Abstract:
This report investigates the attitudes of the Engineering students and staff to academic
development classes at the Tshwane University of Technology on the Soshanguve
campus. This university services students from less privileged communities. Specifically,
it is interested in why students feel the need for Academic Development to continue
beyond the first year of study. This investigation will be done by means of in-depth
interviews with staff and students in the Engineering Faculty and focus group interviews
with 1st and 2nd year Engineering students who have completed the academic
development programme.
The responses of the Engineering lecturers are compared to those of the Academic
Development Practitioners, and the 1st year Engineering students’ responses are
compared to those of the 2nd years. Data analysis is carried out using thematic content
analysis in order to reflect on the particular ways in which the participants construct their
understanding of the academic development classes at the Tshwane University of
Technology. The results of the interviews with lecturers, Academic Development
Practitioners, and 1st and 2nd year Engineering students indicate that there are problems
regarding the structure, curriculum and non-accreditation of academic development at the
Tshwane University of Technology.
