African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies
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Leveraging Covert Curriculum in the Nurturing of Entrepreneurial Mindsets among Higher Education Students
Get PDFThe field of entrepreneurial education has received increased global research interest in recent decades. This is evident in the simultaneous recognition and interrogation of the roles of the institutions of higher education in the enhancement of students’ entrepreneurial skills. The analysis of extant and recent studies beckons the need for a multi-layered and complex review of the strategic position of the institutions of higher education in this enterprise. Continued promotion and internalization of entrepreneurial values and skills demand deliberate engagement and integration of the covert curriculum at the institution of higher education. This article utilizes an in-depth review of literature to ascertain the state of entrepreneurial study in South Africa's institutes of higher education. To exploit the current wave of increased interest in entrepreneurial education in the South African context, it is important to draw attention to the current state of entrepreneurial education with the view to unpacking the ambiguities and gaps in the existing approach. This paper enriches the comprehension and analysis of gaps in current trends of entrepreneurial education in South African higher education institutions. It positively contributes to the practice of entrepreneurial education in South Africa through its arguments for a reconsideration of the teaching pedagogies to intentionally and extensively incorporate the covert curriculum towards the internalisation and efficacy of entrepreneurial skills in South African institutions of higher education
ThriveZA-Nurturing Sustainable Entrepreneurship for South African Youth: A Review
Get PDFRecently, addressing entrepreneurship among South African youth has gained importance due to high unemployment rates and limited job prospects. Sustainable entrepreneurship offers a solution by generating employment, driving economic growth, and reducing poverty. This article outlines the current situation for South African youth, highlighting challenges and prospects related to entrepreneurship. It explores factors, strategies, and interventions that can foster a sustainable entrepreneurial spirit, emphasising the importance of an enabling environment through supportive policies and infrastructure. The article reviews recent literature on policies promoting sustainable entrepreneurship for South African youth, employing a semi-systematic content analysis approach. It focuses on improving the well-being of unemployed youth and the hurdles in educational institutions in fostering entrepreneurship. Preliminary findings emphasise the significance of funding access, business skills development, mentorship, and networking opportunities in nurturing sustainable entrepreneurship. The outcomes stress the need for comprehensive support mechanisms and policy actions to promote and sustain youth entrepreneurship. By cultivating an ecosystem conducive to entrepreneurial endeavours, South Africa can unlock the untapped entrepreneurial potential of its youth, fostering a more inclusive and prosperous future. Empowering young individuals to create job opportunities and contribute to the economy can yield significant benefits for individuals, communities, and society
An Interdisciplinary Collaboration of the Writing Centre Support and the Nursing Department on the Development of Academic Research Writing
Get PDFThis qualitative study explores the interdisciplinary collaboration between the Writing Centre (WrC) and the nursing department at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in developing undergraduate (UG) nursing students' academic research writing skills. Guided by the Social Learning Theory, the study aims to evaluate the role of the WrC support in enhancing nursing students' research writing proficiency. Semi-structured interviews in a focus group discussion with WrC tutors were conducted, and thematic analysis was employed to identify common themes and patterns related to the WrC's role in supporting academic research writing. The findings reveal the WrC's best practices in assisting UG nursing students, including creating a supportive and collaborative learning environment that addresses individual students' unique learning styles and research writing needs. The study also provides insights into the challenges faced by WrC tutors and the strategies they employ to overcome them. Furthermore, the benefits of WrC support for students' academic success are highlighted. The study underscores the importance of academic writing in higher education and the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing students' research writing skills, particularly in the nursing discipline. The findings contribute to the understanding of effective interventions for improving academic writing and supporting student success in higher education
Pre-Service Social Sciences Teachers’ Perspectives of their Teacher Professional Identity in a South African University within the Context of Curriculum Integration
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of pre-service teachers regarding their identity as social sciences teachers. The aim is to summarise their subject and topic preferences within the social sciences curriculum and to propose ways in which social sciences can be strengthened as an integrated curriculum. This study is based on the questionnaire responses of twenty-three final year Intermediate Phase (Grade 4-6) and Senior Phase (Grade 7-9) pre-service social sciences teachers at a South African university. Forty-three percent of the participants indicated that they do not prefer teaching either History or Geography. A limited response to the questionnaire from pre-service teachers resulted in a small sample size which may not be representative of other pre-service social sciences teachers. The research presented can inform social sciences teacher training programmes about how pre-service teachers view themselves and how they feel about social sciences as an integrated school subject.
