Journal of Student Affairs in Africa

Counsellors’ experiences of integrating virtual interventions to provide mental health support for students

Gregory Mitchell — 2025-05-14

This study sought to explore the experiences of counsellors at Nelson Mandela University’s Emthonjeni Student Wellness counselling unit regarding the implementation of a blended counselling model which integrated virtual interventions into the existing practice model. Grounded theory methodology was employed to generate an understanding of the evolving counselling practices and the growing acceptance of a blended model in a student counselling centre at a South African public university. The establishment of the new model entailed the integration of psychological knowledge and experience with other domains of knowledge, such as information technology; professional ethics; and student support. The data for this article were collected through semi-structured interviews with counsellors working at the university’s counselling unit. The theoretical framework emerging from this study sheds light on the evolution of counselling practices within the university context and how students’ mental health and wellness can be supported using virtual interventions. The study identified five main themes to be addressed in the establishment of a blended counselling model: the transition to integration; challenges and obstacles; benefits and advantages; diversity and uniqueness; and training issues for counsellors. It was found that key concepts that can form the basis of a blended counselling model and the training and development of counsellors required to establish such a model, include adaptation and flexibility, technological proficiency, cultural sensitivity and diversity, and boundary management. Each of these key concepts relates to areas for skill development in counsellors. In addition, it was found that an integrative, evidence- and scholarship-based approach to analysing these concepts would produce significant benefits for student counselling services at South African public universities.

“They all offered different support”: Integrated support systems for academic resilience among engineering students

Curwyn Mapaling — 2025-05-14

A critical area of debate in an era of evolving university support systems is how best to offer support to students in challenging disciplines. This study examines the effectiveness of current frameworks in addressing the needs of engineering students. This research employs a mixed-methods approach to identify the experiences of final-year students undertaking bachelor studies in engineering technology at Nelson Mandela University, as well as those of their lecturers and relevant support staff. The study finds a direct relationship between students’ stress levels and their resilience, highlighting the importance of well-structured support systems, including orientation programmes and subjectspecific tutoring. This article introduces a novel perspective on fostering academic resilience in engineering education, advocating for a comprehensive approach that integrates personal, academic and socio-ecological forms of support. Challenging conventional views of interventions for student success, it proposes a new, holistic framework for the provision of support in higher education institutions. This approach could contribute to enhancing student resilience and success and provide a fresh lens to address student dropout in higher education in South Africa and beyond.

Using action research and grounded theory techniques to design an evidence-based academic advising programme

Riashna Sithaldeen — 2025-05-14

Academic advising, if done effectively, can play a significant role in supporting student retention. However, as a relatively new field in South Africa, there is limited locally contextualised research into advising interventions and their effectiveness. So, there is a need for evidence-based approaches that will lead to more intentionally structured, and shareable practices that meet the needs of the South African context. Accordingly, this article outlines a methodology for designing an evidencebased advising programme that is both effective and academically rigorous. The article shows how the principles of action research, supported by grounded theory analytical techniques, were used to develop a programme for students facing exclusion at a South African university, the University of Cape Town (UCT). During the implementation of the programme, feedback was collected in cycles, with the student ‘voice’ from one cycle (n=352) informing the design of the next cycle. Programme evaluation data (n=122) from a third cycle was then used to assess the effectiveness of the approach. The results indicated a positive association between the new capabilities developed in students and the designed learning activity, which suggests that this approach to developing an advising programme was effective. The method described to design this programme has application across a wide variety of student development initiatives and could be used to support effective, intentionally designed initiatives and the sharing of effective, evidence-based practices.

Bridging gaps: Enhancing holistic support in mathematics during the transition from secondary school to university

Alfred Mvunyelwa Msomi — 2025-05-14

The provision of multidimensional holistic support in mathematics for students transitioning from secondary school to university is identified as a challenge facing global education systems, including in South Africa. Ongoing attempts to select effective mathematics learning support reflect the enduring nature of a problem caused by a range of factors. Despite a wealth of literature on the topic there has been little effort to consolidate the diverse knowledge on this issue into a comprehensive, useful understanding. This study aims to close this gap by synthesising and integrating the disparate elements with the aim of producing a unified framework to address the problem. The research employs a comprehensive rapid literature review following PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. The review concentrates on papers that investigate the impact of specific types of mathematical support; on those conducting analyses of the efficacy of distinct mathematical support approaches; and on those proposing solutions towards improving first-year South African university students’ mathematical performance. To mitigate bias, the Rayyan AI-assisted literature review platform is utilised with the aim of promoting a rigorous, unbiased selection process. This rapid literature review reveals the absence of a unified framework for providing holistic mathematics learning support, which is a major obstacle to the provision of such support. The authors note that this deficiency can detrimentally impact students, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach. The findings suggest that mathematics support can be enhanced by integrating the core elements of a holistic approach and acknowledging the interconnectedness and mutual influence of the various elements.

