There is widespread concern that students are increasingly becoming passive consumers of education who primarily attend university to obtain the credentials they need for the labour market. To interrogate this view, a longitudinal qualitative study examined what 47 students in three countries wanted to get out of studying for their degree (their…

Following the gradual post-COVID-19 return of international student flows, it is important to examine how higher education institutions and international students are reacting to their new environment and how they relate to each other. Central to this relationship is the concept of "belonging"; what it means for international students,…

Given a peculiar sociocultural pressure for knowledge to reap immediate socioeconomic benefits in Africa, philosophy courses have gained a very low valuation by African students. They misperceive the courses not to be relevant to their future careers, leading to a lack of engagement with the courses. Focusing on South Africa, this paper proffers…

The Australian Universities Accord's (Department of Education, 2024) focus on expanding underrepresented groups' access to higher education underscores an on-campus-online paradigm shift, or post-pandemic digital transformation, to address students' flexibility and accessibility needs. The shift identifies that online student engagement, and…

We acknowledge the existing educational inequalities that South Africa faces as a result of differences in developmental and equal educational opportunities. The aim with this study was to investigate the role of non-cognitive learning performance variables that affect the learning performance and success of secondary-school learners. Data were…

The aim of this study resonated with the pursuit of achieving enhanced engagement in teaching and learning that informs critical thinking, and knowledge retention among students. Despite the growing trend of technological integration in teaching and learning, however, there exists a lack of empirical evidence and comprehensive studies that…

Understanding ecological concepts is crucial in tackling environmental issues like climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. These concepts also serve as a teaching framework, encouraging learners to effect positive change. This research was conducted with grade 9 learners from three schools in Bloemfontein, South Africa, randomly…

Teachers are students' first contact in the classroom and the ones with whom they experience their relationships most intensely after those with their own classmates. Relationships with teachers and their actions in the classroom are of great relevance in how students develop their careers. Young people at risk of exclusion, which has been…

Health systems face complex challenges -- even more so in resource-constrained contexts such as South Africa. Alignment of local educational systems with national development goals is needed to strengthen health systems. The further disruption of COVID-19 to educational and health systems underscores the necessity to adapt our curricula and…

ICAP is a framework that classifies learning processes based on students' explicit behaviors. The framework is developed for testing the hypothesis that interactive exercises are better than constructive exercises, and active exercises are better than the passive exercises for higher cognitive engagement and better learning outcomes. The ICAP…

We explore the potential of merging numeracy and literacy, through using number stories to stimulate mathematical engagement with young, marginalized learners in their communities. Our data emerges from the Family Maths Storytime Programme (FMSP) run in partnership with teachers in two South African schools. The FMSP conducted sessions with…

Background: The unequal learning outcomes and achievement gaps in language and literacy, particularly affecting poor and working-class children in South African schools, are longstanding issues. These disparities were highlighted once again in the poor literacy results of PIRLS 2021, indicating systemic challenges within the education system.…

Using culturally relevant frameworks, this study explored students' self-reported sense of belonging and noncognitive learning outcomes as a result of cocurricular involvement in recreational activities at a South African University. Survey responses from 1,884 students involved in various cocurricular activities suggest the positive influence…

Traditionally, academics in higher education relied on lectures, seminars, and textbooks for face-to-face instruction. However, technology integration in education has transformed the landscape, enhancing engagement, active learning, and personalised instruction, prompting academics to rethink their teaching methods. Anchored in social…

This study focuses on the admission criteria of a bachelor of accountancy (BAcc) degree program as one of many factors influencing students' success in graduating in the regulated time frames. The present study used constructivist learning and student engagement theories as connected lenses to explore the effect of admission criteria on…