A social realist view of contextual disruption through (un)conferencing

Bibliographic Data

ID13080127
AuthorsDanie de Klerk (0000-0001-8051-0833, University of the Witwatersrand, corresponding author), Nelia Frade (University of Johannesburg), Arthi Ramrung (Mangosuthu University of Technology), Danielle Fontaine-Rainen (University of Cape Town)
Year2024
Volume12
IssueSI1
Publication date2024-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCritical Studies in Teaching and Learning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2310-7103 • E-ISSN: 2310-7103
PublisherUniversity of the Western Cape Library Service (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.14426/cristal.v12isi1.2085
OpenAlexW4396512618
LanguageEN
References cited4

Disruptions within higher education are seldom effortless and often provocative. They may result in a break from traditional, established educational models of knowledge transmission, offering alternative ways of accessing and cocreating knowledge. In 2021, the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA) adopted an (un)conferencing methodology for its annual conference. In this paper, the association’s Student Learning Project Team explores contextual disruption against the (un)conferencing backdrop. Critical reflective accounts by project-team members provide the empirical grounding for the paper. First, the notions of context and contextual disruption are discussed. Second, the reflective accounts are analysed using Archer’s structure, culture, and agency, as analytical framework. Third, Archer’s morphogenetic framework is used to appraise whether change or stasis occurred within the project team. Finally, recommendations for others wishing to facilitate intentional contextual disruption are shared. Ultimately, the article provides insight into the intricacies of contextual disruption as part of (un)conferencing

Sociology · Computer Science · Critical Realism in Sociology · Management and Organizational Studies · Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access