When SAIDE, the SABC, and the Department of Education first began exploring the terms of this research process, the common goal was to lead to the identification and implementation of an educational intervention – with a strong broadcasting component – that would target adults and youth in South Africa whose educational needs were not being met by the higher education or schooling systems. It soon became apparent, however, that this covers a very complicated, and often confusing spectrum of educational opportunities.

As a consequence, we agreed to break the planning process into two distinct phases. This report represents completion of the first phase. In the first phase, SAIDE was requested to generate the following outputs:

A. Position paper, outlining the spectrum of youth and adult education that falls outside of the conventional schooling and higher education systems.

B. Selective review and analysis of broadcast interventions around the world in theses areas of education.

C. Statement of one appropriate broadcast intervention in these related areas of education, based on appropriate consultation with identified experts in South Africa and understanding of possible partners (in public and private sectors) who might contribute to implementation of intervention.

D. Proposal outlining the process of compiling an implementation plan for the identified intervention.

During the research process, it became clear that there were many more than one possible intervention that SABC Television Education might consider. Hence, on request from the SABC, we expanded the scope of Output C to include descriptions of five possible broadcasting scenarios. We have, in addition, attempted to sketch out an implementation planning process that will enable the SABC to prioritize from these options very quickly. Before presenting our research findings, though, it is important to describe briefly the processes that have led to the compilation of this report.

General Consultation
This research report has relied extensively on consultation with a range of key players and interested parties in the fields of adult education and youth development. Discussions about the terrain of adult education and youth development were held with individuals from youth development organizations, higher education institutions, and relevant government departments. Our preliminary round of discussions was driven by recognition that the terrain of adult and youth education is complex. Thus, we met with individuals to discuss their opinions on the key issues and challenges in these areas, as well as policy developments in the post-1994 period.

In addition, the SAIDE research team met with SABC Educational staff to discuss aspects of the research process, providing feedback and receiving input on work in progress. At various points, representatives from the National Department of Education were also involved in these discussions. This ensured involvement and continual updates as to the state of the research process. These initial consultations helped us to review different phases of the research process and to clarify and refine issues.

Another key component of our consultation process was a day-long workshop at the SABC (reported on in appendix four). The aim of this workshop was to begin to conceptualize and plan for implementation of appropriate broadcasting interventions. Discussion centred on mapping the terrain of adult education and youth development, key issues in educational broadcasting, international experiences, and focusing on how broadcasting could support educational activities in this spectrum. This workshop was essential to the research process, as it provided direction for the next phases of the research process, described below.

The discussions conducted at the beginning of the research process provided the basis for a concept paper mapping out the areas of adult education, social development, and human resource development that fall outside of the conventional schooling and higher education systems. A survey of written material, texts, web sites, and policy documents – taken from many sources – provided much of the information that was used to compile this conceptual paper (which is included as chapter one). The paper attempts to track changes that have taken place in the field of adult education and youth development and to identify some of the issues and challenges surrounding access to and provision of educational opportunities.

This paper underwent several revisions and expansions, based on feedback received from our consultative workshop, as well as from discussions held with practitioners in the field. Given the complexity of the related fields of adult education, youth development, and social and human resource development in South Africa, a responsive approach was adopted, allowing consideration of issues raised in discussions with key players to shape the final paper.

The complexity and changing nature of adult and youth education demanded that information be collected about international broadcasting initiatives in this field. This research was done in parallel to research into trends in school services around the world, which were presented in SAIDE (1998) A School-Based Broadcasting Service for South Africa, and international experiences in broadcasters use of technologies other that radio and television, presented in SAIDE (1999) Educational Technologies: Strategic Choices for SABC Education. Extensive primary and secondary research processes for all of these projects was conducted and has been reflected in the relevant reports. This formed a substantial base and network of international contacts for the work presented in this report.

The information on international broadcasting initiatives for adults and youth was gathered using primary and secondary research processes. We conducted a literature survey on educational broadcasting, and visited web sites of broadcasters and relating to educational broadcasting. We also formulated a set of questions to international broadcasters, which was circulated to our growing international network. Initial electronic correspondence gave some background to the research, and requested that recipients responded to questions that had originally been compiled. This method of data collection relied on goodwill for responses from those receiving the electronic correspondence, which inevitably limits the effectiveness of this information-gathering approach. As a result, much of what has been presented was compiled from secondary sources, either from literature or web sites. In addition, Kees Schippers, from Teleac/NOT in the Netherlands, offered critical reading and comment on the information collected, providing feedback on European trends in particular.

The descriptions of adult and youth educational broadcasting services of international broadcasters are not exhaustive, but rather illustrative of a few services, with the level of detail varying greatly for each description. In some cases, the information obtained simply pointed to past and present existence of some form of educational broadcasting for this target audience. In other cases, particularly where research information was available, detailed descriptions of the type and extent of various initiatives were obtained. This work is summarized in chapter two, and presented in full in appendix two. It is necessary to stress, however, that this work has not repeated many of the observations contained in complementary SAIDE reports, particularly those in Educational Technologies: Strategic Choices for SABC Education. Hence, we recommend that interested readers also consult this report.

SAIDE, SABC Education, and the Department of Education drew up an initial list of interviewees. Interviewees from various organizations were identified:

- Providers of adult education programmes;
- Providers of youth development programmes;
- Government departments;
- Research organizations;
- Projects offering bridging courses to higher education;
- Projects involved media and technology education;
- Community radio stations;
- Private sector organizations; and
- Organizations concerned with workers and trade union education.

Despite resource constraints, we did attempt to ensure that interviewees from organizations around the country were included, organizing research trips to the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, and the Free State. Pilot interviews were conducted to help refine the questions, and, based on responses received, we compiled a final list of interview questions. Interviews centred on identifying key issues and priority areas for different target groups of learners and using this to identify possible broadcasting interventions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals from 45 organizations in Gauteng, the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, and the Free State. In some instances, telephone discussions and written correspondence were used to conduct interviews where face-to-face meetings proved impossible to organize.

Interviewees were provided with write-ups for ratification to ensure that the information captured was reflected as accurately as possible. Many of the interviewees did, however, stress that they were responding to the questions in their individual capacity, and that their views did not necessarily reflect those of their organizations. The responses obtained from interviewees should thus be treated as informative, rather than conclusive. SAIDE researchers engaged in ongoing reviews and discussion of the interview data to identify possible broadcasting strategies for the SABC. Research data from this exercise has been summarized in chapter three and presented in full in appendix one.

Using the above information sources, we compiled four draft educational broadcasting scenarios, which form the basis of chapter five. We were conscious of the fact that there were other scenarios that we could have added to those presented in this report. For this reason, we have focused on trying to generate a broad in-principle approach to educational broadcasting in this area, which could be used to inform any educational intervention supported by television broadcasting. From this, we then focused on the ideas that emerged most strongly from our interview and secondary research processes, relying on guidance we received from various experts that the people we engaged during the research process represented most key interests and were thus well placed to guide our thinking. In cognisance of the possibility of gaps, however, we have tried to construct individual scenarios to include the option of sub-scenarios. For example, in the scenario that is based on input from Sector Education and Training Agencies (SETAs), we have provided illustrative examples, but these could easily be replaced with examples building on different SETAs.

Draft versions of these scenarios we circulated to some of the people we engaged during our research process for additional feedback and re-shaping. On this basis, we have presented the final ideas contained in chapter five. Finally, we have compiled a proposed implementation planning process that will enable SABC Education to convert one or two of these scenarios into a large-scale, sustainable educational intervention.