Taking Child and Youth Care Work into the 21 st Century: Innovation in the Education of Child and Youth Care Workers at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) By: Fathima Dewan and Mirriam Siluma

2013 Students with CYC Staff

RATIONALE

RATIONALE (1) Global context

RATIONALE (2): THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT  Inadequate education system  Poverty and unemployment  Needs for social and economic development, including redress

RATIONALE (3): HIGHER EDUCATION IN SA Critical cross-field outcomes include use of technology HEIs are required to improve access and throughput, to meet needs for development and promote equality Tight fiscal policies Increasing attention given to use of technology in education ( e- learning) DUT’s VC requires 50% of all modules to be online by the end of 2015

RATIONALE (4): CHILD AND YOUTH CARE WORK IN SA DUT is only public HEI offering diplomas and degrees in CYC in SA Many diploma graduates (DUT and UNISA) wish to study BTech – challenges - employed full-time; reside outside KZN; family responsibilities.

RATIONALE (5): CHILD AND YOUTH CARE WORK IN SA Professionalisation process – increase numbers of people with degrees This project represents an attempt to meet some of these needs in an effective and efficient manner …

THE PROJECT

CYC Staff Team NACCWCQPA Faculty Board Senate

THE PROJECT (continued) o Blended learning – 3 x 2 week block lectures during the year and on-line support ( ). o Lecturers to introduce students to online classroom (called blackboard) in the second semester of 2013.

2013 Student Cohort 21 students registered (29 were accepted) 15 Female and 6 Male Provinces KZN – 14 W Cape – 2 E Cape – 2 Gauteng -3 NGO, Department of Social Development, Correctional Services, NACCW, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and full time students(not employed)

THE PROJECT (continued) 2013 (on line)2014 (on line) Child & Youth Care 4 Administration & Management 2 Applied Development 4 Youth Justice & Probation 2 Research and Practice All 5 subjects will have block lectures

Examples of classroom pages …

THE PROJECT (continued) o Coordinator of the project – BTech staff member. o Evaluation of project in June and November 2013

THE CHALLENGES

HIGH RATE OF RESPONSE AFTER SMS COMPUTER ACCESIBILITY UPGRADED COMPUTERS FOR LECTURERS TECHNOPHOBIA BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROGRAMME

THE CHALLENGES (CONTINUED) THE CHALLENGES AVAILABILITY OF VENUES FOR BLOCK SESSIONS ATTENDANCE ISSUES & CULTURE OF INDEPENDENT STUDY IN BETWEEN BLOCKS REGISTRATION TIMES (web registration) TRAINING OF STUDENTS ON (e- learning programme) MIGHT BE TIME- CONSUMING TRANSPORT AND ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS STAYING FAR

THE BENEFITS CAPACITY BUILDING IN TECHNOLOGY FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS BROADENING ACCESS TO OTHER PROVINCES INCREASE IN ENROLMENT FIGURES DUT ALREADY MEETING THE NEED IN THE FIELD CONTRIBUTING TO DUT VISION