From life crisis to lifelong learning: Rethinking working-class 'drop out'

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From life crisis to lifelong learning A number of factors were implicated in this. The combination of an increased workload and more freedom offered the opportunity to ‘cop out’ and fall behind. Students who felt they had ‘coasted through’ school and college suddenly experienced difficulties at university. This was not only unexpected, it also severely dented confidence in their ability to progress onto subsequent years of their degree course. This was frequently experienced as an increasing sense of loss of control: 22 Researcher: What sort of things led up to you leaving, what sort of triggered it off? Male interviewee: No support, too much of a heavy workload, thinking that I was losing control in everything that I was studying. Loss of confidence also affected their willingness or even ability to seek support. Teaching and learning The change in teaching and learning styles involved in the transition from school or college to university can prove problematic. Although students felt that they were ‘warned’ of this prior to entering HE, for many the extent of this change was something they were unprepared for in reality: I knew it would be a different atmosphere at university. It was a totally different world to college. They did give help but it wasn’t the same. I’d go to a lecture, they would teach me and that would be it. You can’t have any kind of a one-to-one … I had too much work and I didn’t know how I was going to manage. (Female) A number of students felt that they were unsure of whether to listen or take notes during lectures for example, or how to structure and plan their work. Many were not aware of specific advice and guidance available to help them to develop these skills: I just felt like I was out there, and I was on my own and there were not a lot of people who could help me in any way.
Reasons for leaving university Furthermore, effective formative assessment and feedback was lacking to help them progress. There was some work that I felt I was doing enough in but I wasn’t really getting the marks for it. Most of the class agreed they weren’t getting a clear indication as to what was required for it. (Male) At college you get continuous assessments but it wasn’t like it was at university. It’s like – take this and go away, do your research and write 10,000 words. In college I was quite bright and I always finished my work weeks before the semester finished. At university I often thought – oh God, where am I going, what is happening here? (Male) A distinction was evident between those students who said they liked studying in general but not studying the course they were on, and those who felt that ‘the student life is not for me’, expressing a preference for more practical, job-related learning: I think this is personal, or the type of person I am. When I was doing this degree it was like you learn how to make a cup software wise, but there is no purpose to it, there’s no reason. Now I learn to make a cup and then I make 50 of them at work and the boss said this is fantastic I didn’t know you could do that. And I have improved the time. And you are using it straight away and getting feedback. (Female) Larger class sizes created problems in adjusting, engendering feelings of ‘being lost’ and ‘faceless’. Furthermore, the high student-to-staff ratio restricted their ability to approach lecturers: They mixed classes, there was music technology and sound technology, and we were all together and there was just too big a group to have a more personal tutoring. (Male) 23
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From life crisis to lifelong learning: Rethinking working-class 'drop out'

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