Changing from a separate to a semi-integrated foundation programme: curriculum implications

Abstract

Inequalities in primary and secondary education affect the ability of some students to gain access to tertiary education. The main way that these issues have been addressed by higher education institutions in South Africa is through foundation programmes. Although these programmes have similar goals, their curricula vary widely between and within institutions. This paper briefly overviews a range of academic development models and changes in Foundation Programmes in South Africa. It then looks at the shift in the Humanities Foundation Programme at Rhodes University from a separate, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course to a more integrated, discipline-specific model in which two mainstream courses are supported by Academic Development lecturers. The shift from a separate to a semi-integrated course is described in terms of the changes in curriculum, focussing on alignment both within the curricula, and alignment of the foundation courses with mainstream curricula. The conclusion is that the new augmented course has gained alignment with mainstream curricula at the expense of internal alignment.