A (re) negotiation of identity: A (re) negotiation of identity: from mature student to from mature student to

‘novice academic’‘novice academic’

Dr Amanda ChapmanDr Amanda ChapmanUniversity of CumbriaUniversity of Cumbria

Presented at Discourses of Inclusion in Higher Education, 24Presented at Discourses of Inclusion in Higher Education, 24 thth -25 -25thth April 2012 April 2012

BackgroundBackground

One of the findings from my doctoral One of the findings from my doctoral researchresearch

‘‘Followed’ 8 mature students through their Followed’ 8 mature students through their first year of undergraduate studyfirst year of undergraduate study

Semi-structured interviews at 5 key points Semi-structured interviews at 5 key points through the yearthrough the year

Prior application/early weeksPrior application/early weeks

Imposter syndromeImposter syndrome

Different expectations/clear goalsDifferent expectations/clear goals

Usually made a sacrifice of some kind Usually made a sacrifice of some kind (career, financial security, home life)(career, financial security, home life)

Settling inSettling in

Induction was seen as ‘a waste of time’Induction was seen as ‘a waste of time’

Due to discourse of ‘alcohol’ and ‘living away Due to discourse of ‘alcohol’ and ‘living away from home’from home’

Settling in started with classroom activity & Settling in started with classroom activity & subject engagementsubject engagement

Need to acknowledge prior experience in the Need to acknowledge prior experience in the classroomclassroom

Academic LiteracyAcademic Literacy

Took time but sought helpTook time but sought help

Workshops on essay writing etcWorkshops on essay writing etc

Emotion of assessment especially examsEmotion of assessment especially exams

Poor educational experience or time lagPoor educational experience or time lag

FeedbackFeedback

CrucialCrucial

Never enoughNever enough

Assessment cycle helps with academic Assessment cycle helps with academic literacy and with the ‘sense of belonging’ literacy and with the ‘sense of belonging’ not just to their institution but to academianot just to their institution but to academia

EntitlementEntitlement

Mature students often have a lack of Mature students often have a lack of entitlemententitlement

‘‘University is not for the likes of me’University is not for the likes of me’

A few assessment cycles and they start to A few assessment cycles and they start to overcome thisovercome this

Can get frustrated by other students if Can get frustrated by other students if there are lots of strategic learnersthere are lots of strategic learners

Strategic LearnersStrategic Learners

‘‘First year doesn’t count’First year doesn’t count’

Only have to passOnly have to pass

Can lead to lack of engagement or Can lead to lack of engagement or alienation from their subject areaalienation from their subject area

Mature GroupMature Group

As they engage more deeply with their subject As they engage more deeply with their subject area they become alienated from the strategic area they become alienated from the strategic learnerslearners

Vicious circleVicious circle

Mature students felt they had to do all the work Mature students felt they had to do all the work in seminarsin seminars

Group work often an issueGroup work often an issue

Identity IssuesIdentity Issues

Towards the end of the year the students Towards the end of the year the students were asked how they would describe were asked how they would describe themselves to a third partythemselves to a third party

All 8 said they would say they are a All 8 said they would say they are a student but with some qualificationstudent but with some qualification

‘‘I’m a student at the moment but I used to work in insurance and I’m I’m a student at the moment but I used to work in insurance and I’m hoping to run my own business’hoping to run my own business’

Construction of ‘student’Construction of ‘student’

Laden with meaning that the mature Laden with meaning that the mature participants in this study wanted to participants in this study wanted to distance themselves from:distance themselves from:

LazyLazy Drink too muchDrink too much Doing just enough to get byDoing just enough to get by

(Their words, not mine)(Their words, not mine)

They wanted to keep the ‘scholarship’ They wanted to keep the ‘scholarship’ aspect of student but remove the restaspect of student but remove the rest

‘‘Novice academic’ seems to fitNovice academic’ seems to fit

Community of PracticeCommunity of Practice

If we see the CoP as academia rather than If we see the CoP as academia rather than the student bodythe student body

Academic staff as the expertAcademic staff as the expert

Students as the noviceStudents as the novice

Novice AcademicNovice Academic

Reflects:Reflects:

The seriousness of the learningThe seriousness of the learning The sacrifices that were made to enter HEThe sacrifices that were made to enter HE Engagement in the subject CoPEngagement in the subject CoP Engagement in academiaEngagement in academia

ReferencesReferencesBraxton, J.M. & Hirschy, A. (2004) Reconceptualising antecedents of social integration in student Braxton, J.M. & Hirschy, A. (2004) Reconceptualising antecedents of social integration in student

departure. In Yorke, M & Longden, B. (Eds) departure. In Yorke, M & Longden, B. (Eds) Retention and Student Success in Higher Education. Retention and Student Success in Higher Education. Maidenhead: SRHE and Oxford University PressMaidenhead: SRHE and Oxford University Press

Clance, P. & Imes, S. (1978) The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and Clance, P. & Imes, S. (1978) The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. 15 (3), pp 241-24715 (3), pp 241-247

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O’Donnell, V. & Tobbell, J. (2007) The Transition of Adult Students to Higher Education: Legitimate O’Donnell, V. & Tobbell, J. (2007) The Transition of Adult Students to Higher Education: Legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice? peripheral participation in a community of practice? Adult Education QuarterlyAdult Education Quarterly. 57 (4) pp 312- 328. 57 (4) pp 312- 328

Warin, J. & Dempster, S. (2007) The Salience of Gender during transition to higher education: male Warin, J. & Dempster, S. (2007) The Salience of Gender during transition to higher education: male students’ accounts of performed and authentic identities. students’ accounts of performed and authentic identities. British Educational Research Journal. British Educational Research Journal. 33 (6) pp 887- 90333 (6) pp 887- 903

Wenger, E. (1998) Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge Cambridge: Cambridge University PressUniversity Press

Wenger, E., McDermott, R.A. & Snyder, W. (2002) Wenger, E., McDermott, R.A. & Snyder, W. (2002) Cultivating Communities of Practice. Cultivating Communities of Practice. Boston: Boston: Harvard Business School PressHarvard Business School Press

Yorke, M. (1999) Yorke, M. (1999) Leaving Early: Undergraduate non-completion in higher education. Leaving Early: Undergraduate non-completion in higher education. London: Palmer London: Palmer PressPress