Language development in higher education: Suggested paradigms and their applications in South Africa

Hibbert, Liesel

doi:10.2989/16073614.2011.583089

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…If we only take into account the research area, it is evident that most papers fall under the area of social sciences and deal with pedagogy rather than with the specific teaching in a disciplinary field (see, eg, Greenhow & Robelia 2009;Khau, De Lange, & Athiemoolam, 2013). However, research has been carried out that adopts the concept of LE in the disciplinary areas of Sociolinguistics, Computer Sciences and STEM-see, eg, Hibbert (2011) for the first area; Tabuenca, Kalz, and Specht (2014) for the second; and Johnston, Southerland, and Sowell (2006) for the third. In all these cases, highly diversified learning theories were used.…”

Section: Theories In Le Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning ecologies through a lens: Ontological, methodological and applicative issues. A systematic review of the literature

Sangrà¹,

Raffaghelli²,

Catasús³

2019

Brit J Educational Tech

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The concept of learning ecologies emerged in a context of educational change. While the “learning ecologies” construct has offered a broad semantic space for characterizing innovative ways of learning, it is also true that its potential to promote innovative educational interventions may have been hindered by this same broadness. Based on this assumption, in this paper the authors carried out a systematic review of the literature on learning ecologies with the aim of analysing: (1) the varying definitions given to the concept, including the ontological perspective underlying the phenomena studied; (2) the methodological approaches adopted in studying the phenomenon; and (3) the applications of the research on this topic. Throughout this analysis, the authors attempt to describe the criticalities of the existing research, as well as the potential areas of development that align well with the theoretical/ontological issues, methodological approaches and educational applications. The authors selected and analysed 85 articles, which they then classified in a set of 20 categories defined by them on a theoretical basis. Moreover, in order to triangulate the manual coding, a bibliometric map was created showing the co‐citation activity of the 85 papers. The emerging picture showed significant variability in the ontological definitions and methodological approaches. In spite of this richness, few educational applications currently exist, particularly with regard to technology‐enhanced learning developments. Most research is observational, devoted to describing hybrid (digital and on‐site) learning activities that bridge the gap between the school and social spaces. Furthermore, many of the studies relate to the field of secondary education, with fewer studies exploring adult learning and higher education. The studies dealing with professional development relate mostly to teachers’ continuing education. The authors conclude that the concept of learning ecologies could be used to address further experimental and design‐based research leading to research applications if there is proper alignment between the ontological, methodological and applicative dimensions. The main potential of this strategy lies in the possibility of supporting learners by raising their awareness of their own learning ecologies, thereby empowering them and encouraging them to engage in agentic practices. This empowerment could help maintain and build new and better learning opportunities, which every learning ecology can incorporate, amidst the chaotic abundance that characterizes the digital society.

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Section: Theories In Le Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning ecologies through a lens: Ontological, methodological and applicative issues. A systematic review of the literature

Sangrà¹,

Raffaghelli²,

Catasús³

2019

Brit J Educational Tech

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“…Yet, despite the shift in student demographics with regard to racial and linguistic groups, the language policy practices and curricula in many institutions still reflect the colonial and apartheid worldviews that promote white supremacy and dominance (Heleta, 2016). The teaching and learning materials are still largely prepared for (English) monolingual students (Hibbert, 2011) and there is no provision for African languages. Consequent low academic literacy skills mean many university students struggle with writing academic texts and understanding academic concepts and terminology in their fields of study (Banda, 2006;Fisher & Scott, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic imperialism in English assessment: The case of an historically black university in South Africa

Ntombela¹

2018

Educ. res. soc.

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This paper reports on the findings of a research project that investigated first-year students' experiences in using multilingual glossaries. They were enrolled in an electrical engineering course at a higher education institution in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and focus group interviews with isiXhosaspeaking students to gain an insight into how the glossaries facilitated or constrained their epistemological access to concepts in the field of engineering. Drawing on the concepts of epistemological access, multilingualism, and biliteracy to establish a framework, we argue that the use of multilingual resources (e.g., glossaries) does not necessarily guarantee students' epistemological access to knowledge if their biliteracy skills (reading and writing) are underdeveloped in one of the targeted resource languages. This paper concludes that multilingualism is a necessary transformative approach, but that students' (bi)literacy development in African languages as targeted languages for transformation should also be prioritised and strengthened to facilitate better learning all round.

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“…They quote Marland (1977:11) who distinguishes a 'disseminated approach' and a 'specialised approach' to curriculum. Disseminated approaches move the responsibility for the development of academic, quantitative and information literacies to the mainstream, involving language experts as well as faculty, administrators and other stakeholders (compare also Scott, 2009;Jacobs, 2009;Hibbert, 2011). Among the advantages of such models are the 'discursive spaces' they create for collaboration between language lecturers and subject specialists, and the empowerment of subjectspecialists to lexicalise and structure their tacit knowledge of literacy conventions in their specialised discourses.…”

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confidence: 99%

Collaboration: The key to integration of language and content in academic literacy interventions

Carstens

2014

J. Lang. Teach.

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This contribution enters into dialogue with studies conducted both at school and university level on the effectiveness of interaction between subject teachers and language teachers to improve learners' subject-specific discourse literacies.An overview is given of the key findings of a report by the National Center for Literacy Education (2013) in the USA, and main findings are linked to two recent South African studies on collaborative approaches to academic literacy support in higher education. This is followed by a comparison of the school and university settings under scrutiny, with specific emphasis on the shared success factors. An analysis of two curricula for academic literacy offerings at a university that is in the process of introducing subject-specific academic literacy interventions indicates that the effectiveness of the interventions is not necessarily dependent on team teaching approaches, but on institutionally supported, regular, integrative, mutually consultative planning with all stakeholders involved in an atmosphere informed by study and ongoing review. Report (1975) with regard to the implementation of 'language across the curriculum' in South African higher education. One of their primary aims is to "situate strands of current thinking in a framework that could clarify assumptions and implications potentially accepted uncritically today" (Van Dyk & Coetzee-van Rooy, 2012:7). The section of the Bullock report that was found by these authors to be applicable to South African higher education -chapter 26 -focuses on language and literacy policy development and the establishment of support structures for their development. The ultimate aim of the Van Dyk and Coetzee-Van Rooy article is to propose a framework with which insights presented in the Bullock report (1975), and experiences from those who worked towards the implementation of this report in different contexts (Marland, 1977 and Corson, 1975), could be used to guide thinking about the "language and literacy across the curriculum" issue in South African higher education today (Van Dyk & Coetzee-VanRooy, 2012:10).A pivotal issue addressed in Van Dyk and Coetzee-Van Rooy's article (2012:14) is curriculum approaches to support curriculation for the implementation of language across the curriculum. They quote Marland (1977:11) who distinguishes a 'disseminated approach' and a 'specialised approach' to curriculum. Disseminated approaches move the responsibility for the development of academic, quantitative and information literacies to the mainstream, involving language experts as well as faculty, administrators and other stakeholders (compare also Scott, 2009;Jacobs, 2009;Hibbert, 2011). Among the advantages of such models are the 'discursive spaces' they create for collaboration between language lecturers and subject specialists, and the empowerment of subjectspecialists to lexicalise and structure their tacit knowledge of literacy conventions in their specialised discourses.Among the challenges facing this type of model are that subje...

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Language development in higher education: Suggested paradigms and their applications in South Africa

Cited by 9 publications

References 21 publications

Learning ecologies through a lens: Ontological, methodological and applicative issues. A systematic review of the literature

Learning ecologies through a lens: Ontological, methodological and applicative issues. A systematic review of the literature

Linguistic imperialism in English assessment: The case of an historically black university in South Africa

Collaboration: The key to integration of language and content in academic literacy interventions

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