Leaving rates and reasons for leaving in an Engineering faculty in South Africa: A case study
Keywords:
drop out, engineering education, South Africa, student retention, academic monitoring
Abstract
This paper describes a case study undertaken at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of KwaZulu-Natal to determine the leaving rates from the faculty both by a cohort analysis (over the existence of the university from 2005 to 2010) and by a 1-year population balance over the whole faculty in 2009. Students who had left the faculty who could have continued were identified from the population balance and interviewed to determine the common reasons for leaving. The cohort analysis showed that from 2005 through to 2008, the leaving rate from first-year cohorts was reduced year on year (from over 22% to below 14%). This reduction coincided with stabilisation of the faculty after a merger process and increased academic support. In 2009, however, an increase in the proportion of first-year students who left (to over 17%) was identified, which may be linked to the entry of students who had taken the new National Senior Certificate in South African high schools. The population balance over the year 2009 showed an academic exclusion rate of approximately 6% of the total undergraduate student body, and, more significantly, an academic leaving rate of about 14% of the total student body. The exclusion rate remained fairly static across three semesters whilst voluntary leavers increased over the same period. An analysis and interviews with a sample of the students who left showed that financial reasons played a significant role in these rates, with 49% of non-academically excluded students having financial difficulties, and that a significant proportion of students continue their studies at universities of technology. Although this is a case study within one institution, it is hoped that the findings can inform the current debate surrounding increasing throughput in Science and Engineering within the country.References
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2. Cutler GL, Pulko SH. Investigating UK undergraduate electrical and electronic engineering attrition. Int J Electrical Eng Educ. 2002;39(3):181–191.
3. Scott I, Yeld N, Hendry J. A case for improving teaching and learning in South African Higher Education. Higher Education Monitor No 6 [document on the Internet]. c2007 [cited 2010 Aug 12]. Available from: http://www.che.ac.za/documents/d000155/index.php
4. Barefoot BO. Higher Education’s revolving door: Confronting the problem of student drop out in US colleges and universities. Open Learning. 2004;19(1):9–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0268051042000177818
5. Tinto V. Dropout from Higher Education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Rev Educ Res. 1975;45(1):89–125. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543045001089
6. Tinto V. Leaving college – Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. London: The University of Chicago Press; 1987.
7. Wills BA. Minerals processing technology. 6th ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1997.
8. Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary online [homepage on the Internet]. No date [cited 2011 Aug 23]. Available from: http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictionary/dropout
9. Gates Foundation. With their whole lives ahead of them [homepage on the Internet]. c2009 [cited 2010 March 15]. Available from: http://www.publicagenda.org/TheirWholeLivesAheadofThem<
10. ACT. Retention/completion summary tables [document on the Internet]. c2009 [cited 2010 May 25]. Available from: www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/09retain_trends.pdf
11. Ugolini M. University dropout, a problem and an opportunity. Sinergie Rapporti di Ricerca. 2000;9:417–436.
12. Danaher PA, Bowser D, Sonasundaram J. The student departure puzzle – Do some faculties and programs have answers? High Educ Res Dev. 2008;27(3):271–280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07294360802183820
13. McKenzie DF. Reducing attrition rates for Maori students. J Dev Educ. 2005;28(3):12–18.
14. Grayson JP. Racial origin and student retention in a Canadian University. High Educ. 1998;36:323–352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1003229631240
15. Lassibille G, Navarro Gomez L. Why do higher education students drop out? Evidence from Spain. Educ Econ. 2008;16(1):89–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09645290701523267
16. Nair PAP, Pillay J. Exploring the validity of the continuous assessment strategy in higher education institutions. S Afr J High Educ. 2004;18(2):302–312.
17. Jama MP, Mapesela ME, Beylefeld AA. Theoretical perspectives on factors affecting the academic performance of students. S Afr J High Educ. HELTASA Special Edition 5. 2007;2:992–1005.
18. Macfarlane D. Shock varsity dropout stats. Mail and Guardian 2006 Sept 22 to 28;6.
19. Letseka M, Maile S. High university drop-out rates: A threat to South Africa’s future. HSRC Policy Brief [document on the Internet]. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council. c2008 [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-2717.phtml
20. Council on Higher Education. Higher Education Monitor No. 9. Access and throughput in South African Higher Education: Three case studies [document on the Internet]. c2010 [cited 2010 March 15]. Available from: http://www.che.ac.za/documents/d000155/index.php
21. Grayson D. Results of the first year of the engineering augmented degree programme at the University of Pretoria. Paper presented at: SASEE 2011. Proceedings of the First Biennial SASEE Conference; 2011 Aug 10–12; Stellenbosch, South Africa.
22. Fraser D, Case J, Heydenrych H, Van Steen E. Building a more responsive curriculum in chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. Paper presented at: SASEE 2011. Proceedings of the First Biennial SASEE Conference; 2011 Aug 10–12; Stellenbosch, South Africa.
23. Vosloo M. The performance and persistence of engineering students on their journey through first year. Paper presented at: SASEE 2011. Proceedings of the First Biennial SASEE Conference; 2011 Aug 10–12; Stellenbosch, South Africa.
24. Weko T. New dogs and old tricks: What can the UK teach the US about university education? Higher Education Policy Institute [cited 2011 June 30]. Available from www.hepi.ac.uk/files/11NewDogsandoldtrickssummary.doc
25. Bokana KG. The attrition crisis in South African universities: How to keep students on the graduation path. J Interdiscip Econ. 2010;22(3):181–202.
26. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Local student fees 2010 [document on the Internet]. c2010 [cited 2010 July 16]. Available from: http://www.ukzn.ac.za/Student/LocalFeeBooklet2010.pdf
27. Nzimande B. Enhancing the culture of learning and teaching in our schools for better education outcomes and addressing challenges in accessing financial assistance for poor learners in higher education [homepage on the Internet]. c2010 [updated 2010 Feb 26; cited 2010 July 16]. Available from: http://www.education.gov.za/dynamic/dynamic.aspx?pageid=306&id=955