Exploring Predictors of Academic Success in Psychology I at Wits University as an Important Component of Fair Student Selection

Abstract

The aim of the present research is to explore empirical predictors of students' performance in the Psychology I course at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), within the context of procedural, distributive and interactional fairness, The research is divided into two studies: the first is an archival study examining the use of individual school subject results and the Arts Faculty Ratings (based on school results) as predictors. The second study focuses on the predictive validity of the Arts Faculty Ratings as well as that of various psychometric aptitude tests. In both studies the sample was divided into two groups whereby Group I consisted of primarily white students who had attended private or government schools and were not regarded as educationally disadvantaged; Group 2 comprised of black students who attended Department of Education and Training (DET) schools and were regarded as educationally disadvantaged. Results from both studies show that the Arts Faculty Ratings consistently provide a statistically significant predictor of academic performance in the Wits Psychology I course for educationally non-disadvantaged students. A far less clear picture emerged for the educationally disadvantaged group. The Arts Faculty Rating correlated significantly with overall success in firstyear Psychology in the first study, while the Conceptual Reasoning Test was found to be the best predictor for this group in the second study. The implications of the studies for student selection are discussed within a social justice paradigm and future research directions are suggested.Die doel van die navorsing is om die prestasie van die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), se Sielkunde I studente binne die konteks van prosedurele, distributiewe en interaktiewe billikheid, deur empiriese voorspellers te eksploreer. Die navorsing word in twee studies verdeel. Eerstens 'n historiese studie waarin die individue se skoolvakresultate en die Fakulteit Lettere en Wysbegeerte se skattings (gebasseer op skool resultate) as voorspellers gebruik word. Die tweede studie fokus op voorspellingsgeldigheid van die Fafulteit se skattings tesame met verskeie psigometriese toetse. In beide studies is die steekproef in twee groepe verdeel: Groep I hoofsaaklik blanke studente wat privaat of staatskole bygewoon het en nie as opvoedkundig benadeel beskou word nie; Groep 2 bestaan uit swart studente wat DET skole bygewoon het en as opvoedkundig benadeel beskou word. Resultate van beide studies het getoon dat die Fakulteit se skattings konsekwent 'n betroubare aanwyser van akademieses prestasie vir die opvoedkundig nie-benadeelde Sielkunde I studente van Wits is. Die resultate was egter meer onduidelik vir die groep opvoedkundig benadeelde studente gewees. Die Fakulteit se tellings het beduidend gekorreleer met die meerderheid sukses by Sielkunde I studente in die historiese studie, terwyl dit gevind is dat die Conceptual Reasoning Test as die beste aanwyser vir Groep 2 in die tweede studie is. Implikasies vir bill...

A Review of South African Research in the Field of Dynamic Assessment

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Present-Day Dillemas And Challenges Of The South African Tertiary System

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