Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the last two decades, the deteriorating academic performance of first-year university students has led to the implementation of teaching and learning interventions, such as tutorial programmes, in various subjects at universities world-wide, including in South Africa. The changing nature of higher education has also led to the incorporation of more student-centred teaching approaches (such as tutorials) along with the traditional teacher-centred approaches (such as lectures). Consequently, tutorial programmes have become the topic of many research projects aimed at describing the function or operation of these programmes, or assessing their efficacy. As a compulsory or potentially compulsory subject for at least seven courses in three faculties at Stellenbosch University, English 178 has one of the highest annual student intakes at the institution. Considering the important role the subject is generally perceived to play in equipping all manner of students for the professional environment, it was imperative that the English 178 course’s primary learning intervention – its tutorial programme – be thoroughly evaluated in order to ensure its usefulness and the accomplishment of its purposes. This study investigated the role of tutors in the achievement of the English 178 course outcomes as perceived by students and tutors respectively. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to effect this assessment. The study found that when students arrive at English 178, they are underprepared for academic writing. According to the results, the course then equips students for the more basic aspects of this skill, such as formulating and developing an argument, and structuring an academic essay. However, advanced skills such as independent research and referencing are still problematic for many students by the end of English 178. In supporting students to acquire these academic skills, tutors have four roles, according to student and tutor perceptions: expositor, chairperson, teacher, and scaffolder. Based on these results, the English 178 course can be seen as an example of facilitated textual enquiry (FTE), a teaching and learning model introduced by this study, which constitutes a selective application of problem-based learning (PBL) principles to literary studies. FTE entails the scaffolded, partially-guided instruction of close reading, critical thinking and academic writing skills by a tutor-facilitator. The study posits that this type of model is indispensable in the achievement of course outcomes in the 21st-century academic landscape. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die afgelope twee dekades het eerstejaar-universiteitstudente se verswakkende akademiese prestasie gelei tot die implementering van onderrig- en leerintervensies, soos tutoriaalprogramme, in verskeie vakke aan universiteite wêreldwyd, insluitend in Suid-Afrika. Die veranderende aard van hoër opvoeding het ook gelei tot die inlywing van meer studentgesentreerde onderrigbenaderings (soos tutoriale) by tradisionele dosentgesentreerde benaderings (soos lesings). Gevolglik het tutoriaalprogramme die onderwerp van vele navorsingsprojekte geword wat daarop gemik is om die funksie of werking van hierdie programme te beskryf, of die doeltreffendheid daarvan te assesseer. As ’n verpligte of potensieel verpligte vak vir ten minste sewe kursusse in drie fakulteite by die Universiteit Stellenbosch het Engels 178 een van die hoogste jaarlikse studente-innames aan die instelling. Gegewe die belangrike rol wat die vak volgens algemene persepsie speel in die toerusting van allerlei studente vir die professionele omgewing, was dit noodsaaklik dat die Engels 178-kursus se primêre leerintervensie – die tutoriaalprogram – deeglik geëvalueer word om die dienstigheid en die vervulling van die doelwitte daarvan te verseker. Hierdie studie het die rol van tutors in die bereiking van die Engels 178-kursusuitkomste ondersoek vanuit die oogpunt van onderskeidelik studente en tutors. ’n Kombinasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik om hierdie assessering te doen. Die studie het gevind dat wanneer studente by Engels 178 aankom, hulle ondervoorbereid is vir akademiese skryf. Volgens die resultate rus die kursus hulle dan toe vir die meer basiese aspekte van hierdie vaardigheid, soos om ’n argument te formuleer en ontwikkel, en om ’n akademiese opstel te struktureer. Gevorderde vaardighede, soos onafhanklike navorsing en verwysings, is egter teen die einde van Engels 178 steeds vir baie studente problematies. Wanneer tutors studente ondersteun om hierdie akademiese vaardighede aan te leer, het hulle volgens studente en tutors se persepsies vier rolle: uitlêer (expositor), voorsitter (chairperson), leermeester (teacher), en steieraar (scaffolder). Gegrond op hierdie resultate kan die Engels 178-kursus gesien word as ’n voorbeeld van gefasiliteerde tekstuele ondersoek (facilitated textual enquiry of FTE), ’n onderrig- en leermodel wat deur hierdie studie bekendgestel word en wat bestaan uit ’n selektiewe toepassing van probleemgebaseerde leerbeginsels op letterkundestudie. FTE behels die gesteierde (scaffolded), gedeeltelik geleide onderrig van stiplees (close reading), kritiese denke en akademiese skryfvaardighede deur ’n tutor-fasiliteerder. Die studie voer aan dat hierdie soort model onontbeerlik is in die bereiking van kursusuitkomste in die 21ste-eeuse akademiese landskap.

