MAPPING THE SOCIAL CONTEXT
4.2 Mapping the presentation of findings
4.2.3 Industry node
At the industry node my aim was to answer the question: How is policy constructed and which SKAV are constituted in practice by industry using the application of biotechnology in the NTEW? Findings are presented in the same way as for the DoE node.
The analysis (see Appendix E6, p. 246) at the industry node reveals that the actors enrolled into the network are the DoE, curricula content, excursions, different teaching approaches, exams, teachers, NTEW, and rapport with mentors. These heterogeneous elements are reflected in Figure IV below.
Figure IV: Actors enrolled into mediation of workplace learning WPL
Policy: NCS
Good exam results
Practical Work
Teaching approach Excursions
Education officer Curricula
content
Mentors/ rapport with mentors
Exam NTEW
Teachers
Lack of employability SKAVs
The ties among these heterogeneous elements influence how practice gets performed, how policy gets constructed, the optical density of the industry node and the SKAV constituted in practice.
4.2.3.1. Practice gets performed as a construction process
Life Sciences (biology) is a pre-requisite for all NTEW employed in the production room of this industry. When prospective NTEW employees are being selected for a job, in this industry, they are subjected to an interview (oral) and an aptitude test (written). The interview is used to establish the NTEWs communication skills, loyalty, levels of personal hygiene, customer care, ability to resolve conflict. The written test is used to ascertain the NTEWs ability to identify apparatus used in a laboratory at school level, list how these apparatus are used, perform simple calculations and conversions, identify elements and compounds, test their knowledge on human physiology. The selection of NTEWs for employment depends on the interview and test score. The test is set by the education officer and evaluated by an external agent that also vets this company’s work plan learning programme. The work place learning programme uses the SKAVs developed in Life Sciences at school as an elementary platform for the development of SKAV required in this industry as shown in the excerpt below:
‘I design the work place learning programme on the basis that certain entry level SKAV are developed in the school Life Sciences curriculum”
Education Officer, interview, (Appendix E, Annexure E2, P. 238)
As a result of the alliances formed at the industry node with the DoE, schools and the curricular content of policy, the mediation of workplace learning gets performed as a construction process. The construction process entails building on the SKAV developed at school in order to meet the SKAV requirements of this particular industry and it influences the construction of policy at this node.
118 4.2.3.2. Policy construction
Policy is constructed in two ways viz. as a building block and as a hindrance.
4.2.3.2.1 Construction of Policy as a building block
The entry level SKAV displayed by the NTEWs in their aptitude test leads to the construction of policy as a building block for work place learning. This construction of policy affirms the NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy in terms of its curricula content. The curricula content of the Policy creates the rudimentary foundation in terms of SKAV requirement in NTEW. This rudimentary foundation is converted into a building block for the development of SKAV required in this industry, as shown below:
“Life Sciences curriculum has provided us with key competencies needed in this industry and core knowledge required in industry.”
Education Officer (interview, Appendix E, Annexure E2, p. 238)
When policy is constructed as a building block for workplace learning, alliances are formed with the DoE and schools. The alliance with the DoE and schools affirms the policy for its constitution of certain SKAV in learners who entered the world of work in this particular industry using the application of biotechnology (see Appendix E, Annexure, E6, p. 238 for exact SKAV). Hence there are convergences in the network of SKAV development. The alliances formed with schools bestow qualities, desire, vision and the motivation of industry onto schools to prepare learners for the world of work. The contested role that schools should play surfaces.
4.2.3.2.2 Construction of policy as a hindrance
The inability of NTEWs to display certain employability SKAV results in the
construction of policy as a hindrance. The NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy is negated in
terms of its curricular content, teaching approach, and AS when policy is constructed as a hindrance. The policy’s curricula content and AS is depicted as an obstacle to industry’s agenda for SKAV development, as can be seen below:
“Curriculum should be more focused on preparing learners for world of work, have more practical based lessons ...Could be more useful if teachers taught it differently…everything is so exam-driven…curriculum must be linked to industries … have excursions to industries so learners and teachers could see what type of job opportunities are available and what skills are needed for these jobs…teachers are always rushing through the syllabus and are pressurized for good results by principal, parents and everybody.”
Education Officer (interview, Appendix E, Annexure E2, p. 238)
Industry, it seems, has an expectation of schools to provide well-skilled workers in order to meet their demands with regards to SKAV development. They do not see schools as having other roles. The alliance formed by the education officer with schools also leads to subversion of policy in terms of the constitution of SKAV, and assessment approach (“everything is exam-driven”). The emergent effects of policy reveal the contradictory nature of the alliances formed. In other words, alliances formed with an actor can lead to convergences or affirmations as well as divergences or subversions. The fluidity of the alliances formed comes to the fore. A glimpse of the pressure that teachers encounter during policy implementation (“rushing through the syllabus”) resurfaces at the industry node (“pressurized for good results”). While the construction of policy as a hindrance leads to subversion of policy in terms of SKAV constitution, it also leads to alliance formation with NTEW. Alliances are formed with NTEW to supplement their SKAV development in order for them to become functional employees.
4.2.3.3. Optical density of the industry node
The optical density of the industry node is determined by the ties among the
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and NTEW. The discussion above (section 4.2.3.1.) illuminates the ties formed with schools, the DoE, curricula content, excursions, different teaching approaches, stakeholders, exams, teachers, and the attitude of NTEW. These heterogeneous elements alter the optical density of the industry node and influence SKAV constituted in practice.
4.2.3.4. SKAV constituted in practice
Mediation of workplace learning foregrounds the SKAV needed in this industry. The excerpt below shows how these SKAV are developed in NTEW:
“I design workplace learning to complement, develop competencies required and develop employability SKAV. Workplace learning entails formal exams and practical testing – hands-on activities. This entails practicing competencies repeatedly until mastered.”
Education Officer (interview, Appendix E, Annexure E2, p. 238)
What is evident from this excerpt is industry’s dependence on SKAV developed via the Life Sciences Policy at school. These SKAV are a prerequisite for the design of the workplace learning programme. There are thirty three employability SKAV (see Appendix E3, p. 238 for these) that are developed in NTEW during workplace learning.
Once again industry’s expectation of schools comes to the fore. In developing these thirty three SKAV NTEWs are repeatedly exposed to apparatus, chemicals, measuring, calculations, storage procedures and safety precautions that need to be followed in the production room. The NTEWs engage in many activities, on a daily basis during their work place learning. Some of these activities are familiar and some are novel. The repeated connectivity with these activities during work place learning does the reality of SKAV development. Work place learning is a performative productive practice. It engages NTEWs in activities that allow them to master the SKAV needed in this industry. Therefore, work place learning is a concoction of activities, cognitive and social arrangements clotted together to facilitate the development of SKAV.
It is also interesting to note the preoccupation of the education officer with exam and mastery of competencies during workplace learning. In the construction of policy as a hindrance (industry node), schools were criticised for foregrounding exams, as seen in the excerpt below:
“Everything is so exam driven,…teachers are always rushing through the syllabus and are pressurized for good results by principal, parents and everybody.”
Education Officer (interview, Appendix E, Annexure E2, p. 238)
This leads to convergences in networking of SKAV development between the industry and schools node, and affirmation of policy in terms of assessment practice and teaching approach.