Work status as a predictor of academic performance in the field of distance higher education

Abstract

This article reports on the academic success of 13 590 Technikon SA students and the importance of their "work status" (employed/unemployed) in light of the co-operative education philosophy of technikons. The data was collected by means of the students’ registration records, and analysed using a CHAID-analysis. The results indicated that the variable "work status" features second last on the list of nine successful variables for predicting academic performance. Generally, it would appear that the employment practice for technikon students is not as important a requirement for academic success as the co-operative education philosophy would like it to be.<p> <strong>Opsomming</strong> <br>Hierdie artikel lewer verslag oor die akademiese sukses van 13 590 Technikon SA studente en die belangrikheid van hul “werkstatus” (werkend/werkloos) in die lig van die koöperatiewe onderwysfilosofie van technikons. Die inligting wat deur middel van die studente se registrasierekords ingesamel is, is ontleed met ‘n CHAID-ontleding. Die resultate toon dat die veranderlike “werkstatus” tweede laaste op die lys van nege veranderlikes voorkom wat akademiese verrigting voorspel. Oor die algemeen blyk dit dat die indiensnemingpraktyk van technikonstudente nie so ‘n belangrike vereiste vir akademiese sukses is as wat die koöperatiewe onderwysfilosofie dit sou wou hê nie

Psychosocial Factors Predicting Academic Performance of Students at a Historically Disadvantaged University

“…In line with previous studies, perceived stress predicted negative adjustment to the university in the Petersen et al study, since individuals experiencing high levels of stress may experience difficulty in coping with the new social, personal and academic demands presented by the university (Coffman & Gilligan, 2002-2003Malefo, 2000).…”

“…In both studies, intrinsic motivation (positively) and perceived stress (negatively) impacted adjustment to the university. These results indicate that students who display autonomy and employ self-initiated exploratory strategies (Pintrich et al,199 1) and who appraise their lives as predictable, controllable, and not overloaded (Coffman & Gilligan, 2002-2003Cohen et al, 1983;Malefo, 2000) succeed in adjusting to the university. As outlined elsewhere, Petersen et al (2009) did not find any empirical evidence for the hypothesised role of academic support, which the authors attributed instead to methodological issues.…”