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The conceptualisation and application of service-learning in higher education : a case study

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central question that this research study addresses is whether higher
education institutions in South Africa are sufficiently meeting the needs of their
students, by contextualising and integrating their academic curricula with service
delivery in communities. The higher education sector has been criticized for not
adequately promoting and developing social responsibility in the context of civic
awareness among their students.
This study suggests that service-learning could become a vital force in educational
change and promote social equity by enabling the advancement of historically
disadvantaged communities. Service-learning could thus be the vehicle that links
academic learning outcomes, service in communities and civic education.
The purpose of this study is to explore the theoretical foundations of servicelearning
in order to achieve a deeper understanding of what service-learning
entails. The Occupational Therapy Department of the University of Stellenbosch
was selected as a case study to critically assess to what extent it has
conceptualised, planned, implemented and assessed its service-learning
programmes in terms of the key elements, principles and goals of service-learning.
The research strategy for this study is a qualitative case study. Qualitative data
was obtained through the completion of an open-ended questionnaire by the final
year Occupational Therapy students. Semi-structured interviews were also
conducted with the head of the department and different representatives of the
community project that was selected for the purpose of this research study.
The study concludes that the Occupational Therapy Department did in fact,
integrate its academic curriculum outcomes with service delivery in the community.
However, the development of civic awareness among students needs to be
explicitly linked to the academic learning outcomes and service delivery in
communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraagstuk wat hierdie studie probeer aanspreek, is om vas te stel tot watter
mate instansies vir hoër onderrig en opvoeding in Suid Afrika die behoeftes van
hul studente aanspreek. Die instansies word gekritiseer dat hulle akademiese
kurrikulums nie genoegsaam geïntegreerd is met dienslewering in die
gemeenskap nie, en dat hulle ook nie genoegsame sosiale verantwoordelikheid en
gemeenskapsbewustheid by hulle studente aanmoedig nie.
Hierdie studie stel voor dat diensleer gebruik word as 'n tegniek vir opvoedkundige
veranderinge en die bevordering van sosiale gelykheid vir die bemagtiging van
histories benadeelde gemeenskappe. Diensleer kan dus gebruik word om
akademiese leer uitkomste, dienslewering en burgerlike opvoeding te verbind.
Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om die teoretiese basis van diensleer te
ondersoek om sodoende 'n deeglike begrip te kry van wat diensleer werklik
behels. Die Arbeidsterapie Departement van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is
gekies as gevallestudie om vas te stel hoe hulle hul diensleer programme
konseptualiseer, beplan, implementeer en assesseer, t.o.v. die kern elemente,
beginsels en doelstellings van diensleer.
Die navorsingstrategie wat aangewend is om die doel van hierdie navorsing te
bereik, is 'n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie. Kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur die
voltooiing van 'n ope vraelys deur die finale jaar Arbeidsterapie studente en deur
semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die hoof van die Arbeidsterapie
Departement en verteenwoordigers van 'n gemeenskapsprojek wat gekies is vir
die doel van die studie.
Die studie het vasgestel dat die Arbeidsterapie Departement se akademiese
kurrikulum uitkomste wel met dienslewering in die gemeenskap geïntegreerd is. In
die lig van die navorsingsbevindinge word 'n aanbeveling gemaak dat die
ontwikkeling van burgelikebewustheid en sosiale verantwoordelikheid ten opsigte
van gemeenskapsbehoeftes, direk verbind moet word aan akademiese leer en
diens uitkomste.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53620
Date03 1900
CreatorsDaniels, Freda J.
ContributorsKapp, C. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format128 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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