First time entrants’ student support services in contributing to academic success in technical and vocational education and training colleges
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Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
The vision of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is about increasing enrolments and marketing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as viable institutions. The first college entrants often have hurdles that can challenge qualification completion, placing them at high risk of dropping out. The focus of the study was to determine the level of contribution student support services may have on the academic success of first college entrants.
The study was carried out in two public TVET Colleges, purposely selected. Data were collected from a sample of 172 respondents of which 100 were first-year students, 20 entry-level lecturers, 20 Campus Management Team members, 2 Student Support Service Managers, 10 Student Liaison Officers, 10 SSS-SACs, and 10 Career Development Officers, purposively and randomly selected. Thirty two participants were purposively selected from SSS unit personnel for qualitative data collection. The study used questionnaires and structured interviews as data collection instruments. Validity was warranted through the judgement of experts in the SSS unit, CMT and lecturing staff, and made possible by allowing them to have access to the instruments of data collections. Reliability was determined by ensuring that an audit trail was done, and it was made available to all participants. Post-positivism paradigm was employed as the study utilised mixed methodology which incorporate both quantitative and qualitative approaches in one study.
The findings of this study revealed that, students with learning challenges are not adequately supported to better cope with the college lifestyle. It was also discovered that, opportunities provided by the campuses for academic support were not enough to support the first college entrants. Findings revealed that (100 %) respondents agreed that opportunities provided by the campus for academic support were not enough to support the first college entrants. It was evident from the findings that (62, 2 %) percent respondents disagreed that a major share of SSS budget was allocated for academic support programmes. Equality of opportunity and outcomes is constrained by inadequate funding to address under preparedness (conceptual, knowledge, academic literacy and numeracy) for higher education programmes of especially indigent students. The findings revealed that over eighty percent respondents disagreed that they were satisfied with technological facilities.
Furthermore, a majority of participants interviewed remain resolute that the existing infrastructure does not allow effective rendering of support services to students. The study concluded with a recommendation of an initial student integration model, which supports Tinto’s (1993) model of student integration. Adding to that, this study recommended that further research be conducted on academic support focusing primarily on private TVET colleges for comparison purposes, as the present study focus was mainly on public TVET colleges. The study is significant in the sense that its’ findings would provide insight into the TVET college governance councils, management at all levels, SSS managers, SSS units at campus level and policy makers to understand the role of a SSS unit, and the positive impact it may have on students’ academic success.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirement for the Doctor of Education Degree in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at the University of Zululand, 2018.
Keywords
Student support services, Technical and vocational education, Training colleges