‘Examined lives’ and student self-confidence

1. ‘Examined lives’ and student self-confidence Prof. Mark O’Hara& Juliette Gaunt

2. The issue(s) • Widening participation, HE expansion (Adams, 2017) and factors associated with student underachievement and poor completion rates (Yorke & Longden, 2008): • ‘the wrong course’; • personal circumstances; • academic failure. • Demographics work at a macro level but can’t tell you ‘who’ on a micro scale. • The personal characteristics of students may, at least in part, underpin the capacity to accept and overcome challenges in transitioning to university. Could certain personality traits be predictive of outcomes?

3. Enabling progression through resiliency and wellbeing • Students are invited to complete an online questionnaire on a number of scales that may be related to academic performance and progression: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wRBu8zW0l2iEC-_6EMa5KbIKP3ACitOkCpHZ_QSIKHo/formResponse • Students receive an automated report in seconds, with their scores and what they might mean. They are encouraged to share these results with their personal tutor. • Tutors are provided with packs that give information and resources around how they can help students and guide them to enhance their academic performance, wellbeing, and resiliency.

4. Early results Student outcomes tracked and compared to questionnaire responses. Data analysed cross-sectionally and through mediation analyses: • Mindfulness predictive of higher marks • Self-compassion predictive of higher marks (Strongest predictor) • Resilience predictive of higher marks • Procrastination predictive of lower marks • Self-criticism predictive of lower marks • Social Comparison Orientation predictive of lower marks

5. Student perceptions • ‘Listening rooms’ dialogue method (Heron, 2018) • 6 pairs to date • Qualitative (pros and cons) • Caveats: health and education, small, HARS

6. Results and commentary: Self-awareness • Student comments: I know there are things I’m afraid of….but I also know I really want to be pushed, I want that challenge; I grow so much more from my failures than my successes; I’m always wanting…new things…new ideas…mundane, boring routine, I struggle with; There are things I wasn’t particularly okay with[on Insights profile]but that are true;[Difficulties] are different for everybody. • Emerging themes: failure v. success; vulnerability v. risk taking; diversity

7. Results and commentary: Authenticity • Student comments: In the end there's no alternative way to be…your authentic self [comes out]whether you like it or not; You've got to be comfortable with yourself; My mind has changed a lot [HARS has] made me more...it's helped me bring out my authentic self to a lot more people; I’ve had experiences with people who portray an image and……behind that is a completely different person…it just goes wrong; We live in world that constantly tries to change us, constantly tells us what we should be, what we should think...and especially when you’re younger; Difficulties with authenticity[maybe] because of…lack of self-confidence…HARS is trying to get that level of honesty from you. • Emerging themes: congruence; independence of thought; ‘reading’ people

8. Results and commentary: Leadership • Student comments:You can be in a leadership role within a couple of years, easily!; People are going to have an awful time if you don’t have the right [leadership] skills; Keep that integrity, that transparency and people believe you and trust you; [Good leaders] have humility….defer to [others]….set an example….recognise that everyone’s got something to contribute… find a way to get the best out of everybody. • Emerging themes: imminence; responsibility; followership/teams; trust

9. Results and commentary: Mindsets, resilience and barriers • Student comments: It's having that resilience as well 'causethere are gonna be people...who you're gonnaclash with; Some people haven't always responded positively[to the HARS identity] and I think…being authentic is standing up for what you believe in; We're mindful of the fact that people have different opinions[about HARS] and…we don't wannabrag; I will go without sleep, I will sacrifice personal relationships, but I will not fail; There are things that will knock you back,[resilience is] your ability to kind of deal with adversity; When I stepped onto the HARS scheme, my mindset did change because I felt that people had faith in me and they could see things that I couldn't; I call them areas for development…because they won't be a weakness for long!; Just think, I can do this, I can achieve this, it is attainable, you have the willpower and the strength; Do like a little mantra, like ‘I am limitless. I am limitless’, it's like…you're bringing this energy out. • Emerging themes: conflict; grit; self-coaching

10. Enabling progression through resiliency and wellbeing - tutor feedback • Ability to talk about wellbeing rather than mental health • Facilitated discussions with tutees who had not been particularly engaged • Enhancing academic performance is an element that many students are keen to discuss with their tutors

11. Planned and ongoing interventions • Advanced Personal Tuition Forum (SEDA accredited) • Sustainable cultures of coaching pilot • Co-/extra-curricular offers (healthy living, BCU sport, volunteering etc.) • Growth mind-set training • Mental Health First Aid training & University Mental Health Lead • Psychometric testing • Big White Wall • Student mindfulness App • Monitoring outcomes - n.b. evidence based practice

12. Discussion References • Adams, R. (2017) Almost half of all young people in England go on to higher education, (accessed January 2019), [available at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/sep/28/almost-half-of-all-young-people-in-england-go-on-to-higher-education] • Heron, E. (2019) Friendship as method: reflections on a new approach to understanding student experiences in higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/0309877X.2018.1541977 • Yorke, M. &Longden, B. (2008) The First Year Experience of Higher Education in the UK. York: Higher Education Academy