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Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/14

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Experiential learning--South Africa

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    Developing an integrated systems thinking approach to assessment of work integrated learning at Universities of Technology
    (2024) Reddy, Radha; Skinner, Jane; Green, Paul
    Work integrated Learning (WIL) is understood as a component in the successful attainment of a qualification within an appropriate field, assisting significantly in accomplishing the graduate attributes as demanded by employers. WIL calls for the practical exposure and engagement of students in the workplace that is seen as the first point of transition from higher education into the world of work (WoW). WIL is reliant on the attainment of various skills all of which need assessment in order to authenticate their achievement. It has been documented that challenges exist with the management of WIL as it involves engagement between three parties, the higher education institution, the student and industry (the external partner). One of these challenges is the assessment of WIL, which currently presents a disjointed, complex situation within a qualification, presenting the need for a more planned, systematic approach for successful implementation. Another challenge inherent in this assessment is the engagement of two learning sites and the inclusion of the activities of three partners within the assessment of each student. The active role of students in their own assessment activities is required if attainment of graduate attributes is to be achieved within a student-centred approach, while the involvement of various assessors with varied abilities being responsible for assessing WIL trainees within varied industry environments all presents a situation full of inconsistencies in practice. The focus of this study is therefore on establishing an optimum system of assessment of WIL within a complex situation involving an integrated approach which will also allow for flexibility of practice within the numerous sectors of industry. The study adopted a Systems Thinking theoretical framework, with specific reference to Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), which focussed on identifying interconnectivity within the practices of assessment of WIL. The study is anchored in the interpretivist paradigm and implemented a mixed methods design, allowing for a triangulation of the findings for a clearer understanding of the practice of assessment within WIL. Five of the six Universities of Technology (UoTs) in South Africa, were included as the study population. Two departments from the Management Sciences Faculty of each UoT were selected based on their offering of the WIL programme. The study population included the Academic WIL co-ordinators, industry mentors and students who had undergone WIL training. Quantitative data (questionnaires) complemented and supplemented qualitative data (interviews) in strengthening the analysis and the interpretation of the findings. Quantitative data was analysed by a statistician adopting the SPSS software package, while the qualitative data was coded into themes and categories by the researcher. From the data analysis it emerged that for a successful practice of assessment of WIL to be attained, it is important that WIL becomes an integrated practice within a qualification, with scaffolded assessment activities throughout the qualification, designed to promote and develop student Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) activities, allowing for a holistic assessment of WIL and WIL related activities. It is clearly in the interest of all WIL stakeholders to ensure the success of this process. It emerged that assessment of WIL needs to be incorporated as a mix of authentic cocreated activities that are not reliant on one assessor, but the product of integrated activities of the key partners (academic WIL co-ordinator, industry mentor and the student). The study presents a model for the attainment of this integrated assessment of WIL, in the context of the identified theoretical framework, the literature reviewed and the analysis of findings of this study. The study recommends that WIL practitioners adopt the integrated model of assessment of WIL with inclusion of scaffolded WIL activities within the curriculum and foster a relationship of inclusivity between students, WIL practitioners and Industry mentors in engaging in assessment of WIL. It is also recommended that a community of practice is established holistically within an institution, amongst other institutions of education as well as the industry partners.
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    Learning opportunities offered to office management and technology students during work integrated learning and the implications for the curriculum
    (2017-05) Mkhize, Thobekile Octavia; Skinner, Jane Phyllida; Green, Paul
    The secretarial/administrative profession is faced with the challenge of rapid advancement in office technology, organisational restructuring and changes in the global economy. This challenge does not only affect employees who are already working as secretaries/administrative staff in the workplace, it also affects institutions of higher education and students who are studying towards an administrative profession. This requires both the institutions of higher education and industry to better prepare students to meet the requirements of the workplace. Given this background, this study examines the current status of the Office Management and Technology curriculum to discover whether it meets the demands of the workplace. The study also investigates learning opportunities offered to Office Management & Technology (OMT) students during Work-integrated Learning (WIL) and the implications for the curriculum, with the aim of improving both classroom learning and workplace learning, and to suggest improvements in the OMT curriculum in Universities of Technology (UoTs). This study investigates and provides information on the skills, attributes and competencies OMT graduates are required to possess in the 21st century world of work. It therefore provides the departments of office technology in UoT’s with an in-depth study of the strengths and weaknesses of their current curriculum so that improvement can be implemented wherever necessary. This study is a case study that involves Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The method used was very largely a quantitative method because it was based purely on questionnaires, however, there was a small qualitative element which grew up on the open ended questions. The qualitative questions were used to provide participants with an opportunity to express their own opinions and to clarify the quantitative data within the questionnaire. The study utilised two sets of questionnaires which were distributed to two different groups within the targeted population – to industry supervisors who supervise OMT students at DUT and MUT, and to third year OMT students from MUT who underwent work integrated learning in 2015. The study shows that the current OMT curriculum is reasonably well in line with core industry needs. However, there was evidence that improvement is needed in both classroom learning and in workplace learning. The study also revealed new skills and attributes that need to be incorporated in OMT curriculum in order to be more responsive and relevant in the 21st century world of work. The study recommends that the Office Management and Technology curriculum should be reviewed regularly and that both university and industry should play a significant role in better preparing students to meet the requirements of the workplace.