Improving the Performance of First-year Economics Students by Means of an Innovative Summer School Programme – an Evaluation

Pietie Horn
Department of Economics
Stellenbosch University
pmhorn@sun.ac.za

Ada Jansen
Department of Economics
Stellenbosch University
ada@sun.ac.za

Abstract

The high failure rate in first-year Economics courses has become a concern at most South African universities. It is no different at Stellenbosch University. The high failure rate affects the success rates of the Department of Economics and impacts on the number of students who consider continuing with second-year Economics. Students are also affected in that their studies are extended by another year, which has financial and other implications. For these reasons, the summer school programme for the Economics 178 course was launched (as a pilot run in 2007). The main goal of the summer school programme was to improve pass rates by giving students (who obtained a predicate and gained entrance to the previous year’s examinations) an opportunity to repeat the course in a very intensive four-week programme.

This paper aims to provide a detailed analysis of the workings of the Economics 178 summer school programme. Every aspect of the programme is discussed, drawing on relevant literature to enhance the discussion on the procedures that were followed in this programme.

The results achieved in the summer school (pass rate of 89%) indicate that having a more structured approach (to learning) contributes to the success of the students. Compulsory lecture and tutorial attendance, coupled with strict discipline, are some of the methods contributing to students’ success. Possible improvements to the programme include the provision of administrative assistance and other logistical changes such as shortening the lecture periods.

You can read the full draft version of this article here.