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This chapter is from the following publication: 'Student Retention and Graduate Destination: Higher Education and Labour Market Access and Success' by Moeketsi Letseka, Michael Cosser, Mignonne Breier, Mariette Visser (eds). Published in... more
This chapter is from the following publication: 'Student Retention and Graduate Destination: Higher Education and Labour Market Access and Success' by Moeketsi Letseka, Michael Cosser, Mignonne Breier, Mariette Visser (eds). Published in 2009 by HSRC Press.
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Post-apartheid criticism of the South African education system usually emphasises the legacy of under funding and poor quality of education for black people and the difficulties of overcoming decades of 'neglect and dysfunction'(Adler... more
Post-apartheid criticism of the South African education system usually emphasises the legacy of under funding and poor quality of education for black people and the difficulties of overcoming decades of 'neglect and dysfunction'(Adler 2002). Inadequate teacher education produced teachers with 'poor conceptual knowledge of the subjects they are teaching'(Taylor & Vinjevold 1999: 230), inappropriate teaching methods, and low levels of 'English linguistic competence'(Taylor & Vinjevold 1999: 234).
Bernstein has said that the recontextualization of segments of horizontal discourse in the content of school subjects does not necessarily lead to more effective acquisition and is usually confined to 'less able'students, reducing... more
Bernstein has said that the recontextualization of segments of horizontal discourse in the content of school subjects does not necessarily lead to more effective acquisition and is usually confined to 'less able'students, reducing vertical discourses to 'a set of strategies' to improve functioning in the everyday world of work and home (1999: 169). His own writings contain relatively few 'examples' and are often seen by students as abstract, theoretical and 'difficult'to read.
International research on student retention in higher education presents a wide range of reasons why students leave prematurely and argues that usually students are affected by a combination of factors rather than one factor alone. Tinto,... more
International research on student retention in higher education presents a wide range of reasons why students leave prematurely and argues that usually students are affected by a combination of factors rather than one factor alone. Tinto, whose writings on student dropout since the 1970s have acquired paradigmatic status (Braxton et al. 2004), presents an explanation of student dropout that focuses on the concept of student integration.
With a Gini coefficient of 0.72 (Stats SA 2008), South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world. 9 This inequality continues to reflect the patterns of disadvantage under apartheid, with Africans, in general, continuing to... more
With a Gini coefficient of 0.72 (Stats SA 2008), South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world. 9 This inequality continues to reflect the patterns of disadvantage under apartheid, with Africans, in general, continuing to be the poorest in the country, followed closely by coloureds.
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A thorough understanding of medical education and careers available in South Africa is offered in this illuminating review. Two key case studies—one exploring the University of Cape Town's medical school, the other looking at the Walter... more
A thorough understanding of medical education and careers available in South Africa is offered in this illuminating review. Two key case studies—one exploring the University of Cape Town's medical school, the other looking at the Walter Sisulu University Medical School—provide insight into the changing curriculum, which emphasizes problem-based learning and the government's primary healthcare focus. The significant increase in female students and their possible emigration after graduation are also discussed.
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Post-apartheid criticism of the South African education system usually emphasises the legacy of under funding and poor quality of education for black people and the difficulties of overcoming decades of 'neglect and... more
Post-apartheid criticism of the South African education system usually emphasises the legacy of under funding and poor quality of education for black people and the difficulties of overcoming decades of 'neglect and dysfunction'(Adler 2002). Inadequate teacher education produced teachers with 'poor conceptual knowledge of the subjects they are teaching'(Taylor & Vinjevold 1999: 230), inappropriate teaching methods, and low levels of 'English linguistic competence'(Taylor & Vinjevold 1999: 234). The poor performance of ...
182 Recognising phronesis, or practical wisdom, in the recognition of prior learning Mignonne Breier Introduction In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle presents the concept of phronesis (often translated as 'practical wisdom')... more
182 Recognising phronesis, or practical wisdom, in the recognition of prior learning Mignonne Breier Introduction In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle presents the concept of phronesis (often translated as 'practical wisdom') and juxtaposes it against scientific and craft knowledge. He says it is acquired with experience and makes one wise as well as informed: [T] hough the young become proficient in geometry and mathematics, and wise in matters like these, they do not seem to become practically wise. The reason is that practical wisdom is concerned also with ...
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International research on student retention in higher education presents a wide range of reasons why students leave prematurely and argues that usually students are affected by a combination of factors rather than one factor alone. Tinto,... more
International research on student retention in higher education presents a wide range of reasons why students leave prematurely and argues that usually students are affected by a combination of factors rather than one factor alone. Tinto, whose writings on student dropout since the 1970s have acquired paradigmatic status (Braxton et al. 2004), presents an explanation of student dropout that focuses on the concept of student integration. Yorke (1999: 9) has presented the gist of the argument:… a student enters higher education with ...
