Student Performance in the Health Sciences: a UKZN perspective

1. Student Performance in the Health Sciences: a UKZN perspective Susan B Higgins-Opitz1, Mark Tufts1, Indirani Naidoo2 and Sabiha Essack31Discipline of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2Division of Management Information and 3 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal

2. Introduction • Challenges facing South African Universities to match the increased access of students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds with increased success (Pandor, 2008) • Need for number of holistic and innovative post- admission strategies, inluding curriculum interventions, academic and psycho-social student support • At UKZN, Faculty of Health Sciences offers a number of professional programmes, from audiology, sports science, to physiotherapy and pharmacy etc

3. Physiology • An integral part of all FHS programmes • Difficult for students to grasp • Development of student-focused support programmes & appointment of ADP officers • Still remains one of the disciplines with an anecdotal track record of having lower pass rates than other modules in the same FHS programme

4. Aim of Study To assess FHS student performance in physiology as compared with their performance in profession-specific modules and any associated contributory factors

5. Method • Ethical approval was sought (FECHSCH 007/10) • Overall pass rates and average, maximum, and minimum marks were obtained for the period 2004 – 2010 for all qualifications • Data were further stratified • Matriculation/National Senior Certificate achievement (proxy for Mainstream/Alternative access) • Language (Advantaged/Previously disadvantaged) Essacket al (2009) South African Journal of Higher Education 23 (2): 275-292

6. Physiology Modules • The physiology modules, HPHS111 & 112 and HPHS211 & 222, are taken by FHS students enrolled for multiple qualifications • Student performance data in physiology was thus • First separated in terms of their degree course • Then compared with their performance in their other modules for which they were registered for at the time • Best illustrated by following tables

7. 2010 Physiology 1st Year Modules

8. 2010 Physiology 2nd Year Modules

9. Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria • Marks achieved after the supplementary examinations were used to calculate • the pass rates for each module • average, minimum and maximum marks • Repeat students (excluded) • Students with missing data eg school leaving points; final marks etc (excluded)

10. Analysis • The data analysed using SPSS version 15.0 • Non-parametric Mann-Whitney t test and Kruskal-Wallis Anova used to compare student performance in the modules • Statistical comparisons on basis of mainstream/ alternative access and previous disadvantage computed for only those modules taken by students • with both leaving point ranges • from both language groups • A p-value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant at the 95% level

11. Results • For the purposes of this presentation, only the performance of those 1st and 2nd year FHS students will be reported on, namely • modules taken in the 1st semester • over years 2008, 2009 and 2010 • in terms of pass rates and average marks • Results of the statistical analyses (pass rates and final marks) are summarized in the following tables

12. Summary of results of statistical comparisons performed on 1st Year Modules data (2008-2010)where √ = p<0.05 and X = p>0.05, respectively Student performance in HPHS111 versus other modules per FHS Qualification

13. 2nd Year FHS Modules Student performance in HPHS221 versus other modules per FHS Qualification

14. Comparison of the performance of alternate access (AA) versus mainstream (M) students per FHS qualification

15. B.Comparison of the performance of alternate access (AA) versus mainstream (M) students per FHS qualification

16. Comparison of the performance of English first language (L1) and English second language (L2) students per FHS Qualification

17. Comparison of the performance of English first language (L1) and English second language (L2) students per FHS Qualification

18. The key findings of the study, illustrated using figures, are as follows:

19. Overall student performance in physiology declined steadily over the years with a noticeable drop in student performance in 2010 for both 1st and 2nd year modules

20. Student performance in the professional modules was consistently better than that in corresponding physiology modules

21. Student performance in the second semester was consistently better indicating that they had accessed some form of academic development /support

22. In general, those students with school leaving points equal to or above the minimum points for admission had consistently higher average final marks even in those instances where similar pass rates were achieved

23. English-first language speakers were also found on the whole to perform better in terms of their average final marks than English-second language speakers

24. Discussion • UKZN FHS students perform consistently less well in their physiology modules as compared with modules related to their professional degrees • even though module pass rates may not differ significantly, student performance in terms of final marks significantly less in physiology • drop in pass rates, particularly in 2010, following the introduction of National Senior Certificate in 2008 is of concern

25. Implications • Findings have particular bearing in terms of content, pedagogy, assessment, and the student support currently in operation • In SA growing enrolment of students from marginalized groups with diverse ethnic, social and educational backgrounds • inadequate secondary school preparation and thus encounter several and diverse learning barriers (Morrison et al.,2006; Botha et al., 2005)

26. Given the increasing diversity within the FHS, there is a need to ensure the use of appropriate teaching, learning & assessment methodologies (Koch et al., 2001; Venter et al., 2001) • positive impact of one or more components of the student counseling services (Morrison et al., 2006) • on retention rates, student learning and achievement of academic targets • on students in stressful situations • on students at risk of drop-out • on positive personal outcomes, eg improvement of self-esteem, anxiety, motivation

27. Further Research Embarked on two further studies on • the early detection of first year students struggling academically with physiology (i.e. before their first formative assessment) • the impact of a computer-based practical delivery on student performance and learning in their physiology module

28. Acknowledgement The authors are grateful to the UKZN Teaching & Learning Office for financial support

29. References • Pandor, N. 2008.Education: Minister’s Budget Speech. Cape Town. (http://www.pmg.org.za/briefing/20080515-education-ministers-budget-speech. Accessed 23 May 2008) • Essack, S.Y., Barnes, G., Jackson, L., Majozi, M., McInerney, P., Mtshali, N., Naidoo, I., Oosthuizen, F., and Suleman, F. 2009. Maximizing Income via the Higher Education Funding Framework in Health Sciences. South African Journal of Higher Education 23 (2): 275-292. • Morrison, J.M., Brand, H.J. and Cilliers, C.D. 2006. Assessing the impact of student counseling service centers at tertiary education institutions: How should it be approached? South African Journal of Higher Education 20 (5): 655-678. • Botha, H.L., Brand, H.J., Cilliers, C.D., Davidow, A., de Jager A.C. and Smith, D. 2005.Student counseling and development services in higher education institutions in South Africa. South African Journal of Higher Education 19 (1): 655-678. • Venter, I.M., Blignaut, R.J. and Stoltz, D. 2001. Research methodologies explored for a paradigm shift in university teaching. South African Journal of Higher Education 15 (2): 162-169. • Koch, E., Foxcroft, C. and Watson, A. 2001. A development focus to student access at the University of Port Elizabeth: process and preliminary insights in placement assessments. South African Journal of Higher Education 15 (2): 126-131.

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