The management of the first-year student experience programmes at the selected higher education institution : a case of business and information management undergraduates

Abstract

The transition from high school to university is recognised in research and theoretical literature as a distinct period of transition. To successfully transition from high school to university, students must adjust while being supported by the people and systems around them. Numerous studies show that the transition from high school to university is disconcerting and stressful, especially for first-generation students and students from poor backgrounds who experience additional challenges as a result of disadvantaged schooling. This results in declining completion and throughput rates. The aim of this study is to examine the management and effectiveness of DUT’s firstyear student programmes that were designed to manage the transition of students from high school to university. A pragmatist philosophy was adopted together with a mixed methods approach, which was deemed appropriate to support the primary aim of the study. The study’s population consisted of Business and Information Management students, Centre for Learning and Teaching (CELT) administrators, and Tutor Mentor Advisors (TMAs). To identify and select the appropriate sample size, both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were adopted. Probability sampling was used to sample 175 first-year students, while non-probability sampling was used to sample three CELT administrators coordinating the FYSE programme and five TMAs. A self-administered questionnaire, focus groups, and individual interviews served as the data collection mechanisms. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to analyse quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative information. The empirical findings revealed that the students who participated in this study found the transition to higher education difficult, and that it inevitably posed serious challenges to their academic progression and achievements. The majority of the students who participated in this study were confident that DUT’s first-year student orientation programme assisted them to adapt to university life. However, some students indicated that the orientation programme was not beneficial or was relatively unknown to them. The study also found that there was no clear collaboration between CELT and the academic departments within the university. This finding was quite alarming since the academic departments dealt directly with first-year students. The study identified a number of support programmes offered by DUT to ensure that firstyear students transition successfully to university. However, the strategic management of these programmes is a great concern, as many first-year students still face difficulties adjusting to university life. The study also found that the TMAs used different approaches to provide assistance to first-year students. The study recommends that first-year student orientation be conducted not only at the beginning of the year, but also at the beginning of the second semester. The study also recommends that CELT and academic departments collaborate to develop structures that resonate with particular departments, rather than offering workshops that are too generic and do not address departmental curricula. In addition, the study recommends that CELT establish an applicable teaching philosophy for tutoring students.