Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to develop critical, reflective higher education practitioners. This qualification has a professional character and aims to deepen and strengthen current practices. The acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes and attributes that will be developed in learners during the qualification, will culminate in a capstone project where learners will have to conduct small scale projects to address a real challenge in higher education by means of practical exposure to the real context. They will also need to reflect on their own professional and research skills; they will be enabled to critically reflect on current practices and how to enhance the quality of their teaching and their learners' learning. The focus of the learning content is to explore the quality of the whole learning experience and to contribute to a more successful learning environment and outcome for their learners. The qualification consists of a module that is practically orientated and consists of teaching related tasks and activities that will enhance the understanding of contemporary teaching-related decisions in the learners' own particular field to underpin their professional practice in higher education. Their exposure to conduct research of practice will strengthen their preparedness to enter a research Master's Degree on condition that they have completed an additional 30 credits research project.

Rationale

The qualification offers an opportunity for continuing professional development to strengthen existing or new specialisations for practitioners at higher education institutions. Within the ambit of national priorities to improve the competencies of learners, graduation rates and to improve learner success, this qualification will enable learners to contribute to the generation of knowledge and practices to deal with national and regional issues. In doing so, this qualification integrates theory from higher education, policy, teaching and learning with basic research methods and techniques to professionally engage in practice.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The formal RPL process of the university will be applied to the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, criteria, such as, the following will be applied:

• Exemptions will only be granted for appropriate NQF Level 8 modules (old NQF Level 7) with the same credit value passed at other institutions.
• Learners may apply for exemption to the maximum of 60 credits.
• Learners interrupting their studies for longer than three years will not receive any exemptions for modules previously completed.

Entry Requirements

To gain admission to the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education a learner needs

• Cognate qualification(s) that meet NQF Level 7.

Or

• Qualification(s) that in exceptional cases are approved by assessment of prior learning, provided that they meet NQF Level 7 Exit Level Outcomes.

This qualification comprises 8 compulsory modules and two electives at NQF Level 8, totalling 128 Credits.

Compulsory Modules: 112 Credits

• Higher Education Theory, 8 Credits.
• Foundations of Higher Education Studies, 8 Credits.
• Methods for researching higher education practice, 8 Credits.
• Student learning, development and support, 16 Credits.
• Learning facilitation in higher education, 16 Credits.
• Assessment and moderation of student learning, 16 Credits.
• Learning programme design in higher education, 8 Credits.
• Capstone teaching portfolio project or a supervised research project, 32 Credits.

Elective Modules: 16 Credits

Choose one of following electives

• Service learning in higher education, 8 Credits.
• Technology in higher education, 8 Credits.

Choose one of following electives

• Research supervision, 8 Credits.
• Social Justice Education, 8 Credits.
• Leadership for institutional change, 8 Credits.

