Universities In South Africa Research Articles

Psychological capital and orientation to happiness as protective factors for coping among first year university students in South Africa

ABSTRACT First-year students experience various stressors in their attempt to adapt to their new academic environment, which undoubtedly require them to employ effective coping styles. This study was conducted to examine psychological capital (PsyCap) and happiness as predictors of coping among university students. Using a cross-sectional survey, data were collected using standardised questionnaires from 207 students in a public university in South Africa. Data analysed using both simple and standard multiple regression showed that optimism, hope and resilience were associated with productive coping. The study also found that pleasure and meaningful engagement were significantly related to productive coping. The findings of this study underscore the need for interventions that focus on developing constructive psychological resources that will result in the use of more constructive coping strategies when faced with stressors.

Experiences of Academics Working from Home during COVID-19: A Qualitative View from Selected South African Universities

The continuing crisis caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has raised significant challenges for the higher education community globally. In South Africa, the government-forced lockdown measures and social distancing containment policy changed working arrangements across sectors and organisations. As a result, academics were forced to work from home (WFH), a task for which they were hardly prepared. Several researchers have engaged the WFH situation of academics to understand the relationship between WFH and productivity. As far as we know, very few studies have tried to describe academics’ WFH experiences in relation to the challenges, including determining possible ways of improving their satisfaction with working from home. We examine in this article the experiences of academics working from home across selected universities in South Africa. Using a qualitative approach and applying Atlas.ti for data analysis, our findings show that working from home in academia is a daunting task requiring extensive organisational, personal, and social adjustments. The population comprised all academics irrespective of any demographic or personality characteristic within the management faculty of the participating universities to secure the anonymity of the respondents. Five themes—inability to adapt, lack of a home office, loneliness and isolation, inability to balance family and work, and improving satisfaction with work from home—were identified as significant variables from the participants’ responses. Our analysis suggests that organisations need to customise approaches to engage with the experiences of academics who work from home during COVID-19 and to develop fit-for-purpose support for these academics. The study contributes to the growing research exploring the relationship between COVID-19 lockdown and work in higher education.

The Role of Intercultural Education in a Bachelor of Education Program at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa

People of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are now more than ever interacting with one another in work and social situations, mainly remotely during the midst of the pandemic. Intercultural education can prepare student teachers with the tools they need to interact effectively in a variety of intercultural situations with their colleagues, their principles and their students. In Bachelor of Education programs, providing student teachers with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to be able to interact with individuals of different backgrounds and bring out the best in their students is essential. The aim of this narrative study was to understand the role of intercultural education in a Bachelor of Education program and to understand how and if intercultural education principles were implemented. Five student teachers were interviewed to determine how they perceived the role of intercultural education in the Bachelor of Education Program and what their understanding of this concept was. The themes that emerged from the findings were intercultural education was perceived as: (1) Awareness of the diversity of the students’ backgrounds and (2) Engaging in practical activities and (3) Principles of intercultural education were embedded in some course modules but were not practical, (4) Challenges and (5) Suggestions. Overall, it was found that principles of intercultural education were implemented in the Bachelor of Education program to an extent, but the student teachers felt there was room for more focused activities specifically related to intercultural education.

Students’ Perceptions of Factors Influencing the Adoption and Use of ICT in Learning during COVID-19 at One Rural Based South African University

This study examines students’ perceptions of factors influencing the adoption and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning during Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) at one rural based South African University. To continue with learning under the COVID-19 pandemic conditions higher education institutions migrated to online teaching and learning platforms. The transition towards online learning took place in background where even prior COVID 19 most institutions were faced with the challenge of promoting students’ adoption and use of ICT in their learning. The Technology Acceptability Model (TAM) is an information system theory that looks at various individual aspects that influence actual technology usage and acceptance. As such, there is a growing research interest to explore students’ perceptions of factors that influence their use of ICT in their learning at higher education institutions subsequently studies that focuses on rural based context are still limited. Resultantly, guided by the theoretical constructs from the TAM this study applied a census approach and used a quantitative technique to examine the perception that affect students’ acceptance and use of ICT in their learning. The study discovered a significant correlation between attitude towards use (U), perceived ease of use (PEOU), behavioural intention (BI), and perceived usefulness (PU), all of which have a substantial impact on students' perceptions and acceptance of ICT use in their learning. Nonetheless, the results showed that no significant correlations exist between external variables (EV) and ICT actual system uses. Based on these findings, this study concluded that insights from the findings on students’ the adoption and use of ICT in learning is affected by several perceptions, behavioural intention, and perceived ease of use of technology. Such insights provide policy makers with an indication of students’ perceptions that should be considered when designing strategies an polices aimed at enhancing student’s adoption and use of technology in learning in rural based South Africa University during and post COVID-19 pandemic.

"A Case Report on a Dead Man Walking in a Rural University of South Africa"

"A Case Report on a Dead Man Walking in a Rural University of South Africa"

A Holistic Approach to Youth Ministry Models in Africa

Abstract Youth ministry continues to be a salient focus area in theological research and practical ministry. This paper focuses on faith formation of young people in urban African cities, with a specific focus on Nairobi. Within the urban African context, plural worldviews and religious belonging, technological integration in youth culture, youth marginalization and mental health complexities, especially in a post-covid context, are critical factors in any meaningful youth engagement. This paper considers the contemporary youth ministry research in Africa, examining the classical youth ministry models that have been proposed and drawing out themes that should be considered for a holistic approach to faith formation among youth in African cities. This research summarizes research findings of the author from his doctoral research in Practical Theology at the University of South Africa, titled The Influence of Youth Culture on Holistic Faith Formation of Youth in Nairobi City: A Practical Theological Approach.

Health Course Lecturers Managing Online Teaching in a Historically Disadvantaged University in South Africa: The Raging Waves

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) required the sudden closing of educational institutions to save lives. Universities had to adopt and adapt to new teaching strategies to ensure that no learner was left behind. The purpose of this study is to describe the challenges experienced by university lecturers teaching health courses in adopting online teaching strategies. The objective of the study is to explore challenges experienced by university health course lecturers in a university from South Africa in managing online teaching platforms and the strategies employed by them to enhance online teaching. The study adopted a qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach engaging six purposefully sampled lecturers teaching health courses in a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa. Data were obtained through online methods such as blackboard meetings, in addition to face-to-face and telephone interviews. Preliminary findings revealed both positive and negative experiences in offering health courses online. Positive experiences included flexible time management, fuel-saving, and multi-tasking. Negative experiences included challenges such as lack of experience in designing online content, lack of knowledge to create a conducive teaching environment, students’ incapacity to engage in learning tools, poor lecturer-student interaction, and difficulty integrating theory into practice. So far, it has been concluded that a sudden shift to online teaching needs to consider the skill-level of lecturers, learners, and the courses offered. A one size fits all approach may not be an option.

Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic on Selected Rural University Students’ Emotional Lives: A South African Perspective from a Global Study

The emotional lives of students are paramount in that it influences their learning abilities as well as their academic performance. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have affected the emotional lives of students, especially those in rural areas. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 on the emotional lives of students in a selected rural university in South Africa. A quantitative research approach was adopted whereby questionnaires were used to collect data from 274 undergraduate students who were selected through simple random sampling technique. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and themes. The study findings indicate that many of the students are no longer as joyful and hopeful as they used to be because they are not in touch with their fellow students nor with their lecturers. Students are frustrated, with rising degrees of anger and anxiety. The study recommends, amongst other things, the need for the services of counsellors to be engaged at the rural university so that students can receive counselling regarding these problems.

Equity in Admissions Policies of Undergraduate Students in Post Democracy in Selected South African Universities

This paper investigates the policy pathways that inform and regulate student selection and admission at three selected universities in South Africa, namely the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Cape Town and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. We argue that these universities have progressed a long way in addressing the race problem in their enrolment strategies. However, their main target group remains students from rich or affluent communities, to the exclusion of potentially good students from marginalised groups, particularly those from under-resourced township and rural schools. As a result, their main challenge in the context of formal access to higher education in South Africa has largely shifted from a race problem to one of social class. This is due to an overemphasis on narrow conceptions of merit that cannot be reconciled with equity and social justice concerns. The paper suggests that current notions of merit warrant reconceptualization in order to embrace these missing dimensions. While there is plenty of evidence that most institutions agree on the need to embrace a particular form of affirmative action to address current social imbalances, given the fierce contestation of redress policies within the South African higher education sector, they find it difficult to develop and implement adequate admission strategies in practice.

