The role of emerging educational technology in the transformation of educational programmes and structures at a South African university: The case ...
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Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
The role of emerging educational technology in the
transformation of educational programmes and
structures at a South African university: The case of
STEPS at the Central University of Technology
Subtitle as needed (paper subtitle)
[Patient Rambe, PhD., Rolline Ndjike and Dennis Yao Dzansi, PhD.]
Abstract—To deal with demand-response imbalance – the
growing pressure to bear upon universities from their external
environment vis-à-vis their capacity to respond sufficiently to
I. Introduction
those pressures while they remain in their productive form, the A familiar trope in the South African Higher Education
Central University of Technology in South Africa implemented (SAHE) discourse is the detailed narratives of the mounting
the Strategic Transformation of Educational Programmes and indigenous and exogenous pressures brought to bear upon
Structures (STEPS) in 2010. Among other considerations, this universities, which in various scales and dimensions
strategic process (STEPS) seeks to develop new curricula and
differentially impact on curriculum and pedagogical delivery.
programmes that are aligned to the developmental priorities of
the region (i.e. Free State Province, South Africa) as well as
At the epicentre of these challenges are: a deeply fragmented
discontinue existing ones that are inconsistent with contemporary Apartheid past that persistently reflect in the racial
contextual needs. In addition to developing transformed composition of groups that enroll and succeed at university,
curricula in which developing professionally trained, market- differential configurations of institutions and their resourcing,
ready graduates are trained and contextual operational notwithstanding government and societal expectations of these
knowledge are prioritised, the document calls upon academics to universities to contribute to fostering all-rounded graduates
develop context-relevant classroom methodologies together with who contribute to the knowledge society (Bozalek, 2011;
social, technological innovation for improving pedagogy and Brown and Gachago, 2013). Other powerful forces that
classroom environments. Mindful of the mandate of Universities
continue to define South African Higher education include a
of Technology of adopting the relevant state-of-the art technology
and media that render powerful learning environments and rich
transition from elite educational provision to massification, the
student experiences, this study employs critical discourse analysis „triple helix‟ comprising radically new relations between
to examine the extent to which CUT academic leadership government, society and universities, marketisation and
factored in and considered emerging educational technologies in corporatisation of higher education (HE) and multiple
the implementation of the STEPS process. The findings suggest development-oriented demands and expectations of the
that although various teaching technologies are salient and university emanating from societal actors and stakeholders
considered in various documents steering the practical (Bundy, 2006; Badat, 2010). Internationally, other drivers of
implementation of STEPS, their location, strategic application HE changes include globalisation [and internationalisation],
and contribution to transformed teaching and learning remain a
which are transforming the conventional notions of domestic
grey area that calls for more deliberation
students attending a local university by shifting higher
Keywords—STEPS, curriculum innovation, technology education policy developments and assumptions regarding
integration, emerging technologies, educational transformation employment, skills, economic development and social
engagement (Dhunpath, Nakabugo and Amin, 2012) and the
changing composition of students attending university due to
Patient Rambe, PhD. (Corresponding Author) the prevalence of non-traditional students.
Central University of Collectively, these pressures impose new demands on the
Technology, South Africa conceptualisation of the curriculum and its implementation,
redefine how universities should constitute themselves and
deliver their core mandates as well as refine (or re-learn) the
Rolline Ndjike (co-author) professional values of university graduates in light of new
Central University of circumstances. Dhunpath, Nakabugo and Amin (2012) warn
Technology, South Africa that curriculum transformation in higher education will remain
trapped in rhetoric unless higher education addresses the
Dennis Yao Dzansi, PhD. (Co-author) crucial role of enablers and barriers to academic performance
Central University of such as language and literacies [and technology adoption]. At
Technology, South Africa a more practical pedagogical layer, the challenges are
profound, underpinned by the value of mediating the complex
92Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
practice of teaching and learning, providing dialogical spaces learning and curricula innovation in the STEPS process. The
of engagement between university educators and students study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to unveil
including promoting scholarly practices of inducting students the ways in which emerging technology roles or contributions
into academic communities of practices (Fataar, 2005, are portrayed in purposively selected STEPS documents.
