Exploring the role of service-learning in human development: perspectives of staff, students and community members

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Date
2017
Authors
Mtawa, Ntimi Nikusuma
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University of the Free State
Abstract in other languages 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘚𝘦𝘚𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘴𝘪𝘡𝘶𝘭𝘶
Abstract
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Higher education institutions (HEIs) and particularly universities are increasingly being linked to debates about development. This perspective is dominated by two schools of thought. On the one hand, universities are positioned as drivers of individuals’ and nations’ economic development. On the other hand, apart from an economic focus, there is an emerging discourse that calls upon universities to advance broader human development. The study is premised on two arguments. One, the overemphasis on economic imperatives of universities undermines and neglects their social values related to human development. Two, in the scholarly works focusing on universities and human development, more work focusing on specific and concrete strategies that can enable universities to promote such notions of development is needed. This study builds on and contributes to the universities and human development debate by arguing that service-learning (SL) has great potential and some challenges to enable universities to promote human development. Traditionally, SL is positioned as a mechanism through which universities could achieve both educational and social purposes. These purposes include, among other things, enhancing pedagogical practices, fostering citizenship capacities, advancing social justice and developing civic-minded graduates. Generally, these purposes frame SL as a potential contributor to human development within and beyond universities’ boundaries. However, in spite of these potentials, SL is understudied and often its values are assessed in relation to students’ academic credentials and personal development, with less attention to benefits for communities. In response to these gaps in universities and human development perspectives and the SL field, the study explores the role of SL in human development from the perspectives of university lecturers, students and external community members. The study is guided by a central research question that focuses on the contribution of SL to human development. The study is situated within the interpretivist paradigms, in which qualitative methods are employed to explore the perspectives of staff, students and community members on SL. The study collected qualitative data using document analysis, in-depth interviews, focus groups and observations. The study integrated the Human Development (HD) and Capability Approach (CA) advanced by Mahbub ul Haq, Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, and the notions of Participatory Parity, Transformative and Affirmative remedies of Nancy Fraser, as conceptual and theoretical frameworks. Both HD and CA were used to analyse and theorise the role of SL in enhancing capabilities and promoting human development. Based on these frameworks, I argue that SL can enhance capabilities and promote human development values. However, to do this, its design and implementation ought to be foregrounded in procedural principles for human development such as agency, empowerment, participation and sustainability. The outcomes of the analysis is a CA- and HD-informed framework for SL, in which I propose capabilities and HD values as a response to SL design and implementation in the direction of human development. The dominant capabilities suggested by students, community members and lecturers include multi-layered affiliation, narrative imagination, local citizenship, critical thinking/reflection, learning, knowledge and skills, capacity to aspire, public good-related professional capabilities, and citizenship capacities formation. The human development values and related processes include inclusive and active participation, a sense of empowerment and agency, enhanced sustainability, diversity literacy, space for deliberation, participatory parity, and reasoning, and advancing partial (remediable) justice. However, promoting these HD values and related processes in and through SL faces a number of conundrums and tensions. HD and CA frame SL into two spectrums. At one end, they conceptualise SL as a strategy through which universities can advance public good and human development of the communities in which they are located. At the other, HD and CA enable us to interrogate the unexamined discourses of power and privilege, which act as barriers to transformative potentials of SL. I conclude the theorisation of the study with a proposed expansive SL framework that could enable the modification and improvement of SL in the interest of promoting social justice in a grassroots and empowering fashion. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒔 Hoëronderwysinstellings (HOIs) en veral universiteite word toenemend aan debatte oor ontwikkeling gekoppel. Hierdie perspektief word oorheers deur twee denkrigtings. Aan die een kant is universiteite geposisioneer as drywers van individue en nasies se ekonomiese ontwikkeling. Aan die ander kant, afgesien van 'n ekonomiese fokus, is daar 'n ontluikende diskoers wat 'n beroep op universiteite doen om breër menslike ontwikkeling te bevorder. Die studie is gegrond op twee argumente. Een, die oorbeklemtoning van ekonomiese imperatiewe van universiteite ondermyn en verwaarloos hul sosiale waardes wat met menslike ontwikkeling verband hou. Twee, in die vakkundige werke wat op universiteite en menslike ontwikkeling fokus, is meer werk nodig wat fokus op spesifieke en konkrete strategieë wat universiteite in staat kan stel om sulke idees van ontwikkeling te bevorder. Hierdie studie bou voort op en dra by tot die debat oor universiteite en menslike ontwikkeling deur te argumenteer dat diensleer groot potensiaal en sekere uitdagings het om universiteite in staat te stel om menslike ontwikkeling te bevorder. Tradisioneel is diensleer geposisioneer as 'n meganisme waardeur universiteite beide opvoedkundige en sosiale doeleindes kan bereik. Hierdie doeleindes sluit onder meer in die verbetering van pedagogiese praktyke, die bevordering van burgerskapvermoëns, die bevordering van sosiale geregtigheid en die ontwikkeling van burgerlike gegradueerdes. Oor die algemeen raam hierdie doeleindes diensleer as 'n potensiële bydraer tot menslike ontwikkeling binne en buite universiteite se grense. Ten spyte van hierdie potensiaal word diensleer egter onderbestudeer en dikwels word die waardes daarvan geassesseer in verhouding tot studente se akademiese kwalifikasies en persoonlike ontwikkeling, met minder aandag aan voordele vir gemeenskappe. In reaksie op hierdie leemtes in universiteite en menslike ontwikkelingsperspektiewe en die diensleer-veld, ondersoek die studie die rol van diensleer in menslike ontwikkeling vanuit die perspektiewe van universiteitsdosente, studente en eksterne gemeenskapslede. Die studie word gelei