Universities In South Africa Research Articles

Ubuntu Is a Critical Component in the Fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Tuberculosis Stigma: Nursing Students' Perceptions.

Stigma is one of the documented barriers to achieving universal access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) prevention, treatment, care, and support programs. The lack of African social theories to emphasize these issues may be the cause of the continent's failure to reduce stigma. We can use Ubuntu, an African philosophy that emphasizes sociability and ethics, to deepen our understanding of how to reduce HIV- and TB-related stigma in South Africa. In many African regions, Ubuntu values and principles were found to assist in reducing problems related to HIV. Ubuntu is a comprehensive phrase used by Africans to signify the characteristics that incorporate the core human virtues of compassion and humanity. We explored the perceptions of nursing students regarding the use of Ubuntu in the fight against HIV and TB stigma. Qualitative participatory research was used to engage all first- and second-level nursing students enrolled for the 2023 academic year at the selected university in South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants. An interactive workshop was used to gather data. The data from the recordings and flip charts were analysed together. Throughout the study, trustworthiness and ethical principles were upheld. Two primary themes emerged as expressions of Ubuntu in relation to a reduction in HIV and TB stigma and recognition of Ubuntu as a tool to combat stigma associated with HIV and TB. This confirms that within Ubuntu, there are elements that might be applied to reduce stigma attached to HIV and TB.

Investigating green initiatives at South African public universities

Purpose: All institutions of higher learning including public universities in South Africa must participate in green programmes in order to be considered socially responsible. This requires a better understanding of the green environment and green initiatives. Hence, the primary objective is to identify and investigate the existing green initiatives implemented at South African universities.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study investigated five key green initiatives: 1) Renewable energy generation and consumption. 2) Water-saving technology and consumption. 3) Waste management. 4) Sustainable buildings. 5) Personnel training and awareness creation. A five-point Likert scale collected data across 18 criteria measuring the five green initiatives. University managers completed and returned 149 questionnaires but only 144 were usable.
 Findings: The data has marginal reliability (α=0.412), acceptable sample adequacy (KMO=0.531) and significance at the 95% confidence level (p≤0.05). The results show that universities implement 20-25% of their green initiatives. The exploratory factor analysis identified seven factors explaining a cumulative variance of 56.14%. They are: 1) Recovering natural resources and recycling. 2) Supportive infrastructure. 3) Reallocation of resources. 4) Conservation of natural resources. 5) Leadership involvement and improved communication. 6) Improved technology.7) Efficient use of financial resources.
 Conclusion: This research contributes to the "going green at universities" of knowledge in South Africa. It is valuable to students, researchers, communities and the department of education in their pursuit to implement green initiatives at universities.

Dual sport career experiences of student-athletes studying in South Africa and the USA

Background: Institutions of higher education are hubs for student-athletes pursuing dual careers, in sports and higher education. The concepts of dual careers, transition models and support systems for student sports provide the conceptual framework for this study.Objectives: The study investigated the dual sports career experiences of South African track and field student-athletes who studied at universities in South Africa and the United States of America (USA). Objectives determined satisfaction in terms of student-athlete support systems in their chosen localities.Method: This qualitative study used a purposive sample of 12 participants from a general population of South African junior track and field athletes who pursued dual careers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews.Results: The respondents found the US National Association Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports system superior to the South African sports system. The dual-career student-athletes transitioning through the last two stages of the South African Long-Term Athlete Development model reported a lack of support that negatively impacted the success of their dual career balance.Conclusion: The South African context of student sport is not generally conducive to creating and enabling a dual sports–academic career environment because of insufficient contextual, processional and sports-specific factors. The participants perceived the NCAA system of student sport as holistic and supportive of their dual-career development.Contribution: This study adds to the limited pool of knowledge relating to the dual-career development of student-athletes, and provides a base line for future research studies.

