Part 2

Case Study

 University of the Orange Free State 

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

Bachelor in Management Leadership programme

This case study focuses on the Bachelor in Management Leadership (BML)[1], a pilot project run at the University of the Orange Free State. It was launched in 1999 and was specifically designed to develop the management leadership skills of working adults.

 1. Overview of the programme 

A central goal of the programme is to train and empower managers in business and other organizations (including government), with management leadership skills, which are seen as critical in the current stage of social and political transition in the country. “The fact that so many adult workers have no or limited access to formal training opportunities in the past, makes this all the more pertinent in the community”.[2]

The first phase in the BML is the Portfolio Development Course (PDC). At the time of the research, this phase of the programme had just been completed and will be the main focus of the report.

The PDC as a pilot commenced with 48 learners. They were supposed to complete 24 credits in the first six months. Only seven learners did not complete all 24 credits. The pass rate to date is therefore 85%. These seven learners however are not considered as “failed” but are given the opportunity to complete the credits at their own pace, keeping in line with the adult learning philosophy that underpins the BML programme. Financial constraints have also contributed to some of these learners’ decision not to complete the PDC at this point in time.   

2. Main support structures 

The main forms of support provided during the PDC are:

 2.1 Individual support

2.2 Contact sessions

2.3 Peer and group learning

2.4 Feedback on assessment

2.5 Videos

2.6 Computer support

 3. Research methods 

(see introduction for research methods) 

This case study is based on document review, interviews, observation of one contact session and a quantitative survey with 22 learners. 

3.1          Document review

 The following documents were reviewed:

	Bachelor in Management Leadership – Programme Proposal
	Bachelor in Management Leadership – Brochure
	Toward an Adult Degree Programme in Management Leadership – document
	Minutes of meeting to discuss Business Management Leadership Programme – 20:11:98

 3.2          Interviews 

The following interviews were conducted:

	Interview with Director, 27 May 1999
	Interview with reseracherresearcher for the programme, 10 June 1999
	Interview with facilitator (offers skills training and other academic support), 10 June 1999
	Interview with two lecturers, 11 June 1999
	Interview with Director, 11 June 1999
	Interview with two groups of learners, (a total of 14), 11 June 1999
	Interview with Director, 20 August 99.

The learners interviewed have a wide range of work experience from being a District Manager or Principal to being a Technical Advisor in a Government Department or Industry. Their ages range from 36 to 56 years and for most of them the highest qualification is Standard 10. One learner has Standard 8 and one has a BA degree.   

3.3          Observation 

A contact session was observed on the 20^th August 1999 from 14h00 to 19h00. At this session only 22 of the 40 learners were present. Eight of the learners have credits for this course and were not required to attend the session. The remainder according to the presenter possibly joined the Telkom workers who were on strike. Learners’ absence at contact sessions is not followed up as according to the Director the learners are adults and are able to ‘catch up’ from their peers. The presenter dealt with the “Supply and Demand” section of the Economics Module. 

3.4          Quantitative survey

A quantitative survey to determine learners’ use of learner support structures was conducted with 22 learners on the 20^th August 1999. 

1. The programme 

This pilot programme is based at the University of the Orange Free State. It is located within the School of Management in the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences and a multi-disciplinary team designed and presents the course.

4.1   Relationship with De Paul University (Chicago)

Since 1995 the programme Director has been involved in discussions with members of De Paul University. This culminated in the signing of an agreement that De Paul would support the development of an adult experiential learning programme and will recognise the degree so that learners who have successfully completed the programme can continue with an MBA at De Paul if they wish to. In the long term De Paul is interested in offering the programme at their institution. 

Although they have support from many sectors, private, public and university, this support this support is not backed up by financial support. 

4.2   Financial support

The Joint Education Trust, Standard Bank SA, First National Bank and Hollard Insurance have been forwarding financial support for the development of the programme since 1997. Currently financial support is provided to most of the learners from their respective companies/institutions. Only a few participants do not have the financial backing of their companies/institutions. 

4.3   Goals

According to the initial programme proposal, the main purpose of the programme is to assess and recognise the prior learning experiences (ARPL) of working adult learners regarding management leadership, and then to develop, at university level, the intellectual and practical capabilities of these learners in the acquisition, analysis, interpretation and understanding of management leadership concepts in preparation for a career:                 

	in business and industry
	responding to the needs of the community
	in the public sector
	in trade unions
	in life-long learning and the appreciation of the value of education to society.

On completion of the programme learners should be able to:

      - correctly use management leadership terminology, definitions and classification;

      - communicate effectively using appropriate language and media;

      - competently handle the instrumentation and data manipulation relevant to the management  leadership information;

      - synthesize and critically evaluate management leadership information;

      - demonstrate and understand the techniques and strategies involved in analytical (academic) enquiry and problem solving;

      - describe and account for the cultural processes which influence the evolution of management leadership contexts;

      - prepare illustrative and interpretative analytical reports;

      - understand the role of the managerial leader in society with regard to human and economic development; 

The approach to management leadership education is characterised by the University’s emphasis on the need for learners to become critical and creative thinkers and eventually leaders who utilize innovative approaches in start-up ventures or within established organisations.[3] 

The director emphasized that the central role of the pilot programme is related to social transformation and the educational needs of the people within the programme. He defines social transformation in the broadest sense: any member of society whatever their gender, race or social position, (ranging from white Afrikaans mothers to Sotho speaking government ministers) can use the programme to empower themselves and contribute to society.  

4.4   Target group

The programme documents[4] define the target group as working adults who are employees in business and other organisations (including government) who do not necessarily have prior formal management leadership training and who express a need to develop management leadership skills allowing them to function in a variety of positions. 

This was reinforced by the Director who said there are many target groups but one definition is individuals with learning experience related to management and leadership who have intentions to participate in transforming South Africa. As will be discussed further, the target group has critical implications for the nature of the programme and types of learner support.

At present the pilot programme has forty-eight learners who come mostly from Bloemfontein. One learner comes from Lesotho and another from Kimberley. A second cohort of learners will be enrolled in August.  

4.5   The staff

The following personnel make up the core staff for the programme: 

	The Director
	The Coordinator
	Four Domain Coordinators (they oversee the Life Long Learning, Environment,                                              Management and Leadership fields of study which run across the curriculum)
	Academic Advisor
	Researcher (post graduate student)
	Facilitator (undergraduate student).

In addition there are 26 presenters most of who are senior academics in full time employment at the University but who are part time presenters for the Management Leadership programme.  Of these 26 six are presenters in the PDC. Some of the presenters, for example the presenter of the leadership module PDC 103 who is an expert in her field, are from outside of the University. 

The number of presenters in relation to the number of learners on the programme (48) is high. This director explained this as necessary because the programme is focussed on contact and interaction. 

According to the Director the strength of the programme is the interdisciplinary team that writes the modules and presents the course, each member bringing their own expertise to the programme. Although this is seen as advantageous, it does have the disadvantage of not facilitating continuous contact with a presenter or a “continuity person.” This means that during the course of their study learners have to establish short-term relationships with a number of different presenters.

 4.6   Staff development and training

 Staff development for this pilot programme has two strands: 

4.6.1    Formal training

The first strand involved training workshops run by the following:

·     Members of the De Paul University (Chicago) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) offered a four day training workshop (April 98) in Adult Learning, Experiential Learning, Outcomes-Based Education, and Designing competence frameworks for degree Programmes to all the academic and business colleagues who will participate in the programme. Some of the members have been involved in this kind of training for the past three years.  The academic colleagues are all involved in research relating to experiential learning within the context of their respective fields of study. 

·     During September 1998 the South African Institute for Distance Education ran a workshop for presenters on Developing Learning Materials. 

4.6.2    Informal training

The second strand involves informal staff development which is done by holding regular programme meetings, curriculum (learning programme) development meetings, workshops on curriculum (learning programme) development run by ARPL experts from JET, CAEL, De Paul and attendance of other ARPL conferences. 

4.7   The curriculum

4.7.1    Organising fields

The programme focuses on business, commerce and management leadership studies and is linked to communication sciences, language, training and development, human and social sciences, law, computer sciences and physical planning.     

There are four domains within the programme:

• Life Long Learning

·        Environment

·        Management  (private and public sector)                                  

·        Leadership. 

The curriculum (learning programme) comprises modules in four main domains of learning  (fields of study) including three within the management leadership field, and allows for interim qualifications  (certificate, diploma) after successful completion of a specified number of modules in each domain of learning. The total curriculum (learning programme) content is designed to be equivalent to a standard three-year management leadership degree. Entry to the learning programme occurs through successful completion of a portfolio development course (PDC). During the PDC, which runs over a six-month period, among other things learners’ prior learning is assessed  (see appendix three for ARPL instrument) and credits awarded upon the successful demonstration of competence regarding the learning outcomes as described.  

4.7.2    Portfolio development course (PDC): compulsory

The PDC is an integral part of the support system and is a form of developmental testing. It is compulsory for all learners irrespective of their previous education and experiences. On successful completion of the PDC, learners are awarded 24 credits. 

