Community service learning as a transformative tool for infusing the university curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery

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Date
2016
Authors
Pitso, Pulane Lerato
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract in other languages 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘚𝘦𝘚𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘴𝘪𝘡𝘶𝘭𝘶
Abstract
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. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒔 Hoëronderwysinstellings wêreldwyd, insluitende in Suid Afrika, was die afgelope paar jaar toenemend onder druk om die gaping tussen werknemer-verwagtinge en hoëronderwysuitkomste te oorbrug. Gevolglik is gemeenskapsdiensleer / “Community Service Learning” (CSL), ('n vorm van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid), as 'n belangrike transformerende pedagogiese hulpmiddel geïdentifiseer wat die grense van die lesinglokaal kan oorskry, en die kurrikulum in ooreenstemming met die verwagtinge van die samelewing bring. Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n raamwerk te ontwikkel wat die eienskappe van 'n gegradueerde in die CSL-modules integreer (spesifiek daardie eienskappe wat benodig word vir die implementering van die Batho Pele-beginsels), ten einde openbare dienslewering te verbeter. Dit is bewerkstellig deur middel van 'n gekontekstualiseerde uitkyk op openbare dienslewering, met verwysing na die implementering van Batho Pele-beginsels, as 'n middel tot openbare dienslewering. Die rol van CSL in die samevoeging van die eienskappe van 'n gegradueerde ter verbeterde dienslewering is ook uitgelig. Hierdie studie was hoofsaaklik kwalitatief van aard, en 'n fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp is binne die transformerende paradigma gebruik om empiriese data te genereer. Die eerste fase van die empiriese studie het gefokus op die bepaling van die huidige stand van openbare dienslewering in terme van die implementering van die Batho Pele-beginsels. Data is gegenereer deur middel van 'n fokusgroepbespreking met die bestuurders van geselekteerde nie-winsgewende organisasies, sowel as deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met geselekteerde staatsamptenare. In die tweede fase van die empiriese studie was die fokus op die bepaling van die mate waartoe die gegradueerde eienskappe (spesifiek daardie eienskappe wat benodig word vir die implementering van die Batho Pele-beginsels) ingeskerp word by studente deur middel van ‘n uittreevlak CSL-module (GOVE3724). Dit is bereik deur dokumenthersiening, sowel as vooren na-implementering studentevraelyste wat deur GOVE3724 studente ingeskryf vir die Bestuur en Politiese Transformasie voorgraadse program, voltooi is. Verder het GOVE3724 akademiese personeellede/fasiliteerders deelgeneem aan semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en selfgeadministreerde opnamevraelyste. Die bevindinge van die studie het gelei tot die ontwikkeling van 'n raamwerk wat die gegradueerde eienskappe (spesifiek daardie eienskappe wat benodig word vir die implementering van die Batho Pele-beginsels) in CSL-modules uiteensit, wat bydra tot die verbetering van openbare dienslewering. Hierdie raamwerk dui op die noodsaaklikheid van die herbelyning van die totale kurrikulum met die insluiting van sodanige gegradueerde eienskappe, waar die organisatoriese kultuur gekenmerk word deur 'n burger-georiënteerde benadering (die Batho Pele-beginsel). Dit word bewerkstellig deur die gebruik van CSL as 'n transformerende pedagogiese hulpmiddel, ter inskerping van die gegradueerde eienskappe by universiteitstudente. Die studie toon dat die Batho Pele-beginsels sentraal is tot die transformasie van die staatsdiens. Die implementering daarvan ontbreek tans as gevolg van 'n gebrek aan toesighouding in die regering. Interne swakhede en operasionele uitdagings binne die stelsel moet verwyder word, terwyl die regering daarvan moet wegbeweeg om burgers te sien as blote bronne van inligting, en hulle eerder moet behandel as aktiewe deelnemers in die poging tot beter dienslewering. Dit is uiters belangrik dat inisiatiewe wat daarop gemik is om dienslewering te verbeter, uitgevoer word deur 'n multi-faset- en samewerkingsbenadering, wat deurslaggewende vereistes is vir doeltreffende en genoegsame dienslewering, tot voordeel van alle sektore van die burgerlike samelewing, insluitende dié wat histories gemarginaliseerd was. