Search

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]

The aim of the Foundation Year of university is to prepare students for their undergraduate study. Part of this preparation is enculturation into ways of speaking. Undergraduate study involves small group interaction in which students are expected to use educational dialogue to co-construct conceptual understanding and engage in critical thinking. In this study, we were interested in whether and to what extent Foundation Year Bioscience students used educational dialogue in problem-solving tasks. Seven groups were audio recorded during online group discussions at three points during the semester. Transcripts were analysed according to a framework of educational dialogue codes. While some groups engaged in educational dialogue, there was variability amongst group members, within the session and across sessions. Based on this small case study, we argue that Foundation Year teachers can support the development of students' educational dialogue by raising metacognitive awareness of language and providing opportunities through task design. We conclude the paper with specific suggestions for classroom practice which are not restricted to Biosciences Foundation Year and relevant to all stages of university study and across disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A good research base exists on the benefits of structured writing retreats and similar provision for academic staff and postgraduate researchers, but to date little has been published about the worth of such events for undergraduate students. This is despite the fact that undergraduate student researchers also experience external pressures, distractions and ambivalent or negative feelings towards writing just as academic staff and postgraduate students do. This paper reports on a mixed methods study of a structured writing retreat programme with third year undergraduate students over four academic years. The resulting data confirmed that one of the biggest challenges for students was finding time and space to write, which mirrors the findings of studies focused on more experienced researchers. The group of writing retreat participants had a very different experience and data revealed the power of these events for this group of students. The data presented here suggest that retreats should much more widely offered for undergraduate students in the latter stages of their degree programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of demographic ageing, university students increasingly face the need to reconcile studying and caring for an older person. Surprisingly little is known about the lives of caregiving students or the ways institutions of higher education can (or do) support them, however. Knowing more about this group is of importance from an academic and practical perspective. This study provides the first systematic literature review on caregiving students. It aims to i) systematise the knowledge on caregiving students, and ii) identify research gaps in the literature and formulate fields of future inquiry. The primary literature search resulted in 2,205 hits, of which only six publications met the inclusion criteria. These were coded and analysed according to the standards of inductive content analysis. Four core themes were identified: (1) determinants of being/becoming a caregiving student, (2) challenges in reconciling caregiving and studying, (3) positive and negative consequences of being a caregiving student, (4) potential support structures for caregiving students. Each of these themes also discusses issues regarding four spheres: (a) the personal sphere, (b) the sphere of the caregiving relationship, (c) the social sphere, and (d) the institutional or higher education sphere. Based on the results, we identify three blind spots of current research for future inquiry: (i) the particular challenges faced by students that care for an older person compared to students involved in childcare, (ii) a bias towards 'methodological institutionalism', and, as a consequence, (iii) a negligence of the care relationship itself and the perspectives of the care-recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student-centred learning and teaching (SCLT) has become a widespread approach in higher education and is praised by students, educational researchers and policy makers alike. SCLT is believed to help students become self-directed learners by placing them at the centre of the learning process. Despite the central role currently ascribed to SCLT in higher education, systematic knowledge about how it is practiced in higher education is limited. Informed by the findings of a systematic mapping review of empirical research, this article discloses how SCLT is practised inclass, outof-class and institutionally in higher educational institutions. Overall, we find that empirical research on SCLT is diverse and covers a wide range of pedagogical approaches and methods. Even so, the main focus of the research mapped is on in-class learning activities, whereas less focus is placed on student support systems and on how to develop a SCLT culture in institutional practices. Furthermore, the review finds an extensive focus on student activation and engagement in the empirical research on SCLT. This runs contrary to the theoretical literature arguing that SCLT should promote student agency and autonomy. We therefore encourage more empirical research on the relationship between SCLT and student agency in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of internationalisation of education and the emergence of English as a global language, medium of instruction (MOI) has long been a controversial issue globally. The present study examined the relationships between secondary-level MOI (English, EMI; Chinese, CMI) and learners' tertiary-level academic achievement and perceptions. 434 tertiary-level business, science, and social science students in Hong Kong completed a survey and 18 of them also attended an interview. An overall significant difference was found in tertiary-level academic achievement between the EMI and CMI students. Significant differences were also found in their self-rated performance in and preferences for some but not all kinds of assessments. When analysed by tertiary-level disciplines, business students showed no differences while science students showed some, and social science students showed the greatest differences between the CMI and EMI groups. The interviewees highlighted academic and psychological challenges facing CMI students. Implications for educators and researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal approaches to learning in Higher Education are acknowledged to offer an engaging and motivating approach to learning. This article argues that they can also enable students to learn more effectively, and apply this learning to their professional lives. Previous research has suggested that three of the most difficult facets of Master's level study for students are abstract thinking, unpredictability, and research skills. This practitioner study found that drawing on students' prior personal and professional experience is an effective way to