HEA Research Seminar Series 2009 Access and Success for All

1. HEA Research Seminar Series 2009 Access and Success for All Higher Education students and Ethnicity: Lessons from Research Professor Mary Stuart, Kingston University Dr Catherine Lido, Thames Valley University Dr Jessica Morgan, Kingston University

2. Setting the context

3. UG Barriers to HE • Social Class 1,2 • First Generation Students • Fear of Debt 3 • Differences in Cultural/Social Capital & Habitus4

4. Minority Ethnic Groups (MEGs) in UK HE Students from MEGs face barriers in terms of HE experiences and outcomes 5, 6 • Racial identity 7 • Belonging/alienation 8 • Degree attainment 9 • Student satisfaction 10

5. Context • Life history and interpretation • Social and cultural background • Community context and perceptions • Stages in personal development • Political and economic climate Leads to a more rounded sense of ‘the learner’ – holistic approach – hence interest in informal learning beyond the classroom

6. WP in PG Education: Identifying Barriers & Creating Success (HEA) • N=1,073 Students from all subjects (bar Arts) • 47% Male, 53% Female; Aged 16-62 • 2 Southeast University Locations (Diff. ‘Types’) • Measured Barriers • Demographics and ‘Study Demographics’ • Family background and HE experience • Actual debt, Attitudes to debt

7. Identified PG Barriers for Black/ Afro-Caribbean Students • Highest in intentions to PG study, but… • Highest in Debt Worry • Highest in Actual Debt (loans, other…) • Lowest in Family HE experience • Lower in SES • Some differences in PG expectations = Fitting in/ cultural capital?

8. Thematic Analysis Findings • Success at UG level weakens PG barriers; • Family HE Experience: Encourages support and feelings of ‘fitting in’/ belonging • Debt: is accepted as ‘natural’ • BUT, individual differences in anxiety felt • Peers: key to a supportive environment & ultimately success

9. Student Diversity, extra curricular activities and perceptions of graduate outcomes (HEA) • N=1,000 Students from all a wide range of subjects • 4 Geographically and Demographically diverse HEIs in UK • Large scale survey and focus groups • Measured: -patterns of participation in ECAs -reasons for participation -perspectives from students, employers & alumni

10. MEG activity differences White students do more of this: • See friends (p<.01) • Visit pubs and bars (p<.01) • Visit shops and cafes (p<.05) • Watch films (p<.05) Black students do more of this: • Visit the library (p<.01) • Pray (p<.01) • See family (p<.05) • Do business on line (p<.05) • Meet NEW friends on social networking sites (p<.01) • Have paid employment (p<.01) Asian Students are doing more of this: • Visit the library (p<.05) • Visit the students union (p<.01) • Attend University clubs and societies (p<.01) • Pray (p<.01) • See family (p<.01) • Volunteer (p<.01)

11. Informal learning? Students from lower socio-economic groups: • Are less likely to engage in clubs & societies, or even other hobbies (p<.01) • Are less involved w/ Students Union (p<.06) • Spend more time in paid employment (p<.01) • Are more likely to say their commitments & activities negatively impact in their HE performance (p<.05) This led us on to think more critically about the whole experience for students and how this related to their outcomes

12. Quantitative Findings

13. Current Project (ESRC) We aimed to explore: • Different ethnic groups’ experiences of social identity & belonging in UK HE • Factors affecting a positive HE experience (for various student groups) • Factors affecting degree marks

14. SIT • Social Identity Theory 11 • In-group Affiliation= Positive Distinctiveness • ‘Identity threat’ (HE environment) • In-group identification (university and peers) key to self-esteem?

15. Belonging “Cultural Capital”: Forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, expectations 4 Social capital 12 Make environments such as HE a comfortable/familiar place Institutional habitus13 Which affects success!

16. Method Phase 1: Large scale survey (n=766) Distributed in lectures to 2nd years @ 4 HEIs: • 2 London post-92 Unis; 1960’s S.E England Uni; London Specialist Medical Institution. Phase 2: Qualitative analysis (n=54) • Student Focus groups x 10 (n=46) • Educational Life History Interviews (n=8) Phase 3: Follow-up: 2nd year exam results (n=26) • Correlated with self-reported marks: r=.46, p<.01

17. Adapted Measures Demographic factors14 Academic self-esteem 15 Well-being at university 16 Peer Support 17 Marks (self-reported and actual, r=.46, p<.01)

18. New Measures • Comfort Zone (alpha=.71) How physically comfortable students feel in and around campus. 4, 18 • University Identification (alpha=.86) Positive sense of connection with the university including feelings of pride and identification with peers. 19

19. Key findings UniID and comfort zone = key predictors for all students’ positive University experience Predict Black & White students’ marks Comfort zone more important for MEGs’ positive experience/ outcomes UniID more important for White students’ positive experience/ outcomes