deur 'n sentrale navorsingsvraag wat fokus op die bydrae van diensleer tot menslike ontwikkeling. Die studie is geleë binne die interpretivistiese paradigmas, waarin kwalitatiewe metodes aangewend word om die perspektiewe van personeel, studente en gemeenskapslede op diensleer te verken. Die studie het kwalitatiewe data ingesamel deur gebruik te maak van document-analise, diepte-onderhoude, fokusgroepe en waarnemings. Die studie het die menslike ontwikkeling en vermoëbenadering geïntegreer wat deur Mahbub ul Haq, Amartya Sen en Martha Nussbaum bevorder is, en die idees van Deelnemende Pariteit, Transformatiewe en Regstellende oplossings van Nancy Fraser, as konseptuele en teoretiese raamwerke. Beide menslike ontwikkeling en die vermoëbenadering is gebruik om die rol van diensleer in die verbetering van vermoëns en die bevordering van menslike ontwikkeling te analiseer en te teoretiseer. Op grond van hierdie raamwerke argumenteer ek dat diensleer vermoëns kan verbeter en menslike ontwikkelingswaardes kan bevorder. Om dit te doen, behoort die ontwerp en implementering daarvan egter op die voorgrond te sit in prosedurele beginsels vir menslike ontwikkeling soos seggenskap, bemagtiging, deelname en volhoubaarheid. Die uitkomste van die analise is 'n ingeligte raamwerk vir diensleer wat betref die vermoëbenadering en menslike ontwikkeling waarin ek vermoëns en menslike ontwikkelingswaardes voorstel as 'n reaksie op diensleer-ontwerp en implementering in die rigting van menslike ontwikkeling. Die dominante vermoëns wat deur studente, gemeenskapslede en dosente voorgestel word, sluit in veelvlakkige affiliasie, narratiewe verbeelding, plaaslike burgerskap, kritiese denke/refleksie, leer, kennis en vaardighede, kapasiteit om na te streef, openbare goed-verwante professionele vermoëns, en die vorming van burgerskapvermoëns. Die menslike ontwikkelingswaardes en verwante prosesse sluit inklusiewe en aktiewe deelname, 'n gevoel van bemagtiging en seggenskap, verbeterde volhoubaarheid, diversiteitsgeletterdheid, ruimte vir beraadslaging, deelnemende pariteit en redenering, en die bevordering van gedeeltelike (herstelbare) geregtigheid in. Die bevordering van hierdie menslike ontwikkelingswaardes en verwante prosesse in en deur diensleer word egter deur 'n aantal vraagstukke en spanning in die gesig gestaar. Menslike ontwikkeling en die vermoëbenadering sorteer diensleer binne twee spektrums. Aan die een kant konseptualiseer hulle diensleer as 'n strategie waardeur universiteite openbare belang en menslike ontwikkeling kan bevorder van die gemeenskappe waarin hulle geleë is. Aan die ander kant, stel menslike ontwikkeling en die vermoëbenadering ons in staat om die onondersoekte diskoerse van mag en voorreg, wat dien as hindernisse vir transformatiewe potensiaal van diensleer, te ondersoek. Ek sluit die teoretisering van die studie af met 'n voorgestelde uitgebreide diensleerraamwerk wat die wysiging en verbetering van diensleer kan moontlik maak in die belang van die bevordering van sosiale geregtigheid op 'n gegronde en bemagtigende wyse. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑺𝒆𝑺𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒐 Ditsi tsa thuto e phahameng, haholoholo diyunivesithi, di tswela pele ho amanywa le dingangisano mabapi le tswelopele. Tjhadimo ena e okametswe ke maikutlo a dikolo tsa boinahano tse pedi. Ka letsohong le leng, diyunivesithi di behilwe e le bakgothaletsi ba motho ka mong le ntshetsopele ya moruo wa setjhaba. Ha ka letsohong le leng, ntle le ho tsepama hodima moruo, ho na le ditaba tse ding tse hlahellang tse etsang kgoeletso ho diyunivesithi ho hodisa tswelopele ya batho ka mokgwa o pharaletseng. Diphuputso tsena di thehilwe hodima mehopolo e mmedi ya ngangisano. Mohopolo wa pele, ke ho re ho beha matla a mangata a bohlokwa ba moruo a etswang ke diyunivesithi a nyenyefatsa le ho se tsotelle bohlokwa ba setjhaba ntshetsopeleng ya batho. Mohopolo wa bobedi ke ho re, diphuputsong tse tsepamisitseng maikutlo hodima diyunivesithi le ntlafatsong ya batho, mosebetsi o mongata le mawala a utlwahalang a ka etsang hore yunivesithi e hodise mehopolo e jwalo ya ntshetsopele e a hlokeha. Diphuputso tsena di hahella le ho kenya letsoho ho diyunivesithi le dikgang tsa ntlafatso ya batho tse reng bosebeletsi diphuputso tsena le matla le diphephetso tse ka thusang diyunivesithi ho ntlafatsa tswelopele ya batho. Kgalekgale, bosebeletsi ba boithuti bo ne bo nkwa e le malepa ao diyunivesithi di neng di ka fihlela thuto le setjhaba. Mabaka ana a kenyeletsa, hara a mang, ho phahamisa mekgwa ya ho ruta, ho kgothaletsa matla a bojaki, ho hodisa toka ka hara setjhaba le ntshetsopele ya maikutlo a bajaki ho baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona diyunivesithing. Ka kakaretso mabaka ana a fa bosebeletsi ba boithuti sebopeho sa ho ba le matla a ho kenya letsoho ntshetsopeleng ya batho ka hare le ka ntle ho diyunivesithi. Leha ho le jwalo, ka ntle ho bokgoni bona, bosebeletsi ba boithuti bo ithutilwe hanyenyane hape hangata bohlokwa ba bona bo hlahlojwa ho ikamahantswe le mangolo a thuto le kgodiso ya motho ka mong, ho sa shebisiswe melemo ya setjhaba. E le ho thiba dikgeo tsena, diunivesithing le tjhadimo ya ntshetsopele ya batho le lefapha la bosebeletsi ba boithuti, diphuputso tsena di senola boikarabello ba bosebeletsi boithuti ntshetsopeleng ya batho ho tswa ho tjhadimo ya barupedi ba yunivesithi, baithuti le setjhaba. Diphuputso tsena di tataisitswe ke potso ya pele ya diphuputso tse shebaneng haholoholo le seabo sa bosebeletsi ba boithuti ntshetsopeleng ya batho. Diphuputso tsena di itshetlehile ka mokgwa wa botoloki e le mokgwa wa bohlalosi o sebediswang ho senola tjhadimo ya basebetsi, baithuti le setjhaba ba bosebeletsi ba boithuti. Boithuto bo bokelletse ditaba ka mokgwa wa bohlalosi o sebedisang manollo ya ditokomane, dipotso tsa patlisiso tse batlang ka botebo, dihlopha tsa ka lebaka mothong le ho shebella. Diphuputso di tswakile lewa la ntshetsopele ya batho le lewa la bokgoni le ntshetsopele ka Mhbuh ul Haq, Amartya Sen le Martha Nussbaum, le maikutlo a ho ba le seabo ho fetola le ho tiisa ho lokisa ka Nancy Frase, e le oona mawa a phuputso. Ntshetsopele ya batho le mokgwa wa bokgoni di sebedisitswe ho manolla le ho fatisisa karolo ya bosebeletsi ba boithuti ho ntlafatsa bokgoni le ho phahamisa tswelopele ya batho. Ke itshetlehile ka mawa ana, ke re bosebeletsi boithuti bo ka phahamisa bokgoni le ho phahamisa bohlokwa ba ntshetsopele ya batho. Leha ho le jwalo, ho fihlela sena, popo le ho sebediswa di lokela ho dikadiketswa ka ho latela seikokotlelo molemong wa tswelopele ya motho jwalo ka ho potlakelwa, ho fuwa matla, ho thusa le ho tsitsa. Ditshibollo tsa lewa la bokgoni le la ntshetsopele bakeng sa bosebeletsi ba boithuti, moo ho neng ho hlahisitswe bokgoni le ntshetsopele ya batho le tsona ditharollo ho moralo wa bosebeletsi ba boithuti le ho sebediswa mabapi le ntshetsopele ya motho. Tse bonahetseng di hlahella ka mahetla tsa bokgoni ba baithuti, setjhaba le barupedi di kenyeletsa ho amana ho mahlakore a mangata, bopheti ba boiqapelo, bojaki ba lehae, boinahano bo tebileng kapa boikgetlo, boithuti, tsebo le bokgoni , matla a ho kgothaletsa, dikamano tse ntle