2009 October/November Exam Results Analysis

Presented at the Extended Management Committee

2 February 2010Professor George Subotzky

Executive Director: Information & Strategic Analysis

Acknowledgements

The following staff members of DISA provided valuable help and support in preparing the examination results information and this presentation:

– Herbert Zemann– Hanlie Liebenberg– Yuraisha Chetty– Esme Wiid– Herman Visser– Elsabe Scheepers– Refiloe Sefadi

Introduction• As part of its “calendarised” reporting outputs, DISA

has been considering the optimal way of reporting various institutional processes, including exam results

• After consulting with relevant stakeholders, we propose that the exam results are reported in three distinct views, namely:– The Exam Sitting view– The Course Success view– The Degree Credit Success view (see below)

• This update presents the latest available exam results for the 2009 October/November sitting, compared to the equivalent results for the years 2005-8

Exam Results Views

•Exam Pass RatePassed/Wrote (for a particular sitting)

•Purpose: Review of assessment validity•Includes: Students across academic years•Highest rate: Average 2005-8 = 56,1%

Exam Sitting View

•Course Success RatePassed/Nett Enrolments

•Purpose: Retention/Attrition tracking – includes cancellations and non-activity

•Includes: Single academic year only•Middle rate: Average 2005-8 = 54,8%

Course Success View

•Degree Credit Success RateWeighted FTEs/Nett Enrolments

•Purpose: Subsidy income & statutory reporting •Includes: Single academic year only•Lowest rate: Average 2005-8 = 53,3%

Degree Credit Success View

Sitting Details Report

May/June S1 Exams (current year) August

October/November

S2 Exams (current year)Y Exams (current year)S1 Supplementary Exams(current year)

January Y Supplementary Exams(previous year)

MarchJanuary/February

Coursework PG Exams(previous year)

May/June S2 Supplementary Exams(previous year) August

Exam Sitting Schedule – for each academic year

This report: 2009 October/November

sitting view

SupplementaryExamPhase

Gross Enrolments

Admitted

CNon-Active

Nett Enrolments

CAbsentWrote

Results Out. FailSupplementary Exam

AdmittedPass

CSuppAbsent

SuppWrote

SRO SFSP Drop Out

Re-registration(Repeaters+

Stopouts)

Re-instatement

CNotAdmitted

Attrition

SupplementaryExamResults Phase

ExamAdmissionPhase

ExamWriting Phase

ExamResultPhase

Examination Results Model

Total Oct/NovExam Pass Rate to date,

2005-9

2005 2006 2007 2008 20090%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Oct/Nov Exam Pass Rate to date by College, 2005-9

CAES CEMS CHS CLAW CSET UNISA0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Oct/Nov Exam Pass Rate to date by Race, 2005-9

African Coloured Indian White UNISA0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Oct/Nov Exam Pass Rate to date by Gender, 2005-9

2005 2006 2007 2008 20090%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Oct/Nov Exam Pass Rate to date by African, White

Students & Gender, 2005-9

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009A W

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%60%

70%

80%

Oct/Nov Exam Pass Rateto date by Degree Level,

2005-9

2005 2006 2007 2008 20090%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Key Findings• 2009 Oct/Nov EPR slightly up (from 55,58% in 2008 to

55,75%), reflecting a moderate upward trend since 2005

• Despite this increase, Unisa should target at least a 60% average EPR. This would allow us to achieve and supercede the Ministerial target of 56% which applies to the Degree Credit Success Rate

• Amongst the Colleges, CLAW dropped by 6,58%, CAES by 3,49% and CHS by 0,34%. However, CHS remained dominant with a 71,92% EPR. CEMS increased by 2,83%

• Africans showed an increase of 1,23% to 51,70%, with all other race groups showing slight decreases. However, Whites were still dominant with a 67,13% EPR in 2009

Key Findings• Female students remained dominant with a 58,49%

EPR in 2009, thus showing a steady increase each year from 54,13% in 2005. Males showed a slight decline of 1,92% between 2008 and 2009

• Significantly, African and white females showed increases, while a significant gap between white male and white female achievement was evident. The reasons for this should be investigated

• The apparent decline in PG should be also investigated

• Attrition and failure will be systematically addressed as part of retention and success initiative