South African Journal of Higher Education

Is social media hindering or helping academic performance? A case study of Walter Sisulu University, Buffalo City Campus

2025-08-29T05:38:43+00:00

Social media platforms are popular among higher education students and have seen increased usage for academic purposes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, excessive use of social media can negatively impact students' academic performance. This preliminary study examines social media's impact on students' academic performance at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Buffalo City campus. Using a positivist paradigm and a quantitative approach, randomly sampled data were collected from 71 students through a survey to identify trends and generate preliminary insights. Results indicate that while social media can facilitate academic work, it predominantly acts as a distraction, negatively affecting academic performance, particularly for first-year students. Notably, 84.5 per cent of the students spend more than four hours daily on social media, and 39.4 per cent agree that it negatively impacts their assignment completion. The study underscores the need for students to balance their social media use and academic responsibilities, highlighting the importance of this issue. Recommendations for achieving this balance, such as adopting time management strategies and integrating social media into teaching methodologies, are discussed.

Enhancing parental involvement in Early Childhood Development Centres

2024-09-27T08:34:49+00:00

The discontinuation of government subsidies led to ECD centre privatisation and the rise of community-driven ECD ones, raising concerns about teaching quality and staff qualifications. The study aimed to create a framework for enhancing parental involvement by incorporating insights from both parents and teachers. Theoretical perspectives by Goodall and Montgomery, Vincent, and Bryk highlighted parenting’s significance, socio-economic influence on parental agency, and the need for trust between parents and teachers. The researchers selected two early childhood development centres and asked teachers and parents to participate. Qualitative research methods, including narrative inquiry, vignettes, participatory reflection and action research, and thematic analysis, were used to gather and analyse data from parents and teachers. The findings informed the development of the author’s Framework for the Enhancement of Parental Involvement in Childhood (EPIC), incorporating the key elements identified in previous research, namely parental agency, relational trust, and parental involvement. Parental agency is a characteristic that can be strengthened when teachers provide encouragement and insight into how to engage the child in a meaningful and developmentally appropriate manner. This research led to the design of a framework for enhancing parental involvement by considering the perspectives of both parents and teachers. It is particularly applicable to the pre-primary and foundation phases of preparatory schools where parental involvement is significant. It also benefits the training of prospective teachers, especially those specialising in Early Childhood Education.

The path(ology) less chosen: exploring medical students' perceptions towards anatomical pathology

2025-02-27T07:46:05+00:00

Anatomical pathologists have been described as medicine's endangered species. The declining interest in anatomical pathology may be attributed to decreased time dedicated to undergraduate pathology teaching. In 2018, a laboratory practical session (LPS) was introduced to the undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of the Free State (UFS]), allowing students the opportunity to gain practical exposure to the discipline. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the LPS highlighted the role of anatomical pathologists in healthcare and encouraged consideration of a career in anatomical pathology. A before-and-after study was conducted among the 2021 cohort of 192 second-year medical students, of whom 176 (91.7%) participated in the survey. Questionnaires were administered before and after the LPS and participants' responses were compared. A statistically significant improvement was observed in students' understanding of the role of anatomical pathologists in healthcare following the LPS (p<0.0001). The LPS contributed to a 10.8 per cent (n=19) increase in the number of participants considering a career in anatomical pathology. Although the LPS improved students' comprehension of anatomical pathologists' role in a healthcare environment, it remains to be seen whether the success of the activity will result in increased applications for registrar positions in future (from approximately 2028/2029 for the 2021 group who participated in the survey). Only then will it be possible to ascertain from the new applicants whether the LPS experience contributed to their decision to specialise in anatomical pathology.

Assessment of knowledge management practice for curriculum development in case of Ethiopian Defence University

2025-01-18T13:00:09+00:00

Knowledge represents the awareness and understanding of concepts, principles, procedures, or the relationships between various elements within a particular field or discipline. Organizations that recognize knowledge as a strategic asset can leverage it for resilience, problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. Higher education institutions, as hubs of knowledge, play a crucial role in knowledge creation, organization, and dissemination. Effective knowledge management within these institutions enhances teaching, learning, research collaboration, and innovation. This research focuses specifically on the Ethiopian Defence University, a government higher education institution in Ethiopia. The study aims to assess the current level of knowledge management practices within the university, with a particular focus on its implementation for curriculum development. The research employs a quantitative research method with a descriptive survey design. The findings reveal a mixed state of awareness among academic staff members regarding the knowledge management system in higher education institutions. While some respondents demonstrated moderate familiarity with the system, the majority reported a lack of formal training. This highlights the need for increased attention to knowledge management practices within the university. The study also identifies deficiencies in the university's knowledge management policies, strategies, and infrastructure. These include the absence of a centralized repository and a dedicated responsible body. Furthermore, knowledge-sharing activities and collaboration among faculty members were found to be poor, with limited incentives or recognition mechanisms in place. The implementation of a knowledge management system for curriculum development is also lacking, as evidenced by the absence of platforms for sharing knowledge and experience, a dedicated database system, and a centralized repository for curriculum materials.

