South African Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Staff perspectives on transformational needs at a South African higher education institution

Staff perspectives on transformational needs at a South African higher education institution

Types of shop stewards in a South African higher education institution and their varying challenges

ABSTRACT The main role of shop stewards, whether part-time or full-time, is to act as workplace representatives for trade unions. However, they face several challenges while fulfilling their roles, more specifically shop stewards in the higher education sector due to marginalisation and politicisation in the sector. This study employs qualitative research methods to explore these challenges and proposes effective solutions for shop stewards. The study involved interviews with 15 shop stewards from a higher education organisation. After analysing the data, the findings revealed that part-time shop stewards get challenged by role overload and face the risk of career suicide. On the other hand, full-time shop stewards are challenged by the prolonged working hours. Similarly, both types of shop stewards experience work-family and interpersonal conflicts. South African labour legislation needs to be relooked at to accommodate the dual roles of part-time shop stewards and reduce the hostility they encounter from line managers or employers. Moreover, shop stewards need to develop on self-and others’ awareness skills, and create own awareness with workplace policies so that they carefully navigate between their two roles without any major ramifications like disciplinary hearings. These findings provide new information on shop stewards challenges by type in the higher education sector.

Challenges of Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals Into South African Higher Education Curricula

This paper highlights several challenges that the adoption and implementation of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) pose for South African Higher Education institutions’ (HEIs) curricula design. It also reflects on the experiences of some institutions who have embraced SDGs in their teaching and learning, research, management (governance and operations), and public engagement strategies (Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2017). SD4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. This paper is intended to contribute to policy debates on issues that are seemingly being given little attention in curriculum design, in the advance towards the target 2030 date for achieving SDGs. The research is motivated by the absence of guidelines and frameworks from South African education governing bodies regarding SDGs, leading to knowledge and capacity gaps that frustrate academics who are increasingly being required to include SDGs in their courses. The author uses a qualitative methodology (document review) and focuses on literature published between 2019 and 2023 on the implementation of SDGs into South African curricula. This study recommends that private HEIs be included in the development of SDG governing frameworks and policies. It also recommends that HEIs develop a South African ranking system to track progress towards SDG attainment.

Exploring Curriculum Transformation in Higher Education Institutions: A Critical Analysis of Equity and Social Justice Perspectives

This paper addresses the imperative of curriculum transformation within higher education in South Africa to confront and mitigate structural inequalities and promote equitable access and outcomes. Drawing upon Fraser's multi-dimensional framework for social justice, the study critically examines the efficacy of curriculum interventions, particularly Education Development initiatives in South Africa. Fraser's framework enables assessing how these interventions address justice dimensions: redistribution, misrecognition, and representation. The analysis reveals that existing interventions predominantly adopt an affirmative rather than transformative approach, primarily focusing on redistributive justice while neglecting misrecognition and representation issues. The study underscores the necessity of embracing a transformative paradigm in curriculum development within South African higher education institutions. A transformative approach necessitates a fundamental reframing of the curriculum, involving reassessing the scale of existing challenges, interrogating underlying assumptions shaping curriculum norms, and re-evaluating the delineation between 'mainstream' and 'other' students. Moreover, it advocates for revisiting the appropriateness of the curriculum for a diverse and pluralistic society. In conclusion, the paper advocates for a comprehensive reframing of the South African higher education curriculum, emphasising the imperative of transformative practices. It proposes recommendations for reformulating the curriculum to address better social justice issues, including embracing inclusivity, challenging prevailing norms, and fostering a curriculum that reflects the diversity and complexities of contemporary society.

The liminal space: academic literacies practitioners’ construction of professional identity in the betwixt and between

Research on third space practitioners in higher education has gained traction since the mid-2010s. However, less research has been done on academic literacy practitioners as third space practitioners, and their often-marginalised positioning at many South African higher education institutions. This is despite their integral role in student success, and the fact that many South African academic literacy practitioners support the academic literacies development of thousands of students. At the same time, many also negotiate problematic binaries in terms of institutional conceptualisations and positionings of academic literacies development. This article explores how academic literacy practitioners construct their professional identities and manage the complex tensions that are often an inherent part of these professional identities. Using qualitative data, this research explores which institutional structures and cultures surround academic literacy practitioners, and what constraining or enabling effects these have on how they perform their roles and construct their professional identities. The findings highlight that research helps academic literacy practitioners establish a professional identity and legitimise the value of academic literacies development work. Participants also spoke about the importance of communities of practice and collaboration in shaping their professional identities. Although this paper focuses on South Africa, the findings will likely be useful in other contexts where academic literacy practitioners negotiate problematic binaries while trying to construct professional identities.