The Black African female student fighting for survival: Gendered and cultural challenges of online learning

abstract With the onset of the pandemic, online learning has become the default means of education from primary school to tertiary level. In the quest for the education system to continue, a swift transition to online learning was made and both students and educators were left scrambling. Through my lecturing experience I witnessed ways in which online learning has been a crippling experience for many students, leaving them to face a host of challenges. Not only are they dealing with trying to piece together some kind of educational experience, but many students’ lives have been severely impacted by socio-economic factors. Household responsibilities and chores, which mostly fall on the shoulders of Black African female learners, have a severe impact on their ability to participate in the online learning space. Many students living in remote rural areas are unable to access the internet due to limited network connectivity. Several students are also learning from home in conditions that are not conducive to online learning, such as cramped living conditions with no access to proper water and sanitation. Online education gives the illusion of inclusivity, but it truly is an exclusive experience that can only be afforded by the rich. This paper takes the form of an educator’s reflective perspective on online learning at a university in South Africa, and particularly focuses on the Black African female educators’ and the Black African female students’ experiences.

The Academic Boycott of Israel: Juxtaposing Academic Freedom and Human Rights in International Relations

ABSTRACT This article juxtaposes the principle of academic freedom with the call for an academic boycott of Israel to advance Palestinian human rights. It examines the controversy surrounding a conference that took place at Stellenbosch University in South Africa in 2018, where an Israeli delegation was disinvited from presenting a research symposium following calls for an academic boycott. The article is an analysis of the media responses of academic leaders, activists, and social commentators in Israel and South Africa to the cancellation of the Israeli symposium at the conference. The argument advanced is that scholarship is influenced, facilitated and restrained by political systems, and that the academy is more accurately viewed as a political space where some wield power while others do not. The case is made that universities and academic conferences function as a consequence of historical and political forces and reflect the challenges with which states constantly engage.

Linear Predictors of Perceived Graduate Employability among South Africa’s Rural Universities’ Learners during the Covid-19 Pandemic

After the outbreak of Covid-19, universities in South Africa adopted blended learning and learning continued online. The outbreak of Covid-19 brought to light inherent problems that South African rural universities are facing in the utilisation of educational technologies. These problems include inadequate online support technologies, inadequate electricity supply and poor educator and learner technological skills. Resultantly, questions have been raised on rural university graduates’ employability prospects and how these can be enhanced. This study provides evidence revealing that learner career ambition can be used as an intervention mechanism to enhance graduate employability among rural university learners. This study sought to determine whether online teaching and learning predict perceived graduate employability among rural university learners in South Africa. In addition, the study investigated whether learner career ambition moderates the relationship between online teaching and learning and perceived graduate employability. Quantitative data was gathered from 150 rural university undergraduate learners. Random sampling was used to select them. A survey approach was used to gather primary data and the research instrument was a self-administered questionnaire. Simple linear regression, and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Results reveal that online teaching and learning predict perceived graduate employability, and learner career ambition negatively moderates the relationship between online teaching and learning. The study recommends that more research is needed to shed light on how ambition can be used to enhance graduate employability especially in online teaching and learning environments marred by poor information and communication technology infrastructure.

Analisis Bibliometrik Pada Riset Keuangan Inklusif Dalam Tiga Dekade

Research on financial enclusion was first indexed in Scopus in 1984, in the form of a conference paper. This study aims to explain the development of inclusive financial literature in the form of scientific publicist indexed by scopus in the last three decades. The population of this study was recorded as many as 1,681 documents indexed by scopus from 1984 to 2020 in the form of articles, conference papers, book chapters, reviews and other publications. This research includes descriptive quantitative using bibliometric analysis approach. Data is analyzed using VOSviewer software. Research findings based on bibliometric analysis: recorded 3,013 authors, and 4,462 different keywords; Publications relevant to this topic, of which the highest number in 2020 are 372 articles; the most publicity sources containing related topics are Economic and Political Weekly; The most productive author is Munene J.C with 17 documents; The largest number of affiliates come from the Faculty of Finance, Risk Management and Banking, University of South Africa, South Africa. The largest number by author's country of origin is from India. Research conclusions: First, scientific research on inclusive financial topics has experienced very significant developments, especially in the last 1 decade from 2011 to 2020 consistently experiencing growth every year. Second, bibliometric visualization of network maps based on: a) author (document = 22 clusters, country = 12 clusters), b) keywords (10 clusters), c) citations (document =181 clusters, authors = 14 clusters), d) bibliography couplings (document = 104 clusters, author = 3 clusters), and co-citation (cited author = 6 clusters).

