**2. Literature review**

is not a new phenomenon since they have been known in engaging with their communities by expanding knowledge beyond the confinement of institutions. Osman and Peterson [1] state that universities should move away from their ivory tower image to engage the communities in order to promote academic programmes, which are responsive to the needs of the surrounding communities. UJ articulated its community engagement in terms of service learning, community-based research, organised outreach and experiential learning. According to the relevant UJ

• Service learning—a form of community engagement, which entails teaching and learning, which is directed at specific community needs, is curriculated and awards academic credits

• Community-based research—a form of community engagement that focuses on research projects in order to make a significant contribution to a community in the form of services,

• Organised outreach—activities, which are organised by the students or employees of the institution and conducted outside the academic programmes, with the purpose of address-

• Experiential learning—a process and a method of education through types of learning activities, which afford the students an opportunity to engage directly with the phenomenon

For the purpose of this paper, the concept of community engagement was used to encompass all the forms mentioned above. The University of Johannesburg sees community engagement as initiatives and processes in which the knowledge capital and resources of the institution are utilised in partnerships with the community in order to address the development needs of the target community [2]. Such initiatives and processes are offered to the interest groups

Ikamva Youth (IY) is a non-profit organisation (NPO) established in 2003 with branches in five provinces in South Africa. It operates in the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, North-West and Eastern Cape. This NPO focuses on learners from disadvantaged communities with the sole purpose of equipping them with the knowledge, skills, networks and resources needed to access tertiary education and/or potential opportunities of employment after matriculation [3]. It is aimed at increasing the population's skill level, growing the national knowledge base and replicating the success of this programme in other communities [3]. The learners enrol at IY when they are promoted to grades between 9 and 12 [4]. The number of grade 12 learners, who can access higher education institutions and/or employment-based learning opportunities after matriculation, is a factor, which determines the success of the programme [3, 4, 43]. The IY model draws its volunteers from a growing pool of students from the nearby universities and professionals from local companies [4]. Its sustainability is driven by former learners studying at the surrounding institutions of higher education, who return to the organisation to offer tutoring [4]. This model provides the additional advantage of allowing former IY learners to be agents of change and transition from beneficiary to benefactor [3]. In South

Policy [2], these community engagement initiatives are clarified as follows:

being studied and to reflect on the experience of such engagement.

products and/or new knowledge and skills transfer.

ing the interests and needs of the communities [2].

by the institution with no financial request [2].

to students [2].

198 Health and Academic Achievement

The Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of South Africa defines community engagement as an initiative and process through which the expertise of institutions in the areas of teaching and research is applied to address issues relevant to the communities [6]. Community engagement finds expression varying forms, ranging from informal and relatively unstructured activities to formal and structured academic programmes addressing particular needs [6]. According to Wright et al. [7], community engagement is a collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities for mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The definition of community engagement as provided by Dharamsi et al. [8] describes activities undertaken with community members, which result in greater social responsibility towards and awareness of the needs of vulnerable populations. In the South African context, the vulnerable people can be said to be those who are less disadvantaged and residing in black townships and informal settlements.

There is a great deal of potential through community engagement due to its ability to create and sustain change for the greater good [9]. As a result, it is imperative to develop community engagement programmes, which will benefit the disadvantaged communities at large. Sustainable community engagement relationships should be built with these communities.

material is the only viable option [18]. Cottrell [19] argues that learning development and skills enhancement do not thrive, when they are divorced from the students' overall teaching and learning experience. Furthermore, Burns and Sinfield [20] are of the opinion that, for skills teaching to be effective, it must be well anchored and contextualised within the subject specialism. These points are also supported by [21], who argues that students benefit from the integration of learning development strategies into their core curriculum; hence embedding skills ensure that there is a meaningful application in students' relevant subjects. Study skills may be most beneficial when instruction occurs within the content area classroom [22].

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In this study, the researcher integrated the study skills into learners' content areas by applying [23] the following principles: (a) modelling the strategy, (b) explaining why the strategy works, (c) showing how the strategy may be used in other contexts and (d) providing opportunities for practice. For instance, in the workshop session on 'note making', the researcher taught the learners the skill of making their notes in various ways, including mind mapping and annotating. In these instances, the researcher used the students' study material and provided them with an opportunity to practice these skills. This is in line with the views that teaching active note making to students may enable them to gain a voice and take ownership

As indicated, though the knowledge and application of effective study skills and study behaviours have long been associated with overall academic achievement, these skills and behaviours often need to be explicitly taught to students [25]. Some authors argue that when taught to students, the following academic skills can improve their academic performance in

• Goal setting—goals direct the student's attention to the task. They also keep the student

• Time management—students will be able to manage their time wisely and overcome procrastination and not wait until the last minute to work. They will also be able to prioritise

• Examination preparation—the students will develop an awareness of the types of questions often used in examination papers, which will help them to prepare adequately.

The partnership with the Ikamva Youth (Ivory Park and Ebony Park branches) is based on Freire's [29] theoretical framework, which stipulates that dialogue is the primordial concept and a point of departure from which an examination of the process of achieving authentic partnership can be conducted. In a dialogue approach, everyone participates as equals. It is based on the understanding that the designed academic study skills schedule intended for

This study is also based on Tintos' theory of student departure, which emphasises that the key to college students' persistence resides in the integration of both the students' academic performance and their social lives [15, 42]. In cases where students are unable to connect

• Note making—students will be able to find the main idea of a passage [28].

learners was a negotiated agreement with all partners involved.

of ideas and concepts in powerful ways [20, 24].

focused. Goals increase persistence [26].

several ways:

tasks and time [27].

In this paper, the concept of study habits encompasses subtopics such as study attitudes, study methods and study skills. The following is a brief description of the concepts study habits, study attitudes, study methods and study skills:


For the purpose of this study, the focus is on study skills. Different studies have been conducted on the correlation of study habits and academic achievement. A study conducted by Anwar [14] found that the academic achievement of the students with good study habits differed significantly from those with bad habits. Another study conducted by Tinto [15] also found that good study habit was associated with high-level academic achievement and that boys had better study habits than girls. In their studies, [16] also found that day scholars have better study habits than hostel dwellers, while female students have more concentration span, better study habits and higher academic achievement than their male counterparts.

The notion of 'one size fits all' is no longer applicable as far as learner academic study skills development is concerned due to the learning style diversity. There are various approaches to the development of academic study skills, including:


If the provision of skills development is to incorporate knowledge and understanding, analysis, creativity and evaluation, then integrating academic study skills into learners study material is the only viable option [18]. Cottrell [19] argues that learning development and skills enhancement do not thrive, when they are divorced from the students' overall teaching and learning experience. Furthermore, Burns and Sinfield [20] are of the opinion that, for skills teaching to be effective, it must be well anchored and contextualised within the subject specialism. These points are also supported by [21], who argues that students benefit from the integration of learning development strategies into their core curriculum; hence embedding skills ensure that there is a meaningful application in students' relevant subjects. Study skills may be most beneficial when instruction occurs within the content area classroom [22].

There is a great deal of potential through community engagement due to its ability to create and sustain change for the greater good [9]. As a result, it is imperative to develop community engagement programmes, which will benefit the disadvantaged communities at large. Sustainable community engagement relationships should be built with these communities.

In this paper, the concept of study habits encompasses subtopics such as study attitudes, study methods and study skills. The following is a brief description of the concepts study

• Study habits denote the degree to which the student engages in regular acts of studying characterised by appropriate study routines occurring in an environment, which is conducive to studying [10]. Whereas [11] see study habits as learning tendencies, which enable

• Study attitudes according to [12] refer to predispositions, which students have developed towards private reading, with time, and offer great possibilities for successful achievement

• Study method is the knowledge and application of effective study skills or techniques by

For the purpose of this study, the focus is on study skills. Different studies have been conducted on the correlation of study habits and academic achievement. A study conducted by Anwar [14] found that the academic achievement of the students with good study habits differed significantly from those with bad habits. Another study conducted by Tinto [15] also found that good study habit was associated with high-level academic achievement and that boys had better study habits than girls. In their studies, [16] also found that day scholars have better study habits than hostel dwellers, while female students have more concentration span,

