Campus In South Africa Research Articles

Decolonising youth ministry models? Challenges and opportunities in Africa

Anyone involved in youth ministry will be able to testify to the fact that no perfect youthministry model exists. Youth ministry models employed should consider the vision, missionand needs of the contexts in which they are to be used. Although not new, the term ‘decolonise’has become a prominent part of African discourses after the 2015 and 2016 student protests atvarious university campuses in South Africa. A strong call to decolonise theology and how wedo church has been included in these calls. Students have argued against a theology andecclesiology that is exclusively based on European and other international foundations. Mychallenge with all these discussions has been discerning the difference between decolonisationand contextualisation within theology. I have often wondered whether those calling for adecolonised theology are actually referring to problems connected to a theology that is notcorrectly contextualised. When I ask whether youth ministry models in Africa should bedecolonised, I do so in the awareness that these models have brought with them both challengesand opportunities for ministry on this continent. Youth ministry models employed in Africaneed to stem from the contextual situations and readings of the biblical text in which they findthemselves. This article is aimed at exploring the work of Scripture Union as a mission-basedyouth ministry model in Africa in view of the present call to decolonise theology.

‘Black Pain is a White Commodity’: Moving beyond postcolonial theory in practical theology: #CaesarMustFall!

Postcolonialism and decolonising campaigns are expressions of human pain on the level of identity confusion (inferiority), ideological abuse (cultural discrimination) and structural oppression (imperialistic exploitation). The slogan ‘Black Pain is a White Commodity’ in the #MustFall campaigns is critically analysed within the framework of postcolonial theory and imperialistic power categories. The basic hypothesis of the article is that in early Christianity, pantokrator images of God were influenced by iconography stemming mostly from the Roman Emperor cult and Egyptian mythology. The power (omnipotence) and dominiumship of God directly and indirectly played a role in Christian imperialistic thinking regarding the expansion of the Kingdom of God and missio Dei strategies during times of European and colonial expansionism. In order to address the quest for ‘moving beyond’ in postcolonial theory, the impact of pantokrator-images of God on ecclesial thinking is researched. In order to contribute to sustainability and stability within the complexity of cultural diversity and current civil unrest on campuses in South Africa, the paracletic notion of compassionate being-with is developed within the framework of practical theological thinking. Instead of a Caesar-depiction, the theological notion of passio Dei is proposed: the decolonialising (post-imperialising) God.

Why students drink: A study of South African University students' drinking behaviour

Little is known about the drinking behaviour of South African university students and education and prevention campaigns are not necessarily based on scientific research results. To change drinking behaviour, it is important to address the drinking motives, alcohol outcome expectancies, and alcohol-related behaviour that hold valence in education and prevention campaigns. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the drinking behaviour of South African university students, and to make recommendations towards the development of persuasive communications that will address drinking motives and alcohol outcomes. The measurement instruments used in the study included the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), the Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire Revised (DEQ-R), and the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised (DMQ-R). Data (n=474) were collected from university students from a single campus in South Africa. The data analyses included independent sample t-tests, ANOVA and partial least squares modelling. The results indicate that students expect an element of tension reduction and an increase in sexual interest when consuming alcohol and that they primarily drink for social and enhancement motives. The influence of positive alcohol outcome expectancies on drinking behaviour is mediated by social and enhancement motives. The study’s findings can be used by universities to develop effective education and responsible drinking programmes.

Food insecurity among students living with HIV: Strengthening safety nets at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

The HIV prevalence in South Africa among students at higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2008 was reported to be 3.4%, with the highest HIV prevalence found in the Eastern Cape Province. Students at these facilities are also increasingly affected by socio-economic constraints that may impact on food security. Little is known about the impact of food insecurity on HIV-infected students in HEIs in South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to describe food insecurity and the nutritional status among HIV-infected students on the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University campuses in South Africa, as well as current initiatives to strengthen the safety nets for food-insecure students. This descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of known HIV-infected, registered students (n = 63), older than 18 years of age and managed as part of the Campus Health Service antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee (NMMU) and participants were included in the sample after providing written, informed consent. Findings indicate that food insecurity was common with more than 60% of the sample reporting food insecurity at the household level during the previous month. Of the sample, 51% were classified as being either overweight or obese. Although food insecurity did not contribute to weight loss in our sample, food-insecure students were more likely to consume inadequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, especially antioxidants that are important in supporting the immune system. Food insecurity has been identified as affecting the majority of HIV-infected students in this study, especially regarding their difficulty in accessing nutritious foods. As overweight and obesity also seem to threaten the health and future well-being of the students, appropriate management of the overweight individuals and those with obesity should be instituted in order to prevent the development of chronic diseases of lifestyle, thus allowing for a healthier more productive life. Current intervention strategies to strengthen food security have made inroads to improve access to healthier food options.

