Planned outcomes / objectives of the research

The main research question guiding this project is:

What are students' experiences and staff perceptions related to participatory parity in achieving qualitative outcomes in higher education, and how can transformative
pedagogical practices be used to make it possible for students to achieve these outcomes?


Sub-questions of these study are: 

1. What insights can be gleaned from the life histories and reported experiences of students as well as the perceptions of staff from historically disadvantaged, historically advantaged traditional and merged (English and Afrikaans), comprehensive institutions, and universities of technology, with regard to the constraints and enablements in developing qualitative outcomes in specific disciplines? 
2.  What are the economic, cultural and political constraints and enablements for students to participate as peers/equals in professional disciplines such as the health sciences, social work, law and education in differently placed HEIs with regard to developing qualitative educational outcomes? 
3. What transformative pedagogical practices are being used by higher educators for achieving qualitative educational outcomes in differently placed HEIs and disciplines ? 
4. How do institutional policies, practices and reputations affect students' abilities to participate as peers in particular professions across differently placed HEIs?

Our intended outcomes include:

1. Addressing the identified lack of understanding of and strategies for achieving qualitative outcomes for students from special equity groups through parity of participation.
2. Opening up critical debate about issues of misrecognition, maldistribution, misrepresentation/misframing as instances of inequality and injustice, and strategies for addressing these issues through participatory parity to achieve qualitative outcomes for socially disadvantaged students 
3. Demonstrating the value of critical social theory with participatory intent as a theoretical approach and transformative pedagogies facilitated through reflective and reflexive innovative methods using digital technologies. 
4. Contributing to new understandings of the ways in which diversity can be embraced as a resource for learning rather than something to be managed by educators. 
5. Promoting discussion, reflection and debate among academics from transdisciplinary fields in ways that open up new possibilities for applying the knowledge in ways that contribute to teaching and learning in higher education.