1. Demonstrate understanding of applicable education theory and its uses, influences, relation to practice, as well as to society and change.
2. Construct a research plan, including appropriate methods, feasible and researchable questions, analyse and report data, as well as conduct critical reading and writing.
3. Gather data and report on findings on learning and design theories applying knowledge of national and institutional higher education policy as well as the disciplinary contexts.
4. Demonstrate knowledge on traditional and contemporary learning and development theories within the context of higher education.
5. Apply insights in terms of practices, practical teaching frameworks and multiple resources in learning facilitation in higher education.
6. Demonstrate understanding of internal and external moderation of learning programmes, teaching learning materials and learner assessment practices as specific evaluation and quality assurance processes in higher education.
7. Interpret policy directives for conceptualisation and theoretical underpinnings of service learning.
8. Provide insights on the perspectives and debates around current e-learning practices and the theoretical concerns underlying e-learning design.
9. Draw from multiple sources to critically examine the social, cultural and historical context of South African education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• The nature of and uses of theory are identified.
• The paradigmatic influences on the construction of theory is outlined.
• The relationship between theory and practice is explored and explained.
• A number of theories applicable to education are identified and applied.
• The relationship between society and change is explained.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• A research plan/design/proposal is constructed.
• Appropriate methods of data collection are selected.
• Feasible and researchable questions are developed.
• Critical reading and writing are conducted.
• Data is analysed and reported.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Current practice of learning and programme design are criticised.
• A module outline/framework for the programme taught is developed.
• Learner support material for the module taught, applying relevant theories, principles, approaches and national and institutional guidelines is compiled.
• Relevant national and institutional legislation, policy and guideline documents on programme, qualification, module development in higher education are identified, interpreted and applied.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Inclusivity of learning in the national and international higher and adult education environment is addressed.
• Learning styles, approaches, strategies and dimensions identified within the context of higher and adult education.
• Theories pertaining to student learning, support and development in higher adult education, such as behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism, social learning, cultural learning, gestalt learning, psycho social development theories are conceptualised.
• Learning styles, approaches and strategies to enhance learner success are developed.
• Lesson plans to accommodate learners (transformation) with different learning styles are drawn.
• Special needs in higher education to accommodate learners with special needs are contextualised.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Key concepts in learning facilitation are identified and utilised.
• Practical teaching frameworks and multiple resources/models/strategies are used and their effectiveness is further evaluated.
• Methods for facilitation of discipline-specific learning in higher education is developed and applied.
• Current and international perspectives and theories on facilitation of learning in higher education are identified and compared.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Key concepts, contemporary theoretical perspectives and principles for appropriate assessment are identified and applied.
• Knowledge in terms of assessment for learning in higher education is demonstrated.
• Relevant assessment purpose(s), competence(s) and relevant learning outcomes in terms of appropriate assessment criteria are explained.
• Appropriate forms, methods, instruments (tasks) of assessment and accompanying grading/marking tools are planned, designed and implemented.
• Collecting, evaluating and judging evidence of learning by means of grading, marking and scoring is carried out.
• Recording and reporting assessment results to relevant stakeholders; providing constructive feedback to learners in order to support learning is done.
• Challenging and/or innovative issues in learner assessment are identified and analysed.
• Internal and external moderation of learning programmes, teaching-learning materials and student assessment as specific evaluation and quality assurance (QA) processes in South Africa higher education are analysed.
• QA systems, procedures and guidelines for the moderation of learning programmes, teaching-learning materials and student assessment.
• Characteristics, roles and responsibilities of internal and external moderators in higher education are outlined.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• The various South African policy directives that relate to the positioning of services learning within the context of higher education community engagement in South Africa are discussed.
• Theories of learning, learner development, engagement and community development that are specifically applicable to service learning are explained and applied.
• The following aspects of a service learning and curriculum design of the module are included:

> Partnership development.

> Reflective and reflexive practice.

> Assessment of learning appropriate for service learning.

> Risk management and ethics.

> Collaborative monitoring and evaluation.

• Service learning module in collaboration with external partners and design the outline of a curriculum for the module is planned.
• Research paradigms and designs suitable for service learning and studies including: community-based research, transformative paradigm, constructive paradigm, participatory action research, appreciative inquiry selected and applied.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• The interplay among e-learning theories and models that underlie the academic use of technology in higher education are assessed.
• ICT as a teaching, learning and assessment tool is conceptualised.
• E-learning theories and models are explored.
• Current e-learning perspectives and debates are thoroughly analysed and interpreted.
• An e-learning environment is designed.
• Teaching, learning and assessment materials for e-learning are developed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

• Own professional practise is evaluated through a social justice education lens.
• Theories of social justice are discussed.
• Theoretical and conceptual foundations for social justice education, including ecojustice education on the social, cultural and historical context of South African education practice are outlined.
• Pedagogical approaches and strategies for anti-oppressive education are developed.

Integrated Assessment

The Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education follows a continuous assessment approach, including a number of continuous assessment activities and a final summative assessment activity, capping the module outcomes. No formal examinations are written.

The setting of tests and summative assessment activities, as well as the internal and external moderations processes related to assessment, necessitate rigorous security processes and the management of risks.