ERIC Number: EJ1457720
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2307-6267
"They All Offered Different Support": Integrated Support Systems for Academic Resilience among Engineering Students
Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, v12 n2 p19-36 2024
A critical area of debate in an era of evolving university support systems is how best to offer support to students in challenging disciplines. This study examines the effectiveness of current frameworks in addressing the needs of engineering students. This research employs a mixed-methods approach to identify the experiences of final-year students undertaking bachelor studies in engineering technology at Nelson Mandela University, as well as those of their lecturers and relevant support staff. The study finds a direct relationship between students' stress levels and their resilience, highlighting the importance of well-structured support systems, including orientation programmes and subject-specific tutoring. This article introduces a novel perspective on fostering academic resilience in engineering education, advocating for a comprehensive approach that integrates personal, academic and socio-ecological forms of support. Challenging conventional views of interventions for student success, it proposes a new, holistic framework for the provision of support in higher education institutions. This approach could contribute to enhancing student resilience and success and provide a fresh lens to address student dropout in higher education in South Africa and beyond.
Descriptors: Resilience (Psychology), Engineering Education, Holistic Approach, Guidelines, Undergraduate Students, Student Personnel Services, Student Needs, Correlation, Stress Variables, Tutoring, Academic Support Services, Student Attitudes, Dropouts, Academic Persistence, Risk, Wellness, Orientation, Foreign Countries
University of Pretoria. Lynwood Avenue, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0002, Republic of South Africa. Tel: +27-12-420-4940; Fax: +27-12-420-4921; Web site: https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A