South African Higher Education Research Articles

Students and Transition From Face-To-Face to Online Learning in South African Higher Education Institutions: Lessons from Covid-19

Students and Transition From Face-To-Face to Online Learning in South African Higher Education Institutions: Lessons from Covid-19

Artificial intelligence-powered decision support system for operational decision-making in the ICT department of a selected African university

This paper aims to explore the effect of an artificial intelligence-enabled decision support system (AIDSS) on decision-making processes within a university setting, focusing on the ICT department of a selected South African university. The research objectives revolve around the effectiveness of AIDSS in enhancing decision-making in higher education institutions. Convenience sampling was employed in this study and a questionnaire administered to 28 participants. These methods were chosen to gather insights into the practical application of AI technology in the context of IT operational decision-making. The major findings of this research reveal that AIDSS has the potential to significantly improve decision-making processes in higher education. Despite these advancements, the research acknowledges the ethical and societal implications arising from AI integration, underscoring the importance of achieving a balance between technical advancement and the upholding of human values. As a major policy implication, this study underscores the importance of embracing AI technologies in higher education institutions to enhance decision-making processes, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of IT operations. The original contribution of this research lies in its exploration of the practical use of AIDSS in South African higher education, offering insights into how AI can be harnessed to advance decision-making.

RE-THINKING THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Purpose: The paper examined the role of entrepreneurship Education in South African higher education for sustainable development. The economy of South Africa and many other developing countries continue to rely heavily on entrepreneurship. Theoretical reference: Developing new company ventures has emerged as a critical economic engine that significantly impacts job creation, economic growth, and overall wealth. It also somewhat raises the country's level of competitiveness in the international business sector. Despite efforts to increase the number of entrepreneurial activities, South Africa continues to face a wide range of obstacles. According to research from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), the most significant issue still confronting the country is a general lack of education and skills. Method: The study is a systematic review with original contributions. The systematic review adopted secondary sources for data collection through advanced research of baseline literature available on different databases. The search engines Scopus and Google Scholar were used to find relevant literature related to the topic under study. Results and Conclusion: The study indicated that the idea that universities should be educating students for a "lifelong career" is no longer viable. High-quality education is essential for a successful business, and the education revolution has arrived. Implications of research: To achieve sustained development, young people in entrepreneurship must generate or take opportunities and pursue them with zeal. Beginning in the educational process, students should be trained to recognize market possibilities and associated risks. Originality/value: In recent decades, there has been a great deal of interest in incorporating entrepreneurship into education. This has been linked to a variety of outcomes, including economic growth, job creation, and increased societal resilience, as well as individual growth, increased school participation, and improved equality.

Examining the level of Entrepreneurship education and development within the South African higher education: Towards entrepreneurial university

In response to unemployment and socio-economic challenges in the South Africa's higher education institutions introduces entrepreneurship education (EE) with the aim to create sustainable job opportunities. However, higher education (HE) struggles to integrate EE within the university programmes and make it as practical as possible. Furthermore, fostering entrepreneurial mindset and intentions among students is not an easy task. The primary objective of this conceptual paper is to examine the level of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions among the students within the South African higher education. We used qualitative case study methodology, to purposive select 30 articles using a google scholar search engine. The paper was driven by three research questions, namely, what is the level of entrepreneurship education among students in South African higher education? What are the entrepreneurial intentions of these students? Does the design of the EE curriculum foster students' entrepreneurial mindset and intentions? The findings identified a need to curriculum transformation that integrate EE across various disciples; not just a stand-alone module that fails to foster a broad-based entrepreneurial mindset. Furthermore, the findings shows that policy support and infrastructural development should be geared towards the growth and sustainability of EE programs and launching of innovation hubs and other support structures within universities to provide practical EE experiences.

Digital literacy: a foreign language for students from rural areas in South Africa

The Digital literacy has become an imperative part of higher education, since the Covid19 outbreak, traditional institutions had to adapt digital learning techniques. However, students from rural schools were left in the dark. Since there are still some extremely poor schools in the rural parts of South Africa, where there is still no access to electricity. Therefore, the ability to use any digital tools remains a huge challenge for such students. The transition from a rural school to an urban higher education institution that is very tech savvy and living in the 4th industrial revolution is extensively difficult. Subsequently, the success of students from rural schools gets hindered. However, this doesn’t necessary mean that these students are incapable of succeeding in their respective programs. This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by students from rural schools regarding digital literacy. The research methodology will be a quantitative approach, the sample will be drawn from students in traditional universities who are coming from rural high schools. The findings of this paper will be used to recommend ways of increasing the success rate of learners from rural schools in digital literacy and skills development for traditional universities in South Africa. Keywords: Digital Literacy, Inclusive Education, Student Succes, South African Higher Education Subject classification codes: I230; I240; I210

Enhancing South Africans universities engagement during student recruitment through social media marketing

ABSTRACT Social media platforms are popular amongst young people and offer excellent platforms to communicate with this target market. Communication between higher education institutions and potential new students is the focus of this research. This paper explores students’ perceptions of the use of social media marketing in student recruitment done by South African higher education institutions. The aim is to suggest guidelines for the formulation of social media marketing strategies to improve influence on students in the selection of an institution. A qualitative research methodology is employed, using a multimethod approach to data collection, including a conceptual analysis and focus groups. Grade 11 and 12 students, selected from school’s representative of the five different school quintiles, are included in the research sample. Ten guidelines evolved from the data with the most prominent being engagement, relationship building and an increase in the use of creative visual content to disseminate practical application information.

Innovative Approaches to Entrepreneurship in South African Higher Education Performing Arts: Balancing Modern Methods with Classical Principles

Innovative Approaches to Entrepreneurship in South African Higher Education Performing Arts: Balancing Modern Methods with Classical Principles

Challenges with measures used for assessing research impact in higher education institutions

Internationally, there has been a push for the prioritisation of research impact beyond its scholarly contribution. Traditionally, research impact assessments have focused on academic impact and quantitative measures, at the expense of researchers for whom research impact cannot be quantified. Bibliometric indicators and other quantitative measures are still the most widely used method for evaluating research impact because these measures are easy to use and provide a quick solution for evaluators. Conversely, metric indicators fail to capture important dimensions of high-quality research. Hence, in this study, we explored challenges with metric indicators. We adopted a case study of the University of Cape Town and used document analysis, a questionnaire survey to collect data from academics and researchers, as well as semi-structured interviews with a sample of academic and research staff. The findings highlight common challenges with quantitative measures, such as bias and discipline coverage, and the ability of measures to drive researchers’ behaviour in another direction. We propose the adoption of responsible research metrics and assessment in South African higher education institutions for more inclusive and equitable research impact assessments.

The Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in South African Higher Education Institutions: Opportunities and Challenges

The Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in South African Higher Education Institutions: Opportunities and Challenges

Assessing the integration of AI competencies in undergraduate public administration curricula in selected South African higher education institutions

There is an increasing call to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) competencies in academic disciplines such as Public Administration, which are not obviously related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). However, the literature on the integration of AI in non-STEM curricula in South African higher education institutions (HEIs), especially in Public Administration curricula, is limited. To address this lacuna, this research assessed the integration of AI competencies in undergraduate Bachelor of Administration (BAdmin) curricula in three HEIs randomly selected from the six offering such a programme. The chosen qualitative research approach focused on human and technical competencies. The findings show that AI competencies are not adequately integrated into the Public Administration curricula of the assessed HEIs in the form of core modules supporting AI competencies. These competencies are only loosely supported by elective (optional) modules. This general AI competency gap in the Public Administration curricula of the assessed South African HEIs must be bridged to achieve a digital public sector by introducing focused AI competency training into the BAdmin curriculum. This will help to create a public sector workforce equipped to handle the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, and maximise the potential of this transformative technology.

