The effectiveness of a value-added social curriculum to empower working mothers studying at an ODL institution

Abstract

There is a notable concern regarding the increasing responsibilities that working mothers are experiencing in South Africa and the world, trying to further their education. If online distance education is going to be a viable option for working mothers, the educators and institutions must take the responsibility to assist these students by providing them with life skills that empower them after completing their studies. Although the formal qualifications these students are pursuing are vital for future success, it is equally crucial for them to focus on other aspects of life to ensure total personal balance and functioning outside of their formal qualifications. Therefore, the research focused on the need for holistic support in empowering women, in particular mothers, to manage their roles, create better futures and derive positive outcomes and achievements in their daily lives. This qualitative empirical study included a critical research paradigm using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative (EDQ) approach in a case study research type. The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a value-added social curriculum in empowering working mothers studying at an ODL institution. In addition, the study examined the effectiveness of using ODL initiatives in providing women with practical skills and knowledge in different areas of their lives. The findings of this study revealed that although women are overwhelmed by their multiple roles, they will take any opportunity to educate themselves further, whether in a formal or informal setting. All participants made positive changes to their lives using the practical information gained in the social curriculum and found the modules to be relevant to their current struggles. The women also viewed the social curriculum as an added support structure in helping them succeed in their studies. The findings indicate that the social curriculum empowers working mothers studying at an ODL institution, provided that they actively engage in the material and apply the knowledge to their everyday lives.

Daar is 'n noemenswaardige kommer oor die toenemende verantwoordelikhede wat werkende moeders in Suid-Afrika en die wêreld ervaar om hul opvoeding te bevorder. As aanlyn-afstandsonderrig 'n lewensvatbare opsie vir werkende moeders gaan wees, moet die opvoeders en instansies die verantwoordelikheid neem om hierdie studente by te staan deur vir hulle lewensvaardighede te voorsien wat hulle bemagtig nadat hulle hul studies voltooi het. Alhoewel die formele kwalifikasies wat hierdie studente nastreef noodsaaklik is vir toekomstige sukses, is dit net so noodsaaklik dat hulle op ander aspekte van die lewe fokus om totale persoonlike balans en funksionering buite hul formele kwalifikasies te verseker. Daarom het die navorsing gefokus op die behoefte aan holistiese ondersteuning om vroue, veral moeders, te bemagtig om hul rolle te bestuur, 'n beter toekoms te skep en positiewe uitkomstes en suksesse in hul daaglikse lewens te bereik. Hierdie kwalitatiewe empiriese studie het 'n kritiese navorsingsparadigma ingesluit wat 'n verkennende-beskrywende kwalitatiewe benadering in 'n gevallestudie-navorsingstipe gebruik. Die studie het ten doel gehad om die doeltreffendheid van 'n sosiale kurrikulum met toegevoegde waarde in die bemagtiging van werkende moeders wat aan 'n aanlyn-afstandsonderrig-instelling studeer, te ondersoek. Daarbenewens het die studie die doeltreffendheid van die gebruik van aanlyn-afstandsonderrig inisiatiewe ondersoek om vroue van praktiese vaardighede en kennis in verskillende areas van hul lewens te voorsien. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie het aan die lig gebring dat hoewel vroue oorweldig word deur hul veelvuldige rolle, hulle enige geleentheid sal benut om hulself verder op te voed, hetsy dit in 'n formele of informele omgewing is. Alle deelnemers het positiewe veranderinge in hul lewens aangebring deur die praktiese inligting wat in die sosiale kurrikulum verkry is en het gevind dat die modules relevant is vir hul huidige stryd. Die vroue het ook die sosiale kurrikulum beskou as 'n bykomende ondersteuningstruktuur om hulle te help om suksesvol te wees in hul studies. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die sosiale kurrikulum werkende moeders bemagtig wat aan 'n aanlyn-afstandsonderrig-instelling studeer, gegee die feit dat hulle aktief betrokke raak met die materiaal en die kennis in hul alledaagse lewens toepas.

Go na le tlhobaboroko ye e lemogegago mabapi le go oketsega ga maikarabelo ao bomma bao ba somago ba itemogelago wona ka Afrika Borwa le lefaseng ka bophara, ge ba leka go tswetsa pele dithuto tsa bona. Ge thuto ya go ithuta o le kgole ka inthanete e ya go ba kgetho ye kaone ya bomma bao ba somago, barutisi le diinstitshusene ba swanetse go tsea maikarabelo a go thusa baithuti ba ka go ba fa mabokgoni a bophelo ao a ba matlafatsago ka morago ga go fetsa dithuto tsa bona. Le ge e le gore mangwalo a dithuto a semmuso ao baithuti ba ba ithutelago ona a bohlokwa go katlego ya ka moso, go sa le bohlokwa go bona gore ba kgone go tswela pele ka maphelo a bona le go kgonthisa tekatekano ya motho ka nosi ntle ga dithuto tsa semmuso. Le ge go le bjale, nyakisiso e sekasekile nyakego ya thekgo ye e feletsego le go matlafatsa basadi, kudukudu bomma, go kgona go dira mesomo ya bona bokaone, gore ba be le bokamoso bjo bokaone le go hwetsa dipoelo tse kaone le katlego go maphelo a bona a ka mehla. Nyakisiso ya phihlelelo ya khwalithethifi e akareditse mokgwa wa nyakisiso wo o tseneletsego ka go somisa mokgwa wa khwalithethifi ya tlhahlobo-tlhaloso (EDQ) go mohuta wa nyakisiso ya thuto ya mohlala. Nyakisiso e sekasekile bohlokwa bja go akaretsa lenaneothuto la setshaba la boleng bjo bo okeditswego go thekga bomma bao ba somago le go ithuta diinstitshuseneng tsa ODL (thuto ya kgole ye e bulegilego). Go tlaleletsa, nyakisiso e sekasekile katlego ya go somisa maano a ODL go fa basadi bokgoni le tsebo go dikarolo tsa go fapanafapana maphelong a bona. Diphihlelelo tsa nyakisiso ye di utullotse gore le ge basadi ba imelwa kudu ke mesomo ya bona ye mentsi, ba ka tsea sebaka sefe goba sefe sa go tswela pele go ithuta, ka ditsela tsa semmuso goba ye e sego ya semmuso. Batseakarolo ka moka ba bile le katlego maphelong a bona ka go somisa tshedimoso ya tiriṧo ye ba e hweditsego ka lenaneothutong la setshaba gape ba hweditse dimotsule di le maleba go matshwenyego a bona a bjale. Basadi ba bone gape lenaneothuto la setshaba lebjale ka mokgwa wa thekgo wa go ba thusa gore ba atlege dithutong tsa bona. Diphihlelelo di laetsa gore lenaneothuto la setshaba le matlafatsa bomma bao ba somago le go ithuta institshuseneng ya ODL, ge fela ba bala didiriswa tsa thuto le go somisa tsebo ye maphelong a bona a ka mehla.