Julie Osborn, Pauline Kneale, Rebecca Turner, Alison Bacon What Do Student Psychological Contracts Tell Us About the Student Experience? Julie Osborn, Pauline Kneale, Rebecca Turner, Alison Bacon

Overview Psychological contracts Student experience Findings from a longitudinal, qualitative study What the student psychological contract tells us about working with students.

Psychological Contracts 50 Year history yet concept remains theoretically under developed (Conway & Briner, 2005) Used to explores the relationship between employees and the organisation Lack of agreed definitions “Individual beliefs, shaped by an organization, regarding the terms of an exchange agreement between the individual and their organisation” (Rousseau, 1995 p. 9). Useful concept to explore the ‘new’ relationship between students and HEIs.

Current Study Qualitative, longitudinal, data collection started in 2012 (Higher fees and student charters introduced) Staff interviews – n=9 2012 Six focus groups – 32 students 2012 Interviews – 2013, 2014 2015 (11 out of 32 students stayed throughout) Constructivist grounded theory using psychological contracts as a sensitizing concept

Student Psychological Contracts Awareness Behavioural & cognitive manifestations kl External Influences e.g. Publicity Websites Social media Peers Engagement Exchange Transactional & relational Affective state Resilience & Self efficacy Fluid boundaries Idealised identity Expectations Key expectations: Contact time employability books Gauges and comparators

Students say “If he’s [lecturer] going to a conference I wouldn’t expect him to be in a 5-star hotel with first class flights because that’s not necessary. Fair enough if he goes economy, stays in a standard class hotel and brings something back to the table then in a way that’s justified.” Focus Group A (T2). “You get let down by not having the opportunities you thought you would. The more times you go and sit in a workshop and no one comes to talk to you because they’re too busy helping someone else or because they weren’t in that day.” Student P10 (T2). “I do wonder where the £9,000 goes. I know it pays towards lectures and resources but how this uses the money, I don’t understand that.” Focus Group C (T2).

Students Say Value for money “It annoyed me when a member of staff went on a recruitment thing, which I think was just a conference, but it was in another country! It meant that he wasn’t here for a week and we didn’t get a replacement lecturer. I was like come on mate – I’m paying 9K for you to be here and teach me!” Focus Group D (T2). “I thought there’d be more lectures. There’s only two terms of lectures which I think is a little bit rubbish considering that we’re paying loads of money.” Student P3 (T3).

Findings The student psychological contract Expectations Expecting something but not sure what Exchange Process is bi-directional Engagement Disappointment avoided by using internal coping strategies and external influencing strategies

Messages The student psychological contract Novel and useful concept – compare to the National Student Survey Provides practical applications – students expectations ambiguous therefore misunderstandings will arise Offers a conceptualisation of the student experience as being dynamic and situation specific Offer interpretation of the relationship between students and HEIs.

Working with students All contracts are psychological and subject to individual interpretation. Information and the way it is presented important Misunderstandings will arise Exchange and engagement provide opportunities to shape and reform the psychological contract

Question Time Further info Julie.Osborn@plymouth.ac.uk

References Conway, N., & Briner, R. B. (2005). Understanding psychological contracts at work: A critical evaluation of theory and research: Oxford University Press Oxford. Kandiko, C., & Mawer, M. (2013). Student expectations and perceptions of higher education. London: King’s Learning Institute. Koskina, A. (2011). What does the student psychological contract mean? Evidence from a UK business school. Studies in Higher Education, 1-17. doi:10.1080/03075079.2011.618945 Rousseau, D. (1995). Psychological contracts in organizations: Understanding written and unwritten agreements: Sage Publications.