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TRANSCRIPT
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Nick J. Kok
Cape Technikon
South Africa
ABSTRACT
The Cape Technikon is an institution offer-
ing educational programmes up to the D
Tech degree, a doctorate in technology
based on research. The Technikon is one
of the few higher educational institutions
in South Africa which introduced a struc-
tured model for Total Quality Management
(TQM). The model was introduced in 1990.
The Quality Management Model involves
a process of regular Institutional Self-
evaluation (ISE) in order to set objectives
for promoting, inter alia, student learning,
and the determining of strategies to
achieve these objectives. The ISE com-
prises comprehensive evaluation of all
programmes, including students experien-
tial learning (or work-based learning), as
well as academic support activities. The
questionnaires cover a wide range of as-
pects pertaining to the institution such as
students learning experiences both at the
institution and in a work-based mode, the
courses and curriculum concerned, em-ployment patterns, the faculty, co-opera-
tive education co-ordinators, facilities and
services provided, etc. This paper refers to
the TQM model of the Cape Technikon, with
particular reference to co-operative edu-
cation, and describes outcomes and per-
formance.
Finally, it will show those strategies that
were to promote co-operative education
at the Cape Technikon. These strategies
include the selection of suitable co-op co-
ordinators, a sound administrative supportstructure, a very sound relationship with
commerce and industry and, most impor-
tantly of all, the need to structure the work-
based requirements to accommodate a
variety of employment situations that
would achieve the desired student learn-
ing outcomes. Reference is also made to
the learning outcomes fundamental to the
National Qualifications Framework which
were formulated by the South African
Qualifications Authority during 1997.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Cape Technikon is an institution offer-
ing educational programmes up to the D
Tech degree, a doctorate in technology
based on research. Most of the pro-
grammes offered are characterised by a
system of co-operative education: i.e.,
work-integrated learning.
The Cape Technikon is a public higher
education institution whose mission is to:
Provide and facilitate quality career and
technology education and training in
partnership with relevant stakeholders.
Encourage and develop individual cre-
ativity, skills acquisition and knowledge
production on a lifelong basis.
Empower and develop its communities
on a national and regional basis.
In order to achieve the above objectives,
it is important for the Technikon to be in a
position to improve its educational qual-
ity on a regular basis. A model for quality
control, based on institutional self-evalu-
ation, was developed during 1990. Thesystem was developed to ensure:
Accountability to students, employees,
employers and the community.
Maintenance and improvement of stan-
dards.
Realistic decision-making regarding
funding and planning, based on valid
and reliable information.
The discussion that follows briefly out-
lines the outcomes of the quality manage-
ment model of the Cape Technikon. Fur-
thermore, it focuses on the strategies fol-
lowed to ensure continuous improvement
of the services of the institution to pro-
mote student learning, with particular ref-
erence to work-based learning.
2. QUALITY MANAGEMENT MODEL
The assurance management model sup-
ports the institutional research and plan-
ning activities. The implementation of this
model in both the academic area and cen-
tral departments (support services and
general administration) is vital, especially
during a period of transformation and in a
climate of economic stringency, when state
funding is dwindling and the cost of Higher
Education rising.
Currently the Quality Assurance system
relies on selected panels for investigating
and evaluating all facets of the various
Technikon activity areas: for example, fac-
ulty expertise, teaching methods, assess-
ment methods, student success rates,
placing and monitoring of co-op students,
employment of graduates, service provi-
sion and utilisation of resources. The com-position of panels also provides for repre-
sentation of professional bodies, employer
organisations, students and alumni. All
panel reports are submitted for scrutiny to
the Quality Assurance Committee, which
in turn reports to the Senate.
3. OUTCOMES AND
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Institution-wide surveys are annually con-
ducted by means of questionnaires to
obtain the views of students and alumniof the Cape Technikon and all its facilities,
services, etc. These evaluations reflect the
perceptions of:
Freshmen after six weeks of attendance
Graduates on graduation day
Alumni who graduated during the previ-
ous five years
In the case of graduates, the respon-
dents also have to indicate their future
plans (eg., employment/further studies),
their views on their personal developmentat the Technikon, and their opinion regard-
ing the quality of teaching and their expe-
riential learning experience.
The percentage of students who were
dissatisfied with some aspects related to
their experiential training is indicated in
Figure 1 on page 2. Experiential learning
activities of 1998 Mechanical Engineer-
Total Quality Management as the Basis forBetter Co-op Student Learning Outcomes
1
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Dissatisfied Students Only
1434 Participants (95)
Figure 1
2
Experiential Training Evaluation by Qualifying Students 1997
6.1%
16.9%
12.9%
13,2%
5.9%
15.1%
13.2%Average Evaluation
Evaluation byT'kon
Personal De velopment
Le cturer Contact
Placement in Firm
Prep. for Exp. Train.
10.6%
15.2%
16.1%
15.7%
26.8%1997
1996
ing students are also depicted in Figure 2
on page 3.
The Cape Technikon is understandably
proud of its graduate employment rate in
a depressed economy running to unem-
ployment of up to 33 1/3%. The 1997
alumni survey indicated that almost 90%
of the respondents was employed, with
18% of them self-employed.
A very important aspect of the quality
management model of the Cape Technikon
is the comparison of the institution to the
other fourteen technikons in South Africa
regarding the following performance or
quality indicators.
The profile of the freshers
Availability of student accommodation
Examination pass rates
Number of higher qualifications
Qualifications awarded per 1,000 stu-
dents
Qualifications awarded per faculty
Qualifications of faculty
Library spending per student
Research projects completed
Expenditure per faculty
Proportion of students placed for expe-
riential learning
Cost per qualification awarded
Permanent employment of graduates
These quality indicators are used very
effectively to recruit students for the insti-
tution.
Since 1991 a comprehensive set of
these performance indicators, compiled in
geographical format, has been published
as annual Profiles of the Cape Technikon.
4. A NEW TEACHING VISION
Higher education in South Africa is rapidly
being transformed.During the last two
years the Cape Technikon has been review-
ing its policies and strategies to effectively
respond to the transformation process. The
rapid change in the demography of stu-
dent intakes and the rapid increase in the
numbers of students, many of whom are
often ill prepared for higher education, rep-
resent enormous challenges to faculty.
It is evisaged that there will be a three-
fold increase in the numbers of students
seeking access to higher education by
2005 and that the proportion of black stu-
dents will rise by 60%.
The following Teaching Vision was con-
sequently formally adopted by the Cape
Technikon during 1998, after consultation
with all the relevant role players:
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Numbers
Experiential Learning Activities
3
Figure 2: Mechanical Engineering
130
94 94
0
94
47
10
480
150
320
490
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Jo
bsAvailable
WantPlacement
Placed
NotPlaced
Registered
Co-opCompleted
NewWorkstations
Contactw
ithStudents
Comp
aniesVisited
ProjectsMarked
T
elEnquiries
Excellence in all aspects of teaching and
learning. A policy document relating to a
Model of the Teaching (as the facilitation
of learning) and Learning process at the
Cape Technikon was subsequently formu-
lated. A diagrammatic illustration of the
model is indicated in Figure 3 on page 4.
Strategies regarding the important ele-
ments of the model were developed over
a period. These strategies are aimed at en-
suring an environment conducive to stu-
dent learning. Some of the strategies that
are in place are explained below.
5. STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
OF STUDENTS
5.1 Selection of Suitable Co-opCo-ordinators
It is essential that co-op coordinators are
not only educators but also good commu-
nicators.
Until June 1994 faculty recruitment was
mainly based on finding suitable appli-
cants with the appropriate academic quali-
fications and industrial experience. Al-
though all applicants were subjected to
interviews, an orientation course and a
weekly support programme for new edu-
cators, it turned out that some of the ap-
pointees apparently did not have the ba-
sic characteristics of an educator.
The following staff selection procedure
was consequently implemented during July
1994 and is now applied throughout the
institution:
The list of applicants is carefully
analysed by the head of department and
a short list compiled according to quali-
fications, industrial and other experience
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4
Research into T&L / Reward System
TECHNICAL/COMMUNITYCOLLEGES
BRIDGING
SELECTIONPROCEDURES
SCHOOL
LIBRARY
ORIENTATION
RESEARCH
COMMERCE
&INDUSTRYALUMNI
CO
-OP
EDUCATION
ACADEMIC SERVICESCounselling / Learning Support / Tutoring
CURRICULUM
RPL Time Frame
Flexibility
CLASSROOM
FacilitiesMethodology
Assessment
TEACHING & ACADEMIC
SUPPORT STAFF
Selection / Staff Development
NOTE: The above model attempts to capture the substantive elements in the teaching and learning environment.
It does not try to represent the complex interrelationships between these factors.
Figure 3A Model of the Teaching and Learning Environment and Associated Factors
Graphic: Jochen Berger
and referees reports.
Informal interviews are subsequently
held in the department concerned to ex-pose applicants to their potential future
working environment.
All applicants on the short list are then
to lecture to a peer group of staff as
well as experts from the Technikons
Teaching Development Unit, who evalu-
ate the applicants performance.
Subsequently a battery of psychomet-
ric tests is used to determine whether
the applicant is a stable person capable
of managing conflict, caring about oth-
ers, etc.
At the final interview the Technikons Ap-
pointment Committee considers all the
information obtained on each candidate
before deciding on an appointment.
Since the introduction of the revised
staff selection procedure, no problem with
newly appointed staff has been experi-
enced at the Cape Technikon.
The ongoing development of co-op co-ordinators is essential. Apart from regu-
lar development courses, a senior mem-
ber of staff is normally appointed to act
as a mentor.
5.2 Staff Evaluation
Staff evaluation by students is standard
practice at the Cape Technikon. Co-op co-
ordinators would normally request their
students to complete a questionnaire
anonymously to reflect student opinion on
a variety of aspects regarding their experi-
ential learning experience and the co-
ordinator concerned.
Positive student feedback is a prereq-
uisite when deserving staff members are
considered for merit promotion. Student
opinion is one of a number of instruments
used by the institution to identify and re-
ward good performance by staff.
5.3 Curriculum Changes
During the past two years the South Afri-
can Qualifications Authority developed aNational Qualifications Framework (NQF)
based on educational outcomes. The NQF
is a seamless system (taking prior learn-
ing of the learner into account) with the
emphasis on student learning on a life-
long basis. Apart from the specific out-
comes for every field of study, the so-called
critical cross-field outcomes (for educa-
tional outcomes) are fundamental to the
NGF. These critical outcomes are generic
and are the characteristic employers nor-
mally require from graduates. The critical
outcomes are as follows:
Identify and solve problems in which
responses display that responsible de-
cisions using critical and creative think-
ing have been made.
Work effectively with others as a mem-
ber of a team, group, organisation, com-
munity.
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5 Organise and manage onself and onesactivities responsibly and effectively.
Collect, analyse, organise and critically
evaluate information.
Communicate effectively using visual,
mathematical and/or language skills in
the modes of oral and/or written pre-
sentation.
Use science and technology effectively
and critically, showing responsibility to-
wards the environment and health of
others.
Demonstrate an understanding of the
world as a set of related systems by
recognising that problem-solving con-
texts do not exist in isolation.
All programmes, including the experien-
tial learning component, are currently be-
ing reviewed to ensure that outcomes com-ply with the requirements of the NQF.
5.4 Administrative Support Structure
It is essential that co-op co-ordinators and
students engaged in experiential training
have the benefit of a sound administra-
tive support structure. Administrative staff
provide a very necessary function regard-
ing the link between student and co-op
co-ordinators, the typing and preparation
of guidelines/manuals for students and
employers, contacting of employers, pro-cessing of data about student profiles and
student learning assessment scores, and
assisting with the arranging of advisory
committee meetings with commerce and
industry.
5.5 Relationship with Commerce and
Industry
A very sound relationship with stakehold-
ers in commerce and industry is essential
for an experiential training system to be
successful.A variety of contact techniques are em-
ployed by the Cape Techikon: viz., tele-
phonic contact, visits to employers, invita-
tions to visit the instutition, involvement of
employers as external examiners of formal
courses and as members of advisory com-
mittees. The placement of a student for
experiential learning would automatically
involve the employer concerned as super-
visor/mentor of the student concerned. In
many cases it was found beneficial that
the students supervisor in the workplace
and the co-op co-ordinator jointly assess
the students performance.
It is not always possible for the various
employer bodies in a particular field to
provide idential experiential learning op-
portunities. It is therefore necessary that
the co-op co-ordinator, in consultation with
the students mentor, structure the work-
based requirements to accommodate a
variety of employment situations that
would achieve the desired student learn-
ing outcomes. The critical outcomes re-
ferred to in item 5.3 serve as a useful
guideline to measure the personal devel-
opment of a student engaged in experien-
tial training.
At the Cape Technikon good relation-
ships with employers have resulted in theidentification of very appropriate research
projects for fourth-year and post-graduate
students. Furthermore, these relationships
have assisted the institution greatly in es-
timating future student intakes of various
programmes in relation to the number of
graduates that could be absorbed by the
job market in the disciplines concerned,
an aspect which is vitally important for
planning purposes.
6. ConclusionThe quality management model has been
in force at the Cape Technikon for the past
eight years. Although the strategies fol-
lowed to promote co-operative education
are by no means perfect, the achievements
to date and student opinion regarding their
learning have resulted in staff being more
motivated and confident to improve stu-
dent learning practices on an on-going
basis.
The initiatives take by the Cape
Technikon have resulted in it being re-garded as one of the leading technikons
in South Africa.
REFERENCES
1. Annual Report 1998: Experiential Learning
Activities. Cape Technikon publication, Decem-
ber 1998.
2. Bruwer, J. de W., and Kok, N. J. (editor), Pro-
files of the Cape Technikon: 1997/98. Volume
7. Cape Technikon publication, December
1998.
3. Cape Technikon Annual Report 1997/98.
September 1998.
4. Institutional Plan of the Cape Technikon:
1999-2000. Cape Technikon publication, Au-
gust 1998.
5. Teaching Vision of the Cape Technikon.
Cape Technikon policy document. Adopted in
May 1998.
6. Vision and Mission Statement of the Cape
Technikon, reviewed in 1998. Adopted in No-
vember 1998.
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