The social and academic adjustment experiences of first-year students at a historically disadvantaged peri-urban university in South Africa

Nel, Kathryn; Govender, Saraswathie; Tom, Reyagalaletsa

doi:10.1080/14330237.2016.1208960

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“….]. Nel et al (2016) have attributed poor academic adjustment to teaching methods that differ from those in high school. Barlow-Jones and Van der Westhuizen (2011) have shown that computerbased tests academically disadvantage students who are not computer literate, who attended poorly resourced schools that did not impart computer skills.…”

Section: Adjustmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evidently, various psychosocial factors underlie adjustment, and possibly, academic success. Nel et al (2016) attributed South African higher education institution (HEI) students' academic and social adjustment to academic and financial support; workload; teaching methods that differed from those in high school; accommodation availability; support; and social isolation, homesickness, and difficulties adapting. Barlow-Jones and Van der Westhuizen (2011) have also shown that students struggle with adjustment, due to attending poorly resourced schools that did not equip them with the skills needed for higher education.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at two South African higher education institutions

Thomas

Maree

2021

South African Journal of Psychology

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This study explored student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at a historically Black and a historically White South African public higher education institution. Qualitative methodology was used. Data were collected through five focus group discussions from 31 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The following student factors affected participants’ academic success: academic self-efficacy, peer relationships, parental engagement and support, motivation, time management, adjustment, emotional wellbeing, lack of information, socio-economic status, and language proficiency. This study showed that structural, racialised inequalities in South Africa underpin many apparent student factors that influence academic success in higher education.

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Section: Adjustmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at two South African higher education institutions

Thomas

Maree

2021

South African Journal of Psychology

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“…Most of the participants have not previously been away from home and this requires adjustment, as they now have to adjust to seeing their families only during holidays. The majority are affected by homesickness especially in their first few months at IHLs, but with time they do adjust, although not without personal stress [ 21 , 30 ]. The students’ social and academic adjustment has implications for the overall success of the student.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They offered a wider range of services at one hospital, reducing the need for transporting patients to other centres for treatment, a process which was expensive and resulted in delays in treatment. The rural hospitals now have optometrists, radiographers, dieticians, and audiologists – professions which were previously only found only in urban areas [ 30 – 32 ]. The UYDF graduates have the advantage of knowing the area well and understanding the language, which makes them better able to communicate with patients [ 16 , 33 ], and to take on outreach work.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engaging future healthcare professionals for rural health services in South Africa: students, graduates and managers perceptions

Gumede

Taylor

Kvalsvig

2021

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background The shortage of healthcare professionals (HCP) negatively affects health services in rural areas in many parts of the world, as is the case in South Africa. Innovative programs designed to improve the recruitment strategies for health system in a rural area are essential. They need support with a scholarship and mentorship programme for young people from rural areas to study for health science degrees, with the aim that they would take up a post at the hospital in their community, once qualified. This paper reports the perceptions and experiences of the students and graduates sponsored by the foundation, and those of managers from the facilities where the students were ultimately placed, in order to gauge whether such a programme can make a sustainable contribution to address the shortage of health personnel in rural areas and to what extent this is happening. Methods The authors used qualitative methods, combining semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups and the data were analyzed thematically. Results The results provide information on students interviewed who appreciated the financial and socio-emotional support that they received. On the other hand, graduates value the availability of jobs in their home community on completion of their studies. The managers reported the success of the programme in increasing the number of healthcare personnel at the hospitals, and the increased range of available medical services. Since the graduates are familiar with the language and culture of their patients the managers considered that they are better able to assist them. Conclusions The system was well thought-out and achieved its goal of improving health services in an underdeveloped rural area of South Africa. More could be achieved if other government services in the area were simultaneously improved and if the system were replicated elsewhere. The students and graduates from rural areas are involved on sustaining health services in rural areas while rural managers support the programme and make suggestions for improvement and to promote the program in other regions.

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“…The majority are affected by homesickness especially in their rst few months at IHLs, but with time they do adjust, although not without personal stress. [24] The students' social and academic adjustment has implications for the overall success of the student. Failure to do this is often delays graduation and some students drop out, thus UYDF is playing a pivotal role in making sure that students adjust to both social and academic life.…”

Section: Health Science Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Programme to improve health services in rural South Africa: Perceptions from participating hospital managers, health science students and graduates

Gumede

Taylor

Kvalsvig

2020

Preprint

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Background: The shortage of HCPs negatively affects health services in rural areas in many parts of the world, as is the case in South Africa. A NPO, the UYDF, initiated a programme designed to improve the health system in a rural area. It consisted of a scholarship and mentorship programme in 1999 for youth from the area to study for health science degrees on condition that they would take up a post at the hospital in their community once qualified.Aims: This paper reports the perceptions and experiences of the students and graduates sponsored by the foundation, and those of managers from the facilities where the students were ultimately placed, in order to gauge whether such a programme can make a sustainable contribution to address the shortage of health personnel in rural areas and to what extent this is happening.Methods: The study used qualitative methods. Students and senior health managers were interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth format, and graduates took part in focus group discussions at three hospitals, in different districts. The data were analyzed thematically.Results: The students interviewed appreciated the financial and socio-emotional support that they received, and the graduates were appreciative that posts awaited them in their home community on completion of their studies. The managers reported the success of the programme in increasing the number of healthcare personnel at the hospitals, and the range of available medical services. Since the graduates are familiar with the language and culture of their patients the managers considered that they are better able to assist them.Conclusion: The system was well thought-out and achieved its goal of improving health services in an underdeveloped rural area of South Africa. More could be achieved if other government services in the area were simultaneously improved and if the system were replicated elsewhere.

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The social and academic adjustment experiences of first-year students at a historically disadvantaged peri-urban university in South Africa

Cited by 13 publications

References 13 publications

Student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at two South African higher education institutions

Student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at two South African higher education institutions

Engaging future healthcare professionals for rural health services in South Africa: students, graduates and managers perceptions

A Programme to improve health services in rural South Africa: Perceptions from participating hospital managers, health science students and graduates

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