A study aid DVD that is already being used very effectively by students at Stellenbosch University (SU) could make a national impact soon.
The LearnWell4Life DVD addresses nine of the most topical study challenges experienced by senior school learners and university students across the world. The university recently released the DVD in Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa and it will soon be translated into Zulu and Tswana.
Russel Botman, vice-chancellor of SU, said at the launch of the DVD in the Conservatoire on the Matie campus last month that the university is now working towards making the DVD available to students and learners all over the country.
”We are currently negotiating with the educational programmes of the SABC to broadcast the series nationally in different languages to help address the void in study readiness of our children and students nationally.”
Botman said the DVD is of particular relevance this year in the light of the countrywide academic instability caused in schools by the teachers’ strike and the anxious process of catching up to be ready for the final examinations in October and November.
”What better way to indicate your relevance as one of the leading universities in the country?” he asked.
The DVD, which is available online for students at Stellenbosch, is being used extensively in the university’s first-year academy and the results have been astonishing, Botman said.
”The academic performance of virtually all the students making use of this study aid has improved significantly. I have no doubt that the DVDs will make a considerable contribution to our endeavour to develop excellence by investing in our first-year students consciously and in a tangible manner.”
Charl Cilliers, director of SU’s centre for student counselling and development and co-author of the DVD, says the secret to the DVD’s success arises from the fact that it does not focus merely on the correct study skills as a key factor for success, but also on the person and what he or she wishes to achieve.
”When developing the DVD, we realised, on the basis of many years’ research, that if students have the correct type of focus and know where they are going, their chances of studying successfully are much greater. In this regard we developed the so-called ‘Start smart’ concept, in which we first focus on the student’s wellness before moving to study skills.”
Cilliers said the university is now taking the lead regarding support for students and learners in terms of study success. ”Failure rates worldwide have become an immense source of concern for universities and drastic steps need to be taken. This DVD could make an important contribution in this regard.”
The multimedia DVD is based on many years of research and experience and was developed by acknowledged experts in the field to help ensure that learners and students can achieve the following essential outcomes:
how to motivate yourself and remain motivated to study successfully;
how to get the most from lectures/classes;
how to organise your learning optimally;
how to address problem-based subjects successfully;
how to study independently;
how to maintain balance and to manage time effectively;
how to control stress levels; and
how to approach tests and examinations properly.