A Museum Theatre Approach to Museum Communication in Durban, South Africa
Get PDFThis article explores how museum communication can be enhanced in museums in Durban, South Africa, using the Old Court House Museum (OCHM) in Durban, South Africa, as a point of departure for analysis and discussion. The aim is to close the gap between the humanities disciplines through disciplinary hybridisation while focusing on exploring the intersection of theatre arts and museums through applied theatre (AT) strategies to enhance museum communication. Grounded in Richard Schechner’s multidisciplinary approach to performance studies (PS), it incorporates the viewpoints of Dwight Conquergood on PS. The argument is that the humanities disciplines are historically and conceptually linked through cultural performance. The research employs qualitative methods, including historical-analytic analysis, key informant interviews (KIIs), and direct observation. The findings suggest the practice of the museum theatre (MT) concept in some parts of the South African cultural ecosystem, but with scant attention on Durban municipal museums
Be Your Sister’s Keeper: Personal Experience of Travelling a Lonely Journey in Academia
Get PDFNeoliberal universities are farcical and absurd places where black women are marginalised intentionally or unintentionally to discourage them and others from significant accomplishments on the academic ladder. Black woman marginalisation takes variegated forms, and it has its roots in patriarchy and identity confusion. Whilst access is created by the system, there is very little support to enable black women to survive and succeed as they climb the bureaucratic ladder in neoliberal universities. The journey is worsened when one climbs the ladder and leaves sisters behind who choose to be ‘campers’ in these universities. Be your sister’s keeper is a biblical term that speaks to the fact that we need to practice ethics of care among ourselves. This is a qualitative self-study that I narrate my thirty-eight years of lived experiences, and it reflexively evaluates my lonely journey in academia. I use this platform to conscientise my African sisters about the challenges that they are likely to encounter in neoliberal universities. Caring for one another is an African term rooted in ‘ubuntu’ African philosophy that has prevailed over the ages. I argue that as black women, we need to create spaces where we can offer another not only a shoulder to cry on but encourage each other to navigate the academy and its mazes. I am convinced that my experiences and personal journey in academia add a voice to novice academics who must still navigate the bureaucratic ladder. I discuss cultural stereotyping and patriarchy, workplace oppression, and gender-based violence (GBV)
Dysfunctional State and Human Rights Violations in Nigeria: An Assessment of President Buhari’s Administration (2015-2023)
Get PDFHuman rights violations remain a historical issue. Thus, exploring this concern amidst the dysfunctionality of the state is more alarming considering that political terrain could serve as a breeding and conducive atmosphere for further human rights violations. This paper explores the nexus between the dysfunctionality of states and its implications on human rights violations in Nigeria. Using secondary data and thematic analysis, we more specifically focused on human rights violation cases in the two terms of office of President Mohammadu Buhari (2015- 2023). The paper explored the state of dysfunctionality and the violation of human rights during this period. The findings show there were violations of socio-economic and cultural rights, freedom of the press, freedom of movement, right to peaceful demonstration, and freedom of gathering and association, in Nigeria during President Buhari's administration. The paper concluded that for citizens’ rights to be adequately protected, the causal factors of a dysfunctional state must be addressed to avoid perverseness and continuous violation of human rights. Recommendations were made in favor of a newly negotiated social contract
Challenges of Social Workers in Involving Parents in the Intervention Process of Young Persons Misusing Substances
Get PDFSubstance misuse among young people is a widespread phenomenon and continues to rise. Even though parents are the primary support system of a young person and unavoidably suffer the consequences of problem, they are often excluded in the intervention of a young person misusing substances. This study sought to understand the challenges of social workers in involving parents in the intervention process of young persons misusing substances. The family systems theory was employed as a theoretical base for the study. Thus, qualitative semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 11 individual participants. Furthermore, non-probability purposive sampling was adopted to recruit a sample of social workers at the 10 service points of the Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD), in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). Five themes emerged from the interviews, namely inadequate information provided by a young person misusing substances, parents’ employment status, nature of the social work intervention process to a young person misusing substance, poor parent/child relationship, majority age of a young person misusing substances and confidentiality barriers in the professional relationship, and a lack of parents’ insight. To enhance the quality of the social work intervention process to a young person misusing substance, there is a need for parents to be actively involved throughout the recovery process of a young person
The Effects of Demographic Factors on Professional Career Success: An Investigation of Higher Education Staff in South Africa
Get PDFProfessional career success has received great attention in the organisational management literature since the 1980s as organisations strive to attract and retain top talent, understanding the factors that contribute to career success has become imperative. Since it is an important topic for individuals, organisations and researchers, there have been efforts to comprehend the organisational elements and people-related factors that contribute to employees' professional career success. Located within the career development theory, this study aims to understand the sociodemographic aspects of academics that contribute to favourable perceptions of professional career success. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on 253 male and female academics and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The results of the empirical survey revealed that there were practical significant differences among academics concerning their job classification, professional experience, and their perceptions of their career as successful. Nonetheless, the findings reported no statistically significant differences among gender and age of academics and their perception of successful professional careers. Additionally, the results showed that job classification and professional experience of academics were significant predictors of professional career success since individuals with higher job classifications often have more autonomy and decision-making power within their organisations and departments. Individuals with more professional experience may have a better understanding of their industry and are required to comply with its requirements. These findings may enrich career success theories and offer developmental recommendations to support academics’ professional career success in higher education institutions in South Africa
An Exploration and Description of the Impact of COVID-19 on Women's Employment in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Get PDFThe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the issue of gender inequality in the labour market in relation to greater risks of unemployment and financial vulnerability. The shift to remote work altered responsibilities for domestic labour among partnered couples and single parents, as did the impact of closed schools, childcare centres, and more. Disruptions to economic and social arrangements of South African women were no different than what other women in similar situations experienced in other countries. This study sought to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, with respect to employment, work-life balance and family responsibilities. A qualitative study within a constructivist paradigm, with a multisite, instrumental case study design was used. Data were collected from participants using both a survey questionnaire and a structured interview. A sample size of 172 was sought for the questionnaire and 26 qualitative interviews were conducted, guided by data saturation. Quantitative questionnaire data were analysed using SPSS (version 27) for descriptive and inferential statistics. Thematic analysis of the qualitative interviews used NVIVO for coding and categorising. Black women, particularly from the informal sector, were found more adversely affected than those in formal employment by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributes to understanding the effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on women’s employment, work-life balance and family responsibilities