Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South …

1 Council on Higher EducationLearning to Teach in Higher Education in South AfricaAn investigation into the influences of institutional context on the professional Learning of academics in their roles as teachersA collaboration between eighteen researchers across eight universitiesHigher Education Monitor 14 Council on Higher EducationLearning to Teach in Higher Education in South AfricaAn investigation into the influences of institutional context on the professional Learning of academics in their roles as teachersA collaboration between eighteen researchers across eight universitiesAuthor InstitutionBrenda LeibowitzUniversity of JohannesburgVivienne BozalekUniversity of the Western CapeJames GarrawayCape Peninsula University of TechnologyNicoline HermanStellenbosch UniversityJeff JawitzUniversity of Cape TownPatricia MuhuroUniversity of Fort HareClever NdebeleNorth-West UniversityLynn QuinnRhodes UniversitySusan van SchalkwykStellenbosch UniversityJo-Anne VorsterRhodes UniversityChris WinbergCape Peninsula University of Technology2 | Monitor 14 | Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South africa The South African Council on Higher Education (CHE)

2 Is an independent statutory body responsible for advising the Minister of Higher Education and Training on all Higher Education policy issues, and for quality assurance in Higher Education and training. Higher Education Monitor 14 Published by the CHE in 20171 Quintin Brand StreetPO Box 94 Persequor TechnoparkBrummeriaPretoria0020 South AfricaTel: +27 12 349 3840 Website: 978 0 9947111 0 6 Date of publication: March 2017 Material from this publication may not be reproduced without the CHE s permission. CHEF unding of the project was provided by the NRF. Monitor 14 | Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South africa | 3 Acronyms4 Glossary5 Biographical notes6 List of figures and tables8 Acknowledgements9 Preface11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY131.

3 INTRODUCTION17 and problem statement17 and objectives192. NATIONAL CONTEXT21 documents and implications21 and professional organisations243. LOCATING THE STUDY IN THE LITERATURE27 and informal professional Learning opportunities27 underpinning the provision of professional academic development29 South African context31 social realist account of context and change32 research334. RESEARCH DESIGN355. FINDINGS AT THE MACRO LEVEL396. FINDINGS AT MESO AND MICRO LEVEL45 for professional Learning and lecturer agency457. FINDINGS ON COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH638.

4 DISCUSSION67 learning67 context from a social realist perspective69 research70 and limitations of the research design719. RECOMMENDATIONS73 relating to professional learning73 relating to research methodology7910. CONCLUSION81 REFERENCES83 Appendix One95 Appendix Two99 Appendix Three107 Appendix Four111 Appendix Five117 Contents4 | Monitor 14 | Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South africa ADAcademic DevelopmentCHEC ouncil on Higher EducationDoEDepartment of Education DVCD eputy Vice-ChancellorDHETD epartment of Higher Education and TrainingHAUs Historically Advantaged Universities HDUsHistorically Disadvantaged UniversitiesHEHigher EducationHELTASAH igher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern AfricaHESAH igher Education South AfricaICTsInformation and Communication

5 TechnologiesNRFN ational Research FoundationPG Dip (HE) (T&L)Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (Teaching & Learning )SESS ocio-economic statusSOTLS cholarship of Teaching and LearningTDGT eaching Development GrantUSAfUniversities South AfricaUoTUniversity of TechnologyVCVice-ChancellorACRONYMS Monitor 14 | Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South africa | 5 This glossary provides definitions of phrases as they are used in this development all aspects of support for Higher Education Learning and teaching, including professional Learning and student learningAgency the power of individuals or groups to change their practices, conditions or contextsCulture the norms.

6 Values and ideas that reside within a specific contextFormal Learning professional Learning that takes place through organised workshops and programmes, lunch hour seminars, teaching conferences, short courses and qualificationsInformal Learning Learning that happens through day-to-day interactions with colleagues and peers in their work contexts. Lecturers also learn by doing, continued practice and context the university context that is influenced by systemic and macro forces, and that, in turn, influences the working conditions of academicsLearning to Teach , professional development and professional Learning all refer to lecturers Learning to Teach in formal or informal settingsStructure the social arrangements, power relations and resources available in any contextTeaching engagement with learners to enable their understanding and application of knowledge, concepts and processes, including design, content selection.

7 Delivery, assessment and reflectionTeaching and Learning Centres a catch-all phrase to denote units responsible for supporting teaching and Learning enhancement, including professional Learning Glossary6 | Monitor 14 | Learning to Teach in Higher Education in South africa Vivienne Bozalek is a Professor and Director of Teaching and Learning at the University of the Western Cape. She has engaged with professional development of academic staff both at an institutional and cross-institutional level. She has led and been involved with several collaborative research projects on innovative and socially just pedagogical practices and participatory methodologies in Higher Education .

8 James Garraway is an Associate Professor and Acting Director of the Centre for Higher Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He is involved with formal and informal staff development initiatives for the Western Cape region, as well as within the university itself, with a particular focus on transitions, which is also his Research and Development Herman is the Deputy Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Stellenbosch University. She is responsible for the institutional professional Learning programme for newly appointed academics. As a student on this project, she completed her PhD studies with her dissertation entitled, The role of context in decision making about professional Learning by lecturers at a research-intensive Jawitz is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching at the University of Cape Town.

9 He has played a central role in the development of a programme for new academics, as well as in establishing the PG Dip and Masters programme in Higher Education Studies at UCT. Brenda Leibowitz holds a Chair in Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg. She researches and manages several projects at the national level and at the University on teaching and Learning , professional Learning , the scholarship of teaching and Learning , and social justice. Patricia Muhuro is a Senior Academic Developer in the Teaching and Learning Centre at the University of Fort Hare.

10 She teaches as well as coordinates the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education and Training programme. Her research interests centre on academic professional Learning and student retention programmes, particularly those that use technology to enhance teaching and Ndebele is an Associate Professor in the Education Faculty at North-West University. His research interests are in academic professional development and student success. He has previously worked in the field of academic professional development at the Universities of Venda and Fort Hare. Lynn Quinn is Associate Professor and Head of Department of the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning at Rhodes University.