Universities In South Africa Research Articles

Role of organisational readiness and stakeholder acceptance: an implementation framework of adaptive learning for higher education

Despite its advantages and potentials, the extent of the implementation of adaptive learning remains limited. Recent studies identified the critical determinants associated with its scaled implementation and proposed various frameworks and strategies to support it. However, little has been done to identify the empirical relationships between such determinants, the strategies for addressing them, and a scaled implementation as the desired outcome. Identifying such relationships can however help elucidate the processes involved in the implementation process of adaptive learning and, therefore, better explain the reasons for its slow implementation. The current study aims to identify the relationships between critical factors associated with the successful implementation of adaptive learning, strategies that address such factors, and the desired outcomes. Based on the identified relationships, the study presents an empirically supported implementation framework for adaptive learning. We used the secondary analysis of qualitative data, which were previously collected from 51 participants in an international Delphi study conducted in two universities in Switzerland and South Africa. For coding, we used inductive coding techniques suitable for identifying connections (e.g., causal relationships) between the identified factors. We conclude by turning the attention of implementation researchers and educational leaders to the key role of organisational readiness and the stakeholder acceptance of adaptive learning during the implementation process.

Academic leadership and leadership styles in strategic plans: a study of five top-ranked public universities in South Africa

Academic leadership and leadership styles in strategic plans: a study of five top-ranked public universities in South Africa

Learning first-year mathematics fully online: Were students prepared, how did they respond?

This paper reports on empirical results from a study that investigated first-year mathematics students’ preparedness for, and response to, online learning. With the appearance of COVID-19 in 2020, lecturers were forced to make sudden changes to the established face-to-face learning environments, and students were expected to adapt to these changes. The idea of a blended learning environment is not new, and students globally have demanded flexibility in mathematics learning environments for some time. However, the idea of a sudden change in environments, particularly to fully online, was new to most lecturers and students. Key aspects in an online environment are students’ ability to self-regulate their learning, and the availability and accessibility of technological resources. Quantitative data from the self-developed questionnaire were collected early in 2021, at a public university in South Africa, from a large sample over several modules. Results indicate students are partially prepared for learning fully online, with significant effect on performance.

Paragons of inequality: Challenges associated with online learning at a selected rural university in South Africa

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions (HEIs) globally were forced to abruptly transition from traditional face-to-face classrooms to online classrooms in order to salvage teaching and learning. This was especially tougher for HEIs in the Global South where little to no infrastructure and technologies had been rolled-out prior to the pandemic. Navigating this ‘new normal’ was even tougher for poor rural institutions and students who were already grappling with several inequalities. Against this background, this study explored the challenges associated with online learning at a rural university in South Africa. The study was grounded in the connectivism learning theory and was underpinned by a qualitative approach. To this end, data were collected using in-depth interviews and analysed thematically. The findings revealed that students and staff were grappling with connectivity problems, lack of technological skills, academic dishonesty, and poor attendance, among other things. Because online learning will remain a feature of HEIs for the foreseeable future, the study thus recommended that governments and non-government actors work together to ensure that learning technologies filter to students in least technologically accessible areas to create a genuinely inclusivepedagogy. The study also recommended that additional support be provided for students and teachers to ensure effective participation, and that universities actively promote the creation of online communities where students can connect so as to avoid isolation and solitude that have been known to be features of online learning.

Partnership as a strategy to overcome the difficulties associated with policy implementation: South African teachers’ views

The purpose of the study reported on here was to investigate the role of partnerships in helping in-service teachers overcome the difficulties associated with performing practical work prescribed in the Life Sciences Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), an educational policy intended to transform the South African school curriculum in the wake of the apartheid years. CAPS is the latest of a plethora of educational policies that have been introduced in post-apartheid South Africa. However, teachers have lamented the lack of skills and resources necessary for its effective implementation. With this study we investigated how partnership between schools and 1 university in South Africa helped teachers to acquire practical skills and techniques related to CAPS implementation. A qualitative research approach with purposeful sampling was used. Data were collected through focus-group interviews, document analysis and observations that entailed observing teachers performing the experiments prior to the training. Teachers from 22 secondary schools participated in this research. Collected data were analysed using Creswell’s method of coding. Findings of this study indicate that partnership with the University helped equip teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform science experiments, ultimately resulting in improved learner performance. Partnerships between schools and institutions of higher learning to enhance policy implementation are, therefore, recommended.

