“You Are Essentially Just a Number”: Discourse Elaboration and Devaluation among Natural Science Students

Abstract

This article analyzes first-year natural science students’ experiences of discourse and devaluation as new members of the Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty at the University of Pretoria (UP). This study aims to highlight students’ perspectives on navigating digital learning during COVID-19. Second, the analysis aims to highlight how intersections between languages, digital learning tools, and students’ identities intersect in an academic literacy module. Lastly, the investigation aims to formulate methodical propositions that academic literacy facilitators can apply to generate experiences of discourse elaboration as opposed to devaluation. This study was conducted at the Hatfield campus of the University of Pretoria, Gauteng province in South Africa among first-year natural science scholars. To unearth students’ experiences, this analysis employed a qualitative and phenomenological line of inquiry. Accordingly, the researchers interviewed 17 students in 2021 as part of a pilot project for a master’s degree project. All structured interviews were conducted via live video transmission using Zoom. The results of the study indicated that most of the participants missed face-to-face interactions with peers and academic staff. The majority of participants indicated that the sole utilization of eLearning induced discourse devaluation. Simultaneously, participants expressed discourse elaboration through interacting with digital literacies in the LST 110 module. Key variables that shaped students’ diverse experiences of discourse elaboration and devaluation are languages, identity, culture, and digital learning tools.