scholarly journals An investigation into barriers to student engagement in Higher Education: Evidence supporting 'the psychosocial and academic trust alienation theory’

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-165
Author(s):  
Caroline Sarah Jones ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Symbolic Interaction ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Staff Turnover ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Constructivist Epistemology

The purpose of this research was to examine the new concept of, ‘psychosocial and academic trust alienation theory’; the potential influence of self-concept, self-esteem and trust as barriers to student engagement. The study was conducted in a Higher Education University campus located within a 16-19 year old Further Education Institution.A constructivist epistemology, underpinned by symbolic interaction theory utilising a mixed methods approach formed the research design. The sample population were students enrolled at the participating institution and employed teaching staff. Quantitative surveys were completed by 39 students, supported by two qualitative staff focus groups and one qualitative student case study to examine an outlier result. Findings suggest 87% of the student participant sample aligned with the ‘psychosocial and academic trust alienation theory’. Barriers to student engagement were; specific classroom and assessment activities, relationships with teaching staff and peers, staff absences and staff turnover, all having a significant impact on students’ psychosocial and academic trust. The contribution of this research to the field of Higher Education is three-fold; firstly, findings support the ‘psychosocial and academic trust alienation theory’, secondly it provides insights into the psychological barriers to engagement for the Widening Participation student demographic, thirdly it proposes practical strategies for supporting Widening Participation students in Higher Education. Recommendations for practice include i) counselling, coaching and mentoring support from teaching staff, ii) initiatives to reduce staff turnover and sickness, iii) social pedagogical teaching approaches, iv) teacher training, and, v) peer based learning opportunities to cultivate communities of practice. These strategies could strengthen Widening Participation student’s psychosocial and academic trust, thus reducing barriers to student engagement in Higher Education, contributing to increased social mobility success rates in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Making a difference: insights into effective HE progression practices in further education colleges

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-101
Author(s):  
Neil Raven
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economically Disadvantaged ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
To Come ◽  
Further Education Colleges

Further education colleges (FECs) are significant providers of level 3 (higher education (HE) entry) courses. Yet, their role in preparing students, including those from widening participation backgrounds, for HE is often overlooked. Indeed, recent reports from the Office for Students have focused on the low HE progression rates returned by colleges. However, this focus overlooks the reality that students educated in FECs do progress and that in many instances colleges are very successful in this endeavour, given that those studying with them are more likely to come from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This paper reports on the findings from a recent study that sought to identify the effective progression practices being pursued in two FECs. These include institution-wide activities as well as initiatives adopted at subject level. Whilst the latter have received less attention in the literature, the qualitative approach adopted in this study, which involved drawing on the insights of students as well as teaching staff, was able to detail the application of these subject-level practices. The article concludes by arguing for the wider adoption of subject-level as well as institution-wide practices, and for their potential to be recognised by those working in the HE sector more generally.

The experiences of students studying higher education on a part time basis in English further education colleges

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine King ◽  
Arti Saraswat ◽  
John Widdowson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Time Basis ◽  
Further Education Colleges

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report research carried out by the Mixed Economy Group of colleges into the student experience of part time (PT) higher education (HE) delivered in English further education (FE) colleges. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was completed by 352 PT students. Their responses, including free comments, formed the basis of the report. The authors provide a context for the work by referring to research carried out by other national agencies. Findings – The research illustrates the strengths of college-based HE, which largely derives from delivery by staff who are qualified teachers and, often, professionally active in their field of expertise. Whilst valuing this, students also seek recognition of the demands of work and family on their study time, as well as an identity as HE students within the greater FE environment. Social implications – PT HE can drive regional economic growth. By addressing the issues raised by students in the research, local colleges, partner universities, employers and national government can re-build local skill bases. Promoting PT HE develops a vocational ladder to HE, thus widening participation. Originality/value – Relatively little publically available research exists into the experiences of students pursuing PT HE in colleges. This primary research begins an evidence-based debate about how colleges can improve their offer but also reminds Government of the need to give equal weight to the needs of PT students in future changes to the delivery of HE.

scholarly journals Different Views? The Experiences of International Students Studying HE in Three Non-university Settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-262
Author(s):  
Madeleine King ◽  
Maxine Courtier ◽  
Chet Shaw ◽  
Cynthia Anderson ◽  
John Widdowson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Value For Money ◽  
College Staff ◽  
The Status ◽  
Australian English ◽  
College Setting

The purpose of the research was to discover the views of three groups of International students who were undertaking their Higher Education (HE) in a publicly-funded college, rather than a university setting. A comparative survey was undertaken by International students attending an American Community College, an Australian Technical and Further Education Institute and a group of English colleges which offer Higher Education. All three groups were satisfied with their provision. The college setting was perceived to offer higher levels of support than would have been available at a university, plus enhanced employability prospects and lower fees than those charged by a university. The status of an Australian, English or American HE qualification was important, as was the reputation of their particular college. The market for International students is highly competitive and largely driven by universities. The English experience suggests that colleges should focus on the marketing of specialist courses. In all cases, the fact that teaching staff were primarily teachers, rather than researchers was highly valued by respondents, as was their currency in their subject. However, there were strong feelings about value for money and the ability to engage with Home students and wider Australian, British or American culture. International students choose to study abroad because they want to broaden their own horizons and learn more about other cultures: many respondents found these opportunities to be limited. In order to help address this, an International student recruitment Checklist for senior college staff is presented as part of the research findings. Keywords: Higher Education, International students, colleges, value-for-money.

