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Accessing post-school studies: A student’s GPS to successful learning

Presenter

Venicia McGhie taught Communication Studies at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, and thereafter, became an academic development practitioner in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at UWC since 2002.  She holds a D Phil Degree in Education from the University of Stellenbosch. Her areas of specialisation are Education, Socio-linguistics and Literacy. She is a Fulbright Post-doc Scholar and spent more than a year in the United States – first at the University of Missouri-St Louis campus in St Louis, and later as visiting professor at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Her research interest is in the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching with a specific focus on student development and support, and community development.  She is an esteem writer, mentor and motivational speaker who strives to educate, uplift and empower students, families and the broader South African communities. 

Madge du Preez retired from the University of the Western Cape in 2014, after having been employed as the Senior Faculty Officer of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. She worked with students for over 30 years and is still engaging with them through her #JUSTONE project where she assists financially needy students. 

She is a qualified Transformational Growth Coach, a Skills Development Facilitator (ETDP SETA) and a published writer. She has presented papers locally and internationally with a particular focus on student development. She regards herself as a 21st century learner, a nation builder and calls herself, “Madge the Sunflower". 

Abstract

Accessing post-school studies: a student’s GPS to successful learning is an empirically researched academic book that attempts to make a valuable contribution to often problematic and pertinent educational issues around the globe.  Its primary aim is to educate, empower and emancipate high school learners, prospective students and anyone who is interested in pursuing tertiary education.  

The book is based on four studies conducted over a period of seven years, both in schools and higher education institutions.  It draws on the works of higher education theorists such as Kuh, Tinto and Marton & Säljö, and consists of three parts. Part One focuses on factors that influence learners’ decision to continue with post-school studies after Grade 12 (thus, pre-university factors). Part Two discusses enabling factors for successful learning (what students should know and do in order to be successful at university or college). Part Three is the resource section of the book. It consists of helpful resources and a GPS checklist to empower students to make informed decisions on whether or not to continue with further studies after the successful completion of Grade 12.  

The book is an essential resource for learners and their families, schools and communities, life orientation educators and counsellors, as well as prospective university and college students, higher education institutions and education administrators, and education authorities. It will especially assist students to adapt to the university environment and provide guidelines for higher education institutions to redesign programs and curricula that will better prepare and support historically marginalized students for success in their respective diploma and degree programs.  

The authors will introduce and present the content of the book in the first 20 minutes of the workshop, and the rest of the workshop will be designed around practical implementation of some of the content, interactive sessions with the participants, discussions and sharing of best practices. 

Presentation & Resources