The politics of student housing: Student activism and representation in the determination of the user-price of a public–private partnership residence on a public university campus in South Africa

South African universities have been facing a critical shortage in the provision of studenthousing for several years now, and the establishment of public–private partnerships(PPPs) is seen as part of the solution to address the shortage (Rensburg, 2011). Thisarticle investigates the effectiveness of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) ofthe University of the Western Cape (UWC) in representing student interests during itsnegotiations with university management to reduce the user-price per student for the newKovacs Residence, a PPP student housing complex on the UWC campus. It thus highlightssome of the complexities involved in public–private collaborations on student housingprovision, including the tension between profitability, affordability and equity in the face oforganised student power.The article shows that, considering the various initiatives taken by the SRC to engageuniversity management, and the resulting reduction of the user-price per annum, students’interests were effectively represented by the SRC, even if this view does not correspondwith the perceptions of students. Our analysis uncovers many deficiencies in studentrepresentation processes both within student structures and university management. It issupported by data from in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion. Interviews wereconducted with SRC members and university management, and a focus group discussionwas facilitated with students in residences.

Perceptions of Lecturers on Quality Assurance in Higher Education Teaching and Learning Process

This paper presents a report on investigation carried out to determine the perceptions of lecturers on quality assurance in higher education teaching and learning process. A survey study was conducted on a group of lecturers from one of the higher education institutions Campus in South Africa on their perspective on quality assurance in teaching and learning. As the study was qualitative in nature, interview was used as the main instrument for data collection. The results of the study showed that perception on quality assurance according to the respondents is influenced by several factors including lecturers' income levels, academic qualification and teaching experience, job satisfaction, career achievement, student learning needs, students' knowledge and experience. The significance of the study was the realisation that the perception regarding concept of quality assurance is difficult to define and articulate as the quality of a product or service is concerned with the attributes and characteristics which suppliers and customers expect at the time of production and purchase, as well as during the life of the product or service.

Empowering female students for climate change intervention: The case of University of KwaZulu-Natal ENACTUS

abstractFemale student activists, members of an organisation called ENACTUS, are on the move for community awareness and action on climate change. ENACTUS, an international non-profit student organisation, present in over 1 600 universities, works with students, faculty advisors and business leaders, to harness the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world for communities. Student teams develop outreach projects in accordance with the triple bottom line – “P” for Planet, People and Profit and access resources to improve the quality of life and standard of living of people in need. The research captures the reflections of six female students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville, Edgewood and Pietermaritzburg campuses in South Africa who were involved in ENACTUS climate change initiatives in Umlazi, Wentworth and Umkhumbane where community partnerships were developed for climate change mitigation. In Ukhumbane, an informal settlement, students initiated a process with unemployed women to develop a recycling cooperative and to expand sustainable livelihoods from recycling. In Wentworth, a community experiencing environmental degradation and pollution in South Durban, students led a process to facilitate a programme of tree planting by school learners to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and in nearby Umlazi, a walk was held to mobilise the community around the problems of climate change. The Focus uses a theoretical framework of reflective empowerment practice to understand student narratives on perceptions of the three projects. Students' narratives reveal the interface between the students' awareness of the meanings of climate change, its mediation through community exposure and the importance of gender equality and women's activism in climate change mitigation.

Student Entrepreneurs on University Campus in South Africa: Motivations, Challenges and Entrepreneurial Intention

The objective of the study was to investigate the factors that motivated student entrepreneurs to start business on the campus and the challenges that they face in running their businesses. In addition, the study examined the entrepreneurial intention of student entrepreneurs after leaving the university. The study used the qualitative research technique. In-depth interview method was used for data collection. The results indicated that students are pushed into entrepreneurship. Students are necessity entrepreneurs. Mixing school and business and financial constraints are major challenges. The results also indicated that the majority of student entrepreneurs intend to continue with the present business or start a new business after leaving the university. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p100

The Master’s Dissertation Journey: Experiences of a Group of Part Time Students at One University Campus in South Africa

The postgraduate journey is often a lonely, difficult, frustrating and stressful experience for many part time students, more so for those who lack a strong foundation in research and academic writing skills. Consequently, many students tend to fall by the wayside or fail to complete the dissertation on time. A narrative inquiry was used to explore the experiences of a cohort of six 'pipeline' students enrolled for a Master's degree in Educational Management. The study sought to uncover factors which may have contributed to their 'pipeline status' and their subsequent slow progress once they had embarked on the dissertation. Qualitative data were collected over a period of three years through the students' personal written narratives, verbal reports and text messages, as well as a journal kept by the researcher. Factors which contributed to slow progress in the dissertation journey were mainly academic, personal, administrative, job-related, and financial. However, the journeys culminated in feelings of appreciation and a sense of academic and intellectual achievement. Institutions should provide supportive academic, financial and administrative structures to minimize the incidence of 'pipeline students'.

