1. Dr Mark Zarb Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (Scotland, UK)
Transitions & Concern
Dr Mark Zarb
Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
(Scotland, UK)

2. Transitions into HE Computing: Why care?
The experience of starting university is:
Individual
Scary; an alien environment
Difficult
Why should we care?
Declining numbers and an increase in drop-outs and transfers
In the UK, 9.8% of the CS1 cohort did not continue their study in the 2014/15 session.
Individual: many first-generation students, especially from more rural areas (farming communities and fishing villages, e.g.)
Scary: alien environment, larger environment. You go from being 1 in 200 to 1 in 2000.
Difficult: new location, new home, sudden independence
UK: Average across all subjects for non-continuation is 6% - this is the highest one.

3. Transitions into HE Computing: why care?
We want to understand the concerns of students transitioning into CS1 so we can better support them through their journey.
The literature mostly considers the concerns and opinions of CS1 students after they have transitioned.

4. Survey
Through a number of focus groups with staff, students and pupils, we created a survey with the aim of understanding these concerns through the POV of the students going through this transition.
Disseminated to a number of schools as part of our outreach programme.
In exchange for data, we provided talks to students about life at university, and computing as a subject choice.
These were anonymous and optional.

5. Quantitative Questions
28 Likert-scale questions inspired by literature and focus group on the following potential concerns:
Academic environment
Academic staff
Academic work
Accessibility
Homesickness
Housing
Jobs
Finance
Social

6. Data
302 pupils
23 schools
(Add 2016)

7. Data
302 pupils
23 schools
(add 2016 data)

8. Top Concerns Job after graduating Will I fail? What happens if I do?1
Job after graduating 2
Will I fail? What happens if I do? 3
General money concerns 4
Housing fees 5
Have I/will I choose the right course? 6
Course fees 7
Am I prepared? 8
Will I be good at it? 9
Applying for tuition funding 10
What will the workload be?

9. Top Concerns Job after graduating Will I fail? What happens if I do?1
Job after graduating 2
Will I fail? What happens if I do? 3
General money concerns 4
Housing fees 5
Have I/will I choose the right course? 6
Course fees 7
Am I prepared? 8
Will I be good at it? 9
Applying for tuition funding 10
What will the workload be?

10. Top Concerns Job after graduating Will I fail? What happens if I do?1
Job after graduating 2
Will I fail? What happens if I do? 3
General money concerns 4
Housing fees 5
Have I/will I choose the right course? 6
Course fees 7
Am I prepared? 8
Will I be good at it? 9
Applying for tuition funding 10
What will the workload be?

11. “I am worried about…”

12. So What?
Within Scotland, most home students are eligible for free tuition.
In my personal tutor role, students frequently approach me with (and I mostly prepare for) personal or academic issues, but never financial ones.
Why?
What is the solution? (Is there a solution?)
We implemented some classes in conjunction with Study Skills about finance, independence, etc.
We put the topic of finance ON THE TABLE.
More students came to me with questions about funding, part-time jobs, work-life balance issues, etc. :)

13. Current Work Still analyzing this data…
But there is some interesting misconception coming out
“If I go to university I will be in debt for the next years.”
“University gives me no value for money.”
Work now = real money vs a hypothetical future
ESPECIALLY if you’re 16/17 and have no need for money other than socialising!
Family business

14. Future Work
Running a 2017 survey – trying to target schools outside NE Scotland (maybe outside the UK?).
Longitudinal analysis across the years to see how (if) concerns are changing.