Staying or Going? Institutional Experiences of Non-traditional Students in Higher Education Barbara Merrill University of Warwick UK

Partners University of Warwick, England – Co-ordinator Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany University of Lower Silesia, Poland University of Stirling, Scotland Canterbury Christ Church University, England University of Seville, Spain University of Stockholm, Sweden University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland

Aims and Objectives To identify the factors which promote or constrain the access, retention non-completion of non- traditional students (class, gender, ethnicity, age, disability issues) to HE Non-traditional adult student – ‘a new mature student entrant with no previous HE qualification whose participation in HE is constrained by structural factors additional to age’.

Key Question Why do some people ‘keep on going on’ while others from a similar background drop-out?

Biographical narrative interviews 3 sensitising concepts Habitus (Pierre Bourdieu) Transitional Space (Donald Winnicott) Recognition (Axel Honneth)

Retention and Withdrawal Complex interplay between self, institution & external factors Challenge the negativity associated with withdrawal and economic approach Benefits of learning –even if not completed Role of agency and structure

Julie the Stayer Lack of confidence but enjoyment of learning Support of lecturers and peers Determination and resilience as education would bring a better life Wanted to change her life Developed a learner identity

Julie One of my tutors had already done lots of books about poverty and poverty was a really big issue for me at the time. I was really struggling and it was nice to know that she understood whether she’d experienced it herself or not in her own life that didn’t really matter because she really understood it at a very deep level what single parents go through. I got a lot of support. I found they were quite significant to me personally which then gave me the confidence to carry on working and to concentrate on my academic stuff.

Angela the Leaver Lost job – pushed into education Struggled academically – lack of confidence Kept herself to herself External pressures Dislike of exams Didn’t see herself as a failure Learning had re-built her confidence

Angela I changed prior to coming here because of that trauma in my life. It’s given me some of my confidence back…I can look at things in a different way. I can give an opinion on something in more detail and depth.

University as a transitional space for re- working identity Need for self-respect and belonging Need for support Fish in or out of water (Bourdieu)