Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO

This research concerning the organisation of student-personnel services in higher education brings to the reader a comprehensive -and contemporary view of American, European and South-African conditions from which student-personnel services have emerged. It acknowledges the factors which caused guidance services to flourish as we 11 as the comprehensiveness of the existing student-personnel services in the South-African context. Student-personnel services evaluated in a scientific manner create the possibility of determining the• effect of a particular personnel service and allows decisions to be made as to changes in, or elimination of, the service. The evaluation of existing services is necessary in order to give some indication of the status of student-personnel work today. It was intended that this empirical comparative study be restricted to consideration of the organisational and administrative structures as well as the services included in a student-personnel department. The methodology of this study was to conduct a comprehensive literature survey. From this information it was possible to compile a theoretical model for a student-personnel department in South-Africa. This theoretical model was evaluated empirically and it was for this purpose that a questionnaire was drawn up and sent to the administrators of student-personnel departments. Utilizing the information contained in their replies, a South-African model for student-personnel services was constructed, which attempts to provide guidance for the organisational and administrative structures, services as well as an organisational development model. With the compilation of this model it was endeavoured to ensure that the student-personnel service departments, will be of the greatest benefit to the student community as well as to be flexible and adaptable with in the organisational structure of higher educational institutions. The most important finding of this study is that South-African literature concerning student-personnel services is both limited and insignificant. A clear indication by the respondents is that student-personnel services contribute positively to the development of the student community. It is important to acknowledge explicit1y that 70% of the respondents indicated that the theoretical model satisfies the South-African requirement for student-personnel services. Owing to the deductions and limitations of this study it is recommended that a follow-up study should be conducted. The objective should be a theoretical implementation and evaluation of this model in South-African higher educational institutions and to establish the validity of this structure as a model for student-personnel services in South-Africa. / Skripsie (MBA)--PU vir CHO, 1987

Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO

This research concerning the organisation of student-personnel services in higher education brings to the reader a comprehensive -and contemporary view of American, European and South-African conditions from which student-personnel services have emerged. It acknowledges the factors which caused guidance services to flourish as we 11 as the comprehensiveness of the existing student-personnel services in the South-African context. Student-personnel services evaluated in a scientific manner create the possibility of determining the• effect of a particular personnel service and allows decisions to be made as to changes in, or elimination of, the service. The evaluation of existing services is necessary in order to give some indication of the status of student-personnel work today. It was intended that this empirical comparative study be restricted to consideration of the organisational and administrative structures as well as the services included in a student-personnel department. The methodology of this study was to conduct a comprehensive literature survey. From this information it was possible to compile a theoretical model for a student-personnel department in South-Africa. This theoretical model was evaluated empirically and it was for this purpose that a questionnaire was drawn up and sent to the administrators of student-personnel departments. Utilizing the information contained in their replies, a South-African model for student-personnel services was constructed, which attempts to provide guidance for the organisational and administrative structures, services as well as an organisational development model. With the compilation of this model it was endeavoured to ensure that the student-personnel service departments, will be of the greatest benefit to the student community as well as to be flexible and adaptable with in the organisational structure of higher educational institutions. The most important finding of this study is that South-African literature concerning student-personnel services is both limited and insignificant. A clear indication by the respondents is that student-personnel services contribute positively to the development of the student community. It is important to acknowledge explicit1y that 70% of the respondents indicated that the theoretical model satisfies the South-African requirement for student-personnel services. Owing to the deductions and limitations of this study it is recommended that a follow-up study should be conducted. The objective should be a theoretical implementation and evaluation of this model in South-African higher educational institutions and to establish the validity of this structure as a model for student-personnel services in South-Africa. / Skripsie (MBA)--PU vir CHO, 1987

