The third-space professional: a reflective case study on maintaining relationships within a complex higher education institution

Abstract

This paper showcases the work of Third Space professionals in a complex higher education (HE) setting, and specifically its impact on the building of trust relationships and innovative approaches. It makes use of a case-study methodological approach, reflecting on the experiences of various stakeholders within pilot phases. The findings reveal challenges related to maintaining trust relationships, which can be threatened by technicist approaches. The reflective case study explores an innovative live-streaming project and the related pedagogical approaches by Instructional Design experts, as Third Space professionals, who have carved out a critical space within a HE setting. This investigation, and its related lessons, highlights that learning-and-teaching aspects, training and support, reconciliation of trust relationships, can be applied to Third Space professionals in other HE institutions.

Keywords:

• Third space professional
• learning-and-teaching
• higher education
• maintain trust relationships
• reconciliation

Acknowledgements

The concept of the original paper (Third Space Professional) was drawn from the original personal academic work of Dr Juliet Stoltenkamp. This concept was further expanded with Mr Valentino van de Heyde and Mr André Siebrits. The authors would like to thank the Instructional Design team (Ms Carolynne Kies, Mrs Norina Braaf and Mr van de Heyde) for engaging in the training and support of this specific project. We would also like to thank the lecturers who were willing to engage in this pilot project, and the infrastructure department responsible for purchasing the software.