Reports on the policy and practices of the community development department of Rand Afrikaans University (South Africa) and a service learning project of the university's faculty of education and nursing. The program provides South African students, living with a legacy of segregation, the opportunity to develop a sense of shared social…

Interviews with 19 South African university teachers addressed how they view their teaching task, what they expect of students, what they think students expect of them. A primary finding was that conception of the teaching role appeared subject- and content-centered, suggesting that faculty development activities should help teachers develop an…

Examines the influence of a number of factors on quality assurance in the South African university system, including a new national system for standardizing training, national quality assurance initiatives, a new proposed role for universities, the shift from a monocultural to a multicultural educational environment, trend toward mass higher…

Describes the status of women, blacks, and Hispanics in American higher education and the challenges they face in American institutions. Suggests that, because women and minorities serve as reference groups and role models, their success constitutes important feedback for other aspirants; thus, systematic and concerted efforts must be made to…

Discussion of resource-based learning (RBL) in South African distance education finds that problems associated with this approach are due to inadequate understanding of its principles. Offers collegial dialog as way to address RBL at the conceptual level, and suggests that incorporating greater creativity is essential to its success. (Author/MSE)

Issues facing historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa are examined, focusing on their impact on the cognitive development of students. It is concluded that students' cognitive development is a strategic matter, requiring the coherent effort of a whole institution rather than being the exclusive province of any specialized units.…

A study investigated the concerns of 24 South African nursing students enrolled in a problem-centered, community-based training program. Results indicated most were not troubled by the problem-centered approach but were less positive about the community-based nature of the course. Most negative perceptions decreased over the three-month period of…

A study assessed the success of a University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) undergraduate bridging year in assisting underprepared business students to graduation. Subjects were 177 students from the country's black school system. Program participants had a statistically higher success rate in terms of both exam grades and graduation rate. (MSE)

A study investigated the consistency of criteria for academic English skills as applied by teachers of academic English and science lecturers in a South African historically black university. Both groups were asked to evaluate first-year students' essays on the greenhouse effect. Results indicated a wide variation in scores and judgments within…

A study investigated the design and effectiveness of the faculty development efforts of one University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) faculty member over a two-year period. The experience included use of a professional growth contract to indicate commitment and intention, student feedback from over 500 students in eight courses, structured alumni…

A study investigated the ability of educationally disadvantaged and limited-English-proficient University of Cape Town (South Africa) students to write about science research projects. Analysis of students' reports showed a strong relationship between task presentation methods, specific task-completion guidelines, and quality of writing. Poor…

A study of 723 University of Cape Town (South Africa) physics students investigated their prior experience with laboratory procedures and technical report writing. Results suggest that, although students are generally aware of the importance of these elements of learning, school experience with teaching of scientific concepts and skills is often…

The science program at the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) has entered into a resource-sharing agreement with a community college, which uses university materials and methods but provides its own staffing. To date, university students have outperformed community college students in all course components, suggesting a need for staff…

A survey of critical theory as it relates to understanding of the "language problem" at South African higher education institutions discusses implications of the belief that factors inherent to individuals are key elements of language acquisition, as well as the construct that successful language acquisition is an asocial, acultural, and…

Describes the transformation of the philosophy of the teacher education program at the University of South Africa from a traditional, fundamental pedagogical approach to a pluralistic problem-centered approach that encourages trainees to develop their own creative potential. Course outlines and anticipated outcomes are included. (Author/MSE)