Assessing learner needs for student academic support and development in the Early Childhood Education Department of the South African College for Teacher Education (SACTE)

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:SACTE is a distance education provider for practising educators in theRepublic of South Africa. As a distance education provider, SACTE has to relyon teaching and learning media other than the tutor for providing service to itsstudents. Study manuals are the main means of subject delivery the collegeemploys. The college, however, cannot always reach its students through themedia used, which in this instance is the study manual. This conclusion wasreached after numerous telephone calls and letters from students requiringurgent assistance in connection with their studies. The researcher thereforefelt that a need existed to find out the type of problems students encounteredthat prevented them from optimal performance as students and as teachers.The purpose of this study was to determine learner needs in the departmentof Early Childhood Education, and how they can be dealt with to improve theacademic performance and the classroom practice of its students. Thepremise the researcher worked from, was that students of SACTE experiencelearning problems, thus they are unable to attain good academicperformance, and this affects their classroom practice.A research survey was carried out to determine the type and the nature ofproblems that existed amongst the students. Two questionnaires were sentout to the ECE students and the academic staff. The following key questionswere posed in the questionnaire for students:• What type of educational background do students have?• How long have students been registered with SACTE?• To what extent do they benefit from a tutor system if they have access toit?• To what extent are the study manuals 'accessible' to them?• If study manuals are not accessible, what are the problems and whatsuggestions do students have to eradicate those problems?• What type of intervention would they like to have from SACTE?The aim in asking these questions was to probe the root problem which mightexist, to analyse the responses and to make appropriate conclusions andrecommendations based on the data gathered.The questionnaire for the ECE academic staff was based on the followingaspects:• The academic staffs experience in teaching teachers;• The academic staff's experience in distance education;• What the academic staff regard as problems inhibiting students fromeffective learning;• Suggestions and recommendations on how to deal with the problemsidentified.The questionnaire for students was sent out by mail with a self-addressedenvelope included for the return mail. It took almost two months before theresponses reached the sender. Almost 70% of the responses reached thesender.Data analysis was done by the Statkon Service of Rand Afrikaans University.The conclusions reached from the data analysis were divided into thefollowing categories:Social background of students: Students do not have study rooms, thusthey use dining-rooms and bedrooms as study places. An average householdhas more than ten members. This type of a situation does not promoteeffective learning.Educational background of students: Almost 90% of the respondentsstudied in the former Department of Education and Training (DET). Their highest qualification is M+2 (matric plus two years of professional training),which implies that 56,3% of teachers are not fully qualified to be teaching, asthe minimum requirement is M+3.Experience of students at SACTE: Students expressed their desire for theupgrading of the total learning environment in order to enhance learning andclassroom practice. Students wanted contact sessions with tutors as they feltthat they do not benefit much by studying on their own without externalassistanceRecommendations made on these conclusions were the following:SACTE must establish Regional Learning Centers (RLC) to alleviate thestudents' problem of studying in overcrowded homes. RLCs, besides beingplaces to study at, would also serve the purpose of being resource centres aswell as discussion places where study support groups can meet.Study manuals should be written with the needs of the learner in mind. Thelanguage of the study manual, examples given and the context in which theyare written, should reflect the learner and not the lecturer.The 'distance' between the student and the lecturer, that is created by thephysical distance, can be narrowed by introducing interactive media.Based on the survey findings, it can be concluded that there is a need toestablish student support measures at SACTE that would provide for studentsby answering to their needs as learners and educators.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University