Faculty of Education

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The vision of the Faculty of Education is to be "acknowledged and respected unequivocally as a leading and engaged research-driven education faculty". In line with this, we pride ourselves on playing a leading role in education, both locally and globally. Central to our vision is a commitment to engage with educational challenges, particularly in South Africa.

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'n Aangepaste bewustheidsprogram om fonologiese en fonemiese bewustheid in aanvangslees van graad 1 leerders in 'n taalarm omgewing te verbeter
(Stellenbosch University, 2015) Marthinussen, Patricia Joyce; Van der Merwe, Michele F.
Die rol van fonologiese en fonemiese bewustheid en die verstaan van letter-klankkorrespondering in aanvangslees in ’n graad 1-klas word in die artikel beklemtoon. Die vermoë van leerders om ouditiewe en visuele persepsies, asook onderskeidingsvermoë tussen klanke en klankpatrone te ontwikkel, word as voorspellers vir suksesvolle lees beskryf. Vroeë en deurlopende assessering van aanvangsleesvaardighede is ŉ belangrike aspek om die voorkoming van leesuitvalle te bewerkstellig. ‘n Intervensieprogram om die fonologiese en fonemiese bewustheid van leerders te verbeter, word beskryf. Die navorsingsmetodes, insluitende voor- en natoetse word beskryf. Navorsing is in ’n graad 1-klas uitgevoer met leerders wat geen graad R- onderrig ontvang het nie en op die ouderdom van 5½ jaar reeds by die skool ingeskryf is. Die leerders is jonk en ontvang nie genoegsame stimulering tuis nie. Hulle toon reeds agterstande in effektiewe taalgebruik en hoe om aandag te gee en te leer by skooltoetrede. Hierdie agterstande noop die navorser om te fokus op die fonologiese en fonemiese bewustheid in aanvangslees van die jong kind.
Aanvangsleesonderrig en die hersiene nasionale kurrikulumverklaring
(Stellenbosch University, 2002) Menkveld, Hannie
Sedert die begin van die twintigste eeu, toe onderrig deur medium van Afrikaans in Suid-Afrika ën aanvang geneem het, is verskeie aanvangsleesbenaderings vir leerders met Afrikaans as moedertaal, bekend gestel en in gebruik geneem. Een so ën benadering is die psigolinguistiese benadering wat in die sewentigerjare bekendheid begin verwerf het. Een van die psigolinguistiese benaderings, die geÔntegreerde benadering, is by uitstek geskik om binne uitkomsgebaseerde onderrig, die basis van die Hersiene Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring, gebruik te word. In hierdie artikel word twee aanvangsleesmetodes wat gebaseer is op 'n geÔntegreerde benadering, die Oxford Storieboomreeks en Ster Stories, met mekaar vergelyk. Daar word veral gelet op hulle versoenbaarheid met leeruitkoms 3 en graad 1 se gepaardgaande assesseringsstandaarde soos vervat in die Hersiene Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (Kurrikulum 2005) wat in 2004 in die Grondslagfase in gebruik geneem gaan word (Departement van Onderwys 2002). Die menings van drie graad 1-onderwyseresse word ook by die bespreking betrek.
Action research : a wonderfully uncomfortable mode of creating knowledge
(SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein, 2007) Beylefeld, Adriana; Bitzer, Eli; Hay, Henriette
Changed views on the nature and purpose of knowledge production provide the backdrop for the authors’ demonstration of the ways in which action research on the development of general skills transformed their values into a living theory. This paper recounts how action research was used to integrate general skills into a medical curriculum. It also presents evidence of the critical scrutiny to which the first author’s educational practice was subjected. The distinctive features of action research provide an analytical framework for arguing that an action researcher can produce useful knowledge and so certainly can have a “scientific message”.
Addressing dualisms in student perceptions of a historically white and black university in South Africa
(Taylor & Francis, 2016) Carolissen, Ronelle; Bozalek, Vivienne
Normative discourses about higher education institutions may perpetuate stereotypes about institutions. Few studies explore student perceptions of universities and how transformative pedagogical interventions in university classrooms may address institutional stereotypes. Using Plumwood’s notion of dualism, this qualitative study analyses unchallenged stereotypes about students’ own and another university during an inter-institutional collaborative research and teaching and learning project. The project was conducted over 3 years and 282 psychology, social work and occupational therapy students from a historically black and white institution in South Africa, participated in the study. Both black and white students from differently placed higher education institutions display prejudices and stereotypes of their own and other institutions, pointing to the internalization and pervasiveness of constructions and hegemonic discourses such as whiteness and classism. It is important to engage with subjugated student knowledges in the context of transformative pedagogical practices, to disrupt dominant views and cultivate processes of inclusion in higher education. Keywords: dualisms, higher education, inclusion, transformative pedagogies, South Africa.
Addressing the negative impact of consumerism on young people by (re)awakening their spirituality through sense of place
(HESA, 2018) Ontong, K.
Consumerism holds the view that personal wellbeing and happiness depend largely on the material goods a person can buy (Dwyer 2007). Advertising constantly bombards our youth with images of materially seductive things. The impression given is that the right consumer goods will lead to a fulfilled life. However, the life experience of most young people is in stark contrast with what they should want as advocated by the consumption norms of society. It is often these contrasts that lead to feelings of inadequacy, lack of desirability and an inability to recognise one’s own worth. I argue that one way of addressing these feelings among young people is by (re)awakening their spirituality, starting at school. However, spirituality in education is a potentially contentious area and educators tend to shy away from it (De Klerk-Luttig 2008). I therefore suggest a pedagogy of place with specific reference to sense of place, as an avenue for reawakening students’ spirituality. I draw on the works of spirituality by Kessler (2000) and Webster (2004) and sense of place (Ardoin, Shuh, and Gould 2012) to provide a renewed, integrated framework.
Adolescent identity formation in the context of vocationally oriented special needs schools
(Education Association of South Africa, 2017) Jacobs, Carmelita; Collair, Lynette
Adolescence is a phase that is associated with important identity-relevant issues. Shaping a clear sense of identity is an important step in developing a healthy psychosocial disposition, and the school is an important context where this can happen. In this article, we explore how adolescents who had attended a special needs school of skills in the Western Cape, South Africa, perceived the role that their school experiences played in shaping their sense of identity. These were learners who entered the school of skills with a poor sense of self, due to years of academic difficulties and exclusion in mainstream primary schools. Using a qualitative research design, data was collected through interviews, and analysed by means of the inductive process of thematic content analysis. The findings showed that participants’ school experiences shaped their sense of identity in a more positive way. The participants’ narratives speak to the complexity in the individual, the school and the community in contributing to a sense of identity with both positive and negative aspects. Though the participants experienced a sense of belonging and felt accepted by their teachers and peers, the school did not deliver on its implicit promise of a job-related skill, and this in turn negatively affected their thinking about future life paths and careers, which is important for identity formation.
Against environmental learning:Why we need a language of environmental education
(Rhodes University : Environmental Education Department, 2004-12) Le Grange, Lesley
As witnessed at the 2004 EEASA Conference, environmental learning is emerging as a popular term in environmental education discourses in South Africa.There are those who argue that there is no need to speak about environmental education in South Africa anymore since environment is embedded in the new curriculum frameworks for General Education and Training and Further Education and Training.All that is required is the (environmental) learning of what is defined in various education policies. In this viewpoint paper I contextualise ‘environmental learning’ within the emergence of a language of learning internationally. I raise some concerns about a language of learning and argue for a language of environmental education.
Alignment between South African mathematics assessment standards and the TIMSS assessment frameworks
(AOSIS Publishing, 2012-12) Ndlovu, Mdutshekelwa; Mji, Andile
South Africa’s performance in international benchmark tests is a major cause for concern amongst educators and policymakers, raising questions about the effectiveness of the curriculum reform efforts of the democratic era. The purpose of the study reported in this article was to investigate the degree of alignment between the TIMSS 2003 Grade 8 Mathematics assessment frameworks and the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) assessment standards for Grade 8 Mathematics, later revised to become the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). Such an investigation could help to partly shed light on why South African learners do not perform well and point out discrepancies that need to be attended to. The methodology of document analysis was adopted for the study, with the RNCS and the TIMSS 2003 Grade 8 Mathematics frameworks forming the principal documents. Porter’s moderately complex index of alignment was adopted for its simplicity. The computed index of 0.751 for the alignment between the RNCS assessment standards and the TIMSS assessment objectives was found to be significantly statistically low, at the alpha level of 0.05, according to Fulmer’s critical values for 20 cells and 90 or 120 standard points. The study suggests that inadequate attention has been paid to the alignment of the South African mathematics curriculum to the successive TIMSS assessment frameworks in terms of the cognitive level descriptions. The study recommends that participation in TIMSS should rigorously and critically inform ongoing curriculum reform efforts.