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑺𝒆𝑺𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒐 Dilemong tse hlano tse fetileng, dikolong tsa thuto e phahameng (di-HEI) lefatshe ka bophara, ho kenyeletsa le Afrika Borwa, ho bile le qholotso ya ho hokahanya tse lebeletsweng ke mohiri le tseo e leng sehlahiswa sa thuto e phahameng. Kahoo, boithuti ba ditshebeletso tsa setjhaba (CSL), e le mokgwa wa ho kenella setjhabeng bo utlwisisitse ditshiya tsa bohlokwa tsa mekgwa ya ho fetola tse ka fetohelang matlong a borutelo mme tsa amanywa le moralo wa thuto ho arabela ditlhoko tsa setjhaba. Sepheo sa diphuputso tsena e ne e le ho bopa lewa le tla futswella makgabane a hlokehang ho baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona (haholoholo ba hlokang ho kenya tshebetsong leano la Batho Pele) ka hara boithuti ba ditshebeletso tsa setjhaba mabapi le ho ntlafatsa bosebeletsi ba setjhaba, le ho kgutlela ho ho sebedisa lewa la Batho Pele, e le lona la pele ho tlisa diphetoho bosebeletsing ba setjhaba. Boithuto bona bo sekametse ho mokgwa wa ho hlalosa haholoholo, bo sebedisa mokgwa wa ho hlalosa o reretsweng ho utlwisisa le ho hlalosa ntho ka moo e tsebahalang ka teng lefatshe ka bophara bo entsweng ho ikamahantswe le mokgwa wa ho fetola e le ho hlahisa ditaba tse hlahiswang ke ho fuputsa ka ho shebella le ho ba le seabo. Mohato wa pele wa ho bokella ditaba ka ho shebella le ho ba le seabo o ne o itshetlehile ka ho fumana boemo ba ha jwale ba bosebeletsi ba setjhaba mabapi le ho sebediswa ha lewa la Batho Pele. Ha ho le jwalo, ditaba di ile tsa hlahiswa ke sehlopha se kgethehileng sa baokamedi ba kgethilweng ba ditsi tse sa etseng phaello, le ho sebedisa dipotsopatlisiso tse sekgeqe ho basebeletsi ba setjhaba ba kgethilweng. Mohato wa bobedi wa ho bokella ditaba ka ho shebella le ho ba le seabo, ho ne ho theilwe ho kutlwisiso ya hore na baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona e ka ba ba bokeletse makgabane a lokelang ho le hokae (haholoholo a neng a ka sebediswa ka lewa la Batho Pele), na di tsetelehile ho baithuti bao e leng hore ba qetela dithuto tsa mosebetsi bosebeletsi boithuti). Sena se fihletswe ka ho hlahloba ditokomane, le ho sheba pele le kamorao ho ho sebediswa dipotsopatlisiso ho baithuti di phethelwe ke baithuti ba ingodiseditseng le lefapha la mmuso le la diphetoho tsa dipolotiki tsa baithuti ba mokgahlelo wa pele Yunivesithing. Ho feta moo, basebetsi ba GOVE3727 le batataisi ba bileng le seabo ho dipatlisiso ka dipotso tse sekgeqe le dipotsopatlisiso tseo motho ka mong a itaolang. Ditshibollo tsa boithuto bona di utullotse ka ho fihlela sehlohlolo e leng lewa le pepesitseng makgabane a lokelang ke ho bokellwa ke baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona Yunivesithing (haholoholo ba neng ba lokela ho kenya tshebetsong lewa la Batho Pele) dithutong tsa ditshebeletso tsa setjhaba mabapi le ho ntlafatsa bosebeletsi ba setjhaba, lewa le hlahisitsweng le supa tlhokeho ya ho amanya botjha moralo wa thuto ohle le ho futswella makgabane a hlokahalang ho baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona Yunivesithing, ho hlahisa moetlo wa ho ananela le ho phela se hlophisitsweng mme o nang le bokgabane ba bojaki. (Boiteko ka Batho Pele), ka tshebediso ya boithuti ba ditshebeletso tsa setjhaba e le sesebediswa sa ho fetola ka mokgwa o bonahalang makgabane a futsweletsweng ho baithuti ba qetileng dithuto tsa bona Yunivesithing molemong wa bosebeletsi bo ntlafetseng. Boithuto bo senotse hore lewa la Batho Pele ke lona tshiya ya pele bosebeletsing ba setjhaba bo fetohileng, mme ha ho le jwalo ke bona bo siyo, mohlomong ka ho hlokahala ha bodisa ka hara mmuso. Bofokodi bo ka hara tshebetso bo lokela ho tloswa, mmuso ha o lokela ho sheba setjhaba ka leihlo le reng ke batho feela ba ka fanang ka ditaba empa o sa ba amohele ba na le kobo ya bohadi ho malebaleba a ho ntlafatsa bosebeletsi bo fanwang. Ho bohlokwa ho nka boiteko bo reretsweng ho ntlafatsa bosebeletsi mme tsa etswa ka kopanelo e le mahlakore a mangata, e leng se bohlokwahadi se hlokang hore se bonahale se sebetsa mme se bonahale se thusa bosebeletsing, e le hore mafapha ohle a setjhaba a tle a a une molemo ho kenyeletsa le bao nalane e supang hore haesale ba sekisetswa. ___________________________________________________________________
