Research publications - DLL

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/9234

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Browsing by Author "Koetsier, Jos"

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    The first year experience of part-time students in a South African university: exploring student support linkages between First year orientation programmes and after hours support services
    (Division for lifelong learning, 2009) Koetsier, Jos
    The paper argues that once-off and stand-alone orientation programmes offered usually at the beginning of the first year have limited effect if they are not part of a broader array of support systems available to students in various forms for the entire duration of that year. Concerted support systems - which include mentoring, and peer facilitation, early warning mechanisms, student counselling, and time management workshops – are better positioned to support student success, particularly at first year level. Empirical information in this paper is based on research conducted at one South African university, the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The University predominantly recruits among the economically disadvantaged communities of the Western Cape. Surveys conducted during the Orientation Programmes of 2006-2008 showed that more than half of the first year part-time students who attend these programmes are first generation students. In other words, they were the first member of their family to enter the university and expressed the need for specific support throughout the year. More than 90% were employed and carried family responsibilities. Centralised after hours support has been institutionalized only recently (2008), resulting in the implementation of an institution specific model called the ‘After Hours Study Zone’ (AHSZ). The model seeks to link the first year orientation programmes offered at the beginning of the year to tailor-made after hours support throughout the year. In 2008, about 3000 students studied in the University’s after hour’s programmes. They were predominantly working part-time students (N=2702) who were older than the traditional student age (18-25 years). 80% of these part-time students were over 30 years old (source: Management Information System, UWC, 2009 per 4 May 2009). The implementation of the AHSZ model is in line with the University’s lifelong learning mission and is supported by bi-annual research projects, aiming at specific faculties as well as constituencies (e.g. students and staff teaching on the After Hours Programmes). These studies form part of a series of research projects on Adult Learners in Higher Education and are funded by the university as well as by external agencies like the CHE (Council on Higher Education) in Pretoria The paper contextualizes these research findings and contrasts the institutional model with other first year support models in South Africa and findings in the (inter)national literature. It probes whether these models take into account the specific profile and needs of working adult learners who study part-time.
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    Hitting the road: what students at UWC say about their public transport
    (University of the Western Cape, 2004) Koetsier, Jos; Gabavana, Wisemann
    Discussions with full-time and part-time students revealed that there is a serious need for safe and reliable public transport. Especially women from the townships frequently raised issues of public transport not being safe and available during after-hours. The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of the Western Cape initiated a transport survey among all students to address this issue. Safe and reliable public transport is not only an important asset for student but for all citizens of South Africa country. Public transport greatly contributes to the social and economic upliftment of the metropolis and the province. The SRC supported by the Division for Lifelong and the office of the Vice-rector Students Development and Support conducted this survey to get a picture of the transport needs of full-time and part-time students. A total of 488 students respondent to the survey, which was twice as high as any other on-line survey conducted at the University. The outcomes were shared with the wider campus community and stakeholders in the transport industry in the Cape Town Metropolis. A public presentation took place on 19 August 2004 during the Learning Cape Indaba.
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    Planning the imaginary: assessing the marketing of lifelong learning and its impact on institutional change. Paper presented at the 15th International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education 14-16 July 2003, University of the Western Cape
    (2003) Koetsier, Jos
    In August 1999 UWC launched its first marketing campaign “It is Never too Late to learn” which mainly targeted Adult Mature learners with an interest for part-time studies. In those days many people perceived Lifelong Learning as being equivalent to part-time studies and part-time studies as being equivalent to after hours studies. From the ensuing campaigns since 1999 a lifelong learner emerged who was part-time as well as full-time, was a mature learner of an average age of 27 years for women and 23 years for men, who wanted good services and high quality programmes during all working hours of the university. The marketing campaigns solicited many queries from prospective and current students, queries that hint at the need for institutional change. The paper assesses areas of enquiry and contestation embedded in 262 email queries and shows how they point towards the need for institutional change.