Karin E Wolff
Stellenbosch University, Engineering, Faculty Member
- noneedit
- PhD (University of Cape Town) - 'Negotiating disciplinary boundaries in engineering problem-solving practice' Post-Do... morePhD (University of Cape Town) - 'Negotiating disciplinary boundaries in engineering problem-solving practice'
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the SARChI Chair (Work-Integrated Learning) hosted by Cape Peninsula University of Technology;
Co-founder of Cape Town School of Engineering;
Key research interest & activity in bridging the theory/practice divide in engineering education and industry contexts from a research-informed perspective on the nature of conceptual and contextual knowledge.edit
Practical engagement, which can be conducted in real, virtual and simulated modes, is well known to support the cementing of conceptual knowledge in engineering education. This paper proposes integrating the benefits of the different... more
Practical engagement, which can be conducted in real, virtual and simulated modes, is well known to support the cementing of conceptual knowledge in engineering education. This paper proposes integrating the benefits of the different modes in the context of control system
learning in a mechatronics engineering course. A low-cost Ball-on-Beam demonstrator with a Matlab/Simulink software interface is used to bridge the theory-practice divide in teaching state space control theory. The paper examines the contribution of each mode of learning to
highlight how student learning is supported across cognitive, affective and systemic domains.
Drawing on student feedback, performance data and lecturer observation, the analysis demonstrates that the virtual system supported cognitive and conceptual learning, while the
simulated system presented significant systemic challenges. The lack of access to the real system as a result of emergency remote teaching challenges assumptions about the scope of learning possible in only virtual and simulated modes.
learning in a mechatronics engineering course. A low-cost Ball-on-Beam demonstrator with a Matlab/Simulink software interface is used to bridge the theory-practice divide in teaching state space control theory. The paper examines the contribution of each mode of learning to
highlight how student learning is supported across cognitive, affective and systemic domains.
Drawing on student feedback, performance data and lecturer observation, the analysis demonstrates that the virtual system supported cognitive and conceptual learning, while the
simulated system presented significant systemic challenges. The lack of access to the real system as a result of emergency remote teaching challenges assumptions about the scope of learning possible in only virtual and simulated modes.
Research Interests:
Research in rapidly evolving fields of engineering, such as renewable energy (RE), is becoming increasingly complex and multidisciplinary in nature. This ultimately affects the aims of higher education, which include student personal... more
Research in rapidly evolving fields of engineering, such as renewable energy (RE), is becoming increasingly complex and multidisciplinary in nature. This ultimately affects the aims of higher education, which include student personal growth and exposure to the research field, the consolidation and generation of new knowledge, and the building of human capacity to support future industry and academic activity (in essence knowledge, skills and citizenship). In this article, the authors suggest that project-based learning is enhanced through a community of practice approach in which the cognitive, affective and systemic (CAS) educational support dimensions are relationally considered. In order to investigate this hypothesis, this case-study-based research uses these support dimensions to analyse the efficacy of a postgraduate community of practice (CoP) within the RE engineering space through engagement with CoP survey responses. The article contributes to an improved understanding of the relationship between responsive CoP systems, holistic student pastoral care and new knowledge generation in project-based learning environments.
Research Interests:
Enrolments in STEM disciplines at universities are increasing globally, attributed to the greater life opportunities open to students as a result of a STEM education. But while institutional access to STEM programmes is widening, the... more
Enrolments in STEM disciplines at universities are increasing
globally, attributed to the greater life opportunities open to
students as a result of a STEM education. But while institutional
access to STEM programmes is widening, the retention and
success of STEM undergraduate students remains a challenge.
Pedagogies that support student success are well known; what we
know less about is how university teachers acquire pedagogical
competence. This is the focus of this critical review of the
literature that offers a theorised critique of educational
development in STEM contexts. We studied the research literature
with a view to uncovering the principles that inform professional
development in STEM disciplines and fields. The key finding of
this critical review is how little focus there is on the STEM
disciplines. The majority of studies reviewed did not address the
key issue of what makes the STEM disciplines difficult to learn and
challenging to teach.
globally, attributed to the greater life opportunities open to
students as a result of a STEM education. But while institutional
access to STEM programmes is widening, the retention and
success of STEM undergraduate students remains a challenge.
Pedagogies that support student success are well known; what we
know less about is how university teachers acquire pedagogical
competence. This is the focus of this critical review of the
literature that offers a theorised critique of educational
development in STEM contexts. We studied the research literature
with a view to uncovering the principles that inform professional
development in STEM disciplines and fields. The key finding of
this critical review is how little focus there is on the STEM
disciplines. The majority of studies reviewed did not address the
key issue of what makes the STEM disciplines difficult to learn and
challenging to teach.
With widespread industry feedback on engineering graduates’ lack of technical skills and research demonstrating that higher education does not effectively facilitate the development of open-ended problem-solving competencies, many... more
With widespread industry feedback on engineering graduates’ lack of technical skills and research demonstrating that higher education does not effectively facilitate the development of open-ended problem-solving competencies, many educators are attempting to implement measures
that address these concerns. In order to properly formulate sensible interventions that result in meaningful improvements in student outcomes, useful educational measurement and analysis approaches are needed. Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) has rapidly emerged as an effective, theoretically informed ‘toolkit’ offering a suite of dimensions through which to observe, analyze, interpret, and design teaching and learning practices. LCT Semantics has been used to help engineering educators unpack both levels of engineering knowledge abstraction and the complexity of engineering terms, while LCT Specialization focuses on knowledge practices (using the epistemic plane) and enables a visualization and differentiation between kinds of phenomena and the fixed versus open-ended methods with which to approach a particular phenomenon. Drawing on a range of initiatives to enable an improved practical grasp of fluid mechanics concepts, this paper presents a description and graphic LCT analysis of student learning that has been designed to anchor the ‘purist’ principles underpinning applied fluid mechanics concepts (such as in piping and pump network design) by way of concerted ‘doctrinal’ practices, and the exposure to more open-ended practical situations involving peer learning/group work, allowing educators to visualize the code clash between the curriculum and the world of work.
