REFLECTIONS ON THE STATE OF PEDAGOGY AND PERCEIVED RELATED CHALLENGES IN TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL, EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) ENGINEERING STUDIES OF SOUTH AFRICA

Gregory Alexander¹*, Charles Masoabi²

¹Associate Professor, Department of Graduate Studies, Central University of Technology, SOUTH AFRICA, email: galexander@cut.ac.za

² Dr, Department of Mathematics, Science & Technology, Central University of Technology, SOUTH AFRICA, email: cmasoabi@cut.ac.za

*Corresponding author

 

Abstract

This aim of this exploratory paper is to reflect on the current pedagogical conditions in the Engineering Studies domain at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in South Africa. Since the White paper for TVET colleges envisioned this institutions to equip students with skills, knowledge, attitudes and values (HRDC, 2014) suitable for labour market. Moreover, Field, Musset & Alvarez-Galvan (2014) are concerned about the high unemployment rate amongst young South Africans in particular, and therefore effective TVET programmes are of paramount for the appropriate transition of a productive citizenry into the workplace. The need for the professional development of TVET lecturers and ascertaining the pedagogical skills that are linked to work-based learning also seem to be high on the agenda of policy formulation processes. Another trend is that more experienced lecturers with industrial highly demanded skills are seemingly recruited by the private sector with high salaries. Furthermore, it appears that the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (SADHET) has certain challenges in competing with public sector providers and seems to be unable to match salaries, accordingly. Due to the raised concerns, TVET colleges have resorted to employing their own students as lecturers- these individuals appear to have no to very limited teaching or work-based learning experience. These (student graduates) lecturers are further faced with large numbers of students in classes; hence the assumption can be made that they will lack pedagogical/vocational content knowledge to teach their assigned subject offerings in an effective manner. This paper, as work- in- progress and being part of a larger national collaborative research study, reflects on the current pedagogical/vocational competencies of TVET Engineering Studies’ lecturers in South Africa. Via a qualitative document analysis and views expressed by participants at a research planning symposium gathering, we deliberate on the state of pedagogy in Engineering Studies and the perceived related challenges articulated by participants. Preliminary recommendations are given with regards to improving the status quo of Engineering Studies in the TVET sector of South Africa.  

Keywords: Lecturer professional competencies, teaching training, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, resource development, work-integrated learning