Inclusion of digital records in the archives and records management curricula in a comprehensive open distance e-learning environment

Abstract

Recent developments in the knowledge economy impact on the archival profession globally. Key components of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), such as blockchain technology and artificial intelligence are influencing the manner and context in which digital records in organisations are managed. This has necessitated the University of South Africa, a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), through the Department of Information Science, to evaluate and recurriculate its postgraduate programme in archives and records management. The key aim of this recurriculation was to ensure alignment with international trends and practices in digital records management practices. The revised programme offers graduates an opportunity to keep abreast with various technological and digital records discipline-related developments with reference to knowledge and information governance, data curatorship and management, as well as archival diplomatics and digital records forensics. This qualitative study used literature review, as well as personal experiences to explore the revision of an archives and records management curriculum in a CODeL environment to make it relevant to technological transformations unique to the 4IR. In our analysis, we recommend the inclusion of computational archival science in the responsive curriculum, to enable graduates to acquire skills in the application of technological tools, methods and resources pertaining to digital records processing, analysis, storage, long-term preservation, and access. The focus of the recurriculation was to improve the efficiency, productivity, and precision in support of appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, and access towards enhanced digital records management practices. The study also reports on the framework for team approach in the development of the programme, as well as elements of transformation to reflect Africanisation in the curriculum.

Keywords

archives records management digital records curriculum digital technologies computational archival practices

Introduction and background to the study

According to Mosweu and Ngoepe (2019), knowledge and skills for archives and records management professionals are imperative to ensure that archives and records remain accessible to promote accountability, governance, and societal wisdom. Segaetsho and Moloi (2019) postulate that in the past few decades, digital technology has impacted on the extent of skills and knowledge required by archivists and records management professionals to execute their functions successfully. Driven by technological changes associated with the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), archivists and records managers are required to showcase professional competencies that will elevate their positions within organisations and societies as cross-disciplinary custodians of records. More particularly, Feng and Richards (2017) explain that their skills and competencies pertaining to the management of digital records, should receive attention. Marciano, Lemieux, Hedges, Esteva, Underwood, Kurtz and Conrad (2018:181) perceive these digital records management skills and competencies as abilities to apply computational methods and resources to large scale archival or records processing, analysis, storage, preservation and access. The problem, according to Ngoepe and Katuu (2017), as well as Mosweu and Ngoepe (2019), is that current curricula related to the training of archivists and records management professionals do not cater for the effective and efficient management of digital records. Research by the InterPARES Trust through Team Africa (2013–2018) concluded that archival competencies and training with specific reference to digital records management, require urgent attention (Ngoepe and Katuu, 2017). Even though the findings of the InterPARES research, conducted in 38 African countries showcased the gap in professional skills development regarding digital records management through computational knowledge and skills enhancement, the focus on how this problem can be rectified, fell outside the scope of the project. As a result, it was recommended in the InterPARES report that associations such as the International Council on Archives (ICA) should consider assisting with the development of materials relating to digital records management (Katuu, 2018). Even though some efforts have been made internationally to support the development of professional competencies towards improved digital records management practices, Saurombe (2018) argues that international funding focused on providing resources to aid African institutions in managing digital records, rather than funding education and training opportunities.

In addressing the gap in enhanced skills and knowledge development related to digital records management, the ICA developed a strategy for Africa in 2015 which included elements of curriculum transformation and advocacy (Ngoepe and Saurombe, 2021). The implementation of the educational leg of the proposed strategy by the ICA relied on the findings of the InterPARES project and resulted in the development of a digital curatorship module in the form of a workshop offered to archives and records management practitioners and academics in Africa. Digital curatorship, according to Feng and Richards (2017) encompasses components from a range of activities aimed at promoting the maintenance, accessibility and preservation of digital data and records. The availability of the digital curatorship module offered by the ICA is perceived by Mojapelo (2021) as a start towards expanding and developing digital records management skills and competencies. More concerted efforts are, however, needed to infuse digital records management skills and competencies into the curricula of qualifications offered by African universities. This necessitated the need to revise archives and records management qualification curricula to reflect international good practice as it aligns to an African context (Horsthemke, 2008). Such a revised curriculum should be one of the major constructs in ensuring that higher education institutions in Africa offer knowledge, understanding, application and principles towards building professional competencies (Barnett and Coate, 2005), with specific reference to digital records management (Ngoepe and Saurombe, 2021).