The aim of the PDC is to prepare learners for the BML, and where necessary improve language and learning skills. According to the director, the PDC is essentially about ARPL and setting educational goals. It is not a bridging programme but the introductory phase to the BML. The PDC is also an important screening mechanism for focus of study in the programme. 

Name of qualification

Learners are able to complete a degree, diploma or a certificate during the course of their study. They are also able to obtain letters of recognition in the successful completion of every level of the programme[5] 

NUMBER	TYPE OF QUALIFICATION	TITLE OF QUALIFICATION	NQF-LEVEL	NUMBER OF CREDITS
1.	Degree	Bachelor in Management Leadership BML (06313)	6	360
2.	Diploma	Diploma in Management Leadership DML (06060)	5	240
3.	Certificate	Certificate in Management Leadership CML (06050)	5	120
4.	Letter of recognition	Modules on Management Leadership	5	Depends on the modules completed

Entry requirements

Entry requirement for the pilot programme is 23 years of age with working experience, or Std.10 with working experience, or Std.8 with at least five years related work experience.

 

 

 

In addition to the above entry requirmentsrequirements, the Director noted that the following criteria would be used for the next group to determine which learners could enter the programme:

Ø    learners must indicate a need and a desire to participate in the programme;

Ø    an interview with Director;

Ø    they must forward a motivational essay with their ideas on what they want to do in the programme,   what their focus will be, and who their prospective mentor will be; if they cannot do this, they may be excluded;

Ø    they must be involved in  an organisation ( private or public sector). This is because of the emphaisesemphasis on the application of theory in practice. Although the programme would like try to arrange placements, it is difficult to do;

Ø    there are one or two exceptions who are not currently working but who have prior work experience as this would give them a context to apply the theory;

Ø    learners should have a Std ten (a few have post secondary degrees) if they do not have a Std 10 they must have had a long period of work expereinceexperience;

Ø    proficiency in English and Mathematics is also a requirmentrequirement. A numeracy test is conducted to determine learners’ levels.

According to the Director, 90% of the current cohort meet the above requirmentsrequirements. Although it was not consciously planned, the group is a good refelctionreflection of the demographics of South Africa and there is a fair gender balance. 

Learners will be able to obtain a letter of recognition if they wish to register for some of the modules, or receive a certificate, a diploma or a degree qualification.

They will also be able to enter into existing honourshonors or MBA programmes offered at South African Universities as well as from the De Paul University.  The prior learning experiences of each learner will determine the level (certificate, diploma, degree) of entrance into the programme with full recognition by the university of the prior learning experiences applicable to specific learning outcomes within the BML programme.     

 

 

 

 

 

4.8   Mode of delivery

The BML programme is essentially not a ‘distance’ programme as it is offered in “a mode of intense delivery.” According to the Director it is interactive, flexible and individualised. The programme could be followed: it

·        part time;

·        on and off campus;

·        by contact and resource-based learning (print materials, electronic mail, web-site, telematic). 

The Director does not believe that the programme has a main mode of delivery but that modules, as well as the learner support structures encourage interaction. The interaction may be with presenters, coordinators or peers. Learning he believes should take place by “social interaction”.[6]   

The focus of the materials is to facilitate learning within small groups. The materials base of the programme is central to the approach of social interactive learning. A review of Modules 1 and 2 shows that the materials encourage interactive learning.  Both materials and groups of learners are seen as central resources. This challenges the notion of the individual distance learner, as groups of learners learning collaboratively are seen as central to the learning process, based on Vygotsky’s concept of “social learning”.  

4.9   Teaching-learning methods 

Presentations are offered for the transmission of content and the understanding of concepts and theories. Group work is done for the development of team skills.  Independent studies are undertaken for the development of research skills and the development of capabilities. Work-study experiences are organised for professional development and for the contextualization of capabilities. Experiential learning is the underlying theory for all modules offered in the programme and notional learning hours are assessed appropriately within each module and accredited accordingly[7] 

In the contact session observed on the 20 August 1999 the presenter did transmit knowledge and built understanding of concepts such as supply and demand. Learners were engaged ingroup work to build team skills and they also then completed individual self assessment activities. 

