Democratising the Classroom for Epistemological Access: The Role of RtL Pedagogy in an Eastern Cape Secondary School, South Africa

Using documentary evidence (learners’ written, DoBE’s curriculum documents, lessons plans, and prescribed workbooks) semi-structured interviews and Reading to Learn pedagogy, to generate data, this paper reports on the positive effect Reading to Learn (RtL) has on literacy development of Grade 10 English First Additional Language learners from a township school in South Africa. The main thrust of this paper is to trace how RtL positively influences literacy development of a cohort of learners whose teaching was informed by Reading to Learn principles. This paper argues that learners whose learning is informed by RtL principles experience accelerated literacy development. The approach is built on the theory of scaffolding proposed by Vygotsky, 1978 and Bruner, 1983; genre theory (Martin, 1985: Christie, 1990); and on the functional model of language developed by Halliday (1985). Systemic functional linguistics was used as the analytical framework; the study situates itself within the critical paradigm, subjective epistemology, and mixed-method research approach. The study revealed that RtL can be part of the solution towards resolving literacy development challenges faced by underprivileged learners in South Africa and other similar environments. Keywords:Reading to Learn pedagogy; scaffolding; systemic functional linguistics; critical paradigm; subjective epistemology and mixed-method. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-27-08 Publication date:September 30th 202

A critical engagement with theological education in Africa

The higher education landscape has arguably become one of the most arduous to traverse. More so in the African context, where a host of variables continiously challenge educators to reflect critically on their philosophies and practices as they engage an ever-changing audience. In this book, a critical engagement with theological education in Africa is offered. As the book originates from South Africa, it is presented as a South African perspective, although contributors are situated accross the African continent and abroad. The common denominator is that all contributers are, in some way or another, invested in theological education in Africa. The main contribution of this collaborative work is to be sought in the insights it offers on four main areas of theological education: A historical and current orientation on theological edcuation in Africa, some paradigm shifts in theological education in Africa, ministerial formation needs versus theological education challenges, and a critical reflection on elective models and methods. The book presents the original and innovative research of scholars for fellow scholars involved in theological higher education as it is grounded in the respective fields of interest of each contributor. It contributes to a better understanding of the complex African theological higher education landscape that is also mindful of post-COVID-19 realities. Methodologically the work draws on a combination of methods, including literature studies, empirical work, and in some cases sectional offerings from doctoral studies, as indicated in the various chapters

A critical engagement with theological education in Africa

The higher education landscape has arguably become one of the most arduous to traverse. More so in the African context, where a host of variables continiously challenge educators to reflect critically on their philosophies and practices as they engage an ever-changing audience. In this book, a critical engagement with theological education in Africa is offered. As the book originates from South Africa, it is presented as a South African perspective, although contributors are situated accross the African continent and abroad. The common denominator is that all contributers are, in some way or another, invested in theological education in Africa. The main contribution of this collaborative work is to be sought in the insights it offers on four main areas of theological education: A historical and current orientation on theological edcuation in Africa, some paradigm shifts in theological education in Africa, ministerial formation needs versus theological education challenges, and a critical reflection on elective models and methods. The book presents the original and innovative research of scholars for fellow scholars involved in theological higher education as it is grounded in the respective fields of interest of each contributor. It contributes to a better understanding of the complex African theological higher education landscape that is also mindful of post-COVID-19 realities. Methodologically the work draws on a combination of methods, including literature studies, empirical work, and in some cases sectional offerings from doctoral studies, as indicated in the various chapters

Transitions from rural contexts to and through higher education in South Africa: negotiating misrecognition

This paper reports on an international collaborative study that investigated how students from rural contexts negotiate the transition to university, and how prior cultural and educational experiences influence their higher education trajectories. A qualitative, participatory methodology was adopted, centred on co-researcher narratives, digital artefacts and discussions. Findings demonstrate how family and community, including religious, study, and self-help groups, influenced their transitions into higher education and journey through university and to their identities, agency and sense of belonging. The paper argues that university practices, values and norms need to acknowledge and incorporate all students’ prior experiences and histories and recognise their powerful contribution in working towards a decolonial higher education

Transitions from rural contexts to and through higher education in South Africa: negotiating misrecognition

This paper reports on an international collaborative study that investigated how students from rural contexts negotiate the transition to university, and how prior cultural and educational experiences influence their higher education trajectories. A qualitative, participatory methodology was adopted, centred on co-researcher narratives, digital artefacts and discussions. Findings demonstrate how family and community, including religious, study, and self-help groups, influenced their transitions into higher education and journey through university and to their identities, agency and sense of belonging. The paper argues that university practices, values and norms need to acknowledge and incorporate all students’ prior experiences and histories and recognise their powerful contribution in working towards a decolonial higher education

Students as co-researchers:participatory methods for decolonising research in teaching and learning in higher education

This paper focuses on the potential, challenges, and limits of participatory, narrative and multimodal research methods as contributions to decolonising research on understanding student experiences of teaching and learning in higher education. Drawing on Fraser’s social justice concepts of participatory parity, redistribution, recognition, and representation, we argue that methodologies and methods for researching students’ experiences need to redress power imbalances implicit in many existing approaches. We suggest how participatory methodologies can be combined with narrative inquiry and multimodal methods where students research their own lives and contexts. We critically reflect on an international study based in South Africa with South African and UK partners involving 65 undergraduate students from rural backgrounds who participated as co-researchers over 12 months. We highlight decolonial debates in relation to participatory research, before outlining our methodological approach and interrogating the potential, limitations, and future possibilities of co-researcher methodologies for decolonising student-focused research in higher educatio