Universities In South Africa Research Articles

Research Data Management Competencies for Academic Libraries: Perspectives from Two Universities in South Africa

The rapid pace of technological change has significantly transformed the librarianship profession, impacting the required competencies for professionals working in library and information services (LIS). As new roles emerge within academic libraries, librarians need to assess their current knowledge and skills as well as identify additional knowledge and skills needed to adapt to evolving roles and responsibilities. This paper reports findings of a study conducted at two university libraries in South Africa. The objective of the study was to identify the competencies necessary for academic librarians in providing research data management services (RDM). While previous studies have explored the knowledge and skills required for academic librarians in Southern Africa and globally, there is a research gap concerning the specific competencies necessary for RDM. This study employed semi-structured interviews with librarians from two selected university libraries, using purposive sampling. The research also included document reviews and content analysis of relevant academic library job advertisements. The study’s findings highlight key competencies such as information and data management practices, repository management, data curation, data collection management, understanding funders’ policies, research Research Data Management Competencies for Academic Libraries: Perspectives from Two Universities in South Africa methods and processes, as well as ICT and digitization skills. The findings also highlight the importance of robust training and selfdevelopment through online courses, webinars, and freely available materials as strategies to support RDM.

Assessing Medical Students' Preferences for Rural Internships Using a Discrete Choice Experiment: A Case Study of Medical Students in a Public University in the Western Cape.

As new graduates are crucial in providing healthcare services in rural areas, this study aimed to identify and describe the rural facility attributes that attract medical students to apply for rural internships. A literature review and focus groups informed a discrete choice experiment conducted amongst graduating medical students at one public university in South Africa. One main effect using a mixed logit model and another main effect plus interaction model was estimated. Females (130/66.33%) of urban origin (176/89.80%) with undergraduate exposure to rural facilities (110/56.12%) were the majority. The main effects only model showed advanced practical experience, hospital safety, correctly fitting personal protective equipment, and the availability of basic resources were the strongest predictors of rural internship uptake. Respondents were willing to forgo 66% of rural allowance (ZAR 2645.92, 95% CI: 1345.90; 3945.94) for a facility offering advanced practical experience. In contrast, increased rural allowance and housing provision were weak predictors of rural work uptake. Based on the interaction model, females and those not intending to specialise preferred hospital safety compared to advanced practical experience. To improve internship recruitment, rural facility managers should provide staff with supervision, safety, and protection from occupational exposure to contractible illnesses.

The Impact of a one-day adventure-based experiential lernaing programme on the communication competence of adult learners at a business school

In today’s dynamic business environment, every avenue that can contribute to fostering business performance has to be embraced. Interest in the contribution of communication to organisational effectiveness and performance has increased considerably in the last few decades. Despite positive claims made by advocates of adventure-based experiential learning programmes (AEL), the expansion of AEL into business schools and the corporate world necessitates ongoing empirical investigations. The aim of the study was to determine the developmental impact of a one-day programme on the communication competence of adult learners at a business school. The Communicative Adaptability Scale was administered as pre- and post-test measurement to adult learners with a permanent work appointment who enrolled for a qualification in management leadership in a business school at a university in South Africa. The overall post-test scores of the experimental group (n=140) were significantly higher (p=0.0001) than the post-test scores of the control group (n=126). The post-test scores of five dimensions differed significantly (p<0.05) from the post-test scores of the control group. The findings indicate the potential efficacy of an AEL course for the development of communication competence in adult learners. Ongoing research directed at principles underlying the application of particular methodologies and other programmatic factors to maximise efficacy in reaching the desired outcomes of the interventions, are required.

First‐year undergraduate students’ statistical problem‐solving skills

AbstractThis study investigated first‐year undergraduate statistics students’ statistical problem‐solving skills on the probability of the union of two events, conditional probability, binomial probability distribution, probabilities for x‐limits using the z‐distribution, x‐limit associated with a given probability for a normal distribution, estimating the y‐value using a regression equation, and hypothesis testing for a single population mean when a population standard deviation is unknown. The study was a descriptive case study and employed a mixed‐method research approach. Data were collected through content analysis of a statistics course examination script of 120 first‐year undergraduate students of statistics in an open distance‐learning university in South Africa. Polya's Model of Problem Solving was used as the framework of analysis. The study revealed that the students, in general, had poor statistical problem‐solving skills.

Validating the Grit-S scale among postgraduate students in a South African distance education institution

Grit has been associated with student success in a plethora of higher education (HE) studies. In order to measure and evaluate the predictive validity of grit in student success in a particular context, an appropriate, reliable and valid instrument is required. This paper examines the short grit scale’s (Grit-S) psychometric properties among a sample of 837 postgraduate students enrolled at the University of South Africa (UNISA). This appears to be the first study to explore the psychometric rigour of the scale among postgraduates within a South African distance education (DE) setting. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by partial confirmatory factor analysis (PCFA) revealed that the same two factors commonly reported in the grit literature could be detected in the items tested (i.e. ‘passion’ and ‘perseverance’ for long-term goals), and in combination explained 57.22% of the variance. Model fit indices for the two-factor solution were satisfactory (NFI = 0.984; TLI = 0.981; CFI = 0.991; RMSEA = 0.038). Further results from the item analysis indicated that both factors (passion and perseverance) were soundly reliable, as was the overall Grit-S scale, yielding Cronbach Alpha values of ≥0.77. Overall, the study provides promising evidence that the Grit-S scale can validly and reliably be used to operationalise grit (and the separate dimensions of perseverance and passion) among postgraduates pursuing their DE studies. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Health Science Students' Perceptions of Hand Hygiene Education and Practice in a South African University: Introducing the University Hand Hygiene Improvement Model.

Hand hygiene serves as a critical preventative measure against the spread of acquired infections in healthcare facilities and is an integral component of patient safety programs. While healthcare students in training are typically introduced to the principles underlying hand hygiene, the translation of this understanding into practice is often lacking, and compliance has remained low. This study aimed to evaluate health science students' in biomedical sciences, chiropractic and emergency medical care, environmental health, complementary medicine, medical imaging and radiation sciences, nursing, optometry, podiatry, and sports and movement studies perceptions regarding hand hygiene education (knowledge and attitude) and practice at a university in South Africa. Consenting students were asked to complete an online questionnaire that tested their knowledge, practices, and skills in handwashing. The ANOVA analysis results suggested significant differences in hand hygiene scores across departments and years of study. The multiple regression analyses confirmed these findings, suggesting that the department of study significantly influenced all aspects of hand hygiene, while the year of study affected hand hygiene skills, and age group influenced hand hygiene practices. Based on these findings, a conceptual model, the University Hand Hygiene Improvement Model (UHHIM), was proposed to enhance the teaching and learning of hand hygiene at the university level. The model underscores the necessity of targeted education, continuous monitoring, and feedback, and the pivotal roles of hand hygiene facilitators and student participation in enhancing hand hygiene behaviors.

Needs assessment and preparatory work for addiction science programs at universities: experiences of universities in South Africa

ABSTRACT Background This paper discusses the results from the first formal needs assessment conducted in South Africa to identify university curriculum development needs for addiction science training, particularly Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Aim The aim of the study was to report on the current addiction science curricula available at South African universities, educator views on the need for a new specialized addiction science curriculum, and the feasibility of implementing such a curriculum. Method A 33 item electronic survey was emailed to respondents. Results There is no standardization in SUD curriculum content and training at South African universities. Academic staff responsible for offering SUD training and curriculum development pedagogies in addiction are inadequately trained with a lack of content expertise. The absence of clear accreditation and certification standards and protocols results in graduates of varying competency levels and no registration as an addiction professional. Conclusion Standardized academic training in addiction science is crucial for the professionalization of an addiction workforce.

Two Pathways into Number Work for Primary Teachers: A Counting Pathway and a Measurement Pathway

Teacher quality in primary schools in South Africa is a serious concern, and how best to prepare teachers in initial teacher education—with regard to mathematics—remains an open and vexing question. There is a confluence of challenges facing the mathematics education community in South Africa: poor conceptual understanding of mathematics amongst teachers; poor attainment in Primary Teacher Education mathematics tests at both first and fourth year levels; and few initial teacher education programmes having evidence of improving knowledge for teaching mathematics. In addition, few lecturers in initial teacher education make explicit the theoretical tenets informing their course design for mathematics. In response to the latter challenge, this paper makes explicit the design choices made in the Emergent Number Sense first year mathematics module in Bachelor of Education degrees, used across six universities in South Africa. It then theorises the choice to commence the B.Ed mathematics programmes with two pathways into number knowledge: (1) a counting pathway, making use of discrete objects or events which can be quantified by counting in ones; and (2) a measurement pathway, making use of continuous extents which can be quantified by introducing a unit of measurement. Each has a distinct metaphor, strategy for the reification of the 10 and supporting representation. This offers the lecturers using the course in their own design trials, and initial teacher educators beyond the Maths4Primary Teachers collective, a conceptual framework for this design choice, which can now be critiqued and further improved.

