A 3 dimensional view of factors influencing academic engagement within a diverse student population University of Wolverhampton: Christine Hockings Hilary Bentley University of Birmingham: Marion Bowl Sandra Cooke Hiromi Yamashita

Outline Aims of the TLRP project Theoretical perspectives Areas of exploration Phase one of study - methods Findings – a picture of pre entry student diversity Conclusions and further work

Aim of the TLRP project To find ways of enhancing the learning and teaching environment to improve academic engagement and participation of a diverse range of students By exploring the differences and similarities between student and university teacher conceptions of – Themselves and each other in their respective roles – Knowledge and knowing – Learning and teaching By exploring how/if these conceptions are brought to bear on teaching practice and student academic engagement

Three theoretical perspectives 1.Sociological perspectives Social diversity (class, ‘race’, gender) and the student experience (Bowl, 2003) Individual and institutional habitus (Reay, 1998) Inclusion, exclusion and the curriculum (Apple, 1990;1993) 2.Pedagogical perspectives Approaches to learning (Marton et al, 1997) Communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) Academic engagement (Ashwin & McLean, 2003) 3.Epistemological perspectives Women’s ways of knowing (Belenky et al, 1997)

Teacher identity Conceptions of - students; - learning & teaching; - knowledge & knowing Social / cultural background Prior experience of teaching in HE Epistemological position Areas for exploration Factors influencing academic engagement Social / cultural background Economic position Educational background Educational / career aspirations Political Social Institutional Cultural Economic Student identity Conceptions of - university teachers; - learning & teaching; - knowledge & knowing Similarity / difference Interaction Teaching interventions Academic engagement?

Phase one – methods Survey of over 200 pre entry students 10 focus groups involving 100 students 8 interviews (paired or individual) Focus group of participating university lecturers Tools for analysis Nvivo 7 – for qualitative data analysis Surveyor web-based questionnaire - qualitative and quantitative data Excel spreadsheet

Findings – ‘race’,class & gender Pre entry business students Largest ethnic group Asian Indian More middle class Indian students Low level of 1 st gen Indian cf other ethnic grps Roughly equal gender split Male 33% Female 67% 1 st Gen 100% Male 53% Female 47% 1 st Gen 5% Male 60% Female 40% 1 st Gen 40% Indian Pre entry IT students Roughly even numbers of white British & minority ethnic groups (note Caribbean, etc) More working class students More 1 st generation students Mostly male students Male 75% Female 25% 1 st Gen 25% Male 80% Female 20% 1 st Gen 20% Male 92% Female 8% 1 st Gen 62% Indian

Findings – class, ‘race’, gender Pre entry sociology/social work students Largest ethnic group white British Mostly working class students Fairly low level of 1 st generation students Mostly female Male 100% Female 0% 1 st Gen 0% Male 67% Female 33% 1 st Gen 0% Male 20% Female 80% 1 st Gen 25% Pre entry science students Largest ethnic group white British Mostly working class students Very low level of 1 st generation students Roughly even gender split Male 0% Female 100% 1 st Gen 0% Male 67% Female 33% 1 st Gen 0% Male 13% Female 88% 1 st Gen 25% Indian Other (African, Caribbean, Bangladeshi)

Findings - Sociological factors Money, debt and work And if you’re grown up you’re going to have a part time job. Some have got to pay for them to go to uni, and they have got to work to support themselves (Focus group H) Making friends, being alone and fitting in If you’re living away from home, because I am going to a university that’s away from home, so it’s really important for me to make friends... (Focus group ST) There’s going to be so many people from different backgrounds, you can’t really be prejudice because you’re going to be with them for how many years that you’re there. (Focus group H) Different treatment One of my teachers excludes me from the rest of my class. I feel as though she doesn't like me and doesn't provide me with as much help in the lesson. I don't usually make as much effort to turn up to her lessons as I do for other lessons because I feel as though if she can't be bothered then why should I? (Pre entry student survey)

Findings – pedagogical & epistemological factors Surface approach to learning I prefer to be given info because this would give me an idea of what I am supposed to be learning. I prefer to be given information and then have support there for when needed whilst writing assignments Epistemological positions Received knowledge Go back to them both [teachers] and explain that I have had conflicting information and see what they say. If they still disagree, go with the one who is marking my work. Subjective knowledge Think about it for a long time and come to my own conclusion, most things have at least two or more interpretations The one I feel most strongly about … My gut instinct and further research

Conclusions There is great diversity in terms of class, gender and ethnicity among these students. However African, Bangladeshi & Caribbean are still under represented Some subjects appear to attract wider diversity than others. There are a number of similarities within this diversity –Sociological e.g need for security, belonging, equality –Pedagogical e.g. over half appear to take a surface approach Epistemological e.g. over half ‘receive knowledge’ However there are many differences. Phase 2 will explore how/if these differences are brought to bear on the learning task/ activity