Towards meaningful teaching and learning at the University of the North

Abstract

In order to understand the dynamics of change taking place in universities in South Africa today and their impact on teaching and learning, specifically at the University of the North, an understanding of the changing nature of relationships in education is essential. Teaching and learning must not be seen in isolation, but in the context of a universal paradigm shift manifest in all walks of life. The relationship between teacher and learner too has fundamentally changed. In today's 'opensystems' paradigm, relationships have become temporary, horizontalized, other-directed and complex in nature. It is in the light of these realities that meaningful teaching and learning must take place. In the context of today's rapidly changing environment, dominated by technocracy and characterised by alienation and misunderstanding, the need for knowledge and leadership, in and through the University of the North, is crucial. This, in turn, can only be achieved if the University becomes accessible and accountable to the community. The process of transforming anachronistic, closed and authoritarian structures on campus towards openness and accountability has been fraught with conflict and opportunism. The University of the North developed from a once universal contradiction, having been created as a political necessity, towards becoming an educational necessity. This process has witnessed attempts at reformation, open rebellion and the quest for total transformation. The search for meaningful alternatives, as mirrored by the broader struggle in society against the contradictions of apartheid policy, has impacted on all walks of life at the University. Teaching and learning became highly politicised, characterised by open conflict and alienation, resulting in destruction of the culture of learning. The present process of transformation on campus, involving all stakeholders, has led to many achievements in the search for new relationships and new meanings. It is essential that the University belong to the community. Standing on the edge of chaos, the University needs to set an example in leadership, in accessibility, relevance, and in the promotion of Africanisation as a didactic principle through dialogue, openness and the sharing of knowledge through practical action at the grass roots level.