IDENTIFYING THE SUPPORT NEEDS OF PARENTING POST …

IDENTIFYING THE SUPPORT NEEDS OF PARENTING POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS AT A SMALL UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY

LINDSEY ERIN VOISIN

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SCHULICH SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

NORTH BAY, ONTARIO

©Lindsey Erin Voisin April 2016

IV

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

THESIS/DISSERTATION CERTIFICATE OF EXAMINATION

Certificate of Examination

Supervisor(s): Examiner(s)

Dr. Jennifer Barnett Dr. Lorraine Carter

Dr. Karleen Pendleton-Jimenez

The thesis by

Lindsey Erin Voisin

entitled

Identifying Support Needs of Parenting Post-Secondary Students at a Small Undergraduate University

is accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Education

Date Chair of the Examination Committee

April 28, 2016 Dr. Lorraine Frost (original signatures on file)

V

Abstract

In this qualitative study, the needs of parenting students at Nipissing University were

investigated. Because, internationally, the population of mature students attending post-

secondary institutions is expected to grow (Taylor & House, 2010; Randall, 2012), this could be a

growth area for Nipissing University. The researcher interviewed six parenting students and

found that Nipissing University is not perceived to be a family-friendly institution. The data

further indicated that many factors contribute to a family-friendly environment including

childcare, communication, flexibility, and awareness. A family-friendly campus enables the

parenting student to become more involved in academics and campus culture while such

involvement has been shown to hold the potential to increase retention. The child of the

parenting student was found to be a part of the student. If the child of the parenting student is not

supported, then the population of parenting students is not supported.

VI

Acknowledgements

This study would not have been possible without the support and involvement of so many

people. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank these individuals.

To my thesis committee: Thank you for the time, energy, and effort you put in to making

this the best study it could be. Your work has not gone unnoticed and the success of this

document is a testament to your investment in student success. Most notably, I would like to

thank Dr. Jennifer Barnett for her unending patience as I worked my way through this process.

To my parents: Thank you for believing I could accomplish this academic pursuit years

before I considered it possible. Thank you to my mother for being the first parenting student I

ever knew and to my father who maintained consistency while mom was learning.

To my partner, Scott: Thank you for challenging my thoughts and opinions and for your

support when I was at my lowest in this process. Your questions and insights inspire me to think

critically and look at situations with a sense of wonder. Thank you for being my favourite

person.

To my son, Miles: Thank you for making me a parenting student! Thank you for making

the experience of being a mom so fun and for being such an easygoing kid. I wouldn’t have been

able to accomplish this feat with any other baby.

Finally, to my participants: Thank you for allowing me to share your stories. You have

shown me what strength and perseverance look like. I hope I have done you the justice you

deserve.

VII

Contents

Chapter 1 – Introduction ................................................................................................................ 11

Identifying the Support Needs of Parenting Post-Secondary Students at a Small Undergraduate University ....................................................................................................................................... 11

Background and Significance of the Thesis Problem .................................................................... 12

Chapter 2 – Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 18

Defining the Mature Student ...................................................................................................... 18

Caring and Higher Education ..................................................................................................... 19

Understanding Mature Students in Post-Secondary Settings ..................................................... 20

Knowles’ Andragogy .................................................................................................................. 22

Mature Learner Motivation ........................................................................................................ 24

Support for Adult Learners ......................................................................................................... 25

Summary of Themes from the Literature ................................................................................... 26

Theoretical Framework – Critical Theory .................................................................................. 28

Chapter 3 – Method ........................................................................................................................ 30

Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 30

Method ........................................................................................................................................ 31

Ethical Considerations ................................................................................................................ 34

Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 35

Definitions .................................................................................................................................. 35

Chapter 4 – Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 37

Laura ........................................................................................................................................... 37

Kate ............................................................................................................................................. 40

Beth ............................................................................................................................................. 43

Ryan ............................................................................................................................................ 47

Alicia .......................................................................................................................................... 51

Maggie ........................................................................................................................................ 55

Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 59

Chapter 5 – Critical Theory ............................................................................................................ 68

Current Support Services ............................................................................................................ 69

Unaware that the Child is a Part of the Student .......................................................................... 72

Unsupported Challenges Affect Retention ................................................................................. 75

VIII

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 77

Chapter 6 – Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................... 79

Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 79

Recommendations for Practice ................................................................................................... 79

Recommendations for Future Research ...................................................................................... 82

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 84

References ...................................................................................................................................... 85

Appendix A .................................................................................................................................... 93

Appendix B .................................................................................................................................... 94

Appendix C .................................................................................................................................... 97

Appendix D .................................................................................................................................... 98

IX

List of Tables

Table Description Page

4.1 Description of Participants……………………………………. 57

X

List of Figures

Figure Description Page

4.1 Illustration of Laura’s Themes………………………………………………... 39

4.2 Illustration of Kate’s Themes…………………………………………………. 42

4.3 Illustration of Beth’s Themes…………………………………………………. 46

4.4 Illustration of Ryan’s Themes………………………………………………… 50

4.5 Illustration of Alicia’s Themes………………………………………………... 54

4.6 Illustration of Maggie’s Themes………………………………………………. 57

4.7 Themes of the Study…………………………………………………………... 65

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Chapter 1 – Introduction

Identifying the Support Needs of Parenting Post-Secondary Students at a Small

Undergraduate University

I began the journey toward this thesis in January 2013. At the end of my first course, I

learned I was expecting my first child, and by the end of my fourth course, my son Miles was

born. Suddenly, the decision I had made to pursue graduate studies was complicated. The initial

complication was financial. The tuition and fees I paid each semester had a new value. My new

son’s swimming lessons for a year were the equivalent of the ancillary fees for one course; his

nursery furniture cost less than the tuition for one course; his car seat is less expensive than the

one semester continuation fee I paid when I was not able to take a course. After a lifetime of

believing that education is positive and valuable, I began to feel guilty about pursuing my own

education, and I found myself torn.

I started to see the cost of schooling in terms of gains and losses. For example, while I

would gain an advanced degree in a subject I am passionate about, I would lose time with my

son. Though I would learn a great deal, I knew I would not be able to achieve at the level I

would normally expect of myself. I knew I would gain professional recognition, but I would lose

whatever hours of sleep I had left.

In the end, for personal and professional reasons, I chose to continue this process. I tried

to meet graduate-level expectations during my son’s naps, and read articles while breastfeeding.

On one occasion, my then six-week old introduced himself to my online class during an

interactive session with a perfectly timed scream. I understand that graduate studies are seldom

glamorous for students, but, on top of stress and deadlines, my experience has included poopy

diapers, sleep regressions, colic, and separation anxiety. Did I mention the sleep loss?

12

I am not alone. I have heard about this conflicted feeling from my students. I am a

Student Learning Coordinator in the Office of Student Development and Services at Nipissing

University. Every day I work with students who are working hard to achieve their academic

goals. My students who have children have told me that it would be easier to leave university

and that they continuously evaluate their options. My students have told me that they feel like

walking dollar signs who have little time to spend with their children. Before my son’s arrival, I

had met with students who had children but I never fully understood their stories. I understand

them now. At the same time, I also see how post-secondary education can benefit parenting

students and how parenting students can benefit secondary education.

This study gave a voice to its participants. The results could lead to the development of

policies and services that may help students who have children. Furthermore, employees of the

institution may become more aware of the academic support needs of students who have children,

and, if Nipissing University implements new policies as a result, they may lead to increased

retention for the university and higher completion rates for mature students.

Background and Significance of the Thesis Problem

In January 2010, the Ontario Council of Universities (COU) noted the number of students

who had applied to Ontario universities during the preceding application season. At that point,

the number of applications received from Ontario secondary school students had increased by 2.7

percent over the previous application cycle (COU, 2010). According to the Ontario Universities’

Application Centre (OUAC) (2013), these students had graduated from high school and had not

been away from their studies for more than seven consecutive months. In the 2010 press release,

the COU indicated that the increase in applications received from mature, transfer, and returning

students was identical to the increase in secondary school applications at approximately 2.7

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percent. The increase in applications from this group translated to 45,000 mature students

applying to universities in 2010 (MacLean’s, 2010). This trend appears to be international with

more than 40% of British university enrolment coming from mature students (Taylor & House,

2010) and a projected increase in mature student enrolment of 20% in the United States by 2018

compared with an approximately 9% increase in new high school graduate enrolments over the

same period (Randall, 2012). van Rhijn (2012) notes that approximately 13% of Canadian post-

secondary students are parents.

In 2014, Nipissing University admitted 39 mature students to various programs. Of that, 13

are part-time students. In my professional experience at Nipissing University, and according to

the research of van Rhijn and Lero (2014), parenting post-secondary students are most frequently

grouped in the larger mature student demographic and generally fit Nipissing University’s

definition of a mature student. At Nipissing University, prospective students can be considered

mature students if they meet the following criteria:

1. applicants are 20 years of age or older at the start of the academic session;

2. have been away from formal education (secondary school, college, etc.) for at least the

previous two years; and

3. lack the specified entrance requirements for degree programs. (Nipissing University,

2014, Mature Students)

Once accepted, a student applying with mature student status will be admitted on probation and

will be able to register for a maximum of 24 credits. After successfully completing those credits,

the student can then take a full 30-credit course load (Mature Students, 2015). While this is the

university’s definition, I believe that how mature students personally identify in the academic and

student cultures is influenced by the complicated and multi-dimensional relationships they have

with their educations (Kasworm, 2008).

14

It is important to consider the motivation that brings this group to post-secondary

education. The 2005 Ontario Learns report on adult education in Ontario indicates that 81% of

new jobs created between 1996 and 2001 required some form of specialized training or

experience (Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, 2005). Then chair of the Council of

Ontario Universities, Sheldon Levy, suggested that, "graduates of Ontario universities possess the

creative, technical and critical thinking skills to be leaders in the knowledge economy, where

about 70% of jobs will require a postsecondary education" (COU, 2010, para. 4). In 2002 alone,

30.3% of Ontario adults aged 25-64 participated in training and educational programming

(Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, 2005). Kasworm’s (2011) findings support the

COU statement and suggest that post-secondary institutions play a critical role in the lives of

mature students. If the job market is technical and experience-based in nature, then the need for

specific training increases. Without training, even the most experienced potential candidate could

find himself or herself at a disadvantage during the employment application process (Kasworm,

2011; van Rhijn, Quosai, & Lero, 2011). Because we are currently in the midst of a knowledge-

based economy, the role of post-secondary education in general and adult education in particular

requires change. According to Kasworm, (2011), the role of adult higher education has grown

and become an important part of the global economy (Kasworm, 2011).

Personal interest can also be a source of motivation for the adult learner (MacGregor &

Ryan, 2011). The adult learner comes to the classroom with experience that could be professional

or personal (Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, 2005) and a desire to learn more on

a related topic. Although the mature student comes to education with experience, which could be

seen as an advantage, he or she also has different challenges with which to contend.

In 2012, Toronto Star reporter Louise Brown interviewed mature students from different

Ontario post-secondary institutions. Brown (2012) revealed that mature students do not qualify

15

for a government of Ontario tuition subsidy program that would save them between $730 and

$1600 per school year. Many students noted the financial strain related to raising a child or

children and studying. One student stated the following:

I pay $880 a month in rent, plus hydro, plus the costs of raising my daughter, so why

am I less qualified for help than a kid out of high school who has the luxury of living

in a house with four other students and paying $250 to $300 in rent? (Brown, 2012,

para. 5)

The interviewed students in this study discussed how their exclusion from this program affected

their decisions to study. Brown (2012) also noted that students who registered in part-time studies

were not able to qualify at all. In addition, the responsibilities mentioned previously make it more

likely that the adult learner will enroll as a part-time student, which extends the length of

programs considerably and often leads students to reconsider their options. Shapiro and Bray

(2011) determined that students studying on a part-time basis are more likely to become

discouraged by their studies and are less likely to complete a full degree program than a full-time

student. Shapiro and Bray (2011) found that the mature student was more likely to enroll in part-

time studies because of extra-curricular responsibilities. The Ministry of Training, Colleges, and

Universities (MTCU) (2005) study suggested that the responsibilities of the learner could

contribute to the decision to further education.

The responsibilities of the adult learner that were noted by the MTCU (2005) can become a

source of stress for the mature post-secondary student. Stresses such as family, finances, and

employment can affect the decision making process of the mature learner (MacGregor & Ryan,

2011). Giancola, Grawitch, and Borchert (2009) found that work-related stress was among the

greatest stressors experienced by the mature students who participated in their study.

Employment status is beyond the control of the adult learner (Giancola, Grawitch, & Borchert,

16

2009), and van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011) note that a student parent is more likely to be

employed while studying than a mature student who does not have children. Although

employment is one of the biggest sources of stress, the stress of family can be all-encompassing.

Family stress is affected by employment as it relates to time and income as well as the cost of

education. Put another way, mature students with children worried that taking on student debt

would negatively affect their children and be “a ‘selfish’ strategy” (Shaw, 2014, p. 884). O’Shea

and Stone (2011) noted that mature students often come to the post-secondary environment

replete with self-doubt and low self-esteem. The mature learner is, therefore, one who requires

unique support and consideration. Tariq and Durrani (2012) determined that mature student status

was a negative predictor of an undergraduate student’s decision to self-identify as having low

confidence and self-esteem. These issues should concern leaders at post-secondary institutions

considering the growing population of mature students entering post-secondary education.

Existing research suggests that the self-image of the parenting post-secondary student,

along with adult-friendly policies and support programs, play important roles in student academic

success and post-secondary institutional retention rates (Kasworm, 2008). However, despite the

growing numbers of mature learners entering post-secondary institutions, services and policies

surrounding student development, curriculum, and program development have yet to be adopted,

and they are not in line with the needs of the adult learner (Kasworm, 2008, 2011; Shapiro &

Bray, 2011; Harper & Ross, 2011). Their needs must be taken into consideration by post-

secondary institutions and must be met in order to effectively retain this growing demographic.

For the remainder of this study, the term parenting post-secondary student will refer to a

student enrolled in a degree-based post-secondary program who is the parent of at least one minor

child. In this study, the support needs of parenting post-secondary students at Nipissing

17

University will be investigated in order to discover strategies to assist this group at risk for

discontinuation of their studies.

Research Question

In seeking to empower and provide support for the parenting post-secondary learner, the

following question was investigated: From the perspective of the parenting post-secondary

student, how can Nipissing University best support the needs of parenting students?

