What supports students to stay at university?

1. Why do students stay at university?
Supporting student transition into the
first year
Sarah Lawther
Nottingham Trent University

2. Overview
•Background to HERE
Project
•About HERE Project
•Findings and
Recommendations
•Belonging
•Questions
2

3. Background to the HERE Project

4. ‘What Works?’
Student Retention & Success
• NAO report – Staying the Course (2007) & 2008 PAC response
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation & HEFCE jointly funded 7 projects
representing 22 HEIs (2008 – 2011)
• HEA/ Action on Access appointed as expert reviewers
• The primary purpose of the programme was to generate
robust, evidence-based analysis and evaluation about the
most effective practices to support student retention and
success

5. What do we know about retention?
• Tinto (1975, 1987, 1993) – academic and social integration
• Ozga and Sukhnandan (1998) – accumulation of factors
• NAO (2007)
• Yorke and Longden (2008) – seven factors that contribute to
withdrawal
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
poor quality learning experience
not coping with academic demand
wrong choice of field of study
unhappy with location and environment
dissatisfied with institutional resourcing
problems with finance and employment
problems with social integration
• Johnston (1997) – financial reasons?
• Buote et al (2007) – friendships
• Jones (2008) Student retention and success: a synthesis of research

6. What do we know about student doubting?
• Doubts about the course/ university serious enough to consider
leaving
• How many students are doubters in the literature?
– 21% Rickinson and Rutherford (1995) – 39% Sodexo (2010)
– Yorke & Longden (2008) – 25% (rising to 40% if less informed about course)
• Learning from those students that persist (Johnstone, 2001)
• Differences between doubters and leavers
– Internal factors - Mackie (2001)
– Ability to adapt - Roberts et al (2003)

7. About the HERE Project

8. HERE Project
Higher Education: Retention & Engagement
Strand One: Student Doubters - why some first year students have
doubts, but stay
Strand Two: What programmes do to support students to stay, in
particular, looking at practice and examples
February 12, 2014
8

9. Strand One
• Student Transition Survey 2009
– All first year undergraduates March – May
– NTU 9% response rate (656 students)
– Follow on focus groups
• Student Transition Survey 2011
– All first year undergraduates February – May
– NTU 6% response rate (452 students)
• Welcome Week Survey 2012
– NTU 6% response rate (441 students)
• Limitations
– Voluntary responses
– May not be accessing students not engaged
with university

10. Withdrawing from Studies (NTU 2009)
• Over a third (37%) of our sample said that they had considered withdrawing
from their studies at some point so far in their first year.
– 63% had never considered leaving
– 28% had considered leaving but had since decided to stay at NTU
– 8% had not yet made up their minds about whether to stay or leave
– 1% had decided to leave NTU
8%
1%
28%
63%
Base = 656 (doubters = 243, non-doubters = 413)
Never considered
withdrawing
Considered withdrawing
and decided to stay
Still undecided whether to
stay or leave
Considered withdrawing
and decided to leave

11. Doubting and persistence
• 483 students granted us permission to monitor their persistence
– 182 doubters
– 301 non-doubters
• Tested Dec 2009 - Overall progression better than institutional benchmarks
• Implications
– Links to other UK research & supports Ozga & Sukhnandan’s (1998) model
• Withdrawal not due to a sudden shock

13. Current Course Experiences:
Doubters vs. non-doubters (NTU, 2009)
% is the number of students who agreed or strongly agreed with each statement
Completing my degree will help me achieve future goals
77%
My subject is interesting
92%
73%
My family is supportive
76%
61%
My fellow students are supportive
77%
58%
I have enthusiastic lecturers
75%
53%
Lecturers are accessible
54%
I'm confident that I can cope with my studies
74%
78%
39%
Assessment on my course is what I expected
67%
46%
My course is well organised
68%
43%
Feedback on my work is useful
64%
44%
I know where to go if I have a problem
40%
I feel valued by teaching staff
55%
33%
0%
10%
20%
Base = 656 (doubters = 243, non-doubters = 413)
30%
40%
55%
58%
34%
I'll have enough money to finish my course
Doubters
65%
49%
My taught sessions are interesting
Non-doubters
66%
48%
I like where I am living
88%
84%
78%
81%
I have easy acess to University resources
I have an enjoyable social life
91%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%

14. Further statistical tests at NTU ⃰
• 17 student experience variables
• Cramers V test: strongest association with doubting was ‘I feel
confident that I can cope with my coursework’
– My subject is interesting
– I feel valued by teaching staff
• Factor analysis
– Academic Experience Variables
– Support, Resources and Future Goals
– Student Lifestyle
• Regression analysis
– Additional variables (age, gender, first person in family etc)
– Variable with the most impact on doubting was ‘Academic Experience’
⃰⃰⃰Statistical tests carried out by Nick Foard, NTU

15. Confidence (NTU 2009)

19. Why did students give different reasons for
doubting and staying?
“I have found that the workload at times is
too much to cope with, not the difficulty
but the volume. ….. It has been the social
side of it that has kept me here.”
“I was not sure if university was for me. I
disliked earlier education … and, although my
course is satisfactory enough, I don't LOVE it. I
think my good friends in halls/good friends in
my seminar group/social life have kept me
here.”
19

20. Focus group findings (NTU 2009)
Spectrum of staying after doubting
• From positive decision to ‘no choice’
Key differences between non doubters and doubters
• Relationship with staff
• Belonging

21. Belonging: non doubters
All of the students who had never had doubts could all
describe the time when they felt that they belonged to the
university
“I think it starts when you walk down the street and you see someone
and you go hey … I know them from University and that’s what made
me feel like it [like I belonged]”.
“The more people you know through other clubs and stuff the more
you feel part of the University”.
“The second term is when I started to feel more at home because in
the first term you are always referred to as a fresher and 2nd term
you are a first year student…I’ve got more friends, more like
friendships, rather than just knowing lots of people”

22. Belonging: doubters
Theresa, had had doubts and still describes herself as having
difficulty ‘fitting in’. She has stayed because she doesn’t feel she
has much choice.
“I don’t seem very involved with the University to be honest”.
Charlie, on the other hand, who had had doubts but made a positive
decision to stay, described that now she could recognise places and
people,
“I feel better now because now I feel like I know where everything is and I
always see someone walking around that I know if I want to stop and talk
to them”.

23. Student Transition Survey (2011)
• Have you ever considered withdrawing from (leaving) University at
any point in your first year?
• If yes, how seriously have you considered doing so? (scale 1-5)
• When did you consider leaving?
• Please tick all reasons that apply
• Most important reason
• How much do you feel you fit in on your course? (scale 1-5)
• Why do you feel this way?

25. Strand Two
•Interviews with 10 programme teams
– What do programmes do to support retention and success?
– Appreciative Inquiry Approach “…focuses on identifying and developing what
works in an organisation rather than trying to fix what doesn’t” (Dovestone and
Keenaghan, 2006, p5).
•Different programmes addressed different themes according to
nature of cohort
• No magic bullets, but lots of small interventions that when
combined make a difference
•Influences how we work with programmes
•Knowing your students
•More info at www.HEREproject.org.uk
•Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2

26. Findings and Recommendations

27. Key findings
a) Approximately one third of first year students have
experienced doubts sufficiently strong to make them consider
withdrawing at some point during the first year
b) Doubters are more likely to leave than non-doubters
c) Doubters reported a poorer quality experience than
students who have not doubted
d) Students usually report more than one reason for doubting

28. e) The primary reasons for doubting are associated with
student perceptions of the course
f) There were four main reasons cited by doubters for staying
g) The primary times for considering leaving are immediately
before and after Christmas
h) Students reported different degrees of doubting
i) Some student groups appear more likely to doubt than
others

29. HERE Project Recommendations
• Manage factors that lead to doubting
– Identify and respond to students at risk
– Help students to make the transition to being effective learners at
university
– Improve communication and relationships with staff
– Help students make more informed choices about the course
• Support students to stay
– Improve social integration
– Improve a sense of belonging to the programme
– Foster motivation and help student to understand how the
programme can help them achieve their future goals
– Encourage students' active engagement with the curriculum
– Ensure that there is good communication and access to additional
students support.

30. Using the findings to improve the first year
experience at NTU
• Starting at NTU
• Welcome Week
• Course Tutorials
• Pilot Dashboard
– “Tutors can immediately have a conversation and build on it”
FOSTER, E., BORG, M., DR., LAWTHER, S., MCNEIL, J. and KENNEDY, E., DR.,
2014. Using Student Engagement Research to Improve the First Year
Experience at a UK University. In: C. BRYSON, ed, Student Engagement in
Challenging Times. UK: Routledge.

31. February 12, 2014
31

32. Developing a sense of belonging: what is it that
helps students ‘fit-in’ on their course

33. Where do you belong?
• What groups do you belong to?
– Real world
– Virtual
• What do you gain from belonging to these groups?

34. What do we mean by belonging?
• ‘Belonging’ has been used to refer to a sense of belonging to the
– institution (Percy, 2002)
– the course or programme (Kember, Lee and Li, 2001)
– and in relation with others such as the tutor and other students
(Thomas, 2012), (Strayhorn, 2012)
• Closely linked to
– engagement - “precursor for engagement” (Hardy and Bryson,
2009)
– social and academic integration (Tinto, 1993)

35. Why look at belonging?
• Reason to consider withdrawing from university (Foster et al, 2011)
• Retention (Thomas, 2012)
• Student success (Strayhorn, 2012)
• Choice of university (Reay et al, 2001)
– I’d never fit in there
• Something we can do something about?
–
–
–
–
Subject to change
Needs to be satisfied on a continual basis
Context dependent (Strayhorn, 2012)
It can be reversed (Palmer, O’Kane and Owens, 2009)

36. How can we facilitate a feeling of belonging?
How much do you feel you fit in on your course?
Please use a scale of 1 to 5, where 1= "not at all" and 5 = "very
much".
Why do you feel this way?
•Related questions
– How interesting is your course?
– How friendly are the people on your course?
Transition Survey 2011
February 12, 2014
36

37. How much do you feel you fit in on your
course?
• Mann Whitney U Test
• Strongest relationship (of the following) with student doubting was
‘how much do you feel you fit in on your course’
Variable
Median scores (Md)
U
z
p
r
How much do you feel you fit in on your
course?
Doubters (n=146) Md =
3
Non-doubters (n=306),
Md = 4
Doubters (n=146) Md =
4
Non-doubters (n=306),
Md = 4
Doubters (n=146) Md =
4
Non-doubters (n=306),
Md =5
Doubters (n=146) Md =
4
Non-doubters (n=306),
Md = 4
1406
1.5
6.80
4
.000
.32
1619
9
5.09
2
.000
.24
1766
9
4.05
6
.000
.19
1887
4.5
2.83
0
.005
.13
How interesting is your course?
Completing my degree will help me achieve my
future goals
How friendly are the people on your course?

38. Why do you feel this way?
• 397 students answered this question
• Students gave 483 reasons in total for
why felt this way
– 366 why belonged
– 117 why felt didn't belong
• Coded into themes ‘data analysis spiral’
(Creswell, 2007, p150)
– Reasons why felt did belong
– Reasons why felt didn’t belong
– If not sure which way then didn’t code
• Figures are in total number of reasons
(rather than students)
38

39. Why do you feel this way?
• Single reason
– Here I am, doing proper science. And science is a good thing. And
that's nice
– It's the only subject I ever considered doing at university, and as I
mentioned is my passion. So I feel like this is where I belong
• Multiple reasons
– Because I am passionate about the course and everyone is
welcoming, lecturers are motivational
• Belonging in one sphere and not another
– The course suits my interests and future aspirations, socially not
as much people have already formed their own groups

40. Getting along socially
• Talking to others
– I talk to everyone on my course (5 – only reason given)
– No real discussion Not encouraged to meet up outside class time (2 – only
reason)
• Helping others (and asking for help)
– I feel I get along with people, I can approach people if I need assistance and
feel as a group member I can contribute a great deal which is a benefit to those
I work with (4)
• Similar interests, common goals
– We are all working towards the same goal (4)
• Friendly and welcoming atmosphere often mentioned in addition to
social aspects of course
– It has been made very welcoming (4 – only reason)
– Not accepted by the "clique" groups. However the other people make me feel
welcome and like I belong (4)

41. Coping with work
– I have struggled to get back into education and studying, … the
fact that I struggled, makes me feel like I don't fit in (1)
– Because there are times that I feel part of a group that
understands and enjoys science like I do. Other times I feel
detached from the group because they'll start talking about
something that I don't understand and seem to understand what
they're talking about straightaway (3)
– All the seminar tutors and lecturers speak in a way I can follow
and I find myself able to keep up with the work (5)
– There has been nothing yet to really doubt my ability to be there
(5 – only reason)
February 12, 2014
41

42. Interest in course
– I do not find my course very interesting, challenging or
compelling. …. I don't feel like I belong or have a future in what I
choose to study ..the one thing that makes me go through it and
find hope are my friends and seminar mates. I am so grateful and
happy I have them (2)
– Because it's something I'm passionate about and interested in (5)
Future goals
– I don't feel I fit in with fashion anymore, mainly because I've
realized it is not what I want to do as a career (1)
– I feel as though I fit in with my course as I believe that I am
achieving my goals and also engaging with the course and other
people who are like minded (5)
February 12, 2014
42

43. Tutors and other students
• Feeling known and accepted
• Knowing others in group by
name
• Discussion
• Able to ask for help
• Welcoming
February 12, 2014
• Opinions valued by tutors and
other students
• Early identification if struggling
with work
• Encourage participation
• Sharing passion
43

44. Summary

45. How can we facilitate a feeling of belonging?
• Students who described that they didn't‘fit in’ to their course were
more likely to have doubts about being at University
• Belonging - academic and social reasons and links to future goals
• Belonging with others – tutors and other students
“Belonging is achieved through: supportive peer
relations; meaningful interaction between staff and
students; developing knowledge, confidence and
identity as successful HE learners; an HE experience
that is relevant to interests and future goals”
(Thomas 2012, p14-15)
Briefing
report on the What works? Student retention and success change program

46. Thanks very much
Sarah.lawther@ntu.ac.uk
European First Year Experience Conference
9-11 June 2014, Nottingham Trent University
www.ntu.ac.uk/efye2014

47. References
• Barnett, R., 2007. A will to learn: being a student in an age of uncertainty.
Maidenhead: Open University Press.
• Buote, V.M., Pancer, S.M., Pratt, M.W., Adams, G., Birnie-Lefcovitch, S., Polivy, J. and
Gallender Wintre, M., 2007. The importance of friends: friendship and adjustment
among 1st-year university students. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22(6), pp. 665689.
• Creswell, J., 2007. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design Choosing among five
approaches. London: Sage
• Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2 [online]. Available at:
http://
www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/retention/Compendium_2_rc_ja_Final.pdf.
• Doveston, M. and Kennaghan, M., 2006. Improving classroom dynamics to support
students’ learning and social inclusion: a collaborative approach. Support for Learning,
21(1), 5-11.
• Foster, E., Borg, M., Lawther, S., McNeil, J. and Kennedy, E., 2014. Using Student
Engagement Research to Improve the First Year Experience at a UK University. In: C.
BRYSON, ed, Student Engagement in Challenging Times. UK: Routledge.
• Foster, E., Lawther, S., Keenan, C., Bates, N., Colley, B. and Lefever, 2011. The HERE
Project Final Report [online]. Available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/what-works-student-retention/HERE_Project_W
.

48. • Harvey, L., Drew, S. with Smith, M., 2006. The first year experience: a literature review
for the Higher Education Academy. York: HE Academy.
• HERE Project Toolkit: A resource for programme teams interested in improving student
engagement and retention [online]. Available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/what-works-studentretention/HERE_Project_toolkit.pdf
• HERE Project Appendices [online]. Available at:
http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/assets/Documents/what-works-studentretention/HERE_Project_final_report_appendices.pdf.
• Johnhston, V., 2001. Developing strategies to improve student retention. Reflections
from the work of Napier University’s student retention project. Paper presented to SRHE
Conference, Cambridge, December 2001.
• Jones, R., 2008. Student retention and success: a synthesis of research [online].
Available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/inclusion/wprs/WPRS_retention_synthesis
• Keenan, C., Foster, E., Lawther, S., 2012. Stemming the Doubts: enhanced transition
and induction to HE STEM programmes [online]. Available at:
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• Kember, D., Lee, K. and Li, N., 2001. Cultivating a sense of belonging in part-time
students. International Journal of Lifelong Learning, 20(4), pp.326-341.

49. • Mackie, S., 2001. Jumping the hurdles - undergraduate student withdrawal behaviour.
Innovation in Education and Teaching International, 38 (3), 265-276.
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higher education. London: The Stationary Office.
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point experiences in the first year transition. Studies in Higher Education, 34 (1), 37-54.
• Reay, D., Davies, J., David, M. L, and Ball, S. J., 2001. Choices of Degree or Degrees of
Choice? Social Class, Race and the Higher Education Choice Process, Sociology 35(4):
855–74.
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can we Learn from the Persisters? Conference Proceedings, Education in a Changing
Environment 17th-18th September 2003 [online]. Available at :
http://usir.salford.ac.uk/1208/1/ECE_paper_2003.pdf.
• Strayhorn, T., 2012. College Students’ Sense of Belonging A key to Educational Success
for All Students. London: Routledge.
• Thomas, L., 2012. Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a
time of change: final report from the What Works? Student Retention & Success
programme [online]. Available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/retention/What_works_final_report.pdf.

50. • Thomas, L., and Hill, M., 2013. Briefing report on the What works? Student retention
and success change programme [online]. Available at:
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mme/SRS_Briefing_report_December_2013.pdf
• Yorke, M. and Longden, B., 2008. The First Year Experience of Higher Education in the
UK. York: Higher Education Academy.