Original Research

Crossing disciplinary boundaries: Students’ experiences of facilitating a learning support programme at a South African university

Sithabile S. Ntombela, Samukelisiwe Mngomezulu
The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa | Vol 14, No 2 | a487 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/td.v14i2.487 | © 2018 Sithabile S. Ntombela, Samukelisiwe Mngomezulu | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 06 October 2017 | Published: 27 August 2018

About the author(s)

Sithabile S. Ntombela, Department of Inclusive Education, University of South Africa, South Africa
Samukelisiwe Mngomezulu, Discipline of Curriculum Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Increased access to higher education has brought into focus the under-preparedness of students for higher education and vice versa. As such, various programmes have been developed to enhance students’ success in universities. In one institution, an administrator and a lecturer collaborated with senior university students to facilitate a learning support programme where the students acted as peer mentors. The study sought to document students’ experiences of facilitating a peer-mentorship programme that targets first year students as well as senior students who were regarded as at risk of academic exclusion. Using a qualitative case study and Bandura’s social learning theory, 30 peer mentors were purposively selected to generate data through a peer mentors’ reflection workshop. Findings of the study suggest that the mentors were more successful in working with first year students than with senior students. The article concludes that, because of the training provided, mentors were knowledgeable about the programme and the resources available to support mentees. Further studies should solicit mentees’ views and experiences of such a programme, especially those reluctant to take part, as that will highlight areas that require attention to raise the participation and academic success of all participants.

Keywords

peer mentorship; learning support; first year students; academic exclusion; academic success

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Crossref Citations

1. Epistemological access: a case of academic development programmes at a university of technology
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