Waghid, 2007; Hugo, 2009). Extending these leading scholars‟
views on mediation, dialogicality of instructional discourses II. Research Problem
and academic communities of practice at pedagogical level,
this paper argues that the “demand-response imbalance” – that The discourse of the adoption of emerging technology for
is, the growing pressure to bear upon universities from their teaching and learning in higher education has often been
external environment vis-à-vis their capacity to respond funneled through utopian and dystopian perspectives, which
sufficiently to those pressures while they remain in their are polarised but determinist theorisations of human
original form (Clark, 2001) is not insurmountable if university engagement with educational technologies (Rambe and Nel,
academics were to adopt more pro-active roles and approaches 2011). Deterministic approaches to technology uptake tend to
in conceptualising, designing and implementing globally prevail when the views of the senior academics/ senior
benchmarked but contextually relevant curricula. Such management are privileged while those of the rest of the
curricula would sufficiently respond to aforementioned global broader academic community are silenced, co-opted or
imperatives as well as adapt and respond sufficiently to local conspired into agreement with the dominant views of the
needs, realities and circumstances that South African academic oligarchy under the banner of “broad-based”
universities find themselves in. consultation. These determinist approaches are contrary to the
It is in light of this pro-activity, persistent anticipation and human-centric view of development which advocates for
accommodation of change that Strategic Transformation of technology intervention that are not stultifying for the target
Educational Programmes and Structures (STEPS) process was beneficiaries (Heeks, 2008) and that illuminates understanding
established in 2010 at the Central University of Technology, of the situated, socially constructed nature of human
South Africa in 2010 to tackle head on curriculum innovation, interaction with educational technologies. The problem,
re-curriculation of certain academic programmes as well as therefore, is that given the top-down approach to the
dissolve those conceived to be out of tune with cotemporary implementation of Strategic Transformation of Educational
societal needs and realities. What remains underexplored in Programmes and Structures (STEPS) process at the Central
the literature on the STEPS process however, is the role, focus University of Technology in South Africa, little is known
and contribution of emerging technology in the conception, about the role, contribution and significance of emerging
design and implementation of this transformative policy. educational technologies in the implementation of this
Given the pervasiveness and prominence of educational initiative, including the extent of democratic representation of
technology in higher educational delivery (Bozalek, 2011; interests of various academic stakeholders (senior
Gachago et al., 2013) one way of enhancing the dynamic management, senior academics, junior academic staff and
success of curriculum innovation and re-curriculation of students). Consequently, the study examines the extent to
programmes is understanding the mediating and which technology was factored into teaching, learning and
transformative roles of technology in the conception, design, curricula transformation discourses of the STEPS process
implementation and delivery of the university curricula and including whose (academic/political) interests are well
innovative teaching. privileged and whose are silenced, subverted or co-opted in
Despite the adoption of educational technologies becoming these discourses.
a common practice in South African Higher education
(SAHE), the innovative use of emerging technologies to III. Research question
transform [curricula and] teaching and learning remains an Consistent with the aforementioned research problem, the
emerging phenomenon (Gachago et al., 2013). To further following research questions are posed:
compound this challenge is the increasing gulf between the
ubiquitous emerging technologies that students bring in their 1. How is the discourse on the contribution of
encounter with the university education, technology which technology to teaching and learning and curricular
educators recommend in their pedagogical delivery and those transformation constructed in the STEPS
traditional technologies sanctioned by the university (see documents?
Traxler, 2009; Bozalek, 2011; Ng‟ambi 2011). In view of the
acknowledged ambivalence and complex normative
2. Whose interests are reinforced and whose interests
technology choices in South African higher education
are silenced in this discourse?
(SAHE), what often remains insufficiently recognised or
undervalued is the mediating role of technology in the
3. Is there any evidence of misrepresentation of facts
overhaul of the curricula (curriculum innovation), re-
/distortions or exaggerations in the discourse on
curriculation and transformation of educational programmes.
the contribution of technology to teaching and
To this end, this study uncovers the obscure terrain of the role,
learning?
contribution and loci of emerging technology in teaching and
93Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
4. Overall, to what extent has emerging technologies (Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience
been factored into the teaching and learning and (CLEX), 2009), but critical given the under-exploration of the
programme re-curriculation discourses in STEPS effective use of emerging technologies in HEIs (e.g. social
documents? media or mobile phones) by educators, and how these
influence teaching and learning practices in our institutions
(Brown and Gachago, 2013). While the integration of
A. A case for the adoption of emerging technology into the curriculum through the implementation of
technology to transform curricula resource intensive institutional Learning Management Systems
(LMS) in all HEIs in South Africa is well documented (Ivala
and pedagogy 2011; Bozalek, Ng‟ambi and Gachago, 2013), research
In the South African context where mounting local pointing to the academic resonance of emerging technologies
pressures to open the floodgates of higher education to in curricula transformation and pedagogical innovation
accommodate historically marginalised groups are juxtaposed remains a grey area.
