7. The perceptions of students at South Africa Open and Distance Learning – Convy Baloyi and Mrs Joyce Mahape (UNISA), South Africa

7.1 Key Issues

To identify the importance of career guidance, and how open and distance learning institutions such as UNISA should approach it.

To focus on a report on a study that explores the perceptions of students regarding career guidance.

7.2 Challenges

·  The ‘career model’ of study, job and retirement needs has to be rethought taking into account the contribution students should make to their country as active citizens.

·  Access to learners could pose a problem as UNISA has 265 000 learners in the whole of Africa.

·  Career guidance is seen as an add-on, and should be part of the curriculum at the onset.

7.3 Discussion

In many practices, career guidance is seen as an ‘add-on’, Guidance goes beyond literature and simply recruiting students. It is placed at a very high level in a university structure and should be incorporated at the onset. Universities also stress the need to invest in career guidance.

Many students are hasty to complete studying so that they can get into the job market and then retire. The way people view this model needs to change. What contribution does each individual make to the country? Career input should also contribute to active citizenry in respective countries.

Research Project:

A survey was used to collect data and questionnaires electronically. There were two sections in the questionnaire:

1. Biographical; and

2. Personal experiences with regard to career guidance.

The majority of participants was from Gauteng; were female; spoke Sepedi as their home language; and were non-English speakers despite the fact that the medium of instruction at UNISA is English.

7.4 Findings

·  It is clear that students think career guidance is essential.

·  The information received was helpful.

·  Awareness of career guidance was low.

·  Technology should be used more.

·  Career guidance practitioners should offer more face-to-face guidance.

·  Students perceived staff to be incapable of assisting them.

·  Teachers should not limit the scope of learning to what is on the exam paper.