Transition from first to second semester: trading off study, work and life

This research is directed towards the conference aim of investigating transitions where participation in higher education has been widened. Recent empirical work has established that both traditional- and non-traditional entrants to full-time higher education may make trade offs between academic study and demands or interests in other parts of their lives. This is particularly so over the course of the first year of study and in making the transition to the second year. The intention is to build on these findings and explore a dynamic theory of how students reduce academic load while pursuing academic success and maintaining involvements in other activities.div_BaMAndres, L and Carpenter, S (1997) Today's Higher Education Students: Issues of Admission, Retention, Transfer, and Attrition in Relation to Changing Student Demographics, The British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, http://www.bccat.bc.ca/pubs/today.pdf (Accessed: 12/12/05) Bailey, S, Crum, R, Parikh, A (1986) 'The relationship between degree class and the qualitative and quantitative attributes of social science students', Research in Education, 35, 43-71. Baxter, A and Hatt, S (2000) 'Everything Must Go: A Study of Clearing and First Year Progression', Journal of Further and Higher Education 24 (1) pp 5 - 14. Blair, T (1998) 'Introduction' in The Learning Age: a renaissance for a new Britain, http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/greenpaper/ch0000.htm (Accessed: 12/06/06) Boylan, H (2004) 'Access as More: Issues of student performance, retention and institutional change', in Osborne, M, Gallagher, J and Crossan, B (eds) Researching Widening Access to Lifelong Learning, 103 - 114, Routledge-Farmer, London Danson, M (2005) 'Economic Development and Local Communities', in Poverty, Deprivation and Development in Working Class Communities, Conference Proceedings, 10-14, Govan Community Council, Govan, November Davies, R and Elias, P (2003) Dropping Out: A study of early leavers from Higher Education, DfES, RR386, HMSO DfEE (1998) The Learning Age: a renaissance for a new Britain, Cm 3790 Department for Education and Employment, http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/greenpaper/ (Accessed: 12/06/06) DfES (2006) Widening Particpation in Higher Education, DfES, London, http://www.dfes.gov.uk/hegateway/uploads/6820-DfES-WideningParticipation2.pdf Donnelly, M, McCormack, D and Rimmer, R (2007), 'Load and academic attainment in two business schools', Asessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, to appear in 32(6) Foster, J, Houston, M, Knox, H and Rimmer, R (2002), Surviving First Year, Paisley: Lifelong Learning Research Group. Gaster, L. et al (1995) Interim Evaluation of the Ferguslie Park Partnership, Environment Research Programme Research Findings No. 13, Scottish Office, Edinburgh. Greene, W Econometric Analysis, Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Have a Heart (2005) Have A Heart Paisley Phase 2 Plan, Scottish Executive Health Department, Edinburgh HEFCE (1997) Undergraduate non-completion in higher education in England, Technical Report 97/29, HEFCE, http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/1997/97_29.htm, (Accessed: 02/02/04) Hoskins, S, Newstead, S and Dennis, I (1997) Degree performance as a function of age, gender, prior qualification and discipline studied, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 22, 317-328 Houston, M (2007) Progression and its Association with Performance and Diversity: A Case study of the University of Paisley, Paisley: University of Paisley Houston, M, Knox, H and Rimmer, R (2007) 'Wider access and progression among full-time students', Higher Education, 53(1), 107-146 Houston, M and Rimmer, R (2005) 'A comparison of academic outcomes for business and other students', International Journal of Management Education, 4(3), 11-19 Lindsay, R (1998) 'Analysing student performance', in Rust, C (ed.) Improving Student Learning: Improving Students as Learners, Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, 32-55 Leppel, K (2001) 'The impact of major on college persistence among freshmen', Higher Education, 41, 327 - 342 Leppel, K. (2002). Similarities and differences in the college persistence of men and women, The Review of Higher Education, 25(4), pp 433 - 450 McNabb, R, Pal, M and Sloane, P (2002), 'Gender differences in educational attainment: the case of university students in England and Wales', Economica, 69(275), 481-503 Patrick, W (2001) 'Estimating first-year student attrition rates: an application of Multilevel Modeling using categorical variables', Research in Higher Education, 42(2), 151 - 170. Pike, G and Saupe, J (2002), 'Does high school matter? An analysis of three methods of predicting first-year grades', Research in Higher Education, 43(2), 187-207 Ross, A, Archer, L and Hutchings, M (2002) Potential Mature Students Recruitment to HE, Research Report 385, DfES, London Richardson, J and Woodley, A (2003), 'Another look at the role of age, gender and subject as predictors of academic attainment in Higher Education', Studies in Higher Education, 28(4), 475-490 Smith, J & Naylor, R (2001a), 'Dropping out of university: a statistical analysis of the probability of withdrawal for UK university students', Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Part A, 164(2), 389-405. Smith, J & Naylor, R (2001b), 'Determinants of degree performance in UK universities: a statistical analysis of the 1993 student cohort', Oxford Bulletin of Statistics, 63, 29-60. Szafran, R (2001), 'The effect of academic load on success for New College students: is lighter better?', Research in Higher Education, 42(1), 27-50 Woodley, A (1984), 'The older the better? A study of mature student performance in British universities', Research in Education, 32, 35-50 Woodley, A, Thompson, M and Cowan, J (1992) Factors Affecting Non-Completion Rates in Scottish Universities, SRC Report 69, Open University, Milton Keynes Yorke, M (2002) 'Degree classifications in English, Welsh and Northern Irish universities: trends, 1994-5 to 1998-9', Higher Education Quarterly 56 (1)unpub588unpu

