Factors related to throughput in final-year Statistics

Abstract

English: This article reports on the results of a study examining factors related to throughput at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa between 1975 and 2001. The students in the study all registered for at least one semester of Statistics in their final year. Throughput is defined as the number of years taken by a student to complete an undergraduate degree and is described in terms of the following factors: Grade 12 aggregate, home language and Grade 12 Mathematics result. The study adopted a quantitative approach and used historical student records. The most significant factor was found to be the Grade 12 aggregate. It is therefore suggested that the Grade 12 aggregate be retained as a selection criterion for higher education studies.

Afrikaans: Hierdie artikel poog om uit te vind watter faktore beïnvloed suksesvolle voltooiing (in die voorgeskrewe tydperk) van grade deur studente aan die Universiteit van die Weskaap (UWK) in Suid-Afrika. Die studente in hierdie studie het almal ten minste een semesterkursus in derdejaar Statistiek geslaag. Die studente se suksesvolle voltooiing is gemeet ten opsigte van Graad 12 gemiddeld, huistaal en Graad 12 Wiskunde resultate. Die studie volg ’n kwantitiewe benadering en gebruik historiese studente-uitslae. Faktore wat bydra tot of verhinder om suksesvolle voltooiing van studies te bepaal, is geanaliseer. Graad 12 gemiddeld was die mees betekenisvolle faktor om suksesvolle voltooiing te verseker. Daar word dus voorgestel dat die Graad 12 gemiddeld behoue moet bly in die nuwe skoolstelsel omdat dit ’n goeie voorspeller is vir naskoolse sukses.