A distributed approach to leadership in an academic department in a South African university: an exploratory case study
- Authors: Haufiku, Kenneth David
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Universities and colleges Administration , Education, Higher South Africa , Distributed leadership , College department heads South Africa , School management and organization South Africa , Group decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419748 , vital:71672
- Description: The Head of Department (HOD) position at a university has traditionally been viewed as an individual construct. However, due to the demanding nature of such a position, it is not sought-after, as it remains exclusive and unappealing to many academics. Moreover, it is a position that does not encourage inclusive leadership. Tension and role ambiguity are known to arise between the scholarly project on the one hand and management and administrative matters on the other. To address challenges associated with this singular leadership position, an academic department at a South African university adopted a distributed leadership approach in their department as a research experiment. My study was based on this research experiment. I designed this research as an exploratory case study, guided by a socio-cultural conceptualisation of distributed leadership that included a leader-plus and a practice aspect, defined as a product of the interactions of school leaders, followers and their situation. This qualitative case study aimed to describe and explain how a distributed leadership approach was understood and practised in an academic department. It also investigated the enablements and constraints of the approach. Data were generated through document analysis, observation, and individual and focus group interviews. The participants in this study included the departmental leadership team and the department’s academic and administrative staff. Unfortunately, my study took place during the global COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. I had no choice but to adapt my data generation methods due to lockdown restrictions. As a result, most data generation was done via online communication. The study used inductive and abductive analysis to make the data meaningful to the reader. The findings revealed that different participants had different ideas about distributed leadership. Distributed leadership was understood as a socio-cultural practice rather than an individual practice with multiple leaders in relational practice. In addition, this approach was understood as a way of developing and sharing expertise by encouraging teamwork, collegiality and collective decision-making which aligns with the notion of democratic decision-making which creates a platform for the enablement of leadership in others. The study further explored how distributed leadership was practised. The findings were that the HOD position, usually a one-person role, was reconceptualised as a HOD team comprised of three academics and the departmental administrator. The HOD team divided the work among themselves, and this was done according to each individual’s expertise. In addition, leadership within the academic department was not limited to the HOD team but stretched across the department; thus, multiple leaders were evident. Therefore, based on the data, this study discovered that a distributed approach values leadership expertise in others. Consequently, it can be used to promote an inclusive environment in which any organisation member can lead. Inclusivity in the decision-making process was also regarded as a strong practice in the academic department. As a result, this study contends that those in formal positions can develop leadership in others through a distributed leadership approach. Through that, lecturer leadership was enacted through formal faculty and university structures and informally as and when the situation required it. The enablements of this departmental leadership approach included the structural innovation of the Friday check-in as well as the buddy system. These two innovations provided the space for collegiality and the development of voice and leadership. The consultative nature of the HOD team was also viewed as an enablement. Certain factors constrained the distributed leadership approach, one of which was the tension between the hierarchical structure of the university and the more horizontal, distributed leadership approach being piloted in the academic department. In addition to that, another constraint was also very real with the transition to Zoom as an online teaching, learning and supervision platform as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The final constraint was experienced concerning the department’s history, as it was within a historically White university in South Africa. The effects of this history impacted the departmental culture and, as we know from the literature, institutional culture is extremely difficult to change. Finally, the study concluded that conceptualising distributed leadership as a sociocultural practice with leader-plus and practice aspects provides descriptive language and a solid theoretical and analytical framework for a distributed leadership study. The study makes an important knowledge contribution in the African Higher Education context as limited research has been carried out in this area. Furthermore, in terms of practice, my study serves as a stimulus for leadership discussions that are beneficial to everyone involved in educational institutions as they promote a level of leadership reflexivity, currently absent in many institutions. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
- Authors: Haufiku, Kenneth David
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Universities and colleges Administration , Education, Higher South Africa , Distributed leadership , College department heads South Africa , School management and organization South Africa , Group decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419748 , vital:71672
- Description: The Head of Department (HOD) position at a university has traditionally been viewed as an individual construct. However, due to the demanding nature of such a position, it is not sought-after, as it remains exclusive and unappealing to many academics. Moreover, it is a position that does not encourage inclusive leadership. Tension and role ambiguity are known to arise between the scholarly project on the one hand and management and administrative matters on the other. To address challenges associated with this singular leadership position, an academic department at a South African university adopted a distributed leadership approach in their department as a research experiment. My study was based on this research experiment. I designed this research as an exploratory case study, guided by a socio-cultural conceptualisation of distributed leadership that included a leader-plus and a practice aspect, defined as a product of the interactions of school leaders, followers and their situation. This qualitative case study aimed to describe and explain how a distributed leadership approach was understood and practised in an academic department. It also investigated the enablements and constraints of the approach. Data were generated through document analysis, observation, and individual and focus group interviews. The participants in this study included the departmental leadership team and the department’s academic and administrative staff. Unfortunately, my study took place during the global COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. I had no choice but to adapt my data generation methods due to lockdown restrictions. As a result, most data generation was done via online communication. The study used inductive and abductive analysis to make the data meaningful to the reader. The findings revealed that different participants had different ideas about distributed leadership. Distributed leadership was understood as a socio-cultural practice rather than an individual practice with multiple leaders in relational practice. In addition, this approach was understood as a way of developing and sharing expertise by encouraging teamwork, collegiality and collective decision-making which aligns with the notion of democratic decision-making which creates a platform for the enablement of leadership in others. The study further explored how distributed leadership was practised. The findings were that the HOD position, usually a one-person role, was reconceptualised as a HOD team comprised of three academics and the departmental administrator. The HOD team divided the work among themselves, and this was done according to each individual’s expertise. In addition, leadership within the academic department was not limited to the HOD team but stretched across the department; thus, multiple leaders were evident. Therefore, based on the data, this study discovered that a distributed approach values leadership expertise in others. Consequently, it can be used to promote an inclusive environment in which any organisation member can lead. Inclusivity in the decision-making process was also regarded as a strong practice in the academic department. As a result, this study contends that those in formal positions can develop leadership in others through a distributed leadership approach. Through that, lecturer leadership was enacted through formal faculty and university structures and informally as and when the situation required it. The enablements of this departmental leadership approach included the structural innovation of the Friday check-in as well as the buddy system. These two innovations provided the space for collegiality and the development of voice and leadership. The consultative nature of the HOD team was also viewed as an enablement. Certain factors constrained the distributed leadership approach, one of which was the tension between the hierarchical structure of the university and the more horizontal, distributed leadership approach being piloted in the academic department. In addition to that, another constraint was also very real with the transition to Zoom as an online teaching, learning and supervision platform as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The final constraint was experienced concerning the department’s history, as it was within a historically White university in South Africa. The effects of this history impacted the departmental culture and, as we know from the literature, institutional culture is extremely difficult to change. Finally, the study concluded that conceptualising distributed leadership as a sociocultural practice with leader-plus and practice aspects provides descriptive language and a solid theoretical and analytical framework for a distributed leadership study. The study makes an important knowledge contribution in the African Higher Education context as limited research has been carried out in this area. Furthermore, in terms of practice, my study serves as a stimulus for leadership discussions that are beneficial to everyone involved in educational institutions as they promote a level of leadership reflexivity, currently absent in many institutions. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The morphogenesis of higher education leadership: a social realist exploratory journey
- Authors: Andrews, Ruth
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Critical realism , Social realism , Educational change South Africa , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442897 , vital:74051 , DOI 10.21504/10962/442897
- Description: The purpose of the study underpinning this thesis was to explore the tensions experienced by university leaders as they balance politics, power and the academic project whilst pursuing their ultimate concerns in the world. Universities are undergoing constant change, particularly in the present time of hypercomplexity, where the discourses of globalisation and neoliberalism condition higher education institutions and their leaders. This predisposes universities to operate as a market economy rather than as a public good. University leaders are under immense pressure as they seek to reposition themselves and exercise their agency in steering their institutions in a landscape fraught with complexity and contestation about the very nature of the modern university. The study was located in a traditional university in South Africa, which added another layer of complexity given the history of Apartheid and, the use of education as a means of discriminating against the black majority population, and the subsequent attempts by the government to transform the system following the first democratic election of 1994. Bhaskar’s (1989) critical realism and Archer’s (1998, 2000) social realism were used to frame the study theoretically. Bhaskar argues for the understanding of the world as an ‘open system’ in which experiences and events emerge from the tendential interplay of mechanisms at a layer of reality not directly accessible to empirical observation. Archer’s (2000) social realism draws on critical realism to provide a set of tools that allows an exploration of the social world in more detail. This study draws on the tools of analytical dualism, or the temporary separation of structure, culture and agency for analytical purposes, and Archer’s (1998) morphogenetic framework, which allows for the exploration of change, or non-change, over time. The overarching goal of the study was to explore how leaders at one South African university were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in the pursuit of projects they had identified to address their ultimate concerns about the world more generally and higher education in particular. However, the study also sought to explore the construct of leadership itself in a specific context by using Archer’s (2007, 2012) theoretical work on reflexivity. The study drew on in-depth interviews with senior leaders at the institution, including two vice-chancellors. The interviews were subjected to analysis, and the inferential tools of abduction and retroduction were used to identify the interplay of mechanisms located at the level of the Real, the deepest layer of reality posited by Bhaskar (1978), which led to the events and experiences reported by leaders. A literature review was used to identify additional theories that were used in the processes of abduction and retroduction. The study revealed that change, or rather non-change, is often concealed in cultural rhetoric veiled in leadership practices in acts assimilating past ideology and codified rules and practices with new codified rules and practices. Leaders often draw on powerful relational networks as they reflexively exercise their agency, and these networks can also work to constrain change. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
- Authors: Andrews, Ruth
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Critical realism , Social realism , Educational change South Africa , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442897 , vital:74051 , DOI 10.21504/10962/442897