4.10  Assessment procedures

Integrated assessment procedures are a part of the portfolio development process (including records of achievement) and are implemented as an ongoing assessment process starting with the PDC and running through the BML learning programme. 

assessmentAssessment methods include practical tests, reports and workshops, field exercises, essays and technical reports, poster displays and illustrated charts, teamwork simulations of exploration projects, independent projects and dissertations, oral presentations by individuals and project teams, simulated research applications and consultancy reports, assembling of resource bases using web page presentations and open book exams. [8] 

4.11  Monitoring success of programme

4.11.1 Internal quality assurance procedures

A research team is already involved in gathering information regarding the development of this pilot programme. Self- administered learner evaluations of modules and presentations and peer observations are included and feedback is given to staff members on an ongoing basis.[9] (See appendix three for evaluation form.) 

According to learners they are also able to give feedback to lecturers at contact sessions. 

In the contact session observed, learners did make suggestions to change certain sections which the presenter found useful and which he said he was committed to implementing. Learners also fill in written evaluation forms. They believe that this feedback is taken seriously and that changes a re made. According to the Director changes have been made in module three according to suggestions made by learners, for example in one case study learners found the names used childish for adult learners. These names have now been changed. Learners felt that another case study lacked information. The presenter has now added more information.  

4.11.2  External quality assurance procedures

The pilot programme has been submitted to SAQA for accreditation. External examiners from the Universities of De Paul and the Orange Free State will moderate exams.

5. Learner support 

According to the course coordinator, she, together with the Director and Domain coordinators, plans the learner support.[10]  The venue is the University premises and learners find this convenient.  

According to the coordinator and the learners the atmosphere is pleasant with tea and meals provided.[11] The cost of catering is built into the programme fees.

Through the coordinator, communication between learners and lecturers is facilitated.  It is envisaged for the future that as the coordinator understands the programme more, she will eventually take over academic support for learners as well. At present she attends classes to improve her understanding.

A number of learner support strategies have been put into place for the pilot programme, some of which will be discussed in more detail below. The support mechanisms are:

5.1.      Individual Support

5.2.      Contact Sessions

5.3.      Peer and group Learning

5.4.      Feedback on assessment

5.5.      Videos

5.6.      Computer support.

A quantitative survey was conducted with 22 learners on the 20:08:99 to determine what types of support learners make use of, how frequently and how do they rate the support. The table below summarises the use of support services in the period January 1999 – August 1999. 

Support Service	Number of times used	Purpose
1. Telephone	Ranged from 3 – 100	Admin    = 13 (59%) Personal = 11 (50%) Assign.   = 15 (68%) Exams    =   1 (5%) Academic = 7 (32%)
2. Email	Ranged from 7- 14 times	Assignments = 3 (14%) Apologies = 1 (5%) Contact other learners = 1 (5%) Contact lecturer = 1 (5%)
3. Visit Coordinator	Ranged from 6 to 30 times	Academic = 14 (64%) Assign = 10 (45%) Personal = 5 (23%) Financial = 6 (27%) Admin = 2 (9%)
4. Contacted     facilitator		Develop skills = 13 (59%) Admin = (6%) Computer = 1 (6%) Personal problems = 11 (50%) Academic = 1 (6%)
Support Service	Number of times used	Purpose
5. Contact sessions	Attended all = 14 (64%) Attended a few = 3 (14%) Missed a few = 5 (23%) Reasons for missing = work and personal problems	Very useful = 19 (86%) Useful = 2 (9%) Useful for: Assign. = 15 (68%) Share ideas with other learners = 18 (82%) Ask questions. = 8 (36%) Share ideas with lecturers =12 (55%) Draw on experience of others = 1 (5%)
6. Group learning     inside contact     session		Very useful = 14 (64%) Useful = 7 (32%) Not useful = 1 (5%)
7. Group work     outside contact     session		Very useful = 7 (32%) Useful = 13 (59%) Not useful = 2 (9%) Useful for: Ask questions = 7 (32%) Express opinion = 13 (59%) Gain knowledge = 12 (55%)
8.  Videos		Used by 15 learners = (68%) Number of times used ranged from I – 7.
9. Computer      support		18 learners used it = (82%) very useful = 17 (77%) useful = 1 (5%)

The survey indicates that learners view all forms of support offered as important. The least frequently used is the email. This, according to learners interviewed, is because they do not all have access to email.[12] There is also an indication of the value learners place on contact sessions as 86% found the sessions very useful and of these 82% indicated that sharing ideas was most valuable in the contact sessions. An anomaly in the survey is that whilst 32% found group work outside the contact session very useful and 59% found it useful, the learners in the interview did not find that group work outside the contact session worked well. The survey also indicates that learners make frequent phone calls mostly dealing with assignment queries but two lecturers interviewed said that they hardly received any calls. It seems that the calls are made to the coordinator who in the interview did confirm that she handled many assignment queries.

The reasons why learners make use of various forms of support more than other forms is discussed below in relation to each form of support. 

5.1    Individual support 

According to learners[13] they are invited to phone lecturers, the co-ordinator or the director whenever they need to in order to discuss academic as well as personal problems. If lecturers cannot deal with a specific problem, they are referred to a Psychologist on campus. The quantitative survey indicates that learners have used the telephone support service from as little as three time to as many as a hundred times. They have used this service mostly for assignment queries, administration issues and personal problems. 

The coordinator confirmed that learners do phone in with queries. They also use e-mail to send messages of apology if they can’t attend classes or they e-mail their assignments. The quantitative survey shows that only five learners have used the e-mail for sending assignments mostly. 

Two lecturers interviewed, however felt that although they were available for support, learners did not make adequate use of their availability[14]. One of the lecturers said that in the duration of her module only approximately three learners had phoned her, all to do with queries about their assignments. She believed that if learners had more contact and exposure to the same presenters, rather than having too many presenters, learners would make more use of individual support. 

The co-ordinator

Learners say they find the coordinator of the programme very helpful. Many learners also visit personally to discuss their problems.[15] The quantitative survey indicates that most learners visited the coordinator from as little as six times to as many as 30 times mostly to discuss academic and assignment issues. 

The coordinator confirmed that learners visit regularly, especially those learners who have less experience in the field of management. They have many queries about the course as well as about the assignments. If the coordinator is unable to address their queries then she refers them to the lecturers or the facilitator.

 The Facilitator

The facilitator is available to see learners individually or in groups. He describes himself as the learners’ contact person, like an ear and a friend. Some learners see him weekly while others come every two weeks. As the modules progress and learners become more independent, they require less support. Many informal support sessions take place over tea and lunch. Support requested ranges from personal issues, bursary, to use of the library. According to the quantitative survey 59% learners contacted the facilitator for skills development and 55% for personal problems. Visits to the facilitator can be ad hoc or pre planned. As learners are exposed to so many different presenters, the facilitator also seems to provide a continuity role.

Common non-academic problems that learners (according to the facilitator and the coordinator) discuss are: 

• Financial Problems: Some learners are supported by the companies in which they work whilst others receive very little or no support. As a result they run into problems and often meet the Director to discuss the problems.  

·        Family Commitments: On a Saturday, learners may need to find childcare when they need to attend sessions at the University. On Fridays they have the problem of picking up children from school or other activities. The University is looking at starting a ‘day care centre’ to solve the problem.

• Work commitments: Being in management situations puts demands on learners and often learners have to attend meetings at work and this clashes with contact sessions.

• Domestic Problems: So far only one learner had serious domestic problems to sort out.

The interview with learners confirmed that the above problems are discussed. 

5.2   Contact sessions

A contact session was observed on the 20:08:99 from 14h00 to 19h00. Presenters and learners were also interviewed about their perception of the sessions. The following emerged from these sources: 

Times and venues

Learners meet with lecturers once a week, from 14h00 to 19h00, usually on a Friday at the University. On the last Saturday of every month learners also meet from 08h00 to 17h00. 

Learners felt that the University was a convenient venue for the workshops although those who lived further away, such as in Kimberly, felt that the distance necessary to travel to the venue was time consuming and because of travel they would often arrive late for class. However, as most of the learners had cars, the need for public transport to the venue was not an issue.[16]  Presenters interviewed verified what learners said. 

Attendance

Contact sessions are not compulsory as this would contradict the principles of Open learning and undermine the idea that adults are responsible learners[17]. Both learners and lecturers say that attendance at the workshops is high. However, work demands sometimes interfere with learners’ ability to attend sessions, particularly given that many learners are in high management positions. 

There was a lively debate in the one interview group about whether contact sessions should be compulsory. The group was divided on the issue with some learners supporting the views of the staff that they are responsible adults who should make their own choice about whether to attend contact sessions and the reality which is that they cannot attend all the sessions due to work commitments. Although learners could not agree whether workshops should be compulsory, there was unanimous agreement that learners who do not attend lose out and that for their own benefit learners should attend. Some learners also felt strongly that as the purpose of the contact sessions was sharing ideas and learning from each other, all learners should make every effort to attend. Although no formal records on attendance are kept, the coordinator has kept a personal record of learner attendance on nine occasions:

16:04:99 = 34 (71%)

23:04:99 = 41 (85%)

07:05:99 = 36 (75%)

08:05:99 = 30 (63%)

14:05:99 = 35 (73%)

21:05:99 = 29 (60%)

22:05:99 = 20 (42%)

28:05:99 = 36 (75%)

04:06:99 = 34 (71%)

The overall proportion of learners who attended all of these nine contact sessions was 68%.