Conclusion

This study began a conversation about how Nipissing University can support the needs of

the parenting student. Although the mature student population of post-secondary institutions has

grown, programs, services, and policies do not support their development and academic success

(Kasworm, 2008, 2011; Shapiro & Bray, 2011; Harper & Ross, 2011). Even if only a small

percentage of these mature students have children, it is still important that they be supported in

ways that are appropriate and meet their unique needs.

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Chapter 2 – Literature Review

Introduction

A 2005 Ontario Ministry Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU) report entitled

Ontario Learns: Strengthening Our Adult Education System is dedicated to “the many adult

learners – past, present, and future – across our province who take that first courageous step back

into learning” (MTCU, p. 2). Current studies focus on the unique experiences of mature learners

in the post-secondary environment, learner motivation, and programming that will maintain

motivation and retain students in the post-secondary environment (Goddu, 2012; Harper & Ross,

2011; Holyoke & Larson, 2009). Furthermore, the research indicates that effective transitioning

into the education system and relevant curricula and supports are key to the academic success of

adult learners (McGregor & Ryan, 2011).

Brooks (2012) notes that the mature student is more likely than the traditional university

student to be a parent or guardian of a child. Her research also reveals a lack of study into the

experience of what she calls “student-parents” (Brooks, 2012, p. 423) and van Rhijn, Quosai, and

Lero (2011), who profiled the Canadian student parent in their study, note that student parents

have been under-represented on Canadian post-secondary campuses for 30 years. However, due

to the lack of research into the development and experience of the parenting student in post-

secondary educational institutions, in this chapter, I will review existing literature in the fields of

adult education and student development in order to better understand the landscape of research

related to the experience of the adult learner in the post-secondary environment.

Defining the Mature Student

Who is the mature student? According to Wardley, Bélanger, and Leonard (2013),

mature students are 22 years of age and older while the traditionally aged post-secondary student

19

is 17-21 years of age. The authors also point out that there is a lack of consistency in academic

research about the age range of the traditional student, which affects the academic definition of

the mature or non-traditional student. Wardley, Bélanger, and Leonard based their study on the

assumption that a traditionally aged student is not more than two years removed from secondary

studies. They distinguish the mature, or non-traditional, student from the traditional student by

noting that the “traditional age group has been the focus of the majority of student retention

models and university promotion efforts” (Wardley, Bélanger, & Leonard, 2013, p. 94). van

Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero’s (2011) data suggest the student parent generally fits into the 30-44 age

range.

Rather than focusing on a range of ages, O’Boyle (2015) defines the mature student as

“an identity that one inhabits and performs and identifies with to a greater or lesser degree on an

ongoing basis, which is to say that the experience of being a mature student changes

continuously” (p. 94). This is consistent with Kasworm (2008) who points out that mature

students are in a state of flux and have complex identities. van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011)

also note that the title student parent is an umbrella term that includes young parents as well as

those who would more traditionally fit into the larger group of mature students. Furthermore,

van Rhijn and Lero (2014) found that student parents who were in partnered relationships were

more likely to be satisfied with their role as a student and their role as a parent.

Caring and Higher Education

van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011) note that women make up the majority of student

parents in post-secondary school. This claim is consistent with Alsop, Gonzalez-Arnal, and

Kilkey (2008) who posit that most of the mature students in higher settings who are primary care-

givers are women. Daly (2002) defines care as being “one of the original feminist concepts” (p.

20

252). This understanding of care makes the issue of how to best support this group of learners a

gendered issue. More deliberate communication between post-secondary institutions and women

is necessary to better ensure their ability to participate and fully access higher education. Such

communication is of the utmost importance because post-secondary education factors into

employability (Alsop, Gonzalez-Arnal, & Kilkey, 2008).

Employment is particularly problematic for single mothers who, according to van Rhijn,

Quosai, and Lero (2011), face greater barriers when accessing higher education. Brine and

Waller (2004) found that female single mothers felt that being a student was in conflict with

being a mother, which creates a further barrier to education. Building on this idea, Alsop,

Gonzalez-Arnal, and Kilkey (2008) suggest that many of the considerations made for paid

employees in terms of support should be granted to students with care-giving responsibilities.

van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011) suggest that current on-campus support services do not serve

the needs of the student parent.

Understanding Mature Students in Post-Secondary Settings

Waller (2006) finds the term mature student to be problematic because it “has limited

value beyond mere institutional convenience or in assessing attempts to attract ‘non-traditional’

learners back into formal education” (p. 116). Sissel, Hansmann, and Kasworm (2001) point out

that mature students in the post-secondary environment are often “invisible, marginalized, and

taken for granted” (p. 18) as a result of institutional policies. The complex experiences of

different students must be considered in the development of policies (Waller, 2006). Adult

learners must balance multiple priorities. When combined with the responsibilities carried by

adults, which include but are not limited to employment, debt, and family, the decision to return

to or remain enrolled in an educational setting is complicated. The extra-curricular realities of the

21

adult learner often lead to the decision to terminate their studies, or forego them entirely, a viable

option because educational endeavors take time and money away from these other important

responsibilities (Kasworm, 2008). van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011) found that student parents

have different needs than those who are not parents and that they are more likely than non-

student parents to enroll in part-time studies despite increased full-time enrollment of the general

mature student demographic.

Francis-Poscente (2008) initially thought that she would study on a part-time basis but

was urged by her advisor to consider full-time studies and “argued that I needed to be more

committed” (p. 71). In presenting the argument for changing to the full-time program, the advisor

cited low completion rates among part-time students. This change in student status resulted in

increased stress and an increased financial burden that resulted in the need to find more part-time

work on weekends which then took away time from her family. van Rhijn and Lero (2014) found

that the parent role of the student parent benefits from being enrolled on as a part-time student.

MacGregor and Ryan (2011) recommended that adult education be offered to accommodate a

variety of schedules including day, evening, weekend, and distance classes. The authors further

recommend that services such as childcare be easily accessible to adult learners. These

accommodations put the focus on the goals and success of the student. They further encourage

student retention.

Kasworm (2008) considered the adult learner to be in constant “renegotiation and

adaptation of themselves and their lives” (p. 29). This suggests that the decision to prioritize

education among other stressors and commitments is continuous. Life stressors are factors in the

decision-making process of an adult learner. In an effort to support their decisions, adult

educators must be able to respect and accommodate students’ unique responsibilities. Without

flexible accommodations, the mature student will be at risk of discontinuing their studies

22

(Kasworm, 2008). Mercer (2007) also found that students were in a state of renegotiation. Her

interviews revealed that mature students identified personal development as being integral to

their student experiences and equal in importance to academic development. Mercer (2007)

determined that the institution must understand where mature students place importance and

priority. The literature indicates that a mature student can have a negative experience in the post-

secondary environment (Sissel, Hansmann, & Kasworm, 2001; Waller, 2006; Francis-Poscente,

2008). Knowles (1980) had previously developed a theory about adult learners and adult

education more broadly.

Knowles’ Andragogy

Knowles (1980) defined andragogy as “the art and science of helping adults learn” (p.

43). Hansman and Mott (2010) note that andragogy is “widely adopted in the 20th century as

helpful in understanding adult learners” (p. 17). By 1984, Knowles had developed six

assumptions that framed andragogy: Self-concept, or the idea that the adult learner is more

independent and able to form opinions; role of experience, which posits that adult learners often

come to the educational environment with life experience that can be used in the delivery of

curricula; readiness to learn, which means that adult learners are more apt to learn when the

material is relevant to their needs; orientation to learning, or the idea that adult learners prefer an

immediate application of newly acquired knowledge or skills; internal motivation, which means

that the adult learner is more likely to be driven by internal motivators than external motivators;

and the need to know, which is demonstrated by a willingness to participate in learning that they

understand to be valuable (Chan, 2010, p. 27; Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 1998, Taylor &

Kroth, 2009). Chan (2010) applied Knowles’s theory to multiple disciplines in post-secondary

settings and found that andragogical approaches to teaching resulted in improved learning among

23

adult learners. Likewise, Harper and Ross (2011) studied a self-directed, interdisciplinary degree

program through the lens of andragogy and claimed that their findings were consistent Knowles’s

theory. They determined that an adult transitioning into the educational setting can be put at ease

knowing that they maintain freedom in their academic program (Harper & Ross, 2011). Harper

and Ross (2011) further found that “adults need to be responsible for their own education and be

involved in the creation of it” (p. 165).

Knowles distinguished between adult and child learners with the terms andragogy and

pedagogy (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). He wrote about andragogy as being

student-directed and pedagogy as being teacher-directed. However, Merriam, Caffarella, and

Baumgartner (2007) stated that “close scrutiny of the assumptions and their implications by

educators in and out of adult education led Knowles to back off his original stance that andragogy

characterized only adult learners” (p. 87). Knowles’ response to this scrutiny resulted in the

suggestion that, rather than a distinction between the two philosophies, there is a “continuum

ranging from teacher-directed to student-directed learning and that both approaches are

appropriate with children and adults, depending on the situation” (Merriam, Caffarella, &

Baumgartner, 2007, p. 87).

Although its assumptions have been tested, criticisms of andragogy still abound. Taylor

and Kroth (2009) have pointed out that its results are not measureable while Hansman and Mott

(2010) have critiqued its “generic and prescriptive ideas of typical adult learners” (p. 17).

Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner (2007) claim that this emphasis on a stereotype results in a

theory that does not acknowledge social, economic, cultural, and historical contexts. Knowles’s

theory, however, does indicate that intrinsic motivation is a contributing factor for mature

students. This idea is well supported in the literature.

24

Mature Learner Motivation

Waller (2006) notes that the participants of his study chose to return to school following a

major life event. Examples of such events include the desire for a new career and the loss of

family through death or separation. This idea is consistent with MacGregor and Ryan (2007) who

also found that mature students re-engaged with formal education for a variety of reasons

including job loss and with the MTCU (2005) report, which pointed out that the nature of the

Ontario economy could result in an increase in the mature student population in post-secondary

institutions.

Breen, Prendergast, and Carr (2015) studied the motivations of mature learners who

engaged with on-campus mathematic support services and found that the reasons for accessing

such services varied. They found that students participated because they could not afford private

tutoring and that increased extra-curricular experiences drove students to seek help because of a

desire to succeed. Participants who did not make use of such services were motivated by a belief

that support was not needed, conflicting schedules, and a feeling of being overwhelmed by the

popularity of the service.

McCune, Hounsell, Christie, Cree, and Tett (2010) compared the motivations of younger,

traditionally aged undergraduate students with those of mature students. They found that, while

the younger cohort was most motivated by the desire for personal development, independence,

and social experiences, mature learners were most motivated by personal development, career

aspirations, and interest. The study also found that mature students tend to be heavily engaged in

their areas of study. The researchers agreed with McGivney’s (2004, as cited in McCune, et al.,

2010) findings that mature learners would be more likely to withdraw from a program of study

due to extra-curricular stressors such as family and employment.

25

Support for Adult Learners

In this section, I will outline the different supports generally available to mature students.

Support can come from on-campus services, curriculum and academic programming, and extra-

curricular sources including family, friends, and employers.

On-campus services. MacGregor and Ryan (2011) recommended providing access to

services such as guidance counselors to help students in realizing their goals and trained adult

educators who are able to identify and accommodate the unique challenges of the mature student

re-entering the secondary school environment. In post-secondary institutions, academic and

career advisors can also serve this purpose. van Rhijn, Quosai, and Lero (2011) suggest that

would benefit from the acknowledgement of their unique situation and transition support.

Belzer and Ross-Gordon (2011) point out that it is necessary to see adult learners

holistically, including during their transitioning into and out of the educational environment.

Such recognition involves acquiring consistent student input. If the student is goal-oriented, he or

she will appreciate this consistent awareness and will be able to “make decisions to reach

previously unattainable goals” (Terry, 2001, para. 16).

Extra-curricular support. If it is true that the mature student is more likely to withdraw

from post-secondary studies as a result of external factors as suggested by McGivney (2004, as

cited in McCune et al., 2009), then positive support from the person’s extra-curricular network is

important. Giancola, Grawitch, and Borchert (2009) found that, along with strong personal

coping strategies, social supports were critical in the overall wellness and transition of a mature

student to the post-secondary environment. They identified work-school and family-school

tensions as contributing to an inability to cope with academic expectations. They also

highlighted employment stress as being a negative predictor for success. According to Davies

(2013), positive reinforcement from an employer is important to the mature student. van Rhijn,

26

Quosai, and Lero (2011) also found that student parents who have external supports in the form

of a working partner or other sources of aid were more likely to study full time without having a

job.

Extra-curricular and academic programming. After studying a self-directed post-

secondary degree program at the University of Mississippi, Harper and Ross (2011) noted the

following:

1. Adults need to know the reason for learning something;

2. Experience (including error) provides the basis for learning activities;

3. Adults need to be responsible for their own education and be involved in the creation of

it;

4. Adults are most interested in learning those things having immediate relevance to them.

(pp. 165-166)

The idea of a self-structured curriculum is an option that program developers may wish to explore

when constructing courses of study.

Recognizing that personal motivation is a factor, it is also important that the curriculum

be relevant to the interests and goals of the adult learner (Goddu, 2012). Holyoke and Larson

(2009) elaborated on the importance of the overall curricular experience, including content, as it

relates to motivation in the adult learner. Their study found that flexibility in both course content

and expectations are necessary in order to “encourage an adult learner to find ways of applying

knowledge to a personalized situation” (Holyoke & Larson, 2009, p. 17).

Summary of Themes from the Literature

The adult learner faces issues related to identity and benefits from accommodations such

as flexibility. Flexibility is a consistent theme in the literature (Goddu, 2012; Harper & Ross,

27

2011; Holyoke & Larson, 2009; McGregor & Ryan, 2011). Flexibility relates to accommodations

and scheduling as well as to curriculum. By providing students with access to relevant courses

and relevant coursework, adult learners experience success (Harper & Ross, 2011; McGregor &

Ryan, 2011). In the case of adult learners, the incorporation of their experiences and their out-of-

class identities into the classroom environment is important. Educators working with learners

who are parents need to be particularly aware of the dynamic and multi-faceted natures of their

students’ lives. Cornell University in the United States of America offers supports and

networking opportunities through their Students with Children website (Cornell, 2013). The

University of Toronto’s Family Care Office website offers similar support and networking

opportunities in addition to resources for students and faculty (University of Toronto, 2015).

Examined through the lens of adult education or student development theory, such websites are

valuable resources.

The issue of identity and changing identity runs through much of the existing literature

about adult learners (Harper & Ross, 2011; Kasworm, 2008; Mercer, 2007). Further, it is

important to take a holistic view of identity and the parenting student. The literature also reveals

that parenting post-secondary students require support to improve their chances of achieving

academic success (Davies, 2013; Giancola, Grawitch, & Borchert, 2009). Adult learners need

flexibility, personally relevant programs (Knowles, 1980; Harper & Ross, 2011), and nurturing of

their unique identities and experiences within the institution (Harper & Ross, 2011; McGregor &

Ryan, 2011).

Nipissing University is a small institution when compared with others and, therefore,

offers fewer classes with fewer professors making this more difficult. In closing, although ample

research has been done into the needs of adult learners, there is room to examine the supports and

curricular considerations affecting parenting post-secondary students in Canada. While these

28

students are adult learners for registration purposes, they have different needs than non-parenting

adult students. As I designed this study and its theoretical framework, I had the challenge of

capturing the themes found in the existing literature in an accurate manner.

Theoretical Framework – Critical Theory

Critical theory first emerged in the late 18th century. According to McKernan (2013), the

critical theorists represented social thinkers from a variety of fields who sought “equality and

community action in public policy and education” (p. 417) and brought “a critical perspective to

cultural and educational issues” (p. 417). Education was an area of particular interest to the

critical theorists including the Fabian Socialists. Sidney and Beatrice Webb and George Bernard

Shaw who considered themselves Fabian Socialists co-founded the London School of Economics

“as a reform strategy to study and eradicate social injustices and societal ills in Britain”

(McKernan, 2013, p. 418).

According to McArthur (2011), critical theorists must overcome the obstacle of

attempting to create equity in an inherently unjust society while suggesting that it is the role of

higher education to promote social justice. In Adult Education Quarterly, Chapman (2005) stated

the following, “I am concerned with the multiple discourses of critical theory, which seek to

make social life and practices not just intelligible but also better” (p. 309). This is consistent with

Kincheloe and McLaren (1998) who suggest that critical research that examines social challenges

for the purpose of improving society must be conducted. Critical theory-based research differs

from traditional research by abandoning what Kincheloe and McLaren (1998) refer to as “the

guardrail of neutrality” (p. 264) and “frequently announc[ing] … partisanship in the struggle for a

better world” (p. 264).

29

Slott (2001) writes that postmodernism complements the critical theory approach. He

defines postmodernism in adult education as “seek[ing] to deconstruct the core assumptions, the

foundations, upon which adult education theory and practice are based” (Slott, 2001, p. 43). On

the other hand, Edwards and Usher (1994) suggests that education, which critical theory

identifies as a source of emancipatory freedom for the oppressed (Rømer, 2011), is in and of

itself not compatible with postmodernism because 1) it is dependent on absolutes, and 2)

knowledge is an inherently modern construct. Jean-Francois Lyotard (1984) defined

postmodernism as “incredulity toward metanarratives” (p. xxiv). By comparison, Kincheloe and

McLaren (1998) suggest that the use of a postmodern lens allows the researcher to examine the

diversity of a community and observe oppression, suppression, and exclusion. Furthermore,

Usher, Bryant, & Johnston (1997) write that postmodernist philosophers contend that differences

and diversity are essential elements of human existence.

As this study moves into its third chapter, I will further emphasize the importance of the

stories of those who are not included in the larger metanarrative of one institution of higher

education. Chapter 3 will focus largely on research design and methods used in data gathering

and analysis. Particular attention will be afforded to how critical theory informed the actual

conduct of the study, and to the importance of the stories of those not included in the larger

metanarrative of the student population at Nipissing University.

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Chapter 3 – Method

In this chapter, I will provide insight into why critical theory with a post-modern lens was

the most appropriate theoretical framework for this qualitative study. I will then outline the

method used in my study including my recruitment strategy, study sample, interviews, and

analysis strategy.

Methodology

I chose to follow a qualitative research model in order to “not restrict the views of

participants” (Creswell, 2012, p. 205). Lincoln and Denzin (1994) define qualitative research as

“involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter.… qualitative researchers

study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of or interpret phenomena in terms

of the meanings people bring to them” (p. 2). The qualitative nature of this study enabled the

participants to interpret and provide context about their experiences (Merriam, 1998). In

addition, the interviews provided participants the chance to express opinions and stories that

might otherwise have been restricted by an alternate data collecting strategy. During this process,

themes emerged through an inductive process. The interviews were open-ended and informed an

understanding of the experiences, issues and concerns of this group of students (Bendassolli,

2013; Kiernan, Proud, & Jackson, 2015).

As a complement to the qualitative research model, a critical postmodern framework was

used during the interview, transcription, and analysis processes. In particular, because “it was the

Fabians who most successfully addressed the problems of poverty and social inequality through

research and education in modern Britain” (McKernan, 2013, p. 419) and student parents are

more likely than other students to experience financial distress (van Rhijn, Quosai, & Lero,2011),

this study was influenced by the Fabian Socialist School of Critical Theory. By using critical

31

theory in this study, I acknowledged that Nipissing University’s support services for parenting

students are open to critique. My aim was to start a conversation about why and how changes, if

recommended, can be made. A postmodern lens was used to explore the end-goal of

empowerment of mature students with children who are studying at Nipissing University.

This study examined the Nipissing University population by deconstructing the student

population, acknowledging its different elements, and valuing its diversity accomplished by

focusing on parenting students. The postmodern lens afforded me as the researcher the

opportunity to focus on the “little narrative” (Lyotard, 1984, p. 60) and to see parenting students

as a critical element of the Nipissing University student population while the critical theory

approach positioned me to openly champion improved conditions for the group that the

postmodern lens enabled me to explore (Kincheloe & McLaren, 1998).

Method

In this section, I will provide a step-by-step outline of how I recruited participants. I will

also describe my sample, how I conducted my interviews, and how I analyzed the resulting data.

Recruitment. For this study, I sought to recruit a minimum of five and a maximum of

twelve participants. All participants had to be Nipissing University students who were attending

classes at the North Bay, Ontario campus on a part or full-time basis; were the parent of at least

one minor child; and met the criteria for mature student as defined by Nipissing University.

I advertised this study and connected with interested candidates using a recruitment poster

(see Appendix A) that detailed the nature of the study and provided potential participants with

my Nipissing University student contact information and the professional contact information of

my research supervisor. The posters were displayed from March 12, 2015 until April 15, 2015.

32

Sample. The recruitment poster for this study was displayed in Nipissing University

common areas and on general notice bulletin boards in the Education Centre building on the

North Bay, Ontario campus. This approach attracted candidates “who [were] readily available”

(Nolan & Heinzen, 2008, p. 155). My study sample can, therefore, be defined as a “convenience

sample” (Nolan & Heinzen, 2008, p. 155). Creswell (2012) identifies convenience sampling as

being appropriate to qualitative research because it “captures the developing or emerging nature

of qualitative research nicely and can lead to novel ideas and surprise findings” (p. 209).

In the end, I interviewed six participants who met the requirements for my study. My

participants included five women and one man. Two of my participants were married and four

identified as being single parents.

Interviews. I conducted six interviews between March 25 and April 10, 2015. Crouch

and McKenzie (2006) suggest that a small sample size is beneficial to qualitative research

because the researcher can build a better relationship with the interviewees, thereby enhancing

the quality of the analysis. Participants were invited to choose the time and location of the

interview in order to accommodate their schedules and personal comfort levels. I conducted

semi-structured, conversational interviews with open-ended questions. This gave the participants

the opportunity to provide their own interpretations of experiences as well as reasons and context

for their responses (Bendassolli, 2013; Fielding, Fielding, & Hughes, 2013; Merriam, 1998).

