Educational psychology students' experiences of academic service learning in a higher education ...

174 Pages·2016·4.73 MB·English

Educational psychology students’ experiences

of academic service learning in a higher

education partnership with rural schools

Ina-Mari du Toit

2016

© University of Pretoria
uctured movement educational activities to teach numeracy and

literacy concepts to preschoolers

Educational psychology students’ experiences of academic
by
service learning in a higher education partnership with rural
sch ools

Sameera Ayob
by

Ina-Mari du Toit

Submitted in partial fulfilment o f the requirements for the degree

MAGISTER EDUCATIONIS

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
(Educational Psychology)

in the

Department of Educational Psychology

Faculty of Education

University of Pretoria

MAGISTER EDUCATIONIS

(EduScaUtioPnEalR PVsyISchOolRog: y)
Dr. Ruth Mampane

CO-SUPERVISOR:

Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn

PRETORIA

August 2016

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© University of Pretoria
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My sincere gratitude is hereby expressed:

 First and foremost, to my Heavenly Father for providing me with endless grace,

wisdom and courage on this journey to complete my dissertation.

 To Dr. Ruth Mampane and Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn for your inspirational guidance and

support throughout the research process. Thank you for developing and nurturing the

scholar in me.

 To Nicol van Rensburg for your valuable, timeous editing.

 To my parents for your unwavering support throughout my studies. To my sister for

always keeping me in your prayers.

 To Nico van Aarde for your care, optimism and words of encouragement.

 To my dear friends for your continued love and support.

 To my research participants for your willingness to participate and for sharing your
personal experiences.

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© University of Pretoria
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

I, Ina-Mari du Toit (student number: 28448902), hereby declare that all the resources
consulted are included in the reference list and that this study titled:

Educational psychology students’ experiences of academic service learning in a

higher education partnership with rural schools

is my original work. This dissertation was not previously submitted by me for any degree at

another university.

______________________
Ina-Mari du Toit
August 2016

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© University of Pretoria
DECLARATION BY LANGUAGE EDITOR

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© University of Pretoria
ETHICAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE

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© University of Pretoria
ABSTRACT

The purpose of this case study was to explore and describe educational psychology students’

experiences of academic service learning (ASL) as part of a higher education- rural school

partnership in order to inform knowledge on higher education community engagement. The

Transformative Learning Theory framed the study by engaging students in an active meaning-

making process of critical self-reflection and integration of experiences. Qualitative
methodology was chosen as the preferred mode of inquiry which contributed to my insight and
understanding of participants’ subjective experiences of ASL. A constructivist epistemology
guided dynamic interaction with participants, providing a platform for co-constructing

knowledge generated based on participants’ retrospective experiences. Seven cohorts of

Master’s students in Educational Psychology (2007 to 2013; n=22), who were involved in

assessments and interventions at a rural school as part of their training at the University of
Pretoria, were purposefully selected. Participants were, as far as possible, representative in
terms of gender, age and cultural background. Qualitative data generation techniques (i.e.
questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect data, which were then

thematically analysed by reporting on patterns across cohorts. The findings suggested that

participants experienced the ASL practicum as an engaged scholarship that is socially

transformative. The findings furthermore revealed that participants experienced ASL as an

integral part of the educational psychology curriculum and a platform for initiating and
developing professional identity. The ASL practicum experiences of participants are consistent
across cohorts and similar to that experienced by other students in ASL programmes.

Key words:

 Academic service learning
 Transformative learning

 Educational psychology

 Student

 Experience

 Rural school

 Higher education
 Community engagement
 Partnership
 Qualitative methodology

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© University of Pretoria
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY iii

DECLARATION BY LANGUAGE EDITOR iv

ETHICAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE v

ABSTRACT vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS xvi

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CHAPTER 1

OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

1.1 INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE 1

1.2 PURPOSE AND POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY 3

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT 4

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 4

1.4.1 Primary research question 4

1.4.2 Secondary research questions 4

1.5 KEY CONCEPT CLARIFICATION 5

1.5.1 Higher education community engagement 5

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© University of Pretoria
Page

1.5.2 Academic service learning 5

1.5.3 Practicum 6

1.5.4 Educational psychology student 6

1.5.5 Educational psychology cohorts 7

1.5.6 Higher education-rural school partnership 7

1.5.7 Retrospective experiences 8

1.6 PARADIGMATIC LENSES 8

1.6.1 Theoretical framework 8
1.6.2 Metatheoretical paradigm 9
1.6.3 Methodological paradigm 9

1.7 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 9

1.8 QUALITY CRITERIA 11

1.9 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 11

1.10 CONCLUSION 12

1.11 CHAPTER OUTLINE 13

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CHAPTER 2 Page

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION 15

2.2 THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN A DIVERSE, UNEQUAL
SOCIETY 15
2.2.1 Contextual issues: diversity and inequality 17
2.2.2 Social justice and social cohesion 18
2.2.3 Knowledge sharing 19

2.3 ACADEMIC SERVICE LEARNING 20

2.3.1 Emergence and development of academic service learning 20

2.3.1.1 Conceptualising academic service learning within a scholarship

of engagement 20

2.3.1.2 Academic service learning in South Africa 21

2.3.2 Academic service learning as a form of community engagement 22

2.3.3 Students’ experiences of academic service learning 24
2.3.3.1 South African students’ experiences of academic service
learning 26

2.4 HIGHER EDUCATION-RURAL SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS 28

2.4.1 Rural schools 29

2.4.2 Types of partnerships 30

2.4.3 Collaboration as a key asset in partnerships 30

2.5 TRAINING OF PSYCHOLOGISTS 31

2.5.1 Global trends in psychology training 31

2.5.2 Training psychologists in rural South Africa 32

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© University of Pretoria