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This paper presents an analytic framework whereby the relationship between formal and informal knowledge can be viewed in a pedagogic context. The framework is the result of a dialectical conversation between the theories of Bernstein and... more
This paper presents an analytic framework whereby the relationship between formal and informal knowledge can be viewed in a pedagogic context. The framework is the result of a dialectical conversation between the theories of Bernstein and Dowling, primarily, and the empirical data from case studies of two university courses in Labour Law. A major feature of the framework is a systemic network, showing the relationships between pedagogic strategies associated with the particular, the local and the concrete and those ...
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This thesis explores the epistemological complexities associated with the long-standing principle in adult education that the experience of the adult student should be valued, taken account of and built upon in the pedagogic process, to... more
This thesis explores the epistemological complexities associated with the long-standing principle in adult education that the experience of the adult student should be valued, taken account of and built upon in the pedagogic process, to the extent that it can even be 'recognized' for purposes of access or credit. It asks how prior experience is recruited and recognized in a higher education context where commitment to the adult student is espoused but the curriculum is non-negotiable. Multiple research methods are used to pursue this question in two courses in Labour Law at separate universities. One, a certificate course, had admitted students with Grade 10 or less. The other, a post-graduate diploma, had admitted students without degrees. The thesis opens with a discussion of the ways in which formal and informal knowledge have been constructed in various theories of knowledge and thought, as well as in discourses on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Thereafter, dra...
Academics without PhDs are common in developing countries and among lecturers from marginalised communities, yet the literature on doctoral education largely ignores them. This qualitative study aimed to address that gap by interviewing... more
Academics without PhDs are common in developing countries and among lecturers from marginalised communities, yet the literature on doctoral education largely ignores them. This qualitative study aimed to address that gap by interviewing academics without PhDs in South Africa and Australia. Their narratives of betwixt and betweenness contribute to theories of liminality as well as doctoral education. Liminality is traditionally conceptualised as a linear, vertical process with clear rites of passage. However, in our study the interviewees were not only facing a vertical trajectory between non-PhD and post-PhD status but also a lateral trajectory between staff and student identity. The research confirms the importance of
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This book details the findings of a research project investigating the social uses of literacy in a range of contexts in South Africa. This approach treats literacy not simply as a set of technical skills learnt in formal education, but... more
This book details the findings of a research project investigating the social uses of literacy in a range of contexts in South Africa. This approach treats literacy not simply as a set of technical skills learnt in formal education, but as social practices embedded in specific contexts, discourses and positions. What this means is made clear through a series of fine-grained accounts of social uses and meanings of literacy in contexts ranging from the taxi industry in Cape Town, to family farms, urban settlements and displacement sites, rural ...
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'Recognition of Prior Learning'(RPL) is usually associated with assessment processes prior to entry into an educational programme. This paper considers the recognition of prior learning in post-entry pedagogy (referred to here... more
'Recognition of Prior Learning'(RPL) is usually associated with assessment processes prior to entry into an educational programme. This paper considers the recognition of prior learning in post-entry pedagogy (referred to here as 'rpl'lower case). The focus is on informal learning or experience in courses in Labour Law at two universities in South Africa. Transcripts of interactions between lecturers and students are viewed in the light of three common perspectives on RPL and then in terms of a proposed new disciplinary-specific ...
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'Recognition of Prior Learning'(RPL) is usually associated with assessment processes prior to entry into an educational programme. This paper considers the recognition of prior learning in post-entry pedagogy (referred to here... more
'Recognition of Prior Learning'(RPL) is usually associated with assessment processes prior to entry into an educational programme. This paper considers the recognition of prior learning in post-entry pedagogy (referred to here as 'rpl'lower case). The focus is on informal learning or experience in courses in Labour Law at two universities in South Africa. Transcripts of interactions between lecturers and students are viewed in the light of three common perspectives on RPL and then in terms of a proposed new disciplinary-specific ...
Research Interests:
83 6 Student poverty in higher education: The impact of higher education dropout on poverty Moeketsi Letseka and Mignonne Breier Data on higher education (HE) trends in South Africa indicate that 50% of students enrolled in higher... more
83 6 Student poverty in higher education: The impact of higher education dropout on poverty Moeketsi Letseka and Mignonne Breier Data on higher education (HE) trends in South Africa indicate that 50% of students enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) drop out in ...
Livre: Social uses of literacy (Studies in written language and literacy/4) PRINSLOO MASTIN, BREIER Mignonne.
