Browsing by Author "Patsika, Natasha"

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    Does belonging matter? Exploring the role of social connectedness as a critical factor in students' transition to higher education
    (Psychology in Society, 2011) Pym, June; Goodman, Suki; Patsika, Natasha
    Widening access to Higher Education throughout the world has meant an increase in the number of students who do not necessarily have the types of capital that universities require. This means an increasing need to engage with the issues that separate students from connecting with their modes and places of learning. This paper describes a successful Academic Development programme that is focused on equity students in the Commerce Faculty at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). The programme actively promotes academic and affective factors that will contribute toward affirming students' identity and developing a learning community. The paper reports on the results of a research project that combined qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate how fostering social connectedness impacts on the transition of students to higher education and their academic performance.
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    Social connectedness, collaborative learning and student performance in an academic development programme
    (2009) Patsika, Natasha; Goodman, Suki
    This study investigated the relationship between social connectedness, collaborative learning and the academic performance of students in an academic development (AD) programme at a South African university. A final sample of 119 students responded to a survey questionnaire containing the campus connectedness scale and the collaborative learning scale, each measured on a six-point Likert scale. A multiple regression analysis revealed that social connectedness is a significant predictor of academic performance, which was measured using grade point average (GPA). The study found that collaborative learning did not contribute to variations in GPA, however it did relate positively to social connectedness. The results provide useful information to staff in the AD programme about elements of the programme that are succeeding in supporting student achievement. Includes bibliographical references (pages 49-54).