Open Learning as a Means of Advancing So

Cases in Post-School Education and Training in South Africa

Tabisa Mayisela, Shanali Govender

• Publisher: African Minds
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781928502425
• eBook ISBN: 9781928502432
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

This volume investigates the uptake of ‘open learning’ in South African Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and higher education institutions. Comprised of 16 studies focused on activities at a range of colleges and universities across the country, these chapters aim to promote a better understanding of open learning practices across the Post- School Education and Training (PSET) sector, including issues such as: recognition of prior learning, access for students with disabilities, work integrated learning, professional development, novel student funding mechanisms, leadership for open educational practices, institutional culture, student support, blended and online learning, flexible learning, online assessment, open educational resource development models and funding, and micro- credentials.

This collection of peer-reviewed chapters contributes to understanding the ways in which South African PSET institutions and educators are interpreting ‘open learning’ as a means of advancing social justice. It includes a historical and contemporary understanding of the economic, cultural and political obstacles facing PSET, drawing on Nancy Fraser’s theory of social justice as ‘participatory parity’ to better understand the ways in which ‘open learning’ may address systemic social injustices in order to allow South African students and educators to thrive.

This volume emerges from research conducted by the Cases on Open Learning (COOL) project, an initiative by the Department of Higher Education and Training in partnership with the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Acronyms and abbreviations
• Introducing open learning as a means towards social justice in post-school education and training
• 1. Recognition of prior learningas a form of open learning in post-school education and training in South Africa. A social justice perspective
• 2. Opening learning to students in a South African university through innovative institutional fundraising initiatives. A social justice view
• 3. Using a social justice lens to explore the possibilities and limitations of flexible learning provision in a South African TVET college
• 4. Blended learning as ameans of opening up learning at Northlink TVET College in South Africa. A social justice perspective
• 5. Online learning at theDurban University of Technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Insights on openness and parity of participation
• 6. Exploring the possibilitiesand constraints of online assessment to advance open learning in a South African TVET college. A social justice perspective
• 7. Exploring how student support services address economic, cultural and political injustices. Insights from Elangeni TVET College, South Africa
• 8. Staff insights on opening uplearning to students with disabilities at Motheo TVET College, South Africa. A social justice perspective
• 9. Insights on OER adoption models to inform ways of opening up learning materials to address economic, cultural and political injustices in South African education
• 10. Advancing social justice through small grants for the development of open educational resources at the University of Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
• 11. “Understanding the TVET game”. A case study on maximising available opportunities for open educational practices within the broader TVET field in South Africa
• 12. Enabling open learning and participatory parity through increased e-learning. The case of leadership at Gert Sibande TVET College, South Africa
• 13. Access, quality and success. Working towards social justice through open initiatives at the University of the Free State
• 14. “Who do you think they are?” Troubling how mental conceptions of TVET lecturers shape lecturer support interventions. The case of the Lecturer Support System in South Africa
• 15. Opening up TVET lecturer professional learning and development through work integrated learning in South Africa. A social justice perspective
• 16. The potential for microcredentials as a form of open learning to contribute to a social justice agenda in South African higher education
• About the authors and the COOL team
• Back cover