SASSI Project Profile updated
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This document outlines a pilot program to deliver study skills training to schools in the Uthungulu District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The program will teach proven study techniques like the Cornell Notes and SQ5R methods to help reduce dropout rates and improve academic performance. Baseline student skills will be assessed before training begins. Academic performance data will be collected to evaluate the program's impact. Successful results from this pilot could lead to a scalable digital program to deliver study skills training throughout South Africa.
SASSI Project Profile updated
- 1. 1 STUDY SKILLS DELIVERY PILOT PROGRAMME PROJECT PROFILE SUMMARY..................................................................................................................2 PILOT INTERVENTION..............................................................................................................................2 PROBLEM ANALYSIS................................................................................................................................3 MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGY..........................................................................................4 Baseline Study Skills Survey ................................................................................................................4 Academic Performance Data Collection .............................................................................................4 PILOT PROGRAMME MOTIVATION.........................................................................................................4 TARGET SCHOOLS ...................................................................................................................................5 BEYOND THE PILOT .................................................................................................................................6 PILOT PROGRAMME COSTING AND CONTENT .......................................................................................7 SASSI CONTACT AND BANKING DETAILS.................................................................................................7 Address ...............................................................................................................................................7 Contact................................................................................................................................................7 Registration Numbers.........................................................................................................................7 Banking Details....................................................................................................................................7 The South African Study Skills Institute is a Non-Profit, Public Benefit Organisation aiming to positively impact drop out, pass rates and through-put at educational institutions by directly improving student ability to study and learn. SASSI delivers proven techniques to students who have been unable to access such knowledge. We target rural schools and students of rural background entering University.
- 2. 2 PROJECT PROFILE SUMMARY The project aims to deliver study skills training to a number of educational facilities within the uTthungulu District of KwaZulu Natal. Research shows that effective study skills add two grades to student academic performance. Our targeted impact for the development pilot project is the reduction of drop out within the schools and the improvement of student academic performance and throughput in education. Project performance and impact is measurable and from which data we will be able to create a refined digital learn-how-to-learn delivery package for cost effective delivery throughout South Africa. PILOT INTERVENTION The study skills programme is based upon the tested Cornell Notes and the SQ5R study approach. These techniques are used at educational institutions around the world and at a number of schools and universities in South Africa; however the reach of such knowledge and application of study skills does not reach students in many areas, particularly those of rural background. Delivery is facilitated to allow students to refine their approach to effective study within specific subject areas. These methods are delivered at educational institutions around the world as part of their student support programme and have been shown to enhance academic results of participants. A monthly presence at each institution to provide advice and assistance to students is built into the pilot project cost. Our Pilot Project area is the Umhlathuze Municipal Area in KwaZulu Natal. The municipal area contains eighteen quintile 1-3 schools and is ideal as a test bed for delivery efficacy and programme testing. The proximity of local resources required for project start-up and delivery refinement reduces elements of project risk and pilot programme cost. Target schools are indicated in yellow.
- 3. 3 PROBLEM ANALYSIS Figure 1. Reasons for school dropout are varied. The proposed pilot intervention aims to reduce drop out by enhancing student academic capability and motivation. The intervention contains a strong monitoring and reporting element to ensure efficacy and project improvement for future delivery. In 2003, 1 085 570 learners started Grade 1 in South Africa, yet in 2014 only 49% of the 2003 Grade 1 cohort wrote Matric and only 36% passed. University intake for 2015 was approximately 200 000 and current trends indicate that around one quarter will graduate in standard course time, a further quarter in an additional two years with the remaining half dropping out of higher education. In effect approximately 4.5% of the 2003 grade one students will achieve an academic degree level qualification in standard time. The fiscal load on South Africa is that wastage of educational investment by parents and government is around 50%. Some sectors of our population are direly affected with, for example, only 7% of black rural males achieving degree qualification in standard programme time. Research on the effect of students holding effective study skills suggests that development of practical learning abilities could positively impact the student success rates presently seen throughout our educational spectrum. Research has shown that adequate study skills add two grades to academic performance. An informal SASSI pilot project showed a 20-40% increase in student performance. Such enhancement is possible with only a few hours of 'how-to-study' training. Without adequate preparation for study many students are destined to continue to perform poorly. SASSI aims to become the vehicle which will deliver study skills to communities, parents and students at a national scale. The pilot programme addresses only quintile 1-3 schools the non money for fees challenge falls away. Poverty challenges are beyond the scope of this project but some alleviation of spending may result as students spend less time in education. Thus the poor academic performance of students becomes the primary priority an area which our proposed pilot intervention addresses. Expectation of programme impact includes addressing poor academic performance and those leaving because
- 4. 4 they view education as useless. Knowing how to study effectively has been shown in research to have a significant impact on student motivation. Should we impact only half of those leaving for academic reasons or because they view education as useless we will have reduced high school dropout in the region of 15%. Impact in Higher Education, with even a 10% improvement in academic performance, could significantly change throughput and reduce the fiscal load on our already stressed HE system. Pilot work by SASSI using the Study Skills Inventory/Survey designed by Dr Dennis Congos, suggests that the average study skills of rural South African student to be below the minimum recommended levels for academic success. The survey is used at multiple institutions around the world and Dr Congos has granted SASSI permission to freely use his copyright with accreditation to the developer. MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGY Baseline Study Skills Survey In order to build a replicable model for national roll out we will require accurate data upon which to base our model of delivery. A base assumption of of our programme development is that one cannot manage what is not measured. On arrival at a school SASSI facilitators take an inventory of the student study skills. The inventory questionnaire was developed by Dennis H. Congos, Certified Supplemental Instruction Trainer & Learning Skills Specialist at the University of Central Florida in the USA. The test is used at multiple institutions around the world. Data from the inventory allows area specific development of student study ability and includes the following areas. Textbook use Note taking ability Memory applications Test Preparation Student concentration ability Time management. Motivation and attitude On site facilitators are thus able to interpret the data returns and provide both teaching staff and with comment that contributes to institution and individual academic performance development. Academic Performance Data Collection Academic performance data is available from the schools within the pilot programme. Analysis is per school and individual privacy is respected in our reporting methodology. Reporting will be available to both sponsors and to school leadership. Discussions with school leadership will further refine the sources available for such reporting which will add to the efficacy of our pilot programme output. Using data from similarly profiled schools outside of the eighteen target institutions will provide a control group for impact analysis. PILOT PROGRAMME MOTIVATION The social challenges related to drop out are beyond the scope of this proposal. We propose a focused intervention directed at student ability.
