Page 16 - Transformation Report

TRANSFORMATION GOAL 1: Achieve Academic Excellence Through
Curriculum Transformation to Ensure that it is Socially Relevant and
Responsive to the Development Needs of the Country.

1. ‘Curriculum Framework’ for Curriculum Renewal Efforts

Curriculum Transformation is an ongoing process throughout the institution involving interdisciplinary, multi-faculty, and
community engagements between employees, students, and relevant stakeholders. The University views humanising
pedagogy (HP) as a fundamental orientation in its learning and teaching philosophy. The Curriculum Framework encapsulates
several layers of meaning as illustrated in the diagram on this page. The outer layer of the circle acknowledges our work - and
the people involved – which is informed and influenced by, and seeks to contribute to, the range of historical, philosophical,
political, and cultural dimensions of our lives. These dimensions include the theory and practice of teaching and learning.
The inner triangle – the goal of learning – is captured and enabled by the interactional relationship of the “I-thou-it” triad of
Hawkins, where “I” and “thou” are the teacher and learner and “it” the subject matter.

The University sees its Humanising Curriculum Framework as a guide
rather than a prescription, outlining a process to enhance the humanity
of all participants and the relevance of the respective curricula. The
framework also speaks to issues of social justice where teaching is
understood as a political act. This is particularly relevant in South
Africa, where issues of social justice or the lack thereof, are keenly felt
throughout the country.

The Curriculum Framework has 10 Curriculum Statements linked
to it, which guide the institution towards and through the process
of curriculum renewal. The HP Praxis and Research Niche (HPPRN),
consists of both employees and students, who aim to explore the
deeper meaning of HP and share the 10 Curriculum Statements across
the institution’s seven campuses. The University seeks to use an HP
approach on an ongoing basis to underpin its vision, mission, and
curriculum transformation and renewal efforts.

The pursuit of one’s full humanity through HP is captured in the following five key tenets:
• The full development of the person is essential for humanization. “Decolonising our
curricula is also
• To deny someone else’s humanization is also to deny one’s own.
about recognising
• The journey for humanization is an individual and collective endeavour towards and acknowledging
a critical consciousness. the existence of all
forms of knowledge
• Critical reflection and action can transform structures that impede our own and
and their origins,
others’ humanness, thus facilitating liberation for all.
including indigenous
• Educators are responsible for promoting a more fully human world through knowledges.”
their pedagogical principles and practices.

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