Developing an Activity Theory-Informed WIL Framework for South African TVET Teacher Education

The 2013 South African policy on professional qualifications for lecturers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) emphasises the importance of both school-based teaching practice and industry-based work-integrated learning (WIL). The dual requirement of the policy poses a challenge, however, to faculties of education that are accustomed to school-based teaching practice as their form of WIL. Given that Industry-based WIL in TVET teacher education is a new concept there is, therefore, a gap in its implementation. Adopting an activity theory perspective, this qualitative study aimed at closing this gap by developing a framework to guide education providers in implementing industry-based WIL in TVET teacher education. Purposive sampling was used to select 16 participants from the faculties of education at eight South African universities who were responsible for implementing the WIL component in TVET teacher education qualifications. One workplace mentor was selected from each of 16 organisations. Data collection, which was followed with thematic analysis, involved semi-structured individual interviews for workplace mentors, two focus group interviews for lecturers, and perusal of curriculum documents. The findings revealed systemic contradictions between two systems that possess different objectives, rules, cultures and expectations, namely: 1) the university teacher education system that prioritises learning and professional formation, and 2) the industry workplace system that prioritises productivity and operational performance. As such, a framework was developed to strengthen partnerships and guide WIL implementation, within South African university–industry partnerships.