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Affective and embodied pedagogy as pathways to equity in curriculum and responsiveness
(2022-12-31) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
The question of equity in the South African educational landscape and particularly in the curriculum at all levels cannot be over emphasised, however achieving this equity has proven to be daunting task. The purpose of this article is to explore affective and embodied pedagogy as alternative pathways to equity in curriculum and responsiveness. Hamilton (2007) argues that beyond the idea that equity is morally right, striving for radical educational equity, is a winning strategy for all learners regardless of their background. With resistance to the drive to achieve equity almost guaran-teed, questions arise on how to achieve the same and ensure that curriculum responsiveness takes places for all learners/students. This paper seeks to answer the question. This paper theorised affective and embodied pedagogy, and generated pathways or forces which can be used to establish equity and responsiveness in education. The paper proposes diffractive physicality, social vulnerability and rhizomatic spatiality as the key constructs for equity and responsiveness. The paper concludes that affective and embodied pedagogy can be used as pathways to achieve equity in curriculum and responsiveness.
Challenges of student accommodation at institutions of higher learning : a case study of University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
(Centre for the Study of Southern African Literature and Languages, 2022-12-12) Adam, Ahmed Sadeq; Adam, Pamela; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu
Access to higher education by the general populace in South Africa has been steadily increasing over the last decade. With this increase in access, major challenges have presented themselves that may compromise the transformational agenda for higher education in South Africa. The focus of this research was to examine the challenges associated with student accommodation. In total, 600 questionnaires were dispatched to students from the five campuses of University of KwaZulu-Natal and 453 were returned which gave a 75.5% response rate. The research instrument consisted of 31 items, with a level of measurement at a nominal or an ordinal level. Data obtained from the respondents included biographical data, quality of accommodation, accessibility and adequacy of accommodation, security, safety and health issues in the University accommodation. The questionnaire was the primary tool that was used to collect data and was distributed to students who lived in residences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The data collected from the responses were analysed with SPSS version 24.0. The study’s focus was to examine various challenges associated with student accommodation in South Africa specifically UKZN and results indicated that accessibility to the university accommodation for residential purposes is a great challenge for many students. Other issues faced by students include insecurity on campus, irregular security checks, inefficient and untimely manner of the quality of services rendered by the hall management. Good and efficient accommodative measures by the university are necessary for quality academic output; hence, the need for critical intervention, as suggested in the study.
Theorising first-generation students’ successes at a historically white South African university
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2019-12-30) Hlatshwayo, Mlamuli Nkosingphile; Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
This article attempts to shift the first-generation literature to not only focus on the marginalised experiences of first-generation students, but to also theorise the successes that these students have experienced in negotiating a historically white higher education institution. To do this, data was generated using semistructured interviews and participants were sampled using snowball sampling and this ensured that the social networks and connections that these students have with one another, were accessed. 32 first generation students were recruited, and in-depth interviews were held with each of the participants, averaging one hour per student. The data or findings indicate that the success of first-generation students largely depends on four key forces – the force of diligence, the force of language, the force of personal attributes, as well as the force of personal relationships. Bourdieu’s field theory, capital (social and cultural), and habitus were employment to further make sense of the findings. All these forces play a critical role in ensuring that first-generation students are not only able to negotiate their marginality in a historically white HE, but that they are successful.