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Yearning to Earn or Yearning to Learn?. Open University Widening Participation Conference. Widening Participation Through Curriculum, Milton Keynes, 30 th April- 1 st May, 2014. Geraldine Clark University of the West of Scotland, School of Social Sciences.
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Yearning to Earn or Yearning to Learn? Open University Widening Participation Conference. Widening Participation Through Curriculum, Milton Keynes, 30th April- 1st May, 2014. Geraldine Clark University of the West of Scotland, School of Social Sciences.
Widening participation target groups • Sex • Age group • Low participation areas • Socioeconomic status/ relative deprivation • Family participation • Males 34.2% Females 64.8% • 18- 24 49.8% 25-34 21% • State schools/ colleges 98.7% • Low SIMD 23% • Neither parent nor guardian university graduate 74.5%
Theoretical basis • Habitus explains how the individual’s unconscious practices are mediated and influenced by institutions and ideologies; how society is embedded in individuals and their actions (Bourdieu,1977, 1979). • Capital can be economic, social, cultural and symbolic. Capital may be seen as a resource of power- it can be acquired, possessed and lost although it is relative to the amount of recognition which it receives (Bourdieu, 1977, 1979). • Education seen as reproducing rather than transforming (Bourdieu and Passeron, 1977).
Anxious new lecturers…new subjects…new students…new environment…just nervous about meeting new people… a new experience… level that I am studying… anxious about failing… been through university previously… previously studied to degree level……already completed a course at university…had several previous experiences of higher education I've been out of education for a few years …a bit nervous about whether I could cope with the work… only because I am on a career break and older… because I had not studied for 26+ years… returning to university after such a long break from obtaining my first degree. I expected that perhaps younger people would not accept me… I was worried everyone would be younger and cleverer…my age worried me … being a mature student… in my 50s…afraid I might be quite a bit older.
General Expectations University is what I expected it to be with regards to the workload I knew that it would be much harder than school work the course material is significantly more difficult worried that exams/academic work would be too challenging for me… more difficult and complex I knew it would be time consuming but didn't truly appreciate the life changing effect it would have on my personal and family life the amount of work has still shocked me a little bit even though I was expecting it.
Expectations …First, second and to an extent 3rd years were what I was expecting. 4th year on the other hand is extremely hard - nothing quite prepares you for what it is going to be like.
Aspirations my occasional lack of motivation may prevent me reaching this goal hard work and self-belief have great academic and family support my family continue to support me not working hard enough because I lack confidence the support I have received f rom my lecturers will really help me reach my goal building up confidence the lecturer support is brilliant confidence in my own abilities…
Experience lecturers are more relaxed and friendly the lecturers are more approachable I didn't expect to get as much support from the lecturers I did not expect our lecturers to be so closely involved lecturers seem very supportive academic staff are much more approachable the support I have received from my lecturers will really help me
REFLECTIONS Geraldine Clark PhD Research Student, Associate Lecturer Website: http://gcuws.webnode.com/ University of the West of Scotland, School of Social Sciences, A834A Hamilton Campus, Almada St, Hamilton ML3 0JB. Tel: 01698 283100 xn 8254 Skype: uwsgclark7 Twitter:@ GeraldineClark7
References Bourdieu, P. (1979). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Oxon. Routledge & Keegan Paul Plc. Bourdieu, P. (1988). Homo Academicus. Cambridge: Polity Press. Clark, G. (2011). Butterflies or Chameleons? Examining students’ experience of the University of the West of Scotland through a Bourdieusian lens. Unpublished undergraduate dissertation, 2010/11. Hamilton: University of the West of Scotland, School of Social Sciences Library. Crozier, G., Reay, D., Clayton, J., Colliander, B. and Grinstead, J. (2008). Different strokes for different folks: diverse students in diverse institutions – experiences of higher education. Research Papers in Education, 23 (2): 167-177. Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2013). [Online] Available at: http://www.hesa.ac.uk. [Accessed: 25 February, 2014]. Leathwood, C. and O’Connell. P. (2003). It’s A Struggle. The Construction of the ‘New Student’ in Higher Education. Journal of Educational Policy, 18 (6): 597-619. Noble, J. and Davies, P. (2009). Cultural capital as an explanation of variation in participation in higher education. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 30: 591–605. Paterson, L. and Iannelli, C. (2007). 'Social Class and Educational Attainment: A Comparative Study of England, Wales and Scotland'. Sociology of Education, 80 (4): 330-358. Reay, D., Crozier. G. and Clayton, J. (2009). ‘Strangers in Paradise’: Working Class Students in Elite Universities. Sociology, 43 (6): 1103-1121. Reay, D., Crozier. G. and Clayton, J. (2010). ‘Fitting In’ Or ‘Standing Out’: Working-Class Students in UK Higher Education. British Educational Research Journal, 32 (1): 1-19. Round, A. (2005) A Survey of Student Attitudes, Experiences and Expectations on selected vocational courses at the University of Northumbria. Northumbria: England. Scottish Funding Council, (2010). Measures of Success. Learning for all. [Online] Available at http://sfc.ac.uk/reports_publications/reports_publications_aspx. [Accessed 20 Feb 2013]. Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), (2010). Scottish participation in higher education: statistics. SPICe Briefing 10/08. Edinburgh: The Scottish Parliament Thomas, L. (2002). Student retention in higher education: The role of institutional habitus. Journal of Educational Policy, 17(4): 423–42. Toman, N. (2010). Diverse Students? Diverse Identities? Can Conceptions of Habitus and Identity Facilitate an Understanding of Learner Experience Within Contemporary Higher Education? Academic Identities for the 21st Century Conference Proceedings, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 16-18th June 2010. [Online] Available at http://edinburgh.academia.edu/NualaToman/Papers/202900/Diverse_Students_Diverse_Identities_Can_conceptions_of_habitus_and_identity_facilitate_an_understanding_of_learner_experience_within_Contemporary_Higher_Education. [Accessed 25 Feb2014]..