- Description: The purpose of the study underpinning this thesis was to explore the tensions experienced by university leaders as they balance politics, power and the academic project whilst pursuing their ultimate concerns in the world. Universities are undergoing constant change, particularly in the present time of hypercomplexity, where the discourses of globalisation and neoliberalism condition higher education institutions and their leaders. This predisposes universities to operate as a market economy rather than as a public good. University leaders are under immense pressure as they seek to reposition themselves and exercise their agency in steering their institutions in a landscape fraught with complexity and contestation about the very nature of the modern university. The study was located in a traditional university in South Africa, which added another layer of complexity given the history of Apartheid and, the use of education as a means of discriminating against the black majority population, and the subsequent attempts by the government to transform the system following the first democratic election of 1994. Bhaskar’s (1989) critical realism and Archer’s (1998, 2000) social realism were used to frame the study theoretically. Bhaskar argues for the understanding of the world as an ‘open system’ in which experiences and events emerge from the tendential interplay of mechanisms at a layer of reality not directly accessible to empirical observation. Archer’s (2000) social realism draws on critical realism to provide a set of tools that allows an exploration of the social world in more detail. This study draws on the tools of analytical dualism, or the temporary separation of structure, culture and agency for analytical purposes, and Archer’s (1998) morphogenetic framework, which allows for the exploration of change, or non-change, over time. The overarching goal of the study was to explore how leaders at one South African university were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in the pursuit of projects they had identified to address their ultimate concerns about the world more generally and higher education in particular. However, the study also sought to explore the construct of leadership itself in a specific context by using Archer’s (2007, 2012) theoretical work on reflexivity. The study drew on in-depth interviews with senior leaders at the institution, including two vice-chancellors. The interviews were subjected to analysis, and the inferential tools of abduction and retroduction were used to identify the interplay of mechanisms located at the level of the Real, the deepest layer of reality posited by Bhaskar (1978), which led to the events and experiences reported by leaders. A literature review was used to identify additional theories that were used in the processes of abduction and retroduction. The study revealed that change, or rather non-change, is often concealed in cultural rhetoric veiled in leadership practices in acts assimilating past ideology and codified rules and practices with new codified rules and practices. Leaders often draw on powerful relational networks as they reflexively exercise their agency, and these networks can also work to constrain change. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
The uptake of educational technology in South African Higher Education: a study of the context that conditioned emergency remote teaching in the pandemic
- Ngcobo, Nomathemba Faustinah
- Authors: Ngcobo, Nomathemba Faustinah
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Educational technology South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Academic development , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- South Africa , Distance education Computer-assisted instruction , Web-based instruction South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405495 , vital:70176 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405495
- Description: The study explores the enablements and constraints in the uptake of educational technologies in the South African higher education system. This is a multiple institutional study which considers the differentiated nature of higher education institutions in South Africa and reflects on the implications of this for the use of educational technology (EdTech). EdTech is seen as an important aspect of 21st century education. As an established practice in many universities it has made a significant impact on teaching and learning practices. However, EdTech is often presented as a panacea to educational problems and implemented without consideration of the contexts in which it is used. Data was collected from the educational technology units of 22 of the 26 public higher education institutions and the main sources of this data were an online survey questionnaire related to the uptake of educational technologies and semi-structured interviews. For the research analysis, Archer’s analytical dualism and morphogenetic cycle provided a framework with the understanding that a social phenomenon such as EdTech emerges from a complex interplay of multiple mechanisms rather than through simple unidirectional causality. The framework directed me to analyse structure, culture and agency as separate entities allowing an understanding of the complex and rapidly growing phenomenon of EdTech. Analytical dualism provides guiding principles on how agential actions, structural resources, and cultural practices emerge and allows an understanding of how agents experience and respond to structures and cultures in social fields, for example, the uptake of EdTech for teaching and learning. The morphogenetic cycle reveals the historical nature the EdTech uptake with events happening over a period of time so that past events, which possess structural and cultural mechanisms, condition agency in socio-cultural interaction. The study identified several mechanisms enabling and constraining the uptake of EdTech, and while the findings are not exhaustive, they do indicate important enablements and constraints which the sector would do well to consider as it enters a post-pandemic phase. The data was collected prior to the pandemic and thus provides an understanding of what allowed for the uptake of EdTech when face-to-face teaching and learning was the norm. While the pandemic resulted in a rapid pivot to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), and fundamentally changed the face of EdTech in the South African higher education sector and around the world, the findings of this study remain pertinent. Archer argues that when a new person or structure is introduced, it occurs within a pre-existing context and so what emerges should not be seen to be simply caused by that new person or structure. Rather, its emergent properties are exercised within the conditioning effects of the pre-existing structures, cultures and agents. The Covid-19 virus brought about significant effects around the world, but it would be a mistake for us to assume that the effects were the same across different national higher education systems or even across different universities within a country. For us to understand both what occurred during the pivot to ERT and to consider the implications of this for the future of EdTech, it is imperative that we understand the pre-existing conditions in which ERT was implemented. This thesis offers a rich picture of these pre-existing conditions. Key findings include the extreme extent to which universities differed in their resourcing and uptake of EdTech prior to the pandemic. In some universities, there were well-resourced EdTech centres while in others, the implementation of EdTech was seen to be the responsibility of the IT department. Even where EdTech staff were employed, the nature of this employment varied greatly. In some cases, such staff were seen as educational experts who were hired as academics and often worked within academic development centres. In other cases, such staff were employed as administrative support staff. Another difference pertained to whether they were employed on contract (often funded through project funding) or on a permanent basis. These differences in employment and the positioning of the EdTech staff were seen to greatly condition the levels of credibility they enjoyed and the kinds of work they could undertake. If they were employed as support staff, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing academics with end-user technical assistance. If they were employed as academics, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing pedagogical and curriculum development support in using EdTech for teaching and learning. Another set of findings related to the extent to which EdTech was seen to be valued within each university, such as by being included in promotions criteria, mentioned in institutional strategies, and supported by university management. Where this was not the case, this constrained the uptake of EdTech. In all cases, the EdTech staff reported working almost exclusively with academics who sought to develop their EdTech capability on a voluntary basis because it aligned to what Archer terms their ‘personal projects’. At times a departmental champion, especially in