Changing minds of researchers.
Changing minds of the researchers
Professor Tendayi Sithole, the author of Steve Biko: Decolonial Meditations of Black Consciousness
Puleng Maphisa
The Communications Department co-ordinated the 12th research seminar under the Faculty of Human Sciences on Friday, 26 July, in collaboration with Corporate Affairs.
Researchers shared their papers and keynote speakers Mr Thami Plaatjie and Professor Tendayi Sithole were invited to share their expertise.
The aim of the seminar was to help build self-confidence in new researchers and contribute to the creation of a research culture within the faculty and the institution.
Papers about how the perception of social science has changed were presented, including that of M-Tech student, Mr Sibusiso Ngema.
Mr Ngema, who is physically challenged himself, presented his paper: Communication barriers faced by disabled students at a university of technology, in collaboration with Dr Lazarus Maleho, the Acting Dean of the Human Sciences Faculty, and Mr Felix Mwadiwa. The study was an eye-opener as to the challenges that disabled students face at universities and how people perceive them. Mr Ngema said that disabled students need to live, be understood and be treated like anyone else as they are also part of the community.
Prof Sithole praised Mr Ngema and said that not many people are brave enough to present in front of researchers and that he should continue with that bravery.
Prof Sithole, the author of Steve Biko: Decolonial Meditations of Black Consciousness, is an associate professor at the department of political sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Before he became a professor, he said he was well known as a train vendor, nicknamed ‘Slender’. Prof Sithole spoke about methodology, the system applied to give guidance in a study.
“Each research consists of methods and no research thesis or dissertation will pass without methodology. When we talk about methodology one must think about the role of creating, not applying,” he said, explaining that we should learn to develop new methods instead of relying on previous authors.
In closure, Dr Maleho thanked everyone who participated and said: “We still have a long way to go; our intellectual consciousness was really challenged on this day, we need to awaken from where we were. All the presenters and keynote speakers gave us something to think about.”