Architects of recovery from alcohol misuse : narrative exploration of coaching employed professionals
(Oxford Brookes University, 2020-08) Solheim, Thobias; Albertyn, Ruth M.
Recovery coaching is a lesser-recognised support service to individuals who pursue recovery from addiction. This narrative inquiry research explored the experiences of recovery coaches working with employed professionals in recovery from alcohol misuse. Findings indicate that recovery coaches work in the field of recovery, not addiction and that they were credentialed by their skills as a coach. Recovery coaching may be a useful service to professionals in recovery. Insight into perspectives of coaches regarding goals, processes, challenges and outcomes of recovery provides enhanced understanding of how coaching can facilitate employed professionals to become architects of their own recovery.
Are doctoral studies in South Africa higher education being put at risk?
(UNISA Press, 2015) Waghid, Yusef
Inasmuch as many attempts are being made in South Africa to increase the doctoral throughput rate, it appears as if the rush to produce doctoral (PhD) qualifications might just be the biggest risk that confronts the pursuit of doctoral studies. The author argues that, in the quest to accelerate the number of doctorates produced in the country, higher education institutions (HEIs), in particular administrators and – to a lesser extent – supervisors, run the risk of trivialising doctoral education: because of an over-emphasis on throughput rates alone, the purpose of the doctorate is assigned to a mere exercise of technical compliance and completion. In this article, the author offers a word of caution as to what the doctorate should not be subjected to if such a highlevel achievement is to remain an aspiration of those serious about knowledge construction, reconstruction and deconstruction.
An associated result of the Van Aubel configuration and its generalization
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2022 ) De Villiers, Michael; Curriculum Studies
This note presents some novel generalizations to similar quadrilaterals, similar parallelograms, and similar triangles of a result associated with Van Aubel’s theorem about squares constructed on the sides of a quadrilateral. These results provide problem posing opportunities for interesting, challenging explorations for talented students using dynamic geometry at high school or for university students.
’n Behoefte aan die integrering van tegnologie in die Afrikaans Huistaal-klaskamer om die ontwikkeling van 21ste-eeuse vaardighede te ondersteun : ’n gevallestudie
(LitNet, 2019-02) Taylor, Ria; Van Der Merwe, Michele F.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The global and local evolution of technology and the internet has added a new dimension to teaching and learning in the school classroom. This is an important issue because the 21st-century school learner is a digital native that brings mobile technology into the language class. This means that the teacher is confronted daily with the presence of this technology. The purpose of the article is to answer the following research question: Why should the teacher integrate technology into the Afrikaans Home Language classroom? Special attention is given to: 21st-century learner needs; the reasons why technology should be integrated; and how documents relating to classroom teaching can be used to find an angle for integration of technology. This article critically examines and evaluates the reasons why we want to integrate technology into the teaching of Afrikaans Home Language. The finding is that the Afrikaans Home Language teacher should prepare learners for the 21st century and therefore technology integration should take place in the classroom. Jan (2017:53) emphasises the importance of the teacher‘s having to realise that the skill to acquire, assimilate and apply is a key skill of the 21st century. The literacies that are important in the 21st century are briefly, according to Partnership for 21st century learning (P21 2007:2): learning and innovation skills (creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving; communication and cooperation); information, media and technological skills (information and media literacy); ICT (information, communication and technology); literacy and life and career skills (flexibility, adaptability, initiative, self-employment, social and cross-cultural skills, productivity, accountability, leadership and responsibility). 21st-century technology has changed the context of the school classroom and urges teachers to look at it with new eyes. Anderson (2002:34) supports the view and states that teaching with technology has changed the teaching and learning environment, the learner's needs and the role of the teacher in the 21st century. The reality is that language teachers are equipped with technology and use it, but do not always know how to do it within the framework of the Afrikaans Home Language curriculum. The integration of technology is a conscious action within the 21st-century classroom, which actively involves the learner and teacher and forces both to innovate on the possible applications so that meaning can be gained through the experience. Tseng (2016:44) supports the statement with his argument that a 21st-century classroom combines the physical and the digital infrastructure, thus traditional learning (face to face) with online learning. It brings the approach of mixed or blended learning to the classroom. These innovative applications of technology also involve the field of constructivism. Constructivism is a learning theory based on the idea that people are "active" acquaintances and learning is determined by the complex combination of the learner's existing knowledge (prior knowledge), the social context and the situation, problem or activity to be solved (Tam 2000:51). Knowledge acquisition is constructive because the 21st-century learner uses his own