According to Le Grange (2006), developing a revised curriculum based on international best practices and local contexts is complex, as the revision of a curriculum is often based on the philosophical lenses of those involved in the process. This corresponds with the views of Barnett and Coate (2005) that a curriculum is not the kind of entity that exists comfortably in the world, which makes recurriculation a difficult process. Recurriculation is, however, according to the Council on Higher Education in South Africa (2013) necessary to ensure that individuals as professionals remain responsive to national and global challenges and changes. Recurriculation is described by Resane (2019) as the process where formal programmes are revised so that progression can be included aligned to institutional, industry and discipline-related advancement. Within the African context, developing a responsive curriculum is necessary to prepare individuals for changing workplace practices and principles related to both national, African, and international contexts (Botha, 2007). Bitzer (2000) argues that creating a responsive curriculum should therefore encompass a mutual contestation of knowledge, where the architecture of a curriculum provides, as its primary reference, relevant intellectual engagement and exploration within a unique contextual setting. The need for the development of responsive curricula in line with economic and labour market needs is also emphasised in South Africa's White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (2013). The source emphasises the need for the development of curriculums that focus on imparting skills towards socio-economic growth and development. Considering the necessity for aligning a curriculum to be responsive to global changes, technological developments and industry needs, the University of South Africa (UNISA) through the Department of Information Science saw it fit to recurriculate its archives and records management qualification at the postgraduate level, which is a precursor for enrolling towards a masters’ degree. With an emphasis on digital records management, the focus of the recurriculation project was on the inclusion of key content pertaining to digital curation, knowledge, and information governance, as well as archival diplomatics and digital records forensics. Through the inclusion of these themes founded in expanding digital records management knowledge and practices, it is envisaged that the recurriculated postgraduate qualification offered by the Department of Information Science (UNISA) will enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of its graduates towards becoming competent archivists and records management professionals in Africa. It is hoped that this study will stimulate other universities in Africa and elsewhere to focus on customising and including digital records curation and related modules in a curriculum.

Problem statement

The origin of problems in educating archives and records management professionals to be on par with internationally required skills and knowledge is the fact that curricula of African universities do not include sufficient emphasis on the management of digital records (Ngoepe, 2017). Also observed by Garaba (2015) and Katuu (2009, 2015), archives and records management professionals have not acquired knowledge and skills to manage digital records through various computational practices. Ajibade and Mutula (2019) explain that the lack of skills and knowledge to manage digital records is exacerbated by the extensive development of digital technologies within the fourth industrial revolution. The problem is further compounded by the fact that very few universities in Africa offer specialised qualifications in archives and records management (Ngoepe and Katuu, 2017). Africa's archives and records management professionals are expected to be adept at managing and making records available within diverse infrastructural and technological contexts. However, the lack of knowledge, skills, and capacity to do so is detrimental to the effective management of digital records to promote accountability, efficiency, and decision-making. A key component in addressing this capacity deficit is through the offering of responsive quality education and training qualifications.

Therefore, African countries need higher education institutions to offer qualifications in archives and records management that go the extra mile in recurriculating existing qualifications, to include knowledge related to digital records management, preservation, sound digital archival repository management, and information security. Revised curricula must focus on trending issues in the archives and records management field that cover data curatorship, governance, archival diplomatics and digital records forensics as dynamics in the growing discipline of archives and records management (Mosweu and Ngoepe, 2019). This paper narrates the process of revising the curriculum of a postgraduate programme offered by the Department of Information Science (UNISA) to be responsive to international and African trends relating to digital records management. Within the context of the above, the purpose of this paper is to recount key considerations in recurriculating a responsive archives and records management programme within the context of a CODeL environment at UNISA. Specific objectives that receive attention are:

To explore archives and records management curriculum requirements with specific reference to digital records management; and

To describe key considerations in recurriculating an archives and records management qualification to be responsive to international trends aligned to principles of Africanisation in a CODeL institution.

