Institute for Post-School Studies

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Workplace learning experiences of TVET college candidates in learnership programmes : an exploration of the workplace learning environment
(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Vollenhoven, Gerald; Papier, Joy
Skills development policies in South Africa and further afield consider learning in and from the workplace as critical to the training of artisans at intermediate level. Since the inception of democracy, South Africa has become part of a globally competitive economic arena where highly skilled workers capable of engaging with new technology in a changing environment are increasingly required. Continuous innovation, it is held (Kraak, 1997), is dependent on the presence of two knowledge forms in society and work: an abundance of formal (scientific and technological) knowledge, and skilled worker 'know-how' or tacit knowledge. In the present system of technical and vocational education, theoretical learning and some practical skills are obtained in institutions, mostly in the recently renamed TVET colleges, while job specific training occurs through prescribed periods of work placement. In light of common assumptions about the value of workplace learning, this research was concerned with exploring whether, and how such learning is taking place. It sought to understand the methodologies, practices, and affordances available to learning in the workplace, from the perspective of candidate apprenticeship/learnership students. To this end this study employed a qualitative approach for investigating how candidates experienced and interacted with the 'real world environment' of the workplace. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample comprising candidates engaged in programmes that necessitated a workplace learning component, namely, the apprenticeship and learnership in fitting and turning, motor/diesel and the auto electrical trades. Data analysis was undertaken using both Atlas ti software and manual methods for coding and identification of themes. Lenses used to describe and explain learning in the workplace included the conceptual frameworks of Engestrom‘s (1987) Activity theory; Vygotsky‘s (1978) notion of learning via the 'expert other' within a Zone of Proximal Development; and Lave and Wenger‘s (1991) theorising of situated learning in Communities of Practice. This triangular juxtaposition of complementary theories formed a richly informative explanatory system for my further exploration. As a qualified artisan myself I was familiar with the negative connotations of a historical 'sit by Nellie' approach, a phrase used to caricature the way apprentices learned in the past, by simply being passive observers of the experts. However, my findings were to reveal a vastly different picture of learning in this modern, visual and tactile age. Learners in this study experienced a range of learning modalities, methodologies and affordances that were reported in 'thick' descriptions, building a vivid picture of engagement and interaction. In addition to the abundance of learning opportunities candidates experienced, their responses revealed the indisputably central role played by 'expert others' in moving them towards competence – the expert artisan emerging as the quintessential didactic practitioner. This thesis proceeds to highlight the experiences of candidates on their learning journey in the workplace, and suggests recommendations in respect of these. Key learnings are distilled, which ultimately point to the need for collective effort in appreciating and retaining for the benefit of future generations of artisans, the mentoring potential that exists in our expert artisans wherever they may be found.
Critical posthumanism in geomatics education: A storytelling intervention
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Motala, Siddique; Bozalek, Vivienne
This study is located in engineering education at a South African university of technology, and is theorised using relational ontologies such as critical posthumanism, feminist new materialism and non-representational theory. It explores the potential of a digital storytelling intervention in an undergraduate geomatics diploma programme. Geomatics qualifications in South Africa are critiqued for their embedded humanism and subtle anthropocentrism despite attempts at post-apartheid curricular reform. Additionally, these qualifications are focused on technical content, and heavily influenced by Western knowledges.
An investigation into barriers to participation in adult learning among refugees: The case of the Somalis in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town
(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Kakai, Kasifa; Papier, Joy
This study seeks to investigate barriers to participation in adult learning among Somali refugees in Cape Town. It draws on scholarship around various conceptual frameworks on migration perspectives, and barriers to participation in adult learning, as lenses to understand and explain the experiences of the Somali refugee community. The Refugee Act of 1998 was promulgated post-democracy in South Africa. One of the objectives of this Act was to redress past inequalities by providing access to education for all the people of South Africa including foreigners who are refugees or immigrants legally settled in the country. Due to various challenges, not all refugees and migrants have access to education that would provide them with the necessary skills to enter the job market. Without access to the formal labour market, they resort to informal activities that enable them to generate cash and sustain livelihoods. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the gender dimension is important since women particularly are subject to prejudices and disadvantages that deny them entry into the labour market, both informal and formal. This study therefore investigated barriers to participation in adult learning among refugees. One of the main purposes of the research was to examine the impediments, which inhibit both men and women refugees from access to a decent education and opportunities for adult learning in South Africa. The methodology adopted was a qualitative research design. Through focused, in-depth interviews with a sample grouping of a Somali refugee community, insights were obtained into the challenges and blockages to learning access that are prevalent. The sample size comprised 50 participants: 25 males and 25 females, which were arrived at using the snowball sampling technique. An in-depth interview protocol guided the discussion, which was intended to elicit personal narratives. The findings of the study revealed that both men and women experience institutional, situational, dispositional and academic barriers, which prevent them from participating in adult learning programmes and other learning opportunities in spite of their willingness to do so. However, women particularly suffer from a lack of access due to cultural and religious norms, which limit their participation as women learners. This additional barrier proved to be a substantive situational barrier that did not affect Somali men. This study makes several recommendations that are based on the research findings. Participants generally desired sufficient access to adult learning programmes, harmonious living and integration within communities, and to employment opportunities, education funding support, and increased public awareness of such learning opportunities through seminars and workshops.
Understanding workplaces as learning environments: Staff Development at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in the Western Cape (WC)
(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Levitt, Russel; Omar, Rahmat
The main objective of this research is to understand workplaces as learning environments. More specifically, the research explored how a TVET college affords opportunities for lecturers for learning through participation in work activities with guidance and support for learning on the job from peers and more experienced colleagues. The research also explored factors which enable or constrain their learning and how they elected to engage with workplace affordances for learning. Drawing on data gathered through analysis of national and institutional policies and semi structured interviews this paper argues that The TVET College does offer opportunities for learning on the job for lecturers. The TVET College affords opportunities for participation in authentic work activities through which lecturers can develop knowledge and understanding of the practices which are relevant and applicable to their particular work context. It is also evident that guidance and support from peers and more senior colleagues are available to lecturers, both less and more experienced. Practices which could become elements of a strategy for co-participation and learning through work do exist at The TVET College. However, there are also limitations and it cannot be argued that intentional strategies for learning exist at The TVET College which can be seen as aspects of workplace pedagogy and workplace curriculum. Finally it is clear that TVET colleges are seen primarily as sites of learning for students; there is little focus on TVET colleges as sites for workplace learning for lecturers. This is an under-researched area in the policy and academic literature on TVET colleges and it is hoped that this study has made a contribution, even if a small one, to filling this gap.
Structural Dynamics of Leadership in Current Intra-African Higher Education Collaborative Research Teams: The Case of Selected South African Research-based Universities
(2023) Jithoo, Divinia; Langa, Patricio
The study is situated in the field of higher education Internationalisation research. More specifically, the lens is on the structural dynamics of leading IRC within the borders of the African continent. Issues such as research team structure and leadership are explored. To overcome the complexities of executing research while grappling with contextual challenges, the research includes the modified snowball sampling method, Referral Sampling. Making use of an interpretivist paradigm and a mixed methods approach, data was obtained via online semi-structured interviews with South African researchintensive university representatives and collaborative research team PI’s. Data collected was analysed against internationalisation concepts and leadership theory.
The Changing Nature of Strategic Research Management at Selected South African Universities: 1997-2007
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Kulati, Tembile; Thaver, Beverly
Universities and other institutions of higher education are key players in the knowledge, information, and data-driven economy, particularly more so in the context of developing countries, where the footprint of industry and the private sector in science and technology investment is still marginal when compared to the highly industrialised economies. In the case of South Africa, the latest available data show universities continuing to be major contributors to the national scientific and research enterprise, where they account for the largest proportion of research and development (R&D) personnel, and the second largest R&D expenditure after the business sector (Department of Science and Innovation, 2022).
Social movement learning: COSATU shop stewards constructing knowledge through social activism
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Jaftha, Michelle Theresa; Hendricks, Natheem
This study sought to investigate how shop stewards within Cosatu Western Cape construct knowledge through social activism. The study employed a qualitative research design, using a multiple case study method, where shop stewards and activists were invited to offer their narrative accounts of what type of knowledge is constructed in Cosatu as a social movement. Secondly, the study investigated how shop stewards construct knowledge within this movement and what shop stewards’ lived experiences are while constructing this knowledge. Purposive sampling was used to select participants for this study and thematic analysis was performed to interpret the collected data. Working through a social constructivist paradigm lens, that used Community of Practice as its theoretical framework revealed interesting outcomes within this study. These results highlighted important insights into how shop stewards understand the importance of their role within this social movement and why they prefer to construct knowledge in and through Cosatu. It also highlighted the types of learning that occur and how this learning is absorbed through lived experiences. The most significant outcome of this study was that knowledge construction by shop stewards does indeed take place on various levels and in different settings within Cosatu. Shop stewards within this federation indeed view Cosatu as a social movement due to the varied issues that they address within the labour, political, health and education sectors. It is within this social movement space that shop stewards feel a sense of belonging and nurturing when it comes to learning within this social movement. The results of this study may inform, among other possibilities, the modification of the existing educational programmes provided by Cosatu and the formal recognition of shop stewards' roles and responsibilities within this learning space: To invest in further research, collaborating and exchanging knowledge across social movements while investing in a formalised mentorship programme provided by veteran shop stewards.
