Abstract:

This paper presents new findings on the effectiveness and value of timeous interventions of learning academic writing in creative mind students at first year tertiary level. Underpinned by the VARK Theory and other international academic study findings, effectiveness was measured over a two-phase approach of both quantitative and qualitative data collection. Results showed that there is a marginal positive correlation between early intervention that is short, visual, interactive and applied. The findings presented here could aid how the challenges of learning academic writing at first year tertiary level are approached and solved.

Background/ Contextualisation (Literature):
It is globally well-documented that learning academic writing at entry level in tertiary institutions is a challenge, with many institutions adopting pathways and programmed intervention offers to help onboard the understanding of and practical skills required to master academic writing at the start of the student’s academic career. Transition from secondary education to tertiary education expectations may differ between institutions, from region to region, year to year and cohort to cohort. However, learning to master academic writing is considered an essential element of graduate success and forms part of the outcomes expectations globally, yet is, in most cases, not included in the module content delivered through lectures.
Globally in general, and in all the tertiary institutions included for discussion, this onboarding is facilitated by way of taking extra measure - workshops, special courses, interactions, and interventions of varying intensities and duration.

Objective/ Purpose of the Research:
The study took on a pragmatic mixed method, post-positivist approach, focusing on finding out whether the academic writing intervention had a positive effect on the overall average mark of the selected modules (phase one - quantitative). Furthermore, the study in phase two – qualitative, explored contributing factors to consider in terms of the lecturers’ outcomes expectation as well as the learning experience of the students. The study’s immediate Phase 1 focused on the quantitative data collection for consideration around the discussion of ‘the effect of intervention’. Phase 1 data collection focused on the structured intervention delivered on national campuses of a Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) in South Africa - on pre-selected modules’ average semester mark across and comparing two academic years during semester 1 of first year students – 2021 (non-intervention) and 2022 (applied intervention) respectively. In turn, and subsequently, qualitative data was collected from participating facilitators and lecturers as well as students on their experiences during the intervention.

Methodology (research design):
The study took on a post positivist, mixed method approach.
Phase 1 – quantitative data collection, Phase 2 – qualitative data collection.

Keywords:

Academic writing, tertiary education, intervention, creative student, learning experience, learning delivery, value expectation, learning style.