Guest Editorial: The Academic Advising Issue

Abstract

International research indicates that academic advising is the "single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience" (Light, 2001) and that "every advising contact is a precious opportunity for a meaningful interaction with the student" (Kuh, 2008). Therefore, the section in this special edition of the Journal for Student Affairs in Africa (JSAA) on academic advising represents an important milestone for the development of academic advising as an emerging field in South Africa. The seven articles help to address the lack of South African research on academic advising and its impact. These articles share the reflections and research of deeply committed advisors that have been creating "precious opportunities" for thousands of students during their academic journey. The aim of this selection of papers is to advance scholarship in this emerging field in the South African context. The seven articles include five institutional case studies that provide insights into the impact of different institutional contexts on the development of advising. The last two articles pose broader conceptual questions on advising.In the first article, Tiroyabone and Strydom introduce the development of academic advising in South Africa over the last decade and, more specifically, at the University of the Free State (UFS) which continues to play a leading role in the development of the field. Obaje and Jeawon offer a critical review of the development of an academic advising approach in the context of the Durban University of Technology. In their contribution on the Conceptualisation and Early Implementation of an Academic Advising System at the University of Cape Town, colleagues provide fascinating insights into the development of academic advising in highly decentralised institutions. Naidoo, Byles and Kwenaite at the University of Pretoria, emphasise the importance of social integration for first year students as part of a range of academic advising initiatives offered at this institution. The University of the Witwatersrand case study provides important insights into how emerggm i Gugu Wendy Tiroyabone

Achieving Student-Centred Advising Using Hermeneutic Theory: Implications for Advisor Training and Professional Development

“…Advising as an emerging field was foregrounded in a special issue of the Journal of Student Affairs in Africa (Tiroyabone & Strydom, 2021). Obajei and Jeawon (2021) used cognitive-development theory and, de Klerk (2021) used social realism to reflect on their advising practices.…”

Demystifying the Work of South African Academic Advisors: An Exploration of Students’ Structural and Material Constraints

“…9 No. 2, published in 2021), which focuses on academic advising in South Africa (Tiroyabone & Strydom, 2021b). These shifts signal a significant step towards the laying of a rigorous and evidence-informed foundation (Surr, 2019) for advising in this country.…”

Harnessing student agency for easier transition and success: The role of life coaching

“…Some of the interventions that are currently being explored and implemented include, for example, those that focus on peer mentoring programmes (McConney, 2021). Some are exploring different academic advising models in their institutional contexts (Schoeman et al, 2021;Tiroyabone & Strydom, 2021;van Pletzen et al, 2021). Other studies are exploring different ways of enhancing students' well-being and harnessing student agency (Mogashana & Basitere, 2021;Terblanche et al, 2021).…”