African
Journals Online
South African Journal of Higher Education
Volume 17(2) 2003
Abstracts
PERSPECTIVES ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Lecturers, students and community members
sharing the responsibility of assessing project-based poster presentations
A A Beylefeld, G Joubert, M P Jama & B de Klerk,
University of the Free State
Abstract
Active participation in the process of learning rather than
transmission of information is prominent in modern higher education contexts.
In alignment with this trend, traditional modes of assessment, based on the
"transmission model", are increasingly replaced or supplemented by
more authentic forms of assessment. Authentic assessment "measures"
the application of knowledge and skills in real-world contexts and ideally
involves learners in the assessment process. The purpose of this article is to
report on lecturers, students and community members sharing the responsibility
of assessing a project-based poster presentation. A combination of quantitative
and qualitative methods was used in capturing data. Analysis and interpretation
of data were performed with the immediate goal of gaining a better
understanding of the assessment exercise, and to improve existing practice. The
investigation revealed the challenges and pitfalls of involving first-year students
and representatives of the community in assessment. Comparison of
student-derived marks and those given by a panel of academic staff served to
evaluate students' readiness to take responsibility for co-assessment. The
students' views on the relevance of the exercise revealed that exposing
students to situations which require them to respond objectively to peers'
work, conveys the message that skills matter, and thus contributes to the
development thereof.
The role of education in the rehabilitation of offenders
H J Bruyns & C Nieuwenhuizen,
Technikon SA
Abstract
In August 2000 the Department of Correctional Services (from
now on referred to as the Department) held the first national symposium to
translate its vision B which is to render services that contribute to
community protection and the rehabilitation of offenders B into a
meaningful partnership with the South African community. Correctional services
in many countries face the challenge of balancing resources with the need to
provide effective rehabilitation. Education is widely acknowledged as a key
component of this rehabilitation. In the light of such developments, it is
appropriate to ask what is known about the role of education in the
rehabilitation of offenders. The purpose of this article is to determine the
impact of education as a catalyst for behavioural change in enhancing
rehabilitation efforts and preventing future criminal activity. The article
will benefit educators in that they will know how and where they could become
involved. This article will also add knowledge and an understanding of the
impact of correctional education on crime and crime prevention.
The benefit of introducing audit software
into curricula for computer auditing students: a student perspective from the
University of Pretoria
G P Coetzee & R du Bruyn,
University of Pretoria
Abstract
The use of computers in the learning process is a
well-researched area. The introduction of computers and related audit software
in the auditing field has had a major influence on the auditing process. Very
little research has been done on the inclusion of computer audit software in
the auditing syllabus. Even less research has been done on the students'
perspective of the benefits of the introduction of such software. To offset
this shortcoming, the third-year computer-auditing students at the University
of Pretoria were requested to complete a questionnaire.
The aim was to evaluate the students' perspective on the
benefits, if any, for third year auditing students at the University of
Pretoria, derived from the incorporation of practical computer training in an
audit software package, in their syllabus
The results of the study clearly indicated that students are
willing to sacrifice more of their time for practical computer classes because
they are aware of the beneficial impact on their understanding of the subject
as well as their future careers.
Higher education policy discourse in
South Africa: a struggle for alignment with macro development policy
A Fataar, University of the Western Cape
Abstract
This article focuses on the government's higher education
policy trajectory during the post apartheid period. The central argument of the
article is that government policy ought to be examined in the light of a
struggle over aligning the higher education policy discourse with the
government's chosen macro development path. Policy activity has to be
understood in the context of an emerging "policy force field" during
the 1990s, which circumscribed the government's ability to act decisively in
the sector. I discuss this struggle over policy alignment by focusing on three
key policy moments, which point to the shifting policy discourse over an
eight-year period. Given the discursive shift, the article shows how
Historically Disadvantaged Institutions had become the key "problem"
around which higher education policy unfolded.
Indigenous African knowledge systems and innovation in
higher education in South Africa
P Higgs, L G Higgs & E Venter,
University of South Africa
Abstract
The importance of innovation in higher education is
recognised in South African educational discourse. The South African White
Paper on Science and Technology, issued in September 1996 and entitled, Preparing
for the 21st Century, states that, "... the White Paper is
built upon the twin concepts of 'innovation' and a 'national system of
innovation'". The National Plan for Higher Education (2001) recently
unveiled by the Ministry of Education, also places great emphasis on
innovation. Innovation is regarded as the key to knowledge production and
processing, while the future of any nation is seen to be determined by its
ability to convert knowledge into wealth and the social or public good. In this
article we want to argue that innovation in higher education goes beyond the
formal systems of innovation done in universities and industrial research and
development laboratories. For proper development to occur in the South African
context, we would maintain that indigenized African innovations and
knowledge systems would also have to be taken into account in higher
education curricula.
