Browsing by Subject "curriculum"
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- ItemOpen AccessConceptualizing curriculum differentiation in higher education: a sociology of knowledge point of view(Taylor & Francis, 2012) Shay, SuellenSociologists of education rooted in social realism have for more than a decade argued that knowledge matters in education, there are different kinds of knowledge, not all forms of knowledge are equal and that these differentiations have significant implications for curriculum. While this argument has made an important contribution to both theoretical and policy debate, the implications for curriculum have not been sufficiently addressed. In other words, a theory of differentiated knowledge has not translated into an adequate theory of differentiated curriculum. Drawing on Basil Bernstein's work on knowledge differentiation and Karl Maton's Legitimation Code Theory, this paper offers an empirically derived emerging framework for conceptualizing differentiated higher education curricula with a particular interest in occupationally and professionally oriented curricula. The framework illuminates the principles underlying curriculum differentiation, thus enabling a richer conversation about epistemological access and progression.
- ItemOpen AccessDivision of Occupational Therapy: self-review report for the HPCSA evaluation 2012(2012) Division of Occupational TherapyThe Division of Occupational Therapy welcomes the HPCSA evaluators and looks forward to constructive engagement towards the quality assurance of the UCT occupational therapy education programme. This self-review report was developed by the Division of Occupational Therapy (OT) at the University of Cape Town for the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in line with the procedure for evaluation of education programmes. It provides transparency into the development and implementation of the OT curriculum. This resource could be useful for those interested in occupational therapy in South Africa.
- ItemOpen AccessEducational investment towards the ideal future: South Africa’s strategic choices(2017) Shay, SuellenAlthough there has been rapid expansion of higher education around the globe, such expansion has not resulted in a more equitable system. Drawing on the work of Nancy Fraser, equity in higher education is conceptualised as ‘parity of participation’ and includes both equity of access and outcomes. The tensions between expansion and equity are illustrated by comparing South Africa’s equity challenges with those of Brazil and the USA. Focusing on South Africa’s critical choices, four scenarios or possible futures are provided to illustrate some of the trade-offs and strategic choices. The main argument is that if South Africa’s higher education system continues to expand without a concomitant investment in the effectiveness of teaching and learning, it will not achieve the policy goals of equity of access and outcomes. Furthermore the investment needs to be strategically targeted to interventions that can serve as systemic levers of change for reducing drop-out rates and improving graduation rates. To this end, over the next decade the state needs to prioritise an investment in an undergraduate curriculum more ‘fit for purpose’. The investment needs to be in curriculum reform that normalises different levels of foundational provision, identifies and removes curriculum obstacles that delay or impede graduation, and provides opportunities for ‘breadth’ for all students, not only those who come from privileged backgrounds.
- ItemOpen AccessHealth sciences undergraduate education at University of Cape Town: a story of transformation(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2012) Hartman, Nadia; Kathard, Harsha; Perez, Gonda; Reid, Steve; Irlam, James; Gunston, Geney D; Janse van Rensburg, Vicki; Burch, Vanessa; Duncan, Madeleine; Hellenberg, Derek; Van Rooyen, Ian; Smouse, Mantoa; Sikakane, Cynthia N; Badenhorst, Elmi; Ige, BUndergraduate education and training in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town has become socially responsive. A story of transformation that is consonant with wider societal developments since the 1994 democratic elections, outlining the changes in undergraduate curricula across the faculty, is presented.
- ItemOpen AccessHow do students and staff at the University of Cape Town understand equitable access to the curriculum for students with VIs?(2023) Nwanze, Ikechukwu; Mckenzie, Judith; Murfitt, KevinStudents with Visual Impairment (VI) s5ll experience barriers to educa5on despite the right to educa5on s5pulated in the United Na5ons Conven5on on the Rights of Persons with Disabili5es (UNCRPD). Challenges such as delays in the conversion of curriculum content to accessible formats, inaccessible online course sites and teaching and learning that is mostly visual. With the University of Cape Town (UCT) going fully online due to COVID-19 pandemic, it became necessary to explore how equitable access to the curriculum is understood. The research topic is: How do staff and students at UCT understand equitable access to the curriculum for students with VIs? Four conceptual framework components were used. The hidden and enacted curriculum was used to explore hidden curriculum aspects and their effect on the enacted curriculum. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework was used to explore enablers such as assis5ve technology (AT) and challenges such as inaccessible content. Eight elements of digital literacies were used to explore access to opportuni5es to acquire digital literacies and the UNCRPD to ensure alignment with the right to educa5on. A Q methodology study was conducted which is a hybrid of both quan5ta5ve and qualita5ve methods. It sta5s5cally groups viewpoints that are significantly similar to or dis5nct from each other, quan5ta5vely into factors, then qualita5vely interprets these factors thema5cally to reveal par5cipant views about the research topic. Data was collected from students with VI, lecturers, staff from Disability Services, ICT Services, Library Services, and the Centre for Higher Educa5on Development using Q sor5ng where par5cipants ranked sixty statements into disagree, neutral and agree. Focus group discussions were used to support the interpreta5on of the factors. Findings revealed that: accessible curriculum is also a technical issue which is not priori5sed at UCT, and lecturers struggle with compe5ng demands such lack of 5me, need for promo5on and research. Accessibility design from the start both for curriculum development and support services is not valued. The right to educa5on for students with VI is par5al, varying their experience of the curriculum. Tes5ng of a course site for accessibility and lack of AT nega5vely affects right to educa5on. This study argues that students with VI do not yet enjoy full par5cipa5on in the curriculum due to lack of understanding of the complexity involved. UDL can help academics move from a deficit view to an asset view of students with VI. UCT should change its opera5onal model to accessibility from the start. Then UCT will move closer to equitable access to the curriculum for students with VI.
