Unisa and TSA negotiate the winding NQF and SAQA road ahead

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the work-cultures of institutions differ in subtle ways from one another. The purpose of the article is to show that, in the case of outcomes based education, different underlying philosophies and approaches towards the "restating of qualifications in outcomes" used by Unisa and TSA contribute towards influencing the way educational practitioners of these two institutions individually view OBE. By comparing the two institutions, certain differences concerning learning development are verified. The merging of these subtly differing attitudes, values and views into one merged institution will take time and make heavy demands on all new Unisans. Although everyone involved in the merger knows this, no one really knows just how difficult it will eventually prove to be. Bearing these differing perceptions in mind, the wisest route for learning developers / instructional designers would be not to be too rigid in their approach, as the difficult road up ahead will have to be negotiated wisely. Perhaps the way to go would be for learning developers / instructional designers and their clients, the academics, to work collaboratively towards determining broader and more accommodative but acceptable parameters that will best address the needs of all the stakeholders.