Article Title: "Reading Psalm 100 from an African (Yoruba) Perspective"

Journal for Semitics 27 (2) 2018, #4186 When this article was originally published, David Tuesday Adamo's affiliation was incorrectly given as the University of South Africa instead of Stellenbosch University. The electronic version of the article has been corrected and can be located under the DOI specified above.

Distance Education Research in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study into the Research Levels of ODL Journal Articles

The measure of an academic field lies in the richness and depth of its published research, especially within the ever-developing field of distance education, which is relatively new. The University of South Africa is one of the oldest open distance learning (ODL) higher education institutes globally, which has given rise to its status internationally as a leader of distance education. It is prudent to analyse and reflect on the research outputs published by South African academics, particularly regarding the levels of research that are conducted. This article follows the research published by Roberts, which analysed South African distance learning research levels and sublevels from articles published between 2011 and 2015. This longitudinal study applied a thematic content analysis of the titles and abstracts of all ODL-related papers published by South African authors. The findings compare ODL trends for the five-year periods from 2010 to 2014 and 2015 to 2019. The data were obtained from the Scopus and SABINET databases, using the same search criteria employed by Roberts. The levels of research publications were analysed according to the open distance learning research framework of Zawacki-Richter presented through descriptive statistics. The results indicate that although the number of published open distance learning research articles has more than doubled, the research levels have not shown any significant change from the previous five years. The South African ODL publications should give attention to meso- and macro-level research to enhance the ODL development within Southern Africa and create local trends fit for purpose.

A professional development needs analysis instrument for junior and mid-level academic management

The professional development of managers poses fundamental challenges that higher education is facing in these fast-changing times. These challenges include a lack of induction into managerial roles and responsibilities, conflicting roles and responsibilities and a lack of general skills pertaining to managerial positions. Experiencing these challenges necessitates the need for sustainable development programmes and practices within higher education institutions. To address this need, the purpose of this exploratory research was to develop a professional development needs analysis instrument as a reliable and valid instrument to determine the professional development needs of junior and mid-level academic managers. A gap analysis was conducted, involving 156 junior and mid-level academic managers at a university in South Africa. The construct validity of the instrument was determined through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. To determine the reliability of the instrument, Cronbach alpha coefficients were calculated. The outcome of both the factor analysis and the Cronbach alpha coefficients indicated that the questionnaire was a valid and reliable measuring instrument that could be employed in future research to determine the professional development needs of academic managers. The implementation of the professional development needs analysis instrument may contribute to sustainable management activities at universities for junior and mid-level academic managers.

Investigating the Pedagogical Potential of Entrepreneurial Projects in Higher Education

The current rate of technological advancement across the globe underlines the importance of higher education institutions incorporating project-based learning into their teaching approaches. This article investigates the capacity of entrepreneurial projects to address the skills gap in the Sub-Saharan African higher education sector. This study was conducted in two rural universities in South Africa and Nigeria. Data were collected from student participants from the two institutions using semi-structured questionnaires. The authors discovered that, despite the involvement of student participants in entrepreneurial projects over a considerable period of time, most participants from both universities still exhibit inadequate skill levels. This result suggests that certain conditions should be met for entrepreneurial projects to be considered effective for teaching and learning in the higher education context. It is imperative to include enabling factors such as high-quality mentoring from industry professionals and an unwavering university support system for student entrepreneurs. These enabling factors are cornerstones that strengthen a university's entrepreneurial standing.
 
 Received: 8 January 2023 / Accepted: 2 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023

Challenges of First-Year Extended Curriculum Programme Students at a University in South Africa

The Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) is an academic foundation programme established and supported by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training as a route and an enabling environment for educationally disadvantaged, underprepared, unprepared, and at-risk students to access and succeed in higher education. However, beyond the academic concerns for students enrolled on this programme, there are social issues that could hinder the success of the enrolled students. This study examines the challenges of students enrolled in Extended Curriculum Programme in a selected university in South Africa. Using a qualitative research method, data was collected following a focus group discussion comprising twelve groups in the Faculty of Management and Commerce ECP first-year students. This study found that students face a number of challenges including information asymmetry, mismatch between high school subjects and university courses, transitioning from high school to university setting, inadequate and unequal academic support, and stigmatization. The findings imply a need for guidance and counselling in the choice of a future career at high school level, an awareness about ECP, and strengthened support beyond academic support by improving social integration and boosting ECP students’ self-confidence. Government and institutions need to introduce educational anti-stigma interventions to correct individuals’ and society’s misinformed perceptions about ECP programmes and to promote awareness about the potential and possibilities of the programme.

Effectiveness of technology in Open Distance Learning

Technology was gradually embraced by distance education institutions to interact and instruct their diverse student body. To reach students in far-flung locations, the University of South Africa (Unisa) has embraced the Open Distance and E-learning (ODeL) paradigm. The digital gap is a problem as technology advances because it makes it difficult for pupils to access the Internet. The study went over the literature with a particular emphasis on the usefulness of technology in ODeL. To thoroughly examine the case, the study has chosen a qualitative research methodology. To analyze the data acquired from students enrolled in ODeL courses, the study has utilized a community of inquiry structure. The study made use of the interpretative paradigm, which holds that reality is a multi-layered, complicated phenomena that may be interpreted in several ways. The study is comprehensive in character since a qualitative research technique using a case study design method was chosen most appropriate for it. Twelve individuals were chosen by the researchers from two Unisa regional offices in the Eastern Cape Province using a purposive sample technique. The participants were questioned about their opinions and experiences with using technology during semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis, a method of finding themes within qualitative data, was used to analyze the acquired data. The results showed that students who used technology well were better communicators, had better grades on their assignments, and fared well on tests

Challenges Faced by Multi-Campus Institutions with Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Lockdown

In December 2019, the COVID-19 virus was first detected in Wuhan, Hebei Province, China. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 virus a world pandemic. Even though the physical closure of tertiary institutions had proven to be an effective strategy in breaking the transmission chain in the pandemic, the closure still had various negative effects on students’ academic endeavours. In an attempt to keep the disruption of studies to a minimum, higher education institutions across the world implemented online learning programmes by converting face-to-face programmes, thereby creating various challenges for students and lecturers on different levels. The purpose of this article was to determine how challenges faced by multi-campus universities in South Africa during this time would compare to challenges faced by other countries. This study focused on two specific multi-campus universities in South Africa with similar student bodies that offered various accounting courses on different campuses. These courses ranged from diplomas to CTA degrees.

Hybrid and virtual work settings; the interaction between technostress, perceived organisational support, work-family conflict and the impact on work engagement

PurposeThe study assessed the impact of technostress creators, work–family conflict and perceived organisational support (POS) on work engagement for employees operating within the virtual and hybrid work settings. The idea is to redefine the antecedents of work engagement in work settings that are characterised by excessive technology and work–family conflict.Design/methodology/approachData gathered from 302 academics and support staff employees at a selected university in South Africa were utilised to assess the abovementioned relationships via variance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe combined effect of technostress, work–family conflict and POS on work engagement indicates that work–family conflict is a critical component in the relationship between technostress and work engagement. Although POS is seen as a job resource that lessens stress, the study found that the influence of work–family conflict is stronger than that of POS; hence, a negative influence is reported on work engagement. Despite the presence of support, overwhelming technostress creators and work–family conflict issues increase demands and influence work engagement negatively.Research limitations/implicationsThe results noted that, in hybrid and virtual work settings, managers can drive employee engagement by focussing on designing more favourable work–life balance (WLB) policies, providing adequate information communication technology (ICT) support, fostering aspects of positive technology and defining the boundaries between work life and family time.Practical implicationsThe managers need to realise the detrimental effects of both technostress and work–family conflict on work engagement in virtual and hybrid work settings. Expanding the personal and job resources of individuals in hybrid and virtual settings is critical to enable them to meet the additional work demands and to manage the strain imposed by technostress. Instituting relevant organisation support has proved to be inadequate to address the challenges relating to technostress and work–family conflict. Therefore, introducing WLB policies that assist employees to set clear boundaries between work and family time to avoid burn out and spillover is critical. This is especially important when dealing with technostress creators in the remote work setting. Additionally, providing adequate ICT support as well as training related to use of different devices and software should be part of the organisational culture.Social implicationsA manageable and reasonable workload should be maintained bearing in mind the complexity and ambiguity associated with the hybrid work setting. Managers should make allowances for employees to adjust managers' schedules to accommodate personal obligations, as well as adjust employees' workloads to accommodate family responsibilities. As for the coping strategy of technostress and work–family conflict, considering the positive effects of the supportive work environment is important.Originality/valueThis study provides a model on the interaction of the redefined antecedents (technostress and work–family conflict) of work engagement in high-tech environments such as virtual and hybrid work settings.