with the imminent urgency to overcome the unproblematised The central place of emerging technology in higher
“parachuting” of Western educational philosophies that have education pedagogy and curricula transformation is embodied
little resonance with African contexts, the call for innovative in the view that curricula innovation requires educators,
curricula and transformative teaching have been louder. educational technologists and HE administrators to critically
Innovative teaching and transformative curricula programmes appraise the structure of degree programmes and explore
insinuated in Dhunpath, Nakabugo and Amin‟s (2012) innovative teaching strategies in the context of technology rich
reiteration of the necessity for African scholars to shape and learning environments (e.g. Web 2.0 applications, virtual
influence university teaching and learning so that it learning and social networking platforms) which enable a wide
emphasises the educational needs of Africa and overcomes range of flexible learning: from distance learning,
their dictation by powerful, wealthier contexts with narrow collaborative learning, blended learning to mobile learning
self-interests. As such, reflecting critically and responding (Dhunpath, Nakabugo and Amin, 2012: 7). Understanding the
consciously to challenges of massification of South African mediating and transformative roles of technology in curricula
higher education, large classes and providing context-relevant innovation and hitherto pedagogical delivery should be given
graduate education necessitates a rethinking of curriculum and more prominence to avoid the eschewing of student reflexive
innovative pedagogical delivery (Bozalek, Ng‟ambi and inquiry through their rigorous engagement with educators,
Gachago, 2013) and other different strategies, such as disciplinary conventions, norms and practices. Fataar (2013:
extended curriculum programmes, re-curricularisation and 13) warns against an educational agenda that narrowly
multilingual policies (Boughey 2002; Garraway 2009). concentrates on improving educational quality without
Notwithstanding the acuteness of demands for transformed providing a basis for troubling the discursive productions that
[technology-mediated] curricula and transformative teaching the implied educational processes entrench. Our reading of
in South Africa (see Dhunpath, Nakabugo and Amin, 2012; Fataar‟s reflections is that mediating tools like emerging
Blewett, 2012), there is paucity of research into the effective technologies should be powerfully harnessed to critically
use of emerging technologies in HEIs, such as social media or question the underlying assumptions of the curricula and to
mobile phones, and how these influence teaching and learning confront the obscurities and ruminations that underlie
practices in SA institutions (Brown and Gachago, 2013). functionalist driven pedagogies such as preparing and training
Blewett (2012) acknowledges the disturbing dichotomy within students to the world of work at the expense of critical inquiry
e-learning in SA higher education manifested in increasing use and production of new knowledge. Therefore, the explorative
of e-learning environments by higher education institutions on engagements inherent in emerging technologies such as social
one hand, and indications of limited use of technology and media (Facebook, Twitter) and reflective conversations in
implementation of rigid pedagogy. The limited knowledge on conversational technologies (e.g. blogs, wikis, Google drive)
the mediating and transformative role of emerging can gainfully lever innovative teaching by introducing new
technologies in innovative pedagogy and curricula innovation modes of engagement and making knowledge production,
in South Africa is surprising in light of what Gachago, Ivala critical reflection and deep learning the core foci of the
and Chigona (2011) consider as the justifications for staff and curricula. This foci helps overcome the unsubstantiated, yet
students‟ about the increased reliance on emerging strong claims that “universities are producing poor quality
technologies to support teaching and learning such as the graduates because they have „lowered their standards‟ or they
growing availability of free, easy to use and visually appealing „offer outdated curricula‟ or they „do not train students to
web applications and more stable access to the Internet operate in the real world” (Adam, 2009). Responding and
(especially through the use of mobile phones). While the rebutting these claims about antiquated, diluted curricula and
increasing academic reception of emerging technologies is the corporatist /managerialist argument that reduces students
undoubtedly unquestionable due to their profound affordances, to “commodities” that should have relevance to the
the challenge lies in assessing and proving their impact on the mechanistics of the market, calls into sharp gaze the mediating
delivery of innovative teaching and transformed curricula. and transformative role of emerging technology in “the
This not only poignant given the often reactive approaches to intellectual insertion of students into existing communities of
new technologies by higher educational institutions
94Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
scholarship and their theoretical or conceptual entailments” In relation to Approach 1, the institution normally has a
(Fataar, 2013: 112). detailed, comprehensive ICT policy and associated documents
that specify (Czerniewicz, Ravjee and Mlitwa, 2006) various
B. Selected cases of using educational issues relating to campus-wide roll out of ICT into specific
technology to deliver curricula courses and programmes, ICT integration into teaching and
learning, language policy among others. For instance,
Educational technology encapsulates new practices around Stellenbosch University, has an E-Campus strategy, which
online pedagogies, patterns of information and communication incorporates all university business specifically including
technology (ICT) access and of exclusion, and the relation of online learning, e-Information, e-Student administration, e-
e-learning practices to other institutional interventions seeking Research, and e-Services. The document also has Electronic
to transform the colonial fabric and cultures of South African Information and Communication Technologies policy aimed at
higher education institutions (Ravjee, 2007). As such, improving the quality of teaching, research, and community
educational ICTs can be ideally viewed as „one thread in a service) and an e-Learning strategy, which focuses on
complex net of transformation, including historical redress, ensuring a minimum online presence for all courses (Van der
curriculum transformation, diversity, equity and so on‟ Merwe and Pool, 2002). The University of Cape Town
(Czerniewicz, Ravjee and Mlitwa, 2006: 43). Education Technology Policy (2003) provides an integrative
Mindful of Universities of Technology‟s thrust towards approach to the use of educational technology, encourages
advancing the mastery of high-level vocational skills while (rather than compels) ICT usage, and prioritizes a linkage
pursuing a research agenda that critically engages with between ICT and pedagogy in ICT usage (Czerniewicz,
epistemologies of technology (Winberg 2005), the role of Ravjee and Mlitwa, 2006). Articulation of other models is
technology in teaching, learning and curricula transformation beyond the scope of this paper because of lack of space.
cannot be down played. Blewett (2012) employed search
engine count estimates on Google Scholar and five top ranked C. Strategic Transformation of
journals to trace, compare and contrast the use of learning
management systems (LMS), virtual learning environments Educational Programmes and
(VLE) and personal learning environments (PLEs) in Structures (STEPS) at the Central
curriculum and pedagogical implementation in South African
higher education over a decade (2001-2010). He laments the
University of Technology (CUT): An
preference and predominance of LMS in curriculum and overview
pedagogical delivery, followed by the increasing popularity of The Strategic Transformation of Educational Programmes and
VLEs and the flattering of personal, learning environments Structures (STEPS) at CUT can be conceived as one of the
(PLEs) despite technological innovations in Web 2.0 instantiations and expressions of the practical implementation
platforms. Blewitt (2012) attributes the popularity of LMS to of Vision 2020. Vision 2020 seeks to establish a “distinctive
the prevalence of out-dated approaches to learning and and proficient university” that contributes to developmental
industrial-age models, which are hampering the adoption of imperatives of the South Africa, tackle head on the challenges
alternative learning paradigms which are more readily of the triple helix (university, government, industry) and take
supported by PLEs. The floundering of PLEs is attributed to advantage of strategic partnerships, and revise the university‟s
the limited control institutions have over these environments curricula and academic structures (CUT STEPS, 2010).
