Nontraditional Student Perceptions of Collegiate Inclusion

Witkowsky, Patricia; Mendez, Sylvia L.; Ogunbowo, Oluwafolakemi; Clayton, Grant; Hernandez, Nancy

doi:10.1080/07377363.2016.1130581

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…Existing research has told us that many students from "non-traditional" backgrounds feel relatively unprepared for the university experience and lack the sense of entitlement held by their white, middle class counterparts (Thomas and Quinn, 2007;Reay et al, 2010). These students are often less conversant with academic language, cultures and traditions, and they lack the confidence to question and challenge normative assessment practices (Southall et al, 2016;Witkowsky et al, 2016). With increasing numbers of students engaging in higher education globally, and from increasingly diverse backgrounds, higher education has a significant responsibility to ensure all students have equal access to learning environments.…”

Section: Notions Of "Explicit" Within Higher Education Assessment Pramentioning

confidence: 99%

Transparency Isn't Spoon-Feeding: How a Transformative Approach to the Use of Explicit Assessment Criteria Can Support Student Self-Regulation

et al. 2018

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If little care is taken when establishing clear assessment requirements, there is the potential for spoon-feeding. However, in this conceptual article we argue that transparency in assessment is essential to providing equality of opportunity and promoting students' self-regulatory capacity. We begin by showing how a research-informed inclusive pedagogy, the EAT Framework, can be used to improve assessment practices to ensure that the purposes, processes, and requirements of assessment are clear and explicit to students. The EAT Framework foregrounds how students' and teachers' conceptions of learning (i.e., whether one has a transactional or transformative conception of learning within a specific context) impact assessment practices. In this article, we highlight the importance of being explicit in promoting access to learning, and in referencing the EAT Framework, the importance of developing transformative rather than transactional approaches to being explicit. Firstly, we discuss how transparency in the assessment process could lead to "criteria compliance" (Torrance, 2007, p. 282) and learner instrumentalism if a transactional approach to transparency, involving high external regulation, is used. Importantly, we highlight how explicit assessment criteria can hinder learner autonomy if paired with an overreliance on criteria-focused 'coaching' from teachers. We then address how 'being explicit with assessment' does not constitute spoon-feeding when used to promote understanding of assessment practices, and the application of deeper approaches to learning as an integral component of an inclusive learning environment. We then provide evidence on how explicit assessment criteria allow students to selfassess as part of self-regulation, noting that explicit criteria may be more effective when drawing on a transformative approach to transparency, which acknowledges the importance of transparent and mutual student-teacher communications about assessment requirements. We conclude by providing recommendations to teachers Balloo et al. Transparency Isn't Spoon-Feeding and students about how explicit assessment criteria can be used to improve students' learning. Through an emphasis on transparency of process, clarity of roles, and explication of what constitutes quality within a specific discipline, underpinned by a transformative approach, students and teachers should be better equipped to selfmanage their own learning and teaching.

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Section: Notions Of "Explicit" Within Higher Education Assessment Pramentioning

confidence: 99%

Transparency Isn't Spoon-Feeding: How a Transformative Approach to the Use of Explicit Assessment Criteria Can Support Student Self-Regulation

et al. 2018

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“…More senior nontraditional students could be matched through student services, counseling, career services, or wellness centers to serve as peer mentors for incoming nontraditional students. This mentorship would allow students to develop a support network on campus, which is needed by nontraditional students because they are more likely to live off campus and feel disconnected to the institution and their peers (Witkowsky et al, 2016). The mentorship would provide nontraditional students an opportunity to learn from their peers time management, organizational, study, and other related skills that address their unique needs, which might not be addressed through more traditional student services.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nontraditional and Struggling: Academic and Financial Distress Among Older Student Clients

Moore

Winterrowd

Petrouske

et al. 2020

J of College Counseling

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Few researchers have examined the mental health needs of nontraditional student clients (age 25 and older) using a multisite counseling center sample. This study (N = 4,499) included 630 nontraditional students (age 25 and older) who sought counseling services across one state university system. Compared with traditional-age student clients, nontraditional clients were more demographically diverse, presented with different concerns and challenges, and were more likely to report financial stress. Financial stress mediated relationships between nontraditional students status and academic dysfunction.

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“…Students from working class families, ethnic minorities, mature students and students with disabilities are usually underrepresented in HE in the United Kingdom (Marshall, 2016), especially in prestigious institutions (Moreau, 2016). Non-traditional learners experience a lack of academic and interpersonal validation with stressful situations because of their multiple responsibilities, low sense of community affiliation and few opportunities to participate in social life on campus (Witkowsky et al, 2016). In other words, material reasons interact with symbolic ones, where perceptions of accessibility also play a role in blocking these groups to access, remain and feel they belong in HE.…”

Section: Mother-students and Their Invisibility In Widening Participation (Wp)mentioning

confidence: 99%

«I Can’t Get the Practical Hours»: Care, Course Choice and Role Conflict Among Student-Mothers in Higher Education in Scotland

Bogossian

2021

RASE

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Nontraditional Student Perceptions of Collegiate Inclusion

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

Transparency Isn't Spoon-Feeding: How a Transformative Approach to the Use of Explicit Assessment Criteria Can Support Student Self-Regulation

Transparency Isn't Spoon-Feeding: How a Transformative Approach to the Use of Explicit Assessment Criteria Can Support Student Self-Regulation

Nontraditional and Struggling: Academic and Financial Distress Among Older Student Clients

«I Can’t Get the Practical Hours»: Care, Course Choice and Role Conflict Among Student-Mothers in Higher Education in Scotland

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