the form of the Head of Department as a social actor, led to EdTech uptake spreading across the academic body. There was evidence of some resistance to the use of EdTech and a great deal of anxiety among some academics. This was seen to be implicated in concerns that at times EdTech was seen to be a ‘dumping ground’ and the Learning Management System positioned simply as a repository of materials. Many academics reported being pushed by their students to integrate more technology in their teaching. Many students seem to be adept at using technology and can see its potential pedagogical benefits and so placed pressure for this to be increased. There were however concerns that the notion of ‘Digital Natives’, that is millennial students who were born into a technological era, was only a partial picture of the student body. The ‘Digital Divide’ meant that there was highly uneven access to hardware, data, bandwidth, and technological literacies among the student body. For many students, their only access to technology was while they were physically on campus, a finding that was to have extreme implications for the pivot to ERT. This research will be valuable to the field of educational technology and enhance the understanding of what is needed to enable the uptake of educational technologies in higher education teaching and learning in pedagogically sound ways. As the sector responds to the pandemic and reflects on lessons learned during this time, it will be important to look to the conditions outlined in this study as they continue to enable and constrain the uptake of educational technology. , Ucwaningo olwethulwe yindlela elandela imigomo ka-Bhaskar kanye no-Archer yesayensi yezenhlalo ehlola ukuze inikeze incazelo yokuvumeleka nezithiyo ekuthathweni kwezifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje. Lolu ucwaningo lwezikhungo eziningi zemfundo ephakeme, futhi inhloso yalo enkulu bekuwukuhlonza ukuthi kwavela kanjani izindlela ezehlukene ukuze kuvunyelwe futhi kuvinjwe ukusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezehlukene eNingizimu Afrika. Izifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTechs) ibonwa njengezici ezibalulekile zemfundo yekhulu lamashumi amabili nanye (21st century), futhi njengomkhuba osunguliwe emanyuvesi ibe nomthelela omkhulu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Kodwa-ke, i-EdTechs ivame ukwethulwa njengekhambi ezinkingeni zemfundo futhi yacwaningwa ngaphandle kokucabangela izimo lapho isetshenziswa khona. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba nesidingo sokuqonda kangcono ukuthi ukutholwa kwayo kwehlukaniswa kanjani phakathi nohlelo lwemfundo ephakeme olungalingani emaNyuvesi ahlukene. Ubufakazi buqoqwe ezingxenyeni zobuchwepheshe bezemfundo zezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zikahulumeni ezingamashumi amabili nambili (22) kwezingamashumi amabili nesithupha (26) futhi imithombo eyinhloko yalobufakazi kwakuwuhlu lwemibuzo lwenhlolovo oluku-inthanethi oluhlobene nokusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo kwase kulandela kanye nezingxoxiswano ezihlelwe kancane. Ukuze kuhlaziywe ucwaningo, i-analytical dualism ngokuka-Archer kanye nomjikelezo we-morphogenetic (uzalo kabusha) unikeze uhlaka lokuhlaziywa kokutholwa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo njengokusebenzelana okuqhubekayo phakathi kwezifundiswa nabasebenzi bomnyango bobuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTech staff). Ekuhlaziyeni, ngixoxa ngokuthi uhlaka lungiqondise kanjani ukuba ngihlaziye isakhiwo, isiko kanye nokwenza kwabantu njengezinhlangano ezihlukene nokuthi kungani lolu hlaka lufaneleka ukuze siqonde lesi simo esiyinkimbinkimbi nesikhula ngokushesha sezemfundo zobuchwepheshe besimanje. Ubumbaxambili bokuhlaziya buhlinzeka ngohlaka oluvumela abacwaningi ezimweni zomphakathi ukuthi babone futhi bahlaziye izindlela ezikhiqizayo neziyisisekelo, okuhlanganisa izindlela zokwenza ngokusebenzisa ukuxhumana komphakathi. Iphinde inikeze izimiso eziqondisayo zokuthi ezinye izenzo zokwenza komuntu kanye nemikhuba yamasiko zivela kanjani kanye nokuqonda ukuthi abenzi nabasebenzi bezemfundo, nokuthi abhekana kanjani futhi asabela kanjani ezakhiweni namasiko emikhakheni yezenhlalo, isibonelo, ukutholwa kwe-EdTechs ekufundiseni nokufunda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umjikelezo we-morphogenetic wembula ubunjalo bomlando ukuthathwa kwe-EdTechs nezenzakalo ezenzeka esikhathini esithile ukuze izehlakalo ezidlule ezinezindlela zesakhiwo nezamasiko zibekezelele izenzo zezifundiswa njenge-ejensi ezovela ekusebenzelaneni kwezenhlalo namasiko. Izakhiwo ezivelayo zesakhiwo, isiko kanye nezabenzi zibonwa njengezindlela ezibalulekile ezivumela futhi zibambe iqhaza ekuthathweni kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nokufunda yizifundiswa. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo luveza ukuthi kungani ukuthathwa kunezindlela ezivumelayo neziphoqayo futhi ukuxhumana phakathi kwesakhiwo, isiko kanye nomenzi kudala ukucabangela kwesimo okungaba okuncomayo noma okuphikisanayo ngokwemvelo. Imvume yokulandelana kwesimo yencazelo yokuthi kungani kunokuhlangenwe nakho okuhlukile ekuthathweni kwalawa ma-EdTech avela ezikhungweni ezehlukene esimweni semfundo ephakeme yaseNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo luzobaluleka emkhakheni wezobuchwepheshe bezemfundo futhi luthuthukise ukuqonda kwalokho okudingekayo ukuze kusetshenziswe ubuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni imfundo ephakeme. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Ngcobo, Nomathemba Faustinah
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Educational technology South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Academic development , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- South Africa , Distance education Computer-assisted instruction , Web-based instruction South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405495 , vital:70176 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405495
- Description: The study explores the enablements and constraints in the uptake of educational technologies in the South African higher education system. This is a multiple institutional study which considers the differentiated nature of higher education institutions in South Africa and reflects on the implications of this for the use of educational technology (EdTech). EdTech is seen as an important aspect of 21st century education. As an established practice in many universities it has made a significant impact on teaching and learning practices. However, EdTech is often presented as a panacea to educational problems and implemented without consideration of the contexts in which it is used. Data was collected from the educational technology units of 22 of the 26 public higher education institutions and the main sources of this data were an online survey questionnaire related to the uptake of educational technologies and semi-structured interviews. For the research analysis, Archer’s analytical dualism and morphogenetic cycle provided a framework with the understanding that a social phenomenon such as EdTech emerges from a complex interplay of multiple mechanisms rather than through simple unidirectional causality. The framework directed me to analyse structure, culture and agency as separate entities allowing an understanding of the complex and rapidly growing phenomenon of EdTech. Analytical dualism provides guiding principles on how agential actions, structural resources, and cultural practices emerge and allows an understanding of how agents experience and respond to structures and cultures in social fields, for example, the uptake of EdTech for teaching and learning. The morphogenetic cycle reveals the historical nature the EdTech uptake with events happening over a period of time so that past events, which possess structural and cultural mechanisms, condition agency in socio-cultural interaction. The study identified several mechanisms enabling and constraining the uptake of EdTech, and while the findings are not exhaustive, they do indicate important enablements