Student attrition has been a perennial theme in South African higher education throughout the past decade. In its National Plan for Higher Education (2001), the Department of Education attributed high dropout rates primarily to financial... more
Student attrition has been a perennial theme in South African higher education throughout the past decade. In its National Plan for Higher Education (2001), the Department of Education attributed high dropout rates primarily to financial and/or academic exclusions. Four years later, it reported that 30 per cent of students dropped out in their first year of study and a further 20 per cent during their second and third years. This book contains seven chapters commissioned by the principal investigator of the Student Retention and ...
Abstract: This report documents the findings of a questionnaire survey of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policies and practices at universities and technikons in South Africa in the first half of 2003 and compares them with a similar... more
Abstract: This report documents the findings of a questionnaire survey of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policies and practices at universities and technikons in South Africa in the first half of 2003 and compares them with a similar study in 2000. It also discusses the nature of the current policies and practices in the light of international categorizations of the perspectives and models of RPL. The research is the first part of a longer term project designed to develop a conceptual map of RPL policies and practices in education. The ...
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Abstract: This article presents a model that has the potential to frame research and analysis across a range of different professional contexts. Professions and their professional education programmes are seen in relation to national and... more
Abstract: This article presents a model that has the potential to frame research and analysis across a range of different professional contexts. Professions and their professional education programmes are seen in relation to national and international professional labour markets and the multiple socio-economic, political and discursive conditions that constitute professional milieu. Viewed in this way, the profession and education of medical practitioners poses a number of challenges that also have relevance for other professions. ...
Many of the hopes and aspirations of South Africa's new democracy depend upon the production of professionals who not only have globally competitive knowledge and skills but also want to stay and work in the country and contribute to... more
Many of the hopes and aspirations of South Africa's new democracy depend upon the production of professionals who not only have globally competitive knowledge and skills but also want to stay and work in the country and contribute to the national development effort and social transformation. This quest has particular significance in the nursing profession, which has lost many thousands of nurses to developed countries that are already better supplied with health professionals than South Africa. In this country, nurses are struggling ...
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There is an ongoing conundrum in professional education in the developing world that goes like this: how do you produce professionals with globally competitive knowledge and skills who are willing to stay and work in the (probably... more
There is an ongoing conundrum in professional education in the developing world that goes like this: how do you produce professionals with globally competitive knowledge and skills who are willing to stay and work in the (probably uncomfortable) developing context?
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Jonah is a 12-year-old who has never been to school but who has become aware of the value of learning. He has some street learning. How will he benefit from the National Qualifications Framework? When Jonah returns to school he will be... more
Jonah is a 12-year-old who has never been to school but who has become aware of the value of learning. He has some street learning. How will he benefit from the National Qualifications Framework? When Jonah returns to school he will be assessed against the standards and his prior learning will be determined and used to place him at an appropriate level (HSRC 1995: 24).
Abstract: This report documents the findings of a questionnaire survey of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policies and practices at universities and technikons in South Africa in the first half of 2003 and compares them with a similar... more
Abstract: This report documents the findings of a questionnaire survey of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policies and practices at universities and technikons in South Africa in the first half of 2003 and compares them with a similar study in 2000. It also discusses the nature of the current policies and practices in the light of international categorizations of the perspectives and models of RPL. The research is the first part of a longer term project designed to develop a conceptual map of RPL policies and practices in education. The ...
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Abstract: The recognition of prior learning is an important principle of current education policy in South Africa and a number of higher education institutions are introducing policies and procedures to implement it. Most of these provide... more
Abstract: The recognition of prior learning is an important principle of current education policy in South Africa and a number of higher education institutions are introducing policies and procedures to implement it. Most of these provide for RPL for access rather than for credits or qualifications. The concern is with pre-entry testing and preparation but little attention is paid to the recognition of prior learning, in the full senses of these words, post-entry. Yet this is an important consideration if the expectations of access with success, ...
Data on higher education (HE) trends in South Africa indicate that 50% of students enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) drop out in their first three years, with about 30% dropping out in their first year (see Table 6.3). 1... more
Data on higher education (HE) trends in South Africa indicate that 50% of students enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) drop out in their first three years, with about 30% dropping out in their first year (see Table 6.3). 1 This is despite the fact that some of these students will have passed their Senior Certificate with endorsement, merit or distinction. Many students also come from poverty-stricken families and are indebted to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other education funding agencies which ...