- ItemOpen AccessPicking up the pace: Variation in the structure and organisation of learning school mathematics(2005) Reeves, Cheryl; Muller, JohanWhat is it about curriculum and pedagogy that really makes the difference to pupil learning?1 Do particular pedagogic features matter in teaching learners thematics? Or is it rather the range of factors associated with making mathematics available to learners for learning? What makes the real difference: pedagogic style or opportunity to learn? The paper discusses why it is plausible to study opportunity to learn (OTL) in South Africa. It outlines some of the methods used to operationalise particular dimensions of OTL and measure variation in the structure and organization of school mathematics. Data are presented on the mathematics knowledge made available to low SES grade 5 and 6 learners in the first three terms of 2003 in terms of content complexity and across grade developmental complexity. The effects of this availability on learning will be reported on in future papers.
- ItemOpen AccessPosition Paper: MOOCs(2015) Czerniewicz, Laura; Deacon, Andrew; Fife, Mary-Ann; Small, Janet; Walji, SukainaMassive open online courses (MOOCs) are a flexible and open form of self-directed, online learning designed for mass participation. There are no fees or entry requirements and no formal academic credit is available. While completion rates are low (on average ten per cent) due to varying motivations for enrolling in a MOOC, absolute numbers of participants who complete are usually high. While access to the course material is free, MOOC platform providers often offer certificates of completion at a cost. MOOC platforms provide institutions with cloud-based hosting environments for delivering courses, offering scale and functionality while the institution provides the course material and reputational value. This paper discusses the key aspects of Massive Open Online Courses in a South African educational context.
- ItemOpen AccessQuantitative literacy interventions at University of Cape Town: effects of seperation from academic disciplines(University of South Florida, 2012) Frith, VeraThe aim of the Numeracy Centre at the University of Cape Town is to develop students' quantitative literacy (QL) in a manner consistent with their programmes of study and intended roles in the community. Our theoretical perspective on the nature of QL is in line with that of the New Literacies Studies and sees academic QL as practices in different academic disciplinary contexts. This means that for us the ideal curriculum structure for developing QL would fully integrate it into the teaching of the disciplines. This is in practice not achievable in most cases, especially since many students do not have the necessary foundations of mathematical and statistical knowledge and skills. The unavoidable deviation from the ideal curriculum structure presents challenges to the design of QL interventions. Two illustrative examples which display different degrees of separation from the disciplinary teaching are described and discussed. This discussion is based on lecturers' reflections on the teaching experience and on student evaluations. The 'stand-alone' QL course for Humanities and Law students, which uses a context-based approach, is the least integrated with the disciplinary curriculum, and presents challenges in terms of tensions in the classroom between the contexts and the mathematical and statistical content, as well as challenges in terms of student motivation. The QL intervention for medical students is more closely integrated into the medical curriculum and presents fewer challenges. Both interventions are intended to provide 'foundations' in terms of QL and suffer from difficulties in providing students with authentic motivation.
- ItemOpen AccessQuantitative literacy of school leavers aspiring to higher education in South Africa(South African Journal of Higher Education, 2016) Prince, Robert; Frith, VeraIt is important for higher education educators to understand the quantitative literacy (QL) competencies of incoming students, in order to make appropriate assumptions about prior knowledge and to design suitable curricula. In this article we analyse the results of a National Benchmark Tests project’s (NBTP) QL test written by a large cohort of prospective applicants to higher education, in order to contribute to this understanding. A large proportion of these candidates were unable to cope with quantitative literacy demands of the kinds commonly encountered in higher education. More than half of candidates need some kind of supplementary QL support and at least 30 per cent require extensive support. Candidates’ performance on subgroups of the QL test items and on individual items provides further insights into particular strengths and weaknesses. The results highlight that opportunities for the development of QL competencies should be found and these should be integrated into disciplinary teaching.
- ItemOpen AccessResponsible leadership competencies in accounting education(2022) Miller, Taryn; Willows, GizelleThe business world continues to be plagued by incidents of leadership failure, including that of Chartered Accountants (CAs). Responsible Leadership (RL) theory was in part conceived in response to misconduct by business leaders. RL competencies overlap with many competencies expected of CAs, according to international education requirements that inform the CA curriculum. Yet studies continue to show that accounting students are underdeveloped in many competencies affiliated with RL. Furthermore, an institutional strategy for developing RL competencies in accounting students is currently lacking. The purpose of this study is to explore how to incorporate the development of RL competencies into the CA curriculum. The study is grounded within RL, Transformative Learning, curriculum, and curriculum change theories. A qualitative research method was adopted. Interviews were conducted with thirteen South African CA leaders holding a variety of societal and business roles, and eleven CA educators from several South African universities. The study identifies a strategy for RL competency development comprising seven core concepts known as the RESPOND model. Strategic considerations relating to 'what', 'which', 'when', 'where', 'who' and 'how', are addressed in the model. Practical recommendations based on the RESPOND model are provided. The study's findings may assist accounting academics deliberating on adaptations to their curricula to achieve competencies and graduate outcomes synonymous with RL. In addition, the RESPOND model provides a theoretical contribution to the advancement of both accounting education and RL theory by both connecting and expanding knowledge within these research fields.