{"id":{"repo_id":"pretoria","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107428"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/pretoria/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107428","repository":{"repo_id":"pretoria","name":"University of Pretoria","base_url":"https://repository.up.ac.za/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Exploring students’ experiences with their studies amidst the current load shedding problem","abstract":"Objective: South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages, manifested through load shedding, continue to disrupt multiple sectors, including higher education. While much attention has been given to the economic effects of energy instability, less is known about the academic implications for university students. This study explored students’ lived experiences of studying amidst load shedding, with a focus on academic responsibilities, students experiences with load shedding and the coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of load shedding. Method: A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 30 (N = 30) full-time university students, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings revealed six interrelated themes: the unpredictability of outages, unequal access to alternative power sources, academic interruption, compromised mental wellbeing, disrupted social functioning, and diverse coping strategies. Interpreted using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the results demonstrate that load shedding constrains students across all levels of human need from physiological and safety needs to esteem and self-actualization thereby undermining both educational performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings showed that load shedding disrupts learning, compromises wellbeing, and limits social engagement. Conclusion: While students displayed resilience through adaptive strategies, these were insufficient to offset systemic deficiencies. The study concludes that load shedding represents a significant barrier to equitable academic engagement and personal development. Recommendations include investment in institutional resilience measures, provision of mental health support, and policy advocacy to secure a more stable electricity supply in higher education contexts. Load shedding exerts multifaceted academic and psychosocial impacts as reported from students’ personal experiences. Universities should consider, including flexible teaching methods, and accessible alternative resources.","abstract_html":"Objective: South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages, manifested through load shedding, continue to disrupt multiple sectors, including higher education. While much attention has been given to the economic effects of energy instability, less is known about the academic implications for university students. This study explored students’ lived experiences of studying amidst load shedding, with a focus on academic responsibilities, students experiences with load shedding and the coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of load shedding. Method: A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 30 (N = 30) full-time university students, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings revealed six interrelated themes: the unpredictability of outages, unequal access to alternative power sources, academic interruption, compromised mental wellbeing, disrupted social functioning, and diverse coping strategies. Interpreted using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the results demonstrate that load shedding constrains students across all levels of human need from physiological and safety needs to esteem and self-actualization thereby undermining both educational performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings showed that load shedding disrupts learning, compromises wellbeing, and limits social engagement. Conclusion: While students displayed resilience through adaptive strategies, these were insufficient to offset systemic deficiencies. The study concludes that load shedding represents a significant barrier to equitable academic engagement and personal development. Recommendations include investment in institutional resilience measures, provision of mental health support, and policy advocacy to secure a more stable electricity supply in higher education contexts. Load shedding exerts multifaceted academic and psychosocial impacts as reported from students’ personal experiences. Universities should consider, including flexible teaching methods, and accessible alternative resources.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":[],"institution":"University of Pretoria","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Sonja, Mostert"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-06-01","date_published":"2025-06-01","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:52:21Z","subjects":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Loadshedding","Student experience","E-learning","Eskom","Electricity"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905","href":"https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905","code":true}]},{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["April 2026"],"render_values":[{"text":"April 2026","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107428","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Sonja, Mostert"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-01-20T12:15:02Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-01-20T12:15:02Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-06-01"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Pretoria"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Loadshedding","Student experience","E-learning","Eskom","Electricity"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["April 2026"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107428"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Objective: South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages, manifested through load shedding, continue to disrupt multiple sectors, including higher education. While much attention has been given to the economic effects of energy instability, less is known about the academic implications for university students. This study explored students’ lived experiences of studying amidst load shedding, with a focus on academic responsibilities, students experiences with load shedding and the coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of load shedding. Method: A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 30 (N = 30) full-time university students, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings revealed six interrelated themes: the unpredictability of outages, unequal access to alternative power sources, academic interruption, compromised mental wellbeing, disrupted social functioning, and diverse coping strategies. Interpreted using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the results demonstrate that load shedding constrains students across all levels of human need from physiological and safety needs to esteem and self-actualization thereby undermining both educational performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings showed that load shedding disrupts learning, compromises wellbeing, and limits social engagement. Conclusion: While students displayed resilience through adaptive strategies, these were insufficient to offset systemic deficiencies. The study concludes that load shedding represents a significant barrier to equitable academic engagement and personal development. Recommendations include investment in institutional resilience measures, provision of mental health support, and policy advocacy to secure a more stable electricity supply in higher education contexts. Load shedding exerts multifaceted academic and psychosocial impacts as reported from students’ personal experiences. Universities should consider, including flexible teaching methods, and accessible alternative resources."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["MA Psychology"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Exploring students’ experiences with their studies amidst the current load shedding problem"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Sonja, Mostert"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-01-20T12:15:02Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-01-20T12:15:02Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-06-01"],"dc:description.abstract":["Objective: South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages, manifested through load shedding, continue to disrupt multiple sectors, including higher education. While much attention has been given to the economic effects of energy instability, less is known about the academic implications for university students. This study explored students’ lived experiences of studying amidst load shedding, with a focus on academic responsibilities, students experiences with load shedding and the coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of load shedding. Method: A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 30 (N = 30) full-time university students, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings revealed six interrelated themes: the unpredictability of outages, unequal access to alternative power sources, academic interruption, compromised mental wellbeing, disrupted social functioning, and diverse coping strategies. Interpreted using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the results demonstrate that load shedding constrains students across all levels of human need from physiological and safety needs to esteem and self-actualization thereby undermining both educational performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings showed that load shedding disrupts learning, compromises wellbeing, and limits social engagement. Conclusion: While students displayed resilience through adaptive strategies, these were insufficient to offset systemic deficiencies. The study concludes that load shedding represents a significant barrier to equitable academic engagement and personal development. Recommendations include investment in institutional resilience measures, provision of mental health support, and policy advocacy to secure a more stable electricity supply in higher education contexts. Load shedding exerts multifaceted academic and psychosocial impacts as reported from students’ personal experiences. Universities should consider, including flexible teaching methods, and accessible alternative resources."],"dc:description.degree":["MA Psychology"],"dc:identifier.doi":["10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905"],"dc:identifier.other":["April 2026"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107428"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["University of Pretoria"],"dc:rights":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria."],"dc:subject":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Loadshedding","Student experience","E-learning","Eskom","Electricity"],"dc:title":["Exploring students’ experiences with their studies amidst the current load shedding problem"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:52:21Z"}