, more broadly, in developing personal and professional competencies which equip the student for productive involvement in the society at a high level. Constructivist orientations to learning are generally considered to facilitate meaningful development of academic literacy. This study aimed to: } Illuminate the development of academic literacy in students studying undergraduate courses through distance education in South African higher education; } Identify and describe effective practice of distance education institutions, and effective learning behaviours of the learners themselves, in facilitating the development of academic literacy; ~ Identify and describe problem areas in the development of academic literacy in undergraduate distance learners; ~ Recommend improvements in practice and further research to facilitate the development of academic literacy in distance education. A mix of empirical and theoretical methods was used in a cycle of deductive and inductive research to pursue these aims. Data was gathered using postal and e-mail questionnaires to distance learners and lecturers and this was supplemented by interviews. The most important findings emerging from the study are: ~ Transmission models of teaching and learning are still very much in evidence, although some innovation is taking place in the areas of support, communication and materials development; ~ For many distance learners there is a critical lack of engagement with lecturers and with fellow students which precludes meaningful development of academic literacy; ~ For the most disadvantaged students, access to sufficient learning support, a prerequisite for academic literacy development, is problematic. Major conclusions drawn from the study include the following: ~ Innovations in support, communication and materials developments need to be implemented more quickly if a significant number of students are to benefit; ~ A critical threshold of involvement in the process of developing academic literacy, by means of constructive learning in a range of contexts, needs to be established in order to ensure acceptable learning outcomes in South African distance education; ~ Learner support structures need to be made available to the majority of students to ensure equity, student retention and mission achievement; ~ Sustained research by institutions of learner support needs, learning dynamics, and experience of services is vital to the successful adaptation of the sector.
Open Access
The development of a post-graduate education and training programme for heatlh care workers for the prevention and management of ocular complications in diabetic patients
(University of the Free State, 2005-12) Clarke-Farr, Peter Christopher; Nel, M. M.; Wilkinson, A.
Abstract not available