The role of psychosocial factors in academic performance of first year psychology students at a historically white university
- Authors: Dlamini, Sipho Solomon
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Rhodes University -- Students , Academic achievement , Undergraduates -- South Africa , Dropouts -- South Africa , College students -- South Africa , Psychology students -- South Africa , Minorities -- Education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5150 , vital:20781
- Description: The success rate of students in higher education has been a cause for concern in South Africa (Letseka & Maile, 2008; Department of Higher Education and Training, 2015). This has been particularly concerning for first-year students, where the rate of attrition is especially high (Letseka, Cosser, Breier, and Visser, 2010). A number of factors have been identified in past research as having an effect on academic performance, which influences attrition and graduation. These factors include age (Justice, & Dornan, 2001), gender (Buchmann, & DiPrete, 2006), socio-economic status which is confounded by race (Letseka & Breier, 2008), type of educational background (Spreen, & Vally, 2006), and whether a student is a domestic or international student (Li, Chen, Duanmu, 2009), social capital (Young & Strelitz, 2014), whether the student is a first language speaker of the language of instruction at the university (Snowball, and Boughey, 2012), student wellbeing (Quinn, & Duckworth, 2007), locus of control (Findley, & Cooper, 1983), and frequency of lecture attendance (van Wallbeek, 2004). The study was conducted at Rhodes University, a small historically white South African institution. For this study, academic performance was measured using the participant’s midyear exam results for an introductory psychology cause, a course that straddles faculties. Of the 690 students registered for the course, 361 (52%) completed an electronic survey that explored the various factors associated with academic performance. A hierarchical regression analysis indicates that pre-university factors (age, gender, race, nationality, language, type of school, and socio-economic status) were the only significant predictors of academic performance, contributing 11% of the effect. Race and nationality, when all the other factors were controlled for, were the only predictors of academic performance. The implications of these findings pose troubling questions of the institutional culture at the university.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Dlamini, Sipho Solomon
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Rhodes University -- Students , Academic achievement , Undergraduates -- South Africa , Dropouts -- South Africa , College students -- South Africa , Psychology students -- South Africa , Minorities -- Education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5150 , vital:20781
- Description: The success rate of students in higher education has been a cause for concern in South Africa (Letseka & Maile, 2008; Department of Higher Education and Training, 2015). This has been particularly concerning for first-year students, where the rate of attrition is especially high (Letseka, Cosser, Breier, and Visser, 2010). A number of factors have been identified in past research as having an effect on academic performance, which influences attrition and graduation. These factors include age (Justice, & Dornan, 2001), gender (Buchmann, & DiPrete, 2006), socio-economic status which is confounded by race (Letseka & Breier, 2008), type of educational background (Spreen, & Vally, 2006), and whether a student is a domestic or international student (Li, Chen, Duanmu, 2009), social capital (Young & Strelitz, 2014), whether the student is a first language speaker of the language of instruction at the university (Snowball, and Boughey, 2012), student wellbeing (Quinn, & Duckworth, 2007), locus of control (Findley, & Cooper, 1983), and frequency of lecture attendance (van Wallbeek, 2004). The study was conducted at Rhodes University, a small historically white South African institution. For this study, academic performance was measured using the participant’s midyear exam results for an introductory psychology cause, a course that straddles faculties. Of the 690 students registered for the course, 361 (52%) completed an electronic survey that explored the various factors associated with academic performance. A hierarchical regression analysis indicates that pre-university factors (age, gender, race, nationality, language, type of school, and socio-economic status) were the only significant predictors of academic performance, contributing 11% of the effect. Race and nationality, when all the other factors were controlled for, were the only predictors of academic performance. The implications of these findings pose troubling questions of the institutional culture at the university.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
A critical analysis of the examining of poetry in the English First Language Higher Grade course at senior secondary level in Cape Education Department schools
- Authors: Clarke, Linda Colleen
- Date: 1993
- Subjects: Examinations -- South Africa -- Evaluation English poetry -- Examinations English poetry -- Study and teaching (Secondary -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1473 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003354
- Description: The study of poetry has become entrenched in most secondary school English syllabuses, including the English First Language Higher Grade syllabus of the Cape Education Department. This acceptance of poetry as a part of the formal academic programme has, however, been accompanied by a demand that could be considered contrary to the spirit of poetry: that an examination should conclude the study. The problem is exacerbated if this examination is set and controlled by an external body, since the nature and objectives of a standardised, mass examination frequently conflict sharply with the aims of studying poetry. The implications of such control over the examining of poetry go beyond this, however. These include the defining and narrowing of the course of study by means of lists of prescribed poems selected by a committee often far removed from the world of the candidates and the significant combined effect of these lists and the style of questioning adopted by the external examiners on methods of teaching. Furthermore, the influence of the external examination is not restricted to the final year of study; the approach to poetry during the entire senior secondary course (of three years) tends to conform to the pattern laid down by the final examination paper. This domination of the external examination over the study of poetry is acknowledged but not condoned. There is undoubtedly a need for further research into alternative ways of assessing a poetry course. In the face of reality, however, this study seeks to identify and analyse the many features of external control that influence the study of poetry; and to consider ways in which examinations in poetry can be devised, approached and used to the best effect in order to fulfil the aims of studying poetry. The most important of these aims are held to be the pleasure and enjoyment of personal engagement with a poem, where there is a meeting of minds, a generation and deepening of emotion and feeling, extension of awareness and stimulation of imagination.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1993
- Authors: Clarke, Linda Colleen
- Date: 1993
- Subjects: Examinations -- South Africa -- Evaluation English poetry -- Examinations English poetry -- Study and teaching (Secondary -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1473 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003354
- Description: The study of poetry has become entrenched in most secondary school English syllabuses, including the English First Language Higher Grade syllabus of the Cape Education Department. This acceptance of poetry as a part of the formal academic programme has, however, been accompanied by a demand that could be considered contrary to the spirit of poetry: that an examination should conclude the study. The problem is exacerbated if this examination is set and controlled by an external body, since the nature and objectives of a standardised, mass examination frequently conflict sharply with the aims of studying poetry. The implications of such control over the examining of poetry go beyond this, however. These include the defining and narrowing of the course of study by means of lists of prescribed poems selected by a committee often far removed from the world of the candidates and the significant combined effect of these lists and the style of questioning adopted by the external examiners on methods of teaching. Furthermore, the influence of the external examination is not restricted to the final year of study; the approach to poetry during the entire senior secondary course (of three years) tends to conform to the pattern laid down by the final examination paper. This domination of the external examination over the study of poetry is acknowledged but not condoned. There is undoubtedly a need for further research into alternative ways of assessing a poetry course. In the face of reality, however, this study seeks to identify and analyse the many features of external control that influence the study of poetry; and to consider ways in which examinations in poetry can be devised, approached and used to the best effect in order to fulfil the aims of studying poetry. The most important of these aims are held to be the pleasure and enjoyment of personal engagement with a poem, where there is a meeting of minds, a generation and deepening of emotion and feeling, extension of awareness and stimulation of imagination.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1993
A critical investigation into the methods of determining sulphur in plant material
- Authors: Smith, Anthony John Hibbert
- Date: 1962
- Subjects: Plants -- Effect of sulfur on , Plants -- Nutrition , Sulfur
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4520 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1014526
- Description: Although sulphur is one of the more abundant elements present in plants, its importance as a plant nutrient has been underestimated until comparatively recently. Scientific literature over the past few years, however, shows that interest in the determination of sulphur in natural waters, soil and plant materials has been renewed. Perhaps the main reason for the non-recognition of the importance of sulphur as a plant nutrient is the fact that sulphur-deficiency seldom occurs since sufficient sulphur is usually added to the soil in rainfall (particularly near industrial towns) to supply all the sulphur requirements of plants. In addition, sulphur is frequently present in fertilizers added to soils to counteract deficiency in other elements, especially phosphorus. Superphosphates, for example contain up to 60%, gypsum. Sulphur is also added to the soil in some instances in order to reduce the soil pH, the elemental sulphur being fairly readily oxidised in the soil to sulphuric acid. The organic fraction in the soil also contains sulphur. , [From Introduction]. Although sulphur is one of the more abundant elements present in plants, its importance as a plant nutrient has been underestimated until comparatively recently. Scientific literature over the past few years, however, shows that interest in the determination of sulphur in natural waters, soil and plant materials has been renewed. Perhaps the main reason for the non-recognition of the importance of sulphur as a plant nutrient is the fact that sulphur-deficiency seldom occurs since sufficient sulphur is usually added to the soil in rainfall (particularly near industrial towns) to supply all the sulphur requirements of plants. In addition, sulphur is frequently present in fertilizers added to soils to counteract deficiency in other elements, especially phosphorus. Superphosphates, for example contain up to 60%, gypsum. Sulphur is also added to the soil in some instances in order to reduce the soil pH, the elemental sulphur being fairly readily oxidised in the soil to sulphuric acid. The organic fraction in the soil also contains sulphur.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1962
- Authors: Smith, Anthony John Hibbert
- Date: 1962
- Subjects: Plants -- Effect of sulfur on , Plants -- Nutrition , Sulfur
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4520 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1014526
- Description: Although sulphur is one of the more abundant elements present in plants, its importance as a plant nutrient has been underestimated until comparatively recently. Scientific literature over the past few years, however, shows that interest in the determination of sulphur in natural waters, soil and plant materials has been renewed. Perhaps the main reason for the non-recognition of the importance of sulphur as a plant nutrient is the fact that sulphur-deficiency seldom occurs since sufficient sulphur is usually added to the soil in rainfall (particularly near industrial towns) to supply all the sulphur requirements of plants. In addition, sulphur is frequently present in fertilizers added to soils to counteract deficiency in other elements, especially phosphorus. Superphosphates, for example contain up to 60%, gypsum. Sulphur is also added to the soil in some instances in order to reduce the soil pH, the elemental sulphur being fairly readily oxidised in the soil to sulphuric acid. The organic fraction in the soil also contains sulphur. , [From Introduction]. Although sulphur is one of the more abundant elements present in plants, its importance as a plant nutrient has been underestimated until comparatively recently. Scientific literature over the past few years, however, shows that interest in the determination of sulphur in natural waters, soil and plant materials has been renewed. Perhaps the main reason for the non-recognition of the importance of sulphur as a plant nutrient is the fact that sulphur-deficiency seldom occurs since sufficient sulphur is usually added to the soil in rainfall (particularly near industrial towns) to supply all the sulphur requirements of plants. In addition, sulphur is frequently present in fertilizers added to soils to counteract deficiency in other elements, especially phosphorus. Superphosphates, for example contain up to 60%, gypsum. Sulphur is also added to the soil in some instances in order to reduce the soil pH, the elemental sulphur being fairly readily oxidised in the soil to sulphuric acid. The organic fraction in the soil also contains sulphur.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1962
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