On the Edge: New Research on Gender and Love

A roundtable discussion featuring Serena Petrella, Associate Professor of Sociology, Gender and Women’s Studies at Brandon University, Canada; Amanda Gouws, SARChI Chair in Gender Politics at Stellenbosch University, South Africa; and Danai Mupotsa, Senior Lecturer in the Department of African Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.<br /> Hosted by Dr Wernmei Yong Ade (Mei), formerly from Nanyang Technical University, Singapore, now living in the US; Professor Deirdre Byrne (Deirdre), University of South Africa, and Dr Kelly Gardiner (Kelly), La Trobe University, Australia. The roundtable discussion was held online and recorded on 2 February 2023.

“We need our own super heroes and their stories” – Towards decolonised teaching within the management sciences

There are growing calls for a decolonised curriculum. With the study reported on here, I offered an understanding of this critical topic through student voices. In this study, I illustrated how super heroes and their stories could contribute to decolonised teaching informed by the findings of the research. I specifically used the views of 30 final-year students enrolled in a strategic management course at a rural university in South Africa. Data were collected using a focus-group technique relying on group interviews. Students were asked to evaluate their experiences during the semester-long course, focusing on their understanding of aspects that could be improved given the decolonial tide. Two narratives emerged from the analysis as crucial findings. Firstly, the students expressed a desire for super heroes in the form of individuals that they can relate to to feature in higher education teaching. Secondly, related to the first request, the students also needed stories relatable to their context as a dominant feature in such teaching. I interrogate the role of the 2 findings in informing a decolonised curriculum and improving my teaching practice.

July 2021 civil unrest: South African diagnostic radiography students' experiences.

South Africa (SA), in 2021, experienced a wave of civil unrest following political events that led to mass looting and the destruction of property. Civil unrests, among other disruptions, have been seen to cause ripple effects on healthcare education, particularly for radiography students who undergo work integrated learning within hospitals and universities, even during these times of unrest. This study aimed to explore and describe the undergraduate diagnostic radiography students' experience of the civil unrest that occurred in SA in 2021. The study was conducted across five universities in South Africa, offering the diagnostic radiography programme. A qualitative, interpretive phenomenological design was employed as it enabled the researchers to facilitate focus group interviews to gain insight into the lived experiences of the students during this time. Four themes emerged from the study data, namely: (1) Negative effects on students' emotional and psychological well-being, (2) Academic and clinical support mechanisms during disruptions, (3) The influence of disruptions on clinical training, (4) Recommendations to support students for future disruptions. The participants from this study described the negative effects that the civil unrest had on their emotional and mental well-being. There is a need for increased support mechanisms during times of disruptions from universities across South Africa. The findings highlight the ripple effects that disruptions, such as civil unrests, have on radiography students. This can assist universities to relook at their institutional support structures, in order to enhance the current support given to students across universities in times of disruptions.

Leading higher education into the fourth industrial revolution: an empirical investigation.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) rapidly advanced at the beginning of the 21st century. Leaders within organisations need to adjust their visions, plans, organisational structures, and management with regard to the demands, challenges and opportunities of this development. This is in particular the case in higher educational institutions (HEIs), which have to adjust to the rapid changes and new demands of skills of university graduates. Leaders in HEIs must therefore be aware of the related challenges and opportunities and might have to adjust the learning and teaching environment, the skills development of students, graduates, and faculty, as well as the technological requirements to create advanced skill sets. This article is based on a qualitative research study which was conducted at a university in South Africa. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the views of higher-education leaders at the selected university. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. It was found that leaders in HEIs need to be aware of their leadership and preferences in times of transition toward a more technologised learning environment, as well as the needs, demands, challenges and opportunities of the new workplaces, and new skill sets needed in the 4IR. The researchers made some recommendations. "Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom." George Washington Carver.

