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Immigrants in higher education. Factors determining study choices and success for first year immigrant students. Promot ers M. Lacante, R. Van Esbroeck, W. Lens, M. De Metsenaere researchers M. Almaci, M. De Schryver. Research purposes (1).
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Immigrants in higher education. Factors determining study choices and success for first year immigrant students Promoters M. Lacante, R. Van Esbroeck, W. Lens, M. De Metsenaere researchers M. Almaci, M. De Schryver
Research purposes(1) • Problem:transfer from secondary to higher education and success rate of immigrant students in H.E. is problematic • Tinto model (1993): • Social and family background (SES,…) • Personal characteristics: skills and potential (cognitive, motivational, affective variables) • Earlier schooling • Process of choice • Academic and social integration
Research purposes (2) • Participation of immigants in HE • Educational career in SE and HE of immigrants • Assess socio-economic profile of immigrants • Personality characteristics and background factors of immigrants in HE • Career choice process and motivation in final year SE • Process of integration in HE • Assess presence of risk factors • Profile of academic success and failure in HE
Research methodology: identification of immigrants • Based on • Nationality • Place of birth • Family name • Secondary education in Belgium • Efficient in the case of non-European immigrants (error margin of 14%)
Research methodology: Analysis of existing data banks • Loso-database: longitudinal research - started in 1989 • Drop out-database: 1999-2000 • SOHO-database: career choice development profiles in SE (2003-2004)
Research methodology:New research (2004-2005) (1) • 4 universities – 3 institutions of HE (professional colleges) • Extra group of students from SOHO-project
Research methodology:New research (2004-2005) (2) • 974 immigrant students = 5.8% of intake • Proportion varies from one institution to another: • proportion of immigrants higher in professional colleges (7.2% - 12.3%) • proportion at universities between 3.3% and 14% • Association Brussels has highest number of immigrant VUB 14% / EHB 12.3%. • ethnic composition varies from one institution to another: • proportion of TMA-students • EHB 55.2% and VUB 55.5% • other professional colleges: 51.8% - 56.1% • other universities: 18.3% - 36.4%
Results(1) First year students HE: ethnicity by SES
Results(2)Study choice • TMA-students opt more to go to university • Preference for Economics, law, psychology…
Results(3)Academic success • average success rate: one quarter of immigrant students against one half of indigenous students • TMA-students: 19.4% success rate
Low success rate is resulting from • Combination of factors • Family and background (SES, …) • Skills and potential • Process of choice • Academic and social integration
Results (4)Background factors • SES and ethnic identity • TMA students: - low SES- high unemployment rate (SE: 76,4 % fathers unemployed) • SES and ‘objective’ ethnicity: - both predictive of educational results- interchangeable • Within immigrant group: SES not related to educational results • Within indigenous group: SES correlates with educ. results
Results (5)Background factors • Study success by ethnicity and SES
Results (6)Skills and potential • Type secundary education and school career are significant predictors of HE results
Results(7)Skills and potential Delayed school career 54.9% of immigrant students entered HE at the usual time ↕ 79% of indigenous students
Results(8)Skills and potential • Cognitive skills • Cognitive tests beginning SE: TMA-students scored lower on • Verbal • Numerical • Spatial • Language (HE): • Dutch as first language: 36 % success rate • another first language: 22 % success rate
Results (9)Skills and potential • Learning skills and attitudes • Start SE: • No difference in motivation or interest in learning tasks • Less effort for learning • Less positive attitude to homework • HE: • Underestimate importance of effort • Spend less time on studies • Attend classes less • Prepared to undertake self-assessment • Lack of appropriate test strategies
Recommendations(1) • Language • First language development often at lower level (cf. limited economic and cultural capital) • Priority attention • Standards at every level of education • Special projects:Tandem project; remedial language courses (ATHOS) • credits • Cognitive skills • Flexible learning paths in SE and HE
Recommendations(2) • Learning skills and attitudes • To improve attitudes to homework and effort • Different educational and organisational approach in HE • Information and training in current test strategies
Results: Process of choice • Unique importance • TMA-students • Gather less information • Fewer activities to support their choice • More doubts in environment • Positive view of own SE results • Reject advice of others • Reasons for choice more material and extrincic • Less satisfied with choices - more doubts – less identifciation with chosen option
Recommendations: Process of choice(1) • Raising awareness of study choices in third grade • Broad exploration of study and career options • Realistic assessment of students’ own profile • Creation of a study choice file
Recommendations:Process of choice (2) • Importance of role models • Use a buddy system • HE students • Involvement of parents and social environment • Recognise importance of reality testing • Accept professional support • Learn about HE system • Role of civil society (parents’ evenings)
Results:Academic and social integration • No significant differences regarding well-being and relations with teaching staff. • TMA students identified more strongly with ‘own’ ethnic background • Positive relationship with other groups • Subjective ethnic identity and study success: • Belgians = 35% • TMA = 21%
Recommendations:Academic and social integration • Offere extra curricular career choice activities • Strenghtening cross cultural group activities • SE: within class activities • HE: BRUTUS project
General conclusion • A large number of mutually intertwined factors account for lower success rate • ‘Static’ factors (social background) are related to remediable factors (skills, attitudes, process of choice…) • Interventions may bring about changes
Concluding comments TMA-students are • Ambitious • they aim high • stay longer in HE • are prepared to continue • Persistent • Remain longer in SE and HO • Intend to continue the chosen HE educational program even after failure