It is widely assumed that participation in study abroad contributes to developing second language (L2) proficiency, as well as related outcomes such as higher levels of L2 learning motivation and intercultural competence. However, empirical studies into the outcomes of participation in study abroad have been affected by a series of methodological limitations, including complete reliance on participant self-assessment, the omission of longitudinal design elements, failure to control for non-equivalent comparison groups where these are included and insufficient sample sizes for testing programme effects. Thus, the present study investigates further the impact of studying abroad with the EU's ERASMUS programme on the participants' overall L2 proficiency, their self-efficacy and anxiety in using the L2 with native and non-native speakers and on their self-motivation to continue learning the L2. To this end, a longitudinal mixed methods design was employed in which 143 German university students who applied for an ERASMUS exchange with a British university for the academic year 2012-2013 and were either accepted or rejected/ withdrawn formed the abroad and comparison groups. All students completed C-tests of overall English language proficiency and questionnaires that inquired into the students' mobility history, their L2 learning background, L2 motivation, intergroup attitudes and aspects of the study abroad experience itself. Both instruments were administered online at the onset of the study abroad period (September 2012), one term into the programme (December 2012) and prior to the students' return (either December 2012 or June 2013). This predominantly quantitative group-level study served to establish the outcomes of participation in study abroad for the students' linguistic and motivational development. Repeated interviews with a sub-sample of 15 participants served to illuminate the observed outcome patterns in terms of the motivational dynamics during study abroad, as well as common factors associated with individual differences in linguistic development. The results of the study show that during the first 3 months abroad the ERASMUS students made significantly higher gains in overall English proficiency than the group of potentially mobile students who continued to study at home. The effect of the learning context was large and highly significant (p =.001), even after the influence of pre-existing participant characteristics on the students' proficiency development was controlled for. During the subsequent 6 months of the study abroad period, however, progress among the ERASMUS group slowed and the between-group differences were no longer significant. The participants' L2 proficiency level at programme entry emerged as the strongest predictor of overall L2 proficiency gain, explaining up to 31.5% of the variance. The students' attitudes towards their own national group, their perceptions of self-efficacy and feelings of anxiety when using English in social interactions, the perceived present-future L2 self-discrepancy and gender explained another 13.6% of the variance in overall L2 proficiency gain. Learner-external factors, including participation in English language instruction, participation in clubs and societies, the number of academic contact hours and type of enrolment, and free time spent with co-national peers, including friends and family back home explained a further 10.9%. The qualitative analysis of the students' accounts provided further insights into the ways in which these factors play out in L2 learning abroad, as well as into the students' perceptions of aspects of studying abroad that contributed most to their linguistic development. Regarding the motivational impact of the study abroad experience, the study found that ERASMUS students tended to develop significantly higher levels of self-efficacy in using English in social interactions as compared to the group of potentially mobile students who continued to study at home, while both the levels of perceived present-future self-discrepancy and English use anxiety with native and non-native speakers fell during the first 3 months abroad. While the overall impact of the study abroad experience on the students' motivation to continue learning the L2 was perceived as positive by the vast majority of participants, a decline in learning motivation was observed for most students after the initial 3-month period. The qualitative analysis showed that this decline can be plausibly explained by developments in the students' English self-concept that occurred in response to the study abroad experience. Evidence-based recommendations are made regarding ways in which the linguistic and motivational development of ERASMUS students can be more effectively supported by higher education institutions.