that address these concerns. In order to properly formulate sensible interventions that result in meaningful improvements in student outcomes, useful educational measurement and analysis approaches are needed. Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) has rapidly emerged as an effective, theoretically informed ‘toolkit’ offering a suite of dimensions through which to observe, analyze, interpret, and design teaching and learning practices. LCT Semantics has been used to help engineering educators unpack both levels of engineering knowledge abstraction and the complexity of engineering terms, while LCT Specialization focuses on knowledge practices (using the epistemic plane) and enables a visualization and differentiation between kinds of phenomena and the fixed versus open-ended methods with which to approach a particular phenomenon. Drawing on a range of initiatives to enable an improved practical grasp of fluid mechanics concepts, this paper presents a description and graphic LCT analysis of student learning that has been designed to anchor the ‘purist’ principles underpinning applied fluid mechanics concepts (such as in piping and pump network design) by way of concerted ‘doctrinal’ practices, and the exposure to more open-ended practical situations involving peer learning/group work, allowing educators to visualize the code clash between the curriculum and the world of work.
Research in rapidly evolving fields of engineering, such as renewable energy (RE), is becoming increasingly complex and multidisciplinary in nature. This ultimately affects the aims of higher education, which include student personal... more
Research in rapidly evolving fields of engineering, such as renewable energy (RE), is becoming increasingly complex and multidisciplinary in nature. This ultimately affects the aims of higher education, which include student personal growth and exposure to the research field, the consolidation and generation of new knowledge, and the building of human capacity to support future industry and academic activity (in essence knowledge, skills and citizenship). In this article, the authors suggest that project-based learning is enhanced through a community of practice approach in which the cognitive, affective and systemic (CAS) educational support dimensions are relationally considered. In order to investigate this hypothesis, this case-study-based research uses these support dimensions to analyse the efficacy of a postgraduate community of practice (CoP) within the RE engineering space through engagement with CoP survey responses. The article contributes to an improved understanding of the relationship between responsive CoP systems, holistic student pastoral care and new knowledge generation in project-based learning environments.
Research Interests:
The South African Society for Engineering Education (SASEE) was established in 2011 with a view to building a national Community of Practice (COP) for supporting engineering education (EE). Collectively addressing the well-reported global... more
The South African Society for Engineering Education (SASEE) was established in 2011 with a view to building a national Community of Practice (COP) for supporting engineering education (EE). Collectively addressing the well-reported global challenges in EE, such as high attrition, poor throughput and concerns about graduate abilities, SASEE has produced 180 full papers and extended abstracts across four conferences, from 2011 to 2017. As part of a larger research project, a review of all SASEE contributions was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, including the use of Legitimation Code Theory to differentiate between authors’ focus on knowledge, knowers, both or neither. Results reveal a general shift from quantitative approaches looking at access and retention to questions of identity, diversity and professionalism. This paper offers a useful lens for the international community on the development of a national engineering educator COP.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In the face of increasingly technologised 21st century industrial contexts, engineering faculties are challenged with ways to enable effective engagement with the practices and tools of the profession. Given the national mandate to... more
In the face of increasingly technologised 21st century industrial contexts, engineering faculties are challenged with ways to enable effective engagement with the practices and tools of the profession. Given the national mandate to increase enrolment and success in tertiary engineering qualifications so as to address local, national and international Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper presents the research-informed design and piloting of an innovative, relevant and responsive learning environment. The paper draws on qualitative and quantitative research data from a review of over 50 engineering problem-solving case studies across engineering sectors, as well as survey data from a pilot study on an open-plan, situated learning, project-based engineering training environment. The research employs a theoretically-informed instrument from Legitimation Code Theory - Specialisation - to graphically demonstrate the relationship between forms of engineering knowledge practices and the physical engineering learning environment.
Research Interests:
Engineering education in the 21st century faces increasing pressure to meet the demands of complex and dynamic work environments. Well-cited literature on graduate inabilities to meet these demands highlight shortcomings in traditional... more
Engineering education in the 21st century faces increasing pressure to meet the demands of complex and dynamic work environments. Well-cited literature on graduate inabilities to meet these demands highlight shortcomings in traditional curricula, such as the science-engineering disjuncture and the lack of explicit training in appropriate professional ‘soft skills’. Chemical and process engineering students need to be equipped to adopt innovative approaches to resource processing, energy management and technological application in complex, ill-defined problem-solving professional contexts. This paper argues that a key factor in attracting and retaining students is to enable a shift in their perception of the field in both the curricular and professional spaces. The Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) analytical tool called the ‘epistemic plane’ is used to demonstrate the analysis of the theory-practice divide evident between the chemical engineering curriculum at a South African university and industrial sites. An initiative to enable final year Bachelor’s students to visit a range of mineral processing sites as part of their research projects, demonstrates that exposure to personnel and industrial processes is effective in changing their perception of the field, and thus successfully contributes to potential retention and employment in a field necessary to advance sustainable development goals.
Research Interests:
—The challenge for engineering educators remains the ability to enable their students to bridge the seeming divide between disciplinary fundamentals and practical application. With a significant percentage of employers stating that... more
—The challenge for engineering educators remains the ability to enable their students to bridge the seeming divide between disciplinary fundamentals and practical application. With a significant percentage of employers stating that graduates lack the required technical skills in the 21 st century workplace and the rapid proliferation of technologies, educators cannot hope to prepare their students for all possible scenarios. One way to overcome the potential burden on the engineering curriculum is to enable engineering educators to develop a more conceptual understanding of the relationship between theory, practice and technology. This paper presents case studies of professional development work with academics in a range of engineering disciplines, where feedback from the field of engineering practice and empirical educational research has assisted in enabling improved curriculum redesign, teaching and integration of learning technologies. Drawing on theoretical tools from the Sociology of Education, the research project used to support engineering academic development entailed a series of problem-solving 'maps' which reveal how solving a technology-based engineering problem requires the ability to 'code-shift' between the different engineering disciplines. Taking research of this nature back to educators adds a missing dimension in the development of engineering pedagogical competence.
Research Interests:
—Laboratory experiments form an integral part of engineering education, providing a space in which students are given the opportunity to link theoretical concepts to real-world applications. However, students are often unable to engage in... more
—Laboratory experiments form an integral part of engineering education, providing a space in which students are given the opportunity to link theoretical concepts to real-world applications. However, students are often unable to engage in the experiments in a meaningful way as the underlying physical principles are not directly measurable but must be inferred through data analysis, even more so in the context of chemical engineering compared to the other engineering disciplines. In this work, Legitimation Code Theory was applied to investigate student learning in a typical chemical engineering laboratory module, both on the timescale of individual experiments (analyzed in terms of the semantic plane) as well as over the course of the entire semester (analyzed in terms of the epistemic plane). The laboratory experiment as a translation device was considered and an intervention was proposed to enhance the efficacy thereof by providing laptops to facilitate instant data processing. The structure of the module provided a unique opportunity to effectively assess the impact of the intervention without unduly disadvantaging any participants. Quantitative empirical results confirmed that the intervention improved the learning opportunity provided by the laboratory experiment by ensuring that the underlying concepts become self-evident. Furthermore, it was established that students engaged more effectively with experiments when the underlying theory (ontic relations) are emphasized above the experimental approach (discursive relations).
Research Interests:
—Reflective practice in teaching is an important requirement for continuous improvement in professional education. In this work, we report on an approach to reflective practice which leverages the technical domain knowledge of the... more
—Reflective practice in teaching is an important requirement for continuous improvement in professional education. In this work, we report on an approach to reflective practice which leverages the technical domain knowledge of the teacher-specifically that of engineering control systems. The structure, elements and properties of a typical control system are appropriated as a model (Control Systems Framework) for the teaching and learning of control systems in a Chemical Engineering qualification in South Africa. By considering the analogies of the various control system elements (and where these analogies break down) in the teaching and learning environment, reflection on teaching activities, as well as potential intervention design, is achieved. The CSF model is demonstrated in a particular case study, and the approach is shown to fit within the broader frame of design-based research methods. The desirable properties of successful design-based research are determined from literature, and reflected on for this work.
Research Interests:
— Rapidly evolving technologies have placed a challenge on engineers to become more innovative in their thinking and are driving an ever-increasing need for 'complex problem' solving abilities. Educators need to ensure that all aspects of... more
— Rapidly evolving technologies have placed a challenge on engineers to become more innovative in their thinking and are driving an ever-increasing need for 'complex problem' solving abilities. Educators need to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum are adequately grasped by students, but particularly foundational knowledge and concepts such as unit conversions. Enabling students to understand what units represent, the relationship between the different systems, and the procedural conversion processes are essential to adequately equipping engineering students to engage with higher level, complex problem solving. A useful analytical framework to aid educators has emerged in the shape of the Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) epistemic plane which differentiates between a phenomenon and its approaches. In this work a unit conversions and estimations online test is demonstrated as a tool to enable learning, and LCT as an analytical framework to inform teaching practice for the achievement of engineering competence.
Research Interests:
Employer complaints of engineering graduate inability to ‘apply knowledge’ suggests a need to interrogate the complex theory-practice relationship in twenty-first century real world contexts. Focussing specifically on the application of... more
Employer complaints of engineering graduate inability to ‘apply knowledge’ suggests a need to interrogate the complex theory-practice relationship in twenty-first century real world contexts. Focussing specifically on the application of mathematics, physics and logic-based disciplinary knowledge, the research examines engineering problem-solving processes as enacted by recent graduates in a range of industrial settings. Theoretically situated in the sociology of education, the Bernsteinian concept of knowledge structures and Legitimation Code Theory epistemic relations are utilised to surface the disciplinary basis of problem solving in different sociotechnical contexts. It is argued that the relationship between the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of the problem gives rise to significantly different practice ‘codes’ between which successful engineering problem-solvers are required to shift. This paper presents two contrasting case studies which demonstrate the impact of the environment on code-shifting practices. Findings suggest that engineering curricula need to facilitate a more conceptual grasp of contextual complexities.
Research Interests:
This study outlines a practical intervention in a second-year fluid mechanics course. The practical was designed using the framework of Legitimation Code Theory, with the aim of stimulating active links between the theoretical and... more
This study outlines a practical intervention in a second-year fluid mechanics course. The practical was designed using the framework of Legitimation Code Theory, with the aim of stimulating active links between the theoretical and practical (in this case pump and piping networks, head loss and application of the energy equation), through a group-based competitive, informal, interactive learning event. The effect on students’ perceptions and anxiety were recorded, and it was seen that students’ perceptions of workload, anxiety and time pressure decreased. Substantial evidence of cumulative learning was noted, both during the practical session, as well as in student responses. And while the data do not conclusively elucidate the extent and timeframe over which this benefits the students’ results, what is clear is that participants both critically engaged and were enriched by the practical. The project lays the foundation for similar theory- and application-linking practicals based on a non-assessment paradigm.
Research Interests:
Poor graduate throughput and industry feedback on graduate inability to cope with the complex knowledge practices in twenty first century engineering ‘problem solving’ have placed pressure on educators to better conceptualise the... more
Poor graduate throughput and industry feedback on graduate
inability to cope with the complex knowledge practices in twenty first
century engineering ‘problem solving’ have placed pressure
on educators to better conceptualise the theory-practice
relationship, particularly in technology-dependent professions. The
research draws on the social realist work of Basil Bernstein and
uses the Legitimation Code Theory dimension of Specialization to
interrogate different disciplinary organising principles and their
impact on complex sociocultural practices. Data gathered from 18
engineering case studies situated in three different types of
industrial practice sites form the empirical basis of the original
study. This paper focuses on the application of a Language of
Description to aspects of the problem-solving process which
illuminate the nature of disciplinary knowledge in practice. The
intention is to provide educators across professions with empirical
insights into the theory-practice relationship in a complex
problem-solving context, and which might inform their curriculum
and pedagogic design thinking.
inability to cope with the complex knowledge practices in twenty first
century engineering ‘problem solving’ have placed pressure
on educators to better conceptualise the theory-practice
relationship, particularly in technology-dependent professions. The
research draws on the social realist work of Basil Bernstein and
uses the Legitimation Code Theory dimension of Specialization to
interrogate different disciplinary organising principles and their
impact on complex sociocultural practices. Data gathered from 18
engineering case studies situated in three different types of
industrial practice sites form the empirical basis of the original
study. This paper focuses on the application of a Language of
Description to aspects of the problem-solving process which
illuminate the nature of disciplinary knowledge in practice. The
intention is to provide educators across professions with empirical
insights into the theory-practice relationship in a complex
problem-solving context, and which might inform their curriculum
and pedagogic design thinking.
Research Interests:
This paper presents a study in an electrical engineering programme at a Southern African university where online resources are used to support student learning. The research analysed student engagement with a range of learning support... more
This paper presents a study in an electrical engineering programme at a Southern African university where online resources are used to support student learning. The research analysed student engagement with a range of learning support materials hosted on the institutional Learner Management System. The key focus of the research is the relationship between the electronic availability of all the resources designed to support understanding and assessment on a so-called 24/7 basis (systemic), student sleep patterns (affective) and academic performance (cognitive). As such, students' performance in the assessments were correlated against data collected from access logs for the online course material on the course website. Results were obtained by analysing the login behaviour of two cohorts in the hours preceding an examination, using a cognitive-affective-systemic learning support framework. The findings suggest a complex and symbiotic relationship between cognitive, affective and systemic factors. A contention in this research is that improved use of a particular educational technology can be achieved through a learning-orientated analysis of how students access and utilise the available resources, and the impact of this engagement on their academic performance.
Research Interests:
—As the labor market increasingly demands equipped, problem-solving practitioners, engineering curriculum review is seeing a shift away from theory and towards practice. And yet, employers continue to highlight engineering graduate... more
—As the labor market increasingly demands equipped, problem-solving practitioners, engineering curriculum review is seeing a shift away from theory and towards practice. And yet, employers continue to highlight engineering graduate inability to 'apply theory' or effectively solve real world problems. The research on which this paper is based seeks to better understand the relationship between engineering theory and practice. Drawing on research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Sociology of Education, the research project entailed the graphic analysis of the disciplinary basis and socio-technical contexts of 18 mechatronics engineering technician case studies. The problem-solving 'maps' reveal that key to successfully navigating the epistemic terrain of a real-world problem requires the recognition and realization of the different disciplinary rules, and an ability to code-shift between the different engineering disciplines. This paper presents two contrasting case studies which demonstrate the significance of disciplinary thinking and highlight the importance of explicitly integrating disciplinary 'code-shifting' opportunities into engineering curricula and teaching.
Research Interests:
Writing for publication is essential for disseminating research findings, sharing initiatives and innovations with others, and developing the knowledge base of intellectual fields. This study explores the role of writing retreats in... more
Writing for publication is essential for disseminating research findings, sharing initiatives and innovations with others, and developing the knowledge base of intellectual fields. This study explores the role of writing retreats in building knowledge and knowers in the field of Higher Education Studies, specifically within the area of higher education pedagogy. We conceptually frame our research with Legitimation Code Theory (Maton 2014) in order to analyse the different ways in which participants in writing retreats orientate themselves to the social practice of writing for publication and the knowledge base of higher education pedagogy. The data comprise participants' feedback on writing retreats, collected from surveys and focus group interviews at two universities (a teaching-intensive university and a research-intensive university), and supplementary institutional data on retreat participants and their writing achievements. By examining the organising principles of the writing retreats in terms of how they build knowledge and knowers, we make explicit the knowledge-building practices that underpin successful writing retreats and the orientations towards these practices that are productive for potential authors.
Research Interests:
In 2013 the Council on Higher Education (CHE) released a proposal for the reform of South Africa's undergraduate degree arguing that all current 3-year degrees and diplomas, as well as 4-year Bachelor's degrees be extended by one year... more
In 2013 the Council on Higher Education (CHE) released a proposal for the reform of South Africa's undergraduate degree arguing that all current 3-year degrees and diplomas, as well as 4-year Bachelor's degrees be extended by one year with an additional 120 credits. This paper argues that the structure proposed provides the conditions for a different kind of curriculum that enables epistemic access and development. The paper firstly offers a set of theoretical tools for conceptualising this enabling curriculum structure. Secondly, drawing on the CHE exemplars, the paper makes explicit the general curriculum reform principles that underpin the enabling structure. Finally, the paper describes how these reform principles translate into qualification-specific curriculum models which enable epistemic access and development. This research is an important contribution to the next phase of curriculum reform in South Africa, what we refer to as a 'new generation' of extended curricula.
