Minding the Gap whilst Moving Forward
Student Attainment Summit
Dr Debra Cureton
The University of Opportunity
Overview
• Progress from last year:– What you asked for:
• An understanding of students pre-expectations• Better understanding of the role of belonging in
attainment
• Overview of findings– Students’ University Pre-expectations of HE– Students’ Perceived Belongingness
Students’ University Pre-expectationsUniversity is a means to:• Meeting personal aspirations.
These are:– Career goals – A better life – Study goals
• Preparing for a career– HE is required for intended
career – HE will support getting a better
job – HE will provide better
knowledge and skills
• Life enhancing experience– Transformative/ better life– Enhance my skills– Educational journey
ClashesHE definition of independent learning
Independent learning
Independent learning
Learning experience being an active
Students definition – doing assignments, set homework and meeting targets set by lecturers
Being given everything to do assignments
Expecting an FE style education in a HE setting
Learning experience is a passive activity – it is ‘done to me’
VS
Clashes
Massification – Large group teaching.
Learning journey – attending University to acquire academic knowledge
Learning journey
Learning journey
Transformative experience
Individualised learning experience
Focus is not on learning journey, but life beyond University
University is a means to an end
University provides a good job
University will change my life and make me into a better person
VS
Expectations• To be coached for success• Lectures will be structured,
easy to understand and tailored to my needs and provide me with the information needed to complete assignments
• Learning will be made easy and success will be achievable
• Lectures will fun, entertaining and interactive
• Lecturers will be supportive
• Lecturers will be invitational and experts
• Lecturers will respect students and their prior knowledge
• University will provide all the skills and knowledge required for future employment in chosen field
• University will be harder, more challenging but rewarding/ worth it
• The university will provide a quality learning experience.
Belongingness
• 941 Questionnaire– Majority from full time
students (94.3%)– All three levels of study
• Level 4 (43.5%)• Level 5 (37%)• Level 6 (19.3%)
– Age range under 20 to over 50
• Under 20 (54.1%)
– Nearly ¾ of the sample were female
– Range of broad ethnicity groups
• 48.1% are White British– All campuses– All Faculties– Other factors considered
• First in family• Disclosure of disability• Care responsibilities • Disruptive home study
environment• Working while studying
Identified Trends
Factors that didn’t affect perceived belongingness• Mode of study• Gender – as an overall
category• First in family• Disclosed disability
Factors that have an affect• Level of study
– Belongingness dips at Level 5.
Scale Engagement Belonging Self Confidence
3.75
3.80
3.72 3.713.723.74
3.73.67
3.86
3.91
3.84 3.83
Level
Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Age
under 20 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 39 40 - 44 45 - 50 50 and above
3.75 3.
78
3.83 3.
88
4.08
3.79
4.05
4.12
3.80 3.
83 3.87
3.94
4.18
3.87
4.11
4.32
3.74 3.
78
3.85 3.
89
4.07
3.79
4.00
4.09
3.71 3.
74 3.78 3.
81
4.02
3.71
4.05 4.
08
Age
Full scale Engagement Belonging Selfconfidence
Under 25
25-34 35 and over
Under 25
25-34 35 and over
Under 25
25-34 35 and over
Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
3.76
3.88
4.01
3.71
3.81
3.95
3.84 3.85
4.03
Age by Level of Study
• Belongingness increase with age.
• This trend is evident across all levels.
• However, an increased belonging with age is not evident when ethnicity is considered.
• Older students from minority background have a different perceived sense of belonging.
• ECU (2013) the attainment gap differs with age:
• Younger students 8.6%• Older students 26.8%
Young Older Young Older Young Older Young OlderWhite Black Asian Other
3.8
3.9 3.9
3.7
3.8
3.73.74
3.6
Ethnicity by Age
level 4
level 5
level 6
level 4
level 5
level 6
level 4
level 5
level 6
level 4
level 5
level 6
level 4
level 5
level 6
White British Black Asian other Not disclosed
3.843.74
3.84
3.673.74 3.72 3.75
3.44
3.75 3.75
3.62
3.84
3.56
3.38
3.98
Ethnicity by Level of Study
White Black Asian Other Not disclosed
3.81
3.71
3.63
3.74
3.64
Ethnicity
• Perceived belongingness differs by ethnicity group
• Students from minority backgrounds perceive the belongingness differently to their white counterparts
• Ethnicity by level suggests that Level 5 students of Asian origin are particularly at risk.
Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female FemaleWhite British Black Asian White other than
BritishChinese Other Did not
disclose
3.843.79
3.64
3.81
3.73 3.71
3.78
3.62
4.06
3.84
3.63
3.743.71
Gender by Ethnicity
• Chinese students have a higher perceived sense of belonging• Males from the ethnicity categories of black and other are at risk• Females who are white other are at risk• Chinese students outperform other students (ECU, 2014)• Black males are less likely to gain a good degree (ECU, 2014)
Scale Engagement Belonging Self Confidence
3.77
3.83
3.773.73
3.813.85
3.82
3.76
3.93 3.94 3.93 3.92
3.71 3.713.74
3.70
Campus
City Mean Walsall Mean Telford Mean Burton Mean
Scale Engagement Belonging Self Confidence
3.793.84
3.793.75
3.863.91
3.84 3.83
3.633.70
3.61 3.60
3.77
3.85
3.78 3.76
Faculty
FEHW Mean FOSS Mean FSE Mean FOA Mean
• Students based at Telford have the strongest sense of belonging
• Students from Walsall have a strong sense of belonging
• There are slight differences in belonging as a result of Faculty.
Other factors
• Belongingness is lowest for students who always travel more than 45 minutes to university
• Students from outside Europe have high sense of belonging
• European students have a low sense of belonging
• Students with disruptive home environments have lower sense of belonging
• Students with caring responsibilities have a higher sense of belonging than those who do not
• Interaction between Faculty and campus suggest belongingness is stronger in faculty on smaller campuses
Conclusions
• Belongingness is linked to students attainment (Thomas, 2012)
• Similar patterns of weaker belongingness are found for students who are less likely to gain a first or a 2:i at the University of Wolverhampton
• Small/ discreet campuses with home buildings lead to stronger sense of belonging i.e.– The International Academy– The Performance Hub
• We focus on level 4 and 6, but also need to pay attention to our level 5 students
Thank you