Pan, Lin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-180). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.I / 中文摘要 --- p.III / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.V / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VI / LIST OF TABLES --- p.IX / Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- Research-driven Theories of Language Learning Beliefs --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Definition of Beliefs about Language Learning --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Characteristics of Beliefs about Language Learning --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Structure of Language Learning Beliefs --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- The Role of Language Learning Beliefs in L2 Learning --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Summary --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3 --- Approaches to the Investigations of Language Learning Beliefs --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- The Normative Approach --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The Metacognitive Approach --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- The Contextual Approach --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Summary --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Research in Second/Foreign Language Learning Contexts --- p.21 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- The Impact of Culture on Learning Beliefs --- p.22 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Sources of Beliefs about Language Learning --- p.25 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Mismatches between Teachers´ة and Students´ة Learning Beliefs --- p.29 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- The Association between Individual Learning Beliefs and Learning Outcomes --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Summary --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5 --- Rationale for Present Study --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.34 / Chapter 3 --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.36 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2 --- Context of the Study --- p.36 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research Design --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4 --- The Pilot Study --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Pilot Testing Survey --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Participants --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Construction of the Survey --- p.41 / Chapter 3.4.1.3 --- Procedures --- p.43 / Chapter 3.4.1.4 --- Results --- p.43 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Pilot Study of Semi-structured Interviews --- p.45 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Participants --- p.45 / Chapter 3.4.2.2 --- Design of Interview Protocols --- p.45 / Chapter 3.4.2.3 --- Procedures --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4.2.4 --- Results --- p.47 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Implications of Pilot Study --- p.48 / Chapter 3.5 --- The Main Study --- p.48 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Participants --- p.49 / Chapter 3.5.1.1 --- Survey Participants --- p.49 / Chapter 3.5.1.2 --- Selection Criteria for Student Interviewees --- p.49 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Instrumentation --- p.51 / Chapter 3.5.2.1 --- Survey --- p.51 / Chapter 3.5.2.2 --- Semi-structured Interviews --- p.52 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Data Collection --- p.52 / Chapter 3.5.3.1 --- Survey --- p.53 / Chapter 3.5.3.2 --- Semi-structured Interviews --- p.53 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Data Analysis --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.4.1 --- Survey --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.4.2 --- Semi-structured Interviews --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.4.3 --- Triangulation of Data --- p.56 / Chapter 3.6 --- Summary --- p.57 / Chapter 4 --- SURVEY FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION --- p.59 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.59 / Chapter 4.2 --- General Picture of Student Learning Beliefs --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3 --- General Picture of Teacher Learning Beliefs --- p.70 / Chapter 4.4 --- Mismatch between Teachers´ة and Students´ة Learning Beliefs --- p.77 / Chapter 4.5 --- The Relationship between Individual Learning Beliefs and Proficiency Levels --- p.81 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summary --- p.85 / Chapter 5 --- INTERVIEW FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION --- p.86 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.86 / Chapter 5.2 --- Participants´ة Learning Beliefs --- p.87 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Beliefs about Foreign Language Aptitude --- p.87 / Chapter 5.2.1.1 --- The general existence of specialized abilities for language learning --- p.88 / Chapter 5.2.1.2 --- Beliefs about the characteristics of successful and less successful language learners --- p.91 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Beliefs about the Difficulty of Language Learning --- p.102 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Difficulty of learning English as a foreign language --- p.103 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- Relative