Research Interests:
At the heart of the redesign of Higher Education qualifications in South Africa lies the issue of increasing evidence of student difficulties in integrating different forms of knowledge. This article proposes that in order to design... more
At the heart of the redesign of Higher Education qualifications in South Africa lies the issue of increasing evidence of student difficulties in integrating different forms of knowledge. This article proposes that in order to design curricula and pedagogy which better prepare our graduates for legitimate participation in the world of work, we need to understand what that participation might look like. Using a Bernsteinian (Bernstein 1996, 2000) conceptual framework, a research study was conducted which entailed mapping the knowledge integration practices of final year multidisciplinary engineering diploma students in a situated learning environment. The intention of the research was to illuminate the nature of and relationship between the different forms of knowledge evident in actual practice. The concurrent analysis of discursive practices representing complex knowledge integration reveals that in addition to forms of meaning-making associated with traditional engineering disciplines, successful practice is dependent on the ability to draw on a range of oral and written individual 'repertoires', as well as those of a collective 'reservoir' that stretches beyond the academy: the invisible community of users on the Internet. The complex praxis and concomitant discourses described in this article suggest we need to see integration of knowledge as more than that of language and content, or concept and context, rather as a system of 'collaboration' at multiple levels.
Research Interests:
The poor throughput and retention rates in engineering education are of global concern. Engineering has become increasingly complex, particularly in the light of rapid technological development. The research presented in this paper... more
The poor throughput and retention rates in engineering
education are of global concern. Engineering has become increasingly complex, particularly in the light of rapid technological development. The research presented in this paper contends that the theory/practice relationship is not adequately understood. In order to enable engineering graduates to effectively apply their knowledge and solve complex 21st century problems, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of what that problem-solving process
entails. The research aim is to understand and map how
different engineering practitioners work with different forms of disciplinary knowledge when solving industrial problems.
The research draws its theoretical framework from the field of the sociology of education, primarily the work of Basil Bernstein and Karl Maton, and the concepts of disciplinary knowledge structures and their impact on complex sociocultural practices. Using the Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) tool of Specialisation,
the analytical focus is on the relationship between the
significantly different forms of disciplinary knowledge in
the multidisciplinary field of mechatronics engineering.
Following a methodologically pluralist approach, data
from 18 case studies in three types of industrial practice
contexts have been collected in the form of participant
texts, interviews and observations. This paper presents three examples of problem-solving patterns that emerge following the application of a particular LCT instrument (the epistemic plane). The instrument enables a view of the problem-solving
context as well as a ‘map’ of the problem-solving process. These ‘maps’ provide a useful framework against which to decipher disciplinary boundary crossing and ‘code clashes’ which may impede the problem-solving process. Understanding such
code shifting and clashing may provide insights into the difficulties faced by engineering students and graduates when solving problems in increasingly complex contexts. It is also hoped that the findings will contribute to a view of curriculum that addresses the changing engineering practice landscape.
education are of global concern. Engineering has become increasingly complex, particularly in the light of rapid technological development. The research presented in this paper contends that the theory/practice relationship is not adequately understood. In order to enable engineering graduates to effectively apply their knowledge and solve complex 21st century problems, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of what that problem-solving process
entails. The research aim is to understand and map how
different engineering practitioners work with different forms of disciplinary knowledge when solving industrial problems.
The research draws its theoretical framework from the field of the sociology of education, primarily the work of Basil Bernstein and Karl Maton, and the concepts of disciplinary knowledge structures and their impact on complex sociocultural practices. Using the Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) tool of Specialisation,
the analytical focus is on the relationship between the
significantly different forms of disciplinary knowledge in
the multidisciplinary field of mechatronics engineering.
Following a methodologically pluralist approach, data
from 18 case studies in three types of industrial practice
contexts have been collected in the form of participant
texts, interviews and observations. This paper presents three examples of problem-solving patterns that emerge following the application of a particular LCT instrument (the epistemic plane). The instrument enables a view of the problem-solving
context as well as a ‘map’ of the problem-solving process. These ‘maps’ provide a useful framework against which to decipher disciplinary boundary crossing and ‘code clashes’ which may impede the problem-solving process. Understanding such
code shifting and clashing may provide insights into the difficulties faced by engineering students and graduates when solving problems in increasingly complex contexts. It is also hoped that the findings will contribute to a view of curriculum that addresses the changing engineering practice landscape.
Research Interests:
In multidisciplinary technology-based engineering diploma programmes in South Africa, the curriculum is often structured into distinctly theoretical and practical components, each of which is taught and assessed at different stages by... more
In multidisciplinary technology-based engineering diploma programmes in South Africa, the curriculum is often structured into distinctly theoretical and practical components, each of which is taught and assessed at different stages by different disciplinary or technical specialists. This separation does not necessarily reflect the complexity of such emerging regions, nor allow for the opportunity to assess multidisciplinary competence relevant to real world practice. Although the Exit Level Outcomes, endorsed by the Engineering Council of South Africa, are intended to provide a holistic framework of achievement in engineering qualifications, it is evident that these outcomes mean different things to the various stakeholders involved in curriculum design, delivery and evaluation. The moment of final academic assessment presents a number of challenges. Who is in a position to assess whether or not a candidate has successfully demonstrated the required level of competence? Legitimation Code Theory, a multi-dimensional conceptual framework for the analysis of knowledge practices and their bases of legitimacy, offers a lens through which to consider the relationship between the epistemic and social aspects of the assessment of complex performance. This paper presents the analysis of a single engineering assessment case study in which the knowledge and knower values that emerged among a group of assessors are interrogated. The findings suggest that in the absence of specific epistemic expertise, the default assessment position relies on knower attributes. This may have implications for the assumption in science-based professions that what you know matters more than who you are.