Undergraduate Students’ Experiences with Electronic Learning Platforms During the Covid 19 Pandemic at a Rural-Based Tertiary Institution in South Africa

The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a transformative shift in the South African education sector, compelling universities to adopt electronic learning platforms (E-LPs) as the primary mode of delivering lectures during the pandemic. However, there is a dearth of systematic literature documenting the implications of migration to this electronic based model for undergraduate teaching and learning in South African rural-based universities. Addressing this research gap, this qualitative study drew on transitional distance theory (TDT) to identify the challenges associated with electronic learning (e-learning). The study also examined the implications of these challenges for teaching and learning, based on experiences of 30 purposefully selected undergraduate students at the University of Venda, in the rural Limpopo province of South Africa. A thematic narrative analysis of the students’ experiences shows three major challenges as encapsulating the use of E LPs: practical unpreparedness and lack of skills needed for online learning; complicated domestic obligations; and inefficient interactions with lecturers and peers, which were limited by lack of physical contact. These findings add to the growing body of literature on the impact of Covid-19 on learning at institutions of higher learning in South Africa. The findings have implications for discussions on gender inequality in the domestic sphere in South Africa, as well as the material disparities between traditionally White universities and rural-based universities in South Africa. Based on these findings, it is recommended that rural-based tertiary institutions in South Africa implement effective strategies to enhance students’ computer skills and familiarize them with E LPs at the early stages of their tertiary education.

Conceptualising place and non-place in internationalisation of higher education research

ABSTRACT Space and place are central concepts in research on the internationalisation of higher education. However, although the spaces of international student migration have been theorised (Raghuram, 2013), there is a limited understanding of how place matters in the internationalisation literature. This paper schematises this literature to highlight the main ways in which place and internationalisation have been brought together in the current research. It extends the current analysis by exploring the place as location, as locales produced in and through networks - personal, institutional, national, contemporary and historical - and universities as non-places. The paper draws on research with Zimbabwean, Nigerian and Namibian international distance education students who study at the University of South Africa (UNISA) to construct a conceptual architecture of different forms of place and non-place. It ends by setting out a new perspective and research agenda on progressive politics of place for those studying the internationalisation of higher education.

Curriculum Delivery Through Learning Technologies in Online Classrooms: Challenges and Prospects in Higher Education

Higher education institutions in most developing African nations have been classroom-based. This practice has been in place for decades in African countries, with many benefits for stakeholders. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic experiences in the global space brought a new approach to curriculum delivery. Universities in most developed countries have expanded, using various digital technologies for teaching and learning. However, the case was a severe challenge in Africa, where many were cut off from teaching and learning activities for months. The study explored the transition from conventional classroom curriculum delivery to online learning as the only alternative approach during the pandemic. Although online learning encourages self-directed learning in students, the study explains the self-determination theory as it underpins online learning. A content analysis of various literature sources on the phenomenon was employed for this systematic review. Findings revealed that many universities in South Africa encountered severe challenges in fully adopting online classes for curriculum delivery. Teaching and learning activities were grounded for months until the Department of Higher Education and Training compelled all to embrace learning technologies to salvage the academic calendar. Rural-based students were reported to be significantly challenged in accessing online learning activities. affirmExtant literature sources affirmed that higher education institutions were unprepared for the sudden transition from conventional classrooms to online learning. Hence, they needed help to take rapid measures to integrate online learning into the system. Many challenges have been encountered in this technological transformation of the teaching and learning approach; the study, therefore, recommends, among others, adequate provision of learning technologies, provision of intense technical know-how support for lecturers for effective use of online learning.

“Doing Just Enough to Get By”: Voices of Black Women Early Career Academics on Navigating the Publish or Perish Discourse in South Africa

In this article, we focus on the narratives of black women early career academics (ECAs) who are confronting and negotiating the “publish or perish” discourse in their professional lives in the university. Through a qualitative interpretivist case study, we purposively recruited and interviewed 10 education academics in one research-intensive university in South Africa. We relied on Nancy Fraser’s social justice framework to think through and to theorise the complex positionality of black women academics in a South African university. The findings reveal that black women ECAs often have challenges when it comes to research and publication, with some of the participants rejecting the publish or perish mantra, questioning the usefulness of publishing, and to what extent their own research will make a societal impact. The findings also reveal the deeply embedded patriarchal and gendered nature of the publish or perish discourse in how it disregards the role of wife/motherly/societal care work that women academics often perform. We end the article with broader reflections on the emergence of the publish and perish discourse in the South African higher education system and its implications for the attraction, retention, and wellbeing of black women ECAs in the sector.

