Browsing by Author "Troskie-de Bruin, Christel"

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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.