One-on-one, in-person interviews were conducted at the convenience of the participants.

At the start of each interview, I reviewed the Letter of Informed Consent (see Appendix

B) and gave the participant the opportunity to ask questions before he or she signed the letter. I

clarified my existing professional relationship with Nipissing University and made sure all

participants were aware of the alternative services they would be able to use in the future should

they require these professional services. I also asked each participant if they were comfortable

33

with their interview being recorded. All but one of the participants provided consent for

recording. With the outstanding participant’s consent, I manually scribed her interview.

I started each interview by asking the primary research question: How can Nipissing

University best support the needs of parenting students? From there, the interviews were

conversation-based and I encouraged the participants to openly express their feelings and

opinions. Interviews lasted an average of 30 minutes.

The data were saturated after four interviews. Two more interviews were conducted in

order to confirm the findings. Morse, Barrett, Mayan, Olson, and Spiers (2002) suggest that data

saturation is an indicator of completeness.

Data analysis. Following each interview, I transcribed the audio from the recorded

interviews and typed the scribed notes from the unrecorded interview. These transcriptions were

sent to the participants who were given the opportunity to clarify or otherwise alter their

responses. In this manner, a member check was performed. The participant-approved

transcriptions became the data set of my study.

Once approved, interviews were analyzed individually using a postmodern, critical lens

and potential themes were isolated. Themes from earlier interviews were used to analyze

subsequent interviews. Themes were also combined or eliminated as new data were presented.

As per the critical design process, I had to “consider a balance among description, analysis, and

interpretation so that each becomes an important element of…analysis” (Creswell, 2012, p. 479).

When considering the postmodern lens, I was diligent to seek out smaller narratives in order to be

consistent with Lyotard (1984).

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Ethical Considerations

Shanmuganathan (2005) has described ethical issues related to fieldwork and data

collection that can occur during research. Ethical considerations were addressed before the study

began. Participants were adults of the age of consent. Participants were informed that the goal of

this study was to identify the ways in which post-secondary institutions can support the academic

success of parenting students. Names were changed on transcripts and research notes to maintain

confidentiality and privacy. Only approximate ages of any minors (e.g., toddlers, newborns,

teenagers) were noted to better understand the family commitments of the participants.

In an effort to be transparent, I disclosed both an academic and professional affiliation

with Nipissing University to potential participants and actual participants. I could have future

encounters with the participants due to the nature of my employment in the Office of Student

Development and Services at Nipissing University. I am the Student Learning Coordinator -

Writing and Academic Skills. This information was disclosed to the participant, and I made

every attempt to select participants who did not use the services of my position. If a student does

require support from my position at any point now or in the future, the participant can meet with

the Manager, Student Learning and Transitions who is also qualified and available to work with

students in the areas of writing and academic skills. In order to maintain objectivity, I debriefed

with my faculty supervisor regularly and took a personal inventory of biases and assumptions

before the interviews.

Although negative outcomes for the participants were not anticipated, all those involved

were made aware of the potential ramifications of participation in terms of confidentiality and

what I would do to maintain their privacy and dignity. I ensured confidentiality by committing to

never disclosing participant identities or discussing my research at any stage with anyone other

35

than the research supervisor, and, then, only as needed. Pseudonyms were used throughout the

process in order to further guarantee confidentiality.

All data analysis and interpretation work was conducted in an ethical manner and in

accordance with the expectations of the scholarly community. All research notes and files were

maintained in a secure file accessible only by me and, if necessary during analysis, by my thesis

supervisor. These notes will be maintained for seven years and then destroyed via paper

shredding. Recordings will be erased and then destroyed.

Limitations

This study focused on the experiences of six parenting students attending one university.

As previously stated, this research was intended to begin a conversation. Results were not

intended to be transferrable or universal. The scope and sample of this study were consistent

with the postmodern theoretical lens, which purposes to shed light on “small-scale situations

located within particular contexts where no pretensions of abstract theory, universality or

generalizability are involved” (Grbich, 2013, p. 116). Furthermore, as Barnett (2006) noted, “the

sample size is considered not as important when compared against the richness of information

supplied by the informants” (p. 56).

Definitions

Parenting student. A Nipissing University student who attends the North Bay, Ontario

campus on a part or full-time basis who is also a parent to a minor child.

Teenage. A person between the ages of 13 and 17 years.

Pre-teen. A person between the ages of 10 and 12 years.

Child. A person between the ages of four and nine years.

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Toddler. A person between the ages of one and three years.

Infant. A person between the ages of zero and eleven months.

In the following chapter, I will describe and report the analysis of the interview data.

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Chapter 4 – Analysis

In this chapter, I will introduce the six study participants, reveal the themes that emerged

from their individual interviews, and highlight similarities in their experiences. The interviews

were conducted in order to answer the initial research question: How can Nipissing University

best support the needs of parenting students?

Laura

Laura is a single mother to a pre-teen child. She is in her third year of full time study in a

Bachelor of Arts program. She is planning to pursue graduate studies upon completion of her

current degree. Laura is heavily involved in her program and volunteers her spare time assisting

her professor. Laura lives in North Bay with her child.

All of my interviews began with the same question. Laura was asked, “How can

Nipissing University best support the needs of parenting students?” Laura responded with:

“There’s a couple of things that I’ve noticed that Nipissing University doesn’t do that some other

schools do.” Her initial instinct was to address what the institution doesn’t do. The immediacy

with which Laura moved to the negative could be of significance as it could denote a desire for

something.

Possible themes began to emerge as the interviewed progressed. Laura identified the need

for support, her dual role, and the belief in the capacity of Nipissing University to do more. I will

elaborate on and provide examples of these themes in the following sections.

Need for support. Laura’s need for support stems from the challenges she faces in her

day-to-day experience. She is “often…working until two or three at night because I can’t do a lot

of homework while [my child] is awake,” although she also shared that “it’s been better this week

because I’ve been sick so I’ve been getting to bed at a decent time.”

38

Although Laura said that “my son is beyond that point,” one of the first support services

she referenced was the need for “referrals to daycare.” She sees this as being “greatly beneficial.

Especially for little, little kids.” She also referenced the need for day camps and March Break

programming. Through our conversation, it became clear that, for Laura, supports from the

university would “allow them (parenting students) to become more involved.” This need for

support could be interpreted as a desire to have the experience of being a student.

When asked if she has had to make any adjustments to her course of study, Laura said

“Yes, because there are certain times when a course is only offered in the evening and I won’t

take it because I have to be home and it’s hard to find a sitter.” When asked if she had taken

online courses she said, “Yes…I don’t necessarily like them. Some courses are fine online but I

find the in-class experience works better for me.” She clearly desires the student experience;

however, because she is a parenting student, she is not always able to have that experience

without support.

Support can also come from social networks. When Laura has to take an evening course,

she “usually ask[s] a neighbour to stop in or my mum calls [my child]…so [my child] isn’t home

alone the whole time.” Her social network has helped Laura to have a partial student experience.

She furthers commented on this idea by saying, “I live in a townhouse complex and I have a lot

of close friends who will stop in and check on [my child]. We’re a great community.” These

supports allow her to be a student.