Black women academics in the United States of America and South Africa deploying principles of Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) to confront experiences with microaggressions

abstract While several studies detail the experiences of university students with racial and gender harassment, bullying, and microaggressions, few explore these phenomena among Black women faculty members in higher education transnationally. This article makes a novel contribution by examining Black women’s agentic responses to marginalising experiences in higher education. Black women’s extraordinary efforts to succeed in westernised universities built on the subjugation of and from the labour of their ancestors, awareness-raising about their negative experiences, and strategies to change colleagues’ behaviours defy ‘business as usual’ in higher education. Neoliberalism, Gender and Curriculum Transformation in Higher Education is a multi-site project led by Professor Relebohile Moletsane (Moletsane & Mabokela 2019), who partners with Black women to support their academic and scholarly success. This article reviews results of a survey administered to participants to document their experiences and explore the interventions designed by Moletsane’s Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) investigators at universities in South Africa and America. This article describes four ways in which researchers effectively operationalise feminist decoloniality as care, by: 1) truth-telling about the impact of neoliberal institutions on the daily lives of Black women academics; 2) locating the source of academic woundedness not solely in the individual behaviours of bad actors but in systemic oppression; 3) creating opportunities for women to see the similarities in their experiences transnationally and to recognise ways in which institutional structures marginalise them; and 4) mutual support, a team mentoring approach, and reproducing Black excellence.

Emerging Methods and Challenges Associated With Teaching and Learning Media Studies During the COVID-19 Pandemic Induced Lockdowns in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

COVID-19's arrival in Zimbabwe and South Africa in early 2020 caused disruptions to all facets of life including education. It disrupted traditional notions of media studies' teaching and learning. In the contexts of these disruptions, the present study interrogates how selected universities in Zimbabwe and South Africa adjusted to the new normal in so far as teaching and learning of media studies is concerned. It is a comparative analysis of selected Zimbabwean and South African universities. In-depth interviews with students and lecturers and participant observations were used to gather data whilst thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The study found out South African universities adjusted far much better and easily than their Zimbabwean counterparts. This is because both lecturers and students were capacitated as opposed to the scenario in Zimbabwe where lecturers and students alike were not given gadgets to smoothen the transition to online learning. The data that was given to lecturers was too little whereas the data for e-learning was too exorbitant for the students. Furthermore, both lecturers and students noted that it is difficult to teach and learn practical modules online. However, universities in both countries utilized platforms such as Google classroom though students from rural areas in both countries were affected by the digital divide.

Comparative Study of the Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity of Leaves, Trunk and Roots of Schumanniophyton Magnificum

Aims: Schumanniophyton magnificum is a plant reputed traditionally to treat numerous urogenital infections linked to several germs, notably: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonhorhea, Treponema palidum, Candida albican. This study aims to evaluate and compare the in vitro antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the leaves, trunk and roots of S. magnificum in order to determine the parts displaying the best activity.
 Study Design: This is an experimental study.
 Location and Duration of the Study: The work was conducted at the Pharmacochemistry and Natural Substances Laboratories of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala for the extraction and at the Medical Analysis Laboratory of the Douala General Hospital for antibacterial test as well as Biomedical Chemistry Research Center of Rhodes University in South Africa for cytotoxic essay. All the experiments were carried out from the 15th November 2020 to the 31th May 2021.
 Methodology: The in vitro Antibacterial activity essay was conducted on two strains, one Gram+ bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and one Gram- bacteria: Escherichia coli, while cytotoxicity was evaluated on HeLa cell line.
 Results: The root wood extract and the root bark extract presented a good antibacterial activity (MIC = 195.31 µg/mL) and average activity (MIC = 390.63 µg/mL) respectively with E. coli. The different extracts were found to be bactericidal against the tested micro-organisms. At the concentration of 20 µg/mL, all extracts tested did not significantly reduce HeLa cells, with an inhibition rate ranging from 13.5 to 37.6%, suggesting a low cytotoxicity of S. magnificum extracts towards these human cells line.
 Conclusion: This is the first comparative report on the antibacterial and cytotoxic study conducted on the different parts of S. magnificum. It appears from this study that these results could justify the use of the stem bark of S. magnificum in the traditional pharmacopeia for the treatment of urogenital infections. However, the roots wood having presented the best antibacterial activity (MIC = 195.31 µg/mL), it would be beneficial to suggest this plant part to the local populations for the treatment of bacterial diseases specific to E. coli and S. aureus, after the preclinical and clinical tests are carried out.