mahareng a setjhaba le bokgoni ba ditsebihadi, le kaho ya bajaki ba nang le bokgoni. Ntshetsopele ya bohlokwa ba batho le tsohle tse amanang di kenyeletsa ho kenyeletswa le ho ba le seabo, ho ikutlwa o fuwe matla le tlhokomelo ya ho potlakelwa, ho ntlafatswe ho tsitsa, tsebo tse sa tshwaneng di fuwe sebaka sa ho sebetsa, ho ba le seabo, le mabaka, le ho hodisa toka. Leha ho le jwalo, ho hodisa makgabane a ntshetsopele ya batho le tse lokelang ho etswa ka bosebeletsi ba boithuti di tobane le mathata. Mawa a ntshetsopele ya motho le bosebeletsi boithuti a mahlakore a mabedi. Ka lehlakoreng le leng, ho shejwa bosebeletsi boithuti e le lewa leo ka lona diyunivesithi di ka ntshetsang pele merero e metle ya setjhaba le ya ntshetsopele ya batho, molemong wa setjhaba seo a phelang ka hara sona. Ka lehlakoreng le leng, ntshetsopele ya batho le lewa la bokgoni di thusa rona ho fetisa tseo ditaba tsa matla le menyetla, tse sebetsang e le ditshita ho fetolela matla a bosebeletsi ba boithuti. Ke qetela ka ho hlahisa hore ho be le lewa la bosebeletsi boithuti le pharaletseng le ka thusang hore ho be le ditokiso le ho ntlafala ha bosebeletsi boithuti molemong wa ho phahanisa kabo ya toka ka hara setjhaba ho tloha fatshefatshe ka mokgwa o se matlafatsang. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑰𝒔𝒊𝒁𝒖𝒍𝒖 Izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme ikakhulukazi amanyuvesi ziya ngokuya zixhunyaniswa nezinkulumo mpikiswano mayelana nentuthuko. Lo mbono ubuswa izikole ezimbili zokucabanga. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amanyuvesi abekwe njengabashayeli bentuthuko yezomnotho yabantu ngabanye nezizwe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngaphandle kokugxila kwezomnotho, kunenkulumo evelayo ebiza amanyuvesi ukuthi aqhubekisele phambili ukuthuthuka kwabantu. Ucwaningo lusekelwe phezu kwezimpikiswano ezimbili. Okokuqala, ukugcizelelwa ngokweqile kwezidingo zezomnotho zamanyuvesi kubukela phansi futhi kushaye indiva izindinganiso zawo zomphakathi ezihlobene nokuthuthukiswa kwabantu. Okwesibili, emisebenzini yezazi egxile emanyuvesi nasekuthuthukisweni kwabantu, kudingeka umsebenzi omningi ogxile kumasu aqondile naphathekayo angenza amanyuvesi akhuthaze imibono enjalo yokuthuthuka. Lolu cwaningo lwakhela phezu futhi lufake isandla kumayunivesithi nakwinkulumompikiswano yokuthuthuka kwabantu ngokuphikisana ngokuthi indlela yokufundela umsebenzi inamandla amakhulu kanye nezinselelo ezithile ukwenza amanyuvesi akhuthaze ukuthuthukiswa kwabantu. Ngokujwayelekile, indlela yokufundela umsebenzi ibekwe njengendlela amanyuvesi angafeza ngayo izinhloso zawo zemfundo nezenhlalo. Lezi zinhloso zihlanganisa, phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukuthuthukisa izindlela zokufundisa, ukukhuthaza amakhono okuba yisakhamuzi, ukuthuthukiswa kobulungisa bezenhlalakahle kanye nokuthuthukisa abafundi abanengqondo yokusebenzela umphakathi. Ngokuvamile, lezi zinhloso zibeka indlela yokufundela umsebenzi njengombambeli ongaba negalelo ekuthuthukisweni kwabantu ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwamanyuvesi. Nokho, naphezu kwalawa mandla, indlela yokufundela umsebenzi ibhekwa kancane futhi ngokuvamile izindinganiso zayo ziyahlolwa ngokuhlobene neziqu zemfundo zabafundi kanye nokuthuthuka komuntu qobolwakhe, kunganakwa kakhulu izinzuzo zemiphakathi. Ukubheka lezi zikhala emanyuvesi kanye nemibono yokuthuthukiswa kwabantu kanye nomkhakha wendlela yokufundela umsebenzi, ucwaningo luhlola indima yendlela yokufundela umsebenzi ekuthuthukeni kwabantu ngokwemibono yabafundisi basemanyuvesi, abafundi kanye namalungu