The notion of 'one size fits all' is no longer applicable as far as learner academic study skills development is concerned due to the learning style diversity. There are various approaches to

• Embedding, where there is no direct reference to the development of transferable skills,

• Bolt on, in which skills are developed independently from the core discipline to enable the

• Integrated academic study skills are developed and taught explicitly within the core discipline with an emphasis on the technical abilities of the learners to apply the transferable

If the provision of skills development is to incorporate knowledge and understanding, analysis, creativity and evaluation, then integrating academic study skills into learners study

• Study skills are the potential for action, while study behaviours are the action [13].

better study habits and higher academic achievement than their male counterparts.

and the emphasis is solely on the development of technical 'know-how'.

habits, study attitudes, study methods and study skills:

the development of academic study skills, including:

explicit development of the students' transferable skills.

students to work privately.

200 Health and Academic Achievement

in studies.

skills [17].

students [10].

In this study, the researcher integrated the study skills into learners' content areas by applying [23] the following principles: (a) modelling the strategy, (b) explaining why the strategy works, (c) showing how the strategy may be used in other contexts and (d) providing opportunities for practice. For instance, in the workshop session on 'note making', the researcher taught the learners the skill of making their notes in various ways, including mind mapping and annotating. In these instances, the researcher used the students' study material and provided them with an opportunity to practice these skills. This is in line with the views that teaching active note making to students may enable them to gain a voice and take ownership of ideas and concepts in powerful ways [20, 24].

As indicated, though the knowledge and application of effective study skills and study behaviours have long been associated with overall academic achievement, these skills and behaviours often need to be explicitly taught to students [25]. Some authors argue that when taught to students, the following academic skills can improve their academic performance in several ways:


The partnership with the Ikamva Youth (Ivory Park and Ebony Park branches) is based on Freire's [29] theoretical framework, which stipulates that dialogue is the primordial concept and a point of departure from which an examination of the process of achieving authentic partnership can be conducted. In a dialogue approach, everyone participates as equals. It is based on the understanding that the designed academic study skills schedule intended for learners was a negotiated agreement with all partners involved.

This study is also based on Tintos' theory of student departure, which emphasises that the key to college students' persistence resides in the integration of both the students' academic performance and their social lives [15, 42]. In cases where students are unable to connect with other academic or social subsystems, there is a highly likelihood that such students may leave the institution [14]. In expanding this theory during the Regional Symposia on Student Success held in South Africa, Tinto stated that access to higher education without support is not opportunity. Tinto further mentioned that any improvement in the student success rates requires intentional and structured action, which is systematic and coordinated in nature and involves many people across campus [30].

**4. Results and discussions**

part two was qualitatively presented.

below.

**Part one**: biographical information presentation

**Part two:** Learners' results on the workshops

**4.1. Close-ended questions**

**Table 1.** Biographical details of the participants.

This section presents the participants' biographical detail as well as their perceptions about the contribution of academic study skills towards their academic performance. Part one (biographical information) and part two (three closed-ended questions) are presented descriptively in the form of frequencies count, percentages and mean. The open-ended question in

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The profiles of the participants in terms of gender, current grades and their ages are presented

The data presented in **Table 1** shows that most learners who participated in this study are females (57%) and the males (43%) are few. These results are in line with the fact that there are more females than males in South Africa. Fifty percent of the respondents are in grade 11, and only 10% are in grade 12. The profile of the respondents also shows that the majority (53%) of them are within the age of 14 and 16 years. The concern is that some of the participants are above the age of 19 years (7%). In South Africa, learners are expected to start their basic schooling at the age of seven in order to complete their final grade 12 at the age of 18 [33].

In part two, three (3) closed-ended questions and one (1) open-ended question were asked.

The purpose of Question 1 in **Table 2** was to determine the workshops that each of the partici-

The participants' responses in **Table 2** show that the least attended workshop session was on goal setting (16%). This signifies that learners are not aware that goals are the building blocks

Female 171 57

11 152 50 12 30 10

17–18 years 122 40 19 years and more 20 7

**Biographical variable Description Frequency Percentage**

Gender Male 131 43

Learners' grades 10 120 40

Participants' ages 14–16 years 160 53

pants attended. The following are the close-ended question results:
