INDUCTION FOR PART TIME LECTURERS (12)

UNIT THREE: WHAT TYPE OF PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT DO PART TIME STUDENTS UNDERGO DURING THEIR YEARS AT UNIVERSITY ?

1. Introduction


In a continuous summary out of a great variety of orientation materials which councillors of the University Free State as well as the former Technikon Free State (read CUT) used since 1995 at the CUT Regional Learning Centres, the following framework is very prominent about changes in students’ values, goals, satisfaction, relationships, aptitudes, skills and adjustment which occur during the university years. The following vectors of development are evident:

1.1 To gain skills:

 Intellectual skills;
 physical skills and dexterity and
 social and interpersonal skills.

1.2 To control emotion:

 Become aware of feelings and
 express feelings.

1.3 To become autonomous:

 Emotional independence;
 instrumental independence and
 interdependence.

1.4 To establish identity:

 Clarifying physical needs;
 clarifying sexual identity and
 clarifying gender-appropriate roles.

1.5 To maintain sound interpersonal relations:

 Relationships of trust, independence and individuality;
 less anxiety;
 less defensiveness;
 friendly, warm and respectful and
 tolerant.

1.6 To clarify goals:

 Determine priorities and plans (career, relaxation and lifestyle).

1.7 To develop integrity: Set inner convictions and
 absolutistic reasoning gives way to relativistic reasoning.

2 Implications for teaching

2.1 The lecturer knows the student and is aware of his or her course of development. The understanding lecturer will succeed in creating an atmosphere beneficial to learning.

2.2 Students must be involved in both academic and non-academic campus activities. Lecturers encourage this involvement and facilitate it through word and deed. Lecturers themselves are involved.

2.3 The university offers personal and developmental counselling, and a developmental curriculum exists alongside the academic curriculum. Attention is also paid to the developmental ecology of the university’s organisational development.

2.4 The lecturer’s conduct reflects higher levels of personality development to be observed and emulated by students.

2.5 Lecturers make use of opportunities to teach developmental concepts and to relate these to learning material.


UNIT FOUR: WHAT ARE THE FORMOST COMPONENTS OF LEARNING IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SITUATION?

According to the literature on learning, the following components of learning are important in the learning-teaching situation:

 Learning principles.
 Learning approaches.
 Learning styles.
 Learning strategies (Cf. Van Der Merwe, 2005).

These components are briefly discussed below.

1. Learning principles

1.1 Introduction

Although learning is an individual affair and every student is unique, there are nevertheless certain general learning principles applicable to most learning situations. These learning principles lead to certain didactic principles, which lecturers can adopt as guidelines.

1.1.1 Stimulus-response theory.

 The learner must be active: learn by doing.

 Dispersed repetition, i.e. periodic repetition and practice must be applied.

 Reinforcement: Accurate responses must receive the necessary reinforcement (reward) through feedback. Positive reinforcement is preferable to negative reinforcement.

 Both generalisation and discrimination must be applied – practice in both processes is necessary.


 Originality must be pursued: inter alia, different models are to be applied under different circumstances.

 Incentives, namely motivation and involvement, must be present.

 Conflict and frustration must be present and accepted as part of the problem-solving process.

1.1.2 Cognitive theory:

 Learning material must be presented in such a way that it promotes observation.

 Organisation of knowledge: Work from simple wholes to complex wholes.

 Learning with understanding is more permanent and communicable than pure memorisation.

 Cognitive feedback is necessary: both knowledge and incorrect learning are rectified in this way.

 Formulation of lecturing outcomes: Success and failure determine expected performance standards and goals to be pursued in the future.

 Divergent thought: New ideas and development based on personal initiative and originality.

 Convergent thought: The ability to make logical and accurate deductions.

1.1.3 Motivation, personality and social psychology:

 The learner’s abilities are important when it comes to explaining slow, fast and special understanding.

 Postnatal development can only be understood if inherent maturity factors and environmental influences are taken into account.

 Cultural influences are relative, but culture and subculture may influence learning.

 Anxiety levels can be beneficial or detrimental to learning: the nature and origin of anxiety must be investigated. The nature of encouragement is determined by the nature of anxiety experienced.

 Appropriate motives play an important role in learning: some learners are motivated by affiliation, others by achievement.

 Motives and values are in themselves important, but the most suitable organisation thereof must be found. Long-term goals, for instance, influence short-term activities.

 Learning effectiveness cannot be separated from aspects such as self-thought, self confidence, self-awareness and levels of aspiration.

 The group atmosphere that dominates in a lecture, for instance, can influence learning. Co-operation is more beneficial than competition; a democratic atmosphere better than an autocratic one, and group identification preferable to isolation.

1.3 Implications for teaching.

The learning principles can be directly applied to the teaching situation. A number of teaching principles are derived from the learning principles (Fraser, Loubser & Van Rooy, 1990).

1.3.1 Motivation.

Since motivation has already been discussed, here we will address it only briefly. Klausmeier and Goodwin (in: Fraser et al., 1990: 58) put it as follows (this also applies to tertiary education): “The goal of the school and of the teacher is to organize and manipulate the physical and social environment so that most students want to learn, are confident that they can learn what the teacher desires, and believe that what they learn is worthwhile for them”.

1.3.2 Individualisation.

The lecturer must recognise individual differences between students and take them into account during the teaching process. Amongst other things, this means the following:

 As much personal attention as possible is given to each individual student.

 Mastering-learning is applied: each student progresses at his/her own rate.

 Learning problems are diagnosed and the necessary additional help given.

 Attitudes towards teaching and lecturers are positively restructured.

 Anxiety and depression levels are taken into account.

 Psycho-neurological functioning is taken into account.

Lecturers may direct requests to the Student Counselling Office at the Regional Learning Centres itself. Student groups can then be tested and the results will be provided the lecturer and interpreted. Alternatively, individual students may be referred for a diagnosis of their learning, adjustment and developmental problems, and with their permission, the necessary feedback can be given to the lecturer either verbally or in report form.

1.3.3 Perception.

Observation and sensory perception are prerequisites for learning. In the tertiary education situation, this principle implies that live investigation (experiential learning) be applied. In experiential learning, the emphasis falls on the learner’s feelings, goals and actions. The connection between goals and outcomes is indicated. You should include the following actions in your lecturing approach:

 A structure of investigation in statements, theories, research instruments and data is created as the investigation (study) progresses, rather than a predetermined point of departure or method.

 Interruptions and conflicts are seen as opportunities to investigate existing structures and investigative statements; questions or dilemmas.

 Students are given personal attention.

 An investigative community exists in the learning situation (students feel free to ask questions and even to differ in opinion from lecturers) (Van Der Merwe, 2005).
1.3.4 Activity.

 Students must be given opportunities to apply what has been learned in a tutorial or practical session. Exercises must be assigned continually.

 Students must be encouraged to undertake self-initiated activities; study groups can work together and share tasks.

4.1.3.5 Totality and a holistic vision.

 In the teaching situation, you must continually refer to the relationship between different parts of the subject content.

 Set questions that require integration.

 Apply techniques such as role play, dramatisation, readings, lectures, video and DVD screenings, and computer support.

4.1.3.6 Scientific character.

 You must be familiar with the science of teaching.

 You must be familiar with the science of the psychology of teaching.

 You must be thoroughly familiar with the scientific nature of your profession. This means that experimentation, observation, verification, control of scientific procedures, collection of data, analysis of data, interpretation of data and synthesis of new findings take place (Fraser et al., 1990).

1.3.7 Control.

 You must systematically determine whether the student is completing learning assignments and correctly applying skills.

1.3.8 Planning.

 Plan carefully according to your annual work scheme.

1.3.9 Socialisation.

You must plan your lecturing in such a way that it includes sociable teaching activities by using amongst others, the following strategies:

 Group discussions;
 seminars;
 debates;
 teamwork;
 team games;
 buzz-groups;
 think-tanks and
 group projects.