Expectations of adult learners in an assessment and recognition of prior learning (ARPL) project

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Date
1998-12
Authors
Odysseos, Marianna
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The development of Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) procedures for the higher education sector in South Africa, is still in its infant phase. Several discussions concerning this topic have taken place since 1995. Workshops by the private and higher education sectors in South Africa, including the University of the Orange Free State (UOFS), Technikon S.A., Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Joint Education Trust (JET), have been organised. The focus of this research was to define, explain and understand the expectations of previously disadvantaged working adult learners in South Africa. This was done in an attempt to provide possible guidelines for the development of ARPL procedures in the higher education sector of this country. To achieve this, the researcher provided an overview of adults as learners, defined experiential learning, described the development of the ARPL concept and provided models explaining expectancy theory. This was done in an attempt to strengthen the notion that working adult learners' expectations should be taken into account in the development of learning programmes for adults. The ARPL task group in the Free State Region registered a research project (1996) focussing on the development of ARPL procedures for a higher education sector in South Africa - U.O.F.S. Previously disadvantaged working adult learners were invited to participate in that project. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the educational needs of working adult learners in an attempt to develop ARPL procedures which would respect their prior learning experiences and allow them the opportunity to become part of the higher education sector in South Africa. Expectations were identified as one of the important aspects relating to this development and further research was suggested by the co-ordinator of the project at that time. This research, therefore, forms part of this broader project. The research confirmed the importance of expectations in understanding the educational needs of working adult learners in higher education. These expectations can be described in terms of the following themes identified by the researcher: Theme 1: Support from lecturers, family members, colleagues and fellow students. Theme 2: Problems with time management. Theme 3: Problems with transport. Theme 4: Coping with success vs failure in the learning programme. From these themes, the following assumptions were formulated: These assumptions resulted in recommendations being made in an attempt to contribute to the development of appropriate ARPL procedures in a higher education sector in South Africa. • Expectations of working adult learners (as individuals) will focus on intrinsic values. • Expectations of working adult learners (within a group) will focus on extrinsic values. • The age of working adult learners will affect their perception of the role that family support plays in their expectations. • Rewards and outcomes play a vital role in working adult learners expectations. • Individuality regarding the expectations of working adult learners is reflected by their experiences. • The role of the lecturers and how they facilitate the learning process will feature in adult learners expectations These assumptions resulted in recommendations being made in an attempt to contribute to the development of appropriate ARPL procedures in a higher education sector in South Africa.
Afrikaans: Die ontwikkeling van Evaluering en Erkenning van Vorige Leerervaring (EEVL) prosedures vir die hoër onderwys sektor in Suid-Afrika is nog in sy kinderskoene. 'n Aantal gesprekke het reeds vanaf 1995 plaasgevind. Enkele werkswinkels is reeds deur die privaat en die hoër onderwys sektore georganiseer, hierby ingesluit die Universiteit van die Oranje Vrystaat, Technikon SA, die RGN, en die "Joint Education Trust" (JET). Die fokus van hierdie ondersoek was om die verwagtinge van vorige verontregte werkende volwasse leerders te definieer, te verklaar en te begryp. Dit was gedoen in 'n poging om moontlike riglyne te voorsien vir die ontwikkeling van EEVL prosedures in hoër onderwys in Suid-Afiika. Om dit te bereik het die navorser 'n literatuuroorsig voorsien rakende volwasse leerders, ervaringsleer gedeftnieer, die ontwikkeling van die EEVL-konsep en teorieë oor verwagtinge beskryf. Sodoende is gepoog om die belangtikheid van verwagtinge vir die ontwikkeling van volwasse onderrigprogramme te beklemtoon. Die EEVL taakgroep in die Vrystaat-streek het 'n navorsingsprojek in 1996 by die Universiteit van die Vrystaat geregistreer om aandag te gee aan die ontwikkeling van EEVL prosedures vir die hoër onderwys sektor in Suid-Afrika. Vir doeleindes van hierdie projekte is vorige verontregte werkende volwassenes uitgenooi om deel te neem aan die projek en so 'n bydrae te lewer tot die ontwikkeling van EEVL prosedures vir hoër onderwys in Suid-Afrika. Verwagtinge is geïdentifiseer as een van die belangrike aspekte rakende die navorsing en 'n voorstel is gemaak dat die rol van verwagtinge verder ondersoek moes word. Die huidige ondersoek vorm deel van daardie projek. Tesame met die literatuuroorsig is twee semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer en 'n fokusgroepbespreking georganiseer om die onderliggende temas rakende die verwagtinge van die deelnemers te identifiseer. Die navorsing het die belangrikheid van verwagtinge beklemtoon om die onderrigbehoeftes van werkende volwassenes te verstaan. Hierdie verwagting is beskryf in terme van die volgende temas Tema 1: Ondersteuning van dosente, familielede, kollegas en mede-studente. Tema 2: Probleme met tydsbestuur. Tema 3: Probleme met vervoer. Tema 4: Die hantering van sukses vs mislukking in die leerprogram. Vanuit hierdie temas is die volgende aannames geformuleer: • Verwagtinge van werkende volwasse leerders (as individue) sentreer rondom intrinsieke waardes. • Verwagtinge van werkende volwasse leerders (as 'n groep) sentreer rondom ekstrinsieke waardes. • Die ontwikkelingsouderdom van werkende volwasse leerders speel 'n bepalende rol ten opsigte van die aard van verwagtinge wat so 'n persoon aan familie lede stel. • Belonings en uitkomste speel 'n kritiese rol in werkende volwasse leerders se verwagtinge. • Die individualiteit rakende die verwagtinge van werkende volwasse leerders word weerspieël deur hul ervaringe. • Die rol wat dosente speel, veral as fasiliteerders van leer, is belangrik in die verwagtinge van werkende volwasse leerders. Na aanleiding van hierdie aannames is spesifieke aanbevelings gedoen in 'n poging om 'n bydrae te maak tot die ontwikkeling van 'n doelgemaakte EEVL prosedure vir 'n hoër onderwys sektor in Suid-Afrika.
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Keywords
Experimental learning -- Evaluation, Adult education -- South Africa, Dissertation (M.A. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 1998
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