develop these skills, because it provides the necessary contextualisation for learning. Interview data from one diverse cohort on a Master's in Education programme show that the students believed that this approach improved their understanding of these three areas, and their ability to use formal assignments to explore and explain their experience. This more personal and engaged approach to learning addresses a neglected area of higher education: attending to Master's students' academic skill development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the shared interest of two academics with leadership responsibilities in the UK and Sweden our ambition was to better understand student learner expectations of leadership as Higher Education leaders operate within the relatively new context of what is being defined as 'Responsible Leadership'. A search using Google Scholar, to give international reach, was carried out in late 2020 on four key themes pertinent to our research endeavour. The four themes, namely: Generation Z in Higher Education, Student Voice, Responsible Leadership and VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) were searched using a metric which included articles presenting with a generic focus and written in the last 5 years (2017–2021). Texts were excluded if, in the abstract, they contained specific reference to subject discipline, teaching method, learner ability or any other locator which gave the text a specificity of subject rather than the generality sought here. In applying a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology the ambition was to achieve summarised results to identify the debate and emerging evidence concerning our fields of interest. The research findings reveal challenging times ahead for the university sector with questions emerging about the function and purpose of Higher Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing access to university for those currently under-represented is a UK government priority. Understanding the views of under-represented students can help direct widening participation activities. In recent years, a positive trend finds increasing numbers of Black students attending university, but it is not clear why White disadvantaged student numbers have not increased. Thus, we aimed to explore the student viewpoint on barriers and facilitators to university access in disadvantaged adolescents and how this might differ by ethnicity. We used an online semi-structured interview with questions about applying to university. Seventy adolescents (mean 16.9 yr.) were recruited who are currently under-represented at university level, based on various measures of disadvantage. Black, Asian, and ethnic minority students (BAME) reported similar barriers and facilitators to applying to university as White disadvantaged students. However, there were some differences, for example, BAME participants stated 'having no choice' was a reason to apply to university while White participants did not mention this. Also ~60% of BAME students said they would prefer to study close by compared to far away, while only 46% of White participants said this. Our results support previous findings that financial issues are a key barrier to university access and that outreach activities can act as facilitators to increase university access. However, we compare the unique viewpoints on the barriers and facilitators to university access in Black, Asian and White under-represented students. Based on these views we also make recommendations for future widening participation events targeted at different ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A student's experience of assessment has an important determining effect on the way in which they approach learning. This case study examines students' experience of assessment and feedback in a biomedicine degree programme. A mixed-method approach combined with an assessment audit and an analysis of formative assessment use provided a holistic view of students' experience of assessment and feedback across years 1–3 of the degree. The Assessment Experience Questionnaire was utilised together with data from open-ended narrative responses to give insight into students' assessment and feedback experiences. Students (N = 960) reported diverse views about their experiences of assessment across the three years. Third-year students rated their assessment experience significantly lower than did second-year students but not as low as did first-year students. Analysis revealed significant differences in six of eight subdimensions between year 1 and year 3. The trend was downwards, with third-year students reporting lower agreement for the categories of 'Quantity of effort', 'Coverage of syllabus', 'Use of feedback', 'Appropriate assessment', 'Clear goals and standards' and 'Overall satisfaction with the course'. An assessment audit revealed a high assessment load and high dependence on exams. Frequent assessment schedules were seen as positive and formative assessments were utilised by most students. A major issue was a lack of clarity concerning goals and standards for assessments. To enable an improvement in the student experience of assessment and feedback, a dialogue about assessment tasks involving good clear communication between teachers, policy makers and students is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent events show a government in constant changes of mind about how to control implementation of frequently changing policies, and the inefficiencies and inequalities that result from capitalistic approaches to public service functions. These same factors feature within higher education (HE), demonstrating that the values, culture, decision processes and power structures of twenty-first-century capitalism have filtered into the UK higher education system and permeate the operation of quality assessment for both teaching and research, where, sponsored by government, the structures and processes – the 'commanding heights' – of policy development and delivery have been captured by a small elitist group of institutions. The result has been system inequity, process inefficiency and stress and risk to the mental health and well-being of research staff, as well as failure to meet desirable objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on data from a small qualitative study of men on care-based degree pathways in one university in England. There is little research that specifically considers the experiences of working-class men on these courses. The article explores aspects of men's experiences and responses to so-called 'active learning'. It considers knowledge in care-pathway pedagogy and how students on these programmes are enabled to draw on both disciplinary and practice-knowledge. The article argues that active learning must go beyond a dominant preoccupation with self-development to initiate students into disciplinary knowledge appropriately recontextualised for their practice careers. Classed and gendered classrooms are an example of where this might occur. Implications for access and participation and for teaching and learning on care pathways are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]