omphakathi angaphandle. Ucwaningo lulawulwa umbuzo omkhulu wocwaningo ogxile egalelweni lendlela yokufundela umsebenzi ekuthuthukisweni kwabantu. Ucwaningo lungaphakathi kwamapharadayimu aqondayo, lapho kusetshenziswa khona izindlela zekhwalithethivu ukubheka imibono yabasebenzi, abafundi namalungu omphakathi mayelana nendlela yokufundela umsebenzi. Ucwaningo luqoqe ulwazi lwekhwalithethivu kusetshenziswa uhlaziyomibhalo, izingxoxo ezijulile, amaqoqo azocwaningwa kanye nokucwaninga ngokuqaphela. Ucwaningo luhlanganise ukuthuthuka kwabantu kanye neCapability Approach (CA) ethuthukiswe ngu-Mahbub ul Haq, Amartya Sen kanye no-Martha Nussbaum, kanye nemibono yokubamba iqhaza ngokulinganayo; izisombululo zokuguqula nokugqugquzela ukwehlukana kwamaqembu zika-Nancy Fraser, njengezinhlaka zenjululwazi. Kokubili ukuthuthukiswa kwabantu ne-CA kwasetshenziselwa ukuhlaziya nokwakha injulalwazi ngendima yendlela yokufundela umsebenzi ekuthuthukiseni amakhono nasekukhuthazeni ukuthuthukiswa kwabantu. Ngokusekelwe kulezi zinhlaka, ngiphikisa ngokuthi indlela yokufundela umsebenzi ingathuthukisa amakhono futhi ikhuthaze izimiso zokuthuthukiswa kwabantu. Kodwa-ke, ukwenza lokhu, ukuklanywa nokuqaliswa kwayo kufanele kusekelwe emigomeni yenqubo yokuthuthukiswa kwabantu njenge-ejensi, ukuthuthukisa, ukubamba iqhaza kanye nokugcineka. Imiphumela yokuhlaziywa iwuhlaka olunolwazi lwe-CA- kanye nendlela yokufundela umsebenzi, lapho ngiphakamisa khona amakhono kanye nezimiso zokuthuthukiswa kwabantu njengempendulo ekwakhiweni nasekusetshenzisweni kwendlela yokufundela umsebenzi ekuthuthukisweni komuntu. Amakhono avelele aphakanyiswe abafundi, amalungu omphakathi kanye nabafundisi ahlanganisa ukuhlanganisa izigaba eziningi, umcabango olandisayo, ukuba isakhamuzi sendawo, ukucabanga okujulile/ukucabangisisa, ukufunda, ulwazi namakhono, ikhono lokulangazelela, amakhono ahlobene nokuziphatha okuhle emphakathini, kanye nokwakhiwa kwamakhono okuba yisakhamuzi. Izimiso zokuthuthukiswa kwabantu kanye nezinqubo ezihlobene nawo zihlanganisa ukubamba iqhaza okubandakanya wonke umuntu nokubamba iqhaza, umuzwa wokuthuthukiswa kanye ne-ejensi, ukugcina okuthuthukisiwe, ukufunda nokubhala okuhlukahlukene, indawo yokuxoxisana, ukubambiqhaza okulinganayo, nokucabanga, kanye nokuthuthukisa ubulungisa obungaphelele. Nokho, ukukhuthaza lezi zimiso zokuthuthukiswa kwabantu nezinqubo ezihlobene ngendlela yokufundela umsebenzi kubhekana nenani lezingqinamba nokungezwani. Ukuthuthukiswa kwabantu kanye ne-CA kwakha indlela yokufundela umsebenzi ukuba ihlukaniseke izigaba ezimbili. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, babheka indlela yokufundela umsebenzi njengesu lapho amanyuvesi engaqhubekisela phambili okuhle komphakathi kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwabantu kwemiphakathi atholakala kuyo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuthuthukiswa kwabantu ne-CA kusenza sikwazi ukuphenya izinkulumo ezingahloliwe zamandla nelungelo, ezisebenza njengezithiyo emandleni okuguqula endlela yokufundela umsebenzi. Ngiphetha inkolelo-mbono yocwaningo ngohlaka oluhlongozwayo olunwetshiwe lwendlela yokufundela umsebenzi olungavumela ukuguqulwa nokuthuthukiswa kwendlela yokufundela umsebenzi ngenjongo yokuthuthukisa ubulungiswa bezenhlalakahle ngendlela esezingeni eliphansi nenika amandla. ___________________________________________________________________
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(School of Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2017
Keywords
Universities and colleges, Service learning, Education, Higher -- Social aspects
Citation