Learners also said that as they worked in groups, if they could not attend it was not too serious as they could catch up from other group members. However, they were also firm that the objective of working in a group was not to replace the contact session.   

Purpose of contact sessions

The main purpose of the sessions according to presenters and learners is to:

·        provide opportunities for group work

·        interaction with each other: debate and discussion

·        sharing experiences

·        get the bigger picture and provide a structure so that they know where to fit materials

·        more than reading and writing but an emotional and feeling element

·        gain confidence and support

·        dealing with diversity and different levels of preparedness

·        bring together  theory and experiences. 

These sessions are refferedreferred to as “workshops” and presenters say that lecturing does not take place. Although one lecturer says that most learners want presenters to “teach the traditional way”.[18] Learners say that these sessions are different from ordinary lectures as a great deal of responsibility is given to learners to take charge of their learning.

According to learners[19] the contact sessions are not compulsory but are strongly recommended by the lecturers. If a learner misses a session, s/he can catch up from a fellow group member.

Learners however find themselves attending the sessions regularly although they said that by Friday having had a hard week of work they are exhausted. 

According to learners “the materials supplement the contact sessions. The module is a guideline and the contact sessions take the information further”.[20] The activities in the contact sessions help to apply theory to practice. According to learners the contact sessions help to develop writing, presentation, communication, management and leadership skills. A contact session is usually organised in the following manner:[21]

            Lecturer provides overview of unit

            Lecturer spells out learning outcomes

            Lecturer gives input

            Discussions in groups

            Activities in groups

            Individual activities.

The session observed was conducted as above. During this session learners were engaged in group activities, which developed their presentation, and management skills. 

 Not all contact sessions follow the same pattern. Presenters add variety according to their subject and the needs of the learners. Another lecturer described her session as having the following components:

1 hour: brainstorming in big group

30 minutes: divide into two groups for debate

1 hour – a guest speaker from the community

Lunch

1 hour big group discussion

1 hour and 30 minutes – break into small groups, seven groups, each present a topic to bigger group on a transparency

30 minutes – a video clip for example of Mandela

Brief self-assessment if there is time. 

Learners confirmed that the various presenters according to their different modules organize contact sessions differently but that all presenters facilitate interactive learning. 

Learners say that lecturers bring in the theory while learners bring the experience. Learners believe that the sessions give them an opportunity to challenge the lecturers and that it is a growing process for both learners and lecturers. 

According to the Director the classes are based on experiential learning and ideally 50% of learning must take place in these sessions. 

The contact session observed confirmed that an active learning approach is taken: a given topic was dealt with from many angles arising from the presenter’s input as well as learners’ queries and input; the discussions also involved handling of varied activities by the learners in groups; and the session concluded with self-assessment activities. 

Built into the contact session there is a half-hour study skills session run by a facilitator. He describes the aims of these sessions as:

	to show learners ways of studying and give practical examples e.g. using mind maps and colour;
	to assist learners to become independent learners who are self-reflective
	to help learners adapt to changes related to studying and potential role conflict, e.g. balancing                           studying and family and work commitments
	to build on and enrich the BML.

The facilitator believes these sessions are very valuable, particularly for educationally disadvantaged learners. To facilitate the above, the facilitator says he uses a range and variety of methodologies such as case studies, games, buzz groups and individual activities. He also believes in making the learning process explicit and believes his own experiences as a learner make him a valuable resource for the PDC learners. The contact session observed did not include skills development and as a result the researcher is unable to verify the value of the skills development session. 

Learners saw the contact sessions as a platform for communication and interaction with learners and lecturers. The sessions help to get information and prevent isolation. The quantitative survey shows that 86% of learners find the contact sessions very useful and 3 find them useful.  Within the contact sessions, 64% of learners find the group work very useful, 32% find it useful and only one found it not useful.

The predominant feeling in the interviews with learners was that they could not do the programme without the contact sessions but that there could be fewer sessions. 

A weakness of the contact sessions, according to learners, is that some lecturers insist on their own perspective and are not prepared to listen to learners. There is also the tendency on the part of some learners to dominate. 

According to one lecturer learners are at different paces which results in some learners “wanting to go ahead but others are then left behind.”[22] 

An important element in the contact sessions is to use the “classroom experience” to feed into developing better materials. 