Exploring competencies of environmental health students in South Africa> Insights from work-integrated learning

2025-01-13T05:43:40+00:00

Although the value of work-integrated learning is well documented, limited reports showcase the students' perspectives. Self-perceived competencies gained by undergraduate Environmental Health (EH) work-integrated learning (WIL) students from a University of Technology in South Africa were obtained through in-depth focus group discussions and analysis of their workplace reflection journals. The Legitimation Code Theory Specialization dimension guided the qualitative data analysis. The analysis uncovered a tension between current assessment criteria and tasks, professional verification and auditing criteria for workplace learning, and real-world competence norms. Exploring this tension revealed a shift in students' competency focus, fluctuating between conceptual knowledge for classroom success, process- and procedural skills for the professional body evaluation, and a combination of knowledge, skills and behaviours for the workplace. This shift reveals ambiguity, limitations and biases in current assessments favouring the assessment of knowledge and skills. Uncertainty in graduates' professional identity may further exacerbate the prevailing misconceptions about the EH profession and its contribution to public health among allied health professionals and within society. This research confirms that knowledge and skills are essential in EH practice. However, these are limited as the comprehensive competency range includes soft skills, i.e. professional behaviours consisting of attitudes and values.

Is it a journey worth taking? Experiences of second career academics transitioning into higher education

2025-02-26T11:32:50+00:00

The evolving landscape of higher education has witnessed an increasing number of individuals from various professional backgrounds transitioning into academia as second-career academics. This article explores the experiences of such academics, focusing on the motivations, challenges, and rewards associated with this significant career change. Employing a collaborative autoethnography approach, four academics from diverse disciplines and universities in the Western Cape province of South Africa shared their personal narratives. The analysis revealed motivations such as a perceived calling to academia and a desire for career growth. However, they faced challenges such as adapting to new teaching methodologies, managing diverse classrooms, and a lack of institutional support and mentorship. Balancing academic responsibilities with previous professional identities and handling academic administrative tasks were also significant hurdles. Despite these obstacles, the participants experienced substantial professional development and personal fulfilment. These findings accentuate the critical importance of providing structured support systems, comprehensive induction programmes, and ongoing professional development opportunities to facilitate smoother transitions for second-career academics. In entirety, the cultivation of a reflective academic community, coupled with robust mentorship programmes, can significantly enhance the integration and retention of second career academics within academia.

A personalised adaptive e-learning systems based on deep learning approaches: A critical interpretation of learning style models

2024-10-23T07:54:39+00:00

A possible approach for enhancing the efficacy of online learning environments and addressing the challenge of e-learning personalisation is adaptive e-learning. Deep learning-based approaches have gained significant attention in adaptive education systems to impart personalised adaptive education to classify learner types. These approaches utilise an automatic means to recognise dynamic learning styles to enhance the e-learning experience. In this article, the authors present a critical interpretative approach to explore different learning style models, in order to develop a suitable framework that will assist in identifying learning styles. This framework can be instrumental in delivering personalized adaptive learning, primarily grounded in deep learning approaches. The findings indicate that the Felder–Silverman’s learning style model is considered the most suitable model for providing adaptivity. It is well-suited for identifying learners' learning styles in e-learning environments, ultimately optimizing the individual learning experience. Future research should focus on empirically evaluating the performance and efficacy of personalised adaptive learning platforms based on deep learning architectures in classifying learners’ learning styles.

Transforming the Culinary Arts Curriculum in South Africa: A University Case Study

2024-10-23T07:52:14+00:00

In South Africa, many graduates cannot secure employment after completing their degree qualification. This is often due to a lack of experience, or curricula not aligned with the needs of employers, current workplaces and the relevant broader industry and society. To address this, curricula must be revised, renewed, or completely transformed. This article focuses on students’ points of view on curriculum transformation; it explores their experiences, opinions, and suggestions to provide insight that will aid in short- or long-term changes to create a responsive and transformed curriculum.