and multiple options they have for student optimisation of STEPS therefore, constitutes a practical materialization of
learning, which further limit educator regulation of these Vision 2020‟ goal of fostering academic excellence through
spaces. curricula transformation, re-curriculation of certain
The Higher Education Monitor (2006) provides a programmes to attune them to current academic and
nomenclature of South African university ICT policies as they developmental needs and the total disbanding of some
relate to curriculum innovation and pedagogical delivery. programmes conceived to be out of tune with contemporary
academic and societal needs. As such, STEPS seeks to
Approach 1 – Institutions with formal policies in implement CUT‟s decisions regarding academic structures and
place, curricula through adopting “an output/outcome approach to
Approach 2 – Institutions with ICT-and-education attune its curricula and research to the needs of its primary
policies incorporated into related policies, users [...] revisiting its own offerings, processes and structures
Approach 3 – Special merger issues, for greater responsiveness and flexibility” (STEPS close out
and recommendations document, n.d.). More so, the STEPS
Approach 4 – Institutions with no evidence of any
process also seeks to apply the Vision 2020 through carefully
policy frameworks and chosen and sustained strategic partnerships with stakeholders
Approach 5 − Institutions with relevant structures, in business, government and civil society - the „triple helix‟
but no policy frameworks (Czerniewicz, Ravjee and model (Etzkowitz and Dzisah, 2007) to achieve quality social
Mlitwa, 2006). and technological innovations for partners on both sides
(Mtembu, Orkin and Gering, 2012). While the implementation
95Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
of STEPS comprises multiple stages, documents and schedules in communication (Habermas, 1976/2001; Cukier et al., 2009).
and task teams, its suffices to say, in two years (Feb 2010-Nov Overall, it can be argued that from Habermas‟ perspective,
2011) four major landmark documents were produced in the public speech can be communicative and oriented to achieving
build up and implementation of the process, covering various understanding between the speaker and the listener, or
areas ranging from admission of underprepared students, strategic and oriented to achieving success for the speaker
teaching and learning, work integrated learning, continuing (Cukier et al., 2009). When public speech is communicative,
education, problem-based, career-focused curricula, large class its object is advancing ideal speech aimed at promoting
among other considerations (see Mtembu et al., 2012). understanding while strategic communication could
potentially generate conditions inimical to the advancement of
IV. Theoretical Framework democratic discourse.
When a speaker speaks in a communicative event, his /her
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) (Habermas, 1984) was utterances imply at least three validity claims-truth,
used to understand the discourse on the contribution of (normative) rightness, and authenticity. This means that no
technology to transformation of teaching, learning and the matter what a speaker says, it is implied that the content of the
curricula, the motivations and interests represented in the statement is true, that it conforms with normative rules, and
statements on technology, the sincerity of the statements that the speaker is veracious, means what he or she says (Stahl
including the significance of technology in pedagogical 2004). Cukier et al. (2009) elaborates that for Habermas, every
delivery and curricula transformation. Tenorio (2011) communication implies a set of validity claims, namely the
highlights that CDA refers to the communication expected in truthfulness, legitimacy and comprehensibility of the utterance
one situation context, alongside one field and register. The and sincerity of the speaker. In his theory of communicative
current study therefore, is preoccupied with how action, Habermas (1979; 1984), truth tests on how true, clear
communicative language and metaphors were appropriated in and jargon-free the discourse is for comprehensibility while
STEPS documents to provide arguments for and motivations/ sincerity tests whether there is a hidden agenda in the
justifications on the capabilities and affordances of technology discourse (cited in Nyemba and Chigona, 2012).
in teaching and learning. For Habermas, discourses are the Comprehensibility refers to the technical and linguistic clarity
means or the medium (Habermas 1981a, 39) to clarify of the communication: Is what is said audible (or legible) and
contentious validity claims (Ulrich, 2001) of the speaker. To intelligible? (Cukier et al., 2009).
this end, discourses on technology‟s mediation of teaching,
learning, and curricula as articulated by the STEPS documents
were examined to establish its veracity in their immediate V. Methodology
context of its production as well as in its broader social For the purpose of data collection and analysis, an
context. adaptation of CDA of Cukier, Bauer and Middleton (2004),
Discourse forms a cornerstone of Habermas‟ Theory of Stahl et al (2005) and Nyemba and Chigona (2012) provided a
Communicative Action. Communicative action, which is useful heuristic for the analysis of the data (see Table 1
premised on taking the “other” (referent person) seriously and below). It is critical to note that due to the limitations of space,
accepting him or her as equal and deserving respect, and hence not all categories were well represented in this paper but only
this type of action has an ethical side to it (Stahl, 2004). those that kept recurring across several documents.
