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Perceptions and experiences of undergraduate midwifery students concerning their midwifery training

Thesis (MCur)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the period 2006-2008 more than 50% of midwifery students at the college under
study failed the midwifery training programme.
The academic performance of students can be attributed to various factors, ranging from
personal uniqueness and institutional aspects to the course content itself. Accordingly, this
study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of student midwives with reference to
their training programme.
The objectives set for the study were set to determine the perceptions and experiences of
the student midwives with regard to:
• guidance in the practical field,
• classroom experiences
• assessment procedures and
• whether the students attribute their academic successes or failures to the training
programme.
A qualitative approach with a descriptive design was applied to determine the perceptions
and experiences of the undergraduate midwifery students concerning their training
programme.
The population of this study was fourth-year students who have successfully completed their
midwifery-training programme. Nineteen students consented to participate in the study. The
trustworthiness of this study was assured by using the Lincoln and Guba’s criteria of
credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. A pre-test was completed.
All ethical principles were met. Data was collected through focus group interviews, using an
interview guide. The analysis of the data revealed that students attributed their academic
failures and success to guidance received in the theoretical as well as the practical field.
The findings displayed the frustration that the students experienced with the lecture method
as a teaching strategy. Discontentment was perceived among the participants regarding the demarcation, which differed among lecturers. Students were of the opinion that certain
content of the curriculum was intended for the doctors, and they indicated a need for the
extension of class time, for the instruction of the theory, as the curriculum was perceived as
“content heavy”.
Guidance in the clinical field, by the clinical educators, was perceived as being positive, yet
the student-clinical educator ratio was proving to be a challenge. Marking of tests and
examination answer sheets was perceived as too strict.
Recommendations
Students must be active participants in the learning process, not passive recipients of
information.
Teaching methods (such as role-play, brainstorming, case studies, simulations, and group
work), that expand and reinforce basic communication, intellectual and interpersonal skills,
should be employed.
Uniformity amongst midwifery facilitators, in terms of content selection, demarcations,
classroom activities and assessment techniques, should be agreed upon prior to the
commencement of a block period. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tydens die periode 2006-2008 was meer as 50% van die verloskunde studente by die
kollege waar die studie gedoen was, onsuksesvol in die verloskunde program.
Akademiese prestasie van studente kan aan verskillende faktore toegeskryf word. Hierdie
kwessies wissel van persoonlike uniekheid en institusionele aspekte tot die kursus inhoud
self. Dus poog hierdie studie om die persepsies en ervaringe van die student vroedvroue ten
opsigte van hul opleidingsprogram te verken.
Die doelwitte van die studie was om die persepsies en ervaringe van die student vroedvroue
met betrekking tot:
• praktiese leiding,
• klaskamerondervinding,
• assesseringsprosedures te bepaal en
• of die studente hul akademiese suksesse en mislukkings aan die opleidingsprogram
toe skryf.
ʼn Kwalitatiewe benadering met ʼn beskrywende strategie was gebruik om die persepsies en
ervaringe van die voorgraadse studente rakende hul opleidingsprogram vas te stel.
Die populasie van hierdie studie was studente, in hul vierde jaar, wat reeds die verloskunde
opleidingsprogram suksesvol voltooi het. Negentien studente het ingestem om aan die
studie deel te neem. Die vertrouenswaardigheid van die navorsing is verseker deur van die
Lincoln en Guba kriteria – geloofwaardigheid, oordraagbaarheid, betroubaarheid en
bevestiging – gebruik te maak. ʼn Voorafgaande toets is voltooi.
Al die etiese beginsels is nagekom. Data is ingesamel deur onderhoude met fokusgroepe te
voer. ’n Onderhoudsgids is vir die doeleinde gebruik. Die data-ontleding het getoon dat
studente hul akademiese mislukkings en suksesse aan die leiding wat hulle op teoretiese en
praktiese gebiede ontvang het, toeskryf.
Die bevindinge het die frustrasie wat die studente met die lesmetode as ’n onderrigstrategie
ervaar, getoon. Ontevredenheid rakende die werkafbakening, wat verskil van lektor tot lektor, is ook waargeneem. Studente voel dat dele van die kurrikuluminhoud vir dokters
bedoel is. Hulle is van mening dat meer klastyd nodig is om teorie te onderrig, aangesien die
kurrikulum oorvol is.
Hoewel die leiding op kliniese gebied, deur die kliniese opvoeders, positief ervaar is, is die
student-opvoeder verhouding as ʼn uitdaging beskou. Die studente het gevoel dat hul toetse
en eksamenantwoordstelle te streng nagesien was.
Aanbevelings:
Studente moet aktief by die leerproses betrek word en moet nie bloot passiewe ontvangers
van inligting wees nie.
Onderrigmetodes, wat basiese kommunikasie-, intellektuele en interpersoonlike vaardighede
aanvul en versterk (soos byvoorbeeld rolspel, dinkskrums, gevallestudies, simulasies en
groepwerk), moet ingespan word.
Die fasiliteerders moet ooreenkom en ʼn eenvormige beleid, betreffende die
kurrikuluminhoud, afbakening van werk, klaskameraktiwiteite en assesseringsmetodes, voor
die aanvang van die blokperiode, daarstel.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6659
Date03 1900
CreatorsPhiri, Wendy Augusta
ContributorsVan der Heever, Mariana, Stellenberg, E. L., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences., Barnes, Wendy Augusta
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format67 p.
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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