Title, initials and surnames of all authors or presenters (please place the corresponding author first)
Author 1 Dr C Olivier
Author 2 Ms F Cachalia
Institution
University of Johannesburg
University of Johannesburg
Author 3 Ms C Burton University of Johannesburg
E-mail address (of corresponding author)
Contact telephone number
(of corresponding author) cindyo@uj.ac.za
011 559 6632/082 558 6525
Title of the presentation
(not more than 15 words)
A study of a class representative system as a mechanism to increase student satisfaction and enhance programme delivery
The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate whether the class representative system implemented by the Academic Development Centre (ADC): Access at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) increases student satisfaction and second, to investigate whether feedback obtained by means of the class rep system can be used to enhance delivery of the programmes offered by the ADC: Access.
The ADC: Access offers extended diplomas in the faculties of Engineering, Management and Humanities.
These extended diplomas are offered on three of the four UJ campuses, catering for approximately 530 students. The extended diplomas at the UJ are relatively unique in that the ADC: Access manages the first year of these diplomas rather than the faculty, and several of the modules in each of the diplomas are wholly located in ADC: Access. This centralised structure has facilitated the implementation of a structured class representative system, which is facilitated by lecturers in the Workplace Preparation module.
The ADC decided to implement a structured, formalised class representative system in the extended diplomas for a number of reasons. First, given the geographically dispersed nature of the different UJ campuses, an effective class representative system was seen to be an essential tool to enhance communication between students, lecturers, administrative staff and management in the extended diplomas. Second, as studies by Shandler (2009) and Mavunga and Cachalia (2012) note, students’ perceptions of extended diplomas are negative when they enter the programme. However, with the extra processes and systems (such as the class representative system) that the ADC: Access implements, many students develop a positive perception of the extended diplomas in the course of their first year.
Third, being responsive to students’ needs and concerns is a fundamental precept of the operation of the
ADC: Access.
The theory of invitational education as formulated by Purkey and Stanley (1991) provides the theoretical underpinnings of this study. This is consistent with Shandler’s (2009) assertion that the basic assumptions of invitational education underpin all the work done by the ADC: Access at UJ as a way of enhancing student satisfaction and success in the extended diplomas.
Invitational theory identifies four levels of functioning at which one may live one’s life. In the educational context, these four levels, namely, unintentionally disinviting, intentionally disinviting, unintentionally inviting and intentionally inviting (Purkey & Siegel 2003:53–72), refer to the behaviour of educators and others in the educational environment with whom students have contact (Du Plessis & Lodewyckx

2007:846). Shandler (2009) asserts that it is the intent of ADC: Access to operate at level 3
(unintentionally inviting) and level 4 (intentionally inviting) in the extended diplomas.
Invitational theory also identifies five interrelated components, termed the five Ps that, taken together, comprise the educational environment or ecosystem. The five Ps represent the people, places, policies, programmes and processes that constitute the educational system (Purkey & Schmidt 1990, cited in Du
Plessis & Lodewyckx 2007:847). Du Plessis and Lodewyckx (2007:847) argue that all of the five Ps are integral to the invitational education model and contribute to the development of the full potential of any student.
Du Plessis and Lodewyckx (2007:848) maintain that "if students experience the classroom as a caring, supportive place where there is a sense of belonging and everyone is valued and respected, they will tend to participate more fully in the process of learning”. This study aims to investigate whether the class representative system implemented in the extended diplomas at UJ is able to provide feedback on three of these five Ps, in particular, people, places and processes, in order to improve the quality of the programmes that ADC offers and, hence, students’ satisfaction. It is believed that the provision of such feedback will facilitate the creation of the type of educational environment necessary to enhance student success and satisfaction referred to by Du Plessis and Lodewyckx (2007:848).
One of the strategies adopted to enhance the invitational educational approach of the ADC: Access is the class representative system as it was started with student participation and student satisfaction in mind.
Students with a sense of belonging, who feel that they are heard and who can participate in events, feel a heightened sense of satisfaction that may lead to student retention and success.
At the end of February, two class representatives from each of the 15 extended diploma groups are elected by their classmates by means of secret ballot. These students then participate in a training workshop that focuses primarily on clarifying their roles and responsibilities as class representatives. They also have regular contact, both formally and informally, with either the class representative co-ordinator or the faculty programme co-ordinator. The primary responsibilities of these class representatives are to act as the 'voice of the class' by highlighting problems or issues that the class feels need to be resolved; to participate in the organisation and/or running of ADC student functions such as the sports day and the
Student Conference; and to act as a liaison between management, administrative and academic staff, and the class.
As the study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the class representative system, any or all data collection methods are appropriate to use (Mouton 2003:160). This study will adopt a mixed-method approach and will therefore utilise both qualitative and quantitative methods.
As there are approximately 530 registered students in the extended programme, the quantitative approach allows the authors to gain an initial 'quantity of understanding' as described in Henning, Van Rensburg and
Smit (2004:3), with a large number of participants. For this purpose, a questionnaire consisting primarily of close-ended questions, but also incorporating several open-ended questions, will be administered to all the students, including the class representatives, in order to determine the students’ perceptions of the

effectiveness of the class representative system. Statistical and content analysis of the questionnaires will help identify themes and areas of particular interest or concern, which will then be explored in greater depth in semi-structured interviews conducted with the class representatives. This will introduce the qualitative leg of the study, as the aim will be to strive for depth of understanding (Merriam 1998:6) and to gain the perspective (Denzin & Lincoln 2005:12) of the students on the effectiveness of the class representative system.
It is hoped that the findings of this paper will help improve the effectiveness of the class representative system so that it will further enhance student satisfaction in the extended diplomas at UJ. The findings will be used both to inform the class representative training and to improve processes and student-staff interactions in the extended diplomas as necessary or highlighted by areas of difficulty.
References
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Presentation given at the 2012 Heltasa Conference, Stellenbosch, 26–28 November.
Du Plessis, L & Lodewyckx, E. 2007. Crossing the Rubicon in higher education. South Journal of Higher
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Denzin, N & Lincoln, Y. 2005. Introduction: the discipline and practice of qualitative research, in The Sage handbook of qualitative research , edited by N Denzin & Y Lincoln. Thousand Oaks: Sage:1–32.
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Purkey, WW & Stanley, PH. 1991. Invitational teaching, learning and living. Washington, DC: National
Education Association of the United States.
Shandler, M. 2009. How students perceive the contribution that alternate access programmes make to their academic success. Unpublished MEd dissertation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg.