Alternative selection measures for university undergraduate admissions.
Date
1992
Authors
Zolezzi, Stefano A
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The pressing need in South Africa to discern on a fair basis the
merits of disadvantaged students from deprived educational backg-
ounds has been documented dynamic measures of testing which
are designed to assess potential and learning processes rather
than manifest ability, show much promise in this regard.
The present study proposed that a learning processing paradigm
which incorporates learning potential would best facilitate the
inquiry Into alternative selection measures, This dynamic approach
to selection accounts for the modifiability of students' cognitive
processes and consequent performance. This study aimed to assess
the effectiveness of both traditional and learning process selection
measures among a group of both advantaged and disadvantaged students.
A sample of advantaged and disadvantaged students in the Faculty
of Commerce were assessed near the beginning of the academic year
on nine different predictors of academic success. The traditional
predictors were school marks, intelligence, home background, motivation
and inductive reasoning. Learning processing measures were
study processes, learning and study skills, learning processes
and learning potential.
The findings of the present study clearly demonstrated that the
traditional measures were invalid predictors of future academic
success for the disadvantaged students. Matric results and the
test of intellectual functioning were however found to be significantly
related to academic performance of advantaged students.
The assumption of modifiability of students was supported through
a moderator effect by enhancing predictability of disadvantaged
students on the basis of the traditional inductive reasoning test.
The single best predictor of academic success for the group of
students as a whole was the learning process measure.
The results suggest that it is wrong to admit disadvantaged students
to the university on the basis of manifest functioning. The
findings provide support for extending the learning potential
and learning processing paradigm into academic prediction and
to move more firmly into the educational-modifiable approach.
Description
RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION,
UNlVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND
IN PART FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUlREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION
(EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY)
Keywords
Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Admission., Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Entrance requirements., People with social disabilities -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa.