1. Understanding the Problems of Transition into Higher Education
Helen Crabtree, Carole Roberts
and Christine Tyler
Work in progress
Origins – problems of student engagement and ability to adapt to demands of HE
(ie Adaptors and Survivors)
Paper at ECE in 2006

2. Context Concerns about student retention in HE
Research on 1st year student experience
Lack of appropriate expectations and necessary skills on entry
Importance of social and academic integration, self concept
Problems developing appropriate learning behaviours
A problem of transition ?
Widening participation and lifelong learning  more students entering university
Concerns about retention
Harvey et al (2006) The 1st year experience
Roberts et al (2003), Trotter and Roberts (2006)
Crabtree (2006)
Normal response – problem as student deficit,
More productive to think in terms of a transition model?

3. Phase 1- Comparing the T&L Environment in College and University
Semi-structured interviews
aims, practices, expectations, constraints
8 college tutors (4 SF, 4FE)
subject leaders/range of roles
A level and vocational qualifications
10 university tutors
range of u/g teaching experience/roles
degree & sub-degree, general & vocational
Project – work in progress
Presentation covers phase 1 and 2
Outline of phase 1 – comparative study of college and university
For more detailed outline of findings see poster

4. Programme aims
… aim of level 3 programmes is to progress to university in the main which means pass rates and success in exam results. The number one priority is to get the highest grade you can for your students. [SF]
Ideally the programme is seeking to develop the student’s capacity to think, to identify and appreciate the nature of problems, to identify solutions, to think about wider implications. [HE]
Selected typical quotations to highlight key differences
College – emphasis on best outcome for the student and achieving the qualification
success rates – perfomativity (Ball 2003)
University – emphasis on cognitive development
ways of thinking and practicing (Entwistle 2005)

5. The role of the tutor
The role of the teacher … is to understand the nature of the syllabus, to teach classes effectively using a variety of different teaching styles and to make sure that students make good progress [SF]
We are responsible for the students’ learning experience. It’s up to us to engender an interest in the subject and to ensure that students receive adequate direction about how to access information. [HE]
College – teaching & student success (performativity)
good teaching practice (teacher observations/Ofsted assessment)
University – promote student interest/enthusiasm in the subject
promote/engender/support independent enquiry

6. The role of the student
To attend as often as possible, to have equipment and text books with them, to be able to answer to Q/A sessions, to achieve above minimum target grade. [SF]
A good student is interested in the subject, attends classes, asks questions, will prepare for classes by reading through notes in advance and prepare for tutorials by doing the exercises in advance. [HE]
Tutor’s expectations of students
College – main emphasis is on hygiene factors
University – main emphasis in on self motivation/independent study

7. Guidance and support
We do emphasis the need to get into research, get into thinking what you are doing rather than asking for instruction all the time, but because we really want people to do well, we do err on the side of giving them masses and masses of help. [FE]
Students are encouraged to seek individual help from tutors if they have any problems. We give them our office hours. [HE]
College – more opportunity for research/enquiry on BTEC programmes but
teacher leads to learn, provides resources, detailed advice on c/w,
practicing/coaching (Torrance et al 2005), scheduled group or 1 to 1 tutorials
University – students need to seek help, more impersonal/less support and guidance

8. Phase 2 – The student’s voice
College student questionnaire - to explore the student’s views about teaching and learning
192 responses (97 SF, 95 FE)
115 A-level, 13 voc A-Level, 64 BTEC
104 male, 86 female
118 white, 72 non-white
127 intending to go on to university after college
Combined responses to some questions to assess the extent to which students are willing to take personal responsibility for learning (‘independent learning’)
Questionnaire for college students based on findings of phase 1
Explores students’ attitudes to teaching and learning in college
Asks students for their preferences between options which broadly reflect college/university practices
The nature of the sample (included 7 of the 8 colleges in phase1)
Some responses combined to produce an ‘independent learning’ variable – preference to be led by the teacher or to take more personal responsibility for learning
(questions 4,5,8,9,10,12,13 and 15)

9. Findings (1) Best things about studying at college compared to school
60%: freedom, independence, treated like an adult
15%: teachers, methods, support, resources
11%: subject choice, specialism
10%: friends, social atmosphere
Open question responses – likes (Q20)
Note that students feel and like the fact that they have more freedom and independence

10. Findings (2) Worst things about studying at college compared to school
33%: work more demanding, challenging, stressful, pressured
19%: teachers, methods, coursework, resources
11.5%: too much responsibility, too little help
8%: college environment, too noisy
Open question responses – dislikes (Q21)
Note that students are concerned about the pressure of work and the perceived lack of help

11. Findings (3)
At college I am required to take more responsibility for my own learning than at school (possible range 1-5)
mean
86% of respondents agree, 7% disagree
Confirms that students feel that they are taking more personal responsibility for learning (Q19)
Taking responsibility for own learning is what college students’ understand by ‘independent learning’ (Broad 2006)

12. Findings (4)
Students prefer to be instructed and led to learn rather than learning independently
(independent learning variable, possible range 8-40)
mean
Actual range 8-31
93% of respondents had a score of less than 24
But results show that in practice most students prefer to be led and guided by the teacher

13. Findings (5)
In general my current College experience matches my learning preferences (possible range 1-5)
mean
65% respondents agree, 12% disagree
Q 18 - Strong correlation with ‘independent learning’ variable (p<0.01)
i.e. Students’ preferences reflect normal college practice

14. Findings (6) – Regression Analysis
+ve association between the ‘independent learning’ variable and reason for taking a business qualification being an interest in the subject (p<0.05)
+ve association between the ‘independent learning’ variable and the number of GCSEs (A-C) before entry (p<0.05)
no significant relationship between ‘independent learning’ and type of college, qualification type, gender, ethnicity or year of study
Students who are more motivated by an interest in the subject than employability and
more academically able are more likely to prefer to learn independently
Suggestion that A level students may be less independent but not quite significant at p<0.05

15. Conclusions
The college experience is likely to encourage instrumentality
There are few opportunities in college to develop independent learning skills
A preference for independent study is more likely if students have an interest in the subject or are more academically able on entry
The move from college to university is just one step in an ongoing transition towards greater independence and self confidence
Instrumentality – a problem reported by university tutors in this study (and elsewhere Ottewill and Macfarlane 2003)
College experience will reinforce this – as teachers respond to crowded syllabus, time constraints, emphasis on success rates/performativity, and emphasis the importance of the qualification
Few opportunities to develop and practice skills required in university – students are led to learn and many prefer this
Transition into university may be easier for more able students who are already interested in the subject (intrinsic motivation) – the ‘traditional student’ but they are no longer the majority
Need to accept that student are more instrumental – that their attitudes and approaches to learning will be influenced by previous experiences may find adjustment to university culture difficult because of previous teaching and learning experiences
College environment - very supportive, focus on needs of the individual, emphasis on optimising assessment outcomes (advice/coaching etc)
In contrast University environment – anonymous, impersonal, little individual support (sink or swim)
 Need to build on the increased sense of independence and responsibility developed at college
provide more structured support to help students to develop skills and self confidence during the 1st year of the programme, clarify the new ‘rules of the game’, not just Skills modules