Assessing the employability and employment destinations of professional psychology alumni

2021 ◽  
pp. 008124632110254
Author(s):  
Janine S Senekal ◽  
Mario R Smith
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
The South ◽  
Tracer Studies ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

Professional training in psychology typically focuses on competencies and learning outcomes. However, this does not necessarily translate into long-term employability. Graduate tracer studies are recommended for exploring employment destinations and employability. Graduate tracer studies are noted to be of particular use for investigating health professionals’ career paths and examining field-specific issues. The reported study examined the employability and employment destinations of 29 alumni from two psychology Master’s programmes at a South African higher education institution, by incorporating best practices for tracer studies and survey research. Results indicated that 86.2% had secured employment in various fields and sectors, suggesting their skills and training were relevant and transferable. Differential patterns of registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa were reported. Most respondents identified their studies as closely related to their work, and pragmatic reasons were provided by those pursuing work in unrelated fields. Entrepreneurial skills were identified as a gap in their training, that, if included, has the potential to boost employability. Graduate employability was identified to be a complex, non-linear issue. Professional competencies are, therefore, not sufficient for conceptualising employability within the South African context. A broader and more nuanced understanding of employability is needed. Practically, this means that educational processes need to prepare students for securing long-term employment. The tracer study methodology applied in this study may be utilised by other institutions and disciplines to explore key issues of employment and employability in the South African health professions and higher education context.

Morphology and long-term landscape evolution of the South African plateau in South Namibia

CATENA ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 47-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Mvondo Owono ◽  
Marie-Joseph Ntamak-Nida ◽  
Olivier Dauteuil ◽  
François Guillocheau ◽  
Bernard Njom
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Landscape Evolution ◽  
The South

scholarly journals Developing a web-based research administration and management system : case study of a South African higher education institution

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Misheck Nyirenda
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Management System ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Requirements Specification ◽  
Research Administration ◽  
Research Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education

Research has become one of the major activities of higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide. Increasingly important is research information that emanates from the published research as it has now become one of the major sources of funding especially within the South African higher education landscape. However, many HEIs are facing numerous problems managing research information to sustain and attract more funding. The lack of resources to build or acquire appropriate systems for managing research information has been identified as one of the major challenges in HEIs. However, recent studies show that advancements have been made in some countries to address the challenge. For instance, in South Africa, a proprietary research information management system (RIMS) has been implemented in some HEIs. Nevertheless, some HEIs still face problems regarding the use of RIMS. Studies further show that most proprietary systems do not adequately satisfy requirements as desired by the HEIs. This is mostly because proprietary systems are developed without fully understanding the user requirements of individual HEIs. Moreover, most proprietary systems are developed following ad hoc approaches which neglect the requirements specification stage in the development life cycle. Requirements specification is important as it brings developers and users to a common understanding about the requirements of the system before development. The initial lack of consensus about system requirements results in systems that have technical barriers which make users shun from using them. For instance, such systems do not adapt very well to devices with small screens such as mobile phones, and do not have attractive interfaces to make users want to use them. Proprietary systems are also costly to acquire and maintain. Moreover, HEIs may not be able to immediately implement the new desired features in the system because proprietary systems usually do not allow them access to the source code. This study develops a web-based research administration and management system (RAMS) as a proposed solution to the problems of using a proprietary system to manage research information at a South African higher education institution. The study emphasises the use of formal methods for requirements specification to build an optimal system. Consequently, the Zermelo-Fraenkel Z specification language was used to specify the requirements of the proposed system which was developed in close collaboration with the intended users who also assessed its usability. The system evaluation responses were made on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. The overall results of the evaluation show that RAMS is usable and suitable for managing research information, nonetheless improvements are recommended.

Factors influencing the intention to use social media for work-related purposes at a South African higher education institution

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liezel Cilliers ◽  
Willie T. Chinyamurindi ◽  
Kim Viljoen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
South African ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Orientation: The rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) has changed much of contemporary society. ICT’s influence extends to the working context with ramifications not only for employees but also for the entire organisation.Research purpose: The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the behavioural intention of a sample of employees at a traditional higher education institution to make use of social media within the workplace.Motivation for the study: Social media has become a common tool within society for communication and networking purposes. An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can assist the organisation to better manage social media usage within the workplace.Research design, approach and method: The research adopted the positivism paradigm with a quantitative research approach. The data were analysed making use of exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. A traditional higher education institution was chosen as the research site for the study, relying on a convenience sample (n = 134) and data gathered using the work-related social media scale and behavioural intention to use scale.Main findings: Although most employees make use of social media for problem-solving and communication purposes already in the workplace, organisations should allow their employees to help manage their reputation on social media.Practical and managerial implications: An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can serve as a useful precursor for both employee and organisational-specific interventions. This study has specific relevance to the use of ICT platforms, such as social media, in traditional higher education institutions in South Africa. The study’s results are therefore useful to both employees as end-users and managers as drivers of such interventions in the workplace.Contribution: This study is one of the first within a South African work context to investigate social media usage in a traditional higher education institution and proposes a workplace social media usage framework (WSMUF) that helps not only employees but also the entire organisation to predict intention to use social media in the workplace.

The educational research landscape on GIS integration and challenges – globally and in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 19-41
Author(s):  
Elfrieda Fleischmann ◽  
◽  
Christo van der Westhuizen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Mixed Method Study ◽  
Global Trend ◽  
Gis Integration ◽  
Depth Interviews

As Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have only been included in the curriculum in the last decade, many educators globally struggle to integrate GIS practice into their teaching strategies. Following the global trend, South African educators might feel ill equipped as they did not receive formal GIS training in a higher education institution. This paper highlights key global and South African challenges regarding GIS integration. To compare the challenges that South Africa faces with those experienced elsewhere, this mixed method study gleaned data from student educators (n=78) who completed a questionnaire regarding their GIS FET Phase education, followed by in-depth interviews with FET Phase educators (n=10) and two provincial heads of Geography for the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Results from this study indicate a clear global and national pattern of barrier categories.

Heterogeneity and Instability: Theoretical–Methodological Outcomes of Three Investigations on Land and Agrarian Movements and the State

2021 ◽  
pp. 227797602110526
Author(s):  
Marcelo C. Rosa ◽  
Camila Penna ◽  
Priscila D. Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Agrarian Reform ◽  
The State ◽  
Agricultural Workers ◽  
The South ◽  
The Third ◽  
Public Expression ◽  
Transnational Ties ◽  
Definition Of

The article presents a theoretical–methodological proposal to research movements and its connections based on the associations they establish. The first investigation focuses on the transformations of the South African Landless People’s Movement, the second on interactions between Brazilian rural movements and the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform, the third focuses on the transnational ties of the Brazilian National Confederation of Agricultural Workers. We produce an ontological definition of movements and the state as collectives whose existence is defined by continuous assemblages of heterogeneous and unstable elements. Those collectives are not enclosed analytical units, but contingent and contextual. Methodologically, we suggest the observation of the processes in the long term to grasp the continuous constructions of those collectives, even before they reach public expression. Controversies are analytical categories for understanding which elements allow things to take the course we analyze.

The Inclusion and Support of Students With Disabilities in the South African Higher Education System

2022 ◽  
pp. 1295-1310
Author(s):  
Sithabile Ntombela ◽  
Vimbi Petrus Mahlangu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Education System ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The South ◽  
Social Model Of Disability ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education

The intention of this chapter is to contribute to the scholarship of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in contemporary higher education. Its purpose is to develop an understanding of pedagogical issues concerning the inclusion and support of students with disabilities in the South African higher education system through literature review. The chapter will contribute to debate on policy imperatives and how these have informed practice, the social model of disability and its role in shaping educational provision, access and support constraints as products of intersectionality of disability and disablement, and possible ways to re-culture higher education for support.

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