Learner Diversity and Learning: A Perspective from South Africa

This paper argues that we need to explore the notion of the lifeworld, particularly the African lifeworld in order to develop a deeper understanding of these concerns. Focusing on blacks in general or African learners and students in particular, I posit that the above concerns fail to acknowledge the cultural dimension of learning, and I draw on Rasmussen (1998) who argues that, for a variety of reasons, learning should be studied as a cultural phenomenon. Finally, I argue for transformative learning as a means to address concerns related to a perceived lack of learning.