Examining lecturers’ beliefs about teaching and learning as espoused in their teaching philosophy statements at a rural-based university in South Africa: Implications for student learning.

Ndebele, Clever

Proceedings of the 18th International Academic Conference, London

EXAMINING LECTURERS’ BELIEFS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING AS ESPOUSED IN THEIR TEACHING PHILOSOPHY STATEMENTS AT A RURAL-BASED UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENT LEARNING.

CLEVER NDEBELE

Abstract:

Three elements of co-business in higher education in South Africa are teaching and learning, research and community engagement. The bulk of the academic’s workload however involves teaching in under-graduate programmes. As academics go about the business of teaching, the assumptions are that there are philosophies under-pinning the way they teach and assess. This paper analysis the conceptions of teaching of fifteen academics who submitted portfolios for a teaching award over a two year period as depicted in their teaching philosophy statements. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the narratives of the academics in order to identify themes and inherent beliefs about teaching and learning. Implications for student success were then be drawn from the findings.

Keywords: teaching, teaching philosophy, student success, academic

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2015.018.085

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