Approaches and strategies for capacity building and
supporting capacity building in TVET Colleges in South Africa
Dr Maria Madiope
Unisa
Overview
• Introduction
• The White paper for Post-school Education and Training
released in 2013 by DHET (2013:11)
• Capacity building approaches
– Curriculum transformation
– Team approach
– Technology and innovation
– Management and administration
– Capacity building within the context of the 4 pillars at Unisa
• Conclusion
The White paper for Post-school Education and
Training released in 2013 by DHET (2013:11) states
that its:
“…highest priority is to strengthen and expand the public TVET
colleges so that they become institutions of choice for a large
proportion of school leavers. Key objectives in strengthening colleges
include improving access, throughput rates, management capacity
(especially with regard to planning, and financial and human resource
management), student support services and student accommodation,
as well as developing management information systems,
strengthening governance, building partnerships with employers and
other stakeholders, increasing the responsiveness of colleges to local
labour markets, improving placement of college graduates in jobs,
and creating a mix of programmes and qualifications that will meet the
varied needs of students”.
The 4 pillars of capacity building in Higher
Education
Team
approach
Technology
and innovation
Curriculum
transformation
Capacity
building
Management
and
administration
Pillar 1: Curriculum transformation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Curriculum responsiveness
Africanisation
UNGC principles
Sustainability
Climate change
OERs
Pillar 1: Curriculum transformation
continued…
• In terms of curricula, van Deuren (2013:15) sums it up eloquently when
she argues that there is a dire need for new and updated curricula
reflecting the needs of the South African labour market.
• She further states that curricula should not only address up-to-date and
relevant knowledge but also include new forms of teaching and learning
aiming at training professional skills and attitudes, e.g. competence based
or project based learning.
• Deuren (2013:17) further notes that there is an immediate need for
procedures to maintain curricula to reflect recent developments in science
and in practice and to include state-of-the-art knowledge.
Pillar 1: Curriculum transformation
continued…
• In terms of Deuren’s (2013) argument, it is important to
ensure that teaching staff are capacitated regarding the
influence and impact of sustainability.
• It is suggested that the UNGC principles be infused into the
curriculum integrating sustainability and climate change
• I would also suggest that all capacity building initiatives
consider the role, policy and practice of “Africanising the
curriculum” where indigenous knowledge systems be
underpinned in all curricula.
Pillar 2: Team approach to capacity building
• Inter dependencies
• Internal stakeholders
• External stakeholders
– CHE
– SAQA
– ETQA’S – ECSA, HPCSA, SAICA, etc
Team approach to capacity building
continued..
• The need to build and maintain relationships with and
amongst individual’s both internal and external to the
organisation such as ETQA’s, CHE, HEQC, SAQA and so
forth is crucial if we want to empower and capacitate staff as
teaching and learning is dependent on a synergy between
and amongst all stakeholders both internal and external of the
organisation.
• I would therefore suggest that capacity building amongst staff
incorporates other relevant stakeholders who will work in
harmony and in a team to ensure high quality teaching and
learning of curricula that is responsive to the labour market
(Naude:2003), society and government alike.
Pillar 3: Technology and innovation
• Marcinek (2015:1) argues that “Technology is a
literacy that is expected in higher education and
in our economy”.
• Technology is a “universal language spoken by
the entire world, regardless of the profession.
• Our current students will encounter one of the
toughest job markets in generations. Gone are
the days of falling into a profession and riding that
wave for 30-plus years” (Marcinek, 2015:1).
Pillar 3: Technology and innovation
..continued
• The contemporary job market requires us to adapt,
continually learn, and apply various skill sets in many
directions.
• We have to multitask, connect beyond the workday, and
collaborate and connect both locally and globally.
• And while I am promoting that exposure to technology and
digital tools is essential, we must do so responsibly.
• Teaching students how to balance technology usage along
with offline socializing and interpersonal skills is essential.
• It would be irresponsible to proclaim that technology simply
distracts, diminishes social skills, and holds lesser value
than other content areas. And to do so not only lets our
students down, but also negates the mission statements
emblazoned on the walls of our schools (Marcinek, 2015:1).
Pillar 3: Technology and innovation
..continued
• Many higher education institutions are grappling with technology
literacy amongst its staff.
• It is incumbent that all capacity development amongst staff must be
underlined by technology enhanced teaching and learning.
• Most students demand technology enhanced teaching and
learning.
• We appear to under estimate the technology literacy amongst
students and therefore tend to downplay the importance of
technology.
• In this day and age it would be inconceivable to note the absence
of a learner management system through which students can
engage and participate in learning, be it amongst their peers or
mainstream curriculum engagement.
