Proceedings of The 6th World Conference on Teaching and Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Investigating Rural University Students’ Capacity and Readiness for Posthuman Workforce
Bunmi Isaiah Omodan
ABSTRACT:
This study investigates the capacity and readiness of rural university students to meet the posthuman demands of the 21st-century workforce in South Africa. The emergence of new technologies and changing social norms are transforming the workforce, and preparing university students for these changes is fundamental to ensure a sustainable future. However, rural university students often face unique challenges in accessing educational resources and opportunities, which may impact their ability to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a posthuman workforce. Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) framework was used to understand how rural students perceive technology benefits and drawbacks towards posthumanism. The study is lensed within transformative paradigm using qualitative research approach and participatory research design where 15 4th year rural university students were conveniently selected and made to reflect on their capacity and readiness via semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the data. The study revealed that Rural students demonstrate a strong capacity for adaptability, creativity, and problem-solving, which are highly valued in a rapidly changing work environment. However, the study also established gaps in technological literacy and access to educational resources that may limit their abilities to acquire the skills necessary for the posthuman future. The study recommends education stakeholders to support the development of rural students’ posthuman workforce readiness by enhancing digital literacy and adequate access to technology and digital resources.
keywords: posthumanism, rural university students, capacity, readiness, workforce