https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijss/issue/feed 2025-08-12T00:46:24+02:00 Bunmi I. Omodan (PhD) bomodan@wsu.ac.za Open Journal Systems <p>IJSS provides a platform for academics, practitioners, and social development experts to publish their intellectual works. IJSS encourages empirical research, theoretical argument, review and conceptual opinions on social development, policies and practices, relationships and innovations that empower individuals, families, groups, organisations, and small and large entities. Our interest is limited to social-related issues, social interpretations, and emancipation of socially disadvantaged groups, which contributes to creating a socially just, rights and humanity-based context.</p> https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijss/article/view/2176 2025-08-11T05:52:05+02:00 Molaodi David Tshelane tshelamd@unisa.ac.za

<p>COVID-19 highlights the urgent need for re­form of the postgraduate curriculum to address complex and rapidly changing global challenges. This study re­flects on the formation of cyborg identities among post­graduate students, drawing upon Donna Haraway’s cy­borg theory as these individuals navigate the intricacies of modern curriculum practices infused with artificial intel­ligence (AI). A cohort of eight postgraduate students en­rolled in master’s and doctoral programmes participated in this study through a virtual participatory action re­search design. The study facilitated dynamic discussions and the exhibition of evolving student identities using platforms such as Yammer and various digital devices. Data were collected from online discussions and webi­nars, transcribed with the assistance of Fireflies software, and analysed using critical discourse analysis. The re­search reveals how the integration of remote learning and AI into curriculum practices uncovers a 'hidden curricu­lum' that merges human and cybernetic systems, suggest­ing a more commonplace presence of cybernetics in daily life than previously acknowledged. Furthermore, it underscores the significant influence of cyberspace on altering human consciousness and social identity, implications that extend into 'second life' realities and the experiences of post-educational curriculum innovation. These findings contribute to the on­going discourse regarding the role of AI in education, highlighting the importance of ethical curricu­lum reforms that consider data privacy and aim to elevate AI for personalised learning experiences without reinforcing existing educational disparities. Situated within the thematic discussion, this re­search addresses pressing challenges and envisions the future of curriculum development through the lens of AI’s transformative capabilities.</p>

2025-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Molaodi David Tshelane