Dosering van Skryfkuns aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite : 'n oorsig

Abstract

Skryfkuns is ’n relatief nuwe vak aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite. Die bestek en metodologie van hierdie vakgebied is plaaslik nog nie na behore ondersoek nie. In dié artikel word die dosering van Skryfkuns as vak, kursus en/of program aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite van naderby betrag met betrekking tot kursusinhoud, metodologiese en pedagogiese kwessies en uitkomste. ’n Semigestruktureerde vraelys oor kursusinhoud, didaktiese aspekte rondom die dosering van Skryfkuns en manuskripte as uitkomste is aan kursus-koördineerders van Skryfkuns by 11 Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite gestuur. Die bevindings van hierdie peiling word bespreek met betrekking tot elke deelnemende universiteit. Dit blyk dat Skryfkuns hoofsaaklik op nagraadse vlak gedoseer word, met die fokus op die MA-vlak. Alhoewel daar verskille in onderrigmetodes is, is dit duidelik dat die werkswinkel deur die meeste respondente as kern-doseringsmetode gebruik word. Skryfkuns aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite as ’n vak toon groot groei met betrekking tot studentegetalle en gepubliseerde uitsette – enkele syfers word verskaf ter illustrasie. Hierdie toename sluit by ’n wêreldwye tendens van voortdurende groei van Skryfkuns aan universiteite aan. Deur gepubliseerde (en dikwels bekroonde) uitsette dra Skryfkunsprogramme by tot die gevarieerde Suid-Afrikaanse literêre landskap.

Creative Writing is a relatively new subject at South African universities. The scope and methodologies of teaching this subject locally have not yet been investigated properly. In this article the teaching of Creative Writing as subject, course and/or programme at South African universities is probed with regard to course content, methodological and pedagogical questions and outcomes. A semistructured questionnaire dealing with course content, didactic aspects of teaching Creative Writing and manuscript outcomes was sent to course co-ordinators of Creative Writing at 11 South African universities. The findings of this inquiry are discussed with regard to each participating university. Creative Writing is mainly taught at postgraduate level, with the focus on MA level. Although there are differences in teaching approaches, it is evident that the workshop serves as the core teaching method for most respondents. Creative Writing at South African universities has grown tremendously in terms of student numbers and published outputs – some figures are provided as illustrations. This increase links South African Creative Writing to a world-wide trend which reflects continuous growth in Creative Writing as university subject. Through published (and often award-winning) outcomes Creative Writing programmes contribute to the varied South African literary landscape.