Research Publications (Arts and Design)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/214

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 26

The after-life of books : metaphors of reality
(Taylor and Francis, 2015) Pearce, Brian
The aim of this article is to discuss various works of literature which deal with the theme of books, looking at how books have taken on symbolic meaning in our culture over the last five centuries. The approach is selective as there are many more instances of literary works (or films) than those mentioned which include references to books or which are based in libraries or bookshops. However, the intention is to point readers to a fascinating tradition of meta-literary writing which identifies books in a rich variety of dramatic roles. In this tradition, books are personified and take on human attributes, while libraries become kingdoms or realms. The article poses the question about what meaning books will have in the future in the face of the technological revolution, the internet and electronic media. It argues that books still have a future. If the internet leads to higher levels of literacy, then there will perhaps be more demand for quality editions, while it will be paperbacks which will be easily replaced by electronic texts. Meanwhile, books will retain their symbolism, their usefulness and their aesthetic value. The article concludes by drawing together the various themes and assessing the ways in which books retain symbolic meaning in our culture.
An analysis of stakeholder engagement in the e-learning policy-making process at a higher education institution in South Africa
(Durban University of Technology, 2023) Makwambeni, Patricia; Makwambeni, Blessing; Usadolo, Sam
Over the past two decades, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa have been formulating e-learning policies to assist them to realise the full potential of using ICTs in teaching and learning. E-learning policies serve as guiding frameworks that create enabling environments for embedding ICTs in teaching and learning. The development of e-learning policies has attracted various stakeholders and actors with varied interests, views, priorities, influence and power. Consequently, stakeholder engagement is now an essential factor in the policy process. The efficacy of an e-learning policy can therefore be judged based on the multiple perspectives that it includes and the inclusion of those it affects in the policy-making process. In light of this background, this paper examined stakeholder engagement that characterised the e-learning policy formulation process at a University of Technology in South Africa (UoT). How stakeholders were engaged in the policy-making process using stakeholder engagement as its analytical framework, the stakeholders and actors involved in the policy formulation process and the nature of the dialogue that informed the policy formulation process were examined. The qualitative study gathered evidence using semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study's findings show that the policy-making process at the UoT followed a bureaucratic process dominated by one actor, the policy delegate. Key stakeholders were excluded during the policy formulation process and were only consulted at the drafting stage. As a result, stakeholder engagement in the policy formulation process was low, resulting in key stakeholders and actors lacking policy ownership. Our findings also show that the exclusion of key stakeholders in the policy formulation process resulted in a policy that exclusively focuses on the Learner Management System and overlooks other technologies that play a crucial role in teaching and learning. These findings suggest the need to include all critical stakeholders and actors affected and interested in the e-learning policy at every stage of the policy formulation process.
Blended learning as a response to change in a merged technikon: an account of three modes of delivery in a web-based Communication Skills semester course designed for Engineering students at DIT
(2003) Pratt, Deirdre Denise
The degree to which people are facing revolutionary technological changes in the near future is matched only by the degree of inertia evinced by educational institutions, particularly tertiary institutions. Even when such institutions undergo sweeping changes, as in the case of the recent merger between Technikon Natal and ML Sultan Technikon, the reaction of most academic departments is to make desperate attempts to adjust and consolidate, and to think with nostalgia of “the good old days” rather than to introduce innovations. Yet as Taylor (2001) points out, an institution’s survival in the face of imminent widespread technological change depends not only on changing the way it does things, but on changing the things it does, and a common factor in innovation is often the introduction of new learning technology systems (Kenny, 2002). The “Fourth Generation” learning model described by Taylor is already a reality for educators, involving interactive multimedia online, Internet-based access to World Wide Web resources, and computer-mediated communication. While Taylor is writing in the context of distance education, the “flexible learning model” described is just as appropriate for blended learning, i.e., a mixture of face-to-face and computer-mediated instruction (also referred to as “mixed mode”). Moreover, when a merged “super-technikon” such as the Durban Institute of Technology swells its student numbers to over 20,000 and sprawls over a number of campuses, some of the techniques used for distance education might well apply. However, as Glor (1997) points out, effective innovation is “not just a question of coming up with ideas, but also of developing and realising them successfully”, and the transition “from strategic vision to university wide teaching change is ... a complex and largely uncharted one” (Lines, 2000). The Fourth Generation model of instructional delivery is in fact well within the capabilities of a growing number of the DIT staff who have completed the Pioneers Induction Programme to web-based learning (Peté et al, 2002), initiated in 2000, and are going from strength to strength with the current Pioneers 2003 group. This paper looks at an initiative by one of the Pioneers 2002 group (the author) to introduce a Communication Skills course in blended learning mode, mainly in the interests of enhanced delivery, but also in an attempt to find creative solutions to problems such as larger classes and diminishing resources. It will show that, while the assumptions about enhanced delivery were justified, in one case the initiative was all but sabotaged by the unfortunate convergence of multiple “merger glitches”, which individually could have been relatively easily overcome, but collectively posed a serious threat not just to academic quality but to course continuance.