Wider access, gender and student attainment at old and new universities

GlasgowAt the University of Paisley, an on-going research project has been following the progress of the cohort of students who were new entrants to the University in academic session 2000/01. Much has been learned about performance, progression and persistence within this cohort, and in particular, the influence of demographic characteristics on first year performance. Gender, age and entry qualifications have been shown to interact in complex ways to determine both academic performance and the decision to continue with study into the following academic session. Attention in this paper focuses on how gender differences in academic performance evolve over time and influence year-on-year progression towards achievement of an exit award.div_BaMArnot, M., Gray, J., James, M., Ruddick, J. and Duveen, G. (1998) Recent Research on Gender and Educational Performance, London: The Stationery Office. Blundell, R., Dearden, L., Goodman, A. and Reed, H. (2000) 'The returns to higher education in Britain', Economic Journal, 110, 82-99. Brusselmans-Dehairs, C., Henry, G.F., Beller, M., Gafni, N. (1997) Gender Differences in Learning Achievement: Evidence from Cross-National Surveys. Paris: UNESCO. Collins, C., Kenway, J., and McLeod, J. (2000) Factors Influencing the Educational Performance of Males and Females in School and their initial Destinations after Leaving School, Report commissioned by Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Australia. Francis, B. and Skelton, c. (Eds.) (2001) Investigating Gender: contemporary perspectives in education, Open University Press, Buckingham. Gammie, E. Paver, B. Gammie, B. and Duncan, F. (2003) 'Gender differences in accounting education: an undergraduate exploration', Accounting Education, 12 (2) 177-196. Greene, W. (2001) Econometric Analysis, 5th edition, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River. HESA (2005) Higher education in the United Kingdom, February 2005/10 http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/stud.htm, accessed 24 March 2005. Hoskins, S. Newstead, S. and Dennis, I. (1997) 'Degree performance as a function of age, gender, prior qualifications and discipline studied', Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 22, 317-328. Houston, M., Knox, H. and Rimmer, R. (2004) 'Wider access, entry qualifications and progression among full-time students', submitted to Higher Education. Houston, M. and Rimmer, R. (2004) 'A comparison of academic outcomes for business and other students', to appear in International Journal of Management Education. Johnes, J., and Taylor, J. (1999) Performance Indicators in Higher Education, Society for Research in Higher Education/Open University Press, Buckingham. Martin, M (1997) 'Emotional and cognitive effects of examination proximity inn female and male students', Oxford Review of Education, 23, 479-486. McNabb, R. Pal, S. and Sloane, P. (2002) 'Gender Differences in Educational Attainment: the case of university students in England and Wales', Economica, 69, 481-503. McDonald, A. Saunders, L. and Benefield, P. (1999) 'Boys' achievement, progress, motivation and participation: Issues raised by the recent literature', Journal of the National Foundation for Educational Research, Slough. Mellanby, J. Maxtin, and O'Docherty, J (2000) 'The gender gap- in final examinations results at Oxford University', British Journal of Psychology, 91. 377-390. Nguyen, N. Allen, L. and Fraccastoro, K. (2005) 'Personality predicts academic performance: exploring the moderating role of gender', Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27 (1) 105-116. Phillips, P. THES At what point to weight the odds? 25 February 2005, pp 20-21. Powney, J. (1996) Gender and attainment: a review of Scottish council for Research in Education, Research Report 81, Edinburgh. Rudd, E. (1984) 'A comparison between the results achieved by women and en studying for first degrees in British universities', Studies in Higher Education, 9, 47-93. Simonite, V. (2003) 'A longitudinal study of achievement in a modular first degree course', Studies in Higher Education, 28 (3) 293-302. Smith, F. (2004) 'It's not all about grades. Accounting for gendered degree results in geography at Brunel University', Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 28, 2, 167-178. Smith, J. and Naylor, R. (2001) 'Determinants of degree performance in UK universities: A statistical analysis of the 1993 student cohort', Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 63, 29-60. Tinklin, T. Croxford, L., Ducklin, A. and Fame, B. (2001), Gender and Pupil Performance, Interchange, 70, Report for the Scottish Executive Education Department, Edinburgh. UCAS, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (2005) http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0102.htm, accessed 16 March 2005. Whitney, L. (2004). Research Report: Gender Differences in Achievement and Participation in the Compulsory School Sector http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=3280&data=l, accessed 23 March 2005.2pub590pu