Access, equity and redress: Towards a sustainable funding framework for public universities in South Africa

AbstractThis article aims to understand how access, equity and redress challenges are addressed at South Africa's public universities based on their current funding frameworks. Relying on a pragmatic research approach combining desk‐research literature review and secondary data analysis, government funding and tuition fees were found to be the primary sources of funding in most universities, while third stream income from universities' own commercial activities lagged far behind. Secondary data from the public universities' audited annual financial statements for the period 2015 to 2020 further revealed that investment source income superseded third‐stream income in most universities. There is consensus in literature on the pivotal role of equity‐based funding mechanisms such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in providing tuition cover and living expenses for students from poor households. Based on the agency theory, government funding is used to influence public universities to pursue transformation goals. The general trends observed in various countries is the inclusion of equity‐based indicators in a funding model to ensure that students are not denied the opportunity for university education solely based on their poor backgrounds. It is argued in this paper that the NSFAS remains an appropriate vehicle to achieve South Africa's transformational goals in its public universities.Context and implicationsRationale for the study The rationale for this article is to provide exploratory evidence on the link between funding and transformation at public universities.Why the new findings matter The new findings matter because public universities cannot escape the imperative to address the challenges of transformation in developing countries with a history of unequal distribution of financial resources.Implications for policy makers, university management, funders and students Policy makers can use the findings from this article to inform how the National Student Financial Aid Scheme can be streamlined to ensure it continues to achieve its mandate. Based on the findings of this study, university management can develop more interventions to assist at‐risk students, particularly those from disadvantaged families succeed in their study. Funders can use the findings of this study to budget for and direct funding to academically deserving at‐risk students. Finally, students could benefit from these findings as the study identifies challenges to academic success as well as relevant interventions.

Modelling Customised Student Support Framework to Enhance University at-risk Students’ Study Skills

Poor pass rates are a severe concern for the Department of Higher Education and Training and the universities in South Africa. Throughput rates remain low and programme completion takes much longer. On the other hand, universities suffer high dropouts due to general students' poor academic performance. One feasible intervention is student support. Universities should implement efficient and monitored student support systems (SSS). The paper discussed ways in which students may be supported with their study skills. It explored the attributes that are useful to improving students’ pass rates and the general students’ academic performance at a selected South African University (SSAU). These attributes can be integrated through planning implementation, monitoring, evaluation and control (PIMEC) processes. Action research benchmarking exercise adopting the theoretical frameworks of constructivism and symbolic interactionalism was conducted. Some successful approaches and benchmarks from international and developed countries’ universities were used to formalise and model student support in a modern tertiary institution setting. The boosted PIMEC concept and the improved student support response systems (SSRS) were blended in developing the PIMEC framework that this paper proposed for the SSAU. Besides, the concepts and approaches (such as crowdsourcing and incubation) used in business success were used to fortify the model. This resulted in a PIMEC-Enhanced SSRS Blended Model for improving the current SSS, emphasising communication within the system from top management, ICT and academic operation levels. Thus, it recommended the identification of at-risk students early during formative assessments.

Assessing the quality of the integrated tutor model for student support in Open Distance Learning

The demand for university education has put pressure on institutions of higher learning to provide access and quality student support because increased access to higher education should not compromise the quality of student support services. Tutorial support in Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) is one of the support services used by institutions to ensure increasing academic access, participation, and success. The Senate Teaching and Learning Committee (STLC) of the University of South Africa (Unisa) appointed a committee in 2012 to develop the Integrated Tutor Model (ITM) to enhance academic activities. We established that there is a need to inquire into the quality of the ITM on tutor support services. We developed this qualitative exploratory study from the first author's PhD study that assessed the quality of tutorial support services that Unisa offers through the ITM. The ITM model integrates face-to-face (F2F) and online tutor systems in Unisa. We purposively selected students who participated in the F2F tutorials of the first and second semesters in 2022 to participate in this study. We collected data through individual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). We learned that the students hold positive views about the quality of tutorials in terms of time management and the quality of recordings on Microsoft Teams, the competency of the tutors offering the modules, and the communication that they receive from the tutors. There were, however, challenges that the students faced such as load-shedding, network-related problems, and personal issues. The tutors mitigated these challenges by sending the students the recordings of the sessions. The study shares knowledge about the tutors' skills and creativity in the use of the ITM to provide quality support of student learning in an ODL higher institutional environment.

Student intentions to continue with distance learning post-COVID: An empirical analysis.

The aftermath of COVID changed how students learn, mainly moving to a distance learning model. The research reported in this paper investigated the organizational and individual factors that influence the preference for continuing with distance / online learning post-COVID. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to a model developed for this research, based on data from 452 students from residential universities in South Africa. The key results reveal an overall reluctance to continue with distance learning. This is despite the technological and faculty support offered to university students and how distance learning fits their learning styles. This is likely due to student living conditions and their perception of low institutional concern. On the other hand, faculty support has a more substantial impact on continuance, compared with a generally negative perception of support from the universities. The research underscores the importance of addressing student reluctance to continue with distance learning by improving institutional support and tailoring learning styles. The research enhances our understanding of crucial factors influencing students' preference for distance/online learning post-COVID. It also underscores the pedagogical shifts brought about by the pandemic, particularly highlighting the changing roles of faculty support and the impact on students' living conditions.

