This autoethnographic journey started out as a qualitative research study to discover a new
framework for student communication at Unisa. However, I found Unisa and myself
reflecting each other, defenceless. Although autoethnography is defined as a research
methodology that brings the story of the self into an ethnographic cultural description, it is
much more than that. It is a way of being a researcher, where self and culture merge into
one ecological unity to present the world with a story that is honest and reflective. The
purpose of this study was to present Unisa with a new framework for student communication
by exploring new epistemological perspectives. This journey took me from the beginnings of
humanity where love and collaboration were our foundations, through our evolution into
civilisation, competition, science and education. These contributed a great deal to our
intellectual development through mechanistic thinking and a scientific approach but
alienated us from each other, which could potentially lead to our destruction. I also explored
cybernetics, complex and ecological thinking as new epistemological horizons to view
distance learning from. Such a perspective requires a radical epistemological shift from
hierarchical, mechanistic and reductionist thinking towards creating an ecology of learning,
one that is more dynamic, living, vibrant, caring and empowering. Through my intimate
reflective struggle with others, trying to understand how to create this vibrant student
communication context I discovered in the quietness of reflection the patterns that connect
us all, students, Unisa and myself. Our dialogical relationship emerged, one where there is
an epistemological split between our reductionist and mechanistic thinking that requires us
to be efficient on the one hand and ecologic and complex thinking that requires a caring,
connected and collaborative ecology on the other hand. The question then is how we create
this ecology where we reclaim our original humanness and co-evolve into an ecology of
learning that is truly empowering. This can be done by co-evolving a new culture of learning
grounded in passion, curiosity, openness and preparing us to be responsible and
participating citizens of this most beautiful planet. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/21158 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Schmidt, Louise |
| Contributors | Van Niekerk, Magdalena Petronella |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (x, 317 leaves) : (chiefly color) |
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