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Decolonizing higher education: exploring Student Representative Council’s (SRC) perspectives.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Decolonisation as a concept has been in existence for many years within the higher education context. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of debates and articles, both nationally and internationally, about the decolonisation of higher education. The South African context was escalated through a series of student movement protests. Protests such as #FeesMustFall, #RhodesMustFall, and other national protests intensely affected South Africa’s higher institutions between 2015–2016 and gave prominence to the decolonisation of higher education in South Africa. The University of KwaZulu-Natal, which was used for this study, was forced to close when students’ demands to decolonise the curriculum intensified.
The rationale for this study was to conceptualise the understanding of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of decolonisation in higher education and their contribution towards the call to decolonise the university. The purpose of the study was to explore the SRC’s perspectives of decolonising the curriculum. The study was done using a qualitative case study and a conceptual framework. The case study method is widely utilized by researchers to delve deeply into a specific situation, event, or entity, offering a comprehensive perspective. The five SRC presidents were selected to participate in semi-structured and focus group interviews. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. It was found that the SRC’s
perspectives about the decolonisation of higher education were distinct, congruent, and unambiguous. They were not advocating for the eradication of Western knowledge in the curriculum, but rather for its decentralisation. The literature presented in the study showed that many scholars think that the decolonisation of higher education is critical and yet a debatable discourse in the 21st century as many scholars across the world are moving towards a more congruent and borderless notion of education and responsiveness. Further, literature presented in the study highlights the notion of keeping a tenuous balance in our process to decolonise higher education, as we cannot be ignorant of the reality that 21st century is dynamic in
unprecedented ways. The study found that the SRC’s perspectives of decolonisation is centred around the idea of an intervention strategy that is needed as a way of dismantling Eurocentric thoughts. A question may arise in terms of how this can be achieved. Reconciling the Westernised Eurocentric and the Africanised indigenous curriculum, meaning, a curriculum that is culturally sensitive does not mean discounting certain components of Western knowledge constructs that benefit African societies. In this way, learning becomes meaningful (Shizha, 2013). Further, the study found that there is no alignment in terms of operations and consultations between university management and the SRC pertaining to students’ issues. Therefore, the research concludes by providing recommendations for future studies pertaining to the issues around a better understanding of roles of engagement between SRC and university management
Towards a conceptual framework in understanding student dropout in Higher Education institutions
No full textHigher education institutions within South Africa, in particular, have experienced high student dropout within undergraduate programmes. Reasons for such high dropout, as contained in the current literature suggests that the majority of students dropout because of student biographical and financial reasons. International literature suggests that student dropout are loacted within the discourse of students' expereince of higher education. This paper reports on an institutional research on student dropout at a South African higher education institution with a view to explore, through a finegrained analysis the issues that one need to conceptualise when researching student dropout. Through the analysis of data generated through a mixed method approach, this paper presents a conceptual framework for exploring personal, biographical and institutional issues impacting on student dropout. Through this framework, new insights on this phenomenon are illuminated. The paper presents one such illumination relating to insideous institutional violence
Beyond counting the numbers: Shifting higher education transformation into curriculum spaces
Full text linkSince the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the path of higher education transformation has been guided by the ‘White Paper 3: A Programme for Higher Education Transformation’. This path has largely been conceptualised within a framework of equity through redress and social justice that sought to change the face of higher education through demographic changes. Hence higher education transformation largely took on a number-counting process. The curriculum changes that have taken place thus far have largely been of an instrumental and responsive modality. In this paper I argue that deep curriculum transformation in higher education will be possible if we shift our gaze from predominantly a number-counting exercise to curriculum intellectualism. The next wave of higher education curriculum transformation would be a fundamental rethink based on emerging curriculum theories
On becoming and being an A-rated researcher: Conversations with South African A-rated scholars in education
Full text linkBecoming and Being an A-rated Researcher in South Africa's Education Sector: Insights from A-rated Scholars
Abstract:
Located within the broader discourses on ratings of researchers affiliated to higher education institutions, this paper reveals insights into what and how one becomes an A-rated researcher. Drawing from a conversation held amongst three A-rated scholars in Education, facilitated through a webinar organised by the South African Education Research Association, the paper illuminates their entangled journeys, associations and affordances that contributed to them receiving an A-rating through a peer-reviewed rating system managed by the National Research Foundation. Affirmation, collaborations and generosity emerged as key features of their intra-actions within the spaces that they have and continue to occupy.  
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