https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/14477 2026-06-19T09:36:23Z 2026-06-19T09:36:23Z Enwereji, Prince Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31927 2024-11-12T10:43:27Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Unlocking academic excellence: The journey of online tutors at a distance learning institution in South Africa Enwereji, Prince; Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana This study set out to assess the efficacy of an online tutoring programme at a large distance education institution in South Africa based on lecturers’ evaluations. Online-tutoring or e-tutoring has emerged as a prominent educational support system, particularly in the context of online and distance learning. Understanding how lecturers perceive the effectiveness of e-tutoring is crucial for improving and optimizing this mode of instructional support. The study employed a quantitative research approach, utilizing online questionnaires as data collection instruments. The questionnaires focused on capturing the lecturers' assessments on the advantages, challenges, and overall effectiveness of e-tutoring services in facilitating student learning. Statistical methods, such as descriptive statistics and inferential analysis, were utilized to analyse the collected data and draw meaningful conclusions. The findings reveal that the lecturers perceive e-tutoring as a valuable resource which enhances student learning outcomes. The advantages highlighted include personalized support, improved accessibility, and flexibility in meeting individual student needs. The online tutors (e-tutors) were seen as effective in addressing students' queries and providing clarifications on complex subject matters. However, several challenges were also identified, such as the need for adequate training and support for e-tutors, ensuring consistency in quality, and managing the workload associated with e-tutoring responsibilities. Lecturers emphasized the importance of professional development and collaborative efforts between e-tutors and academic staff to enhance the overall effectiveness of e-tutoring services. The study concludes that e-tutoring has the potential to significantly contribute to the academic success of students at the University of South Africa.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z oben, James Ako Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31926 2024-11-12T10:27:43Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Social cognitive career theory and rural high school learners’ intentions to pursue an accounting career oben, James Ako; Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana The extended social cognitive career theory (SCCT) suggests that career intentions are influenced by person inputs, background contextual affordances, learning experiences, self-efficacy expectations and outcome expectations, as well as satisfaction and well-being in academic and work settings. The main purpose of the current study was to examine the career intentions of South African high school learners towards a career in the accounting field. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, 305 learners from eight high schools in a rural community were surveyed. Respondents’ intentions to pursue a career in accounting were significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy expectations and outcome expectations. Work satisfaction, earning potential, self-efficacy expectations, personal interest, Accounting being offered as a subject and having a family member in the accounting field are factors influencing participants’ career choice. Recommendations are made that could assist in better-informed career decision-making, guidance and support for learners who wish to pursue a career in the accounting field.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Enwereji, Prince Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana Terblanche, Alet https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31925 2024-11-12T10:05:57Z 2023-11-08T00:00:00Z

Exploring students' perceptions on effective online tutoring at a distance education institution Enwereji, Prince; Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana; Terblanche, Alet Online or e-tutoring is a component of e-learning that involves teaching in an online setting where the e-tutor provides support to a small group of students, which can increase confidence, improve topic comprehension and develop critical learning skills. To enhance e-tutoring in the Department of Financial Accounting at the University of South Africa, this study examined student perspectives or evaluations on the effectiveness of e-tutoring in a distance learning environment, as well as the challenges encountered during its implementation. The study adopted a quantitative design where online questionnaires were used as data collecting instruments. A total of 3,837 questionnaires were completed by students who indicated their willingness to participate in the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. The major findings revealed that e-tutoring has enhanced students’ learning options in financial accounting modules, through the provision of assistance and the promotion of interactive classrooms. The study revealed that students expressed a need for increased training for e-tutors to enhance their abilities in supporting academic goals, while technological challenges such as bad internet and internet cost were identified as significant barriers to successful e-tutoring. Recommendations include promoting e-tutoring in higher education institutions to support students’ academic endeavours, providing regular training for e-tutors to handle technical content and overcome technological challenges, and establishing effective communication channels to facilitate student-tutor interactions. These measures aim to improve teaching and learning in the online environment, fostering a supportive and engaging experience for students.

2023-11-08T00:00:00Z Terblanche, Alet Shuttleworth, Christina Cornelia Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana Masela, Richard Nkosinathi https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31924 2024-11-12T09:47:31Z 2023-02-01T00:00:00Z

Critical thinking: Stakeholder expectations and challenges for Accountancy educators Terblanche, Alet; Shuttleworth, Christina Cornelia; Van Rooyen, Annelien Adriana; Masela, Richard Nkosinathi Developing future accountants who are critical thinkers, able to adapt in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, remains one of the biggest challenges facing accounting educators. Competency frameworks of professional accounting bodies do provide some guidance in terms of the competencies and skills graduates should possess when entering the profession, but lack the inclusion of a clear, consensus-based definition of critical thinking and its related skills. The present study sought to explore the extent to which critical thinking and related concepts are present in and align across the competency frameworks of four professional accounting bodies. Employing a content analysis, the results indicated no agreed-upon definition for “critical thinking” or related terms. The term “critical thinking” only appeared in one framework with “decision-making”, “judgement” and “problem solving” serving as surrogate terms across the frameworks. Variations of “analyse”, “explain” and “evaluate”, that are considered to be core critical thinking skills, were extensively used in the frameworks, albeit not clearly defined. Professional bodies are crucial when creating a more mature demand for critical thinking acumen in graduates and workplace professionals. The researchers therefor advocate better agreement among accounting educators and professional bodies about the definition of critical thinking.

2023-02-01T00:00:00Z