From what perspective do we look at the student experience in University?

A delegation from Nelson Mandela Institute attended the 4th Annual Teaching and Learning Conference at the University of KwaZulu –Natal (UKZN) on 20-22 September 2010. The gathering was a platform for deliberation on the teaching and learning experience at tertiary institutions and colleges. It attracted a lot of interesting people, quality paper presentations and discussions. I could not help but notice a very interesting phenomenon. 

The university (or college etc) is a place for learners to acquire research and produce knowledge, with lecturers and senior academics playing the middleman role in this transaction of schooling. When then there is a need to go into a critical dialogue on the experiences of these learners around the transaction of schooling, especially at first year level and also the experiences of the educator (lecturer) around their role in the schooling process, it is just logical to involve both these role players conjunctively. At this conference, the ratio of learners as compared to seasoned academics and lecturers was very unbalanced (predominantly the latter in majority). If higher education is to contribute productively and developmentally to the understanding and betterment of the student experience in general, then students need to be more involved in the debate and discussion about their own development and have better access to knowledge housed by institutions of higher learning.

I must also comment on the high level and quality of the presentations at this gathering. This country has a heap of human resources in the teaching and learning field. It is how we respect, and progressively support these wells of knowledge in the project of curriculum review and renewal of our education system at all levels, that will determine a successful and sustainable education system for our society.