Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand and document the experiences of PDI graduates in non-professional disciplines in their university-workplace trajectory; understand the nature of the HE curriculum offered to them and how the related curriculum practices influence and mediate their HE-workplace transition and experiences. The study also sought to establish the relationships between the educational knowledge/skills and competencies that PDI graduates acquired through their respective discipline curricula, and those required in the workplace.
A qualitative case study approach was adopted for the investigation using social practice theory as a lens. Two types of data were collected and analysed. One data type was transcripts of interviews with PDI graduates, PDI students and lecturers in non-professional disciplines, and the second data type was textual data, obtained from selected curriculum documents. The interview data was subjected to content and thematic analysis, while critical text analysis of curriculum statements, content and structure was carried out on the curriculum documents.
It was found that socio-cultural elements in PDIs’ backgrounds, influence and shape how they participate and experience HE-work transition. PDIs socio-cultural backgrounds also influenced how they defined their relationship with higher education as a social justice tool and as an educational system, necessary for a better future. In terms of HE curriculum exposure and mediation, participants perceived much of the curriculum content offered to PDIs as predominantly theoretical, with minimal attention to functional workplace knowledge and skills. Consequently, HE formal curriculum was perceived as unable to provide adequate work-readiness opportunities to facilitate HE-workplace transition for PDI graduates in non-professional disciplines; and therefore, failing to ensure PDIs’ success in workplace access and adaptation.
Using the social practice theory and the research findings, a framework model for non-professional disciplines HE-workplace graduate transition mediation was proposed. The model is framed a tool for conceptualising the formal curriculum as an integrated formalised resource for mediating graduate socialisation into workplace discourse. The model is also intended and crafted to be a useful tool for curriculum review, for engaging with, and facilitating university-workplace transition for PDIs and graduates in non-professional disciplines in general.