and constraints which the sector would do well to consider as it enters a post-pandemic phase. The data was collected prior to the pandemic and thus provides an understanding of what allowed for the uptake of EdTech when face-to-face teaching and learning was the norm. While the pandemic resulted in a rapid pivot to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), and fundamentally changed the face of EdTech in the South African higher education sector and around the world, the findings of this study remain pertinent. Archer argues that when a new person or structure is introduced, it occurs within a pre-existing context and so what emerges should not be seen to be simply caused by that new person or structure. Rather, its emergent properties are exercised within the conditioning effects of the pre-existing structures, cultures and agents. The Covid-19 virus brought about significant effects around the world, but it would be a mistake for us to assume that the effects were the same across different national higher education systems or even across different universities within a country. For us to understand both what occurred during the pivot to ERT and to consider the implications of this for the future of EdTech, it is imperative that we understand the pre-existing conditions in which ERT was implemented. This thesis offers a rich picture of these pre-existing conditions. Key findings include the extreme extent to which universities differed in their resourcing and uptake of EdTech prior to the pandemic. In some universities, there were well-resourced EdTech centres while in others, the implementation of EdTech was seen to be the responsibility of the IT department. Even where EdTech staff were employed, the nature of this employment varied greatly. In some cases, such staff were seen as educational experts who were hired as academics and often worked within academic development centres. In other cases, such staff were employed as administrative support staff. Another difference pertained to whether they were employed on contract (often funded through project funding) or on a permanent basis. These differences in employment and the positioning of the EdTech staff were seen to greatly condition the levels of credibility they enjoyed and the kinds of work they could undertake. If they were employed as support staff, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing academics with end-user technical assistance. If they were employed as academics, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing pedagogical and curriculum development support in using EdTech for teaching and learning. Another set of findings related to the extent to which EdTech was seen to be valued within each university, such as by being included in promotions criteria, mentioned in institutional strategies, and supported by university management. Where this was not the case, this constrained the uptake of EdTech. In all cases, the EdTech staff reported working almost exclusively with academics who sought to develop their EdTech capability on a voluntary basis because it aligned to what Archer terms their ‘personal projects’. At times a departmental champion, especially in the form of the Head of Department as a social actor, led to EdTech uptake spreading across the academic body. There was evidence of some resistance to the use of EdTech and a great deal of anxiety among some academics. This was seen to be implicated in concerns that at times EdTech was seen to be a ‘dumping ground’ and the Learning Management System positioned simply as a repository of materials. Many academics reported being pushed by their students to integrate more technology in their teaching. Many students seem to be adept at using technology and can see its potential pedagogical benefits and so placed pressure for this to be increased. There were however concerns that the notion of ‘Digital Natives’, that is millennial students who were born into a technological era, was only a partial picture of the student body. The ‘Digital Divide’ meant that there was highly uneven access to hardware, data, bandwidth, and technological literacies among the student body. For many students, their only access to technology was while they were physically on campus, a finding that was to have extreme implications for the pivot to ERT. This research will be valuable to the field of educational technology and enhance the understanding of what is needed to enable the uptake of educational technologies in higher education teaching and learning in pedagogically sound ways. As the sector responds to the pandemic and reflects on lessons learned during this time, it will be important to look to the conditions outlined in this study as they continue to enable and constrain the uptake of educational technology. , Ucwaningo olwethulwe yindlela elandela imigomo ka-Bhaskar kanye no-Archer yesayensi yezenhlalo ehlola ukuze inikeze incazelo yokuvumeleka nezithiyo ekuthathweni kwezifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje. Lolu ucwaningo lwezikhungo eziningi zemfundo ephakeme, futhi inhloso yalo enkulu bekuwukuhlonza ukuthi kwavela kanjani izindlela ezehlukene ukuze kuvunyelwe futhi kuvinjwe ukusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezehlukene eNingizimu Afrika. Izifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTechs) ibonwa njengezici ezibalulekile zemfundo yekhulu lamashumi amabili nanye (21st century), futhi njengomkhuba osunguliwe emanyuvesi ibe nomthelela omkhulu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Kodwa-ke, i-EdTechs ivame ukwethulwa njengekhambi ezinkingeni zemfundo futhi yacwaningwa ngaphandle kokucabangela izimo lapho isetshenziswa khona. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba nesidingo sokuqonda kangcono ukuthi ukutholwa kwayo kwehlukaniswa kanjani phakathi nohlelo lwemfundo ephakeme olungalingani emaNyuvesi ahlukene. Ubufakazi buqoqwe ezingxenyeni zobuchwepheshe bezemfundo zezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zikahulumeni ezingamashumi amabili nambili (22) kwezingamashumi amabili nesithupha (26) futhi imithombo eyinhloko yalobufakazi kwakuwuhlu lwemibuzo lwenhlolovo oluku-inthanethi oluhlobene nokusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo kwase kulandela kanye nezingxoxiswano ezihlelwe kancane. Ukuze kuhlaziywe ucwaningo, i-analytical dualism ngokuka-Archer kanye nomjikelezo we-morphogenetic (uzalo kabusha) unikeze uhlaka lokuhlaziywa kokutholwa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo njengokusebenzelana okuqhubekayo phakathi kwezifundiswa nabasebenzi bomnyango bobuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTech staff). Ekuhlaziyeni, ngixoxa ngokuthi uhlaka lungiqondise kanjani ukuba ngihlaziye isakhiwo, isiko kanye nokwenza kwabantu njengezinhlangano ezihlukene nokuthi kungani lolu hlaka lufaneleka ukuze siqonde lesi simo esiyinkimbinkimbi nesikhula ngokushesha sezemfundo zobuchwepheshe besimanje. Ubumbaxambili bokuhlaziya buhlinzeka ngohlaka oluvumela abacwaningi ezimweni zomphakathi ukuthi babone futhi bahlaziye izindlela ezikhiqizayo neziyisisekelo, okuhlanganisa izindlela zokwenza ngokusebenzisa ukuxhumana komphakathi. Iphinde inikeze izimiso eziqondisayo zokuthi ezinye izenzo zokwenza komuntu kanye nemikhuba yamasiko zivela kanjani kanye nokuqonda ukuthi abenzi nabasebenzi bezemfundo, nokuthi abhekana kanjani futhi asabela kanjani ezakhiweni namasiko emikhakheni yezenhlalo, isibonelo, ukutholwa kwe-EdTechs ekufundiseni nokufunda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umjikelezo we-morphogenetic wembula ubunjalo bomlando ukuthathwa kwe-EdTechs nezenzakalo ezenzeka esikhathini esithile ukuze izehlakalo ezidlule ezinezindlela zesakhiwo nezamasiko zibekezelele izenzo zezifundiswa njenge-ejensi ezovela ekusebenzelaneni kwezenhlalo namasiko. Izakhiwo ezivelayo zesakhiwo, isiko kanye nezabenzi zibonwa njengezindlela ezibalulekile ezivumela futhi zibambe iqhaza ekuthathweni kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nokufunda yizifundiswa. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo luveza ukuthi kungani ukuthathwa kunezindlela ezivumelayo neziphoqayo futhi ukuxhumana phakathi kwesakhiwo, isiko kanye nomenzi kudala ukucabangela kwesimo okungaba okuncomayo noma okuphikisanayo ngokwemvelo. Imvume yokulandelana kwesimo yencazelo yokuthi kungani kunokuhlangenwe nakho okuhlukile ekuthathweni kwalawa ma-EdTech avela ezikhungweni ezehlukene esimweni semfundo ephakeme yaseNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo luzobaluleka emkhakheni wezobuchwepheshe bezemfundo futhi luthuthukise ukuqonda kwalokho okudingekayo ukuze kusetshenziswe ubuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni imfundo ephakeme. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Motives and barriers to the implementation of renewable energy sources in South African tertiary institutions