Findings from the sample of 19 students at the University of Pretoria in South Africa suggest opportunities to include Afrikan knowledge, innovative culinary practice, and adaptable and flexible delivery methods to improve student engagement and work-integrated learning within the Culinary Arts module. These results show the article’s contribution to ideas and approaches needed to encourage sustainable hospitality and tourism development in the Afrikan region using responsive and transformed curricula. In the future, a student-centred culinary curriculum may produce graduates with fine-tuned abilities, knowledge, and attitudes to address modern-day industry needs, along with a sense of how their contribution could help to address the socio-economic inequalities of South Afrika and Afrika.

Integrating transdisciplinary literacies into higher education

2025-02-26T11:41:09+00:00

Transdisciplinary teaching, learning and philosophical dialogues have long been a part of global higher education, yet their significance is increasingly being recognised today. The concept of transdisciplinary philosophy, particularly within the context of an academic literacy framework, involves the integration and synthesis of knowledge from across various disciplines, in collaboration with local communities, to address real-life challenges. Despite the growing prominence of transdisciplinary teaching, learning and assessment methods, there remains a knowledge gap that explicitly connects these processes to academic literacy. This gap, which the article addresses, is significant as transdisciplinary literacies – including critical thinking, reading, listening and writing – are crucial mediums through which teachers, researchers, students and local stakeholders cultivate knowledge.

To explore the role of transdisciplinary literacy within higher education, the researcher undertook a systematic review of literature to identify instances where academic literacies intersect with disciplinary, and communities' activities. Academic literacies intersect with transdisciplinary approaches in the ways knowledge is constructed and how culture influences the spread of disciplines into greater society. To maximise the potential of transdisciplinary literacies in enhancing knowledge generation in higher education, this article advocates for more strategic interactions between academic literacy specialists, disciplinary experts, local communities and industrial stakeholders.

Undergraduate student engagement in Business Studies learning activities at a South African private university

2025-08-29T05:39:48+00:00

Poor student success and retention remain significant problems in South African higher learning institutions. This cross-sectional study investigated the dimensions of activity-level student engagement in undergraduate Business Studies modules. The social determinant theory (SDT) of motivation frames the study on marginalised students at a private higher education institution who received 60 per cent to 100 per cent funding from a non-governmental organisation to support their educational studies. Two hundred and sixty-four students took part in the survey. Second–order structural equation modelling analysis indicated that in a lecturer autonomy-supportive environment, agentic engagement was the most important element of student engagement at an activity level, followed by cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagement. In addition, parametric analyses using the ANOVA indicated that being a first-generation student and higher student funding had statistically significant influences on agentic and emotional engagement. Findings will assist policymakers and university lecturers foster agentic engagement in learning environments by designing interventions to improve cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagement. The importance of proper funding for impoverished students is highlighted.

Conceptualisation of student under-preparedness and its efect on selection criteria for extended curriculum programs

2025-02-26T11:43:01+00:00

Student under-preparedness is a growing concern in higher education institutions (HEIs) around the globe. In South Africa, extended curriculum programs [ECPs] were devised as a context-fit remedial strategy to assist underprepared students to successfully transition into academia. As a result, under-preparedness is a key criterion for the selection of students into extended programs. Nonetheless, the concept of under-preparedness has not been accurately articulated. This research envisages a cascading effect, wherein the incoherence in the interpretation of under-preparedness endorses the inconsistencies in formulating the selection criteria for extended programs.

The research used a case study approach, conducting in-depth interviews to ascertain how the conceptualisation of under-preparedness informs the selection of students for enrolment in extended programs at a University of Technology. To enhance the reliability of data, the results were triangulated using document analysis. The findings confirm the disparities in the conceptualisation of underpreparedness. Accordingly, the selection criteria reveal significant fragmentation, with some programs deviating from prescribed standards. The research proposes a holistic framework and provides valuable recommendations to assist the higher education institutions to streamline their programs to be fit-for-purpose.

Factors limiting the adoption of mobile board games as a tool for promoting gamification A quantitative analysis

2025-08-29T05:01:00+00:00

Awale, also known as Mancala, is a popular board game, which has received most digital implementations of the game, which competes with Myriad Software’s Mancala, have been studied extensively by various academics. Computer scientists and programmers have used various machine learning techniques to experiment with this ability. Literature shows that artificial intelligence has been used successfully to mimic play and compete against human strategies and techniques. However, African board games have the ability to be underutilised as a medium to support the learning abilities of young children. This has greatly reduced the ability of gamification to assist in improving the learning abilities of children in African schools. The article aims to identify the factors that prevent gamification in Public Universities. The article uses the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology as its theoretical framework. This theory focuses on the adoption of technology and the factors that limit its adoption. Furthermore, the article employs a positivist approach. The results of the research identified significant relationship between Social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, habit and behavioural intention while non-significant relationship were identified between performance expectancy, effort expectancy towards behavioural intention. The importance of these results is they can guide stakeholders in understanding the key factors which influence adoption of mobile board games as tools for learning.