existing knowledge and through interaction in the peer group, their combined knowledge is used to solve problems (Saavedra and Opfer 2012:8). The social interaction between learners also creates the opportunity to test and refine the knowledge (Ah-Nam and Osman 2017:205). The methodology used is an interpretivist case study with a qualitative and quantitative approach where document analysis is used as an instrument. The occurrence frequency of key terms is determined and shown on a graph. The key terms used are terms related to technology, the needs of the 21st-century learner (P21 Framework for 21st century learning 2007) and Afrikaans Home Language. The prevalence of key terms is investigated within the Afrikaans Home Language curriculum and the White Paper on e-Education in South Africa. These documents are chosen because they direct the classroom curriculum and the teacher uses them when a teaching and learning program is compiled. Based on the analysis of the different documents, it is insightful that the prevalence of key literacy is related to Afrikaans Home Language and technology. This connection indicates the point of view of using technology in the Afrikaans Home Language class. The different literacy skills are therefore an important point of departure for the use of technology in the classroom, because instead of focusing only on the traditional literacies of reading, writing and speaking, language teachers may also need to focus on the literacy needs specific to the 21st century. The case study as a strategy for investigation is also relevant because the researcher involves the source (the Curriculum and Assessment Policy of Afrikaans Home Language, or CAPS) that directs teaching within the Afrikaans Home Language classroom. This insight to involve the document or source of teaching enabled the researcher to realise that documents are an important theoretical aspect related to the context of the study (Bowen 2009:28). Therefore it was decided to use document analysis as a data collection method for the case study and to include other documents relating to the case. From the document analysis it was concluded that technology can be used within the context of the language class to develop the different types of literacy required for 21st-century learners. The starting point for the development of the 21st-century learner is ICT literacy. The article links the terms of language teaching and technology integration and reveals an important gap in the way in which the integration of technology takes place within the context of the Afrikaans Home Language class. The answer to the research question: "Why should the Afrikaans Home Language teacher integrate technology?" is that technology should be integrated because it can develop 21st-century literacy skills. These skills can be developed through the integration of technology with the content of the CAPS. The results of the research can contribute to the knowledge base of Afrikaans Home Language, as technology can be used to sharpen learners‘ 21st-century literacy skills. In the light of the results of this study, the following recommendations may make a contribution to the integration of technology into the Afrikaans Home Language classroom: Firstly, it can be used as a cognitive tool to make learners literate. Secondly, productivity can be improved by using applications that allow editing, animation and information retrieval. Thirdly, it can be used as a means of communication through which learners can share ideas (discussions), work together online (collaborative learning), do group work (co-operative learning and use other communication applications). Fourthly, it can be used to do research online (information literacy) and to save information in online clouds. Fifthly, it can be used for real-world imitation, with which the learner develops visual literacy skills for the 21st century. It can also be used for game-based learning to motivate learners to learn by playing games. Tasks can be done on computer and submitted online and it is appropriate for the communicative and task-based approaches. Within the context of Afrikaans Home Language the teacher should begin with literacy (as spelled out by the CAPS) and then follow with replanning and the establishment of a new plan for technology integration with a view to developing 21st-century skills. The implication for Afrikaans Home Language is that a replanning of teaching and learning should be done to determine how the needs of the 21st-century school learner can also be addressed within the language class. Within the context of Afrikaans Home Language such a plan can offer the following possibilities: provide access to the latest resources (information skills); create new ways to collect and capture data (computer literacy); create collaboration between learners, teachers and experts globally (critical thinking and communication skills); provide an opportunity to expand, publish and demonstrate understanding through the use of multimedia (media and computer literacy); create opportunities for authentic learning and teaching, as well as appropriate assessment possibilities (communication and information skills). We can therefore deduce that technology integration involves a systematic process of planning, design, evaluation and implementation. The Afrikaans Home Language teacher must take into account the following aspects: the construction of knowledge; the accessibility of technology; the blending of the traditional and online learning environments; learner-centeredness; the appropriate tools; the different ways technology can be use in the classroom context. The use of technology will also affect Afrikaans Home Language teachers' choices of teaching strategies, because the context of the classroom has changed. The 21st-century learners‘ needs also influence the classroom context and the Afrikaans Home Language teacher should integrate technology to develop learners' literacy skills.
