Towards the contextualisation of democracy: A critical precursor for citizenship education in universities

In response to a controversial article, which sought to draw connections between intelligence and essentialist understandings of race and ethnicity, a university Senate has adopted a motion, geared at off-setting any future research of this nature. The resort to notions and imperatives of citizenship education, as contained in this motion, raises necessary questions about how a university conceives of itself in relation to acting and being democratic. It would appear from the language and content of the motion, that should the motion be implemented, it risks slipping into yet another reductionist approach to citizenship education. In response, this article argues that citizenship education cannot be decontextualized from the space (a university) in which it is expected to function and live. That is, that democratic citizenship education can only be meaningful to the extent that the principles and values are democracy are brought forth through the lived experiences of students, academics, and all others, who occupy this space

Covid-19: Undoing our "normal" to find our humanity

At the time of writing this article South Africa has entered yet another hard lockdown, casting darkening shadows over, if not a hopeful return to “normal”, then at least to the establishment of a “new normal”. Clearly, even amid the unpredictability and trauma of a virus which strikes in an undifferentiated way across race, class, age, and geopolitical contexts, there should be nagging suspicions about a forward-looking narrative which relies on a repeated reference to “a normal”.  In the case of the educational institutions, a “new normal” is embodied in virtual spaces of teaching and learning. Seemingly, objectives of embarking on a “new normal” have scant regard for the myriad existing inequities, which continue to render South African educational institutions into categories of either historical advantage, or historical disadvantage. Seemingly too, a “new normal” chooses to disregard the reality that if educational institutions are not on an equal footing, then why is there an uncritical presumption that learners and students, or teachers, for that matter, are able to access and participate in virtual learning in parity? It is a big enough challenge for most learners and students to actively participate in educational settings, when one considers the dismal living conditions of the majority of South Africans. For many of these learners and students, educational settings, even in their poor infrastructural states, represent an escape and haven from the hardships of a life entrenched in poverty. What happens when the expectation of learning shifts entirely to the capacity of the home to become a space of learning? Can we, therefore, continue to speak of a “new normal” when it is evident that there is no “normal”, not in our educational institutions, and not in our citizenship

Prioritising higher education: Why research is all that matters

Birthdays are joyfully relative events, which, at times, become more about reflection, and at times, regret, with each passing year. As Stellenbosch University embarks on its 100th year, celebrations and commemorations have adopted tentative nuances and burdens of heavily-laden legacies of wrongs and ills, which stand to be corrected. Much has been said, and rightly so, of assuming responsibility for questionable roles in highly divisive and harmful practices. In turn, much is envisaged for future actions of remedy and redress – particularly in relation to social responsibility and community interaction. In considering the role and responsibility of a university, many would agree that if the core of higher education is its epistemological contribution, then its impact is determined by its social worth. In this sense, any teaching and learning should not only be cognisant of its social context, but teaching and learning should always be both responsible and responsive to the world which it encounters. Yet, a university’s responsibilities can, and should never be at the expense, or risk of research. As will be discussed in this article, prioritising higher education means prefacing, and giving precedence to research. Prioritising higher education through research creates the spaces necessary for a philosophy of dialogue. Moreover, research is indispensable to meaningful teaching and learning. Put differently, it is with research that a university sustains and advances its intellectual, social and ethical project into the realm of the public. And, this implies a renewed look at the university with an ecological parlance of inquiry that accounts for the university on the basis of assemblages, engagements, reflections and sightings – whether smooth and or striated

Filling a theoretical void: The lived experiences of “coloured” women as mathematics educators in higher education

Thanks to intense prohibition and regulation of access to higher education during apartheid, a significant number of teachers from historically marginalised groups did not necessarily enter the profession as a first choice or as a desirable profession. Instead, post-schooling choices were based on access and financial support, restricting many marginalised groups to enrol at teacher training colleges. Beyond schools, there were no career pathways for “coloured”, “black”, and “Indian” teachers to teach at a higher education level. In mathematics education, the challenges experienced by “coloured” women are especially pronounced yet unexplored. To date, the dominant literature has leaned towards a negative portrayal, informed by stereotypical imagery and caricature. By exploring the lived experiences of six “coloured” women, who succeeded in establishing themselves as mathematics educators in higher education, the article is driven by a twofold imperative. On the one hand, it seeks to highlight the intersectional barriers of discrimination and marginalisation encountered by these women during apartheid and democratic South Africa. On the other hand, the article is interested in filling the theoretical void on the lives and capabilities of “coloured” women as mathematics educators in higher education

Is democracy still relevant in South African higher education?