Exploring student representative councils’ experiences at historically white universities: A meta-narrative review

Kitso Morgan — 2025-05-14

Student representation has been conceptualised and studied in different ways and by different researchers for more than 10 years. However, there are too few meta-narrative reviews indicating the main developments that have taken place in student representative councils (SRCs). Against this background, this article offers a summary of the events and actions that affected student representatives at historically white universities (HWUs) from 2011 to 2022. The data underpinning this summary, which is presented as a meta-narrative review, derive from a search of the literature conceptualising and studying student representation experiences including electronic sources, journal articles and book chapters. Synthesis and analysis of the data revealed a number of themes, including experiences of diversity; experiences of disruption; the use of protests; and the development of policies promoting transformation at HWUs. The review concludes by highlighting the significance of understanding the experiences of student representatives through the pursuit of a scholarship of integration that identifies and consolidates the university governance efforts that have a major impact on the prospects of holistic student success.

Knowledge creation by student leaders to promote their own leadership development: A multi-university social dreamdrawing project

Neo Pule — 2025-05-14

Engaging student leaders in knowledge creation in support of their own leadership development is an important strategy in the scholarship of integration which seeks to promote research-based, studentengaged professional practices. This article describes a strategy for engaging student leaders in support of such development, drawing on the insights they gained from their own leadership experiences. South African student leaders participated in a multi-university, social dream-drawing study which was designed using a socio-analytical framework. Through this project, leadership experiences were made manifest at unconscious and conscious levels. Group sharing and reflection helped the participants recognise and process their leadership experiences, and to uncover and explore areas that needed development. Engaging in knowledge creation about their own development, the participating students co-produced an evidence-based understanding of the importance of integrated approaches about the development of student leadership. In addition, their participation in a process of compassionate engagement positioned them as co-developers of problem-solving insights in support of their own development and, more broadly, universities’ social and cultural capabilities. Pule and Gibney (2023) also demonstrated this. The social dream-drawing findings furthermore indicated how such interventions could go beyond an examination of the perspectives of individual leaders to consideration of the nature of student leadership as a group, organizational or even societal function – considering intra- and inter-group dynamics; different organizational levels and their leadership sub-systems; and the role of student leadership in society at large. In addition, the research conducted through social dream-drawing may be seen as strengthening the argument for the broader adoption of the scholarship of integration in pursuit of strategic goals.

Envisioning my best future self: Integrating positive psychology and prospection in student affairs practice

Henry D. Mason — 2025-05-14

Students’ psychological well-being constitutes a critical issue that necessitates support and dedicated intervention from student affairs professionals. Positive psychology, focusing on future-oriented prospective thinking, offers valuable insights and methods relevant to student affairs. This article leverages the principles of positive psychology, particularly prospection, and reports a qualitative study that explored how 45 university students (26 females and 19 males; age range: 18-23) conceived of their best future selves. Phenomenological analysis revealed a dynamic interplay between students’ optimistic visions of personal and professional success, and the pressing need for practical strategies to realise these aspirations. By integrating and leveraging positive psychology, particularly prospection-focused methodologies, practitioners can support students in envisioning their futures more clearly and translating ambitious visions into tangible outcomes, thereby fostering individual and collective growth.

An explorative study on students’ perceptions of reckless alcohol consumption at a university of technology

Andile Samkele Masuku — 2025-05-14

Alcohol consumption is a well-known public health problem, particularly among university students. Students experience many challenges in life that may lead them to consume alcohol. The aim of this study was to explore student’s perceptions of reckless alcohol consumption at a university of technology in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study utilised a qualitative and exploratory design. Semi- structured interviews were conducted with 13 selected students using convenience sampling. The findings of this study revealed that reckless alcohol consumption among students is challenging and that there are many contributing factors leading to alcohol consumption. The recommendations sourced from participants indicate that the issue of reckless alcohol consumption must be addressed by the university through awareness campaigns, initiating support groups for students struggling with reckless alcohol consumption, and strengthening policies related to substance abuse.

