Agency, access and barriers to post-school education: The TVET college pathway to further and higher learning

Abstract

Student access to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and pathways into higher education are critical issues in South Africa. Powell and McGrath (2014) draw on theories of agency to explain why students access TVET colleges. Using sociological and social–psychological theories of agency, our study explores a theoretical perspective on student access to TVET colleges, their barriers, success, and aspirations to study at university. We selected a TVET college in the Western Cape as our research site and interviewed 30 students who had completed the National Certificate in Educare. Our analysis of the data shows that the students had enrolled at the TVET college as an alternative pathway when barriers prevented their access to universities. Evidence shows that they also encountered barriers during the course of their studies but that, despite these barriers, their desire to study at university persisted. Theoretical insights derived from the empirical evidence suggest that student success at TVET colleges may provide them with prior learning and practical work experience in order to gain access to universities.

Exploring the value of the sociological Careership Theory in the South African TVET context

“…In the case of South Africa, therefore, the Careership Theory can be useful in dealing with issues of inequality, unemployment and poverty. It is also important to point out that the literature on TVET in South Africa acknowledges the effects of structure on social agents (Groener & Andrews, 2019). The most common approach to the TVET literature is the focus on structural disadvantage, which leads to youths and unemployed persons from disadvantaged backgrounds being targeted.…”

“…• why students attend colleges from a capabilities approach (Powell, 2014;Powell & McGrath, 2014); • the barriers to gaining access to colleges from an agency and a structure perspective (Groener & Andrews, 2019); • what young people think about TVET (Needham & Papier, 2011); • the perceptions and experiences of selected groups in TVET -for example, women (Matenda, 2017) and Engineering students (Sibiya & Nyembezi, 2018;Sibiya, Nyembezi & Bogopa, 2021).…”

Exploring the Full Potential of Collaborative Learning and E-Learning Environments in Universities: A Systematic Review

“…In order to enhance student learning outcomes and their engagement in the learning process, it is hoped that this article will be useful guidance for educators, university administrators, and researchers in the field of higher education in choosing appropriate and effective collaborative learning and e-learning methods [28]. It is hoped that this article can provide useful guidance for teachers, university administrators, and researchers in the field of higher education in selecting suitable and effective collaborative learning and e-learning methods to improve student learning outcomes and their involvement in the learning process [19]. Also, a systematic review of the literature on collaborative learning and e-learning in university settings can help overcome this confusion and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the most successful collaborative learning and e-learning methods.…”

Pathways of Early Childhood Development practitioners into higher education: A capabilities approach

“…Poverty among women has been on the rise globally (Moghadam, 1998;Kongolo, 2009;Tao, 2019). Women's access to higher education, particularly in Africa, is crucial to their upward mobility, and, for many, it provides a route out of poverty (Groener, 2019). Inequalities in access and participation feminise poverty and further assign to women much of the menial work in society, as largely unpaid or underpaid labour (Robertson, 1998).…”