From literacy to literacies: preparing higher education in
South Africa for the future
A Hugo, University of South Africa
Abstract
The notion "literacy" is changing to encompass the
concept of "multiple literacies". There are various forces,
especially social and cultural forces, which used determined the definition
literacy and in this new millenium one can merely predict which possible
cultural forces will now shape the nature of literacies. In South Africa there
are various cultural forces such as the growing influence of technology at work
which might influence literacies in future. It is important that higher
education in South Africa should take cognisance of these cultural forces, in
order to empower people who want to further their tertiary studies. These
cultural forces include: growth in technology; integrating the use of
technology into the curriculum; the need for updated information; teacher
training and literacy instruction; the need to empower students, and the need
to prepare students for future workplaces.
Implementing national qualifications framework policy
W R Kilfoil, University of South Africa
Abstract
This article reflects on the implementation of the National
Qualifications Framework at tertiary level, using the University of South
Africa as a case study and the five stated goals of the NQF as the criteria for
measuring the success or otherwise of the enterprise. A brief description is
given of the initiatives at Unisa and certain processes are highlighted; for
instance, using team work to accomplish complex tasks; arriving at a shared
understanding of new concepts through rigorous discussion; and documenting
information and processes so that they are institutionalised. The article looks
at the systemic implications of complying with the SAQA Act by June
2000: training academics in outcomes-based education before any documentation
could be completed, researching recognition of prior learning and quality
assurance, accommodating existing regulations where they conflicted with NQF
legislation B for instance on aspects such as residency, and
taking the hidden costs of the entire undertaking into consideration. The
article concludes with an evaluation of the process of registering degree
qualifications in outcomes-based format in June 2000 and subsequent
developments in relation to the vision of the NQF as articulated in its goals.
Changing discourses of academic development at a South
African technikon 1991 to 2002
S McKenna, Durban Institute of Technology
Abstract
This article considers the discourses used by students,
mainstream lecturers and academic development lecturers in their evaluations of
language interventions at Technikon Natal from 1991 to 2002. The discourses
under scrutiny are those of academic literacy: the beliefs, attitudes, values
and norms necessary for Aepistemological access to higher education@ (Morrow
1993:3). The broadening understanding of Academic Literacy as a social practice
has resulted in the questioning of add-on language courses aimed at improving
mechanical skills B particularly where such courses are taught in
isolation of the mainstream programme. This has particular relevance to the
planned increase in the number of Foundation programmes to be offered.
Can prior learning experience serve as a
catalyst in the paradigm shift from traditional teaching methodology to
outcomes-based educational practice?
P A P Nair, Technikon Witwatersrand
Abstract
Most developing countries have embarked upon the
implementation of new models in the teaching and learning arenas, and South
Africa is no exception. Because the economic empowerment of a nation depends on
the success of its educational strategies, the introduction and development of
Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) at all levels of education in South Africa's new
democracy have become a national priority. In this context, the Technikon
Witwatersrand is privileged to have the opportunity to become a service
provider for a teacher development programme in the OBE format. It caters for
342 intermediate and senior phase school teachers in Gauteng Province by means
of the Mathematics, Science and Technology Educators' Revival (MASTER)
programme. This developmental programme in the fields of mathematics, science,
technology and engineering education provides the teachers with an Advanced
Certificate in Education (ACE) with 120 credits. This article outlines how
prior learning experience helped to smooth the transition from traditional to
OBE practice.
Implications of the Employment Equity Act for the higher
education sector
L M Portnoi, University of California, Los Angeles
Abstract
This article discusses the impact of the 1998 Employment
Equity Act on the higher education sector of South Africa. An introduction to
the background and development of affirmative action and employment equity is
provided. The author then discusses the specialized constraints and challenges
faced by higher education employers, separating them from traditional business
employers, such as companies and factories. It is argued that these crucial
challenges B specialized higher education legislation and policy
developments, the "pool" issue, funding and rationalization,
universities as a unique workplace, and the individual legacies of universities B define the
space in which the Employment Equity Act may be interpreted in the higher
education sector.
Changing career orientations in higher
education: Can HE be a breeding ground for entrepreneurial careers?
H W Schenk, Technikon SA
Abstract
This article reports on a study of the career orientations
of the academic staff complement of a tertiary education institution that
underwent an intensive organisational transformation process. Career
orientation profiles were obtained from a sample of academic staff at the
beginning of the organisational change process and five tears later the study
was replicated. One primary transformational objective of the organisation was
the requirement of staff to engage in entrepreneurial projects to generate a
variety of alternative income streams. The focus of this article falls on the
assessment of the impact of the changing organisational demands and situational
motivational factors with regard to the prevalence of entrepreneurial
orientations amongst academic staff. Results indicate a change in orientation
profiles linked to entrepreneurial behaviour, but the evidence regarding the
direct impact of environmental factors on such profile changes was
inconclusive. Implications for higher education institutions are discussed.
Do legal frameworks direct merger
outcomes? A study of the legal origins and consequences of recent higher
education mergers
V Soobrayan, University of Pretoria
Abstract
This article traces the legal challenges and contestations
embedded in five recent cases of higher education mergers in South Africa. I am
aware that there are a number of forms of mergers. For the purposes of this
article I use the term as one that is descriptive of a policy decision. Where
necessary I make a brief distinction between a merger and incorporation. The
article argues that although such mergers are founded in constitutional and
legal imperatives, the process of merger is imbued with its own complexities
and contests that influence the forms and outcomes of each merger. Legal
frameworks and guiding principles are almost always up for dispute when mergers
are contemplated, and such disputes can extend the time frames and alter the
projected outcomes of a merger significantly. Legal frameworks include the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act (No 108 of 1996) and
legislation and agreements relating to the merger process. These would include
agreements between the merging institutions and collective bargaining
agreements. In the two cases where the disputes have prolonged and, in one
case, prevented the merger process from being completed, the stakes are high;
there are long-term institutional and political relationships that could be
decided at this conjuncture. What emerges in the analysis of these processes
and outcomes is that in the context of higher education mergers legal
frameworks are inadequate as an instrument to support the merger. Further, the
feasibility of legal challenges and the wherewithal to declare them are closely
aligned with the conception, distribution and extent of political and
institutional power. Exercising the right to issue a legal challenge is
therefore rarely a purely legal matter. The capacity or failure to take legal
action is closely intertwined with the power and authority of institutions to
contemplate such action in the first place. The five merger cases from which
this article is drawn are the voluntary merger between the ML Sultan Technical
College (MLS) and the Technikon Natal (TN); the merger of the veterinary
science faculties of the University of Pretoria (UP) and the Medical University
of South Africa (Medunsa); the merger of the Johannesburg College of Education
(JCE) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); the merger of the Giyani
College of Education (GCE) and the University of Venda (Univen) and the South
African College for Teacher Education (Sacte) and the University of South
Africa (Unisa). I draw on material presented in the five case studies published
in a book on higher education mergers. Permission to use the material has been
obtained from the authors, apart from myself, as contributors to this monograph
entitled, Jansen J et al (2002). Mergers in higher education: lessons
learned in transitional contexts. While the article will offer some
description of each of the five cases, my central focus will be to illustrate
the legal issues that emerged (or did not emerge) in each and offer some
analysis of the consequences of such legalities on the merger process.
The story of South African academic
development in international perspective: have we lost the plot?
T Volbrecht, Cape Technikon
Abstract
South African Academic Development (AD) emerged as a
liberatory educational and social movement in the 1980s. AD (often called
educational development) has burgeoned as an international phenomenon, but with
a focus on quality rather than on liberation. South African AD now seems to be
struggling to construct its post-apartheid identity, if one considers the
demise of the South African Association for Academic Development (SAAAD) in
2002 and the fragile state of its interim successor, the South African Academic
Development Association (SAADA). This article gives an analytical account of
the history of international and South African AD. It attempts to explain what
has divided and weakened the latter and makes some recommendations for the
future.
Factors distinguishing between achievers
and at risk students: a qualitative and quantitative synthesis
R Eiselen & H Geyser, Rand Afrikaans University
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to identify factors that
distinguish between Achievers and At Risk Students in Accounting 1A, and to
explore how qualitative and quantitative research methods complement each
other. Differences between the two groups were explored from both a
quantitative and a qualitative perspective, focusing on study habits, language
proficiency, cognitive ability, academic background and perceptions of reasons
for failure or success. From both perspectives, the study showed that the
groups differ in terms of language proficiency and study habits with Achievers
having better communication skills and being more diligent than At Risk
Students. Vast differences in perceptions of reasons for success or failure
were also identified. The study furthermore showed that Achievers on average
have better cognitive abilities and obtained better school marks than At Risk
Students. Recommendations focus mainly on the At Risk Students, as well as on
enriching research through a synthesis of qualitative and quantitative
methodologies.
A critical overview of trends and
practices in performance management in the South African higher educational
environment
K Franzsen, Renwick Reward
Abstract
The transformation from an industrial society to a postmodern
knowledge society has given rise to a new set of values that are manifesting to
varying degrees in modern organisations.
Besides quality orientation, these include focus on teamwork and cooperation, democratisation of
the workplace, fairness and equity in labour relations, and a respect for
diversity. In South Africa, many of
these values have been amplified by the political transformation that the
country has been undergoing since the early 1990s. Organisations are obliged to promote these values and build new
cultures through strong leadership, changed strategies, and ensure buy-in
and compliance by means of performance management and reward systems.
Higher Education, particularly in South Africa, has been
reluctant to adopt performance management systems and practices, especially
insofar as it pertains to the management and appraisal of academic staff at
institutions of Higher Learning. The reasons for the reluctance seem to revolve
mostly around an exaggerated deference to the idea of "academic
freedom" and more operationally, the difficulties associated with
"measuring" excellence in academic pursuits.
This article will give an overview of prevalent trends and practices in managing academic
performance and will attempt to explore the possible reasons for the apparent
reluctance of academic staff and academic administrators to develop or adopt
systems and procedures for managing academic performance.
A questioning environment for scaffolding
learners' questioning engagement with academic text: a university case study
J Hardman & D Ng'ambi, University of Cape Town
Abstract
Access to the textual world of academia requires that
learners are familiar with the critical open-ended questioning stance demanded
by textuality. Anecdotal evidence suggests that learners registered for the
Bachelor of Education Honours degree are unable to generate appropriate
questions to interrogate academic text, impacting on their ability to engage
effectively with academia. While ample research exists to suggest that
face-to-face scaffolding can facilitate learners' access to academic text, this
is often a time consuming, repetitive activity, which fails to track learners'
questions over time. Given that questioning is one of the most important
learning-teaching tools available to both learner and educator, we have created
a computer-based scaffolding environment in which students are required to
generate questions to interrogate academic texts. Learners have been using this
new scaffolding tool this year, and we report on preliminary findings from the
study.
Success and failure in distance
education: perceptions of South African students and lecturers in Business
Management
R Killen, A de K Marais & P van Z
Loedolff, University of Newcastle (Australia) & University of South Africa
Abstract
This article presents the results of a recent investigation
at the University of South Africa that attempted to identify the post-enrolment
factors that lecturers and students see as having important influences on
students' success in undergraduate Business Studies courses. Data were gathered
from students enrolled in all years of the BCom degree and from lecturers in
one department servicing that degree. Various forms of analysis revealed a
strong agreement between lecturers and students on factors that have the
potential to lead to student success but a much weaker agreement about factors
that might lead to student failure. These differences have implications for
lecturers' instructional practices and for students' approaches to studying.
Lecturers' experience of postgraduate supervision in a
distance education context
A C Lessing & S Schulze, University of South Africa
Abstract
After determining the perceptions of postgraduate students
at a distance education institution of the guidance they had experienced, a
research project was launched to determine lecturers' views on
supervision at the same institution. Data collection methods included focus
groups, individual interviews and document analysis. Findings indicated that
supervisors experienced some aspects of postgraduate supervision as extremely
satisfying. However, numerous problems were raised, for example establishing
acceptable ground rules, planning the research project, poor language
proficiency and design of empirical investigations. In addition, administrative
problems were encountered including admission requirements of students,
allocation of students to appropriate supervisors and problems relating to the
examination process. From the findings, the need for training of students and
supervisors; discussion around issues in the supervisory process and written
policies and guidelines on postgraduate supervision emerged.
Retention: predicting first-year success
A Lourens & I P J Smit, Technikon Pretoria
Abstract
Universities and technikons have been struggling to meet the
demands of growing numbers of students who enter higher education with limited
skills. Higher Education literature abroad provides an exhaustive range of
theory about the reasons for students leaving (cited in Strauss & Volkwein
2002), as well as proposals for positive intervention. It is critical for
administrators in South Africa to understand the unique combination of factors
contributing to student attrition at their institutions. This study aims to
predict the probability for a first-time entering student to register and pass
all required first-year courses at Technikon Pretoria using various predictor
variables. The results from this study indicate that the Grade 12 aggregate and
major field of study were the most important predictors for the success of
students in the first year. The results of the study can also be incorporated
into enrollment planning within the institution.
