Prof LR Johnson

Expertise

• Adult/Correctional Education

Qualifications

• D Ed – UNISA
• M Ed ODL – University of Maryland Campus College/UNISA (ongoing)
• M Ed (Adult Education) – WITS University
• B Ed (Hons. Adult Education) – WITS University
• B Ed (Adult Education) – National University of Lesotho

Currently teaching

• Managing Adult Education for Development – HBEDMAB
•  Correctional Education Short Learning Programme Modules

Fields of academic interests

• Adult and Community Education
• Correctional education
• Open distance E-learning (ODeL)
• Indigenous learning systems (IKS)

Field of Specialisation

• Adult and Community Education
• Correctional Education
• Open and Distance e-Learning

Books

Edited Book/s

Johnson, LR and Quan-Baffour, KP. 2022. Edited Book submitted to UNISA Press: Title: Voices Behind Bars: An African Panopticon. (In press).

Book Chapters

• Johnson, LR. 2022. Overview: The essence of correctional education in contemporary Africa. In Johnson, LR & Quan-Baffour, KP (Eds) Voices Behind Bars: An African Panopticon. Pretoria: Unisa Press (In press).
• Johnson, LR. 2022. Provision of correctional education through rehabilitation and reintegration programmes in Lesotho prisons. In Johnson, LR & Quan-Baffour, KP (Eds) Voices Behind Bars: An African Panopticon. Pretoria: Unisa Press (In press).
• Johnson, LR. & Vandala, M. 2020. Correctional education approaches towards rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. In Oheneba-Sakyi, Y., Tagoe, M.A. & Salifu I. (Eds.). Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Studies in Africa. Accra: Woeli Publishing Services.
• Johnson, LR. & Vandala, M. 2019. Adult education in correctional facilities. In Quan-Baffour KP & Arko-Achemfuor A. (Eds.). Adult, Continuing and lifelong education and development in Africa. New York: NOVA Science Publishers.
• Mbanjwa, KC. & Johnson, LR. 2018. Strategies in overcoming teaching and learning challenges in correctional facilities. In Nata RV. (Ed.). Progress in Education. Volume 54. New York: NOVA Science Publishers.
• Johnson, LR. & Ngozwana, NA. 2018. ‘Education (access) and Human Rights: A case of the Lesotho Correctional Services’. In Lekhetho M (Ed.). Education in Lesotho: Prospects and Challenges. New York: NOVA Science Publishers.
• Johnson, LR. 2015. ‘Adult learners’ experiences in correctional services environment’. In Magano, DM. & Ramdarain M. (Eds). Including the Excluded: Educating in the 21^st Century: Cape Town: Pearson Education. (Prescribed Book at the University of Mpumalanga).

Journal articles

• Johnson, LR and Quan-Baffour, KP. 2022. Teaching practice in open distance learning: Challenges for adult, community education and training practitioners in South Africa. Submitted and under review with the Journal of Community Adult and Vocational Education.
• Johnson LR. 2021. Online teaching and learning in correctional facilities: Opportunities and tensions. Submitted and under review with Progressio Journal.
• Johnson LR and Quan-Baffour, KP. 2021. “My Outfit, My identity”: An Ethnographic Study of the Akan of Ghana and the Basotho of Lesotho. Submitted and under review with the Southern African Journal for Folklore Society.
• Quan-Baffour, KP and Johnson, LR. 2021.  Literacy 'Matters', in Sustainable Livelihood Development Among Refugees in South Africa. Submitted and under review with Reading & Writing Journal.
• Quan-Baffour, KP. and Johnson, LR. 2019. Examining the management and leadership styles and practices at higher education institutions: A case of three African universities. Journal of Contemporary Management. Vol.16 (17): 1 – 19.
• Maliehe-Arko, J. and Johnson LR. 2018. Planting the seeds in a Moringa cooperative. Adult Education and Development Journal.  Editions/AED 85/2018: Role and Impact of Adult Education / Planting the seeds in a Moringa cooperative.
• Johnson, LR. 2018. Basotho culture and the prayers for rain: Where climate change converges. Southern African Journal for Folklore Society. Vol. 28 (2): 1 – 19.
• Johnson, LR. 2016. ‘Cultural and social uses of orality and functional literacy: a narrative approach’. Reading & Writing 7 (1), a119, http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/rw.v7i1.119 
• Johnson, LR. and Quan-Baffour KP. 2016. ‘The effectiveness of adult basic education and training programmes: an exploratory study of adult educators from 2002 to 2012. International Journal of Asian Social Science. Vol. 6 (5): 288-302.
• Johnson, LR. 2016. ‘Partnerships between Foreign Agencies and Civil Society Organisations in Lesotho: A Marriage of Convenience’. Sociology and Anthropology, 4(6):473 – 48. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.040606 http://www.hrpub.org.
• Johnson, LR. and Dichaba M. 2013. ‘The impact of Social Grants on Rural Women: Perspectives from ABET Practitioners’, Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.4 (13) 541 – 548.

Paper presentations

• Johnson, LR. & Quan-Baffour KP, 2021. My Outfit, My identity”: An Ethnographic Study of the Akan of Ghana and the Basotho of Lesotho. National Conference by the Southern African Folklore Society. Virtual, September 2021.
• Johnson, LR. 2019.  Deconstructing adult and community education and training sectoral changes in South Africa: A review of policy framework. Educational Association of South Africa (EASA) Annual Conference, Polokwane, South Africa. January 2019.
• Johnson, LR. 2017. Basotho culture and the prayers for rain: Where climate change converges. 40^th African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (AFSAAP) Annual Conference, Adelaide, Australia. November 2017.
• Johnson, LR. 2017. Enhancing distance learning via computer-based hubs in correctional education environment: The UNISA experience. South Africa International Conference on Educational Technologies. Pretoria, April 2017.
• Johnson, LR. & Quan-Baffour KP, 2015. The African Philosophy of “Ubuntu” and Correctional Education in South Africa: A case study. 38^th African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (AFSAAP) Annual Conference, Melbourne, October 2015.
• Johnson, LR. 2015. Cultural and Social uses of functional literacy: A narrative approach. 10^th Reading & Writing Association National Conference & 9^th Pan-African Literacy for All Conference, Cape Town. September 2015.
• Johnson, LR. 2014.  Does Foreign Aid Make a Difference? A critique from a civil society organisation in Lesotho. Educational Association of South Africa (EASA) Conference, University of Free State, Golden Gate. January 2014.
• Johnson, LR. & Dichaba Mpho. The impact of social grants on rural women: Perspectives from ABET Practitioners. Southern African Comparative Higher Education Society Conference, University of Namibia. August 2013.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

• UNISA 2017 Women in Research Correctional Education Project
• UNISA 2016 Annual Women Resilience in Research:  In recognition of women resilience in higher education institutions.
• UNISA 2016 Community Engagement Project on Correctional Education intervention at Kgosi Mampuru Female Correctional Centre.
• UNISA Masters & Doctoral Support Programme (MDSP) Award Recipient.
• UNISA Human Resource Study Assistance: Doctoral Degree Award Recipient
• Golden Key Award in recognition of top 15% Achieving Students at Wits University: 2011 - 2012.
• University of the Witwatersrand Merit Award – for postgraduate studies

Projects

• Project Coordinator – Departmental PQM Programme Qualifications Mix for the Department of Adult Community and Continuing Education (DACCE) at UNISA - Participated in DHET-funded, Teaching & Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme (TLDCIP) conducted for Universities offering Adult and Community Education qualifications: 2016 – 2018. Advanced Diploma coordinated by DUT & Postgraduate Diploma coordinated by CPUT. A team-member in DHET-funded TLDCIP, coordinated by UNISA, on capacity improvement for Community Education Colleges; 2020 – 2022.

• Short Learning Programme - Conceptualised, designed and developed a short learning programme on correctional education for adult educators, Programme in Correctional Education Practice (Code: 77044). The programme offers five modules in correctional education practice offered by the UNISA Centre for Lifelong Learning, with first student enrolment from 2021.

• Projects with Correctional Services - A project leader of the UNISA-funded, in partnership with the Department of Correctional Services in three Provinces – KwaZulu; North West & Gauteng - Women in Research Project Title: Promotion of correctional education discourse through research-based methods and personal development: 2018 - 2022.

• A project leader on the commissioned research with the Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference: Commission for Justice & Peace: Project Title: A study on Human rights and correctional facilities in Lesotho. Study was funded by the Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) from 2016 – 2017.

• A project leader in a project between UNISA-funded and the Department of Correctional Services partnership: Project Title: Adult and Community Education and Training (ACET) programmes in correctional centres of Tshwane - Kgosi Mampuru Female Correctional Centre. The project mobilized resources for the centre by donating computers, and Library books and participating and leading motivational talks for inmates: 2016 – 2018.

• Phase II of the project is currently ongoing between UNISA and the Department of Correctional Services, where more computers and books donations are being sourced from various higher education institutions and booksellers around Pretoria. Project Title: Promoting Literacy through Leisure Reading amongst inmates in Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre. I am participating in the project as a mentor to its new leader: 2020 and ongoing.

• Kha Ri Gude Literacy Campaign Evaluation - Participated in research data collection in a UNISA community engagement led project in partnership with the Department of Basic Education Kha Ri Gude Mass Literacy Evaluation. The project was UNISA funded and implemented by the ABET & Youth Development Department, currently known as DACCE.

• Undergraduate Students Lives: Transforming the conditions of success at Wits - Supervised data collection in a study conducted by the School of Social Sciences of the University of the Witwatersrand. Project Title:  Undergraduate Students Lives: Transforming the conditions of success at Wits. A qualitative research study conducted by the Transformation Committee of SOSS from January – December 2012.

Other

• Supervision experience of postgraduate students.
• External examination and moderation for other higher education institutions.
• Review article for various journals.
• Member of a South African Council for Educators (SACE).
• Member of the Lesotho Council on Higher Education (CHE) – Higher Education Quality Assurance Committee (HEQAC) as a Council appointee having served/serving two consecutive terms.
• Technical Advisor for the Lesotho Correctional Services – Crime Prevention, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders Association (CRROA), a lobbying interest group in the promotion of offenders’ rights in Lesotho.
• Member of African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (AFSAAP) – an academic think-tank group of academics and African students studying in universities in Australia and New Zealand, on African research on contemporary issues.
• Membership in Education Association of South Africa (EASA), Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA) and Southern African Folklore Society (SAFOS).