A Profile of First-year Students’ Learning Potential and English Language Proficiency at South African University of Technology

By:
Ute G. Hendrich
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The aim of this research was to obtain insight into first-year students’ profiles regarding their learning potential, English language proficiency and personality make-up at a tertiary institution in South Africa. In order to achieve this aim a medium-scale quantitative study was undertaken at one of the institution’s faculties. Three measuring instruments were deployed.

The first assessment tool is the Situation Specific Evaluation Expert [henceforth abbreviated as SPEEX]. Through this assessment tool the students’ learning potential was ascertained. The second measuring instrument is the VAALSCAN, which was used to establish the students’ English language proficiency. The students’ personality types were established through the use of the Jung Personality Questionnaire [henceforth abbreviated as JPQ].The investigation, which was undertaken at the Vaal University of Technology in 2003, consisted of 102 first-year students from the Faculty of Management Sciences. Descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis.

From the results it can be concluded that the students’ performance in the SPEEX and VAALSCAN shows a lot of room for improvement. In conclusion, the findings of this study will be discussed with regard to the implications these results hold for the selection of prospective students within the higher education context.


Keywords: Higher Education, Learning Potential, English Language Proficiency, Personality Make-up, First-year Students
Stream: Adult, Vocational, Tertiary and Professional Learning
Presentation Type: 30 minute Paper Presentation in English
Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Ute G. Hendrich

Senior Facilitator, Academic Development, Vaal University of Technology
South Africa

My main work responsibility is to co-ordinate the functions of the Unit for Learning Skills. Students attend the unit on a voluntary basis or are referred by their lecturers. The activities of the unit revolve primarily around the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory for the indentification of weaknesses and subsequent intervention. I hold academic as well as professional qualifications in psychology and education and am currently busy with my doctoral study. I have presented papers both internationally and locally within South Africa and have had articles published.

Ref: L06P0253