Browsing by Author "Kabende, Matildah Mwangelwa"

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    A conceptual analysis of institutional culture at a Namibian university
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Kabende, Matildah Mwangelwa; Van Wyk, B.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This philosophical study draws on Gadamer’s hermeneutics, which is primarily concerned with the understanding and interpretation of texts. From this perspective I conduct a conceptual and documentary analysis of institutional culture with the aim of gaining deeper understanding of how institutional culture is constructed and articulated in institutional policy documents. The unit of analysis is the University of Namibia (UNAM), the leading higher education institution in Namibia. The available data indicates that institutional culture in the Namibian context has been under-studied. I constructed four meanings (strategy, typology, history and tradition, and scholarship) that served as a theoretical framework for an analysis of the institutional policy documents of UNAM. This study found that the meanings of institutional culture are articulated in relevant policy documents and that the university’s institutional culture is influenced by the national policy, Namibia Vision 2030. UNAM seeks to develop its students and the community to lead institutions in the country towards a knowledge-based economy, economic growth and improved quality of life. By implication, UNAM is not an outstanding institution but envisages to become one by the year 2030. Further, UNAM sees itself as weak in terms of knowledge creation and publication, and desires this area to be a best practice in the next five year. UNAM can be classified as a developmental institution and draws from the national developmental strategy in Namibia Vision 2030. To respond to this national vision, UNAM seeks to align its institutional culture according to national priorities.
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    A hermeneutic inquiry of culture as development at two higher education institutions
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) Kabende, Matildah Mwangelwa; Van Wyk, Berte; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This dissertation is a hermeneutic inquiry of culture as development at two higher education institutions. From an interpretive perspective, I employ Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics that relates to historical consciousness, interpretation and understanding. I conduct a conceptual and documentary analysis of relevant institutional policies to understand how the University of Namibia (UNAM) and Stellenbosch University (SU) articulate culture as development in their respective environments. From a thorough literature review, I argue that development is a form of culture, that is, culture as development. There are many meanings of culture as development, and since it is difficult to work with a large set of meanings, I construct four recurring meanings, namely: knowledge, history and tradition, human development, and social and economic transformation. These meanings serve as a theoretical framework to analyse relevant policy documents. Findings suggest that the meanings of my theoretical framework are addressed to some extent in the relevant policies, and that such documents conform to my theoretical framework. Further, the concept of culture is complicated, complex, ambiguous and contested. Although culture is key for development, there is very little clarification in the literature what culture as development means. Similarly, there is no single meaning of development in higher education, which makes the concept also contested. Development in higher education is perceived as relating to human development which is concerned more with non-instrumental facets such as autonomous choices, freedom, opportunities, and standard of living of people. There is very little research conducted on the culture of UNAM, and it is stated it has a developmental culture. In the context of Namibian higher education there is reference to human resource development instead of human development. SU, on the other hand, is silent on its history in its Institutional Intent and Strategy. However, SU acknowledges its historical ties with the people from who and communities from which it arose. Both institutions refer to the concept of hope. UNAM views itself as a beacon of hope while SU adopted a pedagogy of hope which highlights knowledge pioneering scholarship, research and teaching, and generating hope and optimism from and within Africapedagogy of hope which highlights knowledge pioneering scholarship, research and teaching, and generating hope and optimism from and within Africa.