Die behoefte aan ’n multidimensionele benadering tot dissiplineprobleme op skool
(Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2008-12) Van Louw, Trevor; Waghid, Yusef
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie artikel beklemtoon die belangrikheid van behoorlike sosiohistoriese kontekstualisering van dissipline in skole. Die argument wat deur die skrywers ontwikkel is, is dat skole ’n spieëlbeeld is van die samelewings waarin dit voorkom en dat hierdie feit in ag geneem moet word wanneer strategieë vir die hantering van die probleem gekontekstualiseer word. In the Suid-Afrikaanse konteks vra dit vir die erkenning van die impak van eeue van onderdrukking in die koloniale en apartheidsera soos wat dit verband hou met die huidige probleme in die breër samelewing en in skole. Die argument wat deur die skrywers ontwikkel word, hou rekening met die belangrikheid van die sosiohistoriese kontekstualisering van dissiplinêre probleme in skole as ’n sosiale werklikheid en die noodsaak om probleme in die samelewing met dié in skole in verband te bring. Dit word voorts geargumenteer dat die komplekse aard van die probleem wat op hierdie wyse blootgelê word, ’n veelfasettige benadering verg waar alle rolspelers (ook dié buite die skool, op ’n geïntegreerde wyse met die skool saamwerk om gepaste strategieë te ontwikkel, implementeer, moniteer en evalueer en om dit na kritiese refl eksie aan te pas, sou die omstandighede dit vereis.
Die bevordering van woordeskat en leesbegrip by Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in graad 4-6 in Afrikaanse skole
(SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2013-09) Basson, Maylene; Le Cordeur, Michael
Results of the Annual National Assessment tests indicate that only 28% of all learners in South Africa performed at an internationallly acceptable level. The situation is compounded by Xhosa parents exercising their democratic right by enrolling their children in English or Afrikaans medium schools. The purpose of this study was to develop a literacy intervention programme to improve the vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans classes. Secondly, the study aimed to determine whether the implementation of the literacy intervention programme will lead to the improvement of the vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners. The research methods employed were a literature review supported by an empirical investigation that included pre- and post-tests with learners and interviews with educators. A mixed method research design was used. The theoretical basis of the study is Piaget’s theory of cognitive development as well as Vygotsky’s social interactive language acquisition theory. Three theories of second language acquisition were explored. They are the communicative approach, shared reading and the schema-theory. Research has been conducted at a previously disenfranchised primary school in Stellenbosch. Twenty isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grades 4 to 6 Afrikaans classes at this school took part in the study. Second language acquisition is multifaceted and draws from a number of disciplines (Eisenchlas 2009). Large numbers of learners from lower-income homes experience delays in vocabulary and reading comprehension (Pollard-Durodola, Gonzalez, Simmons, Kwok, Taylor & Davis 2011). Emotional experiences in the classroom determine how motivated learners will be to participate in the learning process. It is therefore essential that educators assist learners to develop self confidence (Linnenbrink & Pintrich 2000). The intervention program was conducted once a week for six months during the Afrikaans period. Skills prescribed in the home language curriculum were included in the intervention program. They are (i) listening and speaking and (ii) reading and viewing. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the literacy intervention programme led to the improvement of the learners’ vocabulary and reading comprehension. The interviews verified the results of the standardised tests. The study concludes that some isiXhosa speaking parents choose to enroll their children at Afrikaans medium schools, because they are of the opinion that higher standards exist in these schools. They are, however, unaware of the important role that mother tongue education plays in learner achievement. Secondly, teacher training does not equip educators with the skills of language acquisition, thus they are unable to support these learners (O’Connor & Geiger; Hooijer & Fourie 2009). The study therefore recommends that educators be equipped with skills and knowledge to deal with language diversity. A second recommendation is that the value of mother tongue education be communicated to isiXhosa speaking parents in order to convince them of the value thereof.
Beyond mere communication
(Stellenbosch University, 2000) Ridge, Elaine
This article argues that language teaching must involve the systematic development ofdiscourses which will empower learners to use language effectively in particular situations.At present many language teachers concerned with teaching English as a second language(now generally referred to as English as an additional language in South Africa) operatewithin a communicative teaching paradigm and tend to be concerned chiefly with creatingopportunities for enjoyable interaction. It is also significant that textbooks written forteachers in training and textbooks for learners within the outcomes-based approach adoptedin South Africa have been more concerned with procedures than with the development ofdiscourse. Illustrations from observed classroom practice or .from textbooks are used tosupport these observations. This article argues that teachers have a responsibility forsystematic development both of concepts (those which relate specifically to the area oflanguage, as well as those which are mediated through language) and discourses so they canbecome strategic tools. In sum, in order for learners to be empowered to use language in thecomplex ways necessary for successful participation in a variety of contexts, they need togain an understanding of what particular social contexts require and to be able to select andproduce the appropriate social languages or discourses necessary.