20. Regression models predicting Academic Self-esteem

21. Regression models predicting Peer Support

22. Regression models predicting Well-Being

23. Regression models predicting Marks

24. Further ethnic group differences Black students • More Academic Self-esteem & UniID than white peers (p<.01) • Less peer support than all other ethnic groups (p<.01) Asian students • Less well-being at university than white peers (p<.001) • Less well-being & lower marks for Asian females (p<.01) Mixed Race students • Less comfort zone than all other ethnic groups (p<.05) • Less UniID than all other minority ethnic groups All MEG students (particularly Arab/ Persian) Less comfort zone for lower SES students (p<.05)

25. Break for lunch.... Working lunch/discussion... What do you think these results mean? After lunch we will be discussing what we think they mean, and presenting some qualitative findings.

26. Qualitative Findings But first: what do you think our results mean?

27. Focus Groups Main Themes: Thematic Analysis using GT bottom-up coding framework Uni for friendship (comfort zone) vs. study (Uni ID) Religion helps study Group work (peer support) vs. individual study Knowledge/uptake of support from peers & staff

28. MEG Students University “for study” Many ethnic minority students... • Felt strong positive feelings such as pride and connection with their Universities • Had a strong academic identity • Prioritised academic concerns over social life • Cf. Quant. findings for Black students

29. Some are slackers who don’t come in the whole year, but I have my own personal approach to my studies and academic work. I’m determined to be successful in what I do and hate failure, so I work as hard as I feel is needed to achieve good grades [‘Kwame’, Law Student, New Uni B] There is a social scene here and people do invite me to join them but I prefer to focus on study until outside of exams. [‘Abde’, Engineering, New Uni B]

30. Religion helps study Important for MEGs (esp. Black Christian), females and mature students: Relieved stress of studies Provided a social support network at uni Helped them succeed academically Encouraged continued course enrolment

31. Religion is the basis of my whole personality, how I handle things, it affects my schoolwork, my motivation. That’s why I put on so much effort on my studies as I know from my experiences around my religion that it will be worth it and that you get what you give. Abde, Engineering , Post-’92 university I’m involved in church too and it helps my education, through prayer, because I pray for help, and it cools down my brain, helps me relax so its stress relief. Mercy, Nursing, Post-’92 university Church is the only chance I get to see [my friends] and socialise, its good fun. It does relieve my stress as well. Nina, Nursing, Post-’92 univeristy

32. White Students University “for friendship” Many white students: • Felt positive about their social networks at university & strongly supported by peers • Saw HE as a time for personal development, socialising & ‘having fun’ • Prioritised extracurricular concerns over academic ones

33. The thing I love most about university is the atmosphere here, common interests and lots of friends, seeing people around on campus, everyone’s out and about and friendly . [‘Nicola’, Politics Student, 1960’s Uni C] There’s no point being here and having a great degree but no good memories. So I wouldn’t sacrifice my good time. [‘Abi’, Media, 1960’s Uni C]

34. Educational Life History Interviews Ethnic minority students: • Missing out on many benefits of social capital at University (academic and social) • Compounded by early educational experiences, SES, age and gender • Preference for individual study (e.g. not group work) • Less awareness and uptake of available support from their peers, teachers and HEIs

35. ‘Majdy’, Medical Student, Specialist Institution I always worked alone at school as I was one of the few nerdy kids, and the teachers left us alone The careers advisor said medicine would be too difficult to get into considering the area and the school I was from I prefer working alone at Uni as that’s just what I’m used to from school. I’m used to no one else being interested in what I’m doing. I’m worried that I’m not revising thoroughly enough and I should go and speak with someone but I'm not sure who.

36. White students: • More supportive early educational environments • Compounded by SES & family experience of HE • Expectations of collaborative & supported learning • Stronger social network at University • More confident to seek out extra help and support from peers, teachers and HEIs

37. I’ll always go to my friends for help first, and then a group of us will go and approach the teacher together if we’re still stuck. Problems are usually best sorted out this way. [‘Lauren’, Maths, 1960’s University] When the workload’s bad we divide it up and help each other as a matter of survival, you have to. [‘Hugh’, Engineering, Post ’92 University]

38. Summary Students educational experiences (early & HE) mediated by demographic factors affect: Focus on study and/or friendship at Uni Expectations, knowledge & uptake of peer, teacher and Uni support. Comfort zone around campus & and ID with Uni Positive HE outcomes&experience The importance of comfort zone & cultural capital: MEGs don’t want to spend time on campus Cf. White students’ peer support “uni for friendship”

39. Questions and Discussion • Have you had similar/different experiences at your institutions? • What are possible strategies to address these inequalities? • Plenary feedback at 2pm