“I do love him but at the same time I can't eat love”: Sugar daddy relationships for conspicuous consumption amongst urban university students in South Africa

abstract To explore the love-money-power-gender labyrinth, we conducted 10 in-depth interviews with students involved in sugar daddy relationships for conspicuous consumption on an urban university campus in South Africa. We had anticipated that these relationships were not devoid of love and that girls would carve out moments of agency within power dynamics that favoured sugar daddies. However, the students exerted degrees of agency in all phases of the sugar daddy relationship and despite the instrumental relationship imperative; love existed in a variety of manifestations in these relationships. Although students had instigated sugar daddy relationships for conspicuous consumption, during the course of the relationship sugar daddies were transformed from abstract providers to friends, confidants and lovers. Further, if the sugar daddy could no longer provide resources, students would most likely end the romantic relationship, but the friendship would not be terminated. Our analysis demonstrates that an ‘either or’ analysis that situates ‘agency as opposed to power’ or ‘love as opposed to money’ is superficial. It flattens the complexities raised in the vignettes of the girls involved in sugar daddy relationships and is blind to the messy contradictions that girls creatively navigate within structures in their quest for both money and love “at the same time”.

Understanding Accounting Students Cultural Diversity And Its Implication Of The Interpretation Of IFRS

In the global business environment, accountants often adopt accountancy practices to suit their unique cultural and business environments. This aspect often makes the cross-border comparison of financial statements difficult. Several completed research projects conducted has revealed that culture often dictates the accounting environment and based thereupon, it is evident that culture is often closely integrated to accounting development, training and standard setting, as well as the application of accounting standards.This article considers the potential impact of diverse cultural backgrounds, as defined by the Hofstede and Gray methodologies on accountancy students in a cross-national inter-cultural context, including both developed and developing economical contexts. Using a sample consisting of final-year accounting students from two different university campuses in South Africa and a third university in the United Kingdom, our results suggest that culture does indeed play an important role on accounting education; and that it can also affect the acceptance, understanding and interpretation of accounting standards by these students.

An exploratory study of first-year students at a historically black university campus in South Africa: their academic experiences, success and failure

This article reports on a study focusing on the first-year academic experiences, success and failure of a cohort of students at a historically black university campus in South Africa. It examines their academic experiences and factors which influenced their success and failure at the end of the first year. Views were sought from a sample of 100 lecturers and 500 first-year students using quantitative (survey) and qualitative (questionnaire) data collection methods. The results indicate that on the one hand, academic success for this cohort was influenced by class attendance, completion and timely submission of assignments, and group discussions/group work. On the other hand, academic failure was attributed to late submission of assignments, inability to ask questions and poor communication skills. The results also point to a need to pay serious attention to improving the academic learning environment of first-year students in order to enhance students’ chances of success.

Using the World Wide Web to Support Classroom Lectures in a Psychology Course

Information and computing technology is pervasive in tertiary institutions and in the world of work. This short report critically evaluates two website development initiatives for undergraduate psychology modules, developed to support traditional face-to-face psychology lectures. In the first initiative, emphasis was placed on developing supplementary course material and exercises to complement lectures. Students expressed favourable attitudes towards the provision of the supplementary course material and content but less favourable attitudes towards training in how to use the World Wide Web. In the second initiative, emphasis was placed on the interactive qualities of the Web. Students expressed favourable attitudes towards the interactive discussion facilities and the provision of past examination and test papers (and answers). The lessons learned from these initiatives are discussed in relation to access to technology on university campuses in South Africa and in relation to the qualities of the web to facilitate learning.

Racism in higher education in South Africa: A challenge to student counsellors

Abstract The repeal of apartheid legislation applied to education presents new challenges to student counsellors. Given the history of racial conflict that accompanied limited desegregation on campuses in South Africa, one can expect that conflict ivill increase now that any student may freely study at any university. Of necessity, counsellors will need to develop new expertise to deal with conflict arising from racism on campus. Counselling centres will also have to reflect the diversity of the student population, which will require changed university employment policies.

Political education and socialization: A comparative perspective at two Afrikaans universities

Abstract That universities in western societies have a limited impact on the political socialization process has been pointed out time and again by generations of political scientists. It has become increasingly clear that the influence of formal classroom learning on the political attitudes of students is limited. On the other hand, values held by respected members of the university community (or what can be called the university political culture) have been shown to have a substantial effect on the political Weltanschauung of students. Recent research concerning political socialization on two Afrikaans-language campuses in South Africa is discussed. The research reflects to a large extent the findings of mainstream political science, although certain university courses seemed to have left a definite impression on the political attitudes of students at Afrikaans universities. After sketching the extent of the socialization process at these universities, the impact of societal factors on the university en...

Black and white South African university students' perceptions of self and country: An exploratory study

Abstract In this study the personal perceptions and national aspirations of 236 black and white students enrolled at three university campuses in South Africa in 1992 were examined. The Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale was used to determine the best and worst possible outcomes for themselves and their country. Research results indicated: (a) both black and white student respondents were strongly committed to their country at the time of the survey; (b) although the students came from diverse ethnic communities and were linked to society in unique ways, they shared similar national goals; (c) while embracing different political parties, these black and white youth identified with the ideological center; and (d) both black and white students rejected their apartheid past and were optimistic about their own and their country's future. The 'storm and stress' model of youth was not supported in this exploratory study, nor did the heightened era of social change disrupt the black and white students' commit...