Coming Home - A PhD Journey

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‘A full circle moment’ - is how Dr Rowan Mark Thompson describes the achievement of his PhD.

Born in Johannesburg, his family immigrated to Scotland when he was just four years old after they were targeted by the security police over his father’s role as an anti-apartheid activist and lecturer at Wits University. Years later, he was drawn back to the continent and has been living in South Africa since 2013.

Thompson’s doctoral research focused on “Using Computer-aided Design (CAD) to Enhance Student Teachers’ ICT Capacity: A Critical Participatory Action Research Project in a Private Higher Education Institution in KwaZulu-Natal”.

Thompson used a critical participatory action research approach with primary student teachers and lecturers to explore the implementation of CAD in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training, explaining that, CAD is an essential element of modern design and technology curricula globally, and should be taught in Engineering Graphics and Design courses in high schools. 

However, he noted that effective use of CAD in high school requires early exposure, yet it is not currently included in primary teacher education programmes, despite its importance in 21st-century design processes.

The new Coding and Robotics curriculum requires teachers to understand different computing systems to support programming and design of robotic solutions to everyday problems. To integrate CAD in teacher training programmes requires a pedagogical approach which adapts to changing modes of delivery and enables students from diverse backgrounds to develop skills to create resources with CAD and eventually teach CAD in schools. 

Thompson’s study sought to explore the best pedagogical approaches to teaching CAD over two action research cycles and gauge how student teachers applied their CAD learning in teaching practice through the production of resources for teaching.

His findings were encouraging and revealed that student teachers and lecturers collaborated effectively in the refinement of the course. Student choice in learning of CAD through multi-modal blended contact models emerged as the most effective way to ensure student success in learning a new software application. 

Thompson admits that while he is elated by his achievement, his academic journey was not without its challenges, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting him both professionally and personally. ‘My mother passed away and I was unable to attend the funeral in Scotland due to the travel restrictions. I also relocated to Gauteng with my wife and children which limited my ability to have constructive face-to-face dialogue with supervisors and lastly my co-supervisor left academia which meant that I needed to be assisted to submit my thesis for final examination.’ 

However, he said the academic leader of research, Professor Phumlani Erasmus Myende, along with Professor Simon Bhekimuzi Khoza and the broader team, were very supportive and assisted him with his final submission.

‘Congratulations to Rowan Thompson. I am proud of him for this great, amazing, and wonderful achievement (PhD), and for generating two journal articles from his PhD study,’ said Professor Khoza.

‘It was worth it though,’ Thompson says, ‘learning from supervisors and PhD students in cohort meetings and webinars expanded my mind and helped me abandon bad habits and prejudices about research. Researching CAD motivated me to re-explore teaching and application of visual skills I acquired as an industrial designer, author and lecturer of design and technology subjects.

‘I was continuously inspired by many lecturers - Prof Busisiwe Alant, Prof Asheena Singh-Pillay, Prof Nadaraj Govender, Prof Craig Blewett and Prof Simon Bhekimuzi Khoza. I was also encouraged by fellow students Dr Kemi Adebayo and Dr Godson Nwokocha, who have remained friends and colleagues as we now work together at Stadio School of Education. I would like to thank them all for their support, encouragement and honest critique during my long journey.’

His greatest motivation and support came from his wife Professor Tivani Mashamba-Thompson ‘She brought me back to my home country and led by example completing her masters summa cum laude and her PhD in two years. I don’t think I will ever rise to her level in academia, but I have achieved far more than I imagined I would before I met her.’

Thompson said his father, Professor Ian Thompson, has remained a lifelong inspiration. ‘I am sorry he is unable to visit SA to celebrate with us. My children, Gabrielle, M’hloti and Frank were also my biggest supporters.’ 

Thompson likens his PhD journey to the Japanese martial art of Aikido which he has practised for 30 years, ‘you must pick yourself up and keep breathing when you are ready to give up. Focus on the target and get the job done.’

‘My experience was a bit like the pattern on the UKZN Graduation hoods. Colourful with some jagged edges to deal with! I am proud to graduate from the university where my parents met, fell in love and completed their undergraduate studies.’

Words: Jennene Naidu

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini