Department of Curriculum Studies

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Browsing Department of Curriculum Studies by browse.metadata.advisor "Botha, H. L."

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    Academic development : bridging at a South African University
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1999-12) Troskie-de Bruin, Christel; Botha, H. L.; Cilliers, C. D.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study two of the academic development initiatives of the University of Stellenbosch, namely the Gencor Bridging Programme (GBP) and the foundation programme (FP) were investigated. The GBP is a four-week bridging programme that is held annually during January, before the start of the academic year. The main purpose of this programme is to channel students into appropriate programmes. The FP forms part of the extended curriculum. Students who participate in the FP follow a programme that is extended over a longer period and provides additional support modules during the first year. A two-pronged research approach was followed, which consisted of both a quantitative and qualitative investigation. The purpose of the quantitative research was to investigate the influence of the GBP and FP on students' academic performance and persistence. A control group of mainstream students with a cultural and educational background similar to that of the GBP and/or FP participants was used during the quantitative investigation. The aim of the qualitative investigation was to establish how the GBP and FP are perceived by the students and to identify some of the factors that influence student performance both positively and negatively. The main findings of the quantitative research were that there was no consistent pattern in the fluctuation in students' academic performance at different year levels, and that the influence of the GBP and FP on students' persistence seemed to be positive during the first year, but the long-term influence on student performance could not be established with certainty. The main findings of the qualitative investigation were that students perceived both the GBP and the FP to be of greater social than academic value, and that students relied mainly on peers from their own cultural group for academic and emotional support.
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    Student academic underpreparedness at some technikons in South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-12) Nakasa, Dennis Sipho; Ridge, E.; Botha, H. L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigates the problem of student academic underpreparedness (SAU), which constitutes one of the hindrances to academic success at technikons, at five technikons in SA. The research design and methodology outlined in Chapter 1 identify three subproblems as underpinning SAU. Subproblem one lists six SAU subtypes. The sixth subtype, in particular, was identified as a critical one in that it can perpetuate a regressionary etiology of a cycle of failure at school and technikon. Subproblem two postulates that technikon pre-entry selection criteria make implicit assumptions about student underpreparedness. Chapter 2 reviews salient literature on second language (English) acquisition (SLA) and the acquisition of scientific concepts or higher order thinking skills. Chapter 3 reviews contemporary literature on SAU reversal of academic and vocational skill impairment. The argument is presented that recognition of prior learning (RPL) experience should be extended to an acknowledgement of students' indigenous knowledge systems (lKS). Empirical data were gathered from five technikons, two from the Western Cape, two from the Eastern Cape and one from KwaZulu Natal. Quantitative and qualitative research survey methodologies were employed to gather and analyse data. Methods used were a questionnaire on student learning administered to students and interviews with technikon staff. Chapter 5 discusses the data presented in Chapter 4 in relation to the problems and hypotheses postulated in Chapter 1, as well as to second language acquisition (SLA) and scientific or higher order thinking skills acquisition. Chapter 6 reports on the findings and makes recommendations for future research. Since it seems that proximal (intrinsic) underpreparedness has a substantial effect on SAU, a longitudinal study should be undertaken so that an academic underpreparedness indicator (AUI) can be designed. Concerted expert mediation of academic tasks and \ strategies should be provided since these play a critical role in developing students' capacity for successful performance at technikon level.