Lead: Prof. Eleanor Denny (TCD) supported by research assistant Florence Dowling.

Project partners : Dr Geraldine Brosnan and Dr Anne O’Keeffe (MIC), Dr Fiona Farr and Dr Angelica Risquez (UL), and Dr

Seamus Hoyne, Dr Martin Fitzgerald and Dr Michael Ryan (LIT)

To review the ways in which students are best prepared to participate successfully in higher education and to make the transition from second and/or further education to a higher education learning context.

In particular, it aims to address to what extent early higher education students have been equipped with the skills, competencies and orientations they need to succeed in Irish Higher Education.

International• Time management

demands• Student engagement inside

and outside the classroom• Social integration

National• Poor conception of workload

demands• Large classes and social

interaction• Student engagement• Institutional responsiveness• Clarity about learning• Social aspects

• Quantitative Survey - sample size: 1580

Quantitative analysis: – OLS regression to determine the factors which influence average transitional experience

- these factors included age of student, gender, CAO points, urban/rural secondary school, commuting time, course of study, institution, etc.

– Then a discrete regression model (an ordered logit) to determine if a student's experience of the transition impacts on their academic performance at third level.

– Finally another discrete regression model (again an ordered logit) to determine which aspect of the transition lasts the longest.

• Qualitative: ten focus groups were run in total:

4 at TCD (including pilot)2 at each MIC, UL and LIT

• Total sample: 50 average of 5 per group

• analysis- thematic, using N-vivo

• Focus group participants were selected from the volunteers based on the following criteria.

• The typical age for first year students is 18 – 20 years of age, however, at least one participant who was above this age bracket was selected for each focus group. Students who were under 18 were excluded due to potential consent issues.

• As close to a 50:50 gender split as possible was used in each focus group.• At least one student who entered third level from a path other than directly from

leaving certificate was included in each group.• Students from across the range of academic success at third level were chosen.• Students with a range of CAO points were selected.• Representation was made from both students who live at home and those living away

from home as it is possible that a student’s support networks may influence their experiences of transitioning to third level

• Did you find any of the following a challenge when you started at third level?

1. Age has a significant impact (for every year older a student is, they find the transition 1.3% - 1.6% more challenging)

2. Gender is highly significant (males are 7% less likely to report finding the transition to third level challenging)

3. Second level performance (CAO points) does not have an impact. Significant as it is counter to common belief and other studies.

4. Urban vs rural Students who attended an urban rather than a rural secondary school find the transition to third level less challenging (not statistically significant)

5. Programme of study. No significant impact except for Business and Economics (positive impact)

6. Commuting distance. Those with a commute of 15 minutes or less are 11% less likely to have transitional issues compared to a student with a commute of over 1 hour.

7. Living with parents. Small and insignificant relationship with transitional issues.

• Find time management challenging => less likely to get a first, more likely to fail

• Find group work challenging => more likely to get a first (perhaps those who get firsts prefer to work on their own)

• Find maths challenging => less likely to get a first

• Find research challenging=> more likely to fail

• Find making friends challenging => more likely to fail• Find engaging with college challenging => more likely to get a first

(perhaps these students just focus on their work and don’t get involved in college activities)

• 750 qualitative responses • Four main themes

- Academic skills - General skills – Third level supports– Expectations and engagement

“The overall sense of the workload being completely your own responsibility, motivating myself to do the work and my time management [were challenging] compared to secondary where homework was a regular everyday thing which was part of the routine. When the work isn't as regular and it’s completely up to yourself to do it with no one checking you, it’s hard to motivate and focus myself to do it, even though the subject matter itself is enjoyable and interesting.”

“I think there’s, like a lot of people are coming from college and they’re going to where they know nobody at all. I think there should be like an on line, kind of like Facebook group or something for people that are going into their course. Just so you can get to see people, so you might know a few faces before you get there, instead of just walking in the door, like you’d see the group of people from the first time ever.”

“Firstly, third level isn't easy. Don't let TV shows or movies fool you. You have to work hard, be organised and dedicated.”

“We're led to believe that college will be easy when in fact doing well requires a lot of work. We need to be informed of the amount of work actually involved.”

“More group work and interactive classes in secondary school, college isn't a projection from teacher to student relationship but a mutual dynamic relationship between lecturer and all the students to communicate and argue their own opinions of a topic while listening to others opinions too, whereas school is very much rote learning from a book and not enough emphasis is placed on development of self-efficacy and esteem in ones opinions”

“Should be better informed about the course they're going into and what it actually consists of. [It] feels like open days etc aren't entirely truthful -stop trying to sell the course and let people know what they're in for.”

“I feel as though third level institutions should make the transition easier through more guidance (i.e. more frequent tutor meetings to discuss assignments and feedback meeting after the first assignment) in the first term more so than any changes in secondary level education.”

• 1,100 responses, grouped into 35 subthemes and four overarching themes

• Transition is an ongoing issue for some students and impacts on academic performance, in particular, time management, maths, research and social & friends

• Good practice acknowledged (communication of same internally and externally)

• Many suggestions worthy of consideration for HEIs…