ABSTRACT
One of the results of the massification of higher education has been the demise of homogenous student populations in higher education institutions. Students entering universities come from a multitude of backgrounds; they bring a plethora of life experiences and expectations when they enroll. Optimal outcomes for universities include the participation and, finally, the graduation of these students. Retaining students to completion of their courses is an imperative for students and their universities in terms of financial cost and cost to reputation; both of these take on an added significance in these times of higher education markets. Because student populations are very diverse, lecturers cannot assume that all students have the same background knowledge. Learning has to be structured to incorporate the interests and experience of all students.