(Re)configuring socially just pedagogies with posthumanism and decoloniality: Experimenting with processual learning in the Architectural Technology extended curriculum programme in the Western Cape, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Noble, Alexandra Claire; Bozalek, Vivienne
This doctoral thesis investigates the potential of processual learning within the Architectural Technology Extended Curriculum Programme in South Africa to foster transformative learning experiences and promote social justice. Currently, undergraduate AT qualifications in South Africa primarily emphasise technical and academic knowledge, while neglecting affective and socio-economic-environmental sensibilities in the learning process. As an alternative to this approach, the study explores the benefits of integrating processual learning interventions into the curriculum to enhance student learning opportunities. The research is framed within posthumanism and decoloniality, aiming to investigate how these theoretical underpinnings can contribute to socially just pedagogies in architectural education. The focus is on the Architectural Technology - Extended Curriculum Programme offered at a university of technology in the Western Cape. The programme is designed to provide access to historically marginalised students. The interventions introduced in the curriculum involve walking excursions and site visits that aim to develop students’ social, historical, environmental and political awareness in architectural studies. By exploring the spatial planning of Cape Town with its inherent power relations in South African society, the research seeks to alert students to social and spatial inequalities and encourage students to consider ways of envisaging a built environment that is more equitable and just.
Exploring competence development through the transfer of specialist knowledge and skills from engineering lecturers to students in South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges: A COMET study
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Hurjunlal, Adhir; Papier, Joy
This study investigates the potential of the COMET (Competency Measurement in Electrotechnology) occupational competence diagnostic model to assist TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) college lecturers in transferring skills, knowledge and competencies to their students by applying the dynamics of the model and through various pedagogical strategies. Achieving holistic problem-solving competence is a fundamental goal of the COMET framework and is embedded in eight competence criteria that focus on real-life, complex, work-related problems. A mixed method, explanatory sequential design comprising qualitative and quantitative research methods was adopted. Data were gathered from 275 students and 22 lecturers at five public TVET colleges. Two COMET large-scale open-ended learning tasks and a test task were conducted to measure the occupational competence of TVET students and lecturers. Lecturer data on competence scores, experiences of doing the task, and teaching and learning strategies were collected. Analysis of the data employed the SPSS version 26 and R Studio 4.0. This study demonstrated that lecturers were indeed able to transfer their skills and knowledge to students. Areas of learning in which transfer was strong and areas in which transfer could be enhanced were identified using the COMET diagnostic model. The evidence further indicated that a variety of pedagogic strategies – for instance, feedback, metacognition, cognitive apprenticeship, problem-based learning and work-integrated learning – are used to enhance transfer and are most effective when used interchangeably or integrated.
Exploring the design and implementation of an entrance readiness assessment and its relationship with performance outcomes among first year TVET college students
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) De Wee, Marissa Francine; Papier, Joy
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college entrance/placement tests have been critiqued in the few studies done in South Africa because they offer insufficient information about vocational students and their potential for success or failure. In light of the limitations associated with current entrance-testing mechanisms in South African TVET colleges and the limited information they afford colleges about entry-level students, this study set out to investigate alternative models or instruments that might yield a more holistic and informative picture, particularly with regard to students who might not complete their studies. The aims of this study were therefore to explore the development of a more appropriate entry-level readiness assessment for first-year TVET college students and to examine the possible relationships between their profiles at entry and their success/lack of success at the end of the first year. It was anticipated that the research findings could contribute to the sparse local knowledge base on these crucial issues in the South African TVET context. Using a pragmatic approach and mixed methods of data gathering within a convergent parallel design, a model that had been tested in international education systems was applied as a framework into which local input obtained from college experts was integrated to produce an entrance assessment instrument that was administered to first year college students. Qualitative and quantitative data were juxtaposed with first year performance outcomes, and statistical analyses conducted produced noteworthy associations among the findings. The research ultimately demonstrated that existing TVET college placement tests are severely limited in acknowledging the multifaceted nature of education and the diverse strengths and challenges that students bring to the learning journey. What was further revealed were the many taken-for-granted assumptions about TVET college students and their performance that require ongoing interrogation so that interventions remain at the cutting edge rather than relying on what may be outdated norms and stereotypes.
Patched pathways, dead-end dreams: articulation and access to higher education for mature women in early childhood development
(Universty of the Western Cape, 2024) Zokufa, Kaylianne Aploon
The purpose of this study was to document the learning pathways and transitions of mature women Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners in the Western Cape from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges into universities. There has, to date, been limited research regarding the lived experiences of predominantly Black and marginalised women in the field of ECD and their pathways into and through higher education. It is well known, however, that mature women face significant barriers to access to education, and that they have to maintain high levels of motivation and resilience to ensure educational success. In this detailed qualitative study, I employed three research methods to gather both qualitative and quantitative data about the trajectories of Black women who had completed ECD training at TVET colleges in South Africa, and who wished to transition to higher education in the sub-field of education. Using a narrative life history methodology, my project aimed to generate knowledge about how women ECD practitioners, after completion of the formal college ECD certificate, accessed (or not) the university BEd (Foundation Phase) degree qualification. Interview data revealed the factors that promoted and impeded these women’s access to university, as well as the many ways in which broader social and economic factors in post-apartheid South Africa impacted on their life chances and choices. A feminist lens was used to understand their convoluted pathways into higher education, and to describe the barriers that frustrated them. Data were presented in feminist narrative form to ensure that the voices of women participants were captured as authentically as possible. Appropriate theoretical perspectives applied in my study enabled consideration of the ways in which issues of race, class, and gender, and their intersections, shaped these mature women’s learning pathways and lived experiences.

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