CHAPTER ONE: ORIENTATION AND OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
6.2 NATURE OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT AIMED AT SUPPORTING ‘AT-RISK’
6.2.3 Intervention programme aimed at supporting ‘at-risk’ students
6.2.3.1 Current intervention programmes in place to assist ‘at-risk’ students
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“I attend support programme but sometimes I have group discussion then I miss workshops, having a mentor assist me a lot” Mbali
From the focus group, one participant said: When I got to the meeting I was assigned to a mentor; I am lucky that she is a female. She reminds me of my deadlines. Focus group
“My mentor is helping me a lot if I need help”. Khethiwe
Now I attend the programme to prove to everyone that I can do it. Luke
These quotes suggest that students appreciate and value the peer-mentorship support; some miss workshops because of commitments and rely on mentors to assist them with information from the workshop. Some students prefer to be mentored by someone of the same gender as they easily relate to them. Participants explained that mentors reminded them of deadlines and they can easily approach mentors when they needed help. This shows that the presence of peer mentoring is a safe space for students where they can get support. This also gives students an option of choosing who they can speak to regarding their challenges at university.
Referral system
To help in improving the quality of support that the programme offers, students who are involved in the Academic and Support Programme complete a survey questionnaire at the beginning of each semester. The survey questions are designed to find or investigate the reasons or challenges that lead to a student’s underperformance and this helps to design workshops that are tailor made to suit their needs. Students are then referred to the relevant university sectors according to their specific need mentioned during the survey; help can be accessed through lecturers, campus- based student counsellors, student funding office, the disability office, housing, clinic and other support sectors. This is shown by the statements below:
But now it’s better after seeing the psychologist and whatever and with the support from Tammy who was my mentor and all that. I have come out of it now. Focus group
“During first year I was pretending to be fine but now I am seeing the counsellor because my mentor referred me”.Nozizwe
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These quotes suggest that students don’t want to be known as people who are academically challenged. The negative attitude towards intervention support changed after they received help, then they realize that they needed this support. Some participants claim that despites their negative attitude towards the programme it has proved to be a way out of their misery. Some participants felt that the programme assisted them by deeply focusing on issues that contributed to their underperformance and referred them to relevant support structures. This means that students who are performing poorly are less likely to come forward and receive support. This can be brought by number of issues such as ignorance (see Nozizwe’s statement) as well as stigma (see Nevan’s statement).
Academic counselling
One-on-one academic counselling is provided to students who need academic guidance either by the Academic Monitoring and Support Coordinator, lecturers or an Academic Leader. This general academic support was designed to complement the module-specific support students receive from module tutors and coordinators. This is shown in the following statements:
“During my first year I was pregnant I came two weeks late, I actually became ‘at risk’ because I did not deregister two modules on time. When I went to admission office they said it was too late. But in my statement it shows that I failed because I did not write these two modules but I also saw that my credits were low. The programme coordinator referred me to the Academic coordinator to check my modules”. Busisiwe
“I was so afraid; I didn’t know that you can go to the lecturers and asked them to explain what I didn’t understand in class. In the support programme and also in ALE the lecturer advised us to go and consult if you didn’t understand. You can write an assignment and ask lecturers to check it for you; it is fine. Firstly, I thought I was not allowed to go to their offices. I only realise that late but now I am fine because I can consult if I need help”. Focus group, Busisiwe
“In my second year, my results were not good; I had to consult the Dean. When you get result they tell you that you need to consult the Dean”. Nozizwe
In this case these quotes suggest that the intervention support programme assisted and encourages students to consult with academic staff regarding their curriculum, subject
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specialization, academic work and other related issues. Data from interviews and focus group indicates that the support programme has motivated many students to take advantage of consultation times, academic counselling, and credit load checking and speaking to their lecturers. Some explained that they only realized after attending intervention programme that if they need help they can approach their lecturers. This suggests that student success may rely on well operated systems. It is clear that there is a gap in student’s awareness of university systems.
