A Call for Lecturers to Move Away from Traditional Teaching to Facilitation in the Institutions of Higher Education: Challenges Encountered by Lecturers in the First Year Classes of a Rural University of the Eastern Cape

K.S Malatji

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n11p123

Abstract

This paper investigated the challenges experienced by lecturers during facilitation of learning in the first year classes at an institution of higher learning in South Africa in the Eastern Cape Province. The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges experienced by facilitators during facilitation of first year classes, with the aim of recommending the best ways of managing such facilitation. The researcher used qualitative research approach in this study with case study research design. Population consisted of lecturers from 2 faculties and focus-group interviews were used to collect data from 15 participants that has less than 5 years working as lecturers. With regard to data analysis, themes were identified and analysed in a qualitative approach. The results of this study revealed that students are unable to cope with facilitation since they are used to traditional teaching approach from their high schools. The study concludes that due to students failing to cope with facilitation, this result into high dropout of first year students. The study therefore, recommends that lecturers should connect teaching and facilitation by gradually introducing and preparing students to move away from traditional learning to facilitation, using small group teaching. The study further recommends intensive use of facilitation rather than teaching, because facilitation prepare students to be critical thinkers and responsible for their learning. Kolb’s model of learning style was also recommended in the concerned rural university so that lecturers may understand how students learn. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n11p123

Highlights

Background and Introduction of the StudyTeaching is a process of imparting knowledge and skills from lecturer to students (Craig and Zimring, 2000)
The use of group teaching is recommended by the new education system in South Africa because it allows students to talk for longer lengths of time than in whole class situation, and this encourage less confident students to contribute their ideas
What is important is for lecturers to understand the background that majority of their students are coming from in order to assist them to move gradually from tradition way of learning to facilitation

Summary

Introduction

Teaching is a process of imparting knowledge and skills from lecturer to students (Craig and Zimring, 2000). One of the disadvantages of traditional teaching students becomes recipients of information, without active participation. Teaching can be regarded as a process whereby a lecturer leads a group of students in acquiring new skills, knowledge, or understanding. While in facilitation a lecturer is helping/making it easy for students to learn together in a group, or to achieve something together as a group. One of the advantages of facilitation is that facilitators assist students to learn through discussing a problem by giving advice rather than telling them what to do (Ericksson, Krampe and Tesch-Romer, 2000)). Lecturer assists the group as they work towards achieving a common goal and students become responsible for their own learning

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion