Creating an academic resilience scale for undergraduate students in public higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa during crises

A study "A Resilience Perspective of Teaching and Learning in South African Higher Education Institutions During Crises", explores how academic resilience is fostered among undergraduate students in response to challenges such as COVID-19, load-shedding, and protests. Using a socio-ecological resilience theory (SERT) model within the Context-Input-Process-Output (CIPO) framework, this research aimed to develop a reliable Academic Resilience Scale (ARS) to investigate the experiences of South African education students during crises. A mixed-methods approach revealed six key themes: student-lecturer relationships, academic stress, higher education support, persistence, social support, and technological issues. The findings emphasise the critical role of higher education support, engagement, and communication in fostering resilience. The study offers recommendations for improving institutional support systems to enhance student resilience and ensure educational continuity during disruptions.