TY - BOOK

T1 - The first-year experience in higher education in the UK

T2 - final report

AU - Yorke, Mantz

AU - Longden, Bernard

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - This report details the findings from Phase 2 of the study of the first-yearexperience, which focused on students who did not return in 2006-07for the second year of full-time undergraduate study at their originalinstitution. It also alludes to the findings from the on-course experiencesof first-year students in the preceding academic year (Phase 1), and makessome comparisons with a study of non-completion that was conducted inthe mid-1990s.In middle of the academic year 2005–06, students in a variety of institutionswere generally very positive about their first-year experience, judging bysome 7000 responses to the Phase 1 survey conducted roughly six monthsafter enrolment. There was a high level of confidence that successfulcompletion of the programme would result in the gaining of graduate-levelemployment. However, a number of factors were identified which indicatedthat, for some, student continuation was at risk, the main factors beinginadequate prior information about the programme and/or the institution,and a concern regarding the financing of studies. Free-text responsesindicated that the social side of higher education was particularly importantto new students.Perhaps rather surprisingly, the responses to the Phase 1 survey of studentsfrom relatively disadvantaged backgrounds did not differ greatly from thoseof their more advantaged peers. The opportunity was taken in the presentreport to subject the Phase 1 data to further analyses which suggested that,although overall differences were small, there were signs that the relativelydisadvantaged were less positive about some aspects of their experience.The Phase 2 study consisted of a postal questionnaire to all students whodid not return for their second year at 25 varied institutions, based on 44closed items similar to those used a decade earlier. The number of usableresponses was 462. The general pattern of responses was quite similar tothat obtained a decade ago from students who discontinued their studies inthe mid-1990s, the major influences on non-continuation being: poor choiceof programme; lack of personal commitment to study; teaching quality;lack of contact with academic staff; inadequate academic progress; andfinance. Within this broad similarity, however, there were some hints thatthe issue of contact with academic staff was becoming more significant forcontinuation, and that finance was declining in significance.Consistent with the earlier study, nearly three-quarters of the respondentseither had already re-engaged, or intended to re-engage with, higher education.The responses were analysed with respect to different demographicvariables: qualitative findings are presented in this report, with detailedstatistics being available on the Higher Education Academy’s website(www.heacademy.ac.uk). The inclusion on the survey form of spaces forstudents to write freely about their personal experiences encouragedsome vivid descriptions of experience which, while not necessarilyrepresentative, complement the statistical analyses of the responses tothe closed questions.The findings of Phase 2 are discussed with reference to the possibility ofthe enhancement of the student experience. Some aspects, such as theadoption of teaching approaches that actively engage students from theoutset, are within institutions’ compass. Others, such as the choice-makingof potential students, are partially amenable to institutional interventions.The projected downturn in the number of young people in the UK fromaround 2011 suggests that, for some institutions at least, a clear focus onthe first-year experience of students will be vital.

AB - This report details the findings from Phase 2 of the study of the first-yearexperience, which focused on students who did not return in 2006-07for the second year of full-time undergraduate study at their originalinstitution. It also alludes to the findings from the on-course experiencesof first-year students in the preceding academic year (Phase 1), and makessome comparisons with a study of non-completion that was conducted inthe mid-1990s.In middle of the academic year 2005–06, students in a variety of institutionswere generally very positive about their first-year experience, judging bysome 7000 responses to the Phase 1 survey conducted roughly six monthsafter enrolment. There was a high level of confidence that successfulcompletion of the programme would result in the gaining of graduate-levelemployment. However, a number of factors were identified which indicatedthat, for some, student continuation was at risk, the main factors beinginadequate prior information about the programme and/or the institution,and a concern regarding the financing of studies. Free-text responsesindicated that the social side of higher education was particularly importantto new students.Perhaps rather surprisingly, the responses to the Phase 1 survey of studentsfrom relatively disadvantaged backgrounds did not differ greatly from thoseof their more advantaged peers. The opportunity was taken in the presentreport to subject the Phase 1 data to further analyses which suggested that,although overall differences were small, there were signs that the relativelydisadvantaged were less positive about some aspects of their experience.The Phase 2 study consisted of a postal questionnaire to all students whodid not return for their second year at 25 varied institutions, based on 44closed items similar to those used a decade earlier. The number of usableresponses was 462. The general pattern of responses was quite similar tothat obtained a decade ago from students who discontinued their studies inthe mid-1990s, the major influences on non-continuation being: poor choiceof programme; lack of personal commitment to study; teaching quality;lack of contact with academic staff; inadequate academic progress; andfinance. Within this broad similarity, however, there were some hints thatthe issue of contact with academic staff was becoming more significant forcontinuation, and that finance was declining in significance.Consistent with the earlier study, nearly three-quarters of the respondentseither had already re-engaged, or intended to re-engage with, higher education.The responses were analysed with respect to different demographicvariables: qualitative findings are presented in this report, with detailedstatistics being available on the Higher Education Academy’s website(www.heacademy.ac.uk). The inclusion on the survey form of spaces forstudents to write freely about their personal experiences encouragedsome vivid descriptions of experience which, while not necessarilyrepresentative, complement the statistical analyses of the responses tothe closed questions.The findings of Phase 2 are discussed with reference to the possibility ofthe enhancement of the student experience. Some aspects, such as theadoption of teaching approaches that actively engage students from theoutset, are within institutions’ compass. Others, such as the choice-makingof potential students, are partially amenable to institutional interventions.The projected downturn in the number of young people in the UK fromaround 2011 suggests that, for some institutions at least, a clear focus onthe first-year experience of students will be vital.

M3 - Book

SN - 9781905788613

BT - The first-year experience in higher education in the UK

PB - The Higher Education Academy

CY - York

ER -