Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Published: |
University of Pretoria
2013
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613543355908096 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Herman, Chaya |
| author_browse | Herman, Chaya |
| author_facet | Herman, Chaya |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2012 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24039 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:37:49.221Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24039 Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria Herman, Chaya Nkomo, Mokubung O. abbey@hesa-enrol.ac.za Mathekga, Abbey Mokwape Widening participation Access Under-represented groups Biological sciences Higher education UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. Since the dawn of democracy in South Africa, significant progress has been made with regards to access to higher education. However, widening participation to under-represented groups in science and technology fields, with special reference to Biological Sciences, still remains a challenge. Despite the growing number of black students in this programme, there is still a substantial gap in terms of the enrolment numbers of student from this racial group in the Biological Sciences. This research is a case study carried out in the faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria, which is a historically white institution with a strong Afrikaans culture. The study used Osborne and Gallacher’s (2004) framework of getting in and getting through to explore access policy at this institution in relation to widening participation in Biological Sciences. The findings showed that, while there has been progress with regards to physical and epistemological access, getting in to Biological Sciences still proves difficult to attain, especially for black male students from under-represented groups, including those from township and rural areas. The challenges related to getting in are compounded by various factors. These include inadequate preparation of learners for university studies such as limited preparation for natural science studies, limited exposure to science laboratories, inadequate career guidance resulting in wrong subject mix, late submission of application forms and the ‘walk–in’ phenomenon. Funding is crucial for facilitating access to Biological Sciences but it is hard to come by and insufficient for students from low socioeconomic groups. The government initiated funding have potential to help needy students with talent but it is not sufficient to cover both tuition and residence fees. In addition to the financial assistance that the university offers, it also provides a strong academic and psychosocial support to students, particularly in first year in Biological Sciences. Both academic and psychosocial support are factors enabling access and widening participation in Biological Sciences. They also underpin getting through. However, students in residences tend to benefit more from these support initiatives. Education Management and Policy Studies unrestricted 2013-09-06T16:29:20Z 2013-04-25 2013-09-06T16:29:20Z 2013-04-09 2012 2013-04-20 Thesis Mathekga, AM 2012, Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24039 > D13/4/382/ag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24039 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04202013-143314/ © 2012 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Widening participation Access Under-represented groups Biological sciences Higher education UCTD Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title | Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title_full | Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title_fullStr | Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title_short | Towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences : a case study of the University of Pretoria |
| title_sort | towards widening access to underrepresented groups in the biological sciences a case study of the university of pretoria |
| topic | Widening participation Access Under-represented groups Biological sciences Higher education UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24039 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04202013-143314/ |