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Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosh University, 2021.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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2021
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| _version_ | 1867613849243353088 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni |
| author2 | Rule, Peter N. |
| author_browse | Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni Rule, Peter N. |
| author_facet | Rule, Peter N. Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni |
| author_sort | Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosh University, 2021. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/123852 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:40.195Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/123852 Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni Rule, Peter N. Stellenbosch : Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. Adult education Continuing education Higher Education Narration (Rhetoric) Experiental learning Experience-based learning University of Namibia Ongvediva (Namibia) UCTD Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosh University, 2021. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Studies show that institutions of higher learning around the world are experiencing an increase in the number of non-traditional students in general and mature-age students in particular (Longden, 2002 & 2006, US Department of Education, 2002, UNESCO, 2010, Heagney & Benson, 2017 and Ho & Lim, 2019). This change presents challenges to higher education institutions. In Namibia, a number of interventions have led to an increase in interest and enrolment of mature-age students to obtain higher education qualifications. The main purpose of this study was to investigate and explore how mature-age students in undergraduate programmes perceive their learning experiences at the University of Namibia (UNAM). This overall purpose includes understanding their attitudes towards teaching methods and strategies as well as the challenges they face during their studies. The study also looked into factors influencing their learning experience. This study moves beyond a quantitative analysis of understanding students’ experiences to an interpretivist design in order to discern the subjective world of human experience (Guba & Lincoln, 1989). This qualitative research collected data in the form of text through interviews and focus group discussions to understand students’ experiences and their perceived challenges. The qualitative data was thematically analysed by way of meaning-making which focused on how individuals personally attach meaning to the phenomenon (Moustakas, 1994, cited in Creswell, 2016). The study found that mature-age students are motivated to obtain undergraduate qualifications for continuous professional development including career advancement and certification. They also showed cognitive interest as well as a desire to remedy past educational deficiencies. The findings also show that they are in favour of a more practical than theoretical learning experience. Furthermore, the study revealed five major challenges influencing mature-age student’s learning experiences; which are financial, situational and psychological barriers, technology, time constraints, poor administration and management. It was also discovered that UNAM’s curriculum is relevant, with course content which is both up-to-date and understandable. However, the data showed that there is a need for the content to be more related to the African socio-economic context. The data also suggested that the teaching strategies used do not meet the learning needs of mature-age students and, in addition, learner participation is said to be minimal. Finally, the data also showed that student support services such as orientation and registration are carried out smoothly and that mature-age students are happy with the assistance provided by lecturers during consultation hours. Mature-age students make much use of the informal peer support available through mobile applications offered by traditional students. Finally, it was found that the older mature-age students experience a sense of isolation and face challenges adjusting to the university way of life. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studies toon dat hoëronderwysinstellings regoor die wereld 'n toename in die aantal nie- tradisionele studente in die algemeen en volwasse studente in die besonder ervaar (Longden, 2002 & 2006, US Department of Education, 2002, UNESCO, 2010, Heagney & Benson, 2017 en Ho & Lim, 2019). Hierdie verandering bied uitdagings vir hoëronderwysinstellings. In Namibie het 'n aantal intervensies gelei tot 'n belangstelling en toename deur volwasse studente om hoër kwalifikasies te verwerf. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om te ondersoek en te verken hoe volwasse studente in voorgraadse programme hul leerervarings aan die Universiteit van Namibië (UNAM) ervaar. Hierdie omvatttende doel sluit in om te verstaan wat hul houding teenoor onderrigmetodes en -strategiee is, asook die uitdagings waarmee hulle tydens hul studies te make het. Die studie het ook gekyk na faktore wat hul leerervaring beïnvloed. Hierdie studie gaan verder as 'n kwantitatiewe analise van die begrip van studente se ervarings tot 'n interpretivistiese ontwerp om die subjektiewe wereld van menslike ervaring te onderskei (Guba & Lincoln, 1989). Hierdie kwalitatiewe navorsing het data in die vorm van teks versamel deur middel van onderhoude en fokusgroepbesprekings om studente se ervarings en hul waargenome uitdagings te verstaan. Die kwalitatiewe data is tematies geanaliseer aan die hand van betekenisgewing, wat gefokus het op hoe individue persoonlik betekenis aan die verskynsel heg (Moustakas, 1994, aangehaal in Creswell, 2016). Die studie het bevind dat volwasse studente gemotiveerd is om voorgraadse kwalifikasies te verwerf vir deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling, insluitend loopbaanbevordering en sertifisering. Daar word ook kognitiewe belangstelling getoon sowel as om op te maak vir tekortkominge in hul vorige opvoeding. Die bevindinge toon ook dat hulle 'n meer praktiese leerervaring het. Verder het die studie vyf groot uitdagings aan die lig gebring wat die leerervaring van volwasse studente beinvloed; dit is finansiele, situasionele en sielkundige hindernisse, tegnologie, tydsbeperkings en swak administrasie en bestuur. Daar is ook ontdek dat UNAM se leergang relevant is, die kursusse se inhoud is op datum en verstaanbaar. Die data dui wel aan dat 'n behoefte bestaan vir die inhoud om meer verband te hou met die Afrika se sosio-ekonomiese konteks. Die gegewens dui ook daarop dat die onderrigstrategiee wat gebruik word nie aan die leerbehoeftes van volwasse studente voldoen nie, en dat die leerder se deelname ook minimaal is. Laastens toon die data ook dat studente-ondersteuningsdienste soos orientering en registrasie glad verloop en dat volwasse studente tevrede is met die hulp wat dosente tydens konsultasietyd bied. Volwasse studente maak meer gebruik van die informele portuurondersteuning wat beskikbaar is deur mobiele toepassings wat deur tradisionele studente aangebied word. Daar is ook bevind dat volwasse studente 'n gevoel van isolasie ervaar en sukkel soms om aan te pas by universiteitslewe. Masters 2021-11-29T10:13:20Z 2021-12-22T14:25:09Z 2021-11-29T10:13:20Z 2021-12-22T14:25:09Z 2021-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123852 en_ZA Stellenbosch University application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Adult education Continuing education Higher Education Narration (Rhetoric) Experiental learning Experience-based learning University of Namibia Ongvediva (Namibia) UCTD Kashedi, Pinias Walomboleni Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title | Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title_full | Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title_fullStr | Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title_short | Mature-age undergraduate students’ perceptions of their learning experiences at the University of Namibia |
| title_sort | mature age undergraduate students perceptions of their learning experiences at the university of namibia |
| topic | Adult education Continuing education Higher Education Narration (Rhetoric) Experiental learning Experience-based learning University of Namibia Ongvediva (Namibia) UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123852 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kashedipiniaswalomboleni matureageundergraduatestudentsperceptionsoftheirlearningexperiencesattheuniversityofnamibia |