Literature review

Scholars such as Katuu (2015); Katuu and Ngoepe (2015), as well as Mosweu (2019) discuss challenges faced by higher education institutions offering archives and records management education in Africa. There seem to be a consensus amongst these scholars that problems faced by institutions offering archival and records management qualifications include a lack of recent and relevant information that caters for discipline-related developments. Segaetsho and Moloi (2019, 2), for example, refer to the lack of inclusion of ICT-related innovations and practices in archives and records management curricula, whilst Ngoepe and Katuu (2017) postulate that digital records management receives little or no attention in curricula offered by African universities. Because of this lack of curriculum re-alignment with discipline-related trends and practices, there is a shortage of fully qualified archivists and records management professionals in Africa (Onyancha, Ngoepe and Maluleka, 2015). Khumalo and Baloyi (2019) emphasise this dire situation by mentioning the appointment of unqualified personnel to records management positions in the public sector in the ESARBICA (Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council of Archives) region as one of the reasons for continuous poor management of records. The poor state of archives and records management in the public sector has been under scrutiny for quite some time, with several scholars, such as Masuku and Ngulube (2019); Mosweu (2019) and Netshakhuma (2019) stating that the situation is compounded by the appointment of officials without the relevant qualifications and experience. One could argue that the root cause of this unfortunate trend relates to poor or inadequate education and training of archivists and records management professionals. Mosweu (2019) states that this situation will only receive attention if real efforts are made to improve the quality and content of archives and records management educational interventions.

The view by Mosweu (2019) aligns closely to that of Garaba (2015) who calls for the transformation of archival education and training in Africa. Digital technology components and skills development to manage digital records should feature more prominently in revised curricula. Ajibade and Mutula (2019) as well as Mosweu and Ngoepe (2019) propose the inclusion of content related to digital records management principles and practices, metadata, interoperability, data architecture, and the use of a variety of technology tools related to for example, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology. The need for the inclusion of such content is also confirmed by Ngoepe and Katuu (2017), who explain that the curricula of the universities offering archives and records management education and training must embrace digital records management practices and skills in a comprehensive manner in line with training offered in countries such as Canada and Australia. Education and training are the only available tools to empower archivists and records management professionals to cope with the challenges associated with global changes, technological demands and societal redress in general, and specifically related to the management of digital records (Ngoepe and Katuu, 2017). Given the challenges that the archives and records management profession in Africa is facing, it is critically important to explore ways in which a responsive curriculum can be composed to prepare archivists and records management professionals for a world of constant change. As asserted by Wamukoya (2015) the revamping of archives and records management curricula to cater for digital records management through the effective and efficient use of computed technologies, will extend the ability and competency of modern-day archivists and records managers to foster sound records management practices in organisations.

Methodological construct

The methodological construct refers to the ‘blueprint’ of executing this research. Following an interpretivist paradigm where reality is socially constructed (Creswell and Creswell, 2018), experiences and meanings related to the recurriculation of a responsive curriculum for a postgraduate qualification at UNISA provide the foundational point of departure to explain the how and why of key findings (Ngulube, 2018). From an ontological perspective the theoretical model of Billett (2006) related to the development of a responsive curriculum, provides the footing upon which participants involved in the recurriculation process narrated their experiences. The theoretical foundation offered by Billett (2006) contextualised categories that were considered during the recurriculation process at the most fundamental level. Following a qualitative approach enabled the researchers to explore the phenomenon of recurriculating a postgraduate qualification within a CODeL environment in more profundity. The motivation for following a qualitative approach was based on the need to obtain a closer understanding of the decisions made by the recurriculation team to endorse a responsive curriculum (Babbie, 2014). A case study design related to the postgraduate qualification offered by the Department of Information Science at UNISA provided the context within which data was collected through reflections with participants involved in the recurriculation process. These participants did not only include academics involved in the recurriculation process, but also educational consultants, critical readers and subject-matter experts involved in the framework for team approach followed for recurriculation at UNISA. A case study design was selected, as it provides researchers with the opportunity in a real-life context to obtain a holistic understanding of the phenomenon being explored (Nieuwenhuis, 2007).

Theoretical conceptualisation

Kumar (2011) raises the point that a theoretical framework is required to provide a starting point from which to explore a problem. The purpose of a theoretical framework in the context of this research is to utilise tested categories to explore the problem of recurriculation. Though a variety of theories related to curriculum design exist (Bennet, Dunne and Carre, 2000; Barnett and Coate, 2005; Akor, 2008), the learning in the circumstances of practice theory by Billett (2006) was selected. The theory provides a contextual framework for the revision of a curriculum, taking into consideration key components related to expounding a responsive curriculum. Billett (2006) argues that three conceptions of curriculum are required towards the development of a responsive curriculum. These are the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum, and the experienced curriculum, all aiming in sync, to create a relationship that will support not only knowledge development, but also experience and applications towards preparing a graduate for the world of work (Schecter, 2011). The three conceptions of a curriculum proposed by Billett (2006) are reliant on knowledge which is central to the purpose of higher education, aimed at acquiring highly specialised forms of knowledge (intended curriculum). Knowledge should lead to action, to enhance the relation with learned knowledge (enacted curriculum). To achieve the experienced curriculum, a psychological experience is required where knowledge and individual experiences assist in developing a sense of self, as graduates take on new professional identities and begin to reflect on their own knowledge and practices.

Towards a responsive postgraduate qualification in archives and records management

The theme of the report cannot be fully explored without understanding the construct, which curricula are created or revised within the institution, with which it shares a relationship. UNISA is South Africa's only comprehensive dedicated distance education institution. As a mode of delivery, UNISA follows a Comprehensive Open Distance e-Learning (CODeL) paradigm, aimed at bridging the technological, time, geographical, economic, social, educational and communication distances between the institution, academics, courseware, and peers (UNISA Open Distance Learning Policy, 2008, 2). CODeL is multi-dimensional, aimed at promoting the objectives of online learning to overcome distance, temporal, and spatial barriers (Manyike, 2017). CODeL is founded on the premise that student learning can be optimally supported by modern electronic technologies, where multiple teaching and learning strategies, combined with physical and virtual resources, encourage, and promote active student engagement (Heeralal, 2015). CODeL emphasises the importance of creating opportunities towards lifelong learning, using a fluid open learning environment (Mbatha and Naidoo, 2010). Creating a learning environment that supports multiple opportunities for teaching, learning and engagement, requires, according to UNISA (2012), the implementation of a framework for team approach (FTA) towards curriculum design and development. Key stakeholders and role players should form part of the team involved in the (re)curriculation of a qualification, to ensure that a well-founded curriculum is proposed towards continuous responsiveness of organisational, student and industry needs.

Within the context of following the CODeL paradigm, and through the implementation of the FTA, key conceptions of a curriculum, promoted by Billett (2006) were applied to propose a responsible curriculum for the postgraduate archives and records management qualification. Conceptions of the curricula, inclusive of key criteria to support the multiplicity of achieving a responsive curriculum, is presented in Figure 1. Detail about the application of theoretical conceptions, using the FTA, whilst considering the necessity for openness, distance learning, use of technology, and various teaching and learning strategies, are provided in the discussion that follows.

Figure 1.

Criteria of the learning in the circumstances of practice theory applied to the recurriculation of an archives and records management postgraduate qualification (Adapted from Billett, 2006).

The intended curriculum

The aim of the first conception, namely the intended curriculum, is to focus on the examination of the content, design, consumption and delivery of an archives and records management curriculum that supports the inclusion of digital records management principles, theories, and practices. In 2015, the University of South Africa evaluated its programme on archives and records management. The results of this evaluation indicated that this programme did not fully meet the needs of the archives and records management industry. The qualification was largely based on information pertaining to the library environment, rather than specifically focussing on the fields of archives and records management. This called for a lasting solution in which archival students are properly catered for. Other challenges included the fact that the fourth industrial revolution has brought numerous challenges for archivists and records managers in the corporate world. There is a serious need for a “paradigm shift” in terms of the teaching and training offered to students to prepare them for new corporate challenges. Engaging in this first conception required collaboration with industry, as well as subject-matter and educational experts. Related to the FTA (UNISA, 2012), discussions on the recurriculation process commenced through a variety of meetings with key stakeholders engaged in the InterPARES project, international experts of digital records management, national and provincial archives in South Africa, academics, and educational consultants. Through these consultations, agreement was reached about the key themes that the revised curriculum should focus on. Selected themes related to knowledge and information governance, data curatorship and management were identified as instrumental to be included in the content of the curriculum. The emphasis of such content should relate to transmitting knowledge Geyser (2004) through a continuum of sub-topics that provide a logical flow of information to be shared with students (Katuu, 2020). A contextual and conceptual coherence is required to ensure that discipline knowledge is incorporated into the curriculum (Shay, 2013). In terms of digital records management, the theme of archival diplomatics and digital forensics focused on including content related to the context of using digital records, assessing digital environments to support digital records management, developing trustworthiness of digital records through metadata and blockchain technology, as well as considering authenticity as part of archival diplomatics. Under the theme of information and knowledge governance, sub-themes such as information integrity, security, access and use of digital records received attention, whilst the theme of data curatorship focused specifically on data storage, digital records preservation and sharing, and ethical considerations. Aligned to data curatorship, the ICA developed and implemented a digital curatorship course as per the recommendations of InterPARES Trust As a result, the curriculum of the data curatorship module which formed part of the Honours in Archives and Records Management was revised to ensure closer alignment with the course offered by the ICA.