Potential of space science technology for water infrastructure management

This article examines the potential of space science technology for water infrastructure (WI) management. It defines space technology in detail, and when South Africa (SA) started using it as a tool. To explain the context, the different types of orbits, altitudes, and functions of satellites are given, as well as the challenges that satellites encounter in orbit, including the quantity and sizes of orbital debris also known as space junk. The article articulates the international and local challenges to WI and further introduces space technology as a tool that can assist to overcome the challenges. Legislation governing the application of space technology in SA is discussed and the different satellites owned by the various space agencies of Africa are outlined. A discussion on how space technology has boosted the economies and employment in Africa and South Africa is provided. How the various applications of the technology, such as remote sensing (RS), Earth observation (Eo), Geo-Information sciences, navigation, communication, safety, and security can assist WI management are discussed. Details about the involvement of various African and SA universities and colleges in space science programmes that benefit the communities are explained. Also outlined are some experiments performed on the International Space Station (ISS) that benefit the Earth and that could be useful to WI management.

Learning Mathematics through WhatsApp Groups in University Preparatory Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examined the impact of learning through social media (WhatsApp learning groups) on university students' mathematics achievements in the first-year university preparatory program when they engaged in some form of social media learning interaction compared with students who did the same module with a traditional face-to-face interaction learning approach. The study was undertaken using a quantitative research method. It employed a randomised Post-Test-Only with a Non-equivalent Groups design to investigate the only statistically significant difference between university students who studied through the traditional face-to-face lecturing approach and students who utilised a blended approach to learning mathematics. The study population comprised first-year university students enrolled for the university extended programme offered by all universities in South Africa. The sample consisted of 192 experimental groups and 341 control group students conveniently sampled from a university in South Africa. The main instruments used in this study were two standardised semester exams. These tests were checked and moderated by senior mathematics lecturers to ensure they conformed with the module content and satisfied all assessment policies of the university. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to measure the consistencies in these two-semester exams. The study's main finding showed no statistically significant difference in results between students who studied Mathematics through a face-to-face lecturing approach and students who studied mathematics through a blended learning approach. The study concludes that the latter performed slightly better than students in the former, confirming that a WhatsApp learning group can be a viable alternative to the teaching and learning at the university when face-to-face learning is not possible, as for an example in the Covid-19 era. The study recommends that more profound research be conducted to identify and analyse positive indicators when learning is done through social media interaction.

Transition to Emergency Online Learning in SA: Reflection of Historically Black Universities

The year 2020 witnessed an unprecedented and rapid change in education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has forced almost all learning institutions to make an abrupt transformation to a remote learning pedagogy due to health precautions to control the spread of COVID-19 and save the academic year. Despite the evidence that remote learning makes work easier, this new content delivery method caught most universities off guard, especially those referred to as Historically Black Universities in South Africa. An in-depth literature review of the existing body of knowledge was applied to investigate HBUs and their ability to navigate the transition from face-to-face learning to remote teaching and learning. Results indicate that lecturers and students in HBUs encountered several challenges in adapting to remote teaching & learning due to constrained resources and severe lack of access to data and skills in using teaching and learning technologies. Therefore, it is recommended that academic staff undergo technology-related professional development to ensure successful integration and improved pedagogical practices. Additionally, improvements in ICT infrastructure among HBUs post-COVID-19 remain critical and should be considered in the transition to online teaching and learning.

