Slide 1 - The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network archive

							           Closing the gap:
 an exploration of first-year students’
expectations & experiences of learning
        PLAT 2010, Edinburgh Napier University

     Morag Williamson, Phyllis Laybourn, Janis Greig & Hilary Tait
                 School of Health, Life & Social Sciences


Research funded by the Edinburgh Napier University Teaching Fellows’ Research Fund.
                              Overview
• An in-School qualitative investigation of the 2007-08 first-year
  cohort of Psychology students identified factors influencing
  withdrawal in a small sample of non-continuing students
• In the current study the emphasis has shifted onto successful
  progression to Trimester 2, by adopting an action research
  approach to explore first-year students’ expectations and
  experiences of Trimester 1:
o amongst a larger sample, comprising the majority of students in the
  cohorts of interest
o using data in the form of written reflections
• Data are interpreted within the theoretical framework of the
  ‘psychological contract’
• Findings are informing the design of an intervention for the
  2010-11 cohort
                                Context
• First-year student success and retention are key elements of University
  strategy, informed by first-year experience (FYE) literature
• “Good learning”     “success”     “retention” (Yorke & Longden, 2008)
  “Students who learn are students who stay” (Tinto, 2006)
• Strong focus on enabling academic transitions
• Staff observe:
  - wide variation in student attitudes & behaviours in relation to study and
   learning
  - rapid development of group norms during Tri 1
• Importance of social integration for student learning
• Staff expectations may be implicit rather than explicit
  to students
• Analysis of student trajectories
            FYE: Deal or No Deal?
     the recurrent theme of a ‘mis-match’

• the ‘mis-match’ of interest in the current research is the gap
  between staff and student expectations of university
• the better the match, the better the outcomes for the student
• the notion of a ‘deal’ appears to have currency amongst
  students (e.g.Smith, 2008)
• a mis-match occurs if the ‘deal’ struck between institution
  and students is perceived differently by the two parties
• psychological contract theory embodies this notion of the
  ‘deal’; it is used as the theoretical framework for
  interpretation of the data in the current research
            The Psychological Contract

• Rousseau (1995): “... an exchange between individuals and
  their organisation...”
• a form of social exchange theory
• two versions of the concept: unilateral and bilateral
• research mainly in the employment / organisational context,
  but...
• ...“psychological contract theory is not limited in scope to this
  specific exchange relationship” (Rousseau, 1995)
• limited application in educational contexts (Charlton et al,
  2006)
 Psychological contract as an over-arching
          theoretical framework

Range of relevant psychological theories can apply to FYE,
including:
• Individual differences
• Intrapersonal processes
• Developmental processes
• Social-psychological explanations
Such processes can influence students’ perception of the ‘deal’,
and are thus compatible with psychological contract theory.
                    Research aims

• Gain in-depth qualitative accounts of first-year students’
  expectations and experiences of their first Trimester
• Interpret their experiences within the framework of
  psychological contract theory
• Provide a basis for devising a schedule of extended
  induction and on-course support to address specific issues
  at strategic points during the first Trimester
                                  Method
• Two related semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain written
  reflections of first-year students from the three degree programmes taking
  psychology at Edinburgh Napier.
• Trimester 1 Questionnaire was administered in Week 1 of Trimester 1 and
  elicited ‘expectations’ of new entrants in the 2009-10 academic year
• Trimester 2 Questionnaire was administered in Week 1 of Trimester 2 and
  elicited Trimester 1‘experiences’; this was used with both the 2008-09 and
  2009-10 cohorts
• Data were collected from first-year students at three points in time:
               1                       2                      3
      Tri 2 Questionnaire     Tri 1 Questionnaire    Tri 2 Questionnaire
            2008-09                 2009-10                2009-10
            (n = 86)                (n = 62)               (n = 43)
                     Method (continued)
• The students’ reflections were obtained in a small group context as
  part of the normal Week 1 induction activities
•   The Tri 1 Questionnaire asked students to consider what they
    expected to learn, what they might find challenging and how they
    might meet such challenges
• The Tri 2 Questionnaire mirrored the first one, asking what had been
  learned, what the main challenges had been and how they had met
  these challenges; it also asked them what advice they would give to
  new first-years
• No data were available for Tri 1 of the 2008-09 cohort; it was the
  richness of the Tri 2 data from that cohort that led to more systematic
  collection of reflections from the new cohort in Tri 1 2009-10
                     Analysis

• Tri 1 data set 2009-10
• Contrast with the rich data from Tri 2 of 2008-09
  and Tri 2 of 2009-10 – these data sets were the
  focus of analysis
• Search across the data for repeated patterns
• Analysis procedure: thematic analysis (see Braun
  and Clarke [2006] )
      Themes derived from the Tri 2 data
• wide range of experiences and concerns
• experiences arising from changed learning environment, changed
  nature of demands
• expectation of independent learning, but worries about motivation and
  help-seeking
• writing and speaking - students for whom English is not their first
  language
• preoccupation with time management – by far the most dominant
  theme
• range of specific academic skills featured strongly - some comments
  showing metacognitive awareness

  A thematic map was constructed to organise main themes, sub-
                  themes and sub-sub-themes.
                Rationale for intervention
An intervention is in preparation, to address issues arising in the data
and promote development of effective psychological contracts.
First-year students will be supported in:
• establishing appropriate expectations from the outset
• improving self-/time-management
• developing a more metacognitive approach to their learning
• developing appropriate perceptions of autonomy v. help-seeking


The planned intervention will:
• make implicit expectations explicit
• be longitudinal
• facilitate expression of “the student voice”
Planned ‘REAL’ intervention:
 Planned ‘REAL’ programme of activities, for first-year
    social sciences students, Trimester 1, 2010-11
                           Year 1, Trimester 1
    Intervention times                    Time-specific aims
Week 1                         - Transition to H.E.
Focus on psychological         - Social Engagement
contract & metacognition       - Staff/student expectations
Week 3 - 4                     - Learning to learn
Focus on time structuring &    - Review patterns of study so far
metacognition                  - Effective planning
Week 6 - 7                 - Review experience of first assignment
Focus on reflection on     - Link personal actions and quality of
performance /metacognition learning
                  Further research

• Evaluation of the ‘REAL’ intervention

• Social identity / self-categorisation / group membership
  processes in transition

• Prospective study of student trajectories from 2010-11
  first-year cohort throughout their programme
                                      References
•   Baxter Magolda, M. (2004). Evolution of a constructivist conceptualization of epistemological
    reflection. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 31-42.
•   Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research
    in Psychology, 3, 77-101
•   Charlton, J.P., Barrow, C. and Hornby-Atkinson, P. (2006). Attempting to predict withdrawal
    from higher education using demographic, psychological and educational measures.
    Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 11, 31-47.
•   Clegg, S. and Bufton, S. (2008) Student support through personal development planning:
    retrospection and time. Research Papers in Education, 23:4, 435-450.
•   Rousseau, D. (1995) Psychological Contracts in Organizations. Thousand Oaks: Sage
•   Smith, I. (2008) Empowering the learner through enhanced engagement at Napier University.
    In QAA Quality Enhancement Themes: personalisation of the first year, pp.47-52
•   Tinto, V. (2006) Taking student retention seriously. York: Higher Education Academy
    Resources.
•   Yorke, M. and Longden, B. (2008). The first-year experience of higher education in the UK:
    Final Report. York: Higher Education Academy Resources
Contacts:

Phyllis Laybourn – p.laybourn@napier.ac.uk

Morag Williamson – m.williamson@napier.ac.uk