Causes of poor argumentative english essay writing at Lesotho secondary education
(Adonis and Abbey Publishers, 2023-04-17) Tlali, Geremiah Phenyane; Thamae, Amelia Mamothibe
Lesotho uses English as a medium of instruction throughout all levels of education except in grades 1, 2 and 3 in all government schools. This language situation imposes challenges to learners of English as a second language (ESL). This becomes more evident at Junior Certificate (JC) level where English is taken as a passing subject. A number of reports from the Examinations Council of Lesotho (ECOL) endorse that the problem of English Language is still apparent at Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE). This is observed where most reports stipulate that English essay writing; especially argumentative essay writing is not satisfactorily performed at LGCSE. The literature in this area, however, appears to be limited. This study, therefore, investigated causes of poor English argumentative essay writing at LGCSE. Grounded on the Attribution Theory of Success and Failure by Weiner 1972, the study followed a qualitative approach in which a case of three high schools in Leribe district was employed. Data was collected from the sample drawn from grade 11 learners and their English Language teachers using a test, questionnaires and a focus group discussion with teachers. The findings revealed, among others, that most learners fail to perform English argumentative essay writing well due to failure to argue their points convincingly. Additionally, the study discovered that some learners fail to use language accurately, fail to observe instructions and sometimes are not knowledgeable on the subject matter. The study then recommended, among others, field trips and regular exercises on English argumentative essay writing.
A critical appraisal of the role of retribution in Aníkúlápó : the movie
(Universitas Djuanda, 2023-12) Adedokun, Theophilus Adedayo; Olanrewaju, Abolaji Christianah
This study examines Aníkúlápó, a Yoruba historical movie, to elucidate cultural perspectives on retributive justice. The study is grounded in the Yoruba worldview, which frames retribution as essential for restoring cosmic and social equilibrium when moral norms are violated. The data analysis used textual analysis of Aníkúlápó’s narrative depictions of crime and punishment as insights into traditional Yoruba principles of retributive justice. The findings reveal that the movie accurately portrays customary public punishment processes in precolonial Yoruba society aimed at communal justice and harmony. Beliefs in supernatural forces dispensing divine retribution are also authentically represented. While punishments seek to deter crime and rehabilitate offenders, scholarly critiques note occasional unfairness and excess. Overall, the analysis of the movie illuminates the pivotal role of retribution in Yoruba's cultural identity and moral philosophy. The key themes in the study relate to retribution's links to cosmic balance, supernatural dimensions, and functions as deterrence and rehabilitation. By situating the analysis of Aníkúlápó within scholarship on African jurisprudence, the study elucidates Yoruba perspectives on fate, choice, proportionality, and pragmatism when responding to moral complexities and wrongdoing. This study contributes original humanistic insight into indigenous African philosophies of social harmony beyond punitive justice. This study recommends comparing diverse narratives and contemporary attitudes to enrich the understanding retribution's nuanced cultural significance.
