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Different student groups and their views on academic studies
Gudrun Balke & Karin Lumsden WassGöteborg University
http://www.plana.adm.gu.se/stug/
STUG has carried out two major evaluation projects
• Evaluation of Goteborg/Gothenburg University’s (GU) 70 study programme
• Evaluation of GU’s 750 single subject courses
…with a third in progress
• Evaluation of the doctoral studies at GU’s nine faculties
Analysis of social background
• Students whose parents have a degree or completed some academic education (Higher education group, HE)
• Students whose parents have not completed any academic studies after finishing compulsory schooling (Lower education group, LE)
Gender and age
LE group HE group Total student group
Women
age
74%
32
67%
26
72%
28
Men
age
26%
31
33%
26
28%
28
Total 100% 100%
Lower education group
• 56% are married or cohabitants
• 38% have children living at home
Lower education group
• 56% are married or cohabitants
• 38% have children living at home
Higher education group
•40% are married or cohabitants
•11% have children living at home
Higher education group
•40% are married or cohabitants
•11% have children living at home
Characteristics of the students
Reasons for choosing academic education
• I want to study in Göteborg
• I want to minimise the risk of being unemployed
• I have had work experience within the subject area
• I want to increase the likelihood of me getting a job abroad
• I want to get a good salary
LE group HE group
Working efforts within the studiesHours/week
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Women LE Women HE Men HE Men LE
Expectations
The studies will be…..
• interesting, instructive and relevant
• valuable in terms of my personal development
• demanding
• my own responsibility
The teachers will be…
• skilled
• stimulating
I expect to…
• cope quite easily with the studies
• understand the literature quite easy
• learn about conducting academic research
• enjoy being a student
• make new friends
LE group/Women HE group/Women
Fulfilments
I find the studies…..
• interesting, instructive and relevant
• valuable in terms of my personal development
• demanding
• my own responsibility
The teachers are…
• skilled
• stimulating
I …
• cope quite easy with the studies
• understand the literature quite easy
• am finding out about academic research activities / methods
• enjoy being a student
• have made new friends
LE group/Women HE group/Women
One student explains
We, people in our 40s, have quite a different understanding of going to university. Even though we enjoy being students, we don’t live the merry student life of a 20 year-old.
We are often more focused to complete our studies as soon as possibly. University studies and the life around it tend to focus on young students… You [the university] do need to find out more about the needs of the ‘old ones’.
• The organisation of the studies
• The possibilities to get in touch with the teaching staff
• The amount of teaching hours
• Links to research
• Study guidance
• Learning about rhetoric
• Practice and development of oral and written language
• Practice in using ICT
Teaching and learning
Aspects the LE-group find important
Plans for the future
In ten years I will…
• have been working in professions strongly linked to my field of study
• have been working in the public sector
• have attended basic level university courses
In ten years I will…
• have been working as a manager
• have been working within the private sector
• have been self-employed
• have a doctoral degree
• have been working/studying abroad
• have changed jobs more than three times
LE group HE group
Concluding remarks
• The variations between the two groups is mainly related to differences in opinions, expectations and experiences between the females, thus highlighting the importance of including gender as a variable when analysing social backgrounds.
• Students within the lower education group have more doubts about their [future] academic success and are definitely more insecure in the academic environment. This underlines the importance of offering supporting activities during the first year.
• The lower education group has a different social situation than the higher education group, i.e. living with families and children. A well functioning organisation around the courses seems to be a way of supporting them in their efforts to manage the studies.
Concluding comment
More people would probably apply if they thought they had the ability to make it through university. I used to think that university was a place for over-intelligent snobs, but I was sorely mistaken. The universities sure could need a more welcoming image.
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