Purpose: First-generation students (FGS) experience numerous challenges during their studies because of their background attributes and lack of social capital required to navigate institutions of higher learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of perceived social support and a sense of belonging on academic persistence…

The South African higher education sector is annually buffeted with student unrest, ensuing costly vandalism of institutional property and jeopardy of academic progress. This paper explores episodes of vandalism in higher education institutions in South Africa. The literature review is utilised as a qualitative submethodology. 47 journal articles…

The paper investigated the challenges faced by female students enrolled in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field of study. The social cognitive theory (SCCT) was employed to examine the role played by the environment, goals, behaviour, and self-efficacy factors of female students studying towards Engineering and…

This study explored perceptions and responses of staff members working at facilities for adults with intellectual disabilities in the Western Cape of South Africa toward the adults' sexuality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 staff members from four facilities. The data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Perceptions…

Executive functions (EFs) in early childhood are predictors of later developmental outcomes and school readiness. Much of the research on EFs and their psychosocial correlates has been conducted in high-income, minority world countries, which represent a small and biased portion of children globally. The aim of this study is to examine EFs among…

This article explores the use of the AutoScholar Advisor System (Auto-Ad) to provide useful learning support analytics for self-mediated student academic support. The study is part of a pilot project for enhancing student success in a four-year undergraduate degree (BEd) programme. Adopting students' self-authorship as an organising framework and…

Many youths complain about mistaken career choices even at the point of graduating from higher education institutions in spite of career advice provided by the school and the government. This article investigated the impact that home factors and parental characteristics have on learners' career choices in a secondary school in Mamelodi East,…

Background: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educators and stakeholders in South Africa are interested in the ways STEM students make their career decisions because of the shortages in these critical skills. Although various factors including family, teachers, peers, and career interest have been reported as determinants of…

Postgraduate output is important in any country's knowledge development and their knowledge economy. The development of postgraduate output especially at master's and PhD levels in South Africa is at risk due to its slow pace. An argument that can be made is that undergraduate experiences lend to postgraduate access and success. This article…

Distance education students have less access to classmates as a social resource and may, therefore, rely more on family members for support. However, first-generation students, or students who are the first in their family to attend university, may lack the academic resources that family members can provide. Overall, first-generation students in…

Background: Early childhood education is essential in bridging home and school literacy practices; however, recognising the home as a literacy space remains a challenge to educators in South African schools. Aim: The aim of this article was to explore children's literacy practices, often through play, and the potential implications this might hold…

A better understanding of the social influences, self-efficacy, and communication with parents, peers, and teachers associated with teenage pregnancy is required owing to the consequences of teenage pregnancy. This article aimed to determine the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and to understand the association between social influences,…

Background: The shift in recent years towards the lifespan concept of career development, which views career behaviour as occurring in stages beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life, has meant that it has become increasingly important to assist learners in fulfilling their career goals. There is, however, a scarcity of research on…

This paper reports on an international collaborative study that investigated how students from rural contexts negotiate the transition to university, and how prior cultural and educational experiences influence their higher education trajectories. A qualitative, participatory methodology was adopted, centred on co-researcher narratives, digital…

Purpose: The high prevalence of bullying in South African schools in recent times is a cause for serious concern. Bullying is traumatic and has a painful, corrosive and damaging impact on children, families and society. Hence, curbing the problem before it spirals out of control in secondary schools requires immediate urgent attention from all…