A capacity building strategy for managing curriculum delivery in selected TVET colleges
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Date
2023
Authors
Mlotshwa, Sanele Jerome
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The study aimed to formulate a capacity-building strategy in managing curriculum delivery in selected TVET colleges.
A number of objectives were devised to direct the study; the main objective was understanding the need to develop a capacity-building strategy for managing the delivery of the curriculum. The other objectives were exploring strategies to develop a capacity-building for management of curriculum delivery, determining the conditions that were required for a capacity-building strategy in managing curriculum delivery, identifying the threats that could arise to hinder the development of a capacity-building strategy for managing curriculum delivery, and formulating the indicators that could be used to enrich the management of a curriculum delivery in selected TVET colleges.
Critical emancipatory research (CER) was identified by the researcher as a theoretical framework that could support the achievement of the stated objectives of the study. CER is more about empowerment, which is in line with this study. Hence, the researcher proposed the adoption of CER as the perspective that would best address the challenges. The researcher argued for a collaborative research approach, conducted by a team of researchers in collaboration with suitable co-researchers, who emerged during the research process. This qualitative research approach incorporates the best aspects of team-building in TVET colleges. Using data collected by our research team, the researcher showed how we had operationalised CER to formulate a capacity-building strategy for the management of curriculum delivery in selected TVET colleges. Participatory Action Research (PAR) was used, as it addressed the participation, emancipation and working with real challenges to bring about change in the community. As per the principles of PAR, the researcher worked with the co-researchers collaboratively to find solutions to the challenges curriculum managers encountered. Data generated through the use of PAR was analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The empirical analysis, interpretation of data, discussion and determining the findings resulting from interventions, were made with CDA.
In the first part of the study, reflections were made through the use of PAR, looking at the needs to develop a capacity-building strategy for the management of curriculum delivery, which resulted in the absence of a collaborative team. The second part of the study identified the components of the solutions as strategies to be used to develop a capacity-building strategy for managing curriculum delivery in TVET colleges. The solutions predicted by the co-researchers to curtail the challenges, were discussed. Numerous findings concerning the challenges were compared with the results of the previous research studies, reported in the literature review, such as teamwork, teaching and learning resources, participatory decision-making, career development, blended learning, technology, collaborative involvement, active stakeholder engagement, collaborative teams, networking and monitoring, technology-based learning, and stakeholder development programs.
This research project is distinctive in understanding the strategy to be implemented successfully by a collaborative team to create a collaborative environment in TVET colleges. In conclusion, the study argues that capacity-building can never be done by an individual, but only by working as a team having a collaborative relationship, where all stakeholders are engaged and able to partake in the decisions and are involved collectively.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2023