This book provides an in-depth analysis of what it means to be the first in family at university. It examines the factors that influence first in family students' decisions to enrol, attend and continue at university, and how their hopes, dreams and ambitions for the future affect their university experience. Using survey data and semi-structured interviews, the book offers valuable and far-reaching insights into the first in family student experience, and provides recommendations for future practice at the national and institutional level for teaching and professional staff as well as for first in family students. As universities face intense competition for students and growing economic constraints due to funding cuts and increasing costs, this book comes at a critical time.
The Experience of Being First in Family at University : Pioneers in Higher Education
Description
Table of Contents
1 The Importance of Considering First in Family Students.- 2 Research Methods and Approach to Analysis within Chapters.- 3 Motivations and Ambitions.- 4 Managing Transition.- 5 Costs and Constraints.- 6 Health and Wellbeing.- 7 Forming and Transforming Identity.- 8 Conclusion: The Purposes of Higher Education for the FiF Student.
Author Description
Associate Professor Sharron King (PhD) is the Head of UniSA College. She has over twenty-five years of experience as a tertiary educator and has led numerous teaching and learning studies investigating the student experience and academic practice. Her research interests focus primarily on students' transition to university, as well as student health and well-being and widening access to university for students who face educational disadvantage.
Dr Ann Luzeckyj is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education. She has worked in higher education for over 20 years in both Australia and England, as a lecturer and in libraries (in a range of different roles). She tutored and worked as a research assistant on various projects which explored support for first year students; preparing academics to teach in universities and redeveloping curriculum. She was also a project manager on the ALTC-funded Preparing Academics for Teaching in Higher Education (PATHE) project (2008 - 2010) and was part of the project committee and a key researcher on the ALTC (then OLT) funded First Year Student Expectations and Experiences project (2009 - 2011).
Associate Professor Ben McCann is Head of French Studies at the University of Adelaide. He was the Director of Student Experience for the Faculty of Arts there from 2012 to 2017 and co-Chief Investigator on the First Year Student Expectations and Experiences project (2009 - 2011).