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Emotional work: students realising, negotiating and overcoming barriers

Emotional work: students realising, negotiating and overcoming barriers Purpose – The purpose of the research is to explore Foundation degree students’ experience of an innovative curriculum, designed to enable pathway choices and widen access to Honour's degree programmes in a wide range of health professions and Social Work. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal, cohort design followed three years’ of entrants through their degree and in some cases beyond. Semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews were carried out by a dedicated researcher at approximately yearly intervals. Findings – Social networks and friendship groups emerged as pivotal to participants’ well‐being and persistence. Institutional barriers included communication problems and a lack of information about timetables and other practical issues. Over time participants came to assert their needs and confront problems, individually and collectively, describing a more questioning and assertive approach to their study and work lives. Research limitations/implications – The experiences over time of students who leave university are needed to explore the role of social group membership and the effect of practical problems. A limitation of the study is that their views are not captured. Practical implications – The importance of naturally‐occurring social groups in creating persistence at university has implications for curriculum design and resources (time/space) to support this activity. Social implications – Widening access to HE brings with it new responsibilities to support students over time as transitions occur through programmes of study and during vacation periods. Originality/value – Flexible approaches to education are generally seen to benefit mature students but can be stressful and require good and timely information. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education Emerald Publishing

Emotional work: students realising, negotiating and overcoming barriers

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
2050-7003
DOI
10.1108/17581181211273156
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the research is to explore Foundation degree students’ experience of an innovative curriculum, designed to enable pathway choices and widen access to Honour's degree programmes in a wide range of health professions and Social Work. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal, cohort design followed three years’ of entrants through their degree and in some cases beyond. Semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews were carried out by a dedicated researcher at approximately yearly intervals. Findings – Social networks and friendship groups emerged as pivotal to participants’ well‐being and persistence. Institutional barriers included communication problems and a lack of information about timetables and other practical issues. Over time participants came to assert their needs and confront problems, individually and collectively, describing a more questioning and assertive approach to their study and work lives. Research limitations/implications – The experiences over time of students who leave university are needed to explore the role of social group membership and the effect of practical problems. A limitation of the study is that their views are not captured. Practical implications – The importance of naturally‐occurring social groups in creating persistence at university has implications for curriculum design and resources (time/space) to support this activity. Social implications – Widening access to HE brings with it new responsibilities to support students over time as transitions occur through programmes of study and during vacation periods. Originality/value – Flexible approaches to education are generally seen to benefit mature students but can be stressful and require good and timely information.

Journal

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education – Emerald Publishing

Published: Sep 21, 2012

Keywords: Student engagement; Widening participation; Persistence; Health care; Foundation degree; Students; Higher education

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