Development and evaluation of an Academic Performance Structural Model for a sample of tertiary students in South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorBoonzaier, Billyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSwanepoel, Kaylaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-07T13:33:51Z
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-29T09:36:30Z
dc.date.available2022-03-07T13:33:51Z
dc.date.available2022-04-29T09:36:30Z
dc.date.issued2022-04
dc.descriptionThesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY: Given the low socio-economic status of a large percentage of South African citizens, the alleviation of poverty, unemployment and income inequality poses a core concern which could partly be addressed by the increased attainment of tertiary academic qualifications by a larger number of citizens. Far-reaching repercussions that have persisted for years following the abolishment of the Apartheid regime, have resulted in income inequalities, high levels of poverty and continued disadvantage (Statistics South Africa, 2017a). The COVID-19 pandemic placed further strain on an already struggling economy (Council on Higher Education, 2020). Research shows that educational attainment is closely correlated with poverty and inequality in populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africans with lower educational levels were more likely to receive reduced salaries than those with higher levels of education (Statistics South Africa, 2020). Therefore, educating a larger number of South African citizens at a tertiary level presents a sustainable, long-term solution for the creation of more skilled and semi-skilled individuals in the country over time. The current study therefore sought to identify the most salient antecedents of variance in the tertiary academic performance of South African students. From the literature, the variables of mental toughness, imposing student ‘job’ demands, stress surplus, and engagement were identified as possible antecedents to academic performance outcomes. The job demands-resources model (JD-R model) was identified as the most suitable theoretical framework to guide the study. A structural model was developed and empirically tested to explain the complex interactions between the variables and to determine whether/to what degree the variables cause variance in the tertiary academic performance in the sample of undergraduate students at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. After obtaining ethical clearance, institutional permission, and informed consent from the respective parties, quantitative data were collected electronically (via email) from a sample of 600+ undergraduate tertiary students. The human rights of the participants were respected throughout the research process by strictly adhering to research ethics. Participants were asked to complete a voluntary, self-administered, online questionnaire consisting of six sections, namely biographical information, academic performance information, job demands items, mental toughness items, stress overload items, and engagement items. The items were combined to form a composite questionnaire. To empirically test the data, an exploratory ex post facto correlational research design was followed. The statistical techniques of Item Analysis (IA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were utilised to analyse the data, after which the various hypotheses were tested. Seven path-specific hypotheses with five main interaction effects and two moderating interaction effects were formulated. From the results, the five main hypotheses were found to be statistically significant with one hypothesis not moving in the direction proposed by the literature. Neither of the hypothesised moderating effects were found to be statistically significant. The objectives of the study were reflected on, limitations of the study and recommendations for future researchers were provided, followed by the provision of various practical implications and suggestions from the research findings.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gegewe die lae sosio-ekonomiese status van 'n groot persentasie Suid-Afrikaanse burgers, hou die verligting van armoede, werkloosheid en ongelykheid in inkomste 'n kernbekommernis in wat deels aangespreek kan word deur die toenemende bereiking van tersiêre akademiese kwalifikasies deur 'n groter aantal burgers. Verreikende gevolge – wat jare lank voortgeduur het ná die afskaffing van die Apartheidsregime – het gelei tot inkomsteongelykhede, hoë vlakke van armoede en voortgesette nadeel (Statistieke Suid-Afrika, 2017a). Die COVID-19-pandemie het verdere druk op 'n reeds sukkelende ekonomie geplaas (Raad op Hoër Onderwys, 2020). Navorsing toon dat die verkryging van opleiding verband hou met armoede en ongelykheid in bevolkings. Tydens die COVID-19-pandemie was Suid-Afrikaners met laer opleidingsvlakke meer geneig om verminderde salarisse te ontvang as dié met hoër opleidingsvlakke (Statistieke Suid-Afrika, 2020). Daarom bied 'n groter aantal Suid-Afrikaanse burgers op tersiêre vlak 'n volhoubare, langtermynoplossing vir die skepping van geskoolde opvolgers om die getal geskoolde werknemers en gedeeltelik bemeesterde individue in die land met verloop van tyd te verhoog. Die huidige studie het dus gepoog om die mees gesoute voorbesorgers van variansie in die tersiêre akademiese prestasie van Suid-Afrikaanse studente te identifiseer. Uit die literatuur is die veranderlikes van verstandelike gehardheid, die oplegging van studente se werksvereistes, stres oorlading en betrokkenheid as moontlike voorvereistes vir akademiese prestasie-uitkomste geïdentifiseer. Die werkvereistes-hulpbronnemodel (JD-R-model) is geïdentifiseer as die geskikste teoretiese raamwerk om die studie te lei. 'n Strukturele model is ontwikkel om die komplekse interaksies tussen die veranderlikes te verduidelik en vas te stel of/tot watter mate die veranderlikes afwyking in die tersiêre akademiese prestasie in die steekproef van voorgraadse studente aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch in Suid-Afrika veroorsaak. Na die verkryging van etiese klaring, institusionele toestemming, en ingeligte toestemming van die onderskeie partye verleen is, is kwantitatiewe data elektronies (per e-pos) ingesamel van 'n steekproef van 600+ voorgraadse tersiêre studente. Die menseregte van die deelnemers is regdeur die navorsingsproses gerespekteer deur streng by navorsingsetiek te hou. Deelnemers is gevra om 'n vrywillige, self-geadministreerde, aanlyn vraelys bestaande uit ses afdelings te voltooi, naamlik biografiese inligting, akademiese prestasie inligting, werkvereiste-items, verstandelike gehardheidsitems, stres oorladingsitems, en betrokkenheiditems. Die items is gekombineer om 'n saamgestelde vraelys te vorm. Om die data empiries te toets, is 'n verkennende ex post facto korrelasie navorsingsontwerp gevolg. Verskillende statistiese tegnieke naamliks Itemanalise (IA), Bevestigende Faktoranalise (CFA), Verkennende Faktoranalise (EFA) en Gedeeltelike Minste Vierkante (PLS) Strukturele Vergelyking Modellering (SEM) is gebruik om die data te analiseer, waarna die verskillende hipoteses getoets is. Sewe padspesifieke hipoteses met vyf hoofinteraksie-effekte en twee modereringsinteraksie-effekte is geformuleer. Uit die resultate is bevind dat die vyf hoof hipoteses statisties betekenisvol is, met een hoof hipothese wat nie ooreenstem het met die literatuur nie. Nie een van die hipotese modereringseffekte is statisties betekenisvol gevind nie. Uit die bevindings is die doelwitte van die studie weerspieël, beperkings van die studie en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsers is verskaf, gevolg deur die voorsiening van verskeie praktiese implikasies en voorstelle van die navorsingsbevindinge.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMasters
dc.format.extentxiii, 213 pages : illustrations, includes annexures
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124844
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch University
dc.subjectAcademic performance -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectAcademic achievement -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectCollege students -- Attitudes -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectCollege students -- Employment -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.titleDevelopment and evaluation of an Academic Performance Structural Model for a sample of tertiary students in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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Masters Degrees (Industrial Psychology)