Different student groups and their views on academic studies Gudrun Balke & Karin Lumsden Wass Göteborg University

STUG has carried out two major evaluation projects Evaluation of Goteborg/Gothenburg University’s (GU) 70 study programme Evaluation of GU’s 750 single subject courses …with a third in progress Evaluation of the doctoral studies at GU’s nine faculties

Analysis of social background Students whose parents have a degree or completed some academic education (Higher education group, HE) Students whose parents have not completed any academic studies after finishing compulsory schooling (Lower education group, LE)

Gender and age LE groupHE groupTotal student group Women age 74% 32 67% 26 72% 28 Men age 26% 31 33% 26 28% 28 Total100%

Lower education group 56% are married or cohabitants 38% have children living at home Higher education group 40% are married or cohabitants 11% have children living at home Characteristics of the students

Reasons for choosing academic education I want to study in Göteborg I want to minimise the risk of being unemployed I have had work experience within the subject area I want to increase the likelihood of me getting a job abroad I want to get a good salary LE groupHE group

Working efforts within the studies Hours/week

Expectations The studies will be….. interesting, instructive and relevant valuable in terms of my personal development demanding my own responsibility The teachers will be… skilled stimulating I expect to… cope quite easily with the studies understand the literature quite easy learn about conducting academic research enjoy being a student make new friends LE group/Women HE group/Women

Fulfilments I find the studies….. interesting, instructive and relevant valuable in terms of my personal development demanding my own responsibility The teachers are… skilled stimulating I … cope quite easy with the studies understand the literature quite easy am finding out about academic research activities / methods enjoy being a student have made new friends LE group/WomenHE group/Women

One student explains We, people in our 40s, have quite a different understanding of going to university. Even though we enjoy being students, we don’t live the merry student life of a 20 year-old. We are often more focused to complete our studies as soon as possibly. University studies and the life around it tend to focus on young students… You [the university] do need to find out more about the needs of the ‘old ones’.

The organisation of the studies The possibilities to get in touch with the teaching staff The amount of teaching hours Links to research Study guidance Learning about rhetoric Practice and development of oral and written language Practice in using ICT Teaching and learning Aspects the LE-group find important

Plans for the future In ten years I will… have been working in professions strongly linked to my field of study have been working in the public sector have attended basic level university courses In ten years I will… have been working as a manager have been working within the private sector have been self-employed have a doctoral degree have been working/studying abroad have changed jobs more than three times LE groupHE group

Concluding remarks The variations between the two groups is mainly related to differences in opinions, expectations and experiences between the females, thus highlighting the importance of including gender as a variable when analysing social backgrounds. Students within the lower education group have more doubts about their [future] academic success and are definitely more insecure in the academic environment. This underlines the importance of offering supporting activities during the first year. The lower education group has a different social situation than the higher education group, i.e. living with families and children. A well functioning organisation around the courses seems to be a way of supporting them in their efforts to manage the studies.

Concluding comment More people would probably apply if they thought they had the ability to make it through university. I used to think that university was a place for over-intelligent snobs, but I was sorely mistaken. The universities sure could need a more welcoming image.