Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Studies

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Studies aims to provide educators in higher education with a sound background of the national and international trends in pedagogy and with the understanding of student learning in higher education, including contemporary theory and practice in curriculum, assessment and the use of educational technology. The curriculum is designed to enable participants to critically reflect on their own practice in the light of current and emergent theories from the field of higher education and of the wider global and national contexts of diversity, transition and change. Educators are expected to consider the demands of teaching and learning within the wider policy context in South Africa, as well as within their own disciplinary contexts and to relate pedagogic and curriculum theory, policy, and practice to knowledge as it is understood within their disciplines.

Rationale

The rationale for this qualification lies in the need to support academics in developing professional pedagogical skills and skills with curricula. The need for the development of this qualification arose as higher education institutions are transforming to meet the demands and challenges of successfully widening access while at the same time meeting the learning demands of changing generations of students in an increasingly technologised world.

The majority of Higher Education educators, while well qualified in their discipline or field, have no exposure to a systematic study of current theory, methodology, practice or research in Higher Education. Their disciplinary content knowledge is no longer adequate to carry them through their pedagogic practice in increasingly diverse and complex learning contexts. Many academics have minimal exposure to curriculum and assessment theory and practice and they do not necessarily have an awareness of the increasingly complex policy environment in which higher education practices occur. This qualification will enable the professionalisation of the teaching practice of established academics, support the professional pedagogic development of new academic practitioners both in the transformation of the academic profession and in supporting the pedagogic and curriculum needs of new generations of learners and will be enable academics to gain new forms of knowledge.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL is in place to facilitate access to candidates who do not meet the above academic criteria. This will comply with the university's policy on RPL. Experience of teaching or learning facilitation in higher education will be a strong recommendation and placement in such a role at the time of admission is a requirement.

Candidates wishing to gain entry through Recognition of Prior Learning will need to submit a detailed application with the following requirements:

• A motivating letter indicating why they would like to enrol in the qualification and how it will contribute to their career development and, potentially, higher education;
• A portfolio of their work, which includes:

> Certificates/Diplomas/Degrees.

> Awards for exceptional achievements.

> Attendance certificates of relevant conferences, workshops, or courses.

> Examples of Papers/Posters/Workshops presented or training programmes (workshops/courses) developed.

> Evidence of participation in projects aimed at improving teaching or curricula.

• Letters of recommendation from at least three referees.
• Details of relevant work experience, highlighting skills and leadership experience that would be an advantage in the programme.
• Submit any other evidence that the applicant would like to offer in order to indicate that he/she should be considered for admission to this qualification.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Levels 8 and 9, totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 90 Credits

• Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 30 Credits.
• Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 30 Credits.
• Higher Education Curriculum and Course Design, 30 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (select one)

• Researching Higher Education, 30 Credits.
• Knowledge and Curriculum in Higher Education, 30 Credits.

Exit Level Outcomes

• Identify the particular features of the context of Higher Education (HE) in South Africa in relation to those of selected global HE contexts.
• Critically and reflexively consider their own teaching practice in the light of selected pedagogic and curriculum explanatory frameworks.
• Evaluate and integrate e-technologies appropriate to their teaching content.
• Identify and respond to the challenges posed by diversity in their teaching practice with a particular focus on our South African context, with particular attention to race and culture.
• Develop sound systems for designing courses and curricula.
• Develop the capacity to participate effectively in curriculum and course reviews.
• Understand and design educational assessment in the higher education context from the perspective of the reflective practitioner.
• Apply a range of conceptual tools and technologies to educational assessment practice.
• Use a range of conceptual tools and technologies to conduct a critical evaluation of courses and teaching practice(s).
• Describe and evaluate a range of approaches to researching higher education as a field.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the ethical issues that arise in research one's own teaching practice, or the teaching practice of other academics.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be assessed in an integrated manner across all the Exit Level Outcomes:

• Develop a sensitivity to student perceptions of their learning contexts in respect of dimensions of diversity.
• Use theoretical tools to understand, critique and develop ways of thinking about student learning.
• Engage with the significance of context in the design, development and teaching of their courses.
• Engage with the selected theoretical perspectives on higher education curriculum.
• Reflect critically on their own course, task design and assessment with reference to the selected theoretical perspectives.
• Identify the principles of an 'aligned curriculum' with respect to a chosen course/module.
• Identify the affordances of some commonly used educational technologies and critically reflect on the appropriate use of these technologies in their own teaching practice.
• Understand core concepts related to educational assessment and evaluation.
• Apply these concepts to the design of assessment events.
• Develop a critical approach to their own assessment practices.
• Identify different roles of evaluation within higher education contexts.
• Reflect critically on systems of educational evaluation in their own teaching contexts.
• Develop a framework for course or programme evaluation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of key principles and models of curriculum and course design.
• Engage with the contextual issues underlying curriculum and course design for the South African Higher Education system.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the assumptions that underlie a variety of curriculum models and forms of provision.
• Apply core concepts from learning theory to the process of curriculum and course design.
• Acquire and apply a selected set of conceptual tools to thinking about curriculum and course design.
• Conduct a preparatory analysis of the context as a precursor to course design.
• Undertake an affordance analysis of modes of delivery and technologies appropriate to the context.
• Develop a storyboard design for a course and develop and design teaching and learning activities for particular elements of the course.
• Describe and evaluate a range of conceptual frameworks followed in researching higher education as a field.
• Identify the fundamental philosophical assumptions that underpin such frameworks (ontology, epistemology).
• Describe a range of methodologies and methods in use in researching Higher Education.
• Select, and defend the selection of, an appropriate research methodology for researching own practice as a discipline-based educator.
• Identify what criteria are used to evaluate evidence and claims in the research methodology they have selected.
• Outline the essential ethical issues involved in researching within your own context and practice.
• Apply sociological thinking to the analysis of higher education curriculum and knowledge, based on the work of the social realist school of sociology of education and in particular that of Basil Bernstein.
• Use social realist social theory to analyse classroom practice, curriculum and knowledge in their own disciplines or fields - including formative education, professional education and vocational higher education.
• Analyse and improve the design of own curricula in the light of the theory learnt.

Integrated Assessment

All the assessment practices are actively informed by the institution's Assessment Policy to which all educators are introduced as part of the first module. Each module has at least two specific assessments: one midway through the module and one on completion. Summative assessment takes the form of essays or their equivalent (e.g. teaching portfolios; e-portfolios; presentations). Class presentations and discussions form a regular component of each module which will be peer assessed.

Summative assessment criteria will be presented to educators in good time, usually at the beginning of the module as part of the module hand-outs/course pack. As noted above all modules have external examiners who serve for a maximum of five years.