Storytelling for personal connection: A pedagogical strategy to localise fashion education

The 2015 student protests, #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall, gave rise to the call to decolonise curricula and end the dominance of Western ideologies in South African higher education (HE). The argument put forward in this paper is the need to shift from a traditional approach to a humanised pedagogical approach, wherein students frame knowledge around individual experiences to construct personal and shared understanding. Although limited scholarship around decolonising South African fashion HE exists, such scholarship does not focus on storytelling and circle learning as pedagogical strategies. To address this research gap, narrative humanism, referred to in this research as storytelling, and circle learning are put forward as pedagogical strategies to integrate student identities for personal connection in South African fashion HE. This paper aims to explore the affordances of storytelling and circle learning to decolonise South African fashion HE. Through qualitative action research, two teaching and learning interventions, termed the pilot and main studies, were designed and applied with fashion students at a South African HE institution. Data collection entailed semi-structured student questionnaires, artefacts, and a reflective research journal. To analyse the data, content analysis was employed. The findings reveal that, irrespective of cultural lived experiences or diverse backgrounds, storytelling afforded a decolonised approach in terms of inclusivity, collaboration, and a safe environment for socially engaged dialogue and peer feedback. Similarly, circle learning seemed to reduce teacher-student power relations and contrasted traditional modes of delivery. Circle learning appeared to encourage meaningful, engaged participation, affording a progressive pedagogical strategy to accommodate student and teacher voices in open dialogue. This paper contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning in that storytelling and circle learning are suitable pedagogies to decolonise fashion education in the Global South.

Insights into leadership practices in South African Higher Education

Orientation: The complexity of higher education highlights leadership’s significance. Effective leadership ensures quality education and institutional survival, with senior academics (specifically, professors and associate professors) greatly influencing reputation and research. Exploring senior academics’ leadership experiences is therefore crucial.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore senior academics’ experiences of leadership behaviours at a South African higher education institution, extracting their experiences of positive and negative behaviours.Motivation for the study: Senior academics play significant roles, with vital teaching, research, and reputation contributions to the quality of the university’s educational service. Despite numerous leadership studies, none have explored senior academics’ experiences in South Africa.Research approach/design and method: In this study, a qualitative descriptive design was employed to investigate the experiences and perspectives of 14 senior academics. The participants were selected using stratified random and snowball sampling techniques.Main findings: Participants experienced positive, effective behaviours and negative, destructive behaviours, highlighting the complexity of leadership experiences through contrasting experiences. Positive, effective leadership behaviours include constructive engagement, compassionate support, psychological safety and enabling growth. Negative, destructive leadership behaviours include poor communication and collaboration, eroding integrity and regard, unresolved issues, depersonalisation and toxic practices.Practical/managerial implications: Understanding experiences and implementing recommendations could incorporate positive leadership behaviours into competency frameworks for human resources practices. Awareness of the leadership ethos dichotomy can potentially establish a unique and characteristic leadership culture.Contribution/value-add: This study provides senior academics’ leadership behaviour perspectives and produces lists of positive and negative leadership practices.

Barriers preventing the optimal use of e-books: A South African undergraduate perspective

Background: South African academic libraries are spending large amounts of money annually to provide users access to e-books. In many of the South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) undergraduate students form the largest part of the institutional cohort. It is therefore crucial to understand what factors influence the optimal use of e-books by undergraduate students and what possible interventions can be applied to ensure optimum use.Objectives: This article aims to identify the main factors that prevent the optimal use of e-books by undergraduate students at a South African university.Method: For this study, pragmatism was used as the philosophical paradigm, with sequential mixed methods using questionnaires and focus groups.Results: The findings of this study revealed that while e-books can be regarded as an accepted source of information among undergraduate students, there are still several barriers impacting the optimal use of e-books by undergraduate students.Conclusion: This study identified five significant barriers that negatively influence the optimal use of e-books and provides possible solutions to improve the usage of e-books.Contribution: The results of this study will contribute towards the lack of information available on the usage of e-books in the South African context.

Self-Perceptions and Benefits of Psychological Resilience Among Women Academics in the Context of Working in South African Higher Education Institutions (SA-HEIs): A Mixed-Method Approach

Higher education institutions (HEIs) globally heavily depend on the resilience of academic staff members to achieve excellence in teaching and learning. The extant scholarly work on resilience seems to take the relationship between workplace environmental factors (WEFs) and the adverse experiences of resilience among women academics for granted. Using South Africa as an example, this research mainly focused on the WEFs acknowledged as the primary sources of adversity and the overall perceptions and experiences of resilience among women academics in South African HEIs. This research employed a mixed methods sequential explanatory design comprising an online quantitative survey of 135 women academics, and individual in-depth/semi-structured qualitative interviews of 27 women academics. The aim of this article was to illustrate how resilience can shape the way women academics interpret and respond to adversity. More specifically, the mixed-method findings presented in this article thought to document the perceived experiences of PR among women academics in South African Higher Education institutions (SA-HEIs), with a particular focus on the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) which is located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The findings unpack how four building blocks of psychological resilience (BBPRs)—neuroticism, mindfulness, self-efficacy, and coping—moderated the effects of WEFs-related adversities; and provide insights into the impacts of human resources management practices (HRMP) on women academics’ resilience. We conclude that a higher self-reported level of resilience is not necessarily indicative of positive experiences of WEFs amongst women academics in South African universities.

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa's Higher Education System: A Qualitative Study

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents opportunities in transforming higher education system and contribute significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study seeks to leverage AI technologies to advance SDGs within South Africa’s higher education system. It examines AI technology adoption in South African higher education institutions and challenges, strategies, and potential future directions. This qualitative research employed the constructivist principle to unravel the dynamics of AI in advancing SDGs in South Africa. Lecturers from the Department of Information Sciences were the participants of the study. The participants were purposefully selected based on their experience and knowledge of AI technologies. In-depth interview and focused group discussion was employed to generate and estimate responses using thematic content analysis. The result revealed that participants used AI technology to increase students' learning and engagement so students would not doze in class. It was discovered that AI technology has increased the chances for collective learning. The study further proved that AI technology can improve personalized learning experiences of students with diverse learning styles and abilities. This has led to a more inclusive and interactive classroom environment where students feel more motivated and supported in their learning journey. Integrating AI technology into education has shown promising results in improving student outcomes and fostering a more collaborative learning atmosphere. Based on the results, it implies that harnessing AI would advance SDGs in South Africa’s higher education institutions. As such, we recommended that the South African government should formulate comprehensive national AI education policy guidelines for higher education to regulate and harmonize the usage of AI in the higher education system.

Factors affecting the retention of millennial academics

Orientation: South African higher education institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges in attracting and retaining younger-generation academics. This results in a critical shortage of a talented pool of scholars required for succession and the sustainability of HEIs over the longer term.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the retention of millennial academics in South Africa.Motivation for the study: The retention of millennial academics is essential to the success of HEIs. Research on the factors affecting the retention of this cohort of academics is scarce despite their growing importance in sustainable HEI practice.Research approach/design and method: The study adopted a cross-sectional qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews to collect the data. The sample included 14 millennial academics representing various public HEIs in South Africa. Thematic analyses were applied to analyse the data.Main findings: The findings showed that five factors should be considered to retain millennial academics: career and growth opportunities, work environment, rewards, leadership and work–life balance.Practical/managerial implications: The study concluded that an integrated talent retention strategy should be developed that, at a minimum include opportunities for career development, employee growth, healthy employee–employer relationships, employee support and market-related compensation to retain millennial academics.Contribution/value-add: This research contributes to the limited knowledge of the factors affecting the retention of millennial academics.

“Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers”: An Ecological systems theoretical analysis of Food Insecurity in South African Higher Education Institutions

Food insecurity is an increasingly pressing issue in South Africa, affecting higher education institutions. The country’s prevalent poverty and unemployment rates, exacerbated by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to reduced funding for higher education institutions. As a result, students’ well-being is compromised, with many experiencing hunger and difficulties in their academic progress. While existing literature addresses food insecurity in South African higher education institutions, a comprehensive understanding from a systems theoretical perspective is lacking. This study applies Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, a multi-level analysis framework, to examine the complexities of food insecurity in South African higher education institutions. The analysis explores the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem dimensions of food insecurity as a multidimensional challenge requiring holistic response strategies. Drawing on scholarly literature, news articles, and reports from governmental and non-governmental organisations, this qualitative research sheds light on the multifaceted nature of food insecurity challenges in higher education institutions, with a specific focus on student development. Insights from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory enhance the understanding of the barriers to student well-being and academic success and underscore the need for targeted interventions. The findings contribute to the literature on food insecurity as a complex problem and guide policy decisions, interventions, and initiatives.

STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES OF QUALITY EDUCATION AT A SELECTED SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of undergraduate students in the TME (Technology and Mathematics Education) department within the Faculty of Education at a South African higher education institution regarding the quality of education they receive. Quality education is vital for equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary for their academic and professional growth. The research was framed by the Octet of Quality Theoretical Framework in Higher Education developed by Zaki and Rashidi. A qualitative case study approach was employed on ten Technology and Mathematics Education (TME) students to gather rich and in-depth data that would offer profound insights into the experiences of the students. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, and the interview responses were subjected to thematic content analysis. The primary findings of the study revealed several challenges, including limited access to resources as well as student support and involvement in curriculum. These challenges can hinder the attainment of quality education. In conclusion, it is evident that both students and academics require support to ensure the delivery of quality education. To bridge the gap in achieving quality education, this paper suggests that students' perspectives on quality education are multifaceted and necessitate focused attention from higher education institutions. By addressing these multifaceted concerns, institutions can take substantial steps toward enhancing the overall quality of education for their students.

Reconceptualising initial teacher education in South Africa: A quest for transformative and sustainable alternatives

Education serves as a catalyst for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it is essential for education to keep pace with societal dynamics. This paper argues for the reconceptualisation of initial teacher education in South Africa to promote an alternative transformative and sustainable pedagogy. Questions arose regarding the compatibility of the current teacher education program in South Africa with the needs of today's learners. Therefore, it is important to assess whether South African higher education institutions provide adequate training for future teachers. The current teacher education programme has remained unchanged for many years, failing to adapt to the evolving educational landscape and instead adhering to traditional methods that were relevant in the past. Incorporating flexible, transformative pedagogies and technologies can enhance student learning and engage learners of the 21st century. Using a typological methodological design, this conceptual explanatory paper identifies six themes: program content, pedagogy, technological advancements, preparing teachers for inclusion, school-based experiences, and addressing anxiety. This paper contributes to existing knowledge by advocating for the reconceptualisation of teacher education programs, aiming to produce graduates who are equipped to address global challenges. Furthermore, it emphasises the need for an alternative transformative sustainable initiative to overhaul teacher education programs to align with modern societies' complexities and dynamics. Therefore, this paper calls for the reformulation of South Africa's initial teacher training to align with SDG 4 (quality education) and Agenda 2023, which underpin Africa's transformational aspirations for a better future for all.

Balanced-integration: A dimension of supervision to support students navigating parenthood in pursuit of a PhD

This article explores the experiences of doctoral students juggling parental and professional roles. It proposes a balanced-integration approach in the reflective supervisor framework to tailor support. The research focuses on identifying challenges and evaluating the approach’s effectiveness, suggesting supervisors should serve as advocates for well-being and motivation. With the South African government’s National Development Plan aiming for a higher education sector that can produce more than 100 doctoral graduates per one million of the population by 2030, it is imperative to understand PhD student’s simultaneous identities as parents and professionals who must balance the demands of their studies, families and careers. The study advances a balanced-integration approach for supervising this demographic, with supervisors serving as advocates for the holistic well-being of these students, architects of personalised academic pathways, and catalysts for motivation inspired by family commitments. This approach adds a fifth dimension to Pearson and Kayrooz’s four factors of facilitative supervisory practice. The methodology is a descriptive quantitative study research design and a cross-sectional approach based on online surveys completed by 47 respondents from 13 South African higher education institutions and eight from abroad (n = 55).

Promoting student success in online post-graduate studies at a South African University: The role of professional and administrative support

Post-graduate online students studying in cohorts are expected to collaborate effectively with their peers and instructors in the virtual environment and are presumed to have the necessary skills needed for self-directed online learning. However, studies have shown that the low retention and success rates in online learning could be attributed to individual students experiencing a sense of isolation in a community of online students. Providing various non-academic support is as crucial for ensuring success as academic support services. More importantly, the support should acknowledge and address the unique set of skills, experiences, and expectations of the individual student in the community of online learners. This study aimed to ascertain whether professional and administrative student support that focused on the individual needs of the post-graduate student promotes retention and success in online studies. A qualitative case study at a business school at a South African higher education institution evaluated the professional and administrative support types, range and timing in promoting success in online post-graduate studies. This included the content analysis of key documents such as the self-evaluation report and the survey report on evaluation, impact and lifelong learning of a post-graduate qualification, followed by a focus-group session to ascertain staff perceptions of the professional and administrative services and resources in promoting success in online post-graduate studies. Using Simpson’s Proactive Motivational Support model (PaMS) as a lens, the study revealed a lack of motivational aspects of student support for online post-graduate students. Furthermore, the results affirmed the presumption of post-graduate students as a homogenous group prepared to succeed in online learning communities. Moreover, that limited provision was made to support online post-graduate students from remote areas and for those with disabilities. The study concludes that a more personalised approach to student support will motivate post-graduate students to become successful self-directed students in a community of online learners. Moreover, a focused school, college and institutional approach and an integrated inter- and intra-institutional collaboration are needed to enhance self-directed learning, foster a sense of belonging, and promote success in online post-graduate studies.

