Space and academic identity construction in a higher education context : a self-ethnographic study

Abstract

Following the postmodern discourses of spatial conceptualisation, this study examined the \nmanner in which space in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) University enables or \nconstrains academics’ work as they go about the process of constructing their academic \nidentities. Focusing on academics’ engagement in one college of the University, the study \nwas premised on the assumption that, in the current higher education (HE) dispensation, \nacademic identity construction presumes and demands the existence of supportive space \nfor academics to effect the academic practices. Lefebvre’s (1991) social production of \nspace and Soja’s (1996) Thirdspace were used as lenses to examine the multiple \ndimensions of space in relation to spatial practices in the College, the spatial policies and \nthe experiences of academics as the users of the Institutional space. Qualitative \nethnographic research methods that were used to collect data included a review of the \nInstitutional policies, intranet posts and emails; the observation and photographing of \nacademics’ offices and administrative office space; observation of departmental meeting \nproceedings and the conducting of semi-structured interviews with academics of different \nacademic ranks. Findings suggested that although some forms of space are supportive of \nspatial practices that contribute to academic identity construction, the imagined space of \nthe ODL Institution can be unfairly inclusive and inconsiderate of academics’ unique spatial \nneeds. Such inclusivity of space seemed to be inconsistent with the appropriate ODL \nspace as imagined by some participants where academics may work comfortably and with \nlimited restrictions. The study concluded by making recommendations on how the \nInstitution and the academics may manage space for optimal academic identity \nconstruction in the College.

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