Exploring the Perceptions of the First Year Students on the Role of Tutors in Enhancing Learning. The Case of One South African University

Abstract

This article endeavoured to empirically explore the perceptions of first year students attending tutorship programmes on the services of the tutors. The study used mixed methods of qualitative and qualitative approaches with qualitative approach being the dominant. The study therefore used a case study and a mini survey as designs with an interview guide and a questionnaire as research instruments. Document analysis, focus group discussions and interviews gathered qualitative data while a questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data. Findings indicate that tutorials were a panacea (beneficial) to the student support programme, but lacked professional discipline and integrity. On the other hand tutees embraced low confidence with the tutors, most were only interested in the marks that tutorials gave and not serious learning, and tutorials were viewed to be creating dependence syndrome for the learners. The paper recommends that tutors selection criteria be strengthened and the coordinators strengtrhen the monitoring and coaching of the tutors. The support programme also need to educate the students of the importance of the tutorial programmes especially during orientation.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p991