- Authors: Sibindi, Siyangiso
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Renewable energy sources South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Education, Higher Environmental aspects South Africa , Environmental responsibility South Africa , Climate change mitigation South Africa , Sustainable development South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284537 , vital:56072
- Description: Organisations face major challenges to address the exploitation of non-renewable resources and consider management considerations for dealing with climate change. Organisations have been pushed to play a part in their carbon footprints and in curbing climate change. Among these organisations are tertiary institutions that can greatly impact environmental sustainability and address carbon dioxide emissions by embarking on renewable energy technologies. Tertiary institutions play a major role in society by the provision of skilled labour and personnel that are equipped to deal with a range of advancements and challenges. The sustainability of these tertiary institutions has thus been called into question due to the impact they can bring to societies. This research thus aims to identify the motives and barriers to renewable energy adoption in tertiary education institutions. To do this, a literature review was conducted to identify possible motives and barriers to renewable energy adoption. These were then compiled into a questionnaire that was sent to respondents of three different institutions. Respondents were then requested to give feedback on each of the motives and barriers. The respondents were also asked general questions found in literature that addressed the adoption of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions. The data was collected using the designed questionnaires. The respondents were able to articulate their perceived barriers and motives to the implementation of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis. The results showed that the barriers in the implementation of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions were: ‘Cost to Install’, ‘Transition Process’ and ‘Government Policies’. The motives on why educational institutions need to embark on renewable energy projects were found to be ‘Energy Independence’, ‘Cleaner Source of Energy’ and ‘Reduction in Carbon Emissions’. The cost of renewable energy technologies, the process of moving from the Eskom grid, and renewable energy policies that are ambiguous were some factors that were highlighted by respondents on why it is challenging to adopt renewable energies in tertiary institutions. On the other hand, the effects of load shedding currently being experienced in the country and the migration to cleaner sources of energy that cause less harm to the environment, are some of the drivers noted by respondents on why tertiary institutions need to embark on renewable energy technologies. More emphasis needs to be put by stakeholders on tertiary institutions to migrate to cleaner sources of energy, and policies need to be put in place in order to promote institutions to adopt these types of energies. Governments and other role-players need to be visible at all times in addressing energy challenges in tertiary institutions in the wake of the recent load-shedding concerns that have been crippling South Africa. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Sibindi, Siyangiso
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Renewable energy sources South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Education, Higher Environmental aspects South Africa , Environmental responsibility South Africa , Climate change mitigation South Africa , Sustainable development South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284537 , vital:56072
- Description: Organisations face major challenges to address the exploitation of non-renewable resources and consider management considerations for dealing with climate change. Organisations have been pushed to play a part in their carbon footprints and in curbing climate change. Among these organisations are tertiary institutions that can greatly impact environmental sustainability and address carbon dioxide emissions by embarking on renewable energy technologies. Tertiary institutions play a major role in society by the provision of skilled labour and personnel that are equipped to deal with a range of advancements and challenges. The sustainability of these tertiary institutions has thus been called into question due to the impact they can bring to societies. This research thus aims to identify the motives and barriers to renewable energy adoption in tertiary education institutions. To do this, a literature review was conducted to identify possible motives and barriers to renewable energy adoption. These were then compiled into a questionnaire that was sent to respondents of three different institutions. Respondents were then requested to give feedback on each of the motives and barriers. The respondents were also asked general questions found in literature that addressed the adoption of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions. The data was collected using the designed questionnaires. The respondents were able to articulate their perceived barriers and motives to the implementation of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis. The results showed that the barriers in the implementation of renewable energy technologies in tertiary institutions were: ‘Cost to Install’, ‘Transition Process’ and ‘Government Policies’. The motives on why educational institutions need to embark on renewable energy projects were found to be ‘Energy Independence’, ‘Cleaner Source of Energy’ and ‘Reduction in Carbon Emissions’. The cost of renewable energy technologies, the process of moving from the Eskom grid, and renewable energy policies that are ambiguous were some factors that were highlighted by respondents on why it is challenging to adopt renewable energies in tertiary institutions. On the other hand, the effects of load shedding currently being experienced in the country and the migration to cleaner sources of energy that cause less harm to the environment, are some of the drivers noted by respondents on why tertiary institutions need to embark on renewable energy technologies. More emphasis needs to be put by stakeholders on tertiary institutions to migrate to cleaner sources of energy, and policies need to be put in place in order to promote institutions to adopt these types of energies. Governments and other role-players need to be visible at all times in addressing energy challenges in tertiary institutions in the wake of the recent load-shedding concerns that have been crippling South Africa. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
A critique of language policy and implementation strategies used in selected institutions of higher learning in South Africa
- Authors: Somlata, Zakhile
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Language policy South Africa , Translanguaging (Linguistics) , Language and education South Africa , Language and languages Study and teaching South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Multilingualism South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62571 , vital:28208