A critical approach of the Nigerian higher education institution curriculum and the notion of black consciousness
(International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 2022-12-28) Adedokun, Theophilus
This study sets out to explore the current Nigerian Higher Education Institution (HEI) curriculum and its relation to the notion of black consciousness. This study argues that for the curriculum of HEIs in Africa to be relevant to the notion of black consciousness, it should mirror the philosophies of Africa as a continent. The curriculum should mirror the lives of students of Africa and their learning needs at a particular place at a given time, not catering for the lives of students and the learning needs of students of other locations. To achieve this, a deliberate effort should be made to repudiate foreign philosophies and external behavioral patterns as they relate to curriculum development and the endorsement of traditionally accepted ways of thinking and acting in the process and execution of curriculum development activities. Nigeria HEI curriculum seems to mirror so much of the foreign philosophies rather than Nigerian native philosophies. However, the true relevance of this curriculum to the notion of black consciousness is still unclear. This study therefore explores the Nigerian HEI curriculum to date to consider the content thereof and to ascertain its relevance to the notion of black consciousness. This study adopts a historical and explorative design in describing the development of the Nigerian HEI curriculum. The finding of this study reveals that many influencing factors mitigate against the true relevance of the Nigerian HEI Curriculum to the notion of Black Consciousness. These mitigating factors includes culture, external influence (western influence), internal influence, political influence, and religious influence. The various curriculum players and philosopher are expected to adopt research and innovation policies in dealing with the various negative influences on the Nigerian HEI curriculum that makes it difficult to reflect the notion of black consciousness.
Employer perspectives on sustainable employability skills for TVET engineering graduates in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
(Journal of Critical Reviews, 2021-10-17) Mesuwini, Joseph; Bomani, Mapeto
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is arguably the sector closely connected to industry and employers. The development of the South African economy partly hinged on individuals with both technical and soft skills that are needed by industry. Against this backdrop, sufficiently prepared TVET engineering graduates are an important resource for industry development. However, employees note that the TVET sector does not address the skills needs of industry. Addressing the skills needs of industry is critical for the South African economy. This study seeks to explore employer perceptions on sustainable employability skills for TVET engineering graduates in industry and develop appropriate strategies for addressing the industry needs in the context of South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach in which semi-structured interviews were used to collect empirical evidence from a conveniently and purposively selected sample of twelve (12) employers from industry. The human capital theory constitutes the theoretical framework of the study. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that employers needed graduates with both technical and soft skills for sustainable employability. TVET engineering graduates fall short of the skills required by industry. The study recommends strong emphasis on career guidance and development to help programme selection. Furthermore, misalignment of skills could be curbed by ensuring strong ties and communication among role players. A revision on the curriculum was necessary to align with the new technology and address the industry needs.Further studies could focus on how companies could be lured to collaborate with TVET Colleges so that their training becomes a meaningful and empowering experience. Future research could also focus on the relevance of the TVET curriculum to industry needs.
An exploration of the progression policy and its effects on learner achievement in KwaZulu-Natal
(Eurasian Publications, 2021-08-02) Nkosi, Thandi Priscillia; Adebayo, Rufus Olufemi
This article examines the Progression Policy and its effects on learner achievement in the Further Education and Training Phase (Grades 10 to 12) amongst five underperforming public secondary schools in Pinetown. Since the adoption of the Progression Policy, the pass rate noticeable declined between 2014 and 2016. Thus, the Progression Policy is used in this study as an analytical framework, whilst the qualitative research design was used to gather data. The faceto-face semi-structured interviews, as well as focus group discussions with educators and principals, served as data collection methods. This study emphasized challenges attributed to the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement and the Progression Policy in the Pinetown District. The study further revealed that the South African education system, from the Foundation Phase level all the way up, is plagued by serious challenges. The identified challenges include a lack of parental support, learner absenteeism, learner indiscipline, learner demotivation, resource allocation, and teacher-learner ratios. The results also revealed that the socioeconomic environment contributes to a dysfunctional condition in schools, which has a negative influence on the teaching and learning experience amongst educators and learners. Thus, the study proposes the reconfiguration of the Progression Policy alongside practicable and relatable recommendations inconsonance to study.
