Enkele uitgangspunte by herkurrikulering in die vak ekonomie

MCom, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusAny significant degree of change in any major institution gives cause to concern. When those institutions are rooted in decades, even centuries of tradition, change is easily perceived as impending disaster. South Africa's economy is amongst others characterised by unsufficient economic growth to enable job creation, low productivity and low international competitiveness. Population growth is higher than the increase in economic growth, which causes unemployment. At the same time students leaving universities are struggling to find jobs, because of the lack of practical experience and the fact that they are educated in courses for which there exist a small demand in the labour market. To rectify the imbalance between the demand of labour and the supply thereof out of the universities, the curriculum at universities need to be reformulated to meet the needs of the labour market and the society. Curriculum reconstruction is taking place at top level, but has not been seen to include the diverse aims of the economy as a hole to contribute to sustainable development. Universities do not want to lose an iota of their ideals, status and achievements, financial realities are forcing them to take note of the demands of the labour market to enable better usage of human capital to enable economic growth so that the needs of the society are met. Universities, which are traditional leading providers of high-level manpower, are questione9 as to their real ability to provide the intellectual quality of manpower that South-Africa need to lead and manage the necessary changes. The study was divided into and discussed into three major parts. In the first part the different models of the way in which curriculum are developed were discussed. It was concluded that the spiral curriculum model was used by most education institutions because of its effectiveness and was therefore used as a basis in the study to create new objectives for a needs driven curriculum. The shortcomings in the current curriculum were discussed to enable the researcher to create new objectives in which curriculum at universities should be compiled. In the second part of the study the demand of labour in the economy and the supply thereof out of the university were discussed. It became evident that the majority of students are registered for courses in the Human and Social Sciences, although the labour market needed engineers, physical scientists and entrepreneurs to create economic development. In the third part of the study new objectives for the Department of Economics at the Vista University on the way in which curriculum should be compiled by means of the outcomes based education approach were discussed. It was concluded that the curriculum needed to be more practical. The effects of the technology could not be ignored when curriculum are compiled. Distance education gives an outcome to students to combine theory and practical experience at the -same time. Role players could not be ignored in the process of curriculating. International competitiveness needs to be taken into account in the curriculum. The recommendations of the Commission of Higher Education was all the way through used, as a frame in which the curriculum aims were developed.Master

Enkele uitgangspunte by herkurrikulering in die vak ekonomie

MCom, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusAny significant degree of change in any major institution gives cause to concern. When those institutions are rooted in decades, even centuries of tradition, change is easily perceived as impending disaster. South Africa's economy is amongst others characterised by unsufficient economic growth to enable job creation, low productivity and low international competitiveness. Population growth is higher than the increase in economic growth, which causes unemployment. At the same time students leaving universities are struggling to find jobs, because of the lack of practical experience and the fact that they are educated in courses for which there exist a small demand in the labour market. To rectify the imbalance between the demand of labour and the supply thereof out of the universities, the curriculum at universities need to be reformulated to meet the needs of the labour market and the society. Curriculum reconstruction is taking place at top level, but has not been seen to include the diverse aims of the economy as a hole to contribute to sustainable development. Universities do not want to lose an iota of their ideals, status and achievements, financial realities are forcing them to take note of the demands of the labour market to enable better usage of human capital to enable economic growth so that the needs of the society are met. Universities, which are traditional leading providers of high-level manpower, are questione9 as to their real ability to provide the intellectual quality of manpower that South-Africa need to lead and manage the necessary changes. The study was divided into and discussed into three major parts. In the first part the different models of the way in which curriculum are developed were discussed. It was concluded that the spiral curriculum model was used by most education institutions because of its effectiveness and was therefore used as a basis in the study to create new objectives for a needs driven curriculum. The shortcomings in the current curriculum were discussed to enable the researcher to create new objectives in which curriculum at universities should be compiled. In the second part of the study the demand of labour in the economy and the supply thereof out of the university were discussed. It became evident that the majority of students are registered for courses in the Human and Social Sciences, although the labour market needed engineers, physical scientists and entrepreneurs to create economic development. In the third part of the study new objectives for the Department of Economics at the Vista University on the way in which curriculum should be compiled by means of the outcomes based education approach were discussed. It was concluded that the curriculum needed to be more practical. The effects of the technology could not be ignored when curriculum are compiled. Distance education gives an outcome to students to combine theory and practical experience at the -same time. Role players could not be ignored in the process of curriculating. International competitiveness needs to be taken into account in the curriculum. The recommendations of the Commission of Higher Education was all the way through used, as a frame in which the curriculum aims were developed.Master