Drawing on the communicative acts and statements contained
STEPS documents, the authors will therefore examine the Table 1: Habermasian CDA Guiding Questions, adopted from
meaning, sincerity and authenticity of statements in their Stahl et al. (2005), Nyemba and Chigona (2012)
context of production (the educational context) to ensure ideal Validity Claim Claim-ID Guiding Questions
communication. Habermas (1981/1984) is pre-occupied with
What is said about the role of
principles of ideal communication (or universal pragmatics)
technology in teaching, learning
upon which discourses oriented to mutual understanding could
and curricula change in the CUT
be based (Cukier, Ngwenyama, Bauer and Middleton, 2009). TI STEPS documents?
Partly therefore, Habermas‟ (1984) work focuses on
TRUTH Are the views and opinions
circumstances contexts under which ideal speech could be T2
communicated to improve mutual understanding between the (thoughts) clearly portrayed?
hearer(s) and the speaker. From a strategic perspective, What failure claims (costs) and
Habermas conceives social action by rational purposive agents success claims (benefits) have
T3
to involve “strategic action,” (Habermas, 1984: 85), one in been exposed and examined?
which agents aim to influence the other and follow the What evidence has been given to
speaker‟s perlocutionary intentions with regards to an T4 give weight to the arguments?
objective world (Forchtner, 2010). That is, the purposive Has the relevant detail been
rational utterances of the speaker are aimed at influencing the conveyed without
psychology of the hearer irrespective of the veracity of these misrepresentation and/ or
utterances. As such, Harbermas‟ work is also concerned with T5 omissions?
explicating conditions of conscious and unconscious deception
96Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
Are there rudimentary problems in the class, curricula
that are mentioned explicitly or transformation, work integrated
T6 implicitly in the text? learning and other spin offs such
Are there ideological claims the development of a lean
university staff complement
T7 which are uninvestigated?
4. and Reviewed the key focus areas of
Are metaphors used in the text, Marketing, Central transformation,
such as exaggerations or hypes on of quality teaching and learning
SINCERITY the potential and capacity of Technology with a view to develop a niche
technology in relation to teaching focused academic institution.
S1 and learning? The processes and broad
Do the used metaphorical mandate of the strategic
connotations advance or restrain workshops are discussed in the
S2 the comprehension of text? process.
Do the metaphors create false 5. Task with Reflects on the implications of
S3 assurances and acclamations? University-wide output/outcome focus for the
Who is speaking, who is silent, Significance university-wide task teams.
L1 what are their interests? Discusses the distinct attributes
LEGITIMACY What is privileged, what is not of CUT graduates, nature of
said/ not mentioned about the curricula, research, learning
role of technology in teaching, environment and student profiles
learning and curricula 6. Towards distinctive and Engages with the institutional
L2 transformation? developmental curricula form of UoTs, genealogy and
L3 What is assumed or implied? at Universities of mandate of STEPS, and
What is missing or suppressed in Technology (UoTs): conceptualises the curricula
L4 the discourse? The STEPS process at envisaged
CUT
The hard data employed in this study which was subjected Four main documents served as primary sources while the
to CDA was drawn from the Central University of Technology others served to corroborate the evidence from main
websites and from the Internet. In view of the fragmented data documents and to provide more balanced representation of
on STEPS, six key documents on STEPS were selected and views.
their various texts were examined. The main highlights of
these documents are summarised below.
VI. Presentation and Discussion
Table 2: Data sources for the analysis of Findings
Title of document Document summary To understand the discourse of emerging technology, the
STEPS (Strategic Articulates the vision of the focus of the analysis was on what was said about it and what
Transformation of university, the distinctness of was omitted/ downplayed in the role of emerging technology
1 Educational UoTs, lessons learned from key in the various STEPS documents. First, we examined the
Programmes and speakers and reflections of truthfulness of the statements by analysing the actual
Structures) Learnings strategic teams on the content statements made, the extent of their clarity, the costs and
from the Conference, and structure of transformed benefits embodied in the statements and the evidence provided
for curriculum curricula at UoTs to back up the claims. Drawing on CDA, all the recurring
transformation findings across the different documents that related to
Workshop truthfulness of statements were examined.
2. Central University of Provides a highly summarised
Technology Annual version of STEPS goals of
Report 2010 curricula review, modalities of
A. Truthfulness of statements
teaching, learning and support, Statements were examined for their truthfulness under the
as well as graduate attributes and main category truth. Document 1 (see Table 2) expressed the
competencies. vitality of first year entry level competences such as computer
3. Central University of Some of the highlights and literacy as a basis for the development and implementation of
Technology Annual landmarks of STEPS such as the a successful curriculum (see T1 under truth in Table 3). The
Report 2012 practical adoption of technology
statements about computer skills were not only authentic but
were intelligible to the extent the value of computer skills was
97Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
not considered in isolation but in conjunction with tuition and TI What is said about the role of technology in
self-study by individual students. This demonstrates the teaching and learning in the CUT STEPS
Strategic Task Team‟s deep appreciation of the contribution of documents?
the individual student skills, social and ecological context to TRUTH
the successful implementation of curriculum transformation. “The key focus of the Task Team was the
conception of a core curriculum targeting
We infer that the successful delivery of learning and curricula
essential entry level competencies for all first
necessitates the curriculum implementers to draw on a multi- year students entering CUT:
pronged strategy, one in which technological literacy is Computer literacy will include an
conceived to unfold in a context mediated and interpellated by entry assessment for proficiency, and
multiple intervening variables. include a mix of tuition and self-study
To make subjective evaluations about the to be completed by all students
comprehensibility of statements made in the various (indicative 6 credits)” (Document 5)
documents, the researchers also examined the extent to which T2 Are the views and opinions (thoughts) clearly
various views were and opinions (thoughts) were categorically portrayed?
expressed and clearly portrayed. Some detailed claims were
Hand-held gadgets known as “clickers” were
made about emerging technologies such as electronic response
introduced, particularly for use in testing large
systems (i.e. clickers) – in particular their educational classrooms. A total of 73 lecturers were trained
affordances, the number of educators trained to use them and in the use of this new technology, and clickers
the number of classes for which they were pedagogically were used in 38 classrooms during the year.
applied. These highlights demonstrate the truthfulness of The system allows students to give feedback
technological statements in STEPS documents, anonymously and promptly, and also computes
notwithstanding the omissions about occasion fatigue by and presents class results graphically and
students after using clickers continually and the deflation of immediately (Document 3)
hyped expectations following sustained usage. The Hype T3 What failure claims (costs) and success claims
Cycle for Emerging Technologies (Gartner, 2011) suggests (benefits) have been exposed and examined?
that technology users goes through the common pattern of
The Strategic Transformation of Educational
over-enthusiasm about emerging technology upon its Programmes and Structures (STEPS) project
introduction , disillusionment with it and eventual realism that entails reviewing the courses offered by CUT to
accompanies each new technology and innovation” (Gartner, ensure that as an institution of higher learning
2011). As such, benefits realised from using clickers may not we deliver on our core business of teaching,
always be straight forward but rather involve ambivalent learning research and innovation. […] a
possibilities given that the progression in the hype of conference in May, a workshop in August and
technologies moves from technology trigger, peak of inflated the month of October saw the documentation of
expectations, trough of disillusionment, slope of the process as well as Task Teams taking up
their positions to design and plan the
enlightenment and plateau of productivity (Gartner Report,
implementation of specified new curricula and
2011). structures at CUT (Document 4).
CUT Communication and Marketing Department made T4 What evidence has been given to give weight to
some success claims (benefits) about the role of STEPS in the the arguments?
delivery of academic excellence in teaching, learning research
and innovation. The document alludes to strategic task teams, A complete student database was imported into
[technology mediated] conferences and [technology-enhanced] eThuto (Blackboard), and students were
workshops that deliberated on the STEPS, phrases it evolved, activated for its use. A total of 707 courses
including insights gained from presentations and various were actively accessed – an increase from 38%
forms of participation in the STEPS consultation processes to 57% (Document 3)
(see T3 in Table 3). While the outcomes of the strategic task T5 Has the relevant detail been conveyed without
misrepresentation and/ or omissions?
teams and the various consultative processes are clear,
namely: curricula review and transformation and In addition, a SMART classroom – the first of
establishment of new academic structures to meet its kind in a South African university – was
contemporary teaching, learning, research and innovation conceptualised and constructed as a means of
challenges, the role of technology in these processes is latent, allowing lecturers and students to actively
assumed and not clearly stated. engage with one another using the latest
educational technologies CUT (Document 3)
Table 3: Critical Discourse Analysis of raw data from various
“The Task Team also identified a range of
STEPS documents –Truth category
interventions that will have an impact on
Claim- Guiding Questions and extracts from STEPS
student performance. These include:
Validity ID documents Increasing the use of technology, including self-
Claim study opportunities, by placing more materials
98Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
accessible to students through Blackboard and access and limited practices in relation to computers, in
smart classrooms” (Document 5)-increasing use contexts where computers and their associated practices are
of technology and adopting it as a medium for highly valued.
content transmission do not in themselves To evaluate the truth in documents, the researchers
transform learning or impact performance-using explored whether the relevant detail had been conveyed
technology in creative ways to improve student
without misrepresentation and/ or omissions. The researchers
engagement with content, peers, contexts does.
T6 Are there ideological claims which are
found the statement “a SMART classroom – the first of its kind
in a South African university – was conceptualised and
uninvestigated?
constructed as a means of allowing lecturers and students to
Further there is the impact of the knowledge
society through technology: we expect
actively engage with one another using the latest educational
technology to infuse the content of curricula; technologies (Document 3)” to be an exaggeration and
enrich teaching methodologies, as well as misleading as there were several versions of the smart
extend coverage and improve quality with e- classrooms across other South African universities by the year
learning; apply technology to our social and it was established at CUT (i.e. in 2012). For example, as early
economic issues to “leapfrog” stages of as 2008, the Centre of Educational Technology already had
development; and respond to the career and advanced version of smart classrooms for the delivery of
vocational opportunities created by new seminars for its Masters in ICTs in Education programme.
technologies (Document 1) To unpack the truthfulness of statements, the study also
examined the ideological claims which were uninvestigated.