Troubling the numbers: is teacher demand projections
possible within the context of HIV/AIDS
P Ramrathan, University of Durban-Westville
Abstract
This article explores two ways of knowing about teacher
demand within the context of HIV/AIDS. It argues that by privileging particular
variables that one wants to conceptualise, interrogate and understand,
projections on teacher demands may vary. Which variables then needs to be
conceptualised and what projections on teacher demand are reasonable within the
HIV/AIDS pandemic? This article further explores possible responses that higher
education needs to consider with respect to teacher supply and demand. The
search for new and appropriate research methodologies within the veil of
secrecy that shrouds HIV/AIDS is yet a challenge for higher education to inform
research in this area.
An international comparison of the
science education priorities of science teachers, lecturers and students in two
developing countries: Turkey and Lesotho
C Tekkaya, K Rochford, A Moru, A Inal & I Demirtas,
Middle East Technical University (Turkey) & University
of Cape Town
Abstract
Lesotho and Turkey are two developing countries, both
relatively deficient in educational resources B one in Southern
Africa, and the other straddling the continents of Europe and Asia in the
Middle East. This study reports and compares the priorities and responses of
(a) 172 Turkish science teachers, lecturers and students, and (b) 171 Lesotho
science educators and students, to 20 literature-derived recommendations for
improving science education in the two countries. Both quantitative and
qualitative survey data are analysed. The educational outcomes of the study are
commonly identified areas of future concentration and corresponding sets of
recommendations for science teacher-training curricula in these two developing nations.
In both Turkey and Lesotho the most frequently prioritised recommendations are
found to be similar. They are: to engage more self-discovery in science
learning; to introduce more real life skills into science teaching; to
utilise better science teaching methods; and to acquire more
resources for science and technology lessons.
A comparative analysis of sexual
harassment policies at selected higher education institutions in South Africa
E C Wilken & J W Badenhorst, University of Pretoria
Abstract
This article investigates sexual harassment issues by means
of an in depth literature review and by analyzing and comparing the sexual
harassment policies of selected universities in South Africa. Various
alternatives that categorize sexual harassment are proposed in order to form a
clear perspective on the different viewpoints that currently exist in this
regard. The Authors investigate literature on policy and show that the
development of a policy should not be viewed as a non-recurrent process. A uniquely
designed checklist is presented which could be employed by higher education
institutions to evaluate their existing policies and/or to serve as a tool to
develop their own policies. In addition an in-depth comparative analysis of the
existing sexual harassment policies at eight South African universities is done
to reveal their desired characteristics as well as their shortcomings. Authors
conclude with general findings and recommendations.
Educational game models: conceptualization and evaluation
A Amory & R Seagram, University of Natal
Abstract
The relationship between educational theories, game design
and game development are used to develop models for the creation of complex
learning environments. The Game Object Model (GOM), that marries educational
theory and game design, forms the basis for the development of the Persona
Outlining Model (POM) and the Game Achievement Model (GAM). POM provides
researchers with a means to more easily match software development with the
intended audience and expected outcomes. The concrete GOM interfaces are
realized in GAM which provides a convenient way to develop and document
educational games. These models were developed to better understand the
relationships between story, play and learning. Both qualitative data collected
from group workshops and qualitative data obtained from interviews with people
closely associated with the game design process were used to evaluate GAM.
Results indicate that GAM is an efficient, well conceptualised and supportive
model that can easily contribute to successful development and writing of
stories for complex learning environments.
"Students doing it for
themselves": the role of informal study groups in a mixed mode teacher
education programme
C Bertram, University of Natal
Abstract
The School of Education, Training and Development at the
University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg offers a Bachelor of Education (Honours)
to practising teachers who already have a four year teaching diploma. The
programme is delivered through interactive learning materials and Saturday
tutorial sessions. However, interviews and a student survey seem to indicate
that informal study groups are as important, if not more important than the
formal tutorial sessions for students. 70% of students surveyed are part of an
informal study group and a quarter of these groups meet every weekday.
Observations of three informal study groups give some insight into the way in
which students learn together. The article concludes that while the informal
study groups play a very important role in motivating and supporting students,
they do not necessarily assist learners in developing a deep approach to
learning. In fact for some students, the study groups mean that they in fact do
not interact with the learning material at an individual level at all.
A reading intervention programme for mathematics students
E J Pretorius & C A Bohlmann, University of South
Africa
Abstract
Based on the results of Phase I of a reading skills project
in 2000 (SAJHE 16(3) 2002), Phase II was undertaken to set up a reading
intervention programme on a voluntary basis for students enrolled in a
mathematics access module, to determine whether explicit attention given to
reading would improve their reading skills and academic performance. The aim was
to determine whether addressing problem areas in reading might help the
students adopt more effective reading strategies, so that they could become
more adept at "reading to learn" their mathematics guides. This
article reports on the intensive and extensive reading activities undertaken in
the intervention programme, and the implications for studying mathematics.
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