Empowering student agency in academic advising through design thinking: Voices of academic advisors Ukuxhobisa ukuzimela kwabafundi kucebiso ngezemfundo ngokusebenzisa ukucinga ngoyilo: Amazwi abacebisi bezemfundo

Abstract

Design thinking is a human-centred approach that offers practical methods and tools that can be used by academic advisors to enhance innovation, develop meaningful problem-solving strategies, and drive change in student academic advising sessions. Academic advising can be regarded as a critical component of student success; however, many students and advisors struggle to engage deeply in the advising process in a shared and reciprocal manner. This study addresses this issue by adopting a design thinking approach to support students during the academic advising process. The study explored how the adapted design thinking process at a particular institution enhanced student– advisor agency, collaboration, and student-centred engagement. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, drawing on Schön’s (1991) reflective model. Qualitative data were collected from the three advisors’ reflective reports and one focus group interview. Thematic analyses were used to identify key patterns and themes. The design thinking approach gave rise to four key themes: (1) timely and focused advising, (2) knowledge building and information sharing, (3) reciprocal conversations, and (4) agency. The findings reveal that the application of design thinking in academic advising enabled advisors to shift their advising sessions from a prescriptive to a developmental approach, thereby fostering a deeper and more collaborative engagement with students. 

Ukucinga ngoyilo yindlela egxile ebantwini, enika iindlela nezixhobo ezisebenzayo ezinokusetyenziswa ngabacebisi bezemfundo ukuphucula ukuveliswa kwezimvo ezintsha, ukuphuhlisa izicwangciso zokusombulula iingxaki ngendlela enentsingiselo, nokukhuthaza utshintsho kwiintlanganiso zokucetyiswa kwabafundi. Ukucebisa ngezemfundo kungathathwa njengelinye icandelo elibalulekileyo ekuphumeleleni kwabafundi. Nangona kunjalo, abafundi abaninzi kunye nabacebisi baye baphazamiseka ekubandakanyekeni ngokunzulu kule nkqubo ngendlela eyabelana ngayo nenobudlelwane obuphinda-phindayo. Olu phando lubhekisa kulo mba ngokusebenzisa indlela yokucinga ngoyilo ukuxhasa abafundi ngexesha lenkqubo yocebiso ngezemfundo. Uphando luye lwaphonononga indlela inkqubo yokucinga ngoyilo ehlenga-hlengisiweyo esetyenziswe kwisikhululo esithile eyakhuthaza ngayo ukuzimela kwabafundi kunye nabacebisi, intsebenziswano, kunye nokubandakanyeka okugxile kumfundi. Olu phando lusebenzisa indlela yophando yohlobo, luqwalasela umzekelo kaSchön (1991) yokuzicingela ngokuzibuyekeza. Iinkcukacha zohlobo ziqokelelwe kwiingxelo zokuzicingela zabacebisi abathathu nakudliwano-ndlebe enye yeqela elijoliswe kulo. Ukuhlalutya ngokwemixholo kusetyenzisiwe ukufumanisa iindlela nemixholo ephambili. Indlela yokucinga ngoyilo iveze imixholo emine ephambili: (1) ukucebisa ngexesha elifanelekileyo nelijolise kwinjongo ethile; (2) ukwakha ulwazi nokwabelana ngolwazi; (3) iingxoxo ezibuyiselanayo; kunye (4) nokuzimela. Iziphumo zophando zityhila ukuba ukusetyenziswa kwendlela yokucinga ngoyilo kucebiso ngezemfundo kuye kwabavumela abacebisi ukuba batshintshe kwiindlela zokucebisa eziyalelayo baye kwindlela ephuhlisayo, ngaloo ndlela bekhuthaza ukubandakanyeka okunzulu nokusebenzisanayo nabafundi.