An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe

Several issues promote or hinder students’ progress in pursuit of their studies. The present study sought to establish enabling and constraining factors to students’ academic progress in one selected state university in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach which utilized bo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zikhali, Joyce, Chauraya, Efiritha, Madzanire, Daniel, Maphosa, Cosmas
Format: Article
Published: Kamla - Raj 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/931
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1779905201457594368
author Zikhali, Joyce
Chauraya, Efiritha
Madzanire, Daniel
Maphosa, Cosmas
author_facet Zikhali, Joyce
Chauraya, Efiritha
Madzanire, Daniel
Maphosa, Cosmas
author_sort Zikhali, Joyce
collection DSpace
description Several issues promote or hinder students’ progress in pursuit of their studies. The present study sought to establish enabling and constraining factors to students’ academic progress in one selected state university in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach which utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Informed by Archer ’s theory on structure, culture and agency, the study collected data from students in five selected faculties in the one selected university. A convenient sample of one hundred and ten students participated in the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software package version 21. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis method and presented through verbatim quotations of the respondents. The study found that academic overload, lack of time management, lack of requisite materials, computer illiteracy and financial problems negatively affected students’ studies while factors such as student accommodation, relationships and command of the language of instruction did not have much effect. The researchers conclude that there were structural, cultural and agential factors that negatively affected students’ studies. Recommendations are made in view of the major findings.
format Article
id ir-11408-931
institution My University
publishDate 2016
publisher Kamla - Raj
record_format dspace
spelling ir-11408-9312022-06-27T13:49:06Z An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe Zikhali, Joyce Chauraya, Efiritha Madzanire, Daniel Maphosa, Cosmas University, Students, Academic studies, Culture, Structure, Agency Several issues promote or hinder students’ progress in pursuit of their studies. The present study sought to establish enabling and constraining factors to students’ academic progress in one selected state university in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach which utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Informed by Archer ’s theory on structure, culture and agency, the study collected data from students in five selected faculties in the one selected university. A convenient sample of one hundred and ten students participated in the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software package version 21. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis method and presented through verbatim quotations of the respondents. The study found that academic overload, lack of time management, lack of requisite materials, computer illiteracy and financial problems negatively affected students’ studies while factors such as student accommodation, relationships and command of the language of instruction did not have much effect. The researchers conclude that there were structural, cultural and agential factors that negatively affected students’ studies. Recommendations are made in view of the major findings. 2016-04-20T13:42:50Z 2016-04-20T13:42:50Z 2015 Article 0975-1122 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/931 International journal of educational sciences;Vol 9, No. 2: 243-254 open Kamla - Raj
spellingShingle University, Students, Academic studies, Culture, Structure, Agency
Zikhali, Joyce
Chauraya, Efiritha
Madzanire, Daniel
Maphosa, Cosmas
An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title_full An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title_fullStr An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title_short An exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in Zimbabwe
title_sort exploration of factors affecting students’ studies in one selected university in zimbabwe
topic University, Students, Academic studies, Culture, Structure, Agency
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/931
work_keys_str_mv AT zikhalijoyce anexplorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT chaurayaefiritha anexplorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT madzaniredaniel anexplorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT maphosacosmas anexplorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT zikhalijoyce explorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT chaurayaefiritha explorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT madzaniredaniel explorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe
AT maphosacosmas explorationoffactorsaffectingstudentsstudiesinoneselecteduniversityinzimbabwe