Pressured to perform

A growing body of work suggests that junior researchers in universities are often confronted by an unfathomable pressure to conduct research and get published in order to scale up the academic ladder. These pressures are often loaded with little to no regard for the welfare of the junior academics and no concern for the career paths to be taken. Against this background, this study explored the negative consequences associated with the pressure to publish from the unique perspective of junior academics at a rural university in South Africa. The study was underpinned by a qualitative research approach which enabled the utilisation of qualitative interviews with twelve junior academics from four faculties at the university. The findings demonstrated the often-salient bullying and abuse of junior academics that happens under the guise of mentorship from their senior colleagues. The study also revealed the cost at which the pressure to perform comes, namely the cost to mental well-being, the temptation to publish in predator journals, the rise of unethical publishing, and the sacrifice of quality research. Based on these findings, the study recommended that more considered efforts be made to secure the welfare of emerging academics and that more concerted efforts be instituted in universities to guard against the rise of academic bullying at the hands of senior academics.

Repetitive negative thinking mediates the relationship between experiential avoidance and emotional distress among South African university students

The psychological processes contributing to emotional distress among university students in South Africa have not been extensively researched. The current study sought to examine the mediating role of repetitive negative thinking on the relationship between experiential avoidance and student emotional distress. A convenience sample of 419 students from a large public university in South Africa participated in this study. The results indicated that experiential avoidance and repetitive negative thinking positively predict emotional distress. Furthermore, repetitive negative thinking partially mediates the interaction between experiential avoidance and emotional distress. These findings highlight the importance of targeting experiential avoidance and repetitive negative thinking in the alleviation and management of emotional distress among students in the South African higher education environment.

Plurilingual practices in Higher Education: An analysis of student perceptions from a South African University

This study describes student perspectives on the teaching and learning of a newly introduced University language acquisition course. It identifies three basic components of teaching and learning, namely teaching approaches, teaching and learning resources, and assessment of learning. The study focuses on how students perceive these basic components of teaching and learning by investigating how 1st-year students at a university in South Africa perceive the teaching and learning of the Sesotho First Additional Language (FAL) course (a newly introduced course in the university). Hence the objectives of this study are to establish the views of 1st-year Sesotho FAL students regarding the teaching approaches used by the lecturers presenting the course; the teaching and learning resources used in the course; and the quality of assessments applied in the course. Guided by complex dynamic systems theory, the study employs a survey methodology. A questionnaire comprising both close-ended belief statements as well as open-ended statements for students to respond to was administered to 51 study participants purposefully selected. Quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS, while qualitative data were analysed by the researchers themselves. Results emerging from the data reveal that 1st-year students generally find their lecturers’ teaching approaches and assessment methods satisfactory; however, they perceive the teaching and learning resources used by their lecturers in teaching Sesotho as inadequate. This finding points to the need for further dialogue broadly on the quality of teaching and learning, quality of assessment criteria and the availability of teaching and learning resources provided for presenting newly introduced courses in higher education institutions (HEIs); and specifically on the level of preparation of lecturers in these courses tasked with the teaching and learning.

Academics with disabilities during transformation to a New African University in South Africa

The idea of transformation to a ‘new African university’ has become topical in contemporary African education scholarship. Whilst it is claimed that the process seeks to include all stakeholders, academics with disabilities are excluded because of discourses and dynamics in Africa’s higher education that have remained deeply embedded in Eurocentric thinking and mind-set. This paper applied Critical Disability Theory to analyse the challenges that face academics with disabilities in the areas of teaching, research, community engagement and doctoral supervision in South African higher education and that must be appropriately and adequately addressed for a successful transformation to a “‘new’ African University”. Data were collected through an analysis of South African literature on exclusion of students with disabilities as research, community engagement and supervision are regarded as a continuum and involve both students and the academics. Findings revealed that academics with disabilities are confronted with specific challenges similar to those faced by students with disabilities, as they all function within the same context during transformation to a ‘new African university’. The challenges are inaccessible physical environment, negative attitudes from the community members, impairment-related disadvantages, lack of adequate funding and lack of adequate media for use, which all compound to limit their functioning like their able-bodied counterparts. Including the voice of academics with disabilities in disability policy was proposed as a way to alleviate the challenges they confront enabling them to contribute positively to scholarship and thus affirm the transformation to a new African University