Monitoring chart
All Academic Monitoring and Support programme recipients were given monitoring charts for each of their courses. According to the monitoring chart, students must meet three times each semester with their module tutors, once with module coordinators, twice with academic counsellors and once with the Academic leader. Each staff member must comment on the student’s progress, clearly stating the intervention support that the student has received and sign the chart after each meeting with the student. This was intended to provide transparency between staff and students with regards to the student’s progress and intervention support provided. A monitoring chart must be completed for each module where the student is enrolled. The Academic leader will make a comment on the progress of each learner at the end of the semester for example, some students reported the following:
“I felt supported, I wish I had this support in my first year level; having monitoring chart made me feel like I have something concrete that makes me go and speak to my lecturers”. Sabrina
“Another thing that pushed me was the monitoring chart that you show to your lecturers and asking them for support. I don’t want to do that again that is why I had to work very hard”.Busisiwe
“Monitoring chart makes you speak to your lecturers. But I didn’t speak to my lecturers before’
Focus group
From this set of data participants indicated that the monitoring chart worked as a tool which encouraged, and forced them to consult with lecturers regarding their academic progress. For some the monitoring chart was an extra burden and that encouraged them to pass their modules
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so that they could be exempted from the Academic Support and Monitoring programme. Some participants claimed that they felt the monitoring chart forced them to consult with lecturers and motivated some of them to work hard. This suggests that for some students the monitoring chart aided as a tool to force them to discuss their academic progress with their lecturers. For some it speeded the process of being in good standing academically because they wanted to be exempted from the programme (see Busisiwe’s statement above).
Communication
The Academic and Support Programme office uses bulk sms, e-mails and telephone calls to communicate with students and to disseminate information about meetings and appointments.
These means of communication provides confidentiality between the student and the office. This is meant to inform and remind them to attend intervention programmes; for example, some students reported the following:
“Last year, second semester, I received an sms to attend the Academic and Support programme.
It was then that I realised there is something wrong. I kept telling myself that I will do better than this but it didn’t happen when I was told that I have to attend the programme I realised I needed help”. Mbali
“I got sms that I have to attend the intervention programme, this sms made me feel nervous”.
Luke
“Student should be sent only sms and e-mail” Khethiwe
These quotes suggest that these students were very reluctant to be introspective or believe that they were not performing well academically and needed to seek help. Students do have an idea of how they may have performed in their examinations through their experience of writing examinations as well as their knowledge of their performance within the semester of the continuous assessment process of their modules. As soon as they receive notification through sms or emails it should serve as confirmation that they need help if they have not complied with regulations.
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Workshops
Intervention support workshops are held every Thursday during the forum period to provide students with additional support. These workshops are designed according to the needs and interests of students and deal with many issues including time management skills, life skills, study skills, academic writing skills, exam preparation etc. During these workshops, students break into smaller groups to give each other feedback and to provide group support based on the workshop led by the academic counsellors, workshop facilitator or a mentor. The support received by students is in line with the Supplementary Tutorial Programme (STP) model which includes among other aspects: Assisting students from under-privileged backgrounds to cope with the mainstream course; providing a separate, safe space for addressing their learning difficulties; developing study and writing skills; and clarifying key concepts and elements of content. Additional topics are added according to the current needs of the students whereby guest lecturers are invited to speak on specialized topics. Some of the students who attended the workshop indicated the following:
“I take my books highlights things and write down notes, we received guideline notes from the intervention programme, I want to apply that as well. Zodwa
“I was helped by the programme because they talk about stress Sabrina
The workshop reminded me that I am no longer in high school but at university now and how I should do things and keeps me to date”. Sizwe
“I feel comfortable to be able to talk to other students in our meetings because they attend the programme and I can easily communicate with them. When they share their experiences you feel that you are not on your own”. Focus group
Data from interviews and focus group indicates that workshops assisted the students with note- taking skills, stress management, orientation to university life and they provided a space in which to talk and share experiences. This means that discussions during workshops and between students makes students realize that their challenges are not unique, other people are experiencing the same or worse (see Focus group statement above). The support students receive during the workshop discussions encourages them to strive for success.
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