The implementation of foundational provision programmes in a rural based University in South Africa: implications for student academic development practices
- Authors: Marhaya, Luyanda
- Date: 2016-05
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , College student development programs
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24706 , vital:63529
- Description: The purpose was to establish how foundational provision programmes were implemented in a rural based university in South Africa and implications to student development practices. The study was located in the- post- positivism research paradigm, followed a mixed methods research approach and utilised a concurrent triangulation research design. For the qualitative component of the research, participants (academics and Coordinators of the foundation programmes and senior students who had enrolled through foundational provision programmes) were purposively sampled. The sample for the quantitative data comprised all the students who enrolled in foundation provision programmes between the years 2008 to 2011 and mainstream students who had enrolled between the years 2009 and 2012. For qualitative approach, focus group discussions were conducted, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Quantitative data was sought from university institutional data storage warehouse, HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HEMIS). For qualitative approach, the data analysis for all data collection methods was done through thematic analysis. For quantitative approach, a longitudinal analysis was conducted to track and compare two cohorts of mainstream and foundation students in terms of retention, attrition and graduation rates. Quantitative data were analysed statistically by use of descriptive and some inferential statistics. Main findings were that: there was inadequate capacity institutionally for developed systems of admission for students entering foundation programmes, lack of curriculum compliance by different lecturers and lack of knowledge of curriculum reforms by lecturers who teach in foundation level, funding for foundation provision programmes was not adequate and lacked transparency. However, there were adequate recruitment processes in the university for lecturers that teach in foundational foundation provision programme and there was no government interference into how foundation programmes are governed. The study also found that students had experienced the student development practices positively, however, these practices were not enough, and equally most responsive student development practice did not exist at the institution under study. The study also found that there had been consistent funding from government but there was no proper expenditure systems in the institution. The study found that, in terms of graduation rates, the two groups compared relatively the same as there was no significant differences in patterns and trends that were observed. However, retention rates suggest that, in the first year, the two groups perform relatively the same, thereafter, there is a significant difference into how the two groups perform as they proceed to other years, especially the second year, where the mainstream cohort showed better performance than their foundation provision programme counterparts. Consequently, high attrition rates were experienced by foundation provision students than mainstream students, this was also experienced a lot more during the second year and third year transition. The implication of these findings was that due to institutional factors that affect the implementation of foundation programmes, these had notable impact on the attrition and dropout rates on foundation provision students. In addition, due to a lack of responsive student development practices, foundation programmes compared relatively low to their mainstream counterparts in retention. The study has recommended a model that can be implemented in the institution. The first component of the model is to put an admission system in place. Institution has to establish a platform where faculties present development plans for foundation provision programmes. In addition, there should be a dedicated Accountant managing finances of the foundation programme. The institution should establish the Tracking and Monitoring student development practice, establish Writing Centres and Learning Communities and employ more people in the Centre for Higher Education, Teaching and Learning department to ensure full implementation of existing student development practices and those that will be established. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2016
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- Date Issued: 2016-05
Optimising the teaching-learning environment of first-year nursing students at a public nursing college
- Authors: Matshotyana, Ntombiyakhe Victoria
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: College student development programs , Nursing students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
- Identifier: vital:10052 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018274
- Description: Transition from secondary to tertiary education presents unique challenges for first-year nursing students, similar to those experienced by other first-year students at any other tertiary education institution. Nursing students’ experiences are further complicated by the fact that nursing education incorporates almost equal amounts of time for class attendance and clinical practice placement. As a facilitator of learning for first-year nursing students, the researcher had observed how some new students were apprehensive and uncertain in their first year of study at the college. These and other observations, including those of the researcher’s colleagues, prompted the researcher to conduct a study to obtain information on how the first-year students at her college experience their first year of the nursing programme. This study, therefore, examined the experiences of first-year nursing students at a public college in the Eastern Cape Province enrolled in the four-year diploma programme that leads to registration as a nurse and midwife with the South African Nursing Council (SANC). Insights into these experiences were used to develop guidelines for nurse educators to optimise the teaching-learning environment of these students.Kotzé’s (1998) nursing accompaniment theory was used as a theoretical grounding for the study. The study followed a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design. Two of the college’s campuses were sampled for the study. One campus was in a more rural area and the other in a more urban area. Data was collected using purposive sampling of second-year students who were requested to think back to their first year of the nursing programme. Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face, individual interviews were conducted. Interview sessions were digitally recorded and then transcribed verbatim by the researcher. The researcher and an independent coder analysed the transcriptions using Tesch’s method of data analysis. The study’s trustworthiness was demonstrated through the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability and authenticity. The results indicated that students had positive and negative experiences in their first year of the nursing programme. Literature control placed the study’s findings within the existing body of knowledge with regard to students’ experiences of their first year. The students’ suggestions on how to enhance first-year nursing students’ experiences were incorporated into the guidelines that were developed for nurse educators to optimise the teaching-learning environment of first-year nursing students at this college.
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- Date Issued: 2015