Search

This article begins with the argument that an ideal 'African university' would be characterized by the universal value of social justice. 'Social justice' is presented as having two complementary and interrelated elements: redistribution of resources and recognition of difference. Crucial aspects of social justice in societies embedded in a past of conflict and inequity are reconciliation, sharing of self-consciousness and the democratization of knowledge systems. The article describes the first phase of a team led research project designed to explore the educational identities of lecturers, and how these impact on teaching and learning, at a historically white university in South Africa. The research design involves the narrating of educational biographies by 64 lecturers and academic support members. The positive impact of the research process on the research team is described. The themes and issues arising out of the research, which could emerge in a dialogue towards transformation of teaching and learning, are discussed with examples. The article concludes by stressing the need to guard against stereotyping individuals according to categories such as race or gender. It advocates the value of reflection as well as disclosure, within the dialogue towards transformation. It stresses that in order for social justice to flourish, this dialogue must be accompanied by distribution of power and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WebCT, a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) and Interactive TV (ITV) are relatively new technologies that are used to deliver distance education at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. This study explores how effective current approaches to instructional design and interaction have been in utilizing these two technologies to support interaction and what lessons can be learnt. Five focus-group interviews were held with students and lecturers to assess the perceived quality of student-lecturer/student-student interactions. All students were invited to complete a questionnaire at the end of every module to assess their perceptions of interaction. Interaction was highly valued by students and lecturers participating in distance-learning programmes utilizing either VLE or ITV. Students rated courses using both technologies as moderately interactive. Significant differences between VLE and ITV were detected in student-lecturer and student-student interactions, use of additional modes of communication, instructional design, technological interactivity and social rapport activities. The groups did not differ across a number of likely barriers to interaction and both also reported the need for more flexible and better paced instructional designs.