MHealth and e-Learning in health sciences curricula: a South African study of health sciences staff perspectives on utilisation, constraints and future possibilities

BackgroundOver the last decade, developments in e-Learning and technologies are creating the groundwork for health sciences and medical education. Literature demonstrates that we have yet to reach any form of consensus about which indicators are needed to assess and teach quality health sciences and medical education through technology or innovation. There is, therefore, a greater need for a tool or platform that is properly constructed, validated and tested within health sciences.MethodsThis paper presents a study, which is part of a larger research project assessing staff and students’ perceptions of the importance and relevance of different aspects of e-Learning and mHealth in health sciences curricula at four universities in South Africa. The specific objectives of this study were to: (i) assess health sciences staffs’ perceptions and understanding of these two applications; and (ii) establish challenges and opportunities of e-Learning and mHealth applications in the health sector, as well as perceptions on the importance and relevance of these applications to their curricula and future practices. A combination of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and a key-informant interview was used. A total of 19 staff from four universities participated. Atlast.ti was used for the data analysis and the findings were coded using a primarily deductive thematic coding framework.ResultsThe findings revealed that not all staff members are equipped or trained with new applications or technologies, such as mHealth. Most participants believed that diverse technologies and tools could be integrated with mHealth and e-Learning. Furthermore, participants agree that a new multi-modal platform, in the form of a learning management system (LMS) with relevant applications (and possible plugins) integrated, tailored towards health sciences will benefit all stakeholders, and be valuable to higher education and health sectors.ConclusionsDigitalisation as well as digital citizenship is gradually being integrated into teaching and learning. It is imperative to adapt the health sciences curricula through constructive alignments and promote health sciences education in the current 4IR. This would allow graduates to be better prepared for digitalised practice environments.

Motives for Participating in Study-Abroad Programmes and the Impact of the Pandemic on Selected Universities in South Africa

The article explores the motivations of students participating in study-abroad programmes and the effects of pandemic-related travel restrictions and associated regulations at three universities in South Africa. The author analyses the policies of universities in the Western Cape province regarding study-abroad programmes when pandemic restrictions were in place and once they were lifted. The discussion is based on quantitative data collected during a survey involving 75 foreign students and qualitative data obtained during interviews with 5 programme coordinators at the international offices of the selected universities. The majority of foreign students surveyed were from Europe. While anxieties and uncertainties exist, university representatives were found to be hopeful about the future of study-abroad programmes.

Pocket Consultant Occupational Health

The five authors of this edition are all authorities in occupational hygiene and occupational health and are affiliated with universities in South Africa, Canada, the USA and the UK. Two of them are emeritus. According to previous editions this book is intended for use by occupational health professionals, including occupational physicians, anywhere in the world. From its long-standing history (first edition published in 1983), I infer that this book was first meant to be kept in your pocket to have it at hand when you encounter a problem in practice. With the current edition with almost 500 pages this is not possible anymore. The book counts 20 chapters covering occupational health topics that vary from sampling strategies for exposure measurement to ethical aspects of occupational health. It deals both with topics of occupational medicine such as the diagnosis of occupational disease and of occupational hygiene such as risk assessment. The range of topics makes the book valuable for all occupational health professionals.

4th Industrial Revolution skills in the current South African accountancy curricula: A systematic literature review

The business environment has seen rapid changes due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the influence of exponential technological advancements. The enhancement of technology-based work environments has changed the skill set needed by graduates entering the workforce. In this regard, higher education institutions have shown signs of struggling to adapt curricula to prepare graduates with the skills needed by the fast-changing workforce environment. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) developed a framework with competencies aimed to address the needed graduate skills, and for institutions to use as guiding documents in the amendment of their curricula. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the top universities in South Africa’s accountancy module documents to determine whether the curricula are addressing the 4IR workforce needs. The SAICA-proposed competency framework (2025CF) was used as a conceptual framework for the evaluation of the university’s curricula documents, and findings indicate that universities still need to make substantial changes in order to include newly-added pervasive skills as prescribed by 2025CF. Findings from the systematic literature review indicate that universities adequately address business acumen skills; however, the categories of digital-, relational and decision-making acumen were insufficiently evident within the current curricula of the top five South African universities. The apparent lack of specific skills development for graduates needs urgent attention considering the technological changes brought on by the 4IR within the accountancy domain.