Pathway Affects Student Success In Higher Learning Institutions

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There are numerous pathways to university studies; how each pathway effects student success and retention is of particular importance to higher learning institutions. The first year of university studies brings significant changes to the learning experience due to the more autonomous nature of university learning compared with earlier years of schooling. `Direct entrants in transition: becoming independent learners’ published in 23 August 2013 by Hazel Christie, Paul Barron and Norma D’Annunzio-Green. This study seeks to obtain information from direct entrants as they progress in their first year of study at university with advanced standing; joining peers established in their second or third year of their degree.

The challenge for direct …show more content…

Consisting of 16 females and 4 males, with a blend of age and socio-economical background. All direct entrants who had enrolled in business studies and other related courses in 2006/7. Audio recordings were made of interviews that were then transcribed. A qualitative approach was taken in evaluating the students’ responses to interview questions. Students were then placed in one of three groups. Six of the students interviewed had entered their degree went on to their second year whilst the remaining entered in their third …show more content…

These students lacked awareness of how to succeed in the new learning environment and were shocked when the realities became apparent. University studies required the students to develop initiative and take a self directed approach to course work and the group three students did not respond well to the required change in approach and lacked adaptability. Time management was poor among the group three students, potentially due to their lack of awareness of the inherent requirements of university studies. Group three were not as proactive in seeking assistance, not as engaged with the learning processes, spoke of isolation in the learning environment and entered their studies

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