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

ChatGPT use in universities in South Africa through a socio-technical lens

ChatGPT use in universities in South Africa through a socio-technical lens

An interdisciplinary approach to theological studies in a public university

Theological curriculum in South African universities is comprised of disciplines such as church history, the Old Testament, the New Testament, systematic theology, missiology and practical theology. Theology has been approached through these disciplines and their interaction with each other in an intradisciplinary way. This article argues that theology needs to be done beyond theological disciplines through an interdisciplinary approach to increase its influence in a public university such as the University of South Africa (UNISA). The limitations and drawbacks of this approach are discussed. A brief history of theological studies at UNISA is also discussed to understand how the curriculum of theology has been approached in the past. An interdisciplinary approach is proposed to maximising the research profile of theology through research outputs and postgraduate supervision. In addition, this approach can attract graduates from other fields such as law, medicine, commerce and so forth. An interdisciplinary approach is relevant in designing and developing short learning programmes to attract students to study theology. The development of interdisciplinary niche areas is also important in attracting postgraduate students. Lastly, the approach is pivotal in avoiding theology’s possible dearth and death in a public university.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: an interdisciplinary approach to theological studies is proposed as an interaction between the field of theology and other fields such as law, medicine, commerce, and others for the maximisation of student numbers in undergraduate and postgraduate studies and research outputs.

Entering University during Times of Disruption: Experiences of First-Year Students from a Historically Disadvantaged University in South Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study, premised on the interpretive paradigm explored the experiences of First Year students from a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was underpinned by one research question namely, what are the experiences of first-year students from a historically disadvantaged university during the COVID-19 pandemic? Convenience sampling was used to select 52 students from one diploma programme. Data was generated through open-ended online questionnaires designed using Google Forms and was analysed thematically. The Technology Acceptance Model was employed as a theoretical lens to frame the study. Findings highlighted the following themes namely, challenges with device ownership and Learning Management System Use, Student Access to the Learning Management System due to connectivity challenges in rural areas, interaction experience with other students online and challenges associated with interacting with Lecturers online. From the findings, the study recommended that deliberate efforts at the national level be undertaken to bridge the digital divide between students from historically disadvantaged universities and historically advantaged universities through the provision of requisite technology infrastructure. Further, the study recommended thorough capacity building in the use of information communication technologies for students from historically disadvantaged communities who may not be privy to the technologies. Keywords: Covid19, Historically Disadvantaged University, Learning Management System, WiSeUp

Teaching While Black: Black Women Millennials’ Experiences of Teaching in South African Universities

The South African government continues to work tirelessly to reverse the effects of apartheid by addressing social inequalities and transforming the higher education sector by dismantling structural, cultural, institutional, and interpersonal discrimination. Black 1 1 The use of the lowercase “w” for white or whiteness in this article is the author’s stylistic act of decentering whiteness to amplify African women’s experiences. South African women have fought for the right to access education as well as to pursue higher education to the top levels of teaching in these institutions. Traditionally, the custodians of knowledge have been older white men. Millennial Black women’s presence in these spaces of higher institutions is disruptive and continues to be a site of conflict and negotiation for younger Black women academics. This article argues that race, intersecting with gender, age, and class, influences their teaching experiences in universities and how students perceive Millennial Black women in postapartheid South African universities. Intersectionality underpins this qualitative study, which explores nine Black Millennial women’s teaching experiences in universities in South Africa. The findings suggest that these women’s experiences are influenced by the kind of university in which they teach. The narratives showed how Millennial Black women lecturers at historically white institutions experience more hostility, mostly from students who share their same race and gender. This contrasts with the experiences of Millennial Black women who teach at historically Black institutions. The study has implications for university and government transformation agendas.

What goes up must come down? The effect of ‘2020’ on university students' academic performance trajectories

AbstractUsing longitudinal, institutional data, we estimate the effects of pandemic‐related closures on the academic performance trajectories of undergraduate students at a university in South Africa. Leveraging data from both the 2020 and 2021 academic years, and using difference‐in‐difference models, we find that performance gains made in 2020 are reversed in 2021, with performance dropping relative to pre‐pandemic trends. Moreover, we find a widening achievement gap between students from differing socio‐economic backgrounds, suggesting household inequalities played out in student performance differentials to a greater extent in 2021—despite the reopening of campus residences that year. This result persists even when accounting for the fact that dropout rates in 2021 are substantially lower compared with previous years. Together, results suggest that the improvements observed in 2020 did not reflect true learning gains and support hypotheses that a reduction in content taught, increased marker leniency and a reduction in credit loads were likely drivers of improved performance in the 2020 academic year.

