Many factors are present in the teaching and learning environment that could influence students’ motivation positively or negatively. This study explores and describes the factors influencing motivation of nursing students in order to identify student support strategies to enhance motivation in the teaching and learning environment. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design was used. The accessible population was all final-year students registered for the certificate leading to enrolment as a nurse (R.2175) and studying at two campuses of a selected private Nursing Education Institution (NEI) in Gauteng province. The sample selection was non-probability, convenient sampling. Data was collected by means of semi-structured focus group interviews. The three main themes that emerged from the collected data were factors related to interpersonal relationships, factors related to the teaching and learning milieu and factors related to self-worth. Recommendations for student support in nursing education, student support in practice and for future research were made. / Verskeie faktore bestaan in die leeromgewing wat motivering van studente positief sowel as negatief beïnvloed. Hierdie studie ondersoek en beskryf die faktore wat die motivering van verpleegstudente beïnvloed om sodoende studentondersteuning-strategieë te identifiseer wat motivering in die leeromgewing sal bevorder. Die navorser het kwalitatiewe navorsing gebruik. Die toeganklike populasie was al die finale jaar studente geregistreer vir die kursus wat lei tot inskrywing as verpleegkundige (R.2175) en aan twee kampusse van ‘n geselekteerde privaatverpleegskool in die Gauteng provinsie studeer. Die nie-waarskynlikheids-, gerieflikheidsteekproeftegniek is gebruik. Semi-gestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude is gebruik om data in te samel. Die drie hooftemas wat navore gekom het uit die ingesamelde data was faktore geassosieer met interpersoonlike verhoudings, faktore geassosieer met die leeromgewing en faktore geassosieer met selfwaarde. Aanbevelings vir studentondersteuning in verpleegonderrig, studentondersteuning in praktyk en vir verdere navorsing is gemaak. / Ho na le dintlha tse ngata tse teng tikolohong ya dithuto tse ka bang le kgahlamelo e itseng ho baithuti ka tsela e ntle kapa e bosula. Diphuputso tsena di hlakisa dintlha tse ka bang le kabelo morolong wa baithui ba booki e le hore ho tle ho hlauwe meralo ya tshehetso e tlang ho matlafatsa tikoloho ya dithuto. Ho sebedisitswe mokgwa o nang le boleng, o batsi o hlakileng. Batho bao ho entsweng diphuputso tsena ho bona, e ne e le baithuti ba selemo sa ho qetela ba ingodiseditseng setifikeiti sa ho ya ithutela booki, ba ithutelang dikhemphaseng tse pedi tsa lekala la poraefete la Nursing Education Institution, profensing ya Gauteng. Mokgwa o sebedisitsweng wa ho kgetha, o ne o sa fane ka sephetho se hlakileng, se bobebe. Ho ilwe ha bokelletswa lesedi ka tsela ya dihlopha tse hlonngweng dipotso. Dihlooho (mokotaba) tse tharo tse ka sehlohong tse hlahellang leseding lena le bokelleditsweng, e bile dintlha tse amanang le dikamano tsa batho, dintlha tse amanang le tikoloho ya dithuto le dintlha tse amanang le boitshepo ya motho. Ho entswe dikgothalletso tsa tshehetso ya baithuti thutong ya booki, tshehetso ya baithuti kwetlisong le bakeng sa diphuputso tsa nako e tlang. / Health Studies / M. P. H. (Health Studies)

