Exploring the views of adult learners about their learning in a postgraduate nursing program in a higher education institution in KZN.
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Date
2012
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Abstract
Background
Minister Pandor (2008) challenged universities to increase access to higher education
institutions by setting the goal as a participation rate of 20 per cent by 2015, as stated in the National Plan
for Higher Education (2001). The participation rate should be augmented by recruiting and increasing
numbers of 'non-traditional' students-including mature adults. While increasing numbers of adult
learners entering higher education is applauded, literature shows that they are subject to many challenges.
The main challenge is associated with the need for updating adult learners whose existing skills have
grown rusty; the aspiration of skills and knowledge to seek progression to more responsible jobs; and the
need for new and additional skills, grafted onto the existing levels of competence in response to new
opportunities for adult learners. Therefore the purpose of this study was to explore the views of adult
learners about their learning in a postgraduate nursing programme.
Method
A mixed- method approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods was used. The whole
population (N=81) included nine (9) students from the BN Honours programme and seventy two (72)
students from the Coursework Master's programme. All students were from the University of KwaZulu
Natal, and they were all requested to participate in the study. Qualitative data was collected through
focus group interviews and quantitative data was collected using questionnaires. About 62 students
returned completed questionnaires, thus making the response rate 77 per cent.
Results
The research results indicated that teaching methodologies used at postgraduate level focused on
both positive and negative teaching methods. A number of teaching methods were cited as positive
methods. These had collaborative learning, active involvement in the learning process, and observation
of adult learning principles. The study findings also indicated that teaching methods at postgraduate level
focused on negative teaching methods. These involved demanding and time-consuming teaching
methods, instability owing to a change of lecturer, poor class work preparation , and lecturers' knowledge
and experience not being of a high enough standard.
The results also revealed that various learning styles in nursing education have been identified.
These include: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic; Kolb's learning styles, logical, social, and systems
person,(this doesn't sound good ... reword 'systems person') deep learning, surface learning, and strategic
approach. Although a number of learning styles have been identified, the results demonstrated that the
students learn differently depending on the way they perceive information.
The results indicated that factors facilitating learning focused on support and availability of
resources. The study findings also showed that support for engaging at postgraduate level was from a
number of sources. Peer, lecturer, and family support were quoted as providing the main sources of
support.
The results also revealed that although a number of constraints were alluded to, lack of access to a
computer, demands of employment, and time schedules were highlighted as high on the list of constraints.
Recommendations
Recommendations focused on the range of factors hindering leaning at postgraduate leveL
Financial aid, implementation of measures to rectify difficulties facing adult learners such as family
responsibilities, computer classes as part of a programme of study, support by management and nursing
education to adult learners involved in any relevant programme of study. Recommendations also
included further research into this problem targeting specific aspects of the phenomenon, taking into
account the views of adult learners at postgraduate level.
Description
M.N. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2012.
Keywords
Nursing--Practice--South Africa., Nursing--Study and teaching--South Africa., Nurses--South Africa., Theses--Nursing.