Leveraging adversity during pandemics: the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals of self and others in mental health outcomes among students

Researchers have paid limited attention to the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals in conferring resilience. In this study, we demonstrate the influence of positive appraisals of problem-solving ability and social support on mental health outcomes. A random sample of students at a university in South Africa ( n = 322) participated in the study. They completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Problem-Solving Inventory, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Mediation analysis found that problem-solving appraisal and social support jointly and separately mediated the effects of perceived stress on hopelessness. The combined effect of social support and problem-solving appraisal on life satisfaction was significant; however, only social support was found to mediate the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction. The findings indicate that adaptive appraisals of self and others are potential sources of resilience that can buffer individuals from the adverse impact of stressful life events.

Effectiveness of Blended Learning for Civil Engineering Students’ Performance during COVID-19: A Case Study of a Rural University in South Africa

In this study, the effectiveness of blended learning on the learning of civil engineering students during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated at a rural university in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The imposition of lockdown due to the global spread of COVID-19 left educational institutions with no choice but to find alternative methods of teaching and learning. Students were sent home in order to control the spread of the virus. Secondary data were used to examine the students’ performance in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, primary data was obtained through questionnaires to assess the students’ opinions on blended learning. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the extent of the difference in students’ performance before and during COVID-19. Descriptive analysis results indicated the superiority of blended learning over face-to-face teaching methods, with blended learning achieving a 67% success rate compared to the 33% achieved by face-to-face methods. Similarly, the Mann-Whitney U test also showed a significant difference between blended and face-to-face teaching methods. In contrast to the descriptive analysis and Mann-Whitney U test, students’ sentiments indicated otherwise. 80% of students neither agreed nor disagreed with blended learning methods as a preference over face-to-face teaching methods. The results of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of the teaching methods used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it revealed and, further, showed the sentiments of students regarding the teaching methods employed during this period.

Problems encountered in the translation of Tshivenḓa into English: a case of musanda language terminologies and expressions

Translators encounter challenges when translating terminologies and expressions of the musanda royal language from Tshivenḓa into English. For this reason, it is important to investigate the obstacles Tshivenḓa translators encounter when translating expressions into English. It is commonly believed that there is generally a lack of equivalent terms for Tshivenḓa when translating them into English. The aim of this article is to investigate how cross-cultural practices shape translation in relation to musanda terminologies and expressions. Thus, it is important to come up with translation techniques that could be adopted to overcome these obstacles. Unstructured face-to-face interviews were used as data collection tools for this study. The participants were 18 language practitioners, members of the royal families and postgraduate students from the University of South Africa, University of Limpopo and University of Venda who were selected purposively. This study used the qualitative research approach. The Skopos theory was applied in understanding translating the musanda variety into English. This theory was useful because it looks at translation with a purpose. Textual analysis was used as a data analysis method. The qualitative findings show that language practitioners, members of the royal families and postgraduate students encounter difficulties in translating musanda terminologies and expressions from Tshivenḓa into English.

Perceptions of incivility in a nursing school at a university in South Africa – Cross-sectional study. “Incivility in nursing education – Is it a problem?”

BackgroundRespectful civil behaviour of nurses is key to nursing practice and can directly affect quality of patient care. Reports of international studies on incivility in nursing schools is well documented, however little is known about incivility in nursing schools in South Africa. This study aimed to describe the nursing students’ perception of the level and occurrence of incivility in nursing students and faculty at a nursing school at a university in South Africa. MethodsA quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used to determine the student nurses’ perceptions of levels and occurrence of incivility among nursing students and faculty. The questionnaire included the Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised (INE-R) scale. A sample of 277 was calculated, and an all-inclusive sampling method was used to target all undergraduate nursing students. Data was analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 and descriptive statistics, 95% confidence intervals were used to describe the data and Independent Samples Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare gender differences. ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 540 (77 %) undergraduate nursing student respondents, between 12 March 2021 and 20 April 2021. Respondents reported low levels of perceived student incivility behaviours (2.07 ± 0.7 [95 %CI 2.0–2.1]), with using a computer, phone, or other media device during class, meetings, activities for unrelated purposes being the highest rated perceived low-level student incivility behaviour (2.52 [95 %CI 2.43–2.62]. Low levels of perceived levels and occurrence of low faculty incivility were reported with respondents rating arriving late for class or other scheduled activities as the highest rated perceived level of low incivility behaviour (1.91 [95 %CI 1.82–1.99]). The highest perceived occurrence for low faculty incivility was being unavailable outside of class (not returning calls or emails, not maintaining office hours) (1.82 [95 %CI 1.74–1.9]). ConclusionThough some perceived incivility amongst students and faculty in the selected nursing school exist, the occurrence is perceived to be low. Further investigations should explore the impact of uncivil behaviours in academic theory environments, and the impact on individuals in practice.

Effectiveness of group work among the final radiography students of the National Diploma.

Group work is employed in higher education institutions to foster communication, collaborative learning, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. The rationale behind group work as a learning strategy is to ensure that graduates are equipped with teamwork skills. The aim of this study was to establish whether the final-year radiography students of the National Diploma curriculum in three universities in South Africa were exposed to effective group work. The study was conducted in three universities in South Africa, all of which offer diagnostic radiography programmes. This study used a non-experimental descriptive design to collect data. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. This was an attempt to conduct a census on 167 students, out of which 124 students responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 74.25%. The findings show that the majority (n = 81; 66.9%) of students did not enjoy group work, as 101 (81.5%) of them preferred less group projects. The results further demonstrated that participants rated factors such as co-operation, leadership, choice, diversity and effectiveness of group work neutral on the Likert scale. The study results imply that factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of group work should be incorporated into group activities in order for student radiographers to be exposed to effective group work. The gaps identified in this study indicate the need for a follow-up study within the current 4-year bachelor's degree in radiography. Identification of a gap in radiography education, which group work needs to be facilitated effectively.

Primary Headaches among Students in a South African University

Headaches are recognised as a common health-related complaint, impacting student attendance and overall productivity. This study determined the prevalence of headaches within a selected group of students and its effects on their health. A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate allied health science students in three selected departments at a university in South Africa. A total of 420 students were invited to participate in the study, of which 314 participated (75% response rate) – 311 students completed the questionnaire. Of these, 27.0% (n=84) did not experience headaches over the previous three months; the remaining 73.0% (n=227) were classified as having had migraine-type headaches (31.2%; n=97), tension-type headache (30.2%; n=94) or cluster-type headache (1.3%; n=04). Students suffering with migraine-type headaches indicated a decrease in capacity and missed classes more frequently compared to students who experienced tension-type headaches and cluster-type headaches respectively. Some of the respondents with migraine-type headaches (53.4%; n=31) did not continue with classes in order to rest. Migraine-type headache sufferers were more likely to take medication than those with other types of headaches (p=0.014). The findings of the study highlight the influence of headaches on students. Health knowledge and access to treatment is highlighted as a simple contributor to reducing headache prevalence and attaining overall health and well-being.

Reflections and experiences of mentors, tutors and writing consultants on enhancing student Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The experiences of mentors, tutors, and writing consultants in the execution of their roles during unprecedented times, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, remain insufficiently explored and inadequately documented. This article, which adopts a qualitative research methodology with a specific focus on a rural-based comprehensive university in South Africa, delves into the experiences and reflections of mentors, tutors, and writing consultants in the course of their duties during the COVID-19 pandemic. We contend that providing safe spaces for mentors, tutors and writing practitioners to share their experiences on their roles not only during the pandemic should be central to all student support initiatives. This fosters a sense of reflection on their practices which in turn results in professional growth and development as reflective practitioners capable of enhancing student success in higher education. In assessing their work, data was gathered from a population comprising seventy-two selected mentors and tutors (referred to as MenTuts), as well as writing consultants affiliated with the Academic Development Unit (ADU) of the institution. Content and thematic analysis were employed to examine the data after coding. The reflections and experiences of MenTuts and writing consultants were both positive and negative. They expressed enthusiasm for their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic but also conveyed feelings of being overwhelmed by the challenges they faced. This underscores the need for exploring alternative approaches to mentoring, tutoring, and writing consultancy to enhance effective student learning and success in higher education during both present and future unprecedented times. Given the plethora of recent unprecedented events, higher education institutions in South Africa as well as in Africa should start undertaking innovative radical approaches for student support initiatives that are centred around engaging with mentors, tutors, and writing consultants to ensure that they are able to reflect on their experiences to enhance student learning.