Lecturers as redemptive change agents supporting students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher educational institutions - Loubers, Danette (Koers (Potchefstroom, South Africa), 2025)
Teaching diverse students, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), embodies the biblical call to nurture each individual as made in the image of God. This study focused on the lecturer as a redemptive change agent to meet the needs of students with ASD in higher education from a Reformational Christian perspective. Higher education institutions have increasing numbers of students with ASD due to a greater focus on inclusivity, thus necessitating attention to lecturers’ roles to support these students. The study adopted a qualitative approach utilising document analysis. Purposive sampling was used to select documents appropriate and relevant to this study. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. Three themes emerged from the findings: lecturers as prophets, priests, and kings. Theme one focused on lecturers and their institutional preparedness as prophets to support students with ASD. Theme two included lecturers’ teaching approaches and adaptation in their roles as priests to support students with ASD. Finally, theme three focused on the institutional support system, where lecturers assume the role of kings to support students with ASD. Based on the findings, the following conclusion is made: As redemptive agents of change, lecturers’ teaching approaches should be empathetic, flexible, and adaptable in order to support students with ASD successfully. Lecturers’ faith should inspire them to emulate Christ’s compassion and grace. Putting Christ at the centre of each lecturer’s life will positively influence students with ASD and assist in creating a more supportive and inclusive environment. The findings, obtained by means of a thorough document analysis, can help develop Christ-centred guidelines for supporting lecturers on how to become redemptive change agents in higher education. Opsomming Dosente as verlossende veranderingsagente ter ondersteuning van studente met outismespektrum-versteuring (OSV) in hoëronderwysinstellings Om diverse studente, insluitend dié met outismespektrum-versteuring (OSV) te onderrig, vergestalt die Bybelse oproep om elke individu, wat na die beeld van God geskape is, te koester. Hierdie studie het gefokus op die dosent as ’n verlossende veranderingsagent om in die behoeftes van studente met OSV in hoër onderwys vanuit ’n Gereformeerd-Christelike perspektief te voorsien. Tans neem die aantal studente met OSV by hoëronderwysinstellings toe weens ’n verhoogde fokus op inklusiwiteit. Dit noodsaak ’n toegespitste aandag op die ondersteuningsrol wat dosente teenoor hierdie studente vervul. Die studie het ’n kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg deur dokumentanalise te gebruik. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is aangewend om dokumente te kies wat geskik en toepaslik vir die studie is. Tematiese inhoudsanalise is gebruik om die data te ontleed. Uit die bevindings het drie temas na vore gekom: dosente as profete, priesters en konings. Tema een het gefokus op dosente en hul institusionele gereedheid as profete om studente met OSV te ondersteun. Tema twee het dosente se onderrigbenaderings en aanpassing in hul rol as priesters ingesluit om studente met OSV te ondersteun. Tema drie het ten laaste op die institusionele ondersteuningstelsel gefokus, waar dosente die rol van konings vervul ten einde studente met OSV te ondersteun. Op grond van die bevindings word daar tot die volgende gevolgtrekking gekom: Dosente se onderrigbenaderings moet empaties, buigsaam en aanpasbaar wees ten einde suksesvolle ondersteuning van OSV-studente te verseker. Dosente se geloof moet hulle inspireer om Christus se mededeelsaamheid en genade na te volg. Die sentraalstelling van Christus in elke dosent se lewe sal ’n positiewe invloed op studente met OSV uitoefen en sal tot ’n meer ondersteunende en regverdige omgewing bydra. Die bevindings, wat deur ’n deeglike dokumentanalise verkry is, kan tot die ontwikkeling van Christosentriese riglyne bydra ter ondersteuning van dosente oor hoe om verlossende veranderingsagente in hoër onderwys te word.