Exploring the student experience

Editor's Notes

• #2: Afternoon, thank you for being here and being interested in this area of study to be the external examiners for this EdD. I am Deeba Parmar and I am grateful for this opportunity to present my research and discuss its process, findings and impact. The purpose of the presentation is my self appraisal of the research I have carried out and extent to which it meets the learning outcomes as articulated in the programme handbook and the QAA Level 8 descriptors (as evidenced in the thesis, examination and validation) module. The research that I chose to undertake is within the area of the ‘student experience’ in particular student withdrawal, as explained by the title – An exploration of student and staff perceptions of factors behind student withdrawal among first undergraduate students at a North London University I have been interested to learn the factors behind why it is that some students voluntarily decide to withdraw early from their studies.
• #3: I intend to start with putting the final project in the context of the whole of my EdD programme as unlike the traditional model the EdD is modular in design. I think its important to stress that the acquisition of this learning has taken place over a 4-5 year period whereby a number of modules have been undertaken. – culmination of research and work. The essence of the EdD is about the practice and research and the scholarly inquiry which ive aimed to demonstrate throughout this EdD programme. This diagram illustrates the various components of the doctoral programme and shows the emphasis of scholarly inquiry within practice. I would argue that the practitioner focused approach is a strength of this programme, as the context of practitioner based knowledge is applied within the ‘practitioner setting’ illustrating the importance of connectivity between scholarship and practice. Through the experience and knowledge gained undertaking the EdD programme, I, as a practitioner-researcher have strengthened my approach in a scholarly manner, undertaking an evidence based approach to my practice. This is demonstrated through knowledge I have developed, reflection, and deep and sustained engagement with both the context (practitioner setting) and process of the doctoral programme. Developing advance prof practice: My ‘credentials’ for undertaking this body of work Been a researcher within the area of SE and SR for 10 years Presented at numerous national and international conferences and have been an invited speaker (5 times) X no. of conference publications X. no. of publications Sit on various university level committees
• #4: Why have I slected this research are: My research provides a rationale of why this work is important – for HEI and students Aside from my personal interests HEI are under increasing pressures. Student WD is perceived to be linked to inadequacies with reputation of HEIs damaged (yorke and Londgon, 2004). Justification for my research are numerous So, what are the drivers? Changes in funding structures Less funding from government Increased tuition fees KIS data Government directives: The need to ‘bear down on non-completion’ (Seventh Special Report 2001b) Widening participation Significant amount of withdrawals Hesa 2008/9 figures approximate 10.2% withdrawing from HEIs
• #6: Considerable literature within the field citing issues of withdrawal: course choice, expectations, academic preparedness, academic concerns, administrative and/or organisational concerns, social factors, personal factors, dissatisfaction with the student experience at the institution, financial concerns Literature tended to focus on either particular grouping of students in HE, ie mature students experiences, first generation, lower social classes, interational students OR Particular areas of focus; academic experience, influence of paid employment as influence on withdrawal, culture of the institution, etc. AND Primarily FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF STUDENTS ALONE. MY RESEARCH HAS INCLUDE STAFF PERCEPTIONS AS FROM WORKING WITH STUDENTS THEY HAVE AN INSIGHT INTO THE EXPERIENCES AND ISSUES STUDENTS ENCOUNTER. THEORY around student withdrawal focuses on: Tintos integration theory – depending on how well a student is integrated both socially and academically into HE will depend on whether they stay or leave. Motivation theory (from Dwecks self efficacy work, Bandura and Rotter) – looking at students motivation and commitment to HE and their programme. And Bourdieus notion of habitus – looking at the culture and organisation of the institution and how this impacts on students
• #7: Mine is Parmars holistic model It is important to state that this research will be based upon existing theories and indeed borrow concepts from theories, but will attempt to define a new conceptual model by moving beyond current existing models by adopting a holistic approach of the student life, exploring the individual, academic, institution and external factors. This is because it is difficult to apply one theory alone in order to understand the complexities of student withdrawal (Yorke and Longden 2004). Understanding from the literature that there is a complex interplay of numerous factors influencing withdrawal I aim to explore the whole of the student life encompassing the individual, the academic, the institutional and the external. Elements of theory of integration, motivation and habitus will inform how I make sense of this research.   It is difficult to apply one theory alone in order to understand the complexities of student withdrawal (Yorke and Longden, 2004)
• #8: What dictates any research approach taken is the research study itself which will, in turn, dictates the (ontological) paradigm and methods employed, best suited for the study.   My research is qualitative in nature, Qualitative research, as opposed to quantitative research employs an inductive research approach whereby researchers place theory at the beginning of their study and theory is defined as ‘patterns’ (Creswell 1994)   I would align my research in the interpretavist, phenomenological paradigm due to the nature of the inquiry into people’s understandings of the factors behind withdrawal. Qualitative in nature Phenomenology - as it aims to study the lived experiences of individuals who had experienced and understanding of a phenomenon This research aims to provide a voice to my participants and their narratives and as the researcher my role is to give the voice to these narratives of the participants.   Best suited method was that of in depth interviewing in order to uncover meaning Through the tools of 1x1 interviews and questionnaires   An open ended questionnaire to students to gain a larger sample of data from students that had withdrawn. STAFF:Staff were selected through a purposive sampling whereby participants were handpicked to be included in the sample based on judgement (Cohen and Manion 1994). The key criteria was that they all had some level of responsibility for the student experience.   STUDENTS: The students involved in this research (thirty) were purposively selected through data collected at the institutional level. The criteria made them to be eligible to participate in the study were as follows: to be studying at Middlesex at level 1 on an undergraduate programme to have withdrawn from that programme between week 0 (induction week) and week 9 Fieldword Staff were contacted via email and telephone calls and all agreed to participate with interviews being conducted during sept – dec 2010. 8 staff agreed to participate in this research (2 senior managers, 2 academic staff and 4 administrative support staff).   All students that had withdrawn during week 0-9 (academic year 2010/11) were contacted via email and requested to participate (104) 30 (31% response) did so and a further two agreed to be interviewed. This took place during dec 2010 and jan 2011.   ‘ early efforts at qualitative research might have stopped at description, it is now more generally accepted that a qualitative researcher adds understanding and interpretation to the description’ (Litchman 2006:8)