Research Interests:
In order to design two distinct engineering qualification levels for an existing University of Technology programme, empirical evidence based on the current diploma is necessary to illuminate the nature of and the relationship between the... more
In order to design two distinct engineering qualification levels for an existing University of Technology programme, empirical evidence based on the current diploma is necessary to illuminate the nature of and the relationship between the contextual and conceptual elements underpinning a multidisciplinary engineering curriculum. The increasing focus on contextual application could result in decreasing opportunities to develop the conceptual disciplinary grasp required for a dynamic, emerging region at the forefront of technological innovation. Using the theoretical tools of Bernstein and Maton to analyse final year student practice, the research addresses the question of how multidisciplinary knowledge is integrated by students, and what this reveals about the nature of such knowledge. The paper presents a conceptualisation of multidisciplinary knowledge integration practices as a dynamic process along two axes simultaneously, shifting between different forms and levels of conceptual and contextual knowledge.
Research Interests:
Executive Summary In August 2013 the Council for Higher Education (CHE) released “A proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: A case for a flexible curriculum structure” (CHE, 2013). The argument was that the current... more
Executive Summary
In August 2013 the Council for Higher Education (CHE) released “A proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: A case for a flexible curriculum structure” (CHE, 2013). The argument was that the current curriculum structures pose a systemic obstacle to access and success that can only be overcome through deliberate intervention at a systemic level. Until such time as the proposal is approved, higher education in South Africa finds itself in the precarious position of ambitious targets for growth in enrolments and graduation rates but without a systemic plan for how these targets will be achieved. The DHET is committed to a range of strategies for improving student success. One of its key strategies is increased investment in ear-marked funding for extended curriculum programmes, also known as foundation programmes. The question however is, will these extended curriculum programmes as they are currently being implemented enable the systemic reform required? The CHE proposal argued that despite some successes the existing Foundation Programmes will not achieve the scale of reform required. This is not only a matter of scale but also the poor completion rates of the majority of these programmes point to existing inefficiency. In its own analysis of the 2000-2008 cohorts DHET (2016) notes significant improvement in first year attrition rates which may in part be as a result of Foundation Programmes. They concede, however, that this has not resulted in the necessary improvement in graduation rates; with nearly half of those enrolled failing to complete within 5 years’ time.
In 2014 a multi-institutional research and development project was launched -- funded by the DHET Collaborative TDG -- with the aim of understanding the strengths, limitations and overall effectiveness of the current extended (EXT) curriculum programmes, and what reform is required to strengthen the contribution of these programmes to systemic reform. Across four universities, a total of nine extended curriculum programmes from faculties of Engineering, Science, Commerce and Humanities were investigated.
The first key question of the study is, what are the key principles that need to inform undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa? Drawing on the CHE (2013) Flexible Degree Proposal (FDP) the research findings propose that in order to address key structural problems, the following curriculum reform principles need to apply:
• Foundation provision: at the entry level there is a recognition that serious knowledge gaps need to be filled given problematic curricular assumptions about students’ prior knowledge.
• Epistemic transitions: there is further acknowledgment that addressing the entry-level gaps will not suffice; there is a need to scaffold students’ epistemic development beyond foundation provision.
• Enhancement: there is a need for a structure that enables greater ‘breadth’ of exposure in order to produce graduates for the contemporary world.
• Enrichment: there is the necessity for ‘curriculum enrichment through key literacies’.
The study further illuminates how these general principles will vary across knowledge domains, qualification types and institutional contexts. In other words, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ reform template. Epistemic access and development in the sciences is different to that of the humanities, and that of the formative qualifications is different to that of the professional ones.
The second key question is, to what extent are the curriculum reform principles of the FDP currently being implemented in existing extended (EXT) curriculum programmes. Drawing on the four institutional case studies, the findings are:
• The curriculum principle of foundational provision is being achieved. Furthermore, the Year 1 to 2 progression data suggests that the majority of the EXT programmes are successfully supporting students through to their second academic year. It is noteworthy that with the exception of two programmes, the Year 1 to 2 progression of EXT cohort is better than the mainstream (MS). This suggests that decades of investment in foundational provision have made a significant contribution to retention and progression into second academic year of study for those students on extended programmes who face significant obstacles in terms of academic, financial and psycho-social preparedness for university study.
• The curriculum principles of epistemic transitions, enhancement and enrichment are not being fully implemented in the majority of the EXT programmes. In other words, the developmental support of the EXT programmes ceases at the end of foundation provision. The average cohort completion data (N=4 years for EXT) is 22% in contrast to 30% for MS. The average cohort completion data (N+3=7 years for EXT) is 47% compared to 59% for MS. This suggests that the investment and resulting positive gains of the foundation provision are wasted for more than half of the students on these programmes.
• There are four notable exceptions of EXT programmes where all of the principles of the FDP are being implemented. The cohort completion data (N+3) shows that three of these programmes have relatively successful completion rates (54, 63 and 65%) and two of these programmes have better completion rates than the MS. Thus the key finding of this study is that across these case studies the EXT programmes which are truly extended four-year programmes have better completion rates than those which are confined to foundation provision only.
The findings of this study strongly support the DHET’s on-going commitment to Extended Curriculum programmes. These programmes have played a significant role in terms of providing access and retention to South Africa’s most talented and capable but underprepared black students. The success of these programmes in delivering students to their second academic year of study points to the commitment of academic development (AD) staff in delivering a quality of curriculum and wrap-around support which is highly commendable and is likely to attract greater international attention as higher education systems around the globe increasingly face the consequences of inequality on student access and success. These programmes (and the significant academic human resources which make them possible) serve as a very strong base for any future educational investment in curriculum reform in South Africa.
The findings however also suggest that unless these Extended Curricula adhere to the curriculum reform principles of the FDP, the investment will not contribute to the systemic reform required. More pointedly, it will be wasted for a majority of the students who fail to graduate.