Submitted in accordance with the requiremerts for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (D. Phil) in the subject Psychology in the FACULTV OF ARTS at the UNIVERSllY OF ZULULAND, 2006. / The study investigates counselling interventions used by staff at the Centre for Guidance and Counselling (CGC) from 1977 to 2006. Both location and situation of the University of Zululand (Unizul) in the rural north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where poverty and political intolerance once reigned, presents unique challenges to students and staff, particularly the Student Representative Council (SRC) and Management. A number of significant discoveries were made as revealed by research techniques used i.e. narratives, selected qualitative and quantitative research methods and case studies. After the 1976 national riots and communication breakdown between students and management, the University established a department to serve as a communication conduit between the two structures (Bengu, 2005). It is with that background that the Student Services Department (SSD) was conceived at Unizul. In spite of interruptions and difficulties from one period to another, there is evidence of hard work from previous headships. Unforeseen circumstances in each case prevented formal hand over. It is only recently, in 2003 that Unizul began to make provisions for change management strategy. For the purposes of this study a survey on student experiences on campus life was conducted. From randomly selected members of the university community it is concluded that, all is not well with student life at Unizul. Further, attitudes of students and staff in Student Services Department (SSD) were explored as they impact on service delivery (Ludeman, 1998; 1997; Worthen, 1987). The genera! view is that problems of de-motivation and academic indifference, political intolerance and domination, mob spirit and group-think are excessive between and amongst students. Student politics rules student affairs. Executive appointments in sports, societies and clubs are dominated by political placements of individuals that serve interests of political groupings. Over the years, the operations of the SRC, Student Parliament and Senate, All Sports and Student Housing Committees have taken political stands. By accommodating and sometimes nursing political squabbles of students, management and staff are perceived to be aligned to one of two main political rivals in the country. SSD is faced with an ongoing responsibility of diffusing tensions to establish a healthy working relationship amongst students, and also between student governing structures and management. The University is faced with challenges of normalizing conditions to enable effective teaching and learning to take place. A systematic, multi-pronged approach to deal with problems of political intolerance and domination, poverty and academic indifference is recommended. As problems will not vanish on their own, a need for an effective, well-thought management strategy and psychological intervention are strongly recommended.

No description available.

Non-traditional students make up approximately 20% of the undergraduate student population nationwide and are one of few segments of the student population that are not provided with targeted programs and services. To help this cohort achieve their goals whilst universities can increase their retention rates, this research begins a review of the non-traditional student literature to gain an understanding of what this population faces as far as barriers to their education. The literature also provides recommendations and further information in retention efforts to support the student during their academic years. Next, an analysis of non-traditional student support services at 4-year public universities was conducted between 15 different institutions, including the University of Central Florida. Only two of the universities in this study had a department or office specifically to support the needs of this cohort, one being the smallest universities in this research study and the other was one of the largest. Three more universities researched have a program dedicated to these students. The remaining 10 universities had little to no non-traditional student support structures in place at their university. This research provides 34 different methods for providing non-traditional student support to universities across the nation.

The MA Social Behaviour Studies in HIV and AIDS as a postgraduate degree requires students to work and conduct research independently. The purpose of the study was to gauge the perceptions, attitudes and experiences of second year students and key personnel concerning student support. A mixed methods research design was used. It was found that students and staff regarded support in a positive light, although concerns about insufficient resources were expressed. Students expressed needs for specific academic and research support. Staff tended to romanticise the reasons for students enrolling for the degree. Possible conflicting expectations of the degree and the amount and type of support offered were found between the staff and the students and also among various staff members. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV-AIDS)

This thesis focuses on learner support in Chinese distance education. It draws a picture of Chinese modern distance education, covering the major issues in the field of learner support, and small group work as peer support. The aim of the study is to find out whether or not the learner support, that distance students at university level obtained, has the tendency to support students’ deep learning. The aim has been achieved by examining learner support in six institutions of ICT-based distance education in China. Three other sources of learner support are investigated. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to describe the distance students’ characteristics; 2) to examine their learning habits, learning organizations, and their interactions; 3) to investigate the student support provided by the institutions; family support; societal support; and peer support in the form of small group work. The purpose of this study is to define current practices of learner support in the six distance education institutions, determining the extent of similarities and differences on learner support services among these institutions. The study is applying a case-study approach, using qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the six Chinese distance education institutions. During the first stage, several field visits were conducted in different research sites with on-site participant observation, non-participant observation and interviews for obtaining knowledge of Chinese distance education. In the second stage, a survey with a student questionnaire was distributed to students present and others online, in total 587. In addition, semi-structured interviews with staff members (administrators, instructors and tutors), individual students, and student focus groups were performed. The present research is one of the few in-depth case studies that focus on the relation between learner support system and different approaches to learning. On the basis of these research findings, the importance of a well-designed learner support system for the distance learner, a system for fostering creative, critical or independent thinking skills, or deep learning, in line with Chinese cultural and social conditions, is underlined.