• #10: From the findings this was developed. Importance of: -prior experiences/anxieties - Individual -Academic -Institutional -External - Social cohesion - Relationships between staff and students (feeling valued and mutual respect) Academic acultrasation – more than integrations - ‘its not just learning about, its learning to be a successful student. Conceptual model: Individual: dependant upon commitment and ability to cope with challenges. Integration needed at variety of levels (hei, programme, peers, staff), student required to negotiate leaning context, processes and procedures, culture of HEI in order to become a successful student. Needing to fit in and belong, understand the rules of the game, deciphering the rules – different to what they had learned in previous edu setting. Academic: preparedness, barirers to learning, satisfaction with prog, learning of benefit to employment. Academic accultraisation – beyond feeling belonging but understanding what being a successful student is, also academically. Institutional: massificatin of HE daunting, need for personalised system (Barnettt 2011), being informed of support available, relationship between staff and students. External: gelling of external life with HE life; lip service support - educating partners/employers. Without support and camaraderie students were less motivated to continue. Decision making: selection of programme and uni and the timing when selection was made. Motivated by opportunities related to employment. Buying time before employment. Not fully aware of prog details: topics covered, different emphasis on topics covered For 3 not their 1 st choice of prog Motivation-or lack of: not engaging, getting organised, attending. On reflection they could have tried harder (14) but 24 felt it was the best decision at the time. Need to belong and if they fitted in were linked but not the same thing. Not fitting in to: age, ethnicity, nationality, having children, academically inadequate. Needed similarities between them and institution to fit in. Belonging was to other students, staff and institution – Barriers to integrating fully (lack of confidence to talk to others, little interaction with institution) Academic factors – 22 cited issues covering academic factors although not initially Learning barriers: unable to meet requirements of course, unsure of progress, producing work at uni level. Ambigious as they didn’t know what uni level was. Lack of communication – perceived feedback Academic language as foreign Changes to the norms of education they were used to Prog experience: relevancy to career aspirations, teaching methods, learning environment – large classes daunting, small classes WD impacted on dynamics of group Institutional factors: procedural issues, red tape ‘jumping through hoops’ lack of care – yes from tutors overall but no from university although not enough academic support provided. More communication prior to arrival to get us in. External factors: Fragmentation of student life: gelling of internal and external commitments Importance of support network: internal and external support (emotional and practical) – lip service of support.
• #11: The model seen below (fig. 4) outlines elements necessary for students to stay on, illustrating the relationship/s between the student, staff and the HEI. This model identifies the four distinct areas within the life of a student (individual, academic, institutional and external highlighted by I, A, I and E) and situates these aspects within the context of staff and the HEI. Furthermore the model illustrates the need for frequent and open communication among and between all three areas (student to student, staff to staff, HEI to student, etc.). This model also identifies the need for engagement between and within the three areas across all variables, i.e., student to staff and staff to institution. Furthermore, the necessity of a smooth transition for the student in becoming accultarised into their new environment, with both staff and the HEI itself.
• #12: Barriers to enhancement Engaging students and staff Timeliness and communication of data and knowledge Competition between areas/Schools
• #13: Priorities are different for institution and students For example, diversity is seen as a strength of uni but for some students it created feelings on not belonging and isolated. Students find employment, its a success if thats what they were trying to so. Goal for institution is primarily about numbers and providing a good experience to generate income.   Snowball effect – a problem or issue that wasn’t resolved amounted into more Students are negotiating a series of transitions. IF this isn’t smooth students feel the early stages are problematic they don’t stay. Furthermore - The ‘rules’ and ‘norms’ from what they have experiences in previous education is dismissed – staff/student engagement, independent learning. And finally, making students feel valued - Sense of mass education needs to be personalised. We need to make our students feel valued in order to stay
• #14: Recommendations: Surround:- enhancing experience for all for results impacting retention
• #15: Producing these findings there was an additional element to this EdD programme about disseminating my research and gaining feedback. The purpose of this was :   To share findings to develop others understanding and inform practice, to seek corroboration of my findings and challenges in order to develop my own learning.   Feedback was received from 19 practitioners, 10 administrative support staff, 5 academic members of staff and 4 senior managers. Although the majority (N=17) were from within the institution in which this research has taken place, 2 members of staff are from the wider HE sector.
• #16: Ongoing – this is but a pause at this point – the work to date is integral with my work and will not stop evolving , thus the impact is still occurring – Impacts are continually emerging though the landscape and pace of change is such in HE and in Mdx that the actual impacts are not directly attributable but clearly occurring.