- Description: This thesis evaluated the language policy implementation strategies used in selected universities of South Africa. The Constitution of the Republic of South African (1996) recognises eleven official languages, namely: English, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Sepedi, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. These official languages should enjoy the parity of esteem in all domains. The language practices are very important in the education of students at all levels of education but this study focuses on the language policy implementation in universities. Most universities of South Africa have their language policies but the dilemma is on the implementation of those language policies. The overarching aim of this study is to evaluate how university use language policy for access and success of the students and to assess the language policy implementation strategies, monitoring and evaluation. The language is central to the success of the students and this study further investigated to what extent are the universities use the linguistic repertoires of the students in their education. This study is rooted in orientations of language planning: Language as problem, language as right and language as resource (Ruiz, 1984). This thesis employed a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative method) with convergent parallel design. The data was collected from eleven universities of South Africa and the participants in each university were the "Key informants" (experts and insiders) which comprised of member of Executive Management, a member of the Institutional Language Committee and a language lecturer; and a cohort of forty third year students. The Key informants participated in the qualitative data collection through the structured interviews. The forty third year students participated in the quantitative data collected through survey questionnaires. The language policy documents of the universities were also sampled to get a better understanding of the real language practices and the language policy. The thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts that were developed from the interviews, data from the students was analysed through descriptive and inferential analyses with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) as a statistical test and document analysis was used to analyse the language policies; The findings show that universities have commitment to access of the students to institutions of Higher Education. The success of the students is being thwarted by the monolingual approach where most of the universities use English only as the medium of instruction. The monolingual approach negatively affects the academic success and excellent academic performance of the majority of students. The findings show that there is high demand from the students that the course materials should be provided in African languages. All selected universities have their language policy which is something positive but most of them are outdated because they need to be reviewed at least after five years. The findings demonstrate that most universities lack the language policy implementation plans. The nonexistence of the language policy implementation plan adversely affects the implementation of the language policy. The study recommends that universities should provide the learning resources in African languages to meet the demands of the students. To maximise the success, students should be examined in any official languages of the university. The language policy implementation plans should be developed urgently so as to improve language policy implementation in universities. , Le thesisi iphonononge iindlela zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kwiiyunivesithi ezichongiweyo zaseMzantsi Afrika. Umgaqo-siseko waseMzantsi Afrika (1996) athathela ingqalelo iilwimi ezisemthethweni ezilishumi elinanye, isiNgesi, isiBhulu, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, SiSwati, Tshivenda neXitsonga. Ezi lwimi zisemthethweni zifanele ukuba zisetyenziswe ngokulinganayo kuzo zonke iinkalo. Ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi kubalulekile kakhulu kwimfundo yabantwana kuwo onke amanqanaba emfundo kodwa olu phando lugxile ekusetyenzisweni komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kwiiyunivesithi. Uninzi lweeyunivesithi zinayo imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi kodwa ingxaki isekusetyenzisweni kwaloo migaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Ezona njongo zolu phando kukuphonononga ukuba iiyunivesithi ziyisebenzisa njani na imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi ukuze abafundi bafikelele kwaye baphumelele ezifundweni kwakhona nokugocagoca izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi nokuhlola ukusebenza kwezo zicwangciso. Ulwimi ngundoqo kwimpumelelo yabafundi kwaye umyinge wokusetyenziswa kweelwimi zabafundi ekufundeni kwabo kuthe kwaphandwa. Esi sifundo sisekelwe kwiindlela zocwangciso-lwimi: Ulwimi njengengxaki, ulwimi njengelungelo nolwimi njengesixhobo (Ruiz, 1984). Le thesisi esebenzise indlela yophando entlantlu-mbini (eyobunjani neyobungakanani) kunye noyilo lwendibaniso kokunxuseneyo. Idatha yathi yaqokelelwa kwiiyunivesithi ezilishumi elinanye eMzantsi Afrika kwaye abathabathi nxaxheba babandakanya ilungu lesigqeba solawulo, ilungu lekomiti yeelwimi eyunivesithi nomhlohli wolwimi; kunye nabafundi abakunyaka wesithathu kwizifundo zabo kwiyunivesithi nganye. Idatha yaqokelelwa kubadlulisi-lwazi abaphambili beeyunivesithi ngodliwano-ndlebe oluqingqiweyo. Abafundi abalishumi elinesine bathi bathabathi inxaxheba kuqokelelo lwedatha ngokuthi bagcwalise uludwe lwemibuzo eyayicwangcisiwe. Umaxwebhu omgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi athi achongwa ukuze kubekho ukuqondakala phakathi kokusetyenziswa kolwimi kunye nokumgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi. Uhlalutyo ngokomxholo lwathi lwasetyenziswa ukuhlalutya ulwazi olwabhalwayo luvela kudliwano-ndlebe olwashicilelwayo, idatha eyayisuka kubafundi yathi yahlalutywa ngokusebenzisa uhlalutyo ngokwenkcazelo nangokuthelekelela kunye neStatistical Pakage for Social Sciences (SPSS) njengesixhobo senkcukacha-manani kwaye uhlalutyo loxwebhu lwathi lwasetyenziswa ukuhlalutya imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba iiyunivesithi zizibophelele ekufikelelekeni kwabafundi kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo. Impumelelo yabafundi ithi ithityazwe kukusetyenziswa kolwimi olunye apho uninzi lweeyunivesithi zisebenzisa isiNgesi kuphela njengolwimi lokufunda nokufundisa. Ukusetyenziswa kolwimi olunye kuthi kuchaphazela gwenxa impumelelo yabafundi nokuqhuba ngcono ezifundweni. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba kukho imfuno emmandla kubafundi yokuba izixhobo zokufunda nokufundisa zifumaneke nangeelwimi zesiNtu. Inyathelo elihle lelokuba zonke iiyunivesithi ezichongiweyo zinayo imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi kodwa imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi emininzi midala kuba ifanelwe ukuba iphononongwe emva kweminyaka emihlanu ubuncinane. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba iiyunivesithi azinazo izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa kwemigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Ukungabikho kwesicwangciso sokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kuchaphazela gwenxa ukusetyenziswa kwawo. Olu phando lundulula ukuba iiyunivesithi zifanele ukuba zibonelele ngezixhobo zokufunda nokufundisa ezingeelwimi zesiNtu ukukhawulelana neemfuno zabafundi. Ukwandisa impumelelo, abafundi kufanele ukuba bavavanywe ngalo naluphi na ulwimi olusemthethweni lweyunivesithi. Izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi zifanele ukuba ziveliswe njengenyewe engxamisekileyo ukuze kuphuculwe ukusetyenziswa kwemigaqo- nkqubo yolwimi kwiiyunivesithi.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Somlata, Zakhile
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Language policy South Africa , Translanguaging (Linguistics) , Language and education South Africa , Language and languages Study and teaching South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Multilingualism South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62571 , vital:28208
