On Thursday, 11 June 2026, Sol Plaatje University’s (SPU) Centre for the Advancement of Rural and Inclusive Education Research (CARIER) hosted a thought-provoking public lecture that challenged conventional understandings of learning and highlighted the value of rural contexts in shaping educational knowledge.
Dr Trevor Makhetha, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), delivered the lecture titled “Audiencious Learning: What Rural Schooling Can Teach Us About Learning”, which forms part of his forthcoming book, Acts of Becoming.
Drawing from ethnographic research conducted in a rural secondary school in the Northern Cape, Dr Makhetha challenged the common perception of rural schools as spaces defined only by disadvantage. Instead, he argued that rural communities offer important insights into education, identity formation, recognition, and the ways in which learning takes place.
Central to the lecture was the emerging concept of Audiencious Learning, which explores how learning is shaped not only by what learners know, but also by the audiences before whom that knowledge is performed, recognised, and given meaning. The concept highlights the influence of teachers, peers, families, and communities in shaping learners’ educational experiences and future aspirations.
Reflecting on the significance of presenting the work at CARIER and in the Northern Cape, Dr Makhetha emphasised the importance of place in producing knowledge.
“One of the central arguments of the lecture is that place matters. Rural schools are often treated as sites where educational theories are applied. My argument is that they are also places from which educational theory can emerge.”
The lecture contributed to broader conversations around rural education, educational justice, knowledge production, and the sociology of learning. It provided a platform for academics, teachers, researchers, and postgraduate students to engage with new ways of thinking about educational transformation and the role of rural communities in shaping the future of learning.
Hosted by CARIER, the engagement reflects Sol Plaatje University’s commitment to advancing research that responds to societal realities and contributes to meaningful change. Through initiatives such as these, the University continues to create spaces where diverse perspectives, local experiences, and scholarly inquiry intersect to generate knowledge that informs educational practice and policy.
Dr Makhetha’s research forms part of a broader scholarly agenda focused on schooling, identity, belonging, and educational futures. His work contributes to ongoing debates within the sociology of education and rurality studies, reinforcing the importance of recognising rural spaces as contributors to knowledge creation and innovation.
