School of Higher Education Studies

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Browsing School of Higher Education Studies by Author "Alt, H."

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    Academic staff performance appraisal system for higher education in Lesotho
    (University of the Free State, 2004-05) Mpooa, Ts'ebetso Margaret 'M'amokheseng; Alt, H.; Hay, H. R.
    English: The changing social, political, economic and technological environment exerts pressure on governments throughout the world to ensure that higher education institutions are efficient and effective in the delivery of services. The continuing environmental change and, in particular, the financial decline has caused governments to apply stringent financial control measures and to demand higher education institutions to address external and internal demands for efficiency (see 2.2; 3.2.1; and 4.3). Likewise, the Lesotho government ensures that higher education institutions provide efficient services to justify the funds invested in them (see 2.2.2). In recognition of the significant role that a skilled workforce could perform in initiating change, governments - including the Lesotho government - shifted from a confidential to a developmental performance appraisal/management system as a performance control measure with the intention to improve efficiency (see 3.2.2; 4.3; and Table 4.1). This shift from the confidential performance appraisal system was based on the assumption that a holistic, integrated, democratic system would effect a change in staff performance compared to the autocratic system of assessing staff performance (see 3.2.2; Table 4.3; and 4.5.2). The purpose of this study was to determine the type of performance management system used in Lesotho institutions of higher learning and to suggest improvements that would ensure efficient staff performance. The main research question was what system of performance management could bring about efficient academic staff performance in the Lesotho higher education institutions, given the context within which higher education exists. In addressing the main question, this study set out to obtain responses from the Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), the National Health Training College (NHTC) and the National University of Lesotho (NUL) concerning the following subsidiary questions: the meaning, purpose, principles and objectives of performance management; the existing policies and procedures of performance management; the relation between scholarship and performance management (see 4.2; 4.5.2; and 4.5.3). In addition it required suggestions for the improvement of the existing performance management system (see 8.6). Both a theoretical and a field study were conducted. In the field study, a combination of methods was used, which included a survey descriptive research design adopting both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Quantitative data was collected by means of the self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was gathered by means of interviews and focus group discussions. The findings from LP and NHTC with regard to the purpose of performance management revealed that performance management had been instituted to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The intention was to make these institutions responsive to the demands of the internal and external stakeholders. The purpose of the system in both institutions seems to linger more towards judgement than towards scholarship development, which would result in staff efficiency. Similarly, findings from NUL seem to emphasise punishment and not scholarship development. The findings from NUL with regard to the performance management policy showed that a clear performance management policy did not exist and that preparations were made to introduce an appraisal policy. The staff were evaluated annually based on the point system. The activities of teaching and learning, research and community service are allocated points according to their perceived importance by management. Research is allocated more points, since it is considered to contribute to the improvement of subject content and the methodology of teaching. The findings also reflect that consultancy work contributes to the subject content. But it seemed that the respondents were dissatisfied with the value attached to research, since they had large teaching loads that made it difficult for them to conduct research. In addition, allocated funds were limited to conduct research. Also, the appraisal policy in the three institutions attached more value to research than teaching, yet the latter formed the core of the lecturers’ activities. These findings reflect that for a performance management system to be sustainable, a performance management policy should have clear guidelines to ensure that all forms of scholarship are equally valued and assessed. Based on the afore mentioned findings from the three institutions, it is recommended that the review of the existing performance management system should emphasise promotion of staff efficiency and effectiveness to enable the higher education institutions to respond to the internal and external demands for efficiency. The purpose of the appraisal should be to reflect staff skills and knowledge that need development and also factors that inhibit efficient performance. In all the institutions the recommendation is that the purpose of the performance appraisal system should be to develop staff competencies to enable staff to address knowledge and skill requirements in their contexts. This recommendation is in line with the argument of this thesis namely that for a performance management system to be effective, its purpose must be to develop scholarship. Various recommendations were made to ensure that a performance appraisal system, which supports scholarship development should be in place. The recommendations from both LP and NHTC were that the policy should be clear on the purpose and the procedure of the performance appraisal system. In addition, a policy that emphasises staff development is recommended, since it is not threatening and such a system supports staff to be efficient. With regard to the procedure the recommendation from LP and NHTC was that performance assessment should be based on agreed standards and indicators of performance; that job descriptions be aligned to the mission; the rating of staff should be consistent; and that the grievance procedure should be clear. The recommendations from NUL on procedures of performance management were that the methods and instruments used for collecting evidence on performance should be clearly stipulated; feedback on performance appraisal results should be provided to appraisees; and that the rating of the research and the teaching staff should be consistent. The recommendation from the respondents at LP, NHTC and NUL was that all forms of scholarship should be given equal recognition in appraisal. The institutions should also ensure that the necessary resources to conduct research are available. The respondents from the institutions studied indicated that the success of a developmental, continuous and democratic system of performance appraisal depended on the dynamic leadership that is supportive to change. Recommendations on future research are that research should be conducted on leadership and the management of staff performance in the three institutions studied. Such research is essential, since it will highlight whether the existing type of leadership is conducive for the success of a performance management system. Future research can also be conducted on the interaction between appraiser and appraisee in decisions on the action plans. Interaction promotes involvement in decisions. Without staff involvement in plans and decisions on appraisal, the appraisal system may not be sustainable. In addition, research on the process of appraisal is essential, since the processes determine the success and the continuity of appraisal.
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    An analysis of the adjustment problems of international students in a South African university
    (University of the Free State, 2006-12) Dzansi, Dennis Yao; Wilkinson, A. C.; Alt, H.
    English: The literature on international student adjustment problem is replete with studies done in universities in the West. This skews the understanding of the international student adjustment phenomenon in favour of developed countries at the expense of the less developed ones and thus creates an obvious gap in the student adjustment literature. The purpose of this study was to fill this apparent gap by exploring the nature of adjustment problems encountered by international students at the Central University of Technology (CUT), a typical developing world university, located in Bloemfontein, in the Free State Province of South Africa. The empirical study was preceded by an extensive literature survey that led to the conclusion that while international students’ adjustment problems are numerous and similar in many respects, they differ significantly across countries, and according to a number of demographic factors. This means that in part, adjustment problems are contextual. The implication is that any wholesale use of existing measurement instruments that were specifically designed for Western country conditions would be inappropriate for use in the South African context. Consequently, a custom made measurement instrument was developed for this study. Validity and reliability issues that naturally emerge with custom made instruments were thoroughly dealt with. Among others, the empirical investigation revealed that: 1. International students at CUT encounter many adjustment problems. 2. International students at CUT regard their adjustment experiences as problematic. 3. The adjustment problems of international students at CUT differ significantly according to country/region of origin, age, and gender of students. The study identified the following as the ten most difficult adjustment problems international students at CUT have to contend with in their order of difficulty starting with the most difficult to the least difficult: 1. High cost of living in South Africa 2. Cost of food 3. Cost of health insurance 4. Getting visa extensions 5. Feel comfortable visiting immigration office 6. Work restrictions 7. Becoming a citizen of South Africa 8. Understanding immigration rules 9. Sufficiency of funds to meet expenses The study raises issues which, if attended to, could help ameliorate adjustment problems international students encounter at CUT. The expectation is that, by reducing the number and severity of adjustment problems, international students would live in harmony with their educational and social environment at CUT. This in turn would make CUT very attractive to international students.