Abstract
Curriculum development at universities of technology (UoTs) in South Africa required large-scale development of new qualifications such as the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip). This study foregrounds the kinds of challenges encountered in developing postgraduate diplomas that would respond appropriately to the knowledge, digital, and technological demands of the future. The need for relevant, responsive curricula that align with rapidly changing business environments had to be navigated within academic and professional conventions. In addition, the importance of what and whose knowledge counts as privileged knowledge remains fertile ground for contestation, especially in a society where many students often feel marginalised from current knowledge domains. Five postgraduate diplomas were purposively selected for this study. Data generation using interviews with lecturers tasked with curriculum development provided insights into their perceptions of knowledge production, reconstruction, and recontextualization. Applying content analysis to data presented main themes, while Bernstein’s pedagogic device provided a lens for a second level of data analysis. The literature that formed the backdrop to this study was drawn from curriculum theories and approaches that informed curriculum development at this institution. The findings show that the brief of developing responsive curricula is more than to prepare students for employability and workspaces. It is equally important for students to draw on a decolonised curriculum to craft their identity within new spaces and new knowledge structures. The plurality of knowledges in the intended curriculum is key to providing students with a holistic learning experience and to entrench critical thinking for the good of society.
Presenters
Desiree ScholtzTeaching and Learning Co-ordinator, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Western Cape, South Africa
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
HIGHER EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURES, DECOLONISATION, POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMAS
