Van Zyl, G. J.Nel, M. M.Van der Merwe, Lynette Jean2015-11-242015-11-242011-112011-112011-11http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1871English: In this research project, an in-depth study was done by the researcher with a view to formulating an educational approach for the distinct generation profile of undergraduate students in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FoHS), University of the Free State (UFS). This research was initiated in response to the identification of a gap in the knowledge regarding the so-called Generation Y (born 1981-2000), forming the current cohort of undergraduate students at the UFS. According to both scholarly and popular literature, Generation Y possesses unique characteristics that impact on the teaching and learning environment. Their distinctive values and behaviours, communication styles, skills and needs, learning styles and needs, as well as the prevailing environment and the shaping events of their position in history influence their attitudes and actions as students. In addition, the perceived differences between these students and the academic staff lecturing them, who generally belong to older generational cohorts, may lead to conflict and misunderstanding that impairs the successful attainment of outcomes in Health Sciences Education. Both education and health care face tremendous challenges in the 21st century. For example, the current Information-Communication Technology revolution has exerted compelling effects on social interaction as well as the current teaching and learning and health care environments. However, the demands on education and health care stretch further than just emerging technologies and their aftermath. Issues such as globalisation, socio-political and economic instability, inadequate and unequal access, as well as sustainability should also be addressed. The aim of this study was to formulate an educational approach for the generation profile of undergraduate students at the FoHS, UFS. This was attained by means of the following objectives, namely, obtaining data as to whether the characteristics of Generation Y as described in the literature are applicable and relevant to undergraduate students in the FoHS, UFS; identifying discrepancies in awareness and understanding of perceptions regarding the characteristics of Generation Y between undergraduate students and academic staff lecturing them; and finally, formulating an educational approach (including recommendations) for the generation profile of undergraduate students in the FoHS, UFS, incorporating the characteristics of undergraduate students as well as discrepancies in perceptions between undergraduate students and academic staff lecturing these students that could affect the teaching and learning environment. This study made use of a mixed-methods research design in two phases. In the first phase, concurrent triangulation, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered simultaneously by means of closed and open questions in a questionnaire survey for undergraduate students and academic staff members respectively. In the second phase, sequential explanatory design, the results from the first phase were used to inform the formulation of an agenda for a focus group interview held with academic staff members, yielding qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed statistically, while thematic analysis of qualitative data were done. The final steps in the second phase included making use of the literature survey as well as the results of the questionnaire survey and focus group interview respectively to inform the formulation of the educational approach as indicated in the aim of the study. From the results of the questionnaire survey it emerged that although many of the characteristics typically ascribed to Generation Y in the literature are similar to those perceived by both undergraduate students and academic staff members regarding the cohort of undergraduate students in the FoHS, UFS, there were distinct differences between these perceptions and those described in the literature, indicating that Generation Y students in the FoHS possess a unique generational profile. In addition, academic staff members indicated significant differences in their perceptions from those of undergraduate students, with subsequent implications for the teaching and learning environment. Major themes identified from the focus group interview indicated that three important aspects were vital in the development of an educational approach, namely the nature of the teaching and learning environment, the personal qualities and attributes of the lecturer and the characteristics and role of the student.These findings were incorporated in the formulation of guidelines and recommendations for the educational approach proposed by the researcher. The