Wider access, gender and student attainment at old and new universities

GlasgowAt the University of Paisley, an on-going research project has been following the progress of the cohort of students who were new entrants to the University in academic session 2000/01. Much has been learned about performance, progression and persistence within this cohort, and in particular, the influence of demographic characteristics on first year performance. Gender, age and entry qualifications have been shown to interact in complex ways to determine both academic performance and the decision to continue with study into the following academic session. Attention in this paper focuses on how gender differences in academic performance evolve over time and influence year-on-year progression towards achievement of an exit award.div_BaMArnot, M., Gray, J., James, M., Ruddick, J. and Duveen, G. (1998) Recent Research on Gender and Educational Performance, London: The Stationery Office. Blundell, R., Dearden, L., Goodman, A. and Reed, H. (2000) 'The returns to higher education in Britain', Economic Journal, 110, 82-99. Brusselmans-Dehairs, C., Henry, G.F., Beller, M., Gafni, N. (1997) Gender Differences in Learning Achievement: Evidence from Cross-National Surveys. Paris: UNESCO. Collins, C., Kenway, J., and McLeod, J. (2000) Factors Influencing the Educational Performance of Males and Females in School and their initial Destinations after Leaving School, Report commissioned by Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Australia. Francis, B. and Skelton, c. (Eds.) (2001) Investigating Gender: contemporary perspectives in education, Open University Press, Buckingham. Gammie, E. Paver, B. Gammie, B. and Duncan, F. (2003) 'Gender differences in accounting education: an undergraduate exploration', Accounting Education, 12 (2) 177-196. Greene, W. (2001) Econometric Analysis, 5th edition, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River. HESA (2005) Higher education in the United Kingdom, February 2005/10 http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/stud.htm, accessed 24 March 2005. Hoskins, S. Newstead, S. and Dennis, I. (1997) 'Degree performance as a function of age, gender, prior qualifications and discipline studied', Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 22, 317-328. Houston, M., Knox, H. and Rimmer, R. (2004) 'Wider access, entry qualifications and progression among full-time students', submitted to Higher Education. Houston, M. and Rimmer, R. (2004) 'A comparison of academic outcomes for business and other students', to appear in International Journal of Management Education. Johnes, J., and Taylor, J. (1999) Performance Indicators in Higher Education, Society for Research in Higher Education/Open University Press, Buckingham. Martin, M (1997) 'Emotional and cognitive effects of examination proximity inn female and male students', Oxford Review of Education, 23, 479-486. McNabb, R. Pal, S. and Sloane, P. (2002) 'Gender Differences in Educational Attainment: the case of university students in England and Wales', Economica, 69, 481-503. McDonald, A. Saunders, L. and Benefield, P. (1999) 'Boys' achievement, progress, motivation and participation: Issues raised by the recent literature', Journal of the National Foundation for Educational Research, Slough. Mellanby, J. Maxtin, and O'Docherty, J (2000) 'The gender gap- in final examinations results at Oxford University', British Journal of Psychology, 91. 377-390. Nguyen, N. Allen, L. and Fraccastoro, K. (2005) 'Personality predicts academic performance: exploring the moderating role of gender', Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27 (1) 105-116. Phillips, P. THES At what point to weight the odds? 25 February 2005, pp 20-21. Powney, J. (1996) Gender and attainment: a review of Scottish council for Research in Education, Research Report 81, Edinburgh. Rudd, E. (1984) 'A comparison between the results achieved by women and en studying for first degrees in British universities', Studies in Higher Education, 9, 47-93. Simonite, V. (2003) 'A longitudinal study of achievement in a modular first degree course', Studies in Higher Education, 28 (3) 293-302. Smith, F. (2004) 'It's not all about grades. Accounting for gendered degree results in geography at Brunel University', Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 28, 2, 167-178. Smith, J. and Naylor, R. (2001) 'Determinants of degree performance in UK universities: A statistical analysis of the 1993 student cohort', Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 63, 29-60. Tinklin, T. Croxford, L., Ducklin, A. and Fame, B. (2001), Gender and Pupil Performance, Interchange, 70, Report for the Scottish Executive Education Department, Edinburgh. UCAS, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (2005) http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0102.htm, accessed 16 March 2005. Whitney, L. (2004). Research Report: Gender Differences in Achievement and Participation in the Compulsory School Sector http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=3280&data=l, accessed 23 March 2005.2pub590pu

School mathematics and university outcomes

There is concern that, as participation of non-traditional entrants widens, many university students do not have the mathematical preparation required to learn skills vital for professional work. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between mathematical attainment at secondary school and the outcomes of university study in quantitative disciplines. An 'engagement' theory of higher-education study is used to investigate academic performance and progression among students who gained entry on the basis of Scottish Higher examinations to a university that has embraced widening participation. Within this environment there is considerable diversity. For example, although most students were 18 on entry, students were aged from 16 to 38. While pre-entry preparation in mathematics was not extensive, this varied. At the university, assistance with mathematical skills is embedded in programmes and is discipline specific. Students with better pre-entry attainments in mathematics had better average marks, maintained greater study loads and were more likely to progress. However, non-traditional university students with poorer mathematical backgrounds were able to attain comparable outcomes.div_BaMDonnelly, M, McCormack, D and Rimmer, R (2007) 'Load and academic attainment in two business schools', Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 32(6), 1-18. Greene, W (2003) Econometric analysis, Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Hawkes, T and Savage, M (eds) (2000) Measuring the mathematics problem: report of seminar held at the Mller Centre Cambridge, 10-11 May 1999, London: The Engineering Council. Houston, M, Knox, H and Rimmer, R (2007) 'Wider access and progression among full-time students', Higher Education, 53(1), 107-146. Houston, M and Rimmer, R (2007) 'Transition from first to second semester and the life-work-study balance', in The Times They Are A-changing', Proceedings of the 4th Biennal Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning Conference, Stirling June. Houston, M and Rimmer, R (2005) 'A comparison of academic outcomes for business and other students', International Journal of Management Education, 4(3), 11-19. Randall, J (2005) 'You can't brain up by dumbing down degrees', Daily Telegraph, November 25, 5. Simonite, V (2003) 'Multilevel analysis of the relationship between entry qualifications and trends in degree classifications in mathematical sciences: 1994-2000', International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 35(3), 335-344 Szafran, R (2001) 'The effect of academic load on success for New College students: is lighter better?', Research in Higher Education, 42(1), 27-50 Yorke, M (2002) 'Degree classification in English, Welsh and Northern Irish universities: trends 1994-5 to 1998-9', Higher Education Quarterly, 56(1), 92-108unpub658unpu

A review of the positive impact of a Self Administered Motivational Instrument (SAMI) on Deep and Strategic approaches to study and on academic attainment

This research concerns the wider context of behaviour change and approaches to study among students in higher education. Drawing on the counselling approach known as motivational interviewing, a Self Administered Motivational Instrument (SAMI) has been designed in which students take decisions about changing their approaches to study. Motivational interviewing has been demonstrated to positively influence a range of behaviours, including alcohol- and drug misuse and weight loss. The SAMI is paper-based and as the name suggests is self-administered. Within the SAMI, students are asked to rate their academic performances if they continue to study as they are and if they change their study approaches. These questions were designed to stimulate ambivalence, if warranted, over current study approach. This is also engendered by asking students to complete the reliable, valid and relatively brief deep and strategic components of a shortened version of the RASI learning-style instrument (Duff, 1997). This shortened RASI is known as the DRASI. The SAMI has been tested in a controlled study with 328 first, second and third year university students in Scotland, UK. In this paper the design of the SAMI and the controlled study are reported. The main conclusions are: - When the SAMI is applied, approaches to study change. In particular, there was an on-average increase in strategic approaches to learning. Further, greater strategic scores among those who completed the SAMI, were associated with a greater likelihood of attaining the top two grades of A or B1. Thus, in line with applications of brief motivational interventions in other areas, there is evidence of effectiveness. - A small to moderate effect size of 0.32 was noted for strategic scores within the intervention group. Teachers, students and policy makers might regard this as a reasonable return for a low cost, easily administered intervention. Further research is required to assess if similar outcomes occur when the SAMI is applied in different academic environments, with or without support from academic staff, over longer periods and using different media, such as electronic delivery.div_BaMAdair, J. (1997) Decision making and problem solving. London: Institute of Personnel and Development. Duff, A. (1997) A note on the reliability and validity of a 30-item version of Entwistle and Tait's revised approaches to studying inventory. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 67, 529-539. Duffy, T. (1994) Brief interventions and their role in relation to more intensive treatment of alcohol problems. Scotland: Greater Glasgow Health Board, Health Promotion Department. Duffy, T. (2005) Improving Approaches to Study using a Self Administered Motivational Instrument (SAMI)'. Paisley: University of Paisley. Duffy, T. and Rimmer, R. (2008) Improving Students' Motivation to Study. A Photocopiable Resource for Lecturers in FE and HE. Exeter: Reflect Press. Hosmer, D. and Lemeshow, S. (2000) Applied logistic regression, 2nd edition. New York: Wiley. LSDA (2003) Learner motivation and barriers to participation in post-16 learning: A brief review of the literature. London: Learning and Skills Development Agency. LSRC (2004) Learning styles for post-16 learners. What do we know? London: Learning and Skills Research Centre. Miller, W.R. and Rollnick, S. (2002) Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change, 2nd edition. New York: Guildford Press. Rollnick, S. and Miller, W.R. (1995) What is MI? Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23, 325-334. Tait, H. and Entwistle, N.J. (1996) Identifying students at risk through ineffective study strategies. Higher Education, 31, 97-116. Tait, H., Entwistle, N.J and Mc Cune, V. (1998) ASSIST: a reconceptualisation of the Approaches to Studying Inventory. In C. Rust (Ed.) Improving students as learners. Oxford: Oxford Brookes University, The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development. Whetten, D. and Cameron, K. (2002) Developing management skills. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.5pub657pub

Review of the integrity of a Self Administered Motivational Instrument

BackgroundMotivational interviewing (MI) was developed by Miller and Rollnick as an evidence-based counselling approach for use in supporting people with alcohol problems. Over the years the principles and spirit of MI have been reviewed and fine-tuned and the approach has been embraced by practitioners worldwide and across fields.Since 2001 a number of instruments have been designed to evaluate the fidelity of MI practice. For the purposes of this study, one such instrument is used to assess a self-administered motivational instrument, known as the SAMI, which takes the interviewer role.ObjectivesThe SAMI is evaluated against the MITI 3.1.1, which is designed to assess the extent to which MI interventions perform on five global dimensions. These are evocation, collaboration, autonomy/support, direction and empathy.DesignThe SAMI was assembled based on the principles and spirit of MI, problem solving and goal-setting. The targeted behaviour changes were student learning styles and approaches to study.SettingThe SAMI was distributed, completed and submitted electronically via the university virtual learning environment.ParticipantsThirty three mature students of a university which delivered online nursing programme were invited to complete the SAMI. Of these, 25 submitted completed transcripts.MethodsTranscripts of a sample of six completed SAMIs were assessed by a group of teachers and researchers with experience in the use and evaluation of MI, using five-point Likert scales to assess the SAMI on the five dimensions.ResultsOverall, an average score exceeding 4.5 was attained across the five dimensions. Conventionally, such a score is recognised as competency in MI. However, on one dimension (empathy), the rating was three.ConclusionsThis current research confirms that global principles have been observed in the online delivery of MI using the SAMI to probe approaches to study

The Peculiar Atmospheric Chemistry of KELT-9b

The atmospheric temperatures of the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-9b straddle the transition between gas giants and stars, and therefore between two traditionally distinct regimes of atmospheric chemistry. Previous theoretical studies assume the atmosphere of KELT-9b to be in chemical equilibrium. Despite the high ultraviolet flux from KELT-9, we show using photochemical kinetics calculations that the observable atmosphere of KELT-9b is predicted to be close to chemical equilibrium, which greatly simplifies any theoretical interpretation of its spectra. It also makes the atmosphere of KELT-9b, which is expected to be cloudfree, a tightly constrained chemical system that lends itself to a clean set of theoretical predictions. Due to the lower pressures probed in transmission (compared to emission) spectroscopy, we predict the abundance of water to vary by several orders of magnitude across the atmospheric limb depending on temperature, which makes water a sensitive thermometer. Carbon monoxide is predicted to be the dominant molecule under a wide range of scenarios, rendering it a robust diagnostic of the metallicity when analyzed in tandem with water. All of the other usual suspects (acetylene, ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, methane) are predicted to be subdominant at solar metallicity, while atomic oxygen, iron and magnesium are predicted to have relative abundances as high as 1 part in 10,000. Neutral atomic iron is predicted to be seen through a forest of optical and near-infrared lines, which makes KELT-9b suitable for high-resolution ground-based spectroscopy with HARPS-N or CARMENES. We summarize future observational prospects of characterizing the atmosphere of KELT-9b.Comment: Accepted by ApJ. 9 pages, 6 figures. Corrected minor errors in Figures 1a and 1b (some line styles were switched by accident), text and conclusions unchanged, these minor changes will be updated in final ApJ proo