In summary we recommend the following:
• Extended curricula programmes need to be designed as four/five-year degree/diplomas with strong foundational provision but developmental provision throughout the curriculum with enrichment and enhancement. If designed appropriately it is possible that this developmental provision can also be made available to mainstream students who would benefit, thereby further extending the reach of the investment.
• The revised policy framework for extended curricula programmes need to not only make this extended provision possible but should incentivize development provision at second/third year level.
• Placement practices onto extended curriculum programmes need to be informed by clear institutional policies that draw on full range of data available. More specifically, NSC results need to be complemented with other data, such as NBTs.
• Developmental provision in the second and third academic year will require significant organizational shifts in the way that AD resources are currently deployed. This will require clear vision and strong leadership both from AD but as importantly from the department and faculties in which these programmes are located. The challenges of achieving these shifts should not be underestimated.
In conclusion, given the stated intention of strengthening the role of extended curricula, this research is an important contribution to the next phase of development of, what we refer to as, a ‘new generation’ of extended curricula. We echo the warning of Badat (2015) who, with specific reference to the CHE proposal argues, “unless much needed academic transformations are instituted, we will deny opportunities to people from socially subaltern groups, tragically waste the talents and potential of these individuals, and perpetuate injustice. This compromises democracy, which proclaims the promise of greater equality and a better life for all people.” The demands for transformation initiated by the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall student protests during 2015 point to the very urgent need for research-informed, evidence-based, systemic and structural reform. It is hoped that this research will make a contribution to this reform.
In August 2013 the Council for Higher Education (CHE) released “A proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: A case for a flexible curriculum structure” (CHE, 2013). The argument was that the current curriculum structures pose a systemic obstacle to access and success that can only be overcome through deliberate intervention at a systemic level. Until such time as the proposal is approved, higher education in South Africa finds itself in the precarious position of ambitious targets for growth in enrolments and graduation rates but without a systemic plan for how these targets will be achieved. The DHET is committed to a range of strategies for improving student success. One of its key strategies is increased investment in ear-marked funding for extended curriculum programmes, also known as foundation programmes. The question however is, will these extended curriculum programmes as they are currently being implemented enable the systemic reform required? The CHE proposal argued that despite some successes the existing Foundation Programmes will not achieve the scale of reform required. This is not only a matter of scale but also the poor completion rates of the majority of these programmes point to existing inefficiency. In its own analysis of the 2000-2008 cohorts DHET (2016) notes significant improvement in first year attrition rates which may in part be as a result of Foundation Programmes. They concede, however, that this has not resulted in the necessary improvement in graduation rates; with nearly half of those enrolled failing to complete within 5 years’ time.
In 2014 a multi-institutional research and development project was launched -- funded by the DHET Collaborative TDG -- with the aim of understanding the strengths, limitations and overall effectiveness of the current extended (EXT) curriculum programmes, and what reform is required to strengthen the contribution of these programmes to systemic reform. Across four universities, a total of nine extended curriculum programmes from faculties of Engineering, Science, Commerce and Humanities were investigated.
The first key question of the study is, what are the key principles that need to inform undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa? Drawing on the CHE (2013) Flexible Degree Proposal (FDP) the research findings propose that in order to address key structural problems, the following curriculum reform principles need to apply:
• Foundation provision: at the entry level there is a recognition that serious knowledge gaps need to be filled given problematic curricular assumptions about students’ prior knowledge.
• Epistemic transitions: there is further acknowledgment that addressing the entry-level gaps will not suffice; there is a need to scaffold students’ epistemic development beyond foundation provision.
• Enhancement: there is a need for a structure that enables greater ‘breadth’ of exposure in order to produce graduates for the contemporary world.
• Enrichment: there is the necessity for ‘curriculum enrichment through key literacies’.
The study further illuminates how these general principles will vary across knowledge domains, qualification types and institutional contexts. In other words, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ reform template. Epistemic access and development in the sciences is different to that of the humanities, and that of the formative qualifications is different to that of the professional ones.
The second key question is, to what extent are the curriculum reform principles of the FDP currently being implemented in existing extended (EXT) curriculum programmes. Drawing on the four institutional case studies, the findings are:
• The curriculum principle of foundational provision is being achieved. Furthermore, the Year 1 to 2 progression data suggests that the majority of the EXT programmes are successfully supporting students through to their second academic year. It is noteworthy that with the exception of two programmes, the Year 1 to 2 progression of EXT cohort is better than the mainstream (MS). This suggests that decades of investment in foundational provision have made a significant contribution to retention and progression into second academic year of study for those students on extended programmes who face significant obstacles in terms of academic, financial and psycho-social preparedness for university study.
• The curriculum principles of epistemic transitions, enhancement and enrichment are not being fully implemented in the majority of the EXT programmes. In other words, the developmental support of the EXT programmes ceases at the end of foundation provision. The average cohort completion data (N=4 years for EXT) is 22% in contrast to 30% for MS. The average cohort completion data (N+3=7 years for EXT) is 47% compared to 59% for MS. This suggests that the investment and resulting positive gains of the foundation provision are wasted for more than half of the students on these programmes.
• There are four notable exceptions of EXT programmes where all of the principles of the FDP are being implemented. The cohort completion data (N+3) shows that three of these programmes have relatively successful completion rates (54, 63 and 65%) and two of these programmes have better completion rates than the MS. Thus the key finding of this study is that across these case studies the EXT programmes which are truly extended four-year programmes have better completion rates than those which are confined to foundation provision only.
The findings of this study strongly support the DHET’s on-going commitment to Extended Curriculum programmes. These programmes have played a significant role in terms of providing access and retention to South Africa’s most talented and capable but underprepared black students. The success of these programmes in delivering students to their second academic year of study points to the commitment of academic development (AD) staff in delivering a quality of curriculum and wrap-around support which is highly commendable and is likely to attract greater international attention as higher education systems around the globe increasingly face the consequences of inequality on student access and success. These programmes (and the significant academic human resources which make them possible) serve as a very strong base for any future educational investment in curriculum reform in South Africa.