The statement: “Further there is the impact of the knowledge
Evidence was also provided in view of student training on society through technology: we expect technology to infuse the
the use of Blackboard (locally branded e-Thutho), access to content of curricula; enrich teaching methodologies, as well
multiple courses via this institutional learning management as extend coverage and improve quality with e-learning; apply
system and the percentage increases in levels of accessibility technology to our social and economic issues to “leapfrog”
(see T4 under Table 3). While these developments are stages of development; and respond to the career and
commendable as they demonstrate the capacity of emerging vocational opportunities created by new technologies
technology (e.g. learning management systems) to transmit (Document 1) presented multiple underexplored ideological
content and improve student access to learning resources, the assumptions. For instance, the capacity of technologies to
statements fail to acknowledge that using technology as a promote social empowerment and leapfrog development has
medium for content transmission does not in itself transform no fundamental base given the irrefutable evidence that hopes
learning. Rather using technology in creative ways to improve of technology mediated transformation in African institutions
student engagement with content, peers and learning contexts have since been dashed judging from ICT4D debates. Such
is a more productive way of improving student engagement technological determinism is conceived as one of the major
and performance. As literature suggests, while education reasons behind the failure of ICT for development
system in the 20th century was predominantly characterised by programmes (Heeks, 2010).
how much information could be pushed to students, the
educational practices of the 21st century are defined more by B. Sincerity of statements
students‟ synthesis of information pulled from a deluge of The sincerity category examined the absence of ulterior
electronic resources and social networks (Ng‟ambi and motives in the jargon used in statements. The discourses were
Bozalek, 2013). As such, emphasis has shifted drastically from tested for their immunity to exaggerations or hypes about
content transmission to engagement with content and potential and capacity of technology and examined the
academic networking, although accessing content remains an metaphorical connotations in texts to assess whether they
issue for resource constrained African contexts. create false assurances and acclamations. Statements such as
More so, the hyped claims about improved basic access do “one of its kind” in reference to the Smart classroom only
not take cognisance of the varying levels of access by students served to exaggerate the innovative nature of this
on and off campus including their different levels of agency as technological development since they were multiple versions
they traverse various academic spaces. While access to ICTs of such classrooms at other universities by time the invention
has the potential to increase access to higher education, was introduced at CUT.
reconfigure libraries and institutional management as well as
improve the quality of teaching and learning (Czerniewicz, Table 3: Critical Discourse Analysis of raw data from various
Ravjee, and Mlitwa, 2006) the flipside is that technology only STEPS documents – Sincerity category
mediate access to educational resources but does not supplant S1 Are metaphors used in the text, such as
epistemic agency demanded of the student to ensure exaggerations or hypes on the potential and
meaningful appropriation and engagement with these capacity of technology in relation to teaching
resources. Czerniewicz and Brown (2013) argue that South and learning?
African university students often display a [troubled], complex SINCERITY
In addition, a SMART classroom – the first of
technological “habitus,” which functions within a paucity of
its kind in a South African university – was
99Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
conceptualised and constructed as a means of half of eight levels of competence in mathematics on the
allowing lecturers and students to actively SACMEQ (Moloi, n.d.).
engage with one another using the latest
educational technologies CUT (Document 3) C. Legitimacy of statements
S2 Do the used metaphorical connotations
advance or restrain the comprehension of
The Vice Chancellor of CUT spoke eloquently about the
text? constitutive components of STEPS with a view to support the
implementation of this process (see L1 in Table 4). While
Lecture rooms were equipped with the most various academic areas covered by STEPS are represented in
appropriate audiovisual aids, and as such all his account, his account could be reflective of a senior
lecture rooms on the Bloemfontein and management perspective, which might not be commonly
Welkom campuses have been equipped shared by academics in line management, notwithstanding the
with data projectors. More than 166 video consultative nature of the STEPS process.
conferences were supported in 2012, while The study also examined what is explicit and what is
Blackboard training was provided to 314
lecturers in groups and 261 lecturers
implied in the statements. The statement under category L3
individually (Document 3) (see Table 4) that “the focus of the learning process should be
S3 Do the metaphors create false assurances and on the student rather than the lecturer” seems to reinforce the
acclamations? assumption that the learner can succeed academically with
minimal involvement of the educator. While learner self-
“…a modern knowledge-based economy regulation should be a precondition for effective learning, this
demands human resources that are assumption ignores multiple variables such as the general
numerically and scientifically literate, academic under preparedness of students who enroll at
technology fluent, and skilled at problem Universities of Technology in South Africa and negates the
solving, critical analysis and engagement” fact that self-regulated and independent learning tend to be
(Document 1)-oblivious of context where SA
have consistently been ranked among the
hard or almost impossible to enforce for first year learners.
lowest in STEM disciplines
Table 4: Critical Discourse Analysis of raw data from various
While the metaphorical claim “audio-visual aids” in STEPS documents – Legitimacy category
reference to data projectors signal their power to disseminate L1 Who is speaking, who is silent, what are
their interests?
information, the general claims about the number of video
conferences supported in 2012, number of blackboard training LEGITIMACY
given to specific numbers of teachers are commendable STEPS is a major analytical and interactive
expressions of the development of technological capacity (internal and external) review of CUT‟s
philosophy and education; curriculum
development at the this university. That said, these narratives
content and structure; modalities of
are in no way instantiations of the actual educational use of teaching, learning and support, as well as
technology or mediation of pedagogy by technology. As graduate attributes and competencies
Ng‟ambi and Bozalek (2013) suggests, for emerging (Document 2)-who is speaking the VC of
technologies to be diffused in university social systems, more CUT.
transformative leadership is required in the academic uptake L2 What is privileged, what is not said/ not
and adoption of technologies. mentioned about the role of technology in
While the metaphorical claims about the “knowledge teaching, learning and curricula
economy” and it being underpinned by numerically and transformation?
scientifically literate, technology fluent human resource base
Graduates who are “Technically competent:
are spot on, these claims tend to be oblivious of the South
Sufficient expertise in the field to be able to
African context in particular the fact that South Africa has be immediately productive in the work
performed dismally in the Science Technology Engineering environment (employable)
Mathematics (STEM) disciplines especially Science and Computer numerate: Able to use the
Mathematics at the high school level. South Africa‟s active computer packages used in the specific work
participation in the Southern African Association for research environment and sufficient conceptual
in mathematics, science, technology Education (SAMMSTE) ability to adapt to new packages”
that investigates problems of the teaching and learning of (Document 1)
mathematics, science and technology education in Southern L3 What is assumed or implied?
