PhD defence Francois Jonker: The importance of ‘response-ability’ in higher education

On Friday 4 October, Francois Jonker will defend his PhD dissertation  ‘Towards Response-able Arts-based Practices in Higher Education’. In this dissertation, he advocates for an ecological approach to education and highlights the importance of ‘response-ability’ in the classroom.

‘Response-ability’ in higher education

Learning is often seen as a fixed, predictable progression that leads to predetermined outcomes. Jonker challenges this notion, while also questioning another widely held belief: that language can fully capture all meaning.

In his dissertation, Jonker explores new methods for research, pedagogy, and assessment in higher education. He emphasises the material, affective, and processual dimensions of learning and knowledge production. According to him, ‘response-ability’ should be prioritised: creating an environment where teachers and students can respond to one another (and their learning environment and materials) and learn together in new and unanticipated ways.

Practical examples for implementation

Jonker carried out his research at the Cape Town Creative Academy (CTCA) in South Africa, a private higher education institution. The key contributions of his dissertation are the practical proposals he has developed for fostering a response-able environment. These examples aim to help higher education institutions transform their teaching practices and enhance their societal impact.