Chapters in Books (Visual Arts)

Permanent URI for this collection

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/679

Browse

Browsing Chapters in Books (Visual Arts) by Subject "Multicultural education -- South Africa"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Engaging curricula through critical citizenship education : a student learning perspective
    (AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, 2015) Costandius, Elmarie; Bitzer, Eli
    INTRODUCTION: In the previous chapters we have shown that numerous curriculum challenges remain in higher education – not only in South Africa, but worldwide. One such challenge is to provide a critical citizenship perspective to curricula that may contribute to educate for more democratic and sustainable environments. We have also drawn on Giroux’s views on critical pedagogy and engaged curricula as a potentially useful lens to relate critical citizenship to critical pedagogy. Lastly, we have pointed out that in South Africa, although important higher education policy initiatives had materialised after 1994, much work remains to promote critical citizenship in higher education curricula. At least four elements of learning seem to inform critical citizenship education in curricula, namely psychosocial, transformational, socio-political and multicultural learning. One may also refer here to theories of learning, but what we do realise, however, is that the forces interacting and wrestling for power in constructing curricula that engage students on the one hand, but also keep such curricula vibrant on the other hand, are numerous, complex and ever-shifting. This we want to allude to in the sections that follow.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Reflecting on critical citizenship in critical times
    (AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, 2016) Costandius, Elmarie
    After the first democratic elections in South Africa 22 years ago, people were in general optimistic and could imagine a better future for all. This hope slowly faded over time for many young people. Only 15% of undergraduate students and 21% of master’s students in South Africa at higher education institutions complete their studies (Mtshali 2013). According to Ramphele (in John, 2013), students are accepted into universities, but the adjustment and demands of higher education are unattainable for most students because of differences in primary and secondary school educational standards. This is one of the most fundamental issues with which higher education in South Africa is dealing. The year 2015 was a time of turmoil with the student uprisings at universities in South Africa. The previous time that so many learners protested was 1976 in Soweto to demand accessible education.