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A socially responsive university: Teaching, research, community engagement and a community blog-site class project

Teaching, research, community engagement and a community blog-site class project

Mariekie Burger
University of Johannesburg
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A socially responsive university: Teaching, research, community engagement and a community blog-site class project. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 37(2), 31-47. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v37i2.1551
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  • Submited: October 8, 2022
  • Published: October 11, 2022

Abstract

The lens of decolonisation invites the opportunity to reflect on the current mainstream views
regarding the purpose of the public university. A decolonized approach suggests that the key
tasks of a university (teaching, research and community engagement) should be socially
responsive. This conceptual article draws on a class project to suggest a way in which the three
tasks can be combined to respond so a particular social need. Against the foil of a class project -
situated in a larger Izindaba Zokudla (conversations about food) community engagement project
of the University of Johannesburg – this article argues: 1) instead of conventional teaching
methods, teaching should be based on an empowerment education model; 2) instead of a
top-down externally initiated model, community engagement should use a participatory multistakeholder
approach; and 3) instead of conventional research approaches, research should be
transformative. The article concludes, firstly that it is possible to integrate the teaching, research
and community engagement tasks of a public university productively, and secondly, it should
take as point of departure empowerment education, participatory community engagement, and
transformative research.

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How to Cite
A socially responsive university: Teaching, research, community engagement and a community blog-site class project. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 37(2), 31-47. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v37i2.1551

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