North-West University in South Africa is committed to expanding use of learning technologies for contact and distance education students by augmenting the existing NWU teaching and learning policy with an e-learning policy. The School of Continuing Teacher Education at North-West University is currently training about 24 000 in-service teacher students through Open Distance Learning. Only a few students submit assignments in typed format and seldom electronically. Students rarely use electronic technologies to augment their learning, and the SCTE employs few to support students. This does not comply with the South African Government’s policy on e-Education that demands information and communication technology mastery in teacher training. The aim of this research was integration of learning technologies in open distance learning at SCTE NWU through recommendations compiled in a sociologically transformative emergent implementation framework. The researcher followed a concurrent mixed-method sociologically transformative approach, focussing on the use of technology for social empowerment to cross the digital divide, through a theoretical lens of ICT for development. The lived experience in the natural setting of distance education students, lecturers, and involved stakeholders was used as initial data collection, informed by a continuous literature study of emergent learning technology use. Purposeful sampling was used during participant selection. The role of the researcher was that of participant observer, interviewer, and human instrument, from a position of methodological pragmatism as a method of inquiry. Using a design-based research approach, the thesis addresses the main research question through five research papers; each addressing one of the sub-questions as design-based research cycles, while collectively addressing the research problem to address the main research question. Nonstandardised measuring instruments were developed based on themes identified from literature and the analysis of qualitative data. Significant barriers to population-wide ICT adoption exist. Strong intentions of perseverance in attaining functional computer literacy are evident. Support and enablement are required to promote trust to attempt using computers, necessary to obtain self-confidence through accomplishment. In this way perseverance to attain functional computer literacy may be cultivated. The study presents a model for intention to use, confidence, trust and perseverance in attaining computer literacy competence with statistically significant standardised regression weights. In terms of affective responses of students during computer literacy training, a twodimensional model for computer literacy learning emotions is presented. Perceptions during professional development produced a model for faculty development towards socially transformative learning technology integration for open distance learning. The researcher also presents a people-technology interaction in teaching and learning model in the fifth paper. A distinction is made between reactionary interventions and pre-emptive unobtrusive seamless support, based on requirements identified through bottom-up feedback listening to latent requests of participants. Technology-enhanced learning integration should be legitimised through visible commitment from the university as institution. Lecturer training, innovative planning of time issues, acquisition of appropriate infrastructure, buying in from the institution and IT support services, and support of teacher-students are all essential for evolvement towards an e-mature organisation for the delivery of ODL to vast numbers of newly industrialised context clients. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

North-West University in South Africa is committed to expanding use of learning technologies for contact and distance education students by augmenting the existing NWU teaching and learning policy with an e-learning policy. The School of Continuing Teacher Education at North-West University is currently training about 24 000 in-service teacher students through Open Distance Learning. Only a few students submit assignments in typed format and seldom electronically. Students rarely use electronic technologies to augment their learning, and the SCTE employs few to support students. This does not comply with the South African Government’s policy on e-Education that demands information and communication technology mastery in teacher training. The aim of this research was integration of learning technologies in open distance learning at SCTE NWU through recommendations compiled in a sociologically transformative emergent implementation framework. The researcher followed a concurrent mixed-method sociologically transformative approach, focussing on the use of technology for social empowerment to cross the digital divide, through a theoretical lens of ICT for development. The lived experience in the natural setting of distance education students, lecturers, and involved stakeholders was used as initial data collection, informed by a continuous literature study of emergent learning technology use. Purposeful sampling was used during participant selection. The role of the researcher was that of participant observer, interviewer, and human instrument, from a position of methodological pragmatism as a method of inquiry. Using a design-based research approach, the thesis addresses the main research question through five research papers; each addressing one of the sub-questions as design-based research cycles, while collectively addressing the research problem to address the main research question. Nonstandardised measuring instruments were developed based on themes identified from literature and the analysis of qualitative data. Significant barriers to population-wide ICT adoption exist. Strong intentions of perseverance in attaining functional computer literacy are evident. Support and enablement are required to promote trust to attempt using computers, necessary to obtain self-confidence through accomplishment. In this way perseverance to attain functional computer literacy may be cultivated. The study presents a model for intention to use, confidence, trust and perseverance in attaining computer literacy competence with statistically significant standardised regression weights. In terms of affective responses of students during computer literacy training, a twodimensional model for computer literacy learning emotions is presented. Perceptions during professional development produced a model for faculty development towards socially transformative learning technology integration for open distance learning. The researcher also presents a people-technology interaction in teaching and learning model in the fifth paper. A distinction is made between reactionary interventions and pre-emptive unobtrusive seamless support, based on requirements identified through bottom-up feedback listening to latent requests of participants. Technology-enhanced learning integration should be legitimised through visible commitment from the university as institution. Lecturer training, innovative planning of time issues, acquisition of appropriate infrastructure, buying in from the institution and IT support services, and support of teacher-students are all essential for evolvement towards an e-mature organisation for the delivery of ODL to vast numbers of newly industrialised context clients. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