Disturbed: Doing deep transformative work – Reflections on social justice work in South African higher education

Disturbed: Doing deep transformative work – Reflections on social justice work in South African higher education

Universal Design for Learning and writing centres in South African higher education

Could a transformative, inclusive and emancipatory educational framework like the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) advance academic success for all? Could racism and dis/ableism be dismantled through such an emerging educational trend that offers a redefinition of dis/ability abolishing oppressive pedagogical practices that perpetuate constructed views of special needs, often negatively correlated with racial and intellectual superiority? Could such a framework that foregrounds physical, cognitive and linguistic injustices advance achievement beyond merely meeting academic literacy standards within higher education settings like writing centres in a post-Covid 21st-century South Africa? These critical questions are some of the tensions raised in this paper proposing a compelling, yet controversial attempt at advancing student learning and achievement within an expanded definition of disability offered by the UDL framework developed by Rose and Meyer at the Center for Applied Special Technology at Harvard University. While Covid-19 centred around a pandemic, this global catastrophe accelerated the technological thrust into virtual and blended learning mediums of learning and engagement. Yet, given the technological explosion of the mid- and late 20th century, in many ways education have headed towards this direction. Now more than ever, the awareness of the Universal Design for Learning within the role of the writing centre and academic literacy is especially critical, given the drive for technologically driven approaches to address issues of social justice. This paper seeks to understand the obstacles and opportunities of the UDL framework within the role of writing centres in post-Covid 21st-century South African higher education. Through professional insights as a qualified practising writing consultant both locally in South Africa and in the United States, this reflective critique on the emerging vociferous dialogue around the adoption of the Universal Design for Learning framework at higher education institutions in South Africa, and its implications for the role of the writing centre, are based on this author’s pragmatic, commonplace experiences as well as research studies conducted on UDL and the Harvard Review. It is hoped that this reflective paper may make visible some of the inherent juxtapositions Universal Design for Learning may hold for meeting individual students’ learning needs principled on its universal approach to learning success for all, affording opportunities for further research and critique.

The Complexities of Managing a Multigenerational Academic Workforce in the South African Higher Education Sector

This study examined the human resource management challenges faced by heads of departments in managing a multigenerational academic workforce in the South African higher education sector. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a multiple case study research design was applied. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 16 participants. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and it was analysed thematically with the aid of Atlas.ti. The study revealed several challenges related to the management of a multigenerational academic workforce, namely, differences in career expectations, skills, and experience among generations; conflict management; implementation of plans and strategies; succession planning; and teamwork. The findings have implications for higher education institutions as different generations have varying expectations for career development. Human resource departments should establish clear and transparent career pathways to meet these expectations. The study also provides supporting evidence for the dimensions outlined in the framework for understanding generational identities in organisations. Exploring generational diversity in workplace relationships and interactions within the education context complements the existing research focused on pedagogical aspects and cultural characteristics in academic settings.

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

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

Foucault, Governmentality and the Performance Management of Academics: A Case Study at a South African University

This article examines the power dynamics underpinning performance management at a selected South African university. It specifically employs Michel Foucault’s (1977) ideas on Governmentality to interpret the envisioning of performance management in this context at the level of Policy. Drawing upon Michel Foucault’s (1991) ideas on governmentality, a discourse analysis of Performance Management Policy documents is conducted with the goal of critically interrogating what is unquestionably a new academic subjectivity in the South African higher education sector- a subjectivity that is constantly controlled and regulated. We argue that performance management should take into stronger cognizance the matters of choice, voice, and multiplicity of roles within its discourses. There is much we can learn from governmentality theory if we hope to build more just and equitable societies going forward.

Influence of load shedding in South African higher education: a qualitative content analysis of Schools of Music

Influence of load shedding in South African higher education: a qualitative content analysis of Schools of Music

South African Higher Education 30 Years into Democracy (1994–2024): Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Prospects

South African Higher Education 30 Years into Democracy (1994–2024): Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Prospects

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.