• Mobile learning technologies are also becoming very popular so too
is podcasting.
Pillar 4: Management and administration
• Having highlighted the role of technology above, it becomes
clear that staff, both administrative, management and
teaching needs to be capacitated in technology and it is
unnecessary to source outside vendors to provide this
training.
• We should be looking from within the organization where by
surprise you will be able to identify the existence of many
technology stewards who can conduct technology training for
staff (Muller, 2001:32). However in the absence of inside
expertise, then vendors would be the option
Management and administration
continued
• In order to ensure operational efficiency and optimization,
staff must be capacitated in management and administration
of teaching and learning.
• We sometimes take it for granted that all staff is accurately
aware of the role, impact and significance of management
and administration.
• In most higher education institutions, there is premium placed
on administration which ensures student satisfaction and
short turn around times.
Capacity building within the context of the 4 pillars
at Unisa
• Unisa, being a mega university and the largest open distance
learning university in the Southern hemisphere, places a high
premium on capacity development and support for all staff.
Staff are categorized into 3, namely academic staff,
professional staff and administrative staff.
• The Human Resources Department budgets for training and
capacity development.
• All staff are informed in advance of the training budget that is
available and staff can request for training funds to build
capacity and empower themselves related to their core
performance areas / activities.
• Staff can request internal and external opportunities for
capacity development.
Capacity building within the context of the 4 pillars at
Unisa …continued
•
The Centre for professional development (CPD) conducts all
internal staff development and capacity building programmes,
especially for academics. Unisa has a designated programme
for “young academics”. Every year a group of 15-20 young
academics are selected into a programme, where they are
given rigorous training on all aspects of teaching and learning,
including administration and management. This is a formal
programme.
• Unisa also funds training for junior, middle and senior
managers to ensure that managers across the value chain,
serve as efficient gatekeepers to ensure quality service
delivery at Unisa
Directorate for Curriculum and Learning
Development (DCLD) at Unisa
• The Directorate for curriculum and learning development
(DCLD supports academic staff in the following areas,
namely: Curriculum design and development, new
programme development and accreditation, assessment,
Technology enhanced teaching and learning; training on the
learner management systems (myUnisa) and so forth.
• The mission of the DCLD is stated as follows: 'Towards
continuous innovation and excellence in Open Distance
teaching and learning''.
Directorate for Curriculum and Learning
Development (DCLD) at Unisa..
continued
• The DCLD has highly qualified staff members who assist lecturers to
develop educationally sound learning experiences and environments for
our students suited to our open and distance learning (ODL) context.
• The DCLD has expertise in curriculum development, instructional design
and learning development.
• The DCLD premises its approach in engaged learning to support
academics and other stakeholders at Unisa.
• The DCLD offers continuing professional learning (CPL) to lecturers
related to teaching, learning and assessment and writing for ODL.
• The DCLD staff are knowledgeable about the legislative environment and
offers training and coaching on topics related to outcomes-based
education, for instance. The also conducts research into ODL and work
with lecturers on joint research projects related to, teaching, learning or
assessment in their modules or programmes.
Conclusion
• The above discussion highlights the fact that unless higher
education institutions follow a planned and formal approach to
capacity development amongst all levels and types of
employees, there will be little if not no quality in teaching and
learning.
• Staff development, mentoring, coaching, capacity building,
training and development are all activities that are pursued
vigorously at Unisa to ensure that all staff offer a quality
service seamlessly to improve and maintained a high
standard and quality of teaching and learning.
• Capacity building of staff adds to the value chain of student
satisfaction and experience.
References
•
Van Deuren, R. 2013. Capacity Development in Higher Education Institutions in Developing
Countries. Discussion paper. Maastricht School of Management, the Netherlands
•
Marcinek, A. Technology and teaching: finding a balance
Available from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/technology-and-teaching-finding-balance-andrewmarcinek (Accessed on 28 June 2015)
•
Moll, I, 2004. Curriculum responsiveness: The anatomy of a concept. In Griesel, H (ed.), Curriculum
Responsiveness Case Studies in Higher Education. Pretoria: South African Universities’ ViceChancellors’ Association (SAUVCA).
•
Muller, J, 2001. Responsively and innovation in higher education. A paper prepared for CHET
(Centre for Higher Education and Training). Mimeo.
•
Naude, P, 2003. Where has my department gone? Curriculum transformation and academic
restructuring. In Naude, P & Cloete, N (eds), A Tale of Three Countries: Social sciences curriculum
transformations in South Africa. Lansdowne, Cape Town: Juta.