Crossing boundaries: rethinking the ways that first-in-family students navigate ‘barriers’ to higher education

Abstract

Crossing Boundaries: Rethinking the ways that first-in-family students navigate 'barriers' to higher education This article explores how one cohort of first-in-family students narrated their movement into and through university, proposed as a form of boundary crossing.These metaphors emerged from the stories that students told about their persistence, with references ranging from institutional or organisational boundaries through to those imposed by self and others. Applying the sensitizing lens of boundary crossing, an analysis is provided of how learners navigated their transition into university and the types of persistence behaviours adopted. The focus is on those who traversed these boundaries, considering the nature of incursions and the ways these were negotiated within students' everyday lives.This cohort all self-identified as being the first in their family to attend university but also acknowledged a variety of additional social, cultural and economic factors that impacted upon their educational journey.

Informational capital and the transition to university: First‐in‐family students' experiences in Austrian higher education

“…Numerous studies have already investigated the study-related experiences of first-in-family students, particularly with regard to their transition to and integration into the field of higher education (Bathmaker et al, 2013;Crozier et al, 2008;O'Shea, 2016O'Shea, , 2019Pascarella et al, 2004;Reay et al, 2009). It is argued that gaining informational capital via family members might be more difficult for first-in-family students because they cannot draw on previous higher education experiences in their families (Byrom & Lightfoot, 2012;Orbe, 2004).…”

“…Recently, however, researchers have also begun to look more closely at those processes that are involved in successfully managing transition (El-Mafaalani, 2012;Gofen, 2009;Kurantowicz & Nizinska, 2016;Miethe, 2017;O'Shea, 2016;Spiegler, 2015;Stuart, 2006). This is gradually triggering a shift in perspective from a deficit-based approach towards a focus on individual and social habitus-field change (Miethe, 2017;O'Shea, 2016;Spiegler, 2015). Closer attention is thus being paid to success stories and positive study-related experiences of first-in-family students.…”

“…To summarise, while some of the literature tends to focus on the challenges first-in-family students face by examining unequal experiences and structural conditions (Crozier et al, 2008;Nairz-Wirth et al, 2017;Reay et al, 2005), other literature explores the success of first-in-family students by looking for opportunities for individual agency as well as structural change (El-Mafaalani, 2012;Miethe, 2017;O'Shea, 2016;Spiegler, 2015). A shared feature of the majority of research on transition processes is that it connects to the theoretical concepts of Bourdieu.…”

“…A student's cultural fit depends on the economic, social and cultural resources available in their family, the cultural capital they have acquired in secondary socialisation settings (e.g., at school or work) and the respective subject-specific culture in their chosen higher education establishment (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977). Since the capital resources of first-in-family students can be quite heterogeneous, studies also reveal a diverse picture with regard to their cultural fit in the transition to university (El-Mafaalani, 2012;Miethe, 2017;Orbe, 2004;O'Shea, 2016;Spiegler & Bednarek, 2013).…”

‘…having people that will help you, that know the ropes and have walked that road before you’: How does first in family status impact graduates in the employment field?

“…We use the term 'insider knowledge' to convey understanding or familiarity about certain ways of behaving that are often regarded as being accepted or taken for granted, and these assumptions are rarely made explicit. Not having this type of knowledge can lead to levels of inequity, impacting individual's success or achievement within different domains (Crozier, Reay, Clayton, Colliander, & Grinstead, 2008;O'Shea, 2020). In this study, the term (insider knowledge) is used to refer to implicit knowledge capitals that may influence the experiences of FiF students within the graduate employment market.…”