Getting both wheels on the rails: how do academics in South Africa envisage gaining educator competences at the same time as advancing in their disciplines?

Abstract

When is the best time for novice lecturers to get qualified as educators? Now that there is a SAQA-approved qualification for educators in Higher Education, many HEIs are getting organized to deliver such programmes. But who will be the candidates for such courses? How to weigh up the competing career requirements to advance to PhD or further research in the chosen discipline against embarking on educator programme? How do academics prefer to gain further competences ? This article analyses responses to a questionnaire on this posed to new staff at induction, and also presents typical career profiles in Chemistry as discussed with seminar participants from that department showing the tension between teaching and research pressures. The underlying argument is that systemic changes are needed nationally (through the HEQC) and institutionally (through incentives such as probation or promotion criteria) to promote educator development for all lecturers. (South African Journal of Higher Education: 2003 17 (3): 97-105)