Perceptions of Educators on Simultaneous Implementation of Education 5.0 and Modularisation in the Higher Education Sector

Abstract

The government of Zimbabwe initiated a radical higher education reform programme in 2019, culminating in the simultaneous implementation of Education 5.0 and modularization. This mixed methods study employed concurrent triangulation research design to examine the compatibility of these reforms at Chinhoyi University of Technology by surveying 32 educators from various schools. The majority of educators believed that modularization enabled students to focus on one module at a time, master the content, and utilize limited resources more effectively. Modularization also afforded educators more time for research and non-teaching activities, flexibility in teaching methods, and enhanced student-educator interaction. However, educators disagreed that modularization aligned with Education 5.0, citing concerns that it placed students in a continuous examination mode and failed to facilitate connections between module content to address societal challenges. The study concludes by recommending the realignment of teaching and learning timetables to facilitate content connections, free time for educators, and student participation in innovation and industrialization activities, thereby optimizing the simultaneous implementation of Education 5.0 and modularization.