Academic literature on the topic 'Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit-Students'

The purpose of this study was to determine the satisfaction of the B Cur fourth-year students (2001) at the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), in terms of their B Cur programme. Opsomming Die doel van die studie was om die B.Cur.-vierdejaarstudente aan die Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit (RAU), van die jaar 2001, se tevredenheid ten opsigte van hulle B.Cur.-program te bepaal. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

Effective selection procedures in career-orientated university courses like B.Cur. are of prime importance. In addition to studying full-time, these students are employed by the Health Services. Before an effective selection criterion can be identified, a profile of the typical students doing this course should be compiled.

Students applying to follow the B. Cur. degree at the Rand Afrikaans University are subjected to a selection process. In spite o f the selection process the drop-out rate is high. An attempt is being made to evaluate the present academic selection process. The amended Smeltzer method is used as a point o f departure to correlate with the model proposed by the University administration. The academic predictions are implemented on the Swedish formula and a cut-off point is obtained according to a sliding scale proposed fo r academic selection. With the abovementioned two methods it appears that the selected population has the most successful academic results if the cut-off point o f the amended Smeltzer method and the Swedish formula is 60 and 15 respectively.

An information ecology, in the words of MIT Press, is “a system of people, technologies and values in a local environment” (2000:[online]). This inquiry uses the elements of the information ecology – the interdependent system, its wealth of diversity, the co-evolutionary nature of the relationships within the environment, the leadership of keystone species, and the relationships and technology within its locality – to provide a framework within which to reflect on my learning as a postgraduate student at the Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg). Situated in a postmodern philosophical perspective and informed by constructivism, deconstructionism and critical theory, the phenomenological inquiry uses John Dewey’s model of reflective thought (1933) to examine the reasons for the disparity in the transfer of their new expertise by students who have participated in postgraduate programmes at the University, and to determine the principle factor that led to my incorporating such new skills into my own teaching practice. Evidence of this transfer of skills is presented in the description of an action research intervention that I designed and implemented in teaching basic computer skills to a group of ACE students in 2004.
Mr. G.V. Lautenbach

M.A.
This study entailed research into the variables that play a significant role in the development of student culture, the specific nature of student culture at RAU and extent of the relationship between student participation in student culture and their work ethic/work orientation. In the qualitative phase of this study a total of 10 in-depth group interviews were conducted with 21 students in order to determine the nature of student culture at RAU. From these interviews certain variables of student culture at the RAU were identified and used to construct a questionnaire that was completed by a representative sample of 1000 students (quantitative phase). The questionnaire consisted of questions on the biographical- and academic background of students, their work ethic/work orientation and various aspects of student culture and -subcultures. By means of factor analysis and item analysis, eight scales were developed. These scales measured the work ethic/work orientation of students, the extent to which students regard academic merit as important, their participation in student culture, their conformation to academic student norms and the extent of their identification with the academic-, occupational-, college- and outside-campus student subcultures. The scales were further analysed in terms of the biographical- and academic background of students, making use of one-way analysis of variance and Scheffe's paired comparisons, Hotelling T2 and t-tests and Pearsons correlation's. Using bundle analysis four student subcultures, namely the active-, passive-, hardworking- and occupational subcultures, were identified at the RAU. These subcultures were also analysed in terms of students' backgrounds making use of crosstabulations with Chi t- tests. It was found that students have a relatively high work ethic/work orientation: The most important factors that bring about a difference in terms of students work ethic/work orientation are gender, the faculty within which students study, the method students use to pay for their studies and the RAUstudent subculture that students belong to.

M.Cur. (Nursing Education)
Although all students planning to do the B.Cur.-degree at the Rand Afrikaans University are subjected to a selection procedure, the attrition rate for the course is considerable. In 1975, only nine of the original 23 students graduated, and in 1976 only ten of the original 31 students were able to complete the course. An attempt was made to evaluate the present selection process which consists of a slidingscale and a structured interview. The sample consisted of all students registering for the B.Cur.-degree from 1975 to 1980. Findings are based on data gathered from selection records and records of academic achievement as well as a structured interview with all applicants. The findings consist of the following - if the slidingscale is to be used in future, students in the catagories 50-59 and 60-69 may be reconsidered for entrance - in the catagories 90-99 and 100+, 46,9 per cent of the students resigned in their first year and research in this connection would be of value the fact that a course is selected as a major, does not seem to be related to academic success, especially during the first year of study - there seems to be a significant positive relationship between the structured interview and academic success. Although research of this specific nature has not yet been replicated, the findings could, however, be seen as representative of B.Cur. students in the Republic of South Africa.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
The successful adaptation to university by first year students is of prime importance to university authorities throughout the world. The high dropout rate of students is an indication that students do have a problem adapting to university. This has led to the introduction of orientation courses and the development of programmes to assist students in adjusting. This allows them a greater opportunity to experience success at university and to meet the main aim of university education - cognitive development (Behr, 1986:27) ...