difficulty of different language skills --- p.106 / Chapter 5.2.2.3 --- Expectation for success --- p.110 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Beliefs about the Nature of Language Learning --- p.112 / Chapter 5.2.3.1 --- Role of culture contact and language immersion in language learning --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2.3.2 --- Language learning and learning of other school subjects --- p.117 / Chapter 5.2.3.3 --- Focus of the language learning task --- p.110 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Beliefs about Learning and Communication Strategies --- p.121 / Chapter 5.2.4.1 --- Pronunciation --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2.4.2 --- Grammar --- p.130 / Chapter 5.2.4.3 --- Vocabulary --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2.4.4 --- Reading --- p.135 / Chapter 5.2.4.5 --- Writing --- p.138 / Chapter S.2.4.6 --- Speaking --- p.140 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Beliefs about Motivation --- p.145 / Chapter 5.3 --- Discussion --- p.150 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Sources of Learning Beliefs --- p.150 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Beliefs Specific to the Hong Kong Learning Context --- p.154 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.156 / Chapter 6 --- CONCLUSION --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.157 / Chapter 6.2 --- Summary of the Significant Findings --- p.157 / Chapter 6.3 --- Implications of the Research --- p.162 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Eliminating Learners´ة Inappropriate Learning Beliefs --- p.162 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- "Improving Learners, Perceptions of Foreign Language Aptitude" --- p.164 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Changing Learners´ة Views about the Difficulty of Foreign Language Learning --- p.165 / Chapter 6.3.4 --- Increasing Learners´ة Knowledge of Accents in Varieties of English --- p.166 / Chapter 6.3.5 --- Providing More Opportunities for Practicing English with Native Speakers --- p.167 / Chapter 6.3.6 --- Adjusting Teachers´ة English Learning Beliefs --- p.167 / Chapter 6.4 --- Limitations of the Present Study --- p.169 / Chapter 6.5 --- Suggestions for Further Studies --- p.170 / Chapter 6.6 --- Summary --- p.172 / REFERENCES --- p.173 / APPENDICES --- p.181 / Appendix A: Sample Questionnaire for Beliefs about Language Learning --- p.181 / Appendix B: Sample Questionnaire on Teachers´ة Beliefs about Language Learning --- p.185 / Appendix C: Sample Semi-structured Interview Protocol --- p.187 / Appendix D: Sample Content Form --- p.192 / Appendix E: Full result of Students' Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (As Percentage) --- p.194 / Appendix F: Full result of Teachers´ة Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (As Percentage) --- p.196 / Appendix G: Comparison between Teachers and Students on Language Learning Beliefs (As Percentage) --- p.198

This study focused on a topic at the intersection of two contexts, namely curriculum responsiveness and industrial/organisational psychology (IOP). The rationale for this study is based on two considerations. Firstly, a review of the IOP curricula offered at ten prominent South African universities revealed little overlap. This suggests that academic departments are not guided by shared principles when they implement decisions about the content or sequencing of curriculum content. Secondly, the Department of Education urges academics to design curricula that are relevant and responsive to contemporary conditions. These two considerations motivated the investigation of the following research question: What key performance areas (KPAs) do employers specify when they advertise positions suitable for IOP graduates? The investigation had two aims, namely (a) to systematically analyse the KPAs specified in job advertisements and (b) to compile KPA templates that may be used by IOP departments who wish to revise or transform their curricula. The research design of this study has five characteristics, namely that it is: (a) qualitative, (b) naturalistic, (c), descriptive, (d) applied, and (e) strategic. The study employed a purposive sampling strategy that involved the collection of documentary data (job advertisements aimed at recruiting IOP graduates) over a 52-week period (N=1115). The data was content analysed by means of a six-step documentary analysis method. Specific strategies were employed to enhance the validity of the findings. These strategies focused on credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Similarly, the ethical standing of the investigation was promoted by addressing four considerations, namely autonomy and respect for dignity, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. The data analysis procedure produced comprehensive and detailed qualitative descriptions of (a) 21 occupational categories, (b) 4070 KPA themes and (c) 84 KPA clusters. In addition, the number of occupational categories, KPA themes and KPA clusters were recorded and interpreted. In addition, the data analysis procedure produced comprehensive KPA templates that IOP departments may find useful. The templates reflect the KPAs specified by advertisements aimed at recruiting IOP graduates for a range of occupational categories and were designed to be used as benchmarks against which the economic responsiveness of curricula can be compared.

