Orientation Booklet 2012 - University of Limpopo

Orientation Booklet 2012 • Page 47MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITYHIGH SCHOOLTeacher(Learner) / Student Contact(Centre)Contact closer and more frequent (5 days a week)Competition/GradesAcademic competition not as strong and good grades can often beobtained with minimum effort.StatusLearners establish a personal status in academic and social activitiesbased on family and community factors.Counselling/ DependenceLearners can rely on parents / guardians, teachers and counselors tomake decisions and give advice. Learners must abide by theboundaries and restrictions of their parents/ guardians.MotivationParents/guardians, teachers and counselors provide learners withmotivation to participate and/or achieve academic and social life.FreedomLearners' freedom is limited. Parents/ Guardians will often helpthem out of a crisis should one arise.DistractionsDistractions from school are partially controlled by school and athome.Value JudgmentLearners often make value judgments based on the values of theirparents/ guardians; thus many of their value judgments are madefor them.Responsibility for LearningLearning is largely the responsibility of teachers with support fromparents / guardians.UNIVERSITYLecturers are available during lectures and consultation times byappointment (approximately 4hrs per week)Academic competition is much stronger (Especially for funding, such asbursaries, scholarships and loans); much more effort is usually requiredfor good grades.Students can build their status as they wish, high school status can berepeated or challenged.Students rely much more on themselves alone. They see the results ofmaking their own decisions and they set their own restrictions. It is theirresponsibility to seek out advice as needed.Students have to motivate themselves to do work and partake inacademic/ social/ other activities.Students have much more freedom. They must accept responsibility fortheir own actions.There are potentially many more distractions. That is why effective timemanagement is a must for success.Students have the opportunity to see the world through their own eyesand develop their own opinions and values.Learning is solely the responsibility of each student. The lecturers'responsibility is to provide the opportunity for learning to take place.