AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF STUDENT-CENTREDNESS AT A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Students are complex human beings who exist in complex social units and environments, including the university. Research, focusing on knowing and understanding the students, their needs and the backgrounds from which they originate, may assist universities in realizing their purpose of being student-centred institutions. The concept or idea of student-centredness has myriad interpretations, meanings and connotations whereas the concept of student-centred learning is well-developed and defined and has substantial literature.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion of student-centredness in higher education institutions to enable institutions to design the learning experience which will encourage students to learn. The conception of student-centredness leads to designing the learning experience with students at the heart of the experience in order to encourage them to learn (Greener, 2015). This study is underpinned by activity theory, a theoretical framework that has considered the entire higher education system at a university of technology including the environment, student’s background and their preparation for higher education.

This research used a quantitative approach using data from questionnaires administered to 221 first-year students at a university of technology. The questionnaire was sub-divided into sections, describing students’ background; academic preparation and student perceptions on student-centredness. This study revealed several developments in the area of student-centredness worthy of additional attention and investigation by universities. It also demonstrated students’ perceptions of the concept of student-centredness which may assist universities in becoming more student-centred. A student-centred university model was developed from the various concepts surrounding the notion of student-centredness.