𝑰𝒔𝒊𝒁𝒖𝒍𝒖 Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme emhlabeni wonke, kuhlanganisa naseNingizimu Afrikha, zibe ngaphansi kwengcindezi eyandayo yokuvala igebe phakathi kokulindelwe ngabaqashi kanye nemiphumela yemfundo ephakeme. Ngakho-ke, ukufunda ngemisebenzi yomphakathi njengendlela yokuxhumana nomphakathi kukhonjwe njengethuluzi lokufundisa elibalulekile elikwazi ukudlula amahholo okufundisa futhi lihlele kabusha ikharikhulamu ukuze ihambisane nezidingo zomphakathi. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuklama uhlaka lokufakwa kwezimfanelo zabathweswe iziqu (ikakhulukazi lezo ezidingekayo ukuze kuqaliswe imigomo yeBatho Pele) kumamojuli emisebenzi yomphakathi ukuze kwenziwe ngcono ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingo zomphakathi. Lokhu kwenziwe ngendlela yombono ohambisana nengqikithi yokuhlinzekwa kwezidingongqangi zomphakathi, kubhekiselwa ekusetshenzisweni kwemigomo yeBatho Pele, ewumgogodla wokuguqulwa kokulethwa kwezidingo zomphakathi kanye neqhaza lezifundo zemisebenzi yomphakathi ekufakeni lezi ziqu ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingongqangi. Lolu cwaningo beluluhle kakhulu ngokwemvelo, kusetshenziswa idizayini yocwaningo lwephenomenological olwenziwa kwipharadayimu eguquguqukayo ukuze kutholwe ulwazi olubalulekile. Isigaba sokuqala sengxenye yocwaningo olunolwazi lwagxila ekunqumeni isimo samanje sezisebenzi zikahulumeni mayelana nokuqaliswa kokusebenza kwemigomo yeBatho Pele. Mayelana nalokhu, ulwazi lwenziwe ngengxoxo yeqembu elicwaningwayo nabaphathi bezinhlangano ezikhethiwe ezingenzi nzuzo, kanye nezingxoxo ezivulekile nezisebenzi zikahulumeni ezikhethiwe. Esigabeni sesibili socwaningo olungolwazi, kwagxilwa ekunqumeni izinga izimfanelo zabathweswe iziqu (ikakhulukazi lezo ezidingekayo ukuze kusetshenziswe imigomo yeBatho Pele) zifakwe kubafundi kusetshenziswa imojuli yemisebenzi yomphakathi yezinga lokuphuma (GOVE3724). Lokhu kwafezwa ngokubuyekezwa kwemibhalo, kanye nemibuzo yabafundi yangaphambili nangemuva kokuqaliswa egcwaliswe ngabafundi ababhalise ohlelweni lokubusa kanye noguquko lwezepolitiki. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abasebenzi/abagqugquzeli bezemfundo be-GOVE3724 babambe iqhaza ezingxoxweni ezivulekile kanye nohlu lwemibuzo oluzilawula ngokwalo. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kufinyelele umvuthwandaba ngohlaka oluchaza izici zabathweswe iziqu (ikakhulukazi lezo ezidingekayo ukuze kuqaliswe imigomo yeBatho Pele) kumamojula emisebenzi yomphakathi maqondana nokwenza ngcono ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingo zomphakathi. Uhlaka oluwumphumela lukhomba isidingo sokuhlehliswa kabusha kwekharikhulamu yonke ngokufakwa kwalezi zimfanelo zabathweswe iziqu, kugxiliswe futhi kumiswe isiko lenhlangano elibonakala ngendlela egxile kwisakhamuzi (uhlelo lweBatho Pele) ngokusebenzisa ukufunda ngemisebenzi yomphakathi njengendlela yokufundisa eguqulayo. Ithuluzi lokufaka ngokucacile izimfanelo ezithweswe iziqu kubafundi basemanyuvesi ukuze kwenziwe ngcono ukulethwa kwezinsiza. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi nakuba imigomo yeBatho Pele ibalulekile ekuguqulweni kwezisebenzi zikahulumeni, ukuqaliswa kwayo kuyashoda, ngenxa yokungabi bikho kokuqondisa kuhulumeni. Ubuthakathaka bangaphakathi kanye nezinselelo zokusebenza ngaphakathi kohlelo kumele kususwe, kuyilapho uhulumeni kufanele asuke ekubhekeni izakhamuzi njengemithombo 'eyimithombo yolwazi kuphela' kunalokho azithathe njengabahlanganyeli abakhuthele emzamweni wokuthuthukisa ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingongqangi. Kubalulekile ukuthi izinhlelo ezihloselwe ukwenza ngcono ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingongqangi zenziwe ngezindlela eziningi futhi ngokubambisana, njengesidingo esibalulekile sokulethwa kwezinsiza ngempumelelo nangempumelelo, ukuze kuzuze yonke imikhakha yomphakathi, kuhlanganisa naleyo ebikade ibukelwa phansi. ___________________________________________________________________
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2016
Keywords
Service delivery, Public service, Citizens, Graduate attributes, Batho Pele principles, Public servants, Higher education institutions, Community service learning as a transformative tool, College graduates -- Employment, Prediction of occupational success, Education, Higher
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