Biblical values and multi-religious education in primary school : problems and proposals
(Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 1996) Roux, Cornelia
This paper focuses on an apparently inherent contradiction between the concepts ‘biblical values’, ‘Christian values’ and ‘multi-religious education’ in their application to a primary school situation. Some problems related to these concepts are discussed and it is argued that the existence of different value systems in a school community necessitates a special approach in drawing up curricula and implementing them in multi-religious schools. Tentative proposals are made in this regard in order to provide perspective on a newly developing situation in South African school environments.
Black lesbian identities in South Africa : confronting a history of denial
(Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, University of the Western Cape, 2018-07) Carlse, Janine E.
Much of the existing literature on South African black lesbian identities has focussed on the prejudice and victimisation that they endure as subjects of homophobia in the form of hate speech and hate crimes, most notably brutal murders and corrective rape. However, not much has been written about the creative ways that black lesbians are fighting against these injustices that are built upon the historical erasure and denial of their very existence in Africa. By outlining three ‘denials’ of African female same-sex intimacy namely: the imperial denial and subsequent apartheid policing of same-sex intimacy, the denial of female same-sex intimacy through proclaiming it as un-African, and the conceptual denial through the lens of Euro-American feminist lesbian discourse; this article aims to show how black lesbians in South Africa are finding ways to confront these denials. In particular, some aspects of lives and work of selfidentified lesbian activist photographer Zanele Muholi and lesbian sangoma Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde will be analysed. Muholi and Nkabinde work hard to locate themselves within the public sphere, and engage in projects that aim to educate and build black lesbian communities, in an effort to encourage open dialogue of what it means to be an African lesbian. It can be argued that the voices of South African black lesbians are not only becoming more audible but also more nuanced, where imported notions of sexual identity are being questioned and adapted to their lived realities. Ultimately, this article aims to show how Muholi and Nkabinde provide examples of how reimaginings and negotiations of lesbian identities in (South) Africa are at once complex and essential, and this echoes Msibi’s (2014) call for “greater voices from Africa in theorising sexuality – a terrain long ignored in African scholarship.”
The blame game : mechanistic conceptions of teacher education and its impact on schooling
(HESA, 2015) Isaacs, Tracey.; Waghid, Yusef
With all the policy directives and reform initiatives post-democracy, education in South Africa is seemingly mechanistic and prodigiously carries productive logic: to produce students, to advance economic development, and so on. The active language of official educational policies is riddled with words such as assessment, efficient, high skills and progression that speaks to a technical rationality bent on turning everything into science to obscure the general meaning. In this way the process of education is comparable to a sophisticated, intellectual machine the more complex the machine becomes, the less control and understanding the teachers have of it (Braverman, 1974). In this article, we consider the ways classroom and university teachers have been brutalized through bureaucratic processes and an allegiance to technical rationality, even while we imagine hermeneutic rationality and emancipatory rationality as radical alternatives to recovering the subject in a bureaucratic tangle of educational control.
Can MOOCs contribute towards enhancing disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education
(HESA, 2017) Waghid, Y.; Waghid, F.
In this article, we argue that MOOCs (massive open online courses) have the potential to enhance disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education, especially in relation to a philosophy of African education. In the first part of the article, we expound on MOOCs as an initiative in higher education that grew out of a concern to advance access to higher education. Paradoxically, we show that MOOCs might not strictly advance equal access and inclusion but have the potential to cultivate student capacities of a critically transformative kind, more specifically, rhizomatic thinking, criticism and recognition of others. In the second part of the article, we show, in reference to an emerging MOOC, how an African philosophy of education should be considered as apposite to advance disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education.
Can postpositivist research in environmental education engender ethical notions within higher education?
(Higher Education South Africa, 2001) Waghid, Y.; Le Grange, L. L. L.
In this article we contend that postpositivist research in environmental education can contribute towards promoting ethical activity within higher education. We argue that postpositivist inquiry breaks with utilitarian and uncritical assumptions about research in environmental education and also creates unconfined spaces for ethical notions such as truth-telling and sincerity, freedom of thought, clarity of meaning, non-arbitrariness, a sense of relevance and respect for people and evidence. Drawing on recent case study research in environmental education involving higher education institutions, we show that ethical notions of postpositivist research can engender self-determination, trust and respectful collaboration among diverse people.

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