- Description: This thesis evaluated the language policy implementation strategies used in selected universities of South Africa. The Constitution of the Republic of South African (1996) recognises eleven official languages, namely: English, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Sepedi, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. These official languages should enjoy the parity of esteem in all domains. The language practices are very important in the education of students at all levels of education but this study focuses on the language policy implementation in universities. Most universities of South Africa have their language policies but the dilemma is on the implementation of those language policies. The overarching aim of this study is to evaluate how university use language policy for access and success of the students and to assess the language policy implementation strategies, monitoring and evaluation. The language is central to the success of the students and this study further investigated to what extent are the universities use the linguistic repertoires of the students in their education. This study is rooted in orientations of language planning: Language as problem, language as right and language as resource (Ruiz, 1984). This thesis employed a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative method) with convergent parallel design. The data was collected from eleven universities of South Africa and the participants in each university were the "Key informants" (experts and insiders) which comprised of member of Executive Management, a member of the Institutional Language Committee and a language lecturer; and a cohort of forty third year students. The Key informants participated in the qualitative data collection through the structured interviews. The forty third year students participated in the quantitative data collected through survey questionnaires. The language policy documents of the universities were also sampled to get a better understanding of the real language practices and the language policy. The thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts that were developed from the interviews, data from the students was analysed through descriptive and inferential analyses with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) as a statistical test and document analysis was used to analyse the language policies; The findings show that universities have commitment to access of the students to institutions of Higher Education. The success of the students is being thwarted by the monolingual approach where most of the universities use English only as the medium of instruction. The monolingual approach negatively affects the academic success and excellent academic performance of the majority of students. The findings show that there is high demand from the students that the course materials should be provided in African languages. All selected universities have their language policy which is something positive but most of them are outdated because they need to be reviewed at least after five years. The findings demonstrate that most universities lack the language policy implementation plans. The nonexistence of the language policy implementation plan adversely affects the implementation of the language policy. The study recommends that universities should provide the learning resources in African languages to meet the demands of the students. To maximise the success, students should be examined in any official languages of the university. The language policy implementation plans should be developed urgently so as to improve language policy implementation in universities. , Le thesisi iphonononge iindlela zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kwiiyunivesithi ezichongiweyo zaseMzantsi Afrika. Umgaqo-siseko waseMzantsi Afrika (1996) athathela ingqalelo iilwimi ezisemthethweni ezilishumi elinanye, isiNgesi, isiBhulu, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, SiSwati, Tshivenda neXitsonga. Ezi lwimi zisemthethweni zifanele ukuba zisetyenziswe ngokulinganayo kuzo zonke iinkalo. Ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi kubalulekile kakhulu kwimfundo yabantwana kuwo onke amanqanaba emfundo kodwa olu phando lugxile ekusetyenzisweni komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kwiiyunivesithi. Uninzi lweeyunivesithi zinayo imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi kodwa ingxaki isekusetyenzisweni kwaloo migaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Ezona njongo zolu phando kukuphonononga ukuba iiyunivesithi ziyisebenzisa njani na imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi ukuze abafundi bafikelele kwaye baphumelele ezifundweni kwakhona nokugocagoca izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi nokuhlola ukusebenza kwezo zicwangciso. Ulwimi ngundoqo kwimpumelelo yabafundi kwaye umyinge wokusetyenziswa kweelwimi zabafundi ekufundeni kwabo kuthe kwaphandwa. Esi sifundo sisekelwe kwiindlela zocwangciso-lwimi: Ulwimi njengengxaki, ulwimi njengelungelo nolwimi njengesixhobo (Ruiz, 1984). Le thesisi esebenzise indlela yophando entlantlu-mbini (eyobunjani neyobungakanani) kunye noyilo lwendibaniso kokunxuseneyo. Idatha yathi yaqokelelwa kwiiyunivesithi ezilishumi elinanye eMzantsi Afrika kwaye abathabathi nxaxheba babandakanya ilungu lesigqeba solawulo, ilungu lekomiti yeelwimi eyunivesithi nomhlohli wolwimi; kunye nabafundi abakunyaka wesithathu kwizifundo zabo kwiyunivesithi nganye. Idatha yaqokelelwa kubadlulisi-lwazi abaphambili beeyunivesithi ngodliwano-ndlebe oluqingqiweyo. Abafundi abalishumi elinesine bathi bathabathi inxaxheba kuqokelelo lwedatha ngokuthi bagcwalise uludwe lwemibuzo eyayicwangcisiwe. Umaxwebhu omgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi athi achongwa ukuze kubekho ukuqondakala phakathi kokusetyenziswa kolwimi kunye nokumgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi. Uhlalutyo ngokomxholo lwathi lwasetyenziswa ukuhlalutya ulwazi olwabhalwayo luvela kudliwano-ndlebe olwashicilelwayo, idatha eyayisuka kubafundi yathi yahlalutywa ngokusebenzisa uhlalutyo ngokwenkcazelo nangokuthelekelela kunye neStatistical Pakage for Social Sciences (SPSS) njengesixhobo senkcukacha-manani kwaye uhlalutyo loxwebhu lwathi lwasetyenziswa ukuhlalutya imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba iiyunivesithi zizibophelele ekufikelelekeni kwabafundi kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo. Impumelelo yabafundi ithi ithityazwe kukusetyenziswa kolwimi olunye apho uninzi lweeyunivesithi zisebenzisa isiNgesi kuphela njengolwimi lokufunda nokufundisa. Ukusetyenziswa kolwimi olunye kuthi kuchaphazela gwenxa impumelelo yabafundi nokuqhuba ngcono ezifundweni. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba kukho imfuno emmandla kubafundi yokuba izixhobo zokufunda nokufundisa zifumaneke nangeelwimi zesiNtu. Inyathelo elihle lelokuba zonke iiyunivesithi ezichongiweyo zinayo imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi kodwa imigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi emininzi midala kuba ifanelwe ukuba iphononongwe emva kweminyaka emihlanu ubuncinane. Iziphumo zibonakalisa ukuba iiyunivesithi azinazo izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa kwemigaqo-nkqubo yolwimi. Ukungabikho kwesicwangciso sokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi kuchaphazela gwenxa ukusetyenziswa kwawo. Olu phando lundulula ukuba iiyunivesithi zifanele ukuba zibonelele ngezixhobo zokufunda nokufundisa ezingeelwimi zesiNtu ukukhawulelana neemfuno zabafundi. Ukwandisa impumelelo, abafundi kufanele ukuba bavavanywe ngalo naluphi na ulwimi olusemthethweni lweyunivesithi. Izicwangciso zokusetyenziswa komgaqo-nkqubo wolwimi zifanele ukuba ziveliswe njengenyewe engxamisekileyo ukuze kuphuculwe ukusetyenziswa kwemigaqo- nkqubo yolwimi kwiiyunivesithi.
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- Date Issued: 2018
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