Tactics and strategies to survive ‘student engagement’, or joining the Soil Society and other stories

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-130
Author(s):  
Jacqui Close
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Social Class ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Traditional Students ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
University Life ◽  
Non Traditional Students

In the U.K., ‘student engagement’, and the related ‘student experience’, are increasingly measured, interpreted and then marketed to students as a basis on which to choose the ‘best’ place for their higher education. This article summarises and reflects on presentations from five panel members at a conference on their experience of university life after that choice had been made. The panel included non-traditional students who embodied some of the characteristics (such as age, social class and ethnicity) that have become performance indicators in relation to widening participation and engagement in higher education. This article captures how students themselves understand a concept that occupies such a prominent, if contested, position in contemporary higher education. This analysis invites one to take a closer look at the identity work necessary for students to thrive (and for some just to survive) at university against a backdrop that tends to homogenise both ‘experience’ and ‘student’.

Creating employable graduates: the case of ethnic minority students in Greece

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-209
Author(s):  
Antonios Panagiotakopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethnic Minority Students ◽  
Graduate Employability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the main barriers to employability skills development of ethnic minority students in the context of higher education (HE) in Greece and recommends strategies to help higher education institutions (HEIs) overcome those barriers. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on a series of in-depth interviews conducted with 20 ethnic minority students and ten “traditional” students studying at three institutions of HE in Greece. Findings – The study shows that there are many barriers facing ethnic minority students in HE including: poor self-esteem; lack of good advice about HE courses; isolation once in HE; discrimination by staff in HE; and unresponsive curriculum to ethnic diversity in HE. In this context, it is argued that there is an immediate need for decision makers in HEIs to develop policies that target ethnic minority students in order to help them secure employment. It is suggested that HEIs should: provide opportunities for students to discuss concerns with teachers and counsellors; address issues of motivation, self-perception and self-efficacy; encourage teaching staff to adopt various teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles; decrease competitive, norm-referenced environments; use multicultural education and counselling techniques and strategies; and provide work placement opportunities. Practical implications – The paper suggests ways that can help HEIs embrace diversity and promote graduate employability among ethnic minority students in the context of widening participation agenda. Originality/value – The study fills a significant knowledge gap in the existing literature in relation to the measures that HEIs can take to enhance graduate employability among ethnic minority students particularly in less developed countries like Greece.

scholarly journals EscapED: A Framework for Creating Educational Escape Rooms and Interactive Games to For Higher/Further Education.

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Jane Clarke ◽  
Daryl J. Peel ◽  
Sylvester Arnab ◽  
Luca Morini ◽  
Helen Keegan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Further Education ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Interactive Games ◽  
Future Design ◽  
Education Environment

Game-based learning (GBL) is often found to be technologically driven and more often than not, serious games for instance, are conceptualised and designed solely for digital platforms and state of the art technologies. To encourage a greater discussion on the potential benefits and challenges of a more holistic approach to developing GBL that promote human centered interactions and play for learning, the authors present the escapED programme. The escapED programme was conceived following the recent entertainment trend of escape rooms and is used for developing non-digital GBL approaches within education. escapED aids the design and creation of educational Escape Rooms and Interactive Gaming Experiences for staff and students in further/higher education settings. The paper first presents a pilot study that was used to assess the feasibility and acceptance of University teaching staff of embedding interactive GBL into a higher education environment. The authors then present the escapED theoretical framework that was used to create the prototype game for the pilot study as a tool to aid future design and development of on-site interactive experiences. The paper also presents an external developer report of using the escapED framework to develop a prototype game for teaching research methods to Southampton University students. Finally, the authors present a discussion on the use of the escapED framework so far and plans for future work and evaluation in order to provide engaging alternatives for learning and soft skills development amongst higher education staff andstudents.

scholarly journals An Exploration of Progression Rates of Widening Participation Students on to an Integrated Master of Engineering

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Humphries-Smith ◽  
Clive Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
White Male ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Flexible Learning ◽  
Education College

This paper reports on an investigation into the potential to widen participation to Higher Education provided by a flexible learning MEng Engineering. The MEng is part of an integrated programme that provides progression routes from a traditional day release Apprenticeship, through HNC, FdEng at a Further Education College to a flexible learning BEng/MEng at a Higher Education Institution. The programme was originally developed to answer a demand from local industry to upskill the engineering workforce, however, the nature of the provision means that it meets much of the best practice for widening participation. The investigation concludes that while the programme provides an opportunity for mature learners to undertake higher education, it largely provides an alternative pathway through vocational education to higher education qualifications for a white male middle class cohort. It also highlights that entry to apprenticeships that lead to progression opportunities is controlled not by educational institutions but by industry.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document