A critical exploration into curriculum transformation at a South African university

Abstract

Curriculum transformation is often seen as a complex and grappling process in the South African and global Higher Education landscape. Transformation often has nuances of political, social, historical, or cultural connections and marginalisation. The various interpretations and understandings of transformation continue to mystify the curriculum transformation agenda. The notion of curriculum is also seldom neutral or nor easily defined. The purpose of this study was to critically explore the nature of curriculum transformation at the NWU (used as a case study site). I wanted to determine the current status of curriculum transformation at the NWU; the key elements for curriculum transformation and development; how lecturers’ perspectives and experiences can contribute to curriculum transformation to inform future practices; how curriculum transformation informs future practices for curriculum making and curriculum renewal; how self-directed learning is promoted in the curriculum; and the affordances and tensions highlighted when using CHAT as a research lens to study curriculum transformation at the NWU. The theoretical framework for the study is social constructivism, as embedded in the work of Vygotsky (1978). I explicitly draw on his construct of the “zone of proximal development” (ZPD) and how student learning can be scaffolded. Vygotsky (1978) argues that curriculum can assist or enhance student learning across the ZPD – from their actual to their potential development. The curriculum often has hidden, and unintentional connections embedded into the context and delivery of the teaching, learning and assessment. Using CHAT and the ZPD it allowed me to unpack the complex and often loaded notion of curriculum transformation in the various layers of macro, meso, micro and nano curriculum. The ZPD also assisted me to look at the actual curriculum and consider the potential of curriculum transformation. This study is complex in nature, and to unpack the steps, processes, and methodologies used, I did not conform to the traditional structure of a doctoral thesis. I used a mixed-method design in my study. An explanatory sequential design process with various elements and steps was used. For the sequential steps and processes to be understood, it is necessary to break away from the traditional mould to ensure clarity and clear communication. The structure of my chapters includes the research and methodology chapter as my second chapter. It is important first to prime readers with an introduction to CHAT (chapter 3), then the literature review where CHAT was used followed (chapter 4), and the following data analysis chapter where CHAT, which is not normally used when conducting literature reviews and data analysis, was the primary research lens to analyse data (chapter 5). My study concludes with chapter 6 with a summary of the findings, conclusion, and recommendations of my study. For the quantitative methodology, I used survey research and in the qualitative methodology, I used a case study. Mixed methods research allowed me to look at reality and the relationships between elements of the curriculum. Pre-structured information from the research question, conceptual framework, and design was measured and used. The research sample used in the quantitative part was larger and helped me to understand statistical trends. The quantitative sample considered the impact, critical elements of curriculum transformation, experiences, and perceptions of a larger group of respondents. Data from the literature, the questionnaire research and case study methodology were triangulated through CHAT to answer the main research question. Qualitatively, I used a case study design and looked at the lived experiences, the context, and processes of the participants to investigate the status of curriculum transformation in lecturers' practices at the NWU. The qualitative sample was smaller than the quantitative sample to obtain an in-depth, holistic understanding of the data. The main sample of the study consisted of academic staff members from three of the eight faculties of the NWU in the faculties of Economic and Management Sciences, Education, and J. Slabbert-Redpath PhD 2022 vii Law. The study was approached from a pragmatic worldview, and I took a social constructivist approach to the theoretical framework, in line with the work of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). I made use of cluster sampling in the quantitative sample and pre-determined criteria to select the participants. The quantitative data collection methods used were web-based questionnaires via GoogleForms and the qualitative data collection methods utilised were individual semi-structured interviews, guided reflections, and teaching and learning documents. The sample for the qualitative interviews was purposefully selected participants based on questionnaire responses. The quantitative data analysis strategy survey research where I used descriptive and inferential statistics. The inferential statistics include factor analysis, factors conceptualised as elements of activity theory with descriptive statistics of micro-level activity system elements of curriculum transformation and faculties and per campus. The qualitative data analysis strategy content analysis. I made use of verbatim transcripts of the interviews. I used Atlas.ti to code, group, and cluster the data. The data were pulled into networks and were written up for interpretation. The qualitative data were discussed on the various levels of the curriculum as unpacked by Rogoff on the institutional and personal plane. The chapter concludes by juxtaposing the institutional and personal plane by means of CHAT lenses. The literature review was conducted after the quantitative data collection and was the second set of data collected to answer the research questions. The HE landscapes deal with various role-players at different levels of HEIs on the national level in the international arena when considering curriculum transformation. Curriculum development at all these levels is guided by policy documents, frameworks, and guiding documents. The literature review was based on the scholarly work of Rogoff (1995a, 1995b). Rogoff (1995b) refers to the three planes of sociocultural analysis used in CHAT, which was used as the departure point for the literature review. To contextualise the work of Rogoff (1995a, 1995b), in this study, the discussion was divided into the institutional plane, the personal plane, and the interpersonal plane. The literature for the institutional plane was contextualised in terms of the three levels of curriculum development in HEIs. The departure point for the literature review (and document analysis) in this study was the institutional plane with the macro curriculum where I analysed international and national literature. The second part of the literature review, still on the institutional plane, analysed the immediate NWU environment (and the case study environment used in the study and links to the meso curriculum). The final part of the literature analysis concludes with the personal plane linking to the micro and nano curriculum. The finding of the study can be summarised according to the research questions directing the study. It is evident from the study that a curriculum transformation framework is needed at the NWU to drive curriculum transformation. The notion of the curriculum is complex and layered at various levels of the curriculum. Digital transformation can aid and contribute to curriculum transformation. Curriculum transformation at the NWU follows a top-down approach. Policies and frameworks are needed to drive curriculum transformation. The NWU has IPE/EPE cycles in place. However, shorter cycles are needed to measure the impact and progress of curriculum transformation efforts. Faculties make use of their FITLP to communicate short to long-term faculty curriculum planning. More frequent measurements and reporting are needed to align curriculum planning with curriculum transformation goals. Annual submissions of the FITLP’s containing curriculum planning for short-long term goals should be considered linked to the size and the shape of the NWU PQM. The NWU have strong support department structures in place with sufficient expertise to drive curriculum transformation at the institution. However, curriculum transformation is not measured effectively and can be improved upon. The key elements for curriculum transformation are linked to CPD aimed at curriculum transformation should embed knowledge discourses and pedagogy in the TLA practices of the NWU. A strong focus on the decontextualisation of the curriculum should be highlighted with the lecturer’s role as a key change agent magnified. The lecturer’s role as a change agent informs the level of curriculum transformation and as an SDL agent. Incentives for curriculum J. Slabbert-Redpath PhD 2022 viii transformation efforts and dedicated time on task agreements of lecturers should be considered. As well as investment in CPD opportunities focussed on curriculum transformation and pedagogy. The SOCP (as part of SoTL) can open more praxis-based opportunities for the NWU to contribute to curriculum transformation research and communities of practice. Self-directed learning can be promoted in the curriculum by embedding authentic and transformative learning with continuous assessment strategies. Digital transformation can also assist with the transformation of the curriculum. Learning-centred curriculum (ZPD and constructivism approaches) PBL, BL and IKS can be infused into TLA strategies and pedagogy. Student inputs (voices) and choices should be included in the curriculum. Ethics of care forms part of SDL in the curriculum and should become part of the values of the NWU. When CHAT is used as a research lens in the study, the affordances and tensions highlight the complexities of the curriculum which is often misunderstood because not all the dimensions (planes/levels) are considered in the process of curriculum transformation. Curriculum responsiveness is layered in multiple level of the institutional and personal plane. The level of the curriculum highlights the context of responsiveness in the curriculum. The curriculum transformation framework (CTF) serves as the reporting instrument of the finding of my study and elucidates on my contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of curriculum practices and curriculum transformation. The CTF consist of the institutional plane and personal plane. The institutional plane consists of the macro curriculum (International and national landscape) and meso curriculum (NWU as HEI). The personal plane exists out of the micro-curriculum and nano-curriculum. This study contributes to new knowledge by informing the NWU and the unit in which I work, Q&APP to address curriculum transformation as well as the lecturers I support on micro, meso, and macro levels of curriculum development and renewal. The study will aid the NWU, to align with the national transformation agenda and targets of higher education (HE) in South Africa. My epistemological contribution entails scholarship on curriculum transformation and the epistemological considerations underpinning HE in contemporary Africa. My methodological contribution includes the use of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), which provided a unique perspective on the data collected and highlighted the tensions between the intended and realised curriculum. I made use of CHAT to analyse theory and data. The use of the theory as a methodology is a methodological contribution and is not conventional in studies. The practical contribution of the study is that it will assist in curriculum transformation at the NWU and contribute to the knowledge society of curriculum transformation literature and lived experiences in the HE landscape.