South Africa is a country with 11 official languages including English. English, however, dominates the educational sector, as medium of instruction. This is despite a plethora of research that shows the cognitive advantages of mother tongue instruction and language policies that promote additive bilingual approaches. As subtractive language approaches characterise poor schooling contexts, the outcomes for students are poor. This is because they do not develop proficiency in any language. The abolition of apartheid in South Africa and the advent of democracy in 1994 resulted in dramatic changes in the education system. Nevertheless, the medium of instruction from Grade four has remained English. Consequently, for the majority of the population the education is in their second language. This study takes place in the higher education setting of a TVET college, namely the Dower Campus in Port Elizabeth. It focuses specifically on Level 2 (first year) Life Orientation students to consider the effect English has, as medium of instruction, on the academic performance of students. There is concern about the status of TVET colleges. Even though the higher education sector has transformed, these skills based colleges are still given inferior status in the eyes of the general public and students themselves. These students may be particularly at risk of success given that they have lower entry requirements than other students in the higher education sector. The subject Life Orientation was used to examine the effect of English on student performance. Life Orientation has come under scrutiny for its usefulness and it cognitive value. This study argues that it is a valuable subject for students at colleges, equipping them with knowledge to succeed at studies and in society at large. However, the pass rates for Life Orientation have been consistently low. The study wanted to probe the role of English in this performance. To address the aims and objectives of this study, relevant literature and various multilingual approaches were reviewed to determine which strategies might be most effective in helping students cope with English as medium of instruction. The study also presents a case for the development of indigenous languages as medium of instruction. The study used a mixed methods approach, that is both qualitative and quantitative methods, to explore the use, attitude and perceptions of English among lecturers and students. The research used an interpretive approach and the study took the form of a case study. The researcher took the stance of being a non-participant observer. Qualitative data was obtained through the use of interviews while quantitative data was obtained through the use of questionnaires. The interviews were recorded and transcribed by a transcriber. Data was analysed using a thematic approach. The results showed that majority of the students did not speak English frequently nor had it as a home language yet they all had a positive regard for the language. Many factors were responsible for student performance in Life Orientation such as attitude to subject, theoretical versus practical components of the subject and student background. However, the medium of instruction played a large role in this performance. Though lecturers foregrounded the importance of English as medium of instruction, they recognise that it was a barrier to understanding and affected student performance. Analysis of the lecturer interviews and the questionnaires with students revealed that students were experiencing difficulty speaking, reading and writing in English. Lecturers adapted their teaching strategies when teaching by including translanguaging strategies of code-switching to facilitate understanding. The data also indicated that code switching was considered by the lecturers to be the most suitable method in teaching to student. Code-meshing and written translations of material were not strategies employed by lecturers. Students indicated that they would prefer to write assignments drafts initially in mother tongue. The findings also suggested that it was necessary for the lecturer to use a variety of multilingual strategies to ensure that students enjoy success in Life Orientation. Based on the findings, this study makes recommendations regarding the teaching and learning of English to students which includes the use of multilingual classroom strategies, collaboration with language lecturers and development of a multilingual language policy to aid in the understanding and acquisition of English terminology used in LO content. Such a language policy should also seek to develop indigenous languages as mediums of instructions at the college.

This article seeks to understand what South African universities are doing by making use of language as a tool or as an enabling voice towards Africanisation and transformation with particular reference to Rhodes University, which serves as a case study. Although many universities now have language policies in place and are part of an enabling policy environment, when it comes to using language as part of transformation and asserting an African voice, there are still policy implementation challenges. It is argued in this article that implementation of policy, including university language policies, is now a key indicator for two levels of transformation; namely the more superficially visible or visual representation transformation, as well as deeper curriculum transformation through appropriate language usage. It is the latter form of transformation that largely eludes the contemporary South African university, whether these are historically black universities (HBUs) or historically white universities (HWUs). With the exception of a few best practices that are highlighted in this article, it is argued that transformation of the curriculum remains a long-term process, in the same way that language policy implementation is an ongoing process and requires commitment at all levels of university managerial and academic culture. The African voice in higher education remains an elusive one; though it is gaining ground, as evidenced by the recent removal of the Cecil John Rhodes Statue at the University of Cape Town. Furthermore, there is evidence of selected ongoing curriculum and pedagogic transformation, as presented in this article.

Several factors that are known to influence attitudes of students towards learning have been documented. Some of these factors have been found to affect the achievement of students. In this study the relationship of the attitudinal disposition of students to their learning outcomes were assessed. Chemistry attitude questionnaire was used to assess the attitude of students and a pen and paper examination comprising of questions requiring declarative and procedural knowledge were used to assess learning outcomes of students. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess relationship between attitude of students and their learning outcomes. The results showed that attitude of students had a positive but moderate influence on their performance. The ANOVA results showed a statistical significant relationship between attitude of students and students’ learning outcomes (F= 38.383, p=0.000). / Institute of Science and Technology Education / M.Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

Listening for learning during lectures has been established to be a staged process. Listening's role during didactic andragogical events in the Bulawayo Polyte9hnic Business Studies Department's Business Communication lectures was investigated. Both the qualitative and the quantitative data gathered contributed to a statistical groundstructure and an ethnomethodological outline, which together combined into a balanced description of the listened learning .p rocess in that tertiary learning environment. Data sources included student and lecturer responses as well as observed learning during communicativeness skills development, and whilst learning in lectures and tutorials. The related literature was supported by the study's findings, confirming that individuals perceive, interpret and evaluate information directly in accordancewith their own lifeworld. This includes own learned technique which derives from inherent oral or literate culture base as well as from personal cameral preferences and endowments. The consequent individually different listened learning range constitutes a conventional normal dispersion. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

This research project explores issues around the poor throughput and high dropout rate in the Certificate of the Theory of Accounting (CTA) by focusing on Accounting knowledge as an object of study. The CTA was identified as a serious block in the steps that one needs to go through on the journey to becoming a Chartered Accountant. Having a clear understanding of Accounting knowledge can lead to finding ways that can make the subject more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. This study contributes to understanding Accounting knowledge at the CTA level with the aim of clearly delineating its legitimate knowledge and knower structures. It answers the following two research questions: • What constitutes legitimate knowledge structures in the CTA? • What constitutes legitimate knower structures in the CTA? Academics from nine universities and representatives of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) participated in this study. Data was collected through interviews, observation and document analysis. Eighteen CTA lecturers and two members of the SAICA management team were interviewed. Three universities provided documents on their practices, which included learner guides, examination papers, suggested answers, lecture notes, tutorials and other curriculum documents for each of the four CTA subjects. SAICA provided the competency framework and examinable pronouncements. A conference that was jointly hosted by SAICA and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation was observed. This study used Critical Realism as its ontological underpinnings and Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) as its substantive theory. It used the Specialisation and Autonomy principles of LCT to analyse the data. Specialization establishes the ways agents and discourses within a field are constructed as special, different or unique and thus deserving of distinction and status (Maton, 2014). The principle of Autonomy is concerned with the extent to which the field is self-governing and can do things of its own free-will (Maton, 2004). The study found that the CTA has a hierarchical knowledge structure, which means that when new knowledge is created in Accounting it is integrated into existing knowledge, resulting in coherent and integrated knowledge. CTA also has a hierarchical curriculum structure. While horizontal curriculum structures evolve through the replacement of existing knowledge by new approaches and content, a hierarchical curriculum typically grows through integration and subsumption of new knowledge into pre-existing knowledge and it relies on the acquisition of knowledge developed in previous modules or levels of study.