Although the South African government plays an increasing role in tertiary education, its involvement has not received the attention that it deserves. The goals of tertiary education are multi-dimensional at the individual and societal levels, but the guiding paradigm was viewing it in relation to the manpower and socio-economic needs of the country. This meant analysing how the government attempted to deal with these needs, especially in certain key professions, such as engineering and teaching. The following hypotheses were tested: HYPOTHESIS 1 The prestige of the universities within the tertiary education system will persist for a longer period than the economic rewards of its graduates alone would justify. HYPOTHESIS 2 The expansion from elite to mass tertiary education will lead to greater dependence on government funding and increased need for control, co-ordination, and national standards. HYPOTHESIS 3 Governments will underinvest in technical education. HYPOTHESIS 4 In "bad" economic times tertiary education enrolments will decline. HYPOTHESIS 5 Continuing university prestige will cause the college of advanced technical education (CATE) and technikon enrolments and diplomas and certificates awarded to lag behind university degrees and diplomas. HYPOTHESIS 6 In "bad" economic times CATE and technikon technical enrolments will decline. HYPOTHESIS 7 Fears of surpluses of university graduates, especially in the arts, on the one hand and shortages of certain types of manpower on the other hand will lead to government efforts to redress the balance. HYPOTHESIS 8 There will be significant limitations on government efforts to create the desired numbers and types of skilled manpower, for interventionism of this sort will run counter to individual aspirations. Tertiary education for all of the population groups since 1945 was covered. Whilst there are some gaps in the available enrolment and expenditure data, they do not invalidate the conclusions. In a plural society with deep cleavages amongst the four main population groups and lesser intra group cleavages, separate education systems developed. All population groups value academic education very highly, especially the blacks. The biases in favour of an academic education are deep rooted and multi-faceted, going back to the colonial times. Within the South African context, there are also political, socio-economic, educational, and vocational factors reinforcing these biases. Ever since the creation of the Union in 1910 there has been an ongoing debate and controversy about the division of authority in education between the central government and the provincial governments. This has been especially the case with the colleges of education for the whites. It Will soon end, however, when the central government will take them over, as well as primary and secondary schools for the whites. Black education was taken over from provincial governments in 1954 up to the university level as part of the separate development policy. The same was done in the case of coloured education in 1967, and by 1970 with Indian education. In 1960 the University College of Fort Hare was taken over by the central government, and the University Colleges of Zululand and North were also created in 1959 for specific ethnic groups. Since then all of the non-white universities have experienced student unrest, especially the black ones. The government policy had the unintended consequence of contributing to their politicisation. The administrative structure is a complex one. There is one education ministry for each major population group, plus one dealing with general education matters. An elaborate statutory advisory system of boards, committees, and councils exists. There is, however, no body offering advice to the government on tertiary education as a whole for any of the population groups. The current expenditures for universities from 1953 until 1985 were under the Holloway formula, consisting of the basic subsidy, standard provision, cost of living allowance, free income, and capital expenditure. The new formula provides more emphasis upon outputs, with half of the funds being made available in June and the other half in December. Those in the natural sciences also receive somewhat more than those in the human sciences. University enrolments have grown much faster than the college of education, CATE, and technikon enrolments. Thus, the first part of Hypothesis 1 was substantiated. One of the consequences of •this phenomenal growth has been a significant failure rate, especially amongst first-year university students. This great expansion of tertiary education has led to greater dependence on government funding, as predicted by Hypothesis 2. Hypothesis 3 also holds true, for there was underinvestment in CATE and technikon education for a long time as opposed to university education, although this is no longer true for the non-whites. Hypotheses 4 and 6 lacked significant supporting evidence and thus they were not confirmed. Tertiary education overall enrolments are not normally economically determined to any marked degree. Hypothesis 5 was upheld, because CATE and technikon enrolments and certificates and diplomas awarded as contrasted to university enrolments and degrees and diplomas awarded have lagged behind total awards and constitute a declining proportion. The last part of Hypothesis 1 is confirmed; technicians earn almost as much as teachers and sometimes even more than university graduates. Yet, they lack their prestige. Human capital theory, beginning in the 1960s, provided the theoretical justification for the great expansion of tertiary education. It maintained that investment in education will yield rich dividends to the individuals and to the economy in terms of higher growth. Since the early 1970s, however, it has come under increasing criticism from social scientists. Many maintained that there might be a declining positive correlation between education enrolments and growth rates and even negative correlations. Some even maintained that there are social limits to growth, including in education. Developing surpluses of university graduates abroad, continuing shortages of engineers and technicians, and the rising number of secondary school graduates, most of them with an academic education, led to government concern and the creation of the De Lange Commission. The government tried to redress the balance between university graduates in general and the shortages of technical and teaching personnel in particular. The De Lange Commission maintained that education must be linked to the manpower and economic development needs of the country. Earlier government commissions addressed the problems of technical and teaching personnel shortages. Many of their recommendations were implemented, but shortages of technical personnel have remained. Hypothesis 7 was thus confirmed. The government has tried to pursue the goals of manpower and economic development needs of the country, but as hypothesised (Hypothesis 8) it has run into difficulties because its goals run counter to individual aspirations. Many students pursue tertiary education for purely utilitarian or socio-economic reasons. There is also a minority which desires it for self-development or the advancement of knowledge regardless of the economic consequences. Moreover, the prestige of university education creates a strong social demand for it. Supply and demand projections for engineers and technicians indicate continuing shortages in the short- range at least. As far as the teachers are concerned, there will be enough white, coloured, and Indian ones, perhaps even some surpluses in the medium-range. In the case of the blacks, shortages will remain. The number of non-white university students by 1990 might equal white university students. The white population alone is no longer able to provide sufficient numbers of high level manpower. In the short-range the demand for university graduates looks good, but this does not mean that there will be no problems in the long-range. Unemployment of university graduates has been low, but underemployment, especially in the arts, has been far more significant. There will be increasing numbers of underemployed university graduates, with the potential for political discontent amongst highly educated and frustrated people, especially the blacks. Possible solutions to engineer and technician shortages include the granting of degrees by technikons, validation of technikon courses, and the awarding of degrees by an external authority. In the case of teachers, increasing their renumeration and the merging of the colleges of education with the university faculties of education would result in increasing their prestige and attracting more men to the profession. As far as unemployment and underemployment of university graduates are concerned, the solution lies in relating individual actions to societal needs. Incentives or disincentives of one sort or another appear to be necessary, such as differentiated fee structures and the limiting of enrolments in those disciplines which produce labour market surpluses. The government could also provide employment for unemployed university graduates and encourage the private sector to do the same. All of these solutions have disadvantages as well as advantages, but in the long run they have the potential of avoiding even more serious consequences. / Proefskrif (DPhil)--PU vir CHO, 1986

Although the South African government plays an increasing role in tertiary education, its involvement has not received the attention that it deserves. The goals of tertiary education are multi-dimensional at the individual and societal levels, but the guiding paradigm was viewing it in relation to the manpower and socio-economic needs of the country. This meant analysing how the government attempted to deal with these needs, especially in certain key professions, such as engineering and teaching. The following hypotheses were tested: HYPOTHESIS 1 The prestige of the universities within the tertiary education system will persist for a longer period than the economic rewards of its graduates alone would justify. HYPOTHESIS 2 The expansion from elite to mass tertiary education will lead to greater dependence on government funding and increased need for control, co-ordination, and national standards. HYPOTHESIS 3 Governments will underinvest in technical education. HYPOTHESIS 4 In "bad" economic times tertiary education enrolments will decline. HYPOTHESIS 5 Continuing university prestige will cause the college of advanced technical education (CATE) and technikon enrolments and diplomas and certificates awarded to lag behind university degrees and diplomas. HYPOTHESIS 6 In "bad" economic times CATE and technikon technical enrolments will decline. HYPOTHESIS 7 Fears of surpluses of university graduates, especially in the arts, on the one hand and shortages of certain types of manpower on the other hand will lead to government efforts to redress the balance. HYPOTHESIS 8 There will be significant limitations on government efforts to create the desired numbers and types of skilled manpower, for interventionism of this sort will run counter to individual aspirations. Tertiary education for all of the population groups since 1945 was covered. Whilst there are some gaps in the available enrolment and expenditure data, they do not invalidate the conclusions. In a plural society with deep cleavages amongst the four main population groups and lesser intra group cleavages, separate education systems developed. All population groups value academic education very highly, especially the blacks. The biases in favour of an academic education are deep rooted and multi-faceted, going back to the colonial times. Within the South African context, there are also political, socio-economic, educational, and vocational factors reinforcing these biases. Ever since the creation of the Union in 1910 there has been an ongoing debate and controversy about the division of authority in education between the central government and the provincial governments. This has been especially the case with the colleges of education for the whites. It Will soon end, however, when the central government will take them over, as well as primary and secondary schools for the whites. Black education was taken over from provincial governments in 1954 up to the university level as part of the separate development policy. The same was done in the case of coloured education in 1967, and by 1970 with Indian education. In 1960 the University College of Fort Hare was taken over by the central government, and the University Colleges of Zululand and North were also created in 1959 for