Use and Acceptance of Open Educational Resources in Library and Information Science Departments in South African Higher Education Institutions

Technology advancement has caused various changes in education, a phenomenon which demands academics to keep up with these changes. Covid-19 caused multiple educational challenges, as online teaching had to be adopted and implemented quickly. The scarcity of online teaching and learning resources has been one of the major problems in South African education. The establishment of open educational resources (OERs) came with some solutions during the trying times of the pandemic, where direct contact with other people was significantly reduced. OERs are educational materials in the public domain introduced with an open licence, such as digital textbooks, research papers, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audios, videos, and animations. It emerged in this study that library and information science (LIS) departments have some awareness of OER. LIS staff employ OERs in their work. However, LIS students rarely utilise them in their studies. It was discovered that LIS departments experience challenges regarding the awareness of copyright, technological problems, quality assurance, and a lack of understanding OER. It can be concluded, based on the findings, that LIS departments were not fully prepared for the changes (moving to online learning) implemented in response to the pandemic. Thus, the study recommends that there should be improved OER awareness, academic staff training, workshops, adequate ICT infrastructure, and improvement of technical skills to increase the utilisation of these resources in LIS departments. This paper depicts an overview of OER and the involvement and opportunity it holds for library and LIS professionals.

Knowledge of autism among students at a South African Institute of Higher Education.

Autism is a significant concern because of the increase in the prevalence of the disorder. University healthcare students might not all be adequately prepared to serve autistic individuals. Hence, there is a need in the South African context for information on healthcare practitioners' knowledge of general aspects, diagnosis and management of autism. To determine current knowledge on autism among speech-language pathology and audiology (SLP & A) students at a South African Higher Education Institution. The study was conducted among 65 second, third and fourth year students at the SLP & A Department of a South African Higher Education Institution. A descriptive quantitative design utilising an online questionnaire was used to gather the quantitative and, to a lesser extent, qualitative data. Descriptive measures were used to analyse and summarise the data. Participants mainly understood autism's fundamental symptoms and comorbidities, early intervention, team management and speech-language therapist (SLT) duties. Students were found to have little awareness of autism's prevalence, causes, diagnosing experts, intervention methods and treatment. Participants felt uncomfortable treating autistic people owing to a lack of clinical exposure. Participants want further training. Students reported the need for additional training on autism, including its identification, diagnosis, assessment and treatment. It is recommended that the study be replicated at other institutions to impact other curricula. This research article provides input for enhancing the curriculum for Health Science Departments in Higher Education Institutions.

Creating a sense of “aliveness” in a SoTL CoP on a rural campus

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), as a research-based inquiry into student learning, is a continuously evolving practice. SoTL, as a practice, guides academics in improving upon their teaching, which is based on their specific context and student cohort. However, since academics are ultimately specialists in their own fields, completing research based on higher education topics is most often unfamiliar territory; it can, however, be supported through SoTL communities of practice (CoPs). The principles of SoTL and of cultivating CoPs can play a key role in designing these CoPs for “aliveness”. In this action research study, feedback and outputs from the SoTL CoP members at a South African higher education institution indicate that to support researchers optimally, a flexible approach, embedded in an organised schedule and integrated with sound research practices, ensures a sense of “aliveness” for members that participate in the CoP.

A Conceptual Framework for Mentorship Support to Early-Career Black Women Academics in South Africa A Conceptual Framework for Mentorship Support to Early-Career Black Women Academics in South Africa

Globally, career development is a challenge for women academics at higher education institutions. In South African higher education institutions, Black women academics still lag in terms of career progression and their representation in leadership positions compared to their male counterparts. While structural and systemic challenges contribute to this, a lack of formal mentorship support for Black women academics is among the underlying reasons. Against this background, using various mentorship models applied in higher education institutions as the theoretical lens, this book chapter explores a conceptual framework for mentorship support to early-career Black women academics, which will often happen in a cross-cultural context due to historical imbalances. Through a qualitative research approach, a narrative literature review is provided based on content analysis of literature, both peer-reviewed and non-reviewed. Through a conceptual framework, this chapter provides insight regarding the type of mentorship support that is required to advance the career development trajectory of early-career Black women academics in South Africa, considering the paucity of women’s mentorship programs at most of our higher education institutions. Recommendations propose how mentorships can be integrated into the formal career development trajectory of these academics.