African countries is one clear manifestation of the country‟s
CUT believes that the focus of the learning
inability to cope with these challenges (Stoll 1995:16). A
process should be on the student
Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring rather than the lecturer, meaning that
Educational Quality study (SACMEQ II) which rated South teaching methodologies must focus on the
African 6 learners‟ achievement in a hierarchy of real needs of the student. The STEPS
competencies reported that 80% of them reached the lower process includes a task team that deals with
100Proc. of the Second Intl. Conf. on Advances In Social Science, Economics and Management Study- SEM 2014.
Copyright © Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors, USA .All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63248-052-1 doi: 10.15224/ 978-1-63248-052-1-88
teaching and learning methodologies technology in the STEPS process. Evidence suggests although
focusing on e-learning and distributed a respectable balance was struck in the various documents
learning methodologies (Document 2) between highlights of technology adoption and claims about
L4 What is missing or suppressed in the the vitality of technology in the transformation of curricula
discourse? and academic programmes, many of the statements about
technology promises and potentialities seemed to be hyped
The 2009 survey on the success of
technology-enhanced education was used by
constructions of technology that reinforced technological
the STEPS Task Team in 2010 to make determinism. While hard data was often provided in annual
recommendations and to identify relevant reports on the numbers of staff trained in the use of various
improvement strategies. This is a technologies, the functionalities of certain technology and
consolidated and co-ordinated curriculum applications, there were no practical examples on best
development process, which arose from the practices of innovative technology mediated teaching or a
fact that CUT‟s Vision 2020 requires the serious commitment to provide evidence on the actual impact
review of the philosophy, content and of technology on pedagogy. Much of the statements in reports
structures within the academe (Document seemed to be recycled, recursive accounts of what emerging
2).
technologies can do (i.e. its potentialities), its capacity to
“The task team approached the research transform social and teaching practices without providing any
needed to inform its recommendations with factual information on its actual impact (what was has actually
the following activities: The opportunities to done or its contribution to pedagogy, curricula transformation
be realised by technology were considered, or transformation of academic structures).
and particularly the later releases of Although technology highlights served to provide evidence
Blackboard were considered. Opportunities of the appropriation of technology at the university, many of
for interactive classrooms, offering courses the reports took a performative and corporatist perspective to
on-line and online, formative and technology - where the impact of technology was considered
summative assessment need to be realised”
(Document 5). Assumptions made about
in light of figures and percentages (e.g. number of educators
interactivity online offerings trained, number of classes where certain technologies were
tested and number of student with access to technology) rather
The study also examined what is missing or suppressed in than its actual transformative impact for students (e.g. student
the discourse. Statements made under category L4 constitute engagement with content, learning communities) and
sweeping statements on the capacity of technology to educators (e.g. innovative teaching, high profile research,
transform curricula, academic structures and teaching academic collaborations). As such a technicist and
philosophy as they are articulated without providing sufficient performative orientation towards technology should be
grounds for making these claims. Technology is presented as a replaced by a focus on what various technologies have
powerful force for advancing curricula transformation without actually done to innovatively mediate and transform teaching
providing an empirical base for the demonstration of how it and learning.
reconciles and harmonizes these diverse concerns (teaching, With regard to the interests represented the study reports
academic structures and curricula). The other statements under that although many of the strategic planning documents
the category L4 highlight the research consultations by the seemed to reflect the views of the majority of educators
strategic teams to establish the potential of technology to involved in teaching and learning, the coordination of the
promote interactive classrooms, offer online courses and various seminars and conferences by senior management and
promote assessments. While such interrogation of the those in leadership positions (e.g. deans of faculties, senior
significance of technology in teaching and learning is crucial academics) could insinuate that these academic elites‟ views
to promote a reality check on the hypes about the academic were sedimented into STEPS documents by virtue of their
affordances of new technology, the statement that academic authority, subtle influence and the control they
“opportunities realised by technology were considered” exerted on the consultative processes. Cukier et al (2004)
insinuates that the strategic team had some preconceived warns against “selective silence” where the voices of those “in
unsubstantiated notions about the power of technology in favour of” greatly outweigh the voices “in contradiction of”
transforming pedagogy. (Nyemba and Chigona, 2012). Although many of the
statements had statistical significance (as hard data on
technology-related activities was provided), these statements
VII. Conclusion were often tweaked to obfuscate a deeper understanding of the
The study examined STEPS, a strategic process of actual contribution of technology to teaching, learning, and
transforming curricula and academic structures at the Central curricula transformation.
University of Technology in South Africa to establish the
extent to which emerging technology was factored in by
strategic planning team and senior management at the
university including the role and significance of emerging
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