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Consumerist views have increased in English higher education. At the same time, the wellbeing of university students is of growing concern. Some research suggests that consumerist views amongst students link to lower wellbeing and achievement. This prompted the current paper which speculates that the concept of autonomy (as depicted in self-determination theory) might provide a useful lens through which to analyse consumerist attitudes in UK higher education and their possible effects on students. Self-determination theory posits that people are fulfilled and have optimal motivation when their basic needs for competence, relatedness and autonomy are met. These three basic needs are complementary. Each could provide a lens for examining the facilitators or barriers to optimal motivation within higher education. This paper focuses on autonomy and explores possible links between a consumerist orientation and student wellbeing and achievement in English universities. Using self-determination theory, autonomy-enhancing ways of framing policy and managing the student experience and teaching and learning are outlined. The concept of autonomy offers a useful framework for potential enhancement of student motivation and wellbeing at policy, institutional and programme levels. Further empirical work could usefully explore and refine the hypotheses advanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of a diverse and challenging Higher Education (HE) environment within the United Kingdom (UK), this paper extends existing debates around extracurricular activities (ECAs) and considers students' engagement in ECAs within this context. Adopting a case study approach, and involving a team of student researchers, students' perceptions of ECA-programmes at a post-1992 Higher Education Institution (HEI) are explored. A total of 38 students took part in a series of six focus groups. The data collected was thematically analysed and two key themes emerged, namely: perceptions that there is a hierarchy of ECAs, and an enhanced awareness of the barriers to students' participation in ECAs, including the potential for harm. This paper examines the prospective impact of these findings and makes recommendations for the future development of ECA-programmes within HEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the Higher Education sector, there is growing interest regarding the 'value for money' of a university education, and in response to this, universities may need to consider how to evaluate the perceived learning of students alongside their actual learning. Learning Gain maybe helpful in this regard, but there is currently no agreed method for evaluating the Learning Gain achieved, or perceived, by any particular student. This paper discusses a new model that can be used for evaluating such student perceptions. The model itself considers both the Distance Travelled (explicit knowledge) and the Journey Travelled (tacit knowledge) reported by students. The model employs a self-certified reflective survey method. A study, using a cohort of final year undergraduate dissertation students is undertaken to evaluate the potential usefulness of this model. The primary results obtained from this study provide an interesting perspective on how students perceive their own learning, which in turn has implications for understanding how our own teaching is viewed by students. The outcome of this research is that further testing is recommended using a wider variety of courses, and larger cohorts of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, research has focussed on understanding how various contextual factors facilitate students' adjustments to university as they begin their studies. However, there seems to be limited or no research and instruments that have specifically conceptualised and measured students' adjustments, considering their transitional challenges, emotional wellbeing, and barriers to seeking help. Incorporating these factors, we previously developed a model of students' adjustments, titled Transition, Wellbeing, Help-seeking and Adjustments (TWHAS). Building on this model, this paper aims to empirically validate the hypothesised TWHAS model using a validated survey and data collected from 306 first-year students transitioning to an Australian university. The strength of the predictive relations among the selected variables was tested by the significance of the path coefficients of the model. Our findings show a good fit to the theoretical model developed and demonstrate how students' sociodemographic barriers to seeking help and moods (e.g. anxiety) can create a psychological barrier (e.g. lack of openness to seeking help) and how psychological barriers can further inhibit students' overall adjustments to university. These findings have important implications for higher education policymakers, staff as well as administrators, counselling and support services future research on promoting students' the positive adjustments to transition to university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]