The findings however also suggest that unless these Extended Curricula adhere to the curriculum reform principles of the FDP, the investment will not contribute to the systemic reform required. More pointedly, it will be wasted for a majority of the students who fail to graduate.
In summary we recommend the following:
• Extended curricula programmes need to be designed as four/five-year degree/diplomas with strong foundational provision but developmental provision throughout the curriculum with enrichment and enhancement. If designed appropriately it is possible that this developmental provision can also be made available to mainstream students who would benefit, thereby further extending the reach of the investment.
• The revised policy framework for extended curricula programmes need to not only make this extended provision possible but should incentivize development provision at second/third year level.
• Placement practices onto extended curriculum programmes need to be informed by clear institutional policies that draw on full range of data available. More specifically, NSC results need to be complemented with other data, such as NBTs.
• Developmental provision in the second and third academic year will require significant organizational shifts in the way that AD resources are currently deployed. This will require clear vision and strong leadership both from AD but as importantly from the department and faculties in which these programmes are located. The challenges of achieving these shifts should not be underestimated.
In conclusion, given the stated intention of strengthening the role of extended curricula, this research is an important contribution to the next phase of development of, what we refer to as, a ‘new generation’ of extended curricula. We echo the warning of Badat (2015) who, with specific reference to the CHE proposal argues, “unless much needed academic transformations are instituted, we will deny opportunities to people from socially subaltern groups, tragically waste the talents and potential of these individuals, and perpetuate injustice. This compromises democracy, which proclaims the promise of greater equality and a better life for all people.” The demands for transformation initiated by the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall student protests during 2015 point to the very urgent need for research-informed, evidence-based, systemic and structural reform. It is hoped that this research will make a contribution to this reform.
Research Interests:
In 2013 the Council of Higher Education (CHE) released a proposal for the reform of South Africa’s undergraduate degree arguing that all current 3-year degrees and diplomas, as well as four-year Bachelor’s degrees be extended by one year... more
In 2013 the Council of Higher Education (CHE) released a proposal for the reform of South Africa’s undergraduate degree arguing that all current 3-year degrees and diplomas, as well as four-year Bachelor’s degrees be extended by one year with an additional 120 credits. The proposal argues that essential to the success of this reform and its goal of improving student success is how the structure enables a different kind of curriculum. This paper argues that what is fundamentally different about the flexible curriculum structure is that it must enable epistemic access and development. Drawing on the sociology of knowledge, the notion of ‘epistemic access’ is elaborated to conceptualize some of the key conditions of such an enabling curriculum structure. The paper then moves to discuss what a curriculum structure which enables epistemic access and development might look like. This is described at the level of general and qualification specific principles. The analysis reveals how knowledge domains differences (for example, science vs. humanities) and the qualification type differences (formative vs. professional degrees vs. vocational) will require different curriculum models for enabling epistemic access.
Research Interests:
The challenges in 21 st century Higher Education and managerialist initiatives to drive performance and throughput have place increasing pressure on staff to fulfil contradictory roles. This has led to significant levels of stress and... more
The challenges in 21 st century Higher Education and managerialist initiatives to drive performance and throughput have place increasing pressure on staff to fulfil contradictory roles. This has led to significant levels of stress and ill-health. The research, teaching and community engagement duties expected of staff suggest constant paradigm-shifting, as these functions represent very different kinds of activities. Balancing these functions is comparable to multidisciplinary problem solving, which – literature and industry tell us – our students are increasingly less capable of demonstrating. Recent research into how graduates navigate between multiple disciplines in engineering problem-solving offers a number of findings which can be applied to the work of academic staff. Using a novel problem-solving model based on Legitimation Code Theory, this presentation is both a research-informed and practical guide to not only understanding our conflicting roles, but also easing the burden of academic work through the effective and innovative use of technologies.
Research Interests:
The South African Society for Engineering Education (SASEE) was established in 2011 with a view to building a national Community of Practice (COP) for supporting engineering education (EE). Collectively addressing the well-reported global... more
The South African Society for Engineering Education (SASEE) was established in 2011 with a view to building a national Community of Practice (COP) for supporting engineering education (EE). Collectively addressing the well-reported global challenges in EE, such as high attrition, poor throughput and concerns about graduate abilities, SASEE has produced 180 full papers and extended abstracts across four conferences, from 2011 to 2017. As part of a larger research project, a review of all SASEE contributions was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, including the use of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) to differentiate between authors’ focus on knowledge, knowers, both or neither. Results reveal a general shift from quantitative approaches looking at access and retention to questions of identity, diversity and professionalism. This paper offers a useful lens for the international community on the development of a national engineering educator COP.
Research Interests:
The increasing complexity entailed in training engineers for the Industry 4.0 workplace requires an approach beyond simply cramming more into the curriculum. The purpose of this paper is to problematise the relationship between layers of... more
The increasing complexity entailed in training engineers for the Industry 4.0 workplace requires an approach beyond simply cramming more into the curriculum. The purpose of this paper is to problematise the relationship between layers of engineering that constitute the multidisciplinary systems which require contextualised and responsive engagement with data. Using a number of social realist analytical instruments, the forms of knowledge and related practices at different levels within the ‘smart engineering’ curriculum are interrogated and subsequently illustrated so as to guide pedagogic decisions. The intention of the research is primarily to enable students to effectively develop 1) integrated systems-level thinking, and 2) appropriate, interpretative data processing skills. There is a symbiotic and analogical relationship between the design of a curricular framework for the ‘smart engineer’ and the collaborative, interdisciplinary research approach: drawing on multiple perspectives and approaches from the hard and soft sciences enables a more informed educational design process.