University community engagement functions

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

Introduction

As an educational practitioner, it is desirable to reflect on one’s own and colleagues’ professional practices, and to interrogate the importance of one’s day-to-day interactions with various individuals and groups of people. In so doing, one is likely to identify the human quest for the improvement of the quality of the life among members organised around various institutions of any dynamic culture. Quality of life is a perceived state of being, interpreted and achieved through learning and cumulative social interaction among people.
This study places significant importance on learning through action and reflection in practice as a stimulant for personal and organisational growth and human development in general, and for the sustained impact and relevance of higher education practice in particular. The study focuses on the educational practice of experiential learning of a particular category known as industry-based learning, a practice that typifies the growing concept of university-community partnership and collaboration in a developing country in the current globalisation drive. My role as the conceiver, researcher and author impels me firstly to explain my motivation and drive for carrying out the study. This is followed by the characterisation and exposition of the key theoretical and practical foundations on which the study was conceived, implemented and evaluated.

The Motivation for and Purpose of the Study

I have been motivated to carry out this applied research activity partly spurred by a continuing interest in lifelong learning for myself, colleagues, students and interested others, to become ‘students for life’ for whom, according to Ramaley (2005), lifelong learning is an essential condition for sustaining a democratic way of life as well as for solving practical problems while contributing to our fund for knowledge and theory at the same time. I realise at this stage of my life that challenges and problems are inevitable and are to be regarded as our friends (Fullan, 1993). In the past few years of my career in teaching and learning in higher education, I have come to be part of a young and forward- looking university in a developing country experiencing a socio-political and economic transformation. The university is seeking growth in the face of numerous adversities which came unforeseen as it struggles to find and consolidate itself in its early years of existence. Such adversities have come by way of socio-economic instability manifesting in student and staff dissatisfaction and unrest, macro- and micro-economic pressures, strained local communities, and a bewildered foreign community. I am not alone in my quest for lifelong learning. Many of my colleagues are eager to learn rather than to succumb or quit in the current adverse conditions. The whole university itself is indeed a learning organisation or an ‘organisation (or institution) that learns’ (Dicks, 1993; Peddler, Burgoyne, & Boydell, 1997; Ramaley, 2005; among others). The learning university’s challenges seem to force all those connected with it to adopt and employ innovative tactics for sustainability, and, in my view, the university’s leadership and followership are keen (perhaps compelled) to live up to the task. For my part, I feel the university and its experiences are transforming me in a gradual but significant way, and I owe the institution some payback in any acceptable way, in recognition of what I have gained and continue to gain from it. During my learning journey I have realised the importance of ‘learning the right lessons’ (Fullan, 1993). This necessitates engaging in one or more of the following: self-learning, self-understanding, and self-organisation, which in turn lead to critical self-reflection and self-renewal. In self-learning, I engage to explore myself: my strengths and weaknesses, my mistakes and triumphs, my successes and failures.

Background to the study

In the current drive for globalisation, enterprising institutions and organisations strive for effectiveness, relevance, continuity and survival by engaging the concept of quality. In all phases of any undertaking in today’s world, be it planning, processes, systems or products, quality is an indispensable component and a guide to competitiveness and goal achievement. Regrettably, although quality is widely desired and much sought after by many organisations and institutions, it is neither easy to achieve nor to sustain. Universities in developing countries exist and function in the midst of a diversity of communities and in socio-economic contexts often characterised by problems. Ngara (1995) notes that the African continent experiences unique economic, social, cultural and political challenges, many of them a direct result of European imperialism, economic mismanagement by African leaders and a shortage of the requisite human resources. Ngara’s (1995) view suggests there is a combination of factors that work against Africa’s development, bordering around practices and world views held by those wielding the power to transform the continent from within. It calls to question whether the university, as one of the most stable and resilient national institutions, is well placed to influence development agendas in Africa’s struggling nations. 1.3.1 The Ideal University Many of today’s leading African universities were inaugurated during the era of colonisation by foreign powers. .

Historical Background

Zimbabwe’s accelerated drive for advancement in general education started at the attainment of independence in 1980, following close after just under a decade of a protracted war of liberation and about two decades of political contestation between nationalists and the successive colonising British settler regimes. The early years of independence saw phenomenal increases in the provision of primary and secondary education in terms of increasing the number of schools and enrolments in existing ones. Although the quality of the education was initially negatively affected by the shortage of qualified teachers, learning materials, adequate and appropriate facilities, the outcome was a manifold increase in the number of literate and relatively knowledgeable young people within the first ten years of national independence. Driving this was a bold political stance and a buoyant agriculture and mineral-based economy responding to the overwhelming support of the free world towards a newly emancipated member. In a short time, Zimbabwe’s literacy rate was counted among the top five in Africa, and within the country, education was taken very seriously by individuals, families and organisations, all taking the cue from the government which featured the education budget persistently as the highest in its fiscal expenditure for successive years.

DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY :

• ETHICAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
• CERTIFICATE OF LANGUAGE EDITING
• DEDICATION
• AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• ABSTRACT
• LIST OF FIGURES
• LIST OF TABLES
• LIST OF ACRONYMS
• CHAPTER 1: THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE STUDY
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 The Motivation for and Purpose of the Study
  • 1.3 Background to the study
    • 1.3.1 The Ideal University
    • 1.3.2 Historical Background
  • 1.4 Research Scope and Focus
    • 1.4.1 Styles of university-community partnerships
    • 1.4.2 Focus of the Study
  • 1.5 Objectives of the Study
  • 1.6 Research Questions
  • 1.7 Conceptual Framework
  • 1.8 Limitations and Constraints
  • 1.9 Organisation of the Study
  • 1.10 Conclusion
• CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 University community engagement functions
    • 2.2.1 Universities and their Mission
    • 2.2.2 University-community Collaboration
    • 2.2.3 The University as a Learning Organisation
    • 2.2.4 Company and university roles in facilitating business innovation
    • 2.2.5 University Effectiveness and Relevance in Society
  • 2.3 University service learning
    • 2.3.1 Contested definitions of university service learning
    • 2.3.2 Cooperative Education
    • 2.3.3 Cooperative Learning
  • 2.4 Learning theories and principles aligned to service learning
    • 2.4.1 Learning Theories and Principles
    • 2.4.2 Constructivist Learning
    • 2.4.3 Hermeneutic Circle of Curriculum Theory and Practice
    • 2.4.4 Outcomes-based Education
    • 2.4.5 Self-directed and Self-regulated Learning
    • 2.4.6 Thinking and Learning Styles
    • 2.4.7 Competence-based Education and Training
  • 2.5 Quality implications of university service-learning
    • 2.5.1 Student Assessment in Experiential Learning
    • 2.5.2 Quality Management in University Education
    • 2.5.3 Quality Indicators (and benchmarks) in Higher Education
    • 2.5.4 Quality through knowledge and its application
    • 2.5.5 Transformative Learning
  • 2.6 Conclusion
• CHAPTER 3: THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCESS
  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Research Paradigm and Underpinning Assumptions
  • 3.3 Research Methodology and Design
    • 3.3.1 Case study research method
    • 3.3.2 Mixed methods research methodology
    • 3.3.3 The concurrent embedded mixed methods design
    • 3.3.4 Limitations of mixed methods research
  • 3.4 Population and Sample
  • 3.5 Data Collection
    • 3.5.1 Research instruments
    • 3.5.2 Development of the three-tier model of university-industry collaboration
  • 3.6 Data Analysis
    • 3.6.1 Qualitative data analysis
    • 3.6.2 Quantitative data analysis
  • 3.7 Justification for the Research Approach
    • 3.7.1 The quality of research methods
    • 3.7.2 The quality of mixed methods
  • 3.8 Challenges and Practical Constraints
  • 3.9 Ethical Issues
    • 3.9.1 Trust and respect of participants
    • 3.9.2 Access
    • 3.9.3 Informed consent
    • 3.9.4 Anonymity
    • 3.9.5 Confidentiality
    • 3.9.6 Safety and consequences of participation
  • 3.10 Conclusion
• CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Findings and their Importance
  • 4.3 Findings from Interview Data
    • 4.3.1 Participation and response rate in interviews
    • 4.3.2 Interview data: emerging themes
  • 4.4 Findings from Questionnaire Data
    • 4.4.1 Participation and response to data
    • 4.4.2 Analysis of background information
    • 4.4.3 Factor analysis
    • 4.4.4 Categorical questionnaire items
  • 4.5 Emerging perspectives of quality through service learning
    • 4.5.1 A NUST perspective of quality academic practice
    • 4.5.2 An industry perspective of quality academic practice
    • 4.5.3 A perspective of other universities
  • 4.6 Conclusion
• CHAPTER 5: INTERPRETATIONS AND REFLECTIONS
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Perceptions of Quality and Best Practices
    • 5.2.1 Quality academic practice and holistic human development
    • 5.2.2 Quality as relevance
    • 5.2.3 Quality academic practice in respect to accountability and transparency
  • 5.3 Learning and Knowledge Development
    • 5.3.1 Learning and work
    • 5.3.2 Theory and Practice
    • 5.3.3 Higher learning and creativity
    • 5.3.3 Experiential learning
    • 5.3.4 Fit-for-purpose strategy
  • 5.4 Research-enhanced Practices
    • 5.4.1 Academic research
    • 5.4.2 Need for Action Research
  • 5.5 Community engagement and development for quality enhancement
  • 5.6 Transformation
    • 5.6.1 Cultural transformation
    • 5.6.2 Social transformation
    • 5.6.3 Industrial transformation
  • 5.7 Goal-directed Action and Critical Thinking
    • 5.7.1 Setting and nurturing goals
    • 5.7.2 Critical theory and critical thinking
    • 5.7.3 Acting decisively
  • 5.8 Building a Legacy: The Future Beckons
    • 5.8.1 Learning for life
    • 5.8.2 Passing the baton
  • 5.9 Conclusion
• CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 Summary of the research process
  • 6.3 Reflections on Research Questions and Findings
    • 6.3.1 The nature and quality of academic practices
    • 6.3.2 The pedagogy and its perceived relevance
    • 6.3.3 Shared conceptions and visions
  • 6.4 Summary of issues emerging from findings
    • 6.4.1 Quality is relative but unmistakable
    • 6.4.2 Industry-based learning has the ingredients for quality practice
    • 6.4.3 Institutional approaches determine adherence to a quality culture
    • 6.4.4 The university-industry relationship
  • 6.5 Implications of the study
    • 6.5.1 Policy and practice
    • 6.5.2 Research
  • 6.6 Conclusions and recommendations
    • 6.6.1 Conclusion I
    • 6.6.2 Conclusion II
    • 6.6.3 Conclusion III
    • 6.6.4 Conclusion IV
  • 6.7 The Learning Journey: End or Beginning?
  • 6.8 Conclusion
  • REFERENCES

GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT