De-Coding or De-Colonising the Technocratic University? Rural Students' Digital Transitions to South African Higher Education

Autor/inn/en	Timmis, Sue; Muhuro, Patricia
Titel	De-Coding or De-Colonising the Technocratic University? Rural Students' Digital Transitions to South African Higher Education
Quelle	In: Learning, Media and Technology, 44 (2019) 3, S.252-266 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1743-9884
DOI	10.1080/17439884.2019.1623250
Schlagwörter	Equal Education; Cultural Relevance; Racial Segregation; Rural Areas; College Students; Telecommunications; Handheld Devices; Longitudinal Studies; Universities; Foreign Countries; Neoliberalism; Postcolonialism; Teaching Methods; Technology Integration; Technological Literacy; Self Concept; Social Change; Educational Practices; Student Adjustment; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Rassentrennung; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum; Collegestudent; Telekommunikationstechnik; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; University; Universität; Ausland; Neo-liberalism; Neoliberalismus; Post colonialism; Postkolonialismus; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Technisches Wissen; Selbstkonzept; Sozialer Wandel; Bildungspraxis; Student; Students; Adjustment; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Adaptation; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	Despite wide-ranging policies and practices intended to address historical inequalities in South African higher education, and calls for decolonisation to include more local relevance, little attention has been paid to the experiences of rural students, especially their digital participation once at university. Previous research has highlighted limitations in technological access in rural areas and the importance of mobile phones for transitions. Whilst universities offer wide-ranging digital support, there remains a tendency towards universalist mechanisms. Drawing on a longitudinal study across three universities, and employing Holland's theory of figured worlds, we highlight rural students' experiences of digital transitions across different cultural worlds, prior to university and once they arrive, including the bewildering technocratic systems and practices and resulting conflicts and positionings encountered. We show how students improvise to decode the digital university and figure out new practices. Decolonisation of universities involves rethinking the 'technocratic consciousness' (both colonialist and neoliberal) and its apparatus including digital systems and structures. For rural students to become successful digital practitioners in higher education, universities should acknowledge prior digital experience and forms of knowledge and focus on expanding individual and collective agency in supporting transitions, as mechanisms for shaping a decolonised digital education. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01