Learning processs and its influence in built form: towards a proposed learning centre for youth development in Umlazi.
Loading...
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Previously colonized countries have had learning processes impacted, such as Sri Lanka in South Asia, because
Sri Lanka experienced low literacy levels due to insufficient education facilities. In the Sub-Saharan Africa
region, Burundi experiences low literacy levels in adults and youth because they are subjected to pedagogical
challenges. This is after the invasion into Africa by Europe, which led to the establishment of settler-colonies in
Africa. In contexts such as these, youth have yet to overcome such barriers in education.
To understand the decolonization and deinstitutionalization of education that the research studies, there must be
an understanding of colonization in education. This is a pivotal aspect of the research because it gives insight into
the dynamics that have created education in South Africa to be what it is at present. The research study elaborates
on this stating the history of South Africa.
Peri-urban areas are discovered through the literature to address key pedagogical barriers hindering learner
achievement. Schools located in the peri-urban areas are characterized by large school learner populations and
overcrowded classrooms. Poor academic performance points to fundamental problems in behaviourist pedagogy
learning approach, one of which are standardized assessments, which are imposed upon learners and do not give
much learner’s control towards their own goals.
It is in the peri-urban areas where there is not much variety in learning approaches, as well as lack in educational
resources which leads to learner’s low confidence levels that stimulate young minds to learn. Youth experience
learning difficulties with a variety of socio-economic challenges which present additional barriers to learning and
development such as unfavourable/poor living conditions, generally illiterate and unskilled & semi-skilled
societies, education levels are low-literate, small percentage of diploma level graduates, high youth unemployment
and dysfunctional family structures.
The study investigates the reasons for insufficient educational resources in learning environments, especially
where the schools in the area require such assistance. The study examines the influence learning processes will
have on built form through understanding learning processes towards transformative learning spaces that are
culturally relevant within de-colonial urban contexts. The research study explores conventional teacher-centred
learning to be transformed with learner-centred learning through theoretical frameworks highlighted in the
literature research.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.