5.3   Peer and group learning

Group learning is central to the philosophy of the programme and for a number of reasons there is an emphasis on group learning within the contact sessions: 

·      sharing of experiences is central in adult education methodologies;

·      as learners have different skills which need to be shared, they are important resources for each other (NB as not all have formal educational qualifications)

·      leadership and good management is about “getting people on board” and working in groups

·      central to the philosophy of cultural management is the opportunity to understand others

·      if learners can not attend the workshops, they can catch up from a group member

·      groups help motivate learners and build confidence

·      groups serve the important function of getting learners to challenge each other.[23]

 Structure and organization of groups

Each syndicate group is made up of five learners. One group of interviewees reported that groups were chosen randomly while another group reported that they self selected.  One learner said that after having listened to inputs and discussion of peers he networked with people whom he felt had made interesting inputs and formed his group in this way. Another learner commented that his criteria for choosing his group was to form a group with people who worked in the same company as he did. One learner said she had been conscious about choosing to belong to a group that reflected diversity. 

One learner commented that it was difficult to get into groups initially as learners did not know each other so it was difficult to know whom to work with. Learners work in groups in contact sessions and are encouraged to work in the groups outside of the contact sessions. There will be group assignments to encourage group work in the BML but this has not yet been implemented in the PDC. 

Function of groups

Lecturers see the group work as playing an important support function, particularly as serving the function of social support so that learners can get to know each other. 

Learner perceptions of groups and group work

According to learners the syndicate group is very supportive but in the main groups only function within the contact sessions and tend not to operate outside of these sessions. 

“Groups work within sessions but not outside of the sessions” and another learner commented that his group will not meet outside of sessions and therefore is “a group only in name and not in practice”. Another group said that they very rarely met outside of contact sessions and in fact had only worked together once as a group outside of the contact sessions. This, they said, was “an emergency” and they had called a teleconference prior to the handing in of an assignment. 

Learners forwarded three main reasons as to why they did not work in groups outside of the contact sessions. Some learners said that they lived too far away from each other to meet in groups, or that due to work commitments, which often involve travel, they could not find a common time.

Other learners felt that as the course was not yet sophisticated, it was not necessary to work in groups outside of the contact sessions as they did not feel they required the additional support.  

Groups are not cast in stone and learners can change groups as the need may arise. In these groups, assignments are discussed and then each person is able to write up their own work. Sometimes group assignments are also written. Some learners are happy in their present groups but others would like to change. Although learners acknowledged the importance of syndicate groups, they believe that such groups can only work fruitfully if everyone in the group works hard and “pulls their weight”. Furthermore, learners felt that in order for groups to function effectively, there needed to be “good group dynamics” and “rules needed to be laid down”. For example if you cannot attend a contact session, you should phone a group member to inform them. Learners felt that mechanisms needed to be developed to balance the group and the individual commitment. 

Although learners interviewed directly did not find group work outside of the contact session useful, the quantitative survey conducted with 22 learners shows that 13 (59%) learners found working in groups outside the contact session useful, and seven (32%) found it very useful mainly for expressing opinions and gaining knowledge. It therefore seems that some learners do find the group work valuable. 

According to the Director, learners working in cohorts may change in the future as sometimes a tension develops between individual progress and the progress of the group. The Director is deciding whether there should be cohorts for the first six months and then a more self-paced programme. 

Although the idea was for learners to form a “group identity” in the contact session to facilitate ongoing group work outside of the sessions, it was commonly reported by both staff and learners that outside of the contact sessions, learners generally do not work in groups. 

Furthermore, in some cases staff felt that groups, if not managed properly could contribute to the possible loss of creativity and individual contribution.

 5.4   Feedback on assessment

Learners can decide at what level they want to be assessed for each outcome and in what module. A range of innovative assessment and feedback methods is planned. For example:

	group activities within contact sessions that go into the learners’ portfolio
	a written assignment where learners start to formulate and reflect on what their educational plans are
	an integrated assignment to bridge the gap to an academic essay
	peer assessment
	oral presentations.

 PDC

Within the modules there are a range of self-assessment activities. The final assessment for each module within the PDC is based on symbols and learners are allocated a pass or fail. A symbol below D is regarded as fail.    

Assignment One

The director marks the assignments while learners sit with him. He shows them the process of marking and sets criteria with them. It is a developmental process and learners formulate ideas during this discussion and add to and amend their ideas. They then go and rewrite and submit the modified assignment. Learners are happy with this assignment. 

Assignment Two

Although the presenter would prefer a form of verbal feedback and interaction, as there are too many learners, she will use written feedback.

There will be one assignment for this module, which will be marked separately by two people, the PDC presenter and the business communications presenter. This will enable learners to see two sets of marks and two sets of criteria for the same essay. It is hoped that this process will contribute to formative evaluation.   