- 5. 5 Model refinement in the pilot with eighteen schools will allow the development of a replicable business model for replication in other areas. Replication will follow franchise methodology where manuals describe detailed elements of delivery. Our observation of students shows many, and particularly those of rural origin, to have low levels of sophistication in their approach to study. The most effective approach to learning has been clearly defined through research and practical methods developed and implemented at many institutions around the world. South African students introduced to basic study skills in an informal pilot we have run showed an observed increase their academic performance in the 20-40% range after six hours of study skills training. That knowledge of such how-to-study techniques and methods are not widely available in many schools or is not applied by teachers and students is of concern to our organisation. TARGET SCHOOLS Whilst the following schools have been targeted for implementation sponsors may wish to add institutions with which they are currently working in order to further enhance the impact of existing corporate social investment programmes. There are approximately 120 grade 12 students per school. The Pilot Programme thus reaches in excess of 2000 grade 12 students. The selection of eighteen schools provides statistical certainty to our data collection for use is study skills product development and delivery refinement.
- 6. 6 BEYOND THE PILOT One of the products that we aim to produce from the pilot programme is a cloud and memory stick based active system that students can use to assess their ability to study. The study skills inventory will point out areas of weakness and strength and lead students toward materials that they can use and apply to improve their own academic ability. The work of Dr Dennis Congos on the Study skills Inventory questionnaire allows SASSI to develop a digital programme of delivery. Following a needs assessment survey, provision of materials, both written and in audio visual form will help students to understanding how to improve their methods of study. The materials provided can thus be customised to each individual students needs whilst collation of data from entire classes can be provided to teachers and tutors to help advance their provision of teaching to meet the learning needs of students. SASSI aims to build an extensive collection of information, data, academic papers and articles on learning-how-to-learn and to make this openly available to all. Distribution of such data to schools along with the study skills inventory and customised links to materials best suited to individual students will allow cost effective reach of the programme at a National and perhaps International scale. In effect and in the words of many business programmes we will commoditize our delivery. Institution_Name Phase LMunName EIDistrict Town_City Urban_Rural AMABUYE SECONDARY SCHOOL COMBINED SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU ESIKHAWINI RURAL DOVER COMBINED FARM SCHOOL INTERMEDIATE UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL HLUMA HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU RICHARDS BAY RURAL MNINGI HIGH SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL MJABULISENI SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU RICHARDS BAY RURAL SIYABONGA HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL AMANGWE HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL INIWE SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU FELIXTON RURAL MASAKHANE HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL MBUYISENI HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU KWADLANGEZWA RURAL MCABANGO HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU ESIKHAWINI RURAL MEVAMHLOPHE HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL MUNTONOKUDLA SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL NDESHENI HGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL NONGWELEZA H SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL ONGOYE HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU KWADLANGEZWA RURAL QHAKAZA HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU KWADLANGEZWA RURAL ZIPHOZONKE HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY UTHUNGULU EMPANGENI RURAL
- 7. 7 PILOT PROGRAMME COSTING AND CONTENT Our provision to each of schools includes the following to their grade 12 students. Initial two days of study skills training by a SASSI facilitation team.. Study Skills inventory survey and analysis and provision of reports to students and teaching body of each school. Monthly on site presence for each school in which students can interact with facilitators asking questions and exploring the best approach to subject specific study. Total cost for the pilot programme is presently estimated at R630 000 per annum. Estimated cost per student for delivery of the programme is R291.67. Expected academic performance mean is a two grade improvement Much of our effort outside of the classroom is focused upon finding funding for the programme which has been supported by the founder until this time. It can be expected that replication of the pilot in other regions with language specific adaptation of our materials will fall within the budgets mentioned here. Such initiatives will be required to translate to programme to the area specific home languages of students. SASSI CONTACT AND BANKING DETAILS Address The South African Study Skills Institute NPC 2nd Floor, ABSA Building Suite 5/6 Lake View Terrace Richards Bay, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, 3900 Contact Tel: 035 901 8760 Mobile: 081 447 8021 Primary contact person – Mr Brennan Williams Registration Numbers CIPC Registration Number - 2015 / 361562 / 08 SARS Tax Number - 9068377234 Public Benefit Organisation Reference Number – 930051448 Banking Details The South African Study Skills Institute FNB Empangeni, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa Account number – 62567509842 Branch Code – 220130