Dube, Bevelyn (2013-12)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the challenges for journalism education and training (JE&T) in a post-1994 transforming South Africa. Prior to 1994, South Africa had three distinct university systems with different ideological orientations, namely historically Afrikaans-language universities, historically English-language universities, and historically “black” universities. The consequence of these orientations in the university system caused a paradigmatic schism in the field of JE&T. The advent of democracy in 1994 necessitated the questioning of this division in higher education. One could assume that there was need to transform the JE&T curricula so that it could address the challenges of a society in transformation. This study, therefore, aimed to establish whether JE&T curricula in three selected tertiary institutions in post-1994 South Africa have transformed in line with the transformation process in the country. The post-colonial theory, developmental journalism model and Ubuntu philosophy were deemed the most appropriate theoretical points of departure from which to analyse the curricula. A collective case study was used as a research design. To collect data, a mixedmethod approach, which utilised both qualitative and quantitative approaches, was used. Qualitative data were collected through use of programme documents from the selected journalism tertiary institutions and a semi-structured questionnaire, which was distributed to programme coordinators. Quantitative data were obtained through the structured questionnaire which was completed by students in the selected programmes. The qualitative data obtained were analysed using qualitative content analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using the statistical package SPSS version 18. The data were then analysed and discussed in terms of the selected theories. The analysis revealed that the three programmes are highly dependent on Western epistemologies. The programmes have a close relationship with the media industry, a relationship which at times can be a double-edged sword. The findings also show that the programme coordinators of these programmes are not averse to the transformation of curricula provided the process takes into cognisance Western epistemologies. The results also showed that in terms of gender and race, transformation has either been insignificant or non-existent. Lastly, all three programmes do not teach their students to report in indigenous languages. The final conclusion of the study is that JE&T in the selected programmes are not yet addressing the challenges of a transforming post-1994 South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die uitdagings aan joernalistieke opvoeding en opleiding (JO&O) in ’n post-1994, transformerende Suid-Afrika ondersoek. Voor 1994 het Suid-Afrika drie verskillende universiteitstelsels met verskillende ideologiese oriëntasies gehad, naamlik historiese Afrikaanse universiteite, historiese Engelse universiteite en historiese “swart” universiteite. Die gevolg van hierdie oriëntasies in die universiteitstelsel het ’n paradigmatiese skisma in die veld van JO&O veroorsaak. Die koms van demokrasie in 1994 het die bevraagtekening van hierdie skeiding in hoër onderwys genoodsaak. Die aanname kon gemaak word dat daar ’n behoefte was om JO&O kurrikula te transformeer sodat dit aan die uitdagings van ’n samelewing in oorgang kon beantwoord. Hierdie studie het dus beoog om vas te stel of JO&O kurrikula in drie geselekteerde tersiêre inrigtings in ’n post-1994 SuidAfrika saam met die landgetransformeer het. Die postkoloniale teorie, ontwikkelingsjoernalistiek-teorie en Ubuntu-filosofie is geoordeel om die mees toepaslike teoretiese vertrekpunte te wees om die kurrikula mee te evalueer. ’n Kollektiewe gevallestudie is as navorsingsontwerp gebruik. As dataversamelingsmetodologie is ’n gemengde metodesbenadering gevolg, waarin kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodologieë gebruik is. Kwalitatiewe data is deur’n analise van die programdokumente van die geselekteerde tersiêre instellings versamel, asook deur ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys aan die programkoördineerders. Kwantitatiewe data is verkry danksy ’n gestruktureerde vraelys wat deur studente in die onderskeie programme voltooi is. Die kwalitatiewe data is geanaliseer deur kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise, terwyl die kwantitatiewe data geanaliseer is deur die statistiese pakket SPSS weergawe18. Die data is daarna aan die geselekteerde teorieëgetoets en daarvolgens geëvalueer. Die analise het getoon dat die drie programme sterk steun op Westerse epistemologieë. Die drie programme het stewige verhoudings met die mediabedryf, ’n verhouding wat soms ’n tweesnydende swaard kan wees. Die bevindinge toon ook dat die koördineerders van die programme nie onwillig oor die transformasie van kurrikula is nie, met dien verstande die proses neem Westerse epistemologieë in aanmerking. Die resultate het ook aangetoon dat transformasie onbeduidend of nie-bestaande was in terme van geslag en ras. Die drie programme bied ook geen onderrig in inheemse Afrika-tale aan nie. Die finale slotsom van die studie was dat JO&O in die geselekteerde programme nog nie die uitdagings van ’n transformerende post-1994 Suid-Afrika aanspreek nie.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85851
Doctoral Degrees (Journalism)9