Re-evaluating pervasive academic exclusion in South African higher education institutions: Challenging the norm(alised)

2024-10-23T07:01:58+00:00

The pervasive issue of academic exclusion within South African higher education institutions is a deeply concerning matter. This phenomenon has resulted in a significant number of students prematurely discontinuing their degree programmes. In this article, we argue that academic exclusion remains largely unchallenged and has been normalised, despite its far-reaching implications, and therefore needs to be re-evaluated. Our inquiry centres on two key questions: What are the underlying reasons for academic exclusion in higher education, and how are these exclusion rules communicated to students, taking into account the support they receive? These questions serve as a foundation for a critical examination of the current state of academic exclusion and the proposal of alternative approaches to supporting academically struggling students throughout their educational journey. Drawing on Nancy Fraser’s concept of the participation parity framework, this qualitative study employed a combination of desktop research and open-ended questionnaires to collect data from six excluded students. Content and thematic analyses are employed to analyse the collected data. The study’s findings highlight the inadequacy of current support mechanisms for students and the diverse, often unplanned paths they contemplate after exclusion. Given this, the article advances and, therefore, instigates the conversations on and accentuates the importance of re-evaluating and revising academic exclusion policies within higher education institutions. It argues that students should receive comprehensive support throughout their academic journey and throughout their career trajectories within these institutions. While this study seeks to initiate round-the-table discussions on academic exclusion rules and re-evaluation thereof, it calls for further system-wide research to explore mechanisms for supporting academically challenged students before they face academic exclusion, and to delve deeper into this critical issue’s impact on students, their families, society, the economy, and related areas within higher education institutions.

National support for professional development of engaged scholars in higher education

2025-08-29T05:11:13+00:00

Although most South African universities have institutionalised community engagement, research indicates that engaged scholars need national support for professional development. This article focuses on the findings of a qualitative action research study undertaken by 11 board members of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF). The study’s appreciative inquiry summit method was steered by the question: How can SAHECEF become a flourishing community of praxis for national support of engaged scholars’ professional development? Guided by a semi-structured interview protocol, collective data generation occurred through paired appreciative conversations, while data analysis occurred in small and large group dialogues. The appreciative inquiry resulted in SAHECEF discovering its value-based best practices and organisational character strengths, serving as a foundation for designing an action plan to deliver national support for engaged scholars who profess the praxis of engaged scholarship.

Strategies for sustained collaboration between Zambian TEVET institutions and industry: Policy recommendations

2025-09-03T14:10:11+00:00

This article proposes strategies for sustaining collaborative activities between Zambian technical and vocational training (TEVET) institutions and industry. Research has established that collaboration between skills training institutions and industry is crucial in improving the quality of skills development. However, current collaborations lack adequate policy guidelines. As a result, skills training stakeholders describe the collaborations as unmeaningful. Data was collected from three training institutions offering craft certificate-level construction programs in three provinces. The study employed a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach underpinned by the social exchange theory (SET) to analyse collaborative activities. The study revealed factors that render the collaborations unmeaningful, such as a lack of commitment, unfair distribution of benefits and inadequate student funding. The analysis yielded several policy recommendations on sustaining collaborations between training institutions and industry. The study concluded that sustaining these will require mitigating institutional and industrial hindrances through policies. Among other strategies, these policies must include specific details regarding communication channels and procedures, compliance measures and benefits.

Blended learning amongst higher learning institutions: Exploring academic performance indicators and factors

2025-09-03T13:59:35+00:00

Blended teaching and learning became a primary mode of instruction in South Africa following the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. For any new educational delivery method to be effective, it must be assessed against the core goals of education. This study addresses a notable gap in comprehensive evaluations of blended learning after the pandemic, particularly in identifying success indicators and contributing factors within higher education institutions. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in South African universities. It employs descriptive analysis, Poisson regression, and thematic content analysis, using publicly available secondary data. The pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of education, offering an opportunity to rethink traditional teaching models and align them with the demands of a digital age. To support this shift, the study presents theoretical and conceptual frameworks that explain the factors influencing the success of blended learning. It also recommends strategies to strengthen the resilience of the higher education sector, enabling it to better respond to future disruptions such as pandemics or technological shifts. Ultimately, the research adds to a deeper understanding of how blended learning can be effectively integrated into South Africa’s evolving educational landscape.