Supporting the academic success of first-year students in South Africa: A study of the epistemological access they acquired through a lecture and text

Abstract

Much is at stake with regard to academic success of first-year students in higher education. This article presents the findings of an empirical study which looks at shifts in students’ understanding of a concept through a systematic sequence of learning opportunities in a university-based course. While 89 per cent of participants could satisfactorily identify criteria of the concept following an introductory lecture, only 41 per cent could adequately articulate their understanding of that concept. One third of the participants did not read the prescribed text. For students who did the reading, lectures and the provision of reading materials provided sufficient opportunities for half of them satisfactorily to comprehend the requisite concepts. The findings reinforce the necessity of follow-up sessions to provide opportunities for concept consolidation and students adequately to articulate their understanding.