Developing Academic Self$-$Efficacy Through Resilient Curriculum Design for Remote Transformative Learning.

Stephen Pentz

Times of disaster or crisis can be extremely disruptive to academic programmes, especially regarding issues of access to teaching and learning, where traditional curricula are premised on face$-$to$-$face contact. Information and Communication Technologies $($ICTs$)$ coupled with technology enhanced pedagogies offer opportunities for online and remote learning in times of disruption, uncertainty and change $($Mackey et al$,2012).$ At the same time, it is important to be aware of the digital divide in South African Higher Education, where issues of access should be addressed by exploiting what students already use in order to transform teaching and learning practices $($Ng$\text{'}$ambi et al$,2016).$ Jaffer et al $(2007$: $131)$ explain that, $$the potential of ICTs is sandwiched between increasing pressure on higher education institutions from government to meet the social transformation and skills needs of South Africa, and the varying student academic preparedness$.$ They argue that the educational needs of South African students should drive the design of learning environments and technological use. Bharuthram $(2012),$ in discussing the lack of preparedness of South African students with regard to academic reading $$ an essential aspect of academic self$-$efficacy $$ points out that students are not able to meet the expectations of institutions of higher education. In addition to developing responsive curricula that address the digital divide, undergraduate programmes also need to account for the fact that many school learners are not adequately equipped to manage the demands of tertiary education, particularly self$-$directed learning, and academic reading and writing. At the same time, students are often resistant to transformative learning pedagogies that seek to address academic self$-$efficacy, as these approaches challenge students to address uncertainty and manage precarity.

This research is taking place in the context of a post FeesMustFall era, which catapulted Higher Education to review and $$decolonise$$ curricula, and allow opportunities for the co$-$construction of knowledge. More pressingly, this research needs to respond to critical global events, such as the COVID$-19$ epidemic, which has disrupted traditional modes of delivery in Education. Mackey et al $(2012),$ writing in the wake of a series of earthquakes that shook New Zealand in $2010$ and $2011,$ note that while online pedagogies are widely used in tertiary settings, very little has been written about the role of blended or remote learning in times of crisis, or the pedagogical challenges of rapid course redesign to mitigate disruptive circumstances. It has been recognized, however, that blended and remote learning approaches provide access to education in situations where physical attendance is dangerous, difficult, or impossible $($Bonk$,$ et al$,2006$; Quinn, $2011).$ Online pedagogies, therefore, can instil resilience in academic programmes that might be required to operate remotely.

The purpose of this research is to co$-$construct and design a resilient, remote, transformative curriculum in non$-$medical health sciences education that facilitates self$-$directed learning and builds academic self$-$efficacy. The research seeks to answer the question $$How does a co$-$constructed, non$-$medical health sciences curriculum most effectively use a remote$-$learning pedagogical approach to facilitate and promote student$-$directed, academic self$-$efficacy and transformative learning in times of crisis or precarity? Additionally, it asks, $$ Does a remote$-$learning pedagogy improve students self$-$rated academic self$-$efficacy? Does a remote$-$learning pedagogy facilitate transformative learning experiences? And in what ways does a remote$-$learning pedagogy build resilience in curricula? The research will employ a Design$-$ Based Research approach that allows for participatory action through Theory of Change in order to facilitate the co$-$construction of transformative learning.

Step $1$: Read the concept note, and extract the text that addresses the different components of the PPS&Q

As you read the study, focus on information that you think can contribute to constructing a PPS&Q document. A useful tip is to first annotate extracts in the concept note using the comments function according to the different components of the PPS&Q$,$ before completing the table below.

$1.$ Copy and paste extracts from the article that address the different components of the PPS&Q into the table below.

Components of the Problem Statement

$1.$ The broad research problem

$2.$ The knowledge gap

$3.$ The context of the study$($People$,$ place, time$)$

$4.$ The rationale

$5.$ Conceptual frame

Components of the Purpose Statement

$6.$ The purpose of this research is to$...$

OR

This study aims to$...$

$7.$ Methodology

Research Questions

$8.$ Main research question

$9.$ Subsidiary research questions