This study focuses on student support service quality with particular reference to an Open Distance Learning (ODL) environment. Taking student support services as anchors in mainstreaming ODL, the aims of the study are to develop an instrument that can accurately measure student support service quality in an Ethiopian ODL environment. Simultaneously, it is to investigate an alleged gap between students’ expectations and experiences of service quality in the Ethiopia-UNISA context. In doing so, an attempt is made to determine the students’ level of satisfaction with the student support services provided. The study relies on quantitative methods and a design-based research strategy, which involves iterative and step-by-step processes of investigation. The theoretical framework employed in this study is Gaps Model by Parasuraman, Ziethaml and Berry (1985). Using an instrument of which the possible level of external and internal validity has been ensured, data are collected and quantitatively analysed using a standard Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The data suggest that there are five dimensions that play a cardinal role in the measurement of student support service quality in an ODL context, namely supervision support, infrastructure, administrative support, academic facilitation and corporate image. In the Ethiopian context, there appears to be a discrepancy between students’ expectations and their experiences of the quality of student support services. More than often their expectations exceed their actual experiences of quality service provision. Students’ satisfaction levels are negatively affected by the quality of four of the support services provided by UNISA as measured through expectations and experiences. In contrast, the students’ responses show that they are highly satisfied with the corporate image UNISA holds both in Ethiopia and internationally. From among the five dimensions, however, corporate image and supervision support stand out to be the most important dimensions in contributing to the students’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction, respectively. As a recommendation, this study highlights that these two dimensions must be focal areas by UNISA as more effort must be exerted to build the image of UNISA in Ethiopia and to improve the supervision support provided to students. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Student assessment and feedback is not new to open and distance learning (ODL) but there is a paucity of empirical evidence as to its effectiveness in improving the performance of students and institutions. The objective of this study was to identify key aspects required to optimise feedback in ODL. In various studies, feedback has been heralded for its key role in the improvement of student learning. However, there are on-going expressions of uncertainty about whether assessment feedback is indeed delivering this potential, particularly in ODL mode. Against this backdrop of uncertainty and circumspection, this study offers a critical reflection on assessment feedback with particular focus on ODL. This case study was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with the students, which were conducted to explore and extrapolate their experiences and views on feedback. Focus group interviews with tutors were also conducted to provide an in-depth understanding of participants’ experiences and perceptions. Document analysis was used to make informed recommendations. The study recommends that creating an effective assessment programme, developing criteria, guides, exemplars and models; discussing and refining them and communicating them to students and their staff — will have a positive impact on the workload for staff with coordinating responsibilities. It is recommended that a student charter be devised to lay out student expectations alongside the expectations of an ODL institution. Such a student charter will ensure that both tutors and students know what is expected of them during the feedback giving and receiving process. My findings offer a deeper understanding of the assessment of code disciplines which require a specialist gaze for the judgement of student work, and the pressures experienced in this type of assessment in an ODL context. It is envisaged that the research findings will assist ODL practitioners with decisions related to assessment and feedback. There are clear implications for staff in ODL institutions to encourage changes in feedback culture. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)