Assignment Three

In this assignment learners are given a marking guide together with the criteria, which helps learners to determine their strengths and weaknesses

According to learners they haven’t received the assignments and this leaves them guessing about their performance. According to them the assignments they received thus far are given a symbol A, B, C and maybe a comment like “well done”. Assignments in relation to writing skills are marked with some detailed comments.

Assignments reviewed for this case study were: two on Mathematics and two on the Leadership module. The two mathematics assignments were allocated marks whereas the leadership assignments were allocated symbols. These assignments did not provide detailed feedback comments.[24] 

One problem identified by the Director is the lateness of essays submitted, especially by groups who do not work together. He feels that this is because learners find it difficult to balance work and family responsibilities with their studies.

Suggestions for support

Learners felt that Companies should provide more support and be more open to using the site for practising the theory that they learn. 

5.5   Videos 

According to the coordinator[25], videos supplement many topics covered in the contact sessions, for example public speaking. Learners can watch a video on the rights and wrongs of public speaking, which helps them develop their skills. This they can do in their own time using the University. 68% of learners have used videos to supplement the contact sessions. These videos are a collection of the Centre for Management Development but are made available to learners of the BML. The collection covers a very wide range of management topics and learners watch what is relevant to their needs. 

5.6   Computer support

The School of Management provides access to computers so that learners can practise their basic computer literacy. 82% of learners in the survey have used this support and 77% found it very useful.       

 6. Conclusion 

The strength of the programme is that the learner support structures are located within a philosophy of learning, which places emphasis on interactive, or social learning. The learning materials and the contact sessions facilitate learners working in groups both inside the contact sessions and outside the contact session. 

Personnel in the programme do the planning of the support structures but the planned structures change according to suggestions made by learners. There is a commitment to work with the learners and their needs as much as possible and learners’ voices are taken seriously to feed into changes. 

Whilst working in groups inside the contact sessions is valuable, some learners dominate the sessions. Learners suggest that attention be given to this domination becoming a pattern as it silences other learners and could work against interactive learning. 

Regarding working in groups outside the contact session, there are ambivalent feelings. Some find it useful but other learners were clear that the groups have not functioned well for various reasons outlined earlier in the report. One of the main reasons however is that learners do not have the skills to manage such learning groups. They are not averse to working in groups as such but need the skills to handle the different dynamics that emerge. The staff and the Director acknowledge this situation and whilst there is debate about whether or not group work outside the contact sessions should continue or not, the need to develop skills in helping learners manage groups seems to be important.       

The number of contact sessions needs to be reviewed because whilst learners see the value they felt that the frequency could be reduced. 

Feedback on assignments is seen as a crucial area of learner support. Whilst feedback for assignment one is done in a developmental process, this pattern is not continued in other assignments. Assignments reviewed provided symbols or pass marks with a comment like “well done”. What is not provided is detailed comments on why a learner has done well or what needs to improve and how this can be achieved. These kinds of comments could help learners to understand their strengths and weaknesses and move forward. 

The theory covered in the course is relevant to the needs of the learners in their workplace. They are keen and are encouraged by the programme to practise the theory. However learners feel that companies do not provide enough space for them to try out the theory. This area of support from companies needs to be formalised. 

Finally, as this is an emerging programme it is important to have it based centrally but in the next phase thought needs to be given to the replicability of the programme to make it accessible to larger numbers who need not travel to the university. 

 Footnotes 

[1] Taken from Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences document Feb, 1998.

[2] Taken from Toward an Adult Degree Programme in Management Leadership at UOFS, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Feb 1998

[3] Bachelor in Management Leadership: Brochure                                                                                         

[4] Bachelor In Management Leadership: Brochure

[5] Bachelor in Management Leadership: Report on Academic Support in the BML Programme: May 1999

[6] Taken from interview with Director 20:08:99

[7] Taken from Bachelor in Management Leadership: Programme Proposal July 1998

[8] Taken from Bachelor in Management Leadership. Brochure

[9] Interview with Director

[10] Taken from interview with coordinator

[11] Interview with coordinator and learners

[12] Taken from interview with learners

[13] Taken from interview with learners

[14] Interview with Alta and Luzelle

[15] Interview with learners

[16] Interview with learners

[17] Interview with lecturer

[18] Interview with lecturer

[19] Taken from Interview with learners

[20] Taken from Interview with learners

[21] Interview with learners

[22] Taken from interview with lecturer

[23] Interview with director

[24] Interview with learners

[25] Taken from interview with coordinator