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The killing and cannibalizing of Irish nun, Sister Aidan Quinlan, in the South African township of Duncan Village, East London, at the height of the African National Congress’ 1952 Defiance Campaign, is an event that has long been... more
The killing and cannibalizing of Irish nun, Sister Aidan Quinlan, in the South African township of Duncan Village, East London, at the height of the African National Congress’ 1952 Defiance Campaign, is an event that has long been difficult in the telling and largely downplayed in the historiography of that period. Reasons include sensitivities around the topic of cannibalism, reluctance to obscure the deaths of scores of other people that day (nine officially, more than 200 estimated, most of them shot by police) and fear of sullying the histories of the liberation struggle and perpetuating racist stereotypes. But recent anniversaries have revived narratives of her death and invited considerations of what it means for South Africa today and the purpose and implications of a retrospection that disrupts the heroic narratives of the ANC. This article seeks to continue and extend that trajectory by providing an account of events that led to her death, considering the way in which her death has been recorded in histories of that period and remembered in recent anniversaries, and suggesting a mode of analysis that shifts the focus away from the men associated with her death to a study of the women involved and the intersection of femininities with religious and cultural practices.
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This article argues that greater understanding of the Aristotelian concept of phronesis or practical wisdom would make an important contribution to the conceptualization and implementation of Recognition (Assessment) of Prior Learning... more
This article argues that greater understanding of the Aristotelian concept of phronesis or practical wisdom would make an important contribution to the conceptualization and implementation of Recognition (Assessment) of Prior Learning (RPL/APL) in formal education contexts. However, there is a need to identify phronesis empirically so that RPL assessors can identify it and RPL candidates can articulate it. Extracts from the qualitative data of two separate research projects are presented to show examples of phronesis. These extracts also show the difficulties associated with its articulation and identification. It is argued that even if phronesis cannot be accredited for RPL purposes, it should be taught and discussed in the curricula of adult education and RPL portfolio development courses to show the importance of this form of knowledge and reasoning and the different forms it might assume in formal education and life contexts.
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Academics without PhDs are common in developing countries and among lecturers from marginalised communities, yet the literature on doctoral education largely ignores them. This qualitative study aimed to address that gap by interviewing... more
Academics without PhDs are common in developing countries and among lecturers from marginalised communities, yet the literature on doctoral education largely ignores them. This qualitative study aimed to address that gap by interviewing academics without PhDs in South Africa and Australia. Their narratives of betwixt and betweenness contribute to theories of liminality as well as doctoral education. Liminality is traditionally conceptualised as a linear, vertical process with clear rites of passage. However, in our study the interviewees were not only facing a vertical trajectory between non-PhD and post-PhD status but also a lateral trajectory between staff and student identity. The research confirms the importance of
Research Interests:
South African universities need more academics with PhDs, from historically disadvantaged population groups in particular, but they face a conundrum. In order to have more staff with PhDs, they need to produce more PhD graduates. But in... more
South African universities need more academics with PhDs, from historically disadvantaged population groups in particular, but they face a conundrum. In order to have more staff with PhDs, they need to produce more PhD graduates. But in order to produce more PhD graduates, they need more staff with PhDs to supervise. This paper explores this conundrum by comparing academic qualifications with national policies and targets, by developing a quantitative profile of staff without PhDs and describing government and institutional measures to improve academic qualifications. An Institution’s supervisory capacity is found to be closely related to institutional history. Four main factors are identified: (1) whether the institution was originally established as a traditional university or as a technikon; 2) whether it was advantaged or disadvantaged under apartheid, which was closely related to the racial group for which it was established; (3) whether it was merged or not post 2004; and if so, (4) with what type of institution it was merged.
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Background. Since 1994, higher education policy has been committed to equity of access for all, irrespective of race and gender. Objectives. We investigated progress towards these goals in the education of medical doctors, with an... more
Background. Since 1994, higher education policy has been committed to equity of access for all, irrespective of race and gender. Objectives. We investigated progress towards these goals in the education of medical doctors, with an emphasis on gender. Methods. Databases from the Department of Education (DoE), Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and University of Cape Town (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences
182 Recognising phronesis, or practical wisdom, in the recognition of prior learning Mignonne Breier Introduction In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle presents the concept of phronesis (often translated as 'practical wisdom') and... more
182 Recognising phronesis, or practical wisdom, in the recognition of prior learning Mignonne Breier Introduction In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle presents the concept of phronesis (often translated as 'practical wisdom') and juxtaposes it against scientific and craft knowledge. He says it is acquired with experience and makes one wise as well as informed: [T] hough the young become proficient in geometry and mathematics, and wise in matters like these, they do not seem to become practically wise.
Abstract This paper presents an analytic framework whereby the relationship between formal and informal knowledge can be viewed in a pedagogic context. The framework is the result of a dialectical conversation between the theories of... more
Abstract This paper presents an analytic framework whereby the relationship between formal and informal knowledge can be viewed in a pedagogic context. The framework is the result of a dialectical conversation between the theories of Bernstein and Dowling, primarily, and the empirical data from case studies of two university courses in Labour Law.