Navigating the power outages: Impact and coping strategies of students in a South African university during loadshedding

Nokukhanya Thembane — 2025-05-14

Loadshedding, the scheduled power outage implemented in South Africa, has significantly affected various sectors, including higher education institutions. This article explores the impact of loadshedding on students in a South African university, focusing on the difficulties they face, and the coping strategies employed. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative data from a structured survey and qualitative insights from discussion interviews. The findings highlight the disruptions caused by loadshedding, including missed lectures, limited access to resources, and challenges in submitting assignments. Power outages also negatively affect students’ mental health, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. The study emphasises the need for support measures to address the mental health needs of students during loadshedding. Various coping strategies are identified, such as time management, alternative power sources, offline study materials, group study sessions, and self-care practices. Understanding and analysing these coping strategies is essential in mitigating the impact of loadshedding on students’ academic progress and well-being. The study contributes to the understanding of loadshedding’s multifaceted impact on students, providing insights for developing support measures and creating a conducive learning environment. These findings can inform discussions in institutions, among policymakers and stakeholders to support students and address the challenges posed by loadshedding.

Mentorship in undergraduate studies – Building block for postgraduate success

Sindi Msimango — 2025-05-14

Postgraduate output is important in any country’s knowledge development and their knowledge economy. The development of postgraduate output especially at master’s and PhD levels in South Africa is at risk due to its slow pace. An argument that can be made is that undergraduate experiences lend to postgraduate access and success. This article explores the experiences that students had during undergraduate study that assisted them to access postgraduate studies. A qualitative methodology was used to collect the data. Data were collected from a sample comprising of postgraduate students from different faculties except health sciences, at a research-intensive university and a comprehensive university in Gauteng, South Africa. Results indicated that there are many experiences, and socialisation processes the undergraduate students had that shaped their professional identity and facilitated access into postgraduate studies and success. This article hones in on mentorship. There were also different forms of mentorship that postgraduates had experienced during their undergraduate study. The results help in supporting the notion that mentorship during undergrad is one of the building blocks to postgraduate success in the South African context.

Constitution and negotiation of rural students’ identities at an urban South African university

Kolisa Siqoko — 2025-05-14

Utilising a social constructivist lens, this study explores how students from rural areas constitute and negotiate their identities in the context of an urban South African university. Much of the research on rurality in South Africa has focused on rural areas as places, and not on the people occupying them. This qualitative study employed a narrative inquiry, using the life course theory of development as its theoretical framework. Data collection comprised a mix of semi-structured questionnaires and focus group interviews. Data were analysed by means of content analysis. The findings were threefold: first, in constituting their identities, rural students remained grounded in their rural identities. Contrary to the literature, which found rural students trying to fit into the dominant hegemonic culture of an urban university. Second, in negotiating their identities, rural students assumed hyphenated identities – the rural-urban binary – to blend into the urban environment, assuming a ‘chameleon’ identity, but did not abandon their socio-cultural upbringing, philosophy, values, and attributes when they joined an urban institution. They aligned with philosophies and values that resonated with their upbringing rather than seeking to be assimilated. Third, when they joined an urban university, they began to perceive their role as having shifted from being recipients of their background to becoming contributors to its development.

Student experiences of attending the first online Southern African Students Psychology Conference at an open distance e-learning university in South Africa

Janice K. Moodley-Marie — 2025-05-14

The devastation and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to pervade almost every sphere of human existence, albeit arguably increasingly nuanced. As we move into the post-pandemic world, it is essential to reflect on the lessons learned and forge transformed, decolonised ways of knowledge production in higher education. To ensure the continuation of academic socialisation, academic conference organizers have had to introduce virtual conferencing during the pandemic. In this article, we discuss the experiences of students who attended the first online Southern African Students Psychology Conference (SASPC) during the pandemic in South Africa within a distance e-learning context. We use academic socialisation as a theoretical framework to understand student experiences attending the first online SASPC and to discuss the student conference as a site for decolonisation. From the focus group discussion with student attendees, the historical and current format of the conference unexpectedly emerged as a colonised space of academic socialisation that the students challenged. Opportunities for using the student conference space as a site of decolonisation are explored to contribute to the dearth of scholarly literature aimed at actively incorporating students’ voices in the decolonisation of academic spaces in the Global South.

Reimagining South African higher education: Towards a student-centred learning and teaching future by D. de Klerk, G. Krull, T. Maleswena & F. MacAlister (Eds.). (2024). Stellenbosch, SA: Sun Press

Xena Cupido — 2025-05-14

No Abstract.