Abstract:

Twenty one years into a democratic South Africa, and many South Africans and institutions continue to grapple with transformation in 2015, and have as yet, not unpacked the various dynamics or addressed the topic honestly. There have been many initiatives and attempts at dealing with transformation, yet constructive dialogue has not been a priority at tertiary institutions, nor have they understood the need for urgency in addressing the various challenges faced by South Africans, in the aftermath of Apartheid.

To allow undergraduates to engage with the very controversial issue of transformation, Diversity Management has been integrated into the core curriculum for students at a first year level in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The premise is that by engaging students at a first year level, it will not only address the need to include transformation and dialogue in the curriculum in higher education in South Africa, but also achieve the objective of empowering students to become socially responsible citizens who have an understanding of the past, and are able to engage critically and ethically with the present and the future.

As South African culture is one which is diverse and rich in storytelling, one of the methodologies used to achieve the objective of engaging students has been through the use of Digital Storytelling. Before people can transform, they need to have an understanding of the experiences of their peers and colleagues and the challenges faced by the majority of South Africans. Likewise, students have been encouraged to share their experiences, make social commentary about a particular aspect or issue which hampers or advocates progress with regard to transformation, and in the process provide insight to their peers into so many of the issues which require a deeper understanding. The integration of Digital Storytelling provides a forum for students to engage meaningfully with these topics in a non-threatening environment.

Not only does Digital Storytelling provide a platform for students to debate the many social ills and dispel the many myths which are often associated with the various themes pertaining to transformation, it also develops students’ skills such as critical thinking skills, research skills, writing skills and technological skills. The inclusion of Digital Storytelling in the subject also contributes towards a deeper understanding of diversity and transformation, and results not only in an improvement of students’ overall performance in the subject, but also contributes to them becoming socially responsible citizens who not only understand diversity but also learn to value diversity as they assume various roles in the workplace and society and thereby contribute to nation building.

The use of Digital Storytelling has been an effective tool so as to enhance students understanding of the subject. As the content and communication of the topic is often considered complex, and at times integrates uncomfortable topics which would rather be avoided, various methodologies should be considered for the desired objective to be achieved. It is important that as facilitators or educators we also adapt to change and use various resources, such as technology, to not only engage students, but also to captivate students.

Keywords:

Transformation, valuing diversity, diversity management, methodology, digital storytelling.