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Faculty of Health Sciences

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/11

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    Creating an instrument to measure perceptions about access to health-related higher education programmes in South Africa
    (Stellenbosch University, 2020-12-04) Orton, Penelope Margaret; Essack, Sabhia; Nokes, Kathleen M.; Brysiewicz, Petra
    Background: The South African government has created countless policies that support the need to admit and graduate students who had been excluded from health-science programmes in higher education settings during the apartheid era. Objective: to develop a questionnaire that could be used by various stakeholders to obtain their perceptions about access to health sciences education in higher education settings. Method: A mixed methods design was used; the qualitative stage allowed for the identification of themes while the quantitative stage used measurement theory, to develop an instrument based on those themes. Results: The overarching theme was Achieving equity of access for success is multi-factorial and has diverse & complex challenges and eight sub-themes emerged which were used to create a 17-item questionnaire that has good content validity and reliability (Cronbach alpha=.767). Conclusion: Further psychometric testing with larger, more diverse samples will result in a refined instrument that can be administered to various stakeholder groups, such as current and potential health sciences students and faculties, and used in programme evaluation. Health science programmes can use the instrument to measure access within different disciplines and possible changes over time as innovations are piloted. Different health sciences programmes can be compared and contrasted and objective data can be used to make systematic organizational changes.
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    Exploring the perspectives and parental roles in the academic performance of university students with disabilities
    (Durban University of Technology, 2021-12-12) Mntambo, Sithabile Joy; Hlengwa, Wellington Mthokozisi; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu
    The present study focusses on exploring the impact of parental support on the academic performance of students with disabilities. A qualitative study approach was used to explore students with disabilities' perspectives of parental support and the impact it has on their academic performance. This qualitative study purposively selected eight participants. They were subjected to semi-structured, open-ended, one on-one interviews, and these interviews were recorded using an audio recorder with their permission. The collected data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Parental support may take numerous forms, including emotional, physical, and financial assistance. As a result, parental support influences academic success and the adjustment of students living with disabilities to their new environment. However, parental knowledge, attitudes, and tolerance of a student's disability have been shown to be obstacles to meaningful parental support. This study concludes that for students with disabilities to perform to their maximum potential, parents must be trained and empowered to provide necessary support including motivating their children
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    Towards the institutionalisation of community engagement in higher education in South Africa
    (AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, 2020-12-01) Bhagwan, Raisuyah
    Although discourse related to the salience of community engagement in higher education has proliferated, little has focused on the process of institutionalisation of community engagement in South Africa. This paper presents findings from a national study that explored how community engagement could be institutionalised at higher education institutions locally. A qualitative research approach was used to guide the study and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with members of executive management, members from the directorate and office of community engagement and academics from six universities nationally. Data revealed that there were eight key factors deserving of consideration in order to institutionalise community engagement through teaching and research, student involvement, transforming institutional infrastructure and through community partnerships.