Improving Research Outputs for a University Nursing Department using Mutingati: An Ubuntu Perspective

Institutions of higher learning employ various strategies to increase their outputs. However, the increase in research output remains a challenging task in nursing academia and can be attributed to poor working approaches such as lack of teamwork and collectivism. Therefore, creative and collaborative initiatives to improve research outputs are needed. Amongst them, mutingati was seen as a groundbreaking initiative to promote teamwork and collaboration to achieve a common purpose of increasing research output in the nursing academia. This paper aims to report the impact of adopting community of practice strategy using an indigenous knowledge practice of mutingati to improve the research output of nursing department at a selected university in South Africa. A narrative case study research design was used to report the impact of adopting community of practice strategy using an indigenous knowledge practice of mutingati to improve the research output for a nursing department at a selected university nursing department. Data was collected from the yearly reports which highlighted the achievements and substantial increment in the number of publications and students who completed their research studies in record time. The adoption of mutingati improved proposal development by students and academic staff reviews, resulting in collaborative group writing and an increase in the number of articles published in accredited peer-reviewed journals, multi-stakeholder collaborations, community engagement, and dialogue facilitation. The community of practice strategy in mutingati was confirmed by academic staff to be an effective approach to improve research outputs, provided it is designed to promote teamwork and is based on the principles of Ubuntu. This paper recommends that mutingati should be considered by institutions intending to empower novice academics, scholars, and researchers to improve productivity and increase research outputs in various research fields.

Experiences of Former Markers of Undergraduate Assignments and Examinations at A University: A Case Study

PurposeThe present study explored experiences of former markers of undergraduate assignments and examinations at the University of South Africa (Unisa). MethodologyQualitative method of research was used to gather data. Colaizzi’s method (1978) was used to analyze and interpret data. The article’s frame of reference was informed by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory which is aligned to critical theory (Mezirow 2009).FindingsFindings were based on the following: Demographic information, markers’ experiences in marking assignments and exam books, content knowledge, markers’ meetings, duration of marking assignments and examination books as well as students support, and suggestions are the themes that emerged from the data that was gathered.OriginalityIt is recommended that the university must develop a policy for external markers for marking assignments and examinations of undergraduate program. All E-tutors must be trained to support students after the official closure of registration and before examinations are set. All markers must be trained - through a markers’ guide - to mark assignments and examination books.

Interpretive description of recreational therapy within the curricula of selected healthcare professions in South Africa

ABSTRACT In South Africa (SA), recreational therapy (RT)/therapeutic recreation (TR) as profession ended in June 1978 and currently remains unrecognized as a profession. Some of the existing health professions in SA may provide services similar to those of RT/TR as practised in the United States of America (USA). In particular, the scopes of practice of biokinetics (a SA profession similar to clinical exercise physiology), physiotherapy and occupational therapy show some similarities to the international concept of RT/TR. The study aimed to interpret and describe RT/TR, as practised in the USA, within the curricula of biokinetics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The credentialing document for the speciality of RT/TR published by the US National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification: Certification Standards: Information for New Applicants, 2018 was subjected to inductive content analysis, followed by a deductive analysis of the biokinetics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy curricula detailed in the yearbooks of seven SA universities. Some similarities were observed between the requirements of RT/TR in the USA and biokinetics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy curricula, especially in terms of foundational knowledge. However, knowledge about recreation, specifically RT/TR, was lacking from the biokinetics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy curricula, suggesting that RT/TR is not featured in them.

Inclusion of digital records in the archives and records management curricula in a comprehensive open distance e-learning environment

Recent developments in the knowledge economy impact on the archival profession globally. Key components of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), such as blockchain technology and artificial intelligence are influencing the manner and context in which digital records in organisations are managed. This has necessitated the University of South Africa, a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), through the Department of Information Science, to evaluate and recurriculate its postgraduate programme in archives and records management. The key aim of this recurriculation was to ensure alignment with international trends and practices in digital records management practices. The revised programme offers graduates an opportunity to keep abreast with various technological and digital records discipline-related developments with reference to knowledge and information governance, data curatorship and management, as well as archival diplomatics and digital records forensics. This qualitative study used literature review, as well as personal experiences to explore the revision of an archives and records management curriculum in a CODeL environment to make it relevant to technological transformations unique to the 4IR. In our analysis, we recommend the inclusion of computational archival science in the responsive curriculum, to enable graduates to acquire skills in the application of technological tools, methods and resources pertaining to digital records processing, analysis, storage, long-term preservation, and access. The focus of the recurriculation was to improve the efficiency, productivity, and precision in support of appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, and access towards enhanced digital records management practices. The study also reports on the framework for team approach in the development of the programme, as well as elements of transformation to reflect Africanisation in the curriculum.