specific ethnic groups. Since then all of the non-white universities have experienced student unrest, especially the black ones. The government policy had the unintended consequence of contributing to their politicisation. The administrative structure is a complex one. There is one education ministry for each major population group, plus one dealing with general education matters. An elaborate statutory advisory system of boards, committees, and councils exists. There is, however, no body offering advice to the government on tertiary education as a whole for any of the population groups. The current expenditures for universities from 1953 until 1985 were under the Holloway formula, consisting of the basic subsidy, standard provision, cost of living allowance, free income, and capital expenditure. The new formula provides more emphasis upon outputs, with half of the funds being made available in June and the other half in December. Those in the natural sciences also receive somewhat more than those in the human sciences. University enrolments have grown much faster than the college of education, CATE, and technikon enrolments. Thus, the first part of Hypothesis 1 was substantiated. One of the consequences of •this phenomenal growth has been a significant failure rate, especially amongst first-year university students. This great expansion of tertiary education has led to greater dependence on government funding, as predicted by Hypothesis 2. Hypothesis 3 also holds true, for there was underinvestment in CATE and technikon education for a long time as opposed to university education, although this is no longer true for the non-whites. Hypotheses 4 and 6 lacked significant supporting evidence and thus they were not confirmed. Tertiary education overall enrolments are not normally economically determined to any marked degree. Hypothesis 5 was upheld, because CATE and technikon enrolments and certificates and diplomas awarded as contrasted to university enrolments and degrees and diplomas awarded have lagged behind total awards and constitute a declining proportion. The last part of Hypothesis 1 is confirmed; technicians earn almost as much as teachers and sometimes even more than university graduates. Yet, they lack their prestige. Human capital theory, beginning in the 1960s, provided the theoretical justification for the great expansion of tertiary education. It maintained that investment in education will yield rich dividends to the individuals and to the economy in terms of higher growth. Since the early 1970s, however, it has come under increasing criticism from social scientists. Many maintained that there might be a declining positive correlation between education enrolments and growth rates and even negative correlations. Some even maintained that there are social limits to growth, including in education. Developing surpluses of university graduates abroad, continuing shortages of engineers and technicians, and the rising number of secondary school graduates, most of them with an academic education, led to government concern and the creation of the De Lange Commission. The government tried to redress the balance between university graduates in general and the shortages of technical and teaching personnel in particular. The De Lange Commission maintained that education must be linked to the manpower and economic development needs of the country. Earlier government commissions addressed the problems of technical and teaching personnel shortages. Many of their recommendations were implemented, but shortages of technical personnel have remained. Hypothesis 7 was thus confirmed. The government has tried to pursue the goals of manpower and economic development needs of the country, but as hypothesised (Hypothesis 8) it has run into difficulties because its goals run counter to individual aspirations. Many students pursue tertiary education for purely utilitarian or socio-economic reasons. There is also a minority which desires it for self-development or the advancement of knowledge regardless of the economic consequences. Moreover, the prestige of university education creates a strong social demand for it. Supply and demand projections for engineers and technicians indicate continuing shortages in the short- range at least. As far as the teachers are concerned, there will be enough white, coloured, and Indian ones, perhaps even some surpluses in the medium-range. In the case of the blacks, shortages will remain. The number of non-white university students by 1990 might equal white university students. The white population alone is no longer able to provide sufficient numbers of high level manpower. In the short-range the demand for university graduates looks good, but this does not mean that there will be no problems in the long-range. Unemployment of university graduates has been low, but underemployment, especially in the arts, has been far more significant. There will be increasing numbers of underemployed university graduates, with the potential for political discontent amongst highly educated and frustrated people, especially the blacks. Possible solutions to engineer and technician shortages include the granting of degrees by technikons, validation of technikon courses, and the awarding of degrees by an external authority. In the case of teachers, increasing their renumeration and the merging of the colleges of education with the university faculties of education would result in increasing their prestige and attracting more men to the profession. As far as unemployment and underemployment of university graduates are concerned, the solution lies in relating individual actions to societal needs. Incentives or disincentives of one sort or another appear to be necessary, such as differentiated fee structures and the limiting of enrolments in those disciplines which produce labour market surpluses. The government could also provide employment for unemployed university graduates and encourage the private sector to do the same. All of these solutions have disadvantages as well as advantages, but in the long run they have the potential of avoiding even more serious consequences. / Proefskrif (DPhil)--PU vir CHO, 1986

Higher education in a democratic South Africa faces huge challenges – primarily the need to achieve greater equity, efficiency and effectiveness in institutions and across the system. Universities had to open their doors to students of all races, transform curricula to become more locally relevant, and produce scholars able to address South Africa’s problems. When organisations face these changes, they still need to support their employees. They need to ensure that the employees feel secure in their employment to improve their commitment to the organisation. The objective of this study was to investigate the perceived organisational support and organisational commitment of academics in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A non-probability convenience sample was taken from a higher education institution in South Africa (N=388).The Survey of Perceived Organisational Support (SPOS) and Allen and Meyer’s Organisational Commitment Scale were administered.Cronbach alpha coefficients, Spearman product correlation coefficients, MANOVAs (to determine differences in demographic groups) and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Principal component analysis resulted in a two-factor model for perceived organisational support, namely positive support and negative support. Regarding organisational commitment, a two-factor model was also extracted, namely affective commitment and continuance commitment. The results attained from the product-moment correlations indicated that positive support has a negative relationship with negative support. Positive support is also practically significantly related to affective commitment and continuance commitment. A MANOVA analysis was conducted to determine the differences in levels of POS experienced with regard to staff, ethnicity, language, faculty and gender. The results indicated that no significant differences were found in the levels of POS experienced with regard to staff and gender. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of negative support with regard to ethnicity, language and faculties. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of positive support of staff in different faculties. MANOVA was also used to determine differences between staff with regard to commitment levels. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of continuance commitment. Support staff experience higher levels of continuance commitment than academic staff do. Multiple regression analyses indicated that positive support predicted 9% of the variance in affective organisational commitment and 18% of the variance in continuance commitment. Recommendations were made for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Higher education in a democratic South Africa faces huge challenges – primarily the need to achieve greater equity, efficiency and effectiveness in institutions and across the system. Universities had to open their doors to students of all races, transform curricula to become more locally relevant, and produce scholars able to address South Africa’s problems. When organisations face these changes, they still need to support their employees. They need to ensure that the employees feel secure in their employment to improve their commitment to the organisation. The objective of this study was to investigate the perceived organisational support and organisational commitment of academics in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A non-probability convenience sample was taken from a higher education institution in South Africa (N=388).The Survey of Perceived Organisational Support (SPOS) and Allen and Meyer’s Organisational Commitment Scale were administered.Cronbach alpha coefficients, Spearman product correlation coefficients, MANOVAs (to determine differences in demographic groups) and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Principal component analysis resulted in a two-factor model for perceived organisational support, namely positive support and negative support. Regarding organisational commitment, a two-factor model was also extracted, namely affective commitment and continuance commitment. The results attained from the product-moment correlations indicated that positive support has a negative relationship with negative support. Positive support is also practically significantly related to affective commitment and continuance commitment. A MANOVA analysis was conducted to determine the differences in levels of POS experienced with regard to staff, ethnicity, language, faculty and gender. The results indicated that no significant differences were found in the levels of POS experienced with regard to staff and gender. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of negative support with regard to ethnicity, language and faculties. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of positive support of staff in different faculties. MANOVA was also used to determine differences between staff with regard to commitment levels. Statistically significant differences were found between levels of continuance commitment. Support staff experience higher levels of continuance commitment than academic staff do. Multiple regression analyses indicated that positive support predicted 9% of the variance in affective organisational commitment and 18% of the variance in continuance commitment. Recommendations were made for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY - At present there is a growing need for empirical information in the study and career counselling process especially with regard to the statistical comparison of successful students' aptitudes. interests and personality profiles in various courses. There also is a growing demand for data regarding the predictive validity of the psychometric instruments regularly used. In an attempt to improve the effectiveness of the counselling process. mean profiles for three groups of first year students on the grounds of their mean scores on three psychometric, instruments. were drawn up and were compared with each other on a statistical basis. Secondly the predictive validity of each instrument as well as for two instruments combined was investigated. AIM OF THE RESEARCH - Firstly the aim of this study was to compare the three experimental groups' mean interest aptitude and adaptation profiles as measured by the 19 Field Interest Inventory (19 FII), the Senior Aptitude Tests (SAT) and the PHSF Relations Questionnaire on a statistical basis with each other. in order to detect statistical differences among the profiles of the three groups. The second aim of this study can be put as follows: - To determine the predictive value of each variable (psychometric instrument) with the criterion (average academical achievement); - To determine the relation between two of the variables, namely the 19 Field Interest Inventory and the Senior Aptitude Tests. combined and the criterion by means of the multiple correlation technique. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION - In the first place, a study of the relevant literature was undertaken, concerning the concepts of interest, aptitude and adaptation. Among these attention was especially focused on some definitions as well as the measurement of each concept. The psychometric instruments used in this research was discussed thoroughly regarding their development, contents, reliability and content and predictive validity. The sample used in this study consisted of 93 first year students assigned to the groups in the following way: 33 BA(Communication), 30 BA(Education) and 30 B(Law) students. Statistical operations were done for the total group by means of a computer. This included the drawing-up of mean profiles on each variable for each group as well as the statistical comparison of these profiles with each other. In the second place multiple regression was performed. CONCLUSIONS - With regard to the first aim of this study, the following can be concluded: - The experimental groups' mean interest profiles differed statistically from each other on the following fields of the 19 FII, namely FII 4 (Historical), FII 5 (Service), FII 7 (Sociability), FII 8 (Public Speaking), FII 9 (Law), FII 10 (Creative Thought), FII 13 (Practical Female) and FII 15 (Business). - The experimental groups' mean aptitude profiles differed statistically from each other on one test of the SAT and that is SAT 1 (Verbal Comprehension). - The experimental groups' mean adaptation profiles differed statistically from each other on one component of the PHSF, namely PHSF 9 (Sociability-S). With regard to the multiple regression analysis, the following can be concluded: - With regard to aptitude, three tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by means of Mallows' CP-regression analysis, namely Disguised Words, Comparison and Pattern Completion. For the BA(Education) group four tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected, namely Verbal comprehension, Calculations, Figure Series and Spatial 3-D. Three tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected for the B(Law) group, namely Calculations, Pattern Completion and Memory (Paragraph). - With regard to interest, four fields of the 19 FII with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by means of Mallows' CP-regression method, namely Public Speaking, Science, Numerical and Travel. For the BA(Education) group six fields of the 19 FII with the best regression weights were selected, namely Law, Creative Thought, Business, Clerical, Nature and Sports. Only one field with the best regression weight was however selected for the BA(Law) group, namely Business. - With regard to adaptation, three components of the PHSF Relations Questionnaire with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by mean of the same method, namely Health, Sociability-S and Formal Relations. For the BA(Education) group two components were selected, namely Selfcontrol and Nervousness. Four components of the PHSF with the best regression weights were selected for the B(Law) group, namely Health, Personal Freedom, Moral Sense and Desirability Scale. As for the last aim of this study, namely the determination of the relation between the 19 FII and the SAT combined, and the criterion, the following can be concluded: With regard to the BA(Communication) group, four predictors with the best regression weights were statistically selected, namely one test of the SAT (Comparison) and three fields of the 19 FII (Science, Numerical and Travel). - As far as the BA(Education) group is concerned, four predictors with the best regression weights were statistically selected, namely two tests of the SAT (Verbal Comprehension and Spatial 3-D) and two fields of the 19 FII (Social Work and Creative Thought). With regard to the B(Law) group, a combination of twelve predictors with the best regression weights were selected, namely four tests of the SAT (Calculations, Figure Series, Spatial 2-D and Memory Symbols ) and eight fields of the 19 FII (Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Historical, Service, Creative Thought, Clerical and Travel). RECOMMENDATIONS - It is recommended that more extensive research be undertaken with successful students in every course of study regarding their interests, aptitudes, adaptation and personalities, in order to detect their similarities and differences. In order to increase the reliability of such findings, it is also recommended that the size of the experimental groups be increased. Research should also be undertaken concerning the selection and composition of relevant test-batteries in order to achieve optimum prediction of academic achievement. However, the selection of psychometric tests as used in this study should be extended with at least a personality test. / Thesis (MA)--PU vir CHO, 1983

MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY - At present there is a growing need for empirical information in the study and career counselling process especially with regard to the statistical comparison of successful students' aptitudes. interests and personality profiles in various courses. There also is a growing demand for data regarding the predictive validity of the psychometric instruments regularly used. In an attempt to improve the effectiveness of the counselling process. mean profiles for three groups of first year students on the grounds of their mean scores on three psychometric, instruments. were drawn up and were compared with each other on a statistical basis. Secondly the predictive validity of each instrument as well as for two instruments combined was investigated. AIM OF THE RESEARCH - Firstly the aim of this study was to compare the three experimental groups' mean interest aptitude and adaptation profiles as measured by the 19 Field Interest Inventory (19 FII), the Senior Aptitude Tests (SAT) and the PHSF Relations Questionnaire on a statistical basis with each other. in order to detect statistical differences among the profiles of the three groups. The second aim of this study can be put as follows: - To determine the predictive value of each variable (psychometric instrument) with the criterion (average academical achievement); - To determine the relation between two of the variables, namely the 19 Field Interest Inventory and the Senior Aptitude Tests. combined and the criterion by means of the multiple correlation technique. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION - In the first place, a study of the relevant literature was undertaken, concerning the concepts of interest, aptitude and adaptation. Among these attention was especially focused on some definitions as well as the measurement of each concept. The psychometric instruments used in this research was discussed thoroughly regarding their development, contents, reliability and content and predictive validity. The sample used in this study consisted of 93 first year students assigned to the groups in the following way: 33 BA(Communication), 30 BA(Education) and 30 B(Law) students. Statistical operations were done for the total group by means of a computer. This included the drawing-up of mean profiles on each variable for each group as well as the statistical comparison of these profiles with each other. In the second place multiple regression was performed. CONCLUSIONS - With regard to the first aim of this study, the following can be concluded: - The experimental groups' mean interest profiles differed statistically from each other on the following fields of the 19 FII, namely FII 4 (Historical), FII 5 (Service), FII 7 (Sociability), FII 8 (Public Speaking), FII 9 (Law), FII 10 (Creative Thought), FII 13 (Practical Female) and FII 15 (Business). - The experimental groups' mean aptitude profiles differed statistically from each other on one test of the SAT and that is SAT 1 (Verbal Comprehension). - The experimental groups' mean adaptation profiles differed statistically from each other on one component of the PHSF, namely PHSF 9 (Sociability-S). With regard to the multiple regression analysis, the following can be concluded: - With regard to aptitude, three tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by means of Mallows' CP-regression analysis, namely Disguised Words, Comparison and Pattern Completion. For the BA(Education) group four tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected, namely Verbal comprehension, Calculations, Figure Series and Spatial 3-D. Three tests of the SAT with the best regression weights were selected for the B(Law) group, namely Calculations, Pattern Completion and Memory (Paragraph). - With regard to interest, four fields of the 19 FII with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by means of Mallows' CP-regression method, namely Public Speaking, Science, Numerical and Travel. For the BA(Education) group six fields of the 19 FII with the best regression weights were selected, namely Law, Creative Thought, Business, Clerical, Nature and Sports. Only one field with the best regression weight was however selected for the BA(Law) group, namely Business. - With regard to adaptation, three components of the PHSF Relations Questionnaire with the best regression weights were selected for the BA(Communication) group by mean of the same method, namely Health, Sociability-S and Formal Relations. For the BA(Education) group two components were selected, namely Selfcontrol and Nervousness. Four components of the PHSF with the best regression weights were selected for the B(Law) group, namely Health, Personal Freedom, Moral Sense and Desirability Scale. As for the last aim of this study, namely the determination of the relation between the 19 FII and the SAT combined, and the criterion, the following can be concluded: With regard to the BA(Communication) group, four predictors with the best regression weights were statistically selected, namely one test of the SAT (Comparison) and three fields of the 19 FII (Science, Numerical and Travel). - As far as the BA(Education) group is concerned, four predictors with the best regression weights were statistically selected, namely two tests of the SAT (Verbal Comprehension and Spatial 3-D) and two fields of the 19 FII (Social Work and Creative Thought). With regard to the B(Law) group, a combination of twelve predictors with the best regression weights were selected, namely four tests of the SAT (Calculations, Figure Series, Spatial 2-D and Memory Symbols ) and eight fields of the 19 FII (Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Historical, Service, Creative Thought, Clerical and Travel). RECOMMENDATIONS - It is recommended that more extensive research be undertaken with successful students in every course of study regarding their interests, aptitudes, adaptation and personalities, in order to detect their similarities and differences. In order to increase the reliability of such findings, it is also recommended that the size of the experimental groups be increased. Research should also be undertaken concerning the selection and composition of relevant test-batteries in order to achieve optimum prediction of academic achievement. However, the selection of psychometric tests as used in this study should be extended with at least a personality test. / Thesis (MA)--PU vir CHO, 1983