Lecturers’ Perspectives on the Relevance of Pedagogical Training Programmes offered at One Higher Education Institution (HEI) in South Africa

Abstract

This article investigated how lecturers in one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in South Africa perceived the relevance of pedagogical training workshops offered to them. This investigation was premised on three features of Karl Marx’s Critical Theory, namely empowerment, transformation, and emancipation Marx critical theory, namely empowerment, transformation, and emancipation. An explanatory sequential mixed research method was chosen where questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The sample was made up of 51 academics. The target for qualitative data collection was to get 10% of the questionnaire respondents for the interview which consisted of 5 academics. The findings had negative responses like some lecturers feeling their academic qualifications were sufficient for their teaching and others valued research more than teaching. Nevertheless, most lecturers identified relevant areas of pedagogical training. They believe that training in pedagogical strategies empowers them as critical lecturers. In conclusion, pedagogical training empowers lecturers as HE teachers to facilitate better when they obtain better professional qualifications like PGDHE, and SETA accredited courses. The study recommends that to improve the shortcomings of academics who were never trained as teachers, all academics should be provided with proper pedagogical training that is discipline-based as they assume duties in higher education institutions and they should only be employed on probation until they pass these basic teaching modules. Keywords: Pedagogical Training, Critical Theory, Perspectives, Relevance