Various factors that impact on the knowledge continuum were also considered during the selection of key themes and topics to include in curriculum content such as the argument for decolonised knowledge. Le Grange (2006) explains that South African higher education contains widely used Western European content as part of curricula, resulting in a denigration of indigenous African cultures. Decoloniality should be considered in content to align curriculum to examples, cases and contexts unique to the African student. Horsthemke (2008) and the Berlin Group for Radical Curriculum Reform (2009) propose that a revised curriculum should take into consideration issues pertaining to Africanisation as well as internationalisation, as it relates to the discipline. Regarding decoloniality, sub-topics such as orality and the management of digital records about oral histories received special attention. Equally strong was the emphasis on preparing students for a globalised environment, where technologies and international influences must be understood and embraced to function effectively in a global economy. Segaetsho and Moloi (2019) emphasise the need for technological advancements that are internationally recognised, to become part a revised curriculum. Similarly, Mosweu, Luthuli and Mosweu (2019) support the inclusion of key topics such as cloud computing, Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas), and the utilisation of a variety of online security measures, as key topics to be included in a revised archives and records management curriculum. Connected to these suggestions, detail on data storage and management, as well as the use of various electronic content management systems and business systems were included in the topics related to data curatorship and archival diplomatics.

With regard to curriculum as design , Barnett and Coate (2005) propose the implementation of a design-in-advance approach aimed at ensuring that the qualification complies with set exit-level outcomes. The UNISA Curriculum Policy (2012) states that the composition of exit level outcomes requires a responsiveness to the context of the institution, in line with higher education regulatory frameworks, as well as a consideration of the needs of graduates, industry and other stakeholders. The need to expand input in the design process is emphasised by the Berlin Group for Curriculum Reform (2009), aligned to the UNISA Curriculum Policy (2012), stating national and international discipline-related trends should be considered, as well as diversity, equity, and redress. Within the context of curriculum as design, it is also important that the purpose of the qualification contributes to the realisation of the institution's mission and goals. Aligned to the mission of UNISA (2021) to serve society by promoting an African perspective that includes quality, technology guided education and academic excellence through interactive, open distance learning, the purpose of the recurriculated qualification is to educate practitioners to ensure proper digital preservation, sound archival repository management, information security and to become guardians of digital records to secure authenticity. Achieving this purpose requires that students be exposed to management functions related to archives and records management in the digital environment; can implement and monitor knowledge and information governance according to legislation within an online environment; identify and manage challenges related to data curation with regards to digital records; and can apply digital records forensics and archival diplomatics in the management and preservation of digital records (SAQA, 2017). Linked to these qualification outcomes, the focus should be on designing a curriculum that offers skills and knowledge that will enable students to compete in the labour market (Geyser, 2004; Khayundi, 2011).

Considerations about how the curriculum is to be delivered , are influenced by the CODeL mode of delivery followed by UNISA, which impact on the framework and context within which a curriculum is to be designed and delivered. CODeL is founded on the principle that open learning should be followed to provide students with flexibility and choice over what, when, where, at what pace and how they want to learn (UNISA Open Distance Learning Policy, 2008). The delivery mode should offer students a degree of flexibility in terms of the use of media and technology, whilst consideration should be given to availability, pedagogical appropriateness, and the effective use of media, to ensure the achievement of exit level outcomes. In line with the UNISA 2030 vision that all qualifications and modules should be offered online to promote comprehensiveness and support distance learning, the curriculum for the postgraduate programme in archives and records management was designed in such a way that it can be delivered fully online. The UNISA learning management system (LMS) became the virtual campus for delivery, where all content is presented online through lessons that students can engage with. Flexibility of delivery was considered, using synchronous as well as asynchronous methods to promote student engagement. It was envisaged that such flexibility will overcome challenges of distance during the teaching and learning process. Online discussions and engagements via blogs and podcasts offer asynchronous opportunities for engagement, whilst sessions via Teams or BigBlueButton offer synchronous opportunities for live engagements with lecturers and peers on curriculum content. During the process of considering the method of delivery, the educational consultants, as well as student representatives provided much-needed guidance on effective ways to promote student engagement.

Such guidance also influenced the teaching and assessment strategies considered as part of the revised curriculum. Since a CODeL mode is followed at UNISA, the teaching and assessment strategies had to relate to the use of multiple teaching and learning strategies that could be executed by using a range of technological tools (Unisa Open Distance Learning Policy, 2008). Throughout the exploration of options to select teaching and assessment strategies, student-centeredness remained one of the main foci of the curriculum revision process to ensure that students can progressively take responsibility for their own learning and research (Geyser, 2004). The proposed pedagogy followed during teaching requires the creation of rich environments for active learning, to establish links between students’ current understanding and the construction of new knowledge, and the encouragement of independent and critical thinking (Moll, 2004). Following an online delivery approach, teaching strategies related to heutagogy and connectivism were applied not only to provide students with opportunities for self-directedness and exploration, but also to learn from more knowledgeable others. Resources provided to students to encourage active learning, extended beyond recommending key articles to read to also providing students with podcasts, webinar connections and live discussions with subject-matter experts. In this regard the selected teaching strategy aligns with the UNISA Open Distance Learning Policy (2008) to include independent studying of learning materials, and opportunities to interact with others, as well as research activities. Based on a continuous assessment strategy aligned to the principles of self-directed learning (heutagogy), students are given multiple opportunities to develop knowledge and skills towards achieving qualification outcomes. Aligned to the design-in-advance principle, continuous assessment strategies are based on a feedback and feedforward process to support and assist students in achieving set outcomes (Barnett and Coate, 2005). Though assessments are based on curriculum outcomes to be achieved, ample opportunity is provided for students to self-explore and align assessments to their direct needs and interests by following a continuous assessment process. This is in line with the andragogical principle that adult learners should be empowered to diagnose their own learning needs, formulate their own learning goals, and apply learning strategies to achieve set outcomes (Knowles, 1984).

The enacted curriculum

The second conception of Billett’s (2006) theory of learning in the circumstance of practice focuses on the enacted curriculum. The enacted curriculum relates to what happens when the intended curriculum is executed, which is more difficult to determine and assess than the intended curriculum. Core to the enacted curriculum is the ability of students to apply knowledge and theoretical information in a practical context. This requires the consideration of how the intended curriculum can be applied as part of workplace practices. The need to identify and assess the enacted curriculum has gained importance due to the need to impart vocational knowledge to students to prepare them for the work environment. Creating an enacted curriculum requires extensive input and feedback from industry as well as subject-matter experts (UNISA, 2016). Discussions identified the need to provide students with opportunities to apply knowledge related to digital records management in various contexts familiar to them. Subject-matter experts emphasised the need for the use of case studies to support students in obtaining a balance between theory and practical application in the completion of assessments. Subject-matter experts also reiterated the importance of students displaying evidence of applied competence through which they can demonstrate the ability to consider a range of possibilities for actions. Examples and practical applications had to form part of the enacted curriculum to provide students with the opportunity to apply the intended curriculum practically. As part of the continuous assessment process and to showcase competence, it was recommended that the objectives of the curriculum be extended to include the application of research methodologies within a research project related to digital records management. This research project requires of students to identify, discuss, evaluate, and find possible solutions for the effective management of digital records within a specific context. To support the framework for Africanisation, students are encouraged to consider topics related to digital records management in an African context. For example, in all the five modules, the syllabus also includes the governance of oral records (information governance module), authentication of oral records (digital records forensics and archival diplomatics) and curation of oral records (digital curatorship and management).

The experienced curriculum

Finally, the conception of the experienced curriculum refers to what students experience as part of the learning process (interaction between knowledge and practical application) (Geyser, 2004). Barnett and Coate (2005) emphasise that the experienced curriculum should promote transformation of students’ views and practices so that they can function more productively in society. The transformative potential of higher education relates to the potential of educating individuals to become empowered. The idea of a curriculum that can be transformative, explores ways in which the educational experience enhances the knowledge, ability and skills of graduates (Geyser, 2004). This aligns to the outcomes and employability agenda, suggesting that transformation comes through an education that adds value to students’ lives. This challenge was overcome by ensuring that, as part of the experienced curriculum, content included in the recurriculated archives and records management qualification should create opportunities for students to engage in reflective competence to integrate and connect performance and decision-making. The recurriculated qualification should offer opportunities for students to use knowledge and experience to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and to explain the reasons behind the adaptations. Occasions should be provided for students to showcase how engagement in the qualification had transformed their lives through the knowledge, skills, and abilities that they have gained. It is envisaged that the inclusion of a research project will provide opportunities for students to engage in the experienced curriculum. In addition, assessment opportunities as part of the continuous assessment process should promote the composition of portfolios of evidence, that students can use to present their growth.

Conclusion

Within the context of this report the aim of the research was to provide detail on the application of a theoretical construct to support the re-curriculation of a postgraduate qualification in archives and records management. Detail was provided on the conceptions that were considered in the development of responsive curriculum that supported and expanded the inclusion of digital records management and the use of computation to support digital records management practices. Reflections from participants in the FTA were provided to showcase the extent to which the revised curriculum supports the inclusion of key information related to digital records management. Views by members of the FTA are important within the context of evaluating the recurriculation of the postgraduate programme in archives and records management. After considering the views of members of the FTA, the conclusion can be drawn that the revision of the postgraduate qualification in archives and records management ensures a closer alignment with not only international practices and standards, but also industry requirements in terms of the need for improved skills and knowledge about digital records management practices. Particularly in this profession, progressive changes in technology, user needs, digital records access and knowledge constructs have been revised, to ensure that archives and records management professionals keep abreast with changes, to be able to provide organisations and society members with access to the most relevant and applicable digital records towards good governance, accountability, improved decision-making, and societal transformation. The curriculum was officially implemented in 2021 with the inception of the Honours in Archives and Records Management. At the time of publication, the feedback from students and industry has been positive, with stakeholders commenting on the value of adding revised and updated content related to diplomacy, digital forensics, knowledge governance and data curatorship contributing to prepare students for an archives and records management industry that is reliant on technology to progress within the fourth industrial revolution. A formal review of the curriculum will commence after the first cohort of students completed the programme. Findings from this review will be used to reflect on additional improvements that may be required to ensure that students are prepared for the world of work that awaits them.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iDs

Mpho Ngoepe

Makutla Mojapelo

About the authors

Mpho Ngoepe is a professor in the Department of Information Science at the University of South Africa (Unisa). Prior to his current position at Unisa, Prof Ngoepe has worked for the United Nations Children's Fund, Auditor-General South Africa and the National Archives of South Africa. Prof Ngoepe is served in the national committee of the South African Society of Archivists (2009–2019) and the board of Eastern and Southern Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (2009–2019) as the editor of the journals. He also served on the advisory council of the National Archives of South Africa in his capacity as the chairperson of Gauteng Provincial Archives. He was the director of the African Team for the multi-national, interdisciplinary research project exploring issues concerning digital records called the International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES Trust) (2013–2018). E-mail: ngoepms@unisa.ac.za

Lorette Jacobs is an associate professor in the Department of Information Science at Unisa, with a PhD in Information Science and a MPhil in Higher Education. Prior to her current position, she worked for several higher education institutions as an academic in information science, knowledge management and education. She also worked extensively with electronic performance governance records management systems as a consultant for various South African government organisations. She is a member of the CODATA_WDS TG on Citizen Science. Her interests include digital records forensics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) and citizen science. E-mail: ejacobl1@unisa.ac.za

Makutla Mojapelo is a PhD candidate in archives and records management at the University of South Africa. He is currently a lecturer at the University of South Africa. He has also worked for the National Archives of South Africa, Transnet and the South African Human Rights Commission as a records manager. His research interests include appraisal, outreach and advocacy, digital records management and preservation. E-mail: mojapmg@unisa.ac.za

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