conceptual framework guiding this approach alluded to the realisation that in order to stay relevant, educational approaches need to move away from traditional and somewhat archaic teacher-centred to innovative student-centred approaches intent on actively engaging students in transformative knowledge construction, as well as providing for mentoring by motivational role-models. Furthermore, emerging technology must be incorporated in a rational and balanced way without losing vital human interaction to ensure that an optimal teaching and learning environment is created. The training of skilled health professionals who are equipped to deal with the challenges of the future should ultimately lie at the heart of the educational approach in Health Sciences Education. This research project generated comprehensive knowledge of the profile of the so-called Generation Y undergraduate students in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, which informed the formulation of an educational approach that is both thoroughly grounded in theory as well as applicable in practice. This research study offers a novel contribution to the field of Health Sciences Education by providing evidence-based data incorporated into an educational approach that takes into consideration key elements for successful pedagogy in Health Sciences Education. These include the a) teaching and learning environment, b) approaches to teaching and learning as well as the role-players in this context, namely the c) participants (students) and d) practitioners (academic staff). The approach is built on the four key elements, and forms an integrated background to a central nexus alluding to concepts including structure and support, a student-centred viewpoint, technology, relationships, student characteristics, mentoring, engagement and supervision. Both the survey instrument developed for the purpose of data collection in this study, as well as the educational approach that was formulated, may be used to facilitate the creation of optimal teaching and learning environments in Health Sciences Education, both locally and further afield.Afrikaans: Hierdie navorsingsprojek, is ’n diepgaande studie met die oogmerk om ’n opvoedkundige benadering te formuleer vir die kenmerkende generasieprofiel van voorgraadse studente aan die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe (FGW), Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV). Hierdie navorsing is geïnisieer om die gaping oor die sogenaamde Generasie Y (gebore 1981-2000) waartoe die grootste gros voorgraadse studente aan die UV tans behoort, die hoof te bied. Volgens sowel vakgerigte as populêre literatuur, beskik Generasie Y oor unieke kenmerke wat die onderrig- en leeromgewing beïnvloed. Kenmerkende waardes en gedrag, kommunikasiestyle, -vaardighede en -behoeftes, leerstyle en -behoeftes, sowel as die heersende omgewing en vormende gebeure wat die gevolg is van hulle plek in die geskiedenis, beïnvloed hulle benadering en optrede as studente. Die verskille in persepsies/opvattings tussen hierdie studente en die akademiese personeel wat hulle onderrig- en oor die algemeen ouer generasie-groepe verteenwoordig - kan tot konflik en misverstande lei wat die suksesvolle bereiking van uitkomste in Gesondheidswetenskappe-onderwys kan inperk. Sowel opvoedkunde as gesondheidsorg staar enorme uitdagings in die gesig in die 21ste eeu. Die Inligting-Kommunikasie-Tegnologie-rewolusie, druk byvoorbeeld reeds ’n stempel af op sosiale interaksie sowel as die huidige onderrig- en leer- sowel as gesondheidsorg omgewings. Die vereistes wat aan opvoedkunde en gesondheidsorg gestel word strek egter verder as net die invloed van ontwikkelende tegnologieë en die gevolge daarvan. Brandpunte soos globalisering, sosiaal-politiese en ekonomiese onstabiliteit, asook onvoldoende en ongelyke toegang sowel as volhoubaarheid behoort ook aangepak te word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ’n opvoedkundige benadering te formuleer vir die generasieprofiel van voorgraadse studente aan die FGW, UV. Dit is bereik deur middel van die volgende doelwitte, naamlik, om data te verkry om vas te stel of die kenmerke van Generasie Y soos dit in die literatuur beskryf word, op voorgraadse studente aan die FGW, UV, van toepassing is; om verskille in bewustheid en insig oor die persepsies/opvattings aangaande die kenmerke van Generasie Y tussen voorgraadse studente en die akademiese personeel wat hulle onderrig, te identifiseer; en laastens, om ’n opvoedkundige benadering (aanbevelings ingesluit) te formuleer vir die generasieprofiel van voorgraadse studente aan die FGW, UV - inaggenome die kenmerke van voorgraadse studente sowel as die verskille in persepsies tussen voorgraadse studente en akademiese personeel wat hulle onderrig, wat die onderrig- en leeromgewing kan beïnvloed. Hierdie studie het ’n gemengde-metode-navorsingsontwerp in twee fases benut. Tydens die eerste fase, gelyklopende triangulasie, is kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data gelyktydig ingesamel deur middel van oop en geslote vrae in ’n vraelys-ondersoek wat voorgraadse studente en akademiese personeel onderskeidelik betrek het. Tydens die tweede fase, opvolg-, verduidelikende ontwerp, is die resultate verkry uit die eerste fase gebruik om die formulering van ’n agenda vir ’n fokusgroeponderhoud met akademiese personeel, en wat kwalitatiewe data gelewer het, toe te lig. Kwantitatiewe data is statisties geanaliseer, terwyl ‘n tematiese analise van die kwalitatiewe data gedoen is. Tydens die finale stap in die tweede fase is die literatuurondersoek, sowel as die resultate van die vraelysondersoek en fokusgroeponderhoud gebruik in die formulering van die opvoedkundige benadering, soos uiteengesit in die doel van die studie. Uit die resultate van die vraelysondersoek het dit geblyk dat, alhoewel baie van die eienskappe wat in die literatuur tipies aan Generasie Y toegeskryf word ooreenstem met die sienings van sowel voorgraadse studente as akademiese personeel oor hierdie groep voorgraadse studente aan die FGW, UV, daar tog ook duidelike verskille is – wat aandui dat Generasie Y-studente in die FGW oor ’n unieke generasieprofiel beskik. Bykomend hiertoe het akademiese personeel aangedui dat hulle persepsies betekenisvol verskil van dié van voorgraadse studente, met gevolglike implikasies vir die onderrig- en leeromgewing. Hooftemas wat uit die fokusgroeponderhoud se bevindinge geïdentifiseer is het aangedui dat drie belangrike aspekte van kardinale belang is vir die ontwikkeling van ’n opvoedkundige benadering, naamlik die aard van die onderrig- en leeromgewing, die persoonlike kwaliteite en eienskappe van die dosent en die kenmerke en rol van die student. Hierdie bevindinge is geïnkorporeer in die formulering van riglyne en voorstelle vir die opvoedkundige benadering wat die navorser voorstel. Die konseptuele raamwerk wat hierdie benadering rig, hou verband met die realiteit dat opvoedkundige benaderings, indien hulle toepaslik wil bly, moet wegbeweeg van tradisionele en ietwat verouderde dosent-gesentreerde na meer innoverende, student-gesentreerde uitgangspunte wat daarop gemik is om die student aktief betrokke te maak by transformerende kenniskonstruksie sowel as die voorsiening van mentorskap deur motiverende rolmodelle. Verder moet ontwikkelende tegnologie op ’n rasionele en gebalanseerde wyse geïnkorporeer word sonder om noodsaaklike menslike interaksie pryste gee. Op hierdie manier word ’n optimale onderrig- en leeromgewing geskep. Die opleiding van vaardige gesondheidsberoepslui wat toegerus is om die uitdagings van die toekoms te bowe te kom, moet dus uiteindelik die uitgangspunt vorm van die opvoedkundige benadering in Gesondheidswetenskappe-onderwys. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het omvattende kennis geskep aangaande die profiel van die sogenaamde Generasie Y-voorgraadse studente aan die FGW, UV, wat bygedra het tot die formulering van ‘n opvoedkundige benadering wat sowel ’n diepgaande teoretiese grondslag sowel as praktiese toepassing het. Die navorsing bied ’n nuwe bydrae tot die veld van Gesondheidswetenskappe-onderwys deur bewysgebaseerde data te lewer wat geïnkorporeer is in ’n opvoedkundige benadering wat boonop die sleutelelemente vir suksesvolle didaktiek in Gesondheidswetenskappe-onderwys in ag neem. Hierdie sleutelelemente sluit in die onderrig- en leeromgewing, benaderings tot onderrig en leer, sowel as die rolspelers in hierdie konteks, naamlik die deelnemers (studente) en praktisyns (akademiese personeel). Hierdie benadering is gebou op genoemde sleutelelemente, en vorm ’n geïntegreerde agtergrond met ’n sentrale neksus wat verwys na konsepte insluitende struktuur en ondersteuning, ’n student-gesentreerde uitgangspunt, tegnologie, verhoudings, kenmerke van studente, mentorskap, betrokkenheid en studieleiding. Die ondersoekinstrument wat ontwikkel is vir die uitvoering van data-insameling in hierdie studie, sowel as die opvoedkundige benadering wat geformuleer is, kan gebruik word om ’n optimale onderrig- en leeromgewing in Gesondheidswetenskappe-onderwys te fasiliteer, plaaslik sowel as nasionaal en internasionaal.enThesis (Ph.D. (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2011Medicine -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa -- BloemfonteinMedical education -- South Africa -- BloemfonteinMedical students -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- BloemfonteinHealth Sciences EducationEducational approachesEducational approachesGenerational theoryGeneration YHigher educationMixed-methods researchPedagogical theoryScholarship of teaching and learningUndergraduate educationThesisUniversity of the Free State