From social algorithm to pedagogical application: some implications for educational software
(2006) Pratt, Deirdre Denise
Educational software geared to literacy development is too often based on what computer programs can do rather than on any deep-level consideration of the social process involved or how social processes are learned. As social psychology suggests that young people learn social behaviour by means of social algorithms, it is suggested that designers of educational software should consider identifying the algorithm involved as a basis for effective program design. Apart from resulting in versatile courseware, following this process means that the program structure itself can be made to reinforce the algorithm to be learned. This innovative educational design process is demonstrated by showing how a writing tutor program was designed around a composing algorithm underpinned by a deep structure of communicative functions. The resulting application could then be used flexibly in a variety of different educational contexts because the commonalities and variables in composing had been established.
Globalisation in Africa : reflecting on Peter Jarvis’s superstructure and substructure model
(Routledge, 2016-10-21) Preece, Julia
This paper reflects on Peter Jarvis’ book Globalisation, lifelong learning and the learning society, volume 2 – in which he describes human learning within a global context and factors contributing to globalisation. He describes the relationship of power between countries manifested as the superstructure and sub structure. The paper explores to what extent this model reflects the current situation in selected southern African countries such as Tanzania, Lesotho and South Africa and how the global forces have influenced adult learning in these African contexts. The paper adopts a postcolonial lens to critique the ways in which learning opportunities in African situations are facilitated and manipulated through the globalisation process and provides a speculative commentary on how adult and lifelong learning policy in South Africa is evolving as a political gesture towards positioning the country as a global player. It concludes by suggesting that the core substructure is perhaps not as impenetrable as first appears and that more recent superstructure responses may have had some impact on the core.
Greetings as a politeness strategy in a Yoruba short story taught to high school learners
(CJEAS Ltd, 2023-08-03) Adedokun, Theophilus Adedayo; Marais, Eugene Patrick
This study investigates the cultural and linguistic aspects of politeness found in selected Yoruba greetings within a short story that is taught to high school learners. To examine the politeness strategies used in Yoruba greetings, a simple textual analysis was employed. The concept of politeness considers greetings as significant in all human conversational interactions since they contribute to establishing and maintaining rapport between speakers. This study identifies several functions of greetings, including discourse initiation and termination, gap filling, solidarity, security and acceptance, courtesy and respect, and comradeship. Additionally, the study explores the social distance between interlocutors, the power dynamics between the speaker and the listener, and the formal relationships between them, which influence the specific types of politeness strategies employed. This research provides valuable insights into the behavioural characteristics and cultural values of Yoruba language speakers and individuals from other linguistic backgrounds worldwide.
High school learners’ experiences of life orientation as a teaching subject with reference to the new curriculum framework
(Online Research Journals, 2015-09) Mzindle, Duduzile Njozela
Policy stipulates that learners need to apply knowledge, skills and values in ways that are meaningful to their own lives. Furthermore, educators need to take the local context into consideration, while at the same time being sensitive to global imperatives. In the teaching of life orientation, which is part of the curriculum transformation in our country, it is important to know its status and practice in order to make meaningful adjustments which meet learners’ needs. The objective of the study was to ascertain High School learners’ experiences and perceptions of knowledge that they receive in their schooling, using life orientation as an example of the initiative of curriculum transformation in South Africa. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire which was administered to a sample of High School learners in order to ascertain their experiences of life orientation. Results revealed that High School learners have a strong sense of self and anything that relates to themselves as individuals when they are still young; as they advance to High School, they begin to take into consideration the things that occur in their immediate environment. It is advisable that policy implementers and stakeholders who interact with learners of this age group be mindful of such issues in facilitating the transition of learners from school life to the world of work. It implies allowing and assisting learners to change from the “who” to the “what” in the learning process.
The impact of domestic chores on the career progression of women in higher education : the case of the Durban University of Technology
(Business Perspectives, 2015) Awung, Mabel; Dorasamy, Nirmala
Recent research has shown that even though women have made some progress as compared to where they were twenty years ago, this progress has proven to be resistant to change in terms of higher level and rewarding positions (Turner, 2012; Hofmeyr and Mzobe, 2012; Botool and Sajid, 2013; Mouley, 2013). According to Boushey and Farrell (2013, p6), this lack of progress results from a lack of flexibility and unpredictable scheduling at the workplace. Others argue that career interruption for childbirth and rearing; domestic responsibilities; gender parities at the work place; organiza-tional structures; and policies that do not meet the needs of female employees affect career progress (Wallace and Smith, 2011, p. 3 and Chiloane-Tsoka, 2010, p. 6). The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to examine the nature of the progress of female employees of the Durban University of Technology, and the extent to which domestic responsibili-ties may be an impediment to such progress. Through a survey of the female employees’ perceptions of their progres-sion, the study adopts a feminist theoretical framework to argue that domestic chores are an obstacle to the career pro-gression of women in higher education. The study then recommends that more policies need to be put in place in order to improve the working conditions of women, and to ensure that there is effective monitoring and evaluation of the policies in place.
Influence of leader-member exchange on teachers' workplace outcomes at vocational colleges in South Africa
(Routledge, 2019-07-19) Usadolo, Sam Erevbenagie; Usadolo, Queen Emwenkeke; Makwambeni, Blessing
In this study, the influence of leader-member exchange on teachers’ communication satisfaction and turnover intention is examined. A regression analysis shows that the independent variable (leader-member exchange) has a direct and significant effect on the dependent variables (communication satisfaction and turnover intention) in five vocational colleges examined in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The findings confirm previous findings about the impact of workplace relationships on teachers’ attitudes and behaviours, especially supervisor-subordinate relationships. The implications of these findings are discussed as they relate to the management of teachers at vocational education institutions in South Africa.
Intercultural competence among theatre arts students at the University of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
(Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2022-12) Agbonkonkon-Ogbeide, Alero Uwawah; Usadolo, Sam Erevbenagie; Usadolo, Sam Erevbenagie; Oparinde, Kunle
This book is an academic adventure that addresses issues of communication and interculturality in higher education.
Lesotho
(Springerlink, 2015-12-30) Preece, Julia; Croome, David
This chapter outlines some African learning traditions and the Lesotho contemporary context, followed by an introduction to organisations that specifically address the needs of older people in Lesotho. After discussing some recent research into pensioner interest in learning, the chapter describes a case study of one successful university-community engagement learning initiative for Lesotho pensioners which drew on local resources to stimulate motivation and create learning opportunities. Finally, the chapter concludes with some reflections on what older adult learning might look like in 10 years’ time in the country. It highlights the potential for stimulating learning interest among the elderly in Lesotho by recruiting some of the more educated elders as learning facilitators.
The Porous University : re-thinking community engagement
(University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, 2016) Preece, Julia
This primary goal of this concept paper is to stimulate a conceptual re-think around the nature of community engagement in higher education. The paper outlines the evolution of community engagement. It questions some of the ideological rhetoric of this term whereby the university is presented as a collaborative partner and co-creator of knowledge, particularly through strategies such as service-learning. It highlights issues of power relationships, ownership of the engagement process and knowledge generation. The paper offers a theoretical framework for community engagement, drawing on the capabilities approach, asset based community development and dialogue. The framework is then presented as a diagram which can be used as an evaluative tool for assessing how metaphorically porous university boundaries are to facilitate a more mutually accessible relationship between community and university. In this way, the engagement relationship can build on community assets, rather than following a deficit model of intervention which is premised on community need.
The role of the social mechanism in social transformation: a critical realist approach to blended learning.
(2006) Pratt, Deirdre Denise; Gutteridge, Robert Geoffrey
This paper deals with ongoing curriculum development in mixed mode, focusing in particular on student response to blended learning at a multicultural University of Technology. This is currently the subject of a masters research project investigating the possible ways in which learner access and response to blended learning might be affected by socio-cultural elements. The research investigates the impact of socio-cultural factors on blended learning in the development of academic literacy in a tertiary vocational context, and, it is hoped, will identify some of the factors which contribute positively or negatively towards blended learning in multicultural settings. The research orientation is critical realism, which is highly compatible with the scaffolded constructivist learning approach used in the Department of English & Communication’s Comm. Skills Online course, but has additional ontological dimensions which are helpful in pointing the way to social transformation. A key concept in critical realist research is that of the social mechanism, which can be seen as having two aspects, formal and practical: Franck’s modelling process represents these as theoretical and empirical models respectively. A tentative empirical model of blended learning based on a theoretical model of course design is discussed: socio-cultural factors impacting on both affect and access issues in blended learning can be represented as input into the system inherent in the social mechanism. The merits and disadvantages of the video protocol analysis as a possible research tool for capturing data on student response to blended learning are also discussed, and the paper concludes with the implications of this type of modelling for social transformation.
Sharing our Stories : using an online encyclopaedia as the basis for a general education module on local history, creative writing and social justice
(LIASA, 2012) Stewart, Graham Douglas James
Conventional wisdom suggests that the best way of equipping first-year university students with the skills to cope with the rigorous demands of discipline-specific discourse is through an “academic literacies” approach. In other words, by developing their abilities to discern different disciplinary contexts and settings, students may more confidently adopt appropriate linguistic practices in their studies (Archer 2010: 497). I would suggest that where the approach frequently falls short, is in the narrow range of discipline-specific materials provided for student consumption. To achieve the desired levels of linguistic agility for university study, students need a mental gymnasium with a truly challenging set of apparatus. It is not only students of literature who need exposure to creative writing. Reading of creative fiction can ignite the narrative imagination of the first-year university student, provoking an exploration of cultural diversity, social justice and identity. Novels, plays, poetry and short stories can engage the reader more deeply than factual studies, and engender a thoughtful, responsive and responsible attitude towards society. A sense of social justice is fundamental to the development of good citizenship, and it has been argued that the study of creative writing, especially that which is embedded in local and regional history, provides a sound scaffolding for student learning experiences through related writing activities and debate. Online literary and historical encyclopaedias can provide an ideal information landscape for the development of learning modules that focus on local literature. A structured e-learning module may build on such online sources by assisting the student to navigate the abundant references and discover materials that may be probed more deeply through reading assignments, writing tasks and discussion. This paper presents a case study of the design and development of a general education learning module – “Sharing our stories” – intended to provide students with enriching encounters with local literature while advancing their academic reading and writing skills. The module draws on the content of the Encyclopaedia of South African Arts, Culture and Heritage (ESAACH) which plays an integral part as a springboard to the exploration of local writing. While students encounter a variety of short stories, extracts from novels and biographical writing, a blog feature ensures that the students’ own contributions are lodged within the bigger story – what Ngugi wa Thiong’o calls the “collective history” - of our region (Wa Thiong’o 1986: xi).
Skills training through hands-on practical activities in civil technology : a case study of three technical schools in South Africa
(NWU School of Basic Sciences, 2014-12) Makgato, M.; Maeko, Mogale Simon A.
Skills training for Civil Technology learners in South African schools, is an aspect entrenched in the Civil Technology policy document in order to produce skilled personnel for a sustainable economy. Practical activities through the Practical Assessment Task (PAT) are national requirements for all practical-based subjects from grades 10–12 in South African schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of Civil Technology practical activities in three South African schools in the Eastern Cape Province. Purposive sampling was used to identify 41 learners and 3 teachers to participate in the study. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation as data collection methods were instruments used to collect data. The study has found that learners exit grade 12 without basic practical hands-on skills. Civil Technology practical activities were found to be inadequately offered in the three schools investigated. Educators should be well-trained by higher education institutions (HEIs) to conduct practical activities with learners so that these learners are equipped with marketable skills in order to contribute to a sustainable economy after grade 12. Technology teacher education and training should include regular exposure and visits to relevant industries in order for teachers to keep abreast with the latest technological developments. The supply of equipment to schools should be coupled with routine maintenance of the equipment.