At least, over the past four decades post-colonial African higher education has undergone significant changes in the quest to cultivate democratic educational / pedagogical actions in universities. From its early insistence on deliberative action (Waghid 2001), more recently, it assumed the forms of both ethical pursuits (Davids and Waghid 2016) and caring (Waghid 2019). Yet, as South Africa continues its unprecedented transition into a democracy, it is becoming abundantly evident that what is needed in higher education should surpass deliberative, ethical, and caring encounters. The expectation that a democratic climate would ease the deep inequalities in higher education, would somehow set the scene for a renewal of knowledge, and restore opportunities for historically marginalised communities, lies in limbo. Instead, what we witness is the awakening of renewed resistance – this time, not against an unjust apartheid regime, but against a democracy that seems incapable of yielding to its own ideals. In this article, therefore, we argue that for higher education to enact its democratic imperative – that is, its transformative ideals, necessary not only for its own public thriving, but for its citizenship – it ought to invoke the idea of resistance (Davids and Waghid 2021)

In support of practice-based teacher professional learning

Research indicates that teacher education programmes are impeded by abstract, theory-laden and decontextualised modes of teacher professional development. As a result, teachers have particular sets of pedagogical knowledge without a clear understanding of how this knowledge ought to be implemented in diverse classroom settings. As an alternative response, an argument is made for a practice-based teacher professional learning approach. By analysing theories around practice (practice theory) and the concept professional learning, we propose, firstly, that teacher professional learning programmes should include pedagogies for learning that are continuous, intensive, socially mediated, supportive, embodied and relate to the contextual needs of the teacher. Secondly, that teachers ought to be provided with the skills, necessary for the conversion of theoretical ideas into practice. Thirdly, we contend that a practice-based teacher professional approach requires teacher agency in relation to their practices, as opposed to merely implementing various strategies and approaches

Educational theory as rhythmic action: From Arendt to Agamben

Traditionally, educational theory has been couched as modes of human action through concepts such as poiesis and praxis. Inasmuch as poiesis and praxis have significantly shaped educational theory, we argue that such modes of action – if considered as mutually exclusive – do not sufficiently explain the interrelationship between educational theory and practice. Firstly, we extend the notion of action as explained by Arendt. Next, we offer an account of Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’, which integrates the notions of poiesis and praxis to pave the way for an understanding of educational theory as creative will that moves human action from enacting the unexpected into ‘an increasingly free and rarified atmosphere’. Secondly, in re-examining the Aristotelian concepts of poiesis and praxis, we argue that Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’ extends the Arendtian notion of action to perform the unexpected, and offers an as yet unexplored lens through which to understand the nexus between educational theory and practice

COVID-19 catalysing assessment transformation: A case of the online open book examination

Under COVID-19 lockdown conditions, the imposition of social distancing and restricted mobility, disrupted the traditional way of assessment in higher education. The closed book examination, conducted under proctored conditions, had to be substituted for the online open book examination (OOBE), posing challenges to both conventional and Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions. The OOBE became a new experience to lecturers and students. Considering COVID-19 as a potential catalyst for educational transformation, the experiences gained in this format of assessment presents a valuable frame of reference for future learning. The aim is to extract lessons from this innovative learning experience to inform future assessment practices. The study is set in the context of a B.Ed. (Hons) compulsory module, offered at an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution in South Africa. It is guided by the research question: “what were students’ experiences of their first online, open-book final examination and what are the implications for policy, practice and research?” This is a qualitative study, using as data, student emails on their experiences of the OOBE. The results show that the OOBE is an innovative assessment practice in higher education, in need of deeper understanding and (re)training. We conclude that the OOBE offers transformational opportunities in higher education assessment practices, to replace the traditional closed-book examination. We make recommendations to assist lecturers and students in approaching the OOBE in future

Decay Rate of Triaxially-Deformed Proton Emitters

The decay rate of a triaxially-deformed proton emitter is calculated in a particle-rotor model, which is based on a deformed Woods-Saxon potential and includes a deformed spin-orbit interaction. The wave function of the $I=7/2^{-}$ ground state of the deformed proton emitter $^{141}$Ho is obtained in the adiabatic limit, and a Green's function technique is used to calculate the decay rate and branching ratio to the first excited 2$^{+}$ state of the daughter nucleus. Only for values of the triaxial angle $\gamma$ $<5^{\circ}$ is good agreement obtained for both the total decay rate and the 2$^{+}$ branching ratio.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Hindrance of Heavy-ion Fusion at Extreme Sub-Barrier Energies in Open-shell Colliding Systems

The excitation function for the fusion-evaporation reaction 64Ni+100Mo has been measured down to a cross-section of ~5 nb. Extensive coupled-channels calculations have been performed, which cannot reproduce the steep fall-off of the excitation function at extreme sub-barrier energies. Thus, this system exhibits a hindrance for fusion, a phenomenon that has been discovered only recently. In the S-factor representation introduced to quantify the hindrance, a maximum is observed at E_s=120.6 MeV, which corresponds to 90% of the reference energy E_s^ref, a value expected from systematics of closed-shell systems. A systematic analysis of Ni-induced fusion reactions leading to compound nuclei with mass A=100-200 is presented in order to explore a possible dependence of the fusion hindrance on nuclear structure.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.