Although support would benefit Laura, she also desires support for her child. She says “it

would be great if [Nipissing University] could offer tutoring for kids,” and “there’s counselling

for me but I don’t necessarily need it. I’d like to get some for [my child].” Laura has more than

herself to consider while she pursues her education. When asked if support should extend

beyond the student and include children, she said “precisely.”

39

Nipissing University can do more. Laura points out many ways that the university

could help her find more balance. She points to Nipissing University’s “emphasis on teaching”

as being a benefit for parenting students. She sees the opportunity for tutoring and day camps

during March Break. The university could “provide referrals” to community organizations and

doctors. It would seem that Laura sees these strategies as being options that could be offered

based on Nipissing University’s existing academic and professional infrastructure like the

Bachelor of Education program.

One interesting point that might indicate a variation on this potential theme emerged

when she was asked if she is aware of current policies or services that could support parenting

students. Laura said, “The benefit plan is definitely geared toward the average student… I think

it would be nice if there was something additional available that you could buy in to. I know you

can to a certain degree but I don’t know how much is covered.” When inspecting the Nipissing

University Student Union’s website, references to the “family opt-in” (Health & Dental Plan

FAQ, 2015, para. 1) are made along with instructions for how to create such a plan. This

information includes an out of date submission deadline of “September 30, 2013” (Health &

Dental Plan FAQ, 2015, para. 6). Laura is a highly involved student who admits that she is

“more familiar with what’s available than most” but, even for her, this opportunity is unclear.

Based on the information available online, it is not clear whether or not this opportunity is still

available. This may indicate that Nipissing University can improve communication of services

and policies with students.

Dual role. Laura frequently mentioned how school and life interact. Her references to

her dual role could become a theme in this study. When asked about how she balances her life

and expectations of school she said, “when you’re working full-time, you come home and you’re

done. When you’re in school, you go home and you do six hours of homework.” Laura is heavily

40

involved in her program and in on-campus life, and admits “some of it I pile on myself but you

need to and… it does create difficulties at times especially when [my child’s] behaviour gets a

little out of hand.” Laura does a lot of “additional things to get into grad school because it’s so

competitive.” Her typical day begins at 6:30 or 7:00am and ends at 2:00 or 3:00am in order to

complete all needed tasks of carrying dual roles.

Laura seems to desire inclusion and the opportunity to have a student experience. Her

dual role of parent and involved student has resulted in a need for support given that she wishes

to have equity with other students.

Figure 4.1. Themes of Laura’s interview ordered in a flow chart to aid in critical theory analysis

Laura’s interview revealed that she is managing dual roles as a parent and a student. In

order to successfully manage these roles, she identified that she needs support and that Nipissing

University can do more to support her. Support from the university would help her to feel

included and improve her student experience.

Kate

Kate is the mother of a toddler. She lives with her husband and child in the North Bay

area. She is currently on leave from her academic program and intends to return full-time in the

Managing dual roles

Needs support

University could do

more

Achieve inclusive student

experience

41

coming term. Kate’s extended family lives far away and her husband works different shifts.

Like Laura, Kate spoke about the need for support for the student. She added to this theme by

indicating a need for a supportive attitude toward families. Kate expressed a desire for the

university to do more and commonly used the term “family-friendly” when referring to what

Nipissing University could do. Like Laura, Kate’s statements seem to indicate a lack of

awareness in terms of what Nipissing University currently does offer in policies and practices.

Support. Kate’s first recommendation when asked what Nipissing University can do to

best support the needs of parenting students was “to provide quality childcare that is affordable

and available.” This was the second time childcare has been mentioned in this study. This

speaks to ways in which the university could support parenting students. Kate also indicated that

“I don’t personally have any family or friends close by, so, for me, it’s really challenging to get

school work done.” Unlike Laura, Kate does not have a support community to aid her with

childcare. This statement indicates that she needs support because she is balancing a dual role,

which is consistent with Laura’s experience. Both Kate and Laura feel that support will enable

them to be students. Kate’s acknowledgement of the importance of a support network is also

consistent with Laura’s statements that revealed that support was not only needed from the

university but that social networks also provide support to the parenting student who is

attempting to manage dual roles. It became clearer that the theme of needing support is a

consequence of who the parenting student is and the unique issues they face while managing dual

roles.

Nipissing University could do more. Kate further commented on the need for support

by indicating that Nipissing University needs to become more supportive of the idea of family.

She shared a personal story in which a fellow student asked a faculty member about taking a

maternity leave from a program and the faculty member said, “you can take a maternity leave but

42

it’s not recommended.” To Kate, this statement suggested that “it’s really looked down upon if

you take the four-month leave… it was very discouraging.” Kate’s experience suggests that

Nipissing University could adopt a more family-friendly attitude. Although Laura previously did

not share the same experience, her ideas for childcare and tutoring for the children of students do

speak to a desire for more family-friendly attitudes and practices.

Kate’s second suggestion introduced the term “family-friendly.” She said that “a family-

friendly space on campus… would really encourage students who have young children” and

mentioned that she “had no comfortable place to breastfeed my [child].” She referred specifically

to “family-friendly policies” and “family-friendly resources” possibly suggesting that Nipissing

University is not perceived by parenting students as being family-friendly in its current state.

Kate and Laura both spoke about a lack of awareness. Laura mentioned a lack of

familiarity with available resources on several occasions and Kate said that she would like

policies and practices to be “publically talked about.” From her perspective, they currently are

not.

Finally, after discussing a more “family-friendly policy,” Kate went on to discuss the

options that parents have related to leaves of absence following the birth or adoption of a child.

Kate said, “I was looking at the leave of absence form and I think there’s a medical box and a

maternity leave box but I don’t know if there’s a parental leave but it shouldn’t just focus on

women; it should be for parents.” An examination of the Nipissing University Leave of Absence

Request form reveals that there is a parental leave option (Leave of Absence, 2015). Kate’s

assertion that such policies are not “widely communicated” may contribute to this

misunderstanding and lends support for the theme that Nipissing University could do more to

assist parenting students by communicating policies and practices to the population.

43

Figure 4.2. Themes from Kate’s interview organized into a flow chart in order to aid in critical theory analysis.

Kate’s interview revealed that the dual role of parent and student results in the need for

support from social networks and the university. In Kate’s view, Nipissing University can do

more to support parenting students. She identified policies and procedures as requiring

improvements and indicated that existing family-friendly policies should be better

communicated.

Beth

Beth is a single mother of a toddler and pre-school-aged child. She is currently enrolled

in a Bachelor of Arts program and works part-time. She has a limited support network in North

Dual Role causes a need for support

from

Social Networks University

University could do more

Policies/Practices

Better communication of

existing policies/practices

44

Bay. She too identified the need for support as a result of her dual role and, like Laura,

acknowledged that support from the university or a social network would allow her to have a

student experience more easily. At this point in the research, the dual role of the participant

seems to be a description of the population.

Beth also discussed the idea that Nipissing University could do more to support students

through programs and services. Here she is offering support for the theme previously expressed

by Laura and Kate. She was the first to mention specifically that Nipissing University could

better represent non-traditional students and address the needs of parenting students. Again, her

tone is that of want or a desire for support. The theme of awareness or communication has

become a significant issue among participants as Beth discussed a lack of awareness about

policies.

Dual Role. All of the participants have spoken to this theme. Like Laura and Kate, Beth

admits to doing “homework until two or three in the morning.” She also “work[s] ten-ish hours a

week downtown.” In addition to discussing her day-to-day responsibilities, Beth states, “having

kids has definitely changed my studying and my goals.” She “brought the baby to class” and she

“was able to work the baby’s sleep schedule around [her] class schedule.” Her story is not unlike

Laura’s and Kate’s and perhaps indicates that this dual role is a description of the sample

population rather than a theme.

Needs support. As a result of the demands of her dual role of parent and student, Beth,

like Laura and Kate, needs support. Like Laura and Kate, she sees “having access to daycare on

campus” as making “a big difference and would let me be more flexible.” She sees this support

as potentially bettering her student experience. This supports ideas previously expressed by

Laura and Kate. Beth also referenced the need for daytime classes because “with my kids, I can’t

take classes at night and I’ve had to make changes to my courses and what I want to do…

45

because I have to be home and spend time with my kids.” Laura previously mentioned this

concern regarding night classes. The demands of being a parent has resulted in Beth desiring

support from the university in the form of childcare and a family-friendly class schedule.

Beyond the university’s support, Beth sees the need for a “networking or support group

for students with kids -- more networking opportunities. It would be nice to have something for

socializing and support.” Both Laura and Kate spoke to the need for networking opportunities

and support from peers. Kate said, “I think a lot of parents would feel better knowing that there

are other people going through what they’re going through. Having that network would be nice.”

The desire for peer support appears strong. Both Laura and Kate mentioned a desire for more

networking opportunities for parenting students on campus. This could fall into the theme of

Nipissing University’s ability to provide more support.

Support from the university and social networks appears to allow this group of students to

be students. According to Laura and Kate, increased support could lead to an increased student

experience.

Nipissing University could do more. Beth began her interview as follows, “More

courses should be offered during the day. With my kids, I can’t take classes at night.” With

Beth’s interview, it became clearer that, perhaps, the university’s capacity to do more for

parenting students translates to increased support for this group, which would, in turn, result in an

improved student experience. In terms of orientation programming, Beth mentioned the idea that

departments could “give a talk about options and services that are out there for people other than

high school students.” This statement reflects Laura’s belief that Nipissing University caters to

the “traditional student”. Laura mentioned that she “think[s] it’s great to have it [orientation

programs for mature students]” and that “working collaboratively with that group would be

great.” Laura and Beth are both looking for networks. As was the case with Laura and Kate,

46

Beth’s recommendations for areas wherein the university could improve are based on existing

services that could “do a better job of acknowledging that people could be something other than

fresh from high school.”

Awareness. For Beth, the theme of awareness had two streams: the parenting student’s

level of awareness of policies and practices and the university’s level of awareness of parenting

students. First, like Kate and Laura, she acknowledged being unfamiliar with existing policies

and services. When asked if she had taken advantage of any online course offerings, Beth said,

“I’m not sure how to access them” and, when asked about policies or services she would

recommend that would benefit parenting students, she said “I’m not really aware of any policies

that are already available,” and “I didn’t know about the maternity leave option… One of my

professors offered me extensions but most didn’t.” These statements suggest a lack of

communication that leads to a lack of awareness. Lack of awareness of services, policies, and so

forth was suggested by Laura and Kate.

Beth’s alternative perspective on this theme – the university’s level of awareness -- could

be related to the awareness theme or the earlier mentioned desire for support theme. It also

harkens back to Kate’s perception that the university is unaware of the needs of families and

Laura’s mention of the traditional student. Perhaps Nipissing University’s lack of awareness of

parenting students and perceived focus on traditional students is creating the lack of family-

friendliness and the poor communication of policies. Beth ended her interview by saying that

“Nipissing University needs to be more flexible across the board, not just some professors, more

of a policy, and it needs to be aware that there are different types of students here.”

47

Figure 4.3. Beth’s themes organized into a flow chart in order to aid analysis.

The themes of Beth’s interview all circle around her desire for a better student experience.

She sees an increase in support, an increased awareness of parenting students, and increased

communication with and representation of parenting students as being a part of her improved

student experience.

Ryan

Ryan is a married father of eight children whose ages range from teenage to infant.

Ryan’s wife is a stay-at-home mother, and he works up to 40 hours per week in a job that affords

him a great deal of flexibility. He hopes to pursue a professional degree after completing his

Honours Bachelor of Arts program at Nipissing University. Like the previous interviewees,

Better Student

Experience

Increased support

(university could do more)

Increased awareness

(communication and

representation)

Awareness of parenting students

48

Ryan’s themes include the need for support, affirming policies and practices that recognize the

parenting student, and open communication about existing policies and practices.

Ryan arrived at the interview having driven a transport truck to and from Toronto several

times over the course of the weekend. He “was back at 5:00 in the morning this morning.” Laura

and Beth spoke about being up until the early hours of the morning in order to accomplish their

schoolwork and Kate spoke about fitting reading and research in during her child’s nap time.

Ryan mentioned the following, “I know that time is an issue with parents. I have to balance

between myself, the kids, my work, schoolwork, my family. It can be hard.” It is clear that the

dual role is consistent for all of the participants. Given that the participants in this study are

parenting students, duality within their experiences is recognized. It also generates a need for

support.

Needs support. Like Laura, Kate, and Beth, support contributes to Ryan’s student

experience. Although Ryan said “I treat school like it’s my job from Monday to Friday” and “I

just treat school as purely academic,” he also admitted that “I wanted to have an 80% average

but being a parent, with my other responsibilities, my average is about 70-75% which I’m ok

with, it’s understandable, it’s life. I’ve got children.” Ryan does not “use the [on-campus]

services a lot” but he does have a strong social network with his wife, “My wife and I have an

interesting situation where we trade off so I’m in school right now and then we’ll trade so she can

pursue her career.” He also indicated that his oldest child is supportive of his decision to further

his education and “helps us out a lot and has been a big help.” Ryan’s strong social network of

support at home differs from Kate’s and Beth’s support systems. They acknowledged that they

have little in the way of family or friends nearby. Their desire for increased support from the

university could be as a result of having less support off-campus. However, Laura has also

49

expressed the need for support. Laura has a community of support but not in her immediate

surroundings. Therefore, she has to ask for favours in many cases.

Although he has support at home, Ryan did mention a desire for stronger social supports

on campus. This interest reflects Laura and Beth’s expressed desire for networks. Ryan said,

“I’m hoping to get a program started to organize an LSAT study session. A lot of parenting

students I know would be interested and other parents I know are getting ready for MCATs.”

This MCAT peer-to-peer support program would be of his own initiative and in response to a

need that he sees among students and is experiencing personally. He said several times through

the interview that he is “not in favour of having things handed to me.” This statement indicated a

strong work ethic, which is shared by all of the previous participants. Laura is involved in extra-

curricular research and works as a Peer Tutor; Kate works part-time and cares for her child full

time; and Beth works a part time job and adds several hours to her day commuting for childcare.

This population is hardworking and committed to education.

Like Laura, Kate, and Beth, Ryan mentioned the desire for support from the university in

the form of daycare. Ryan said, “It might be hard to work out but it would be nice to have

affordable care… money is also helpful since I’m taking time away from my full-time

employment.” Laura indicated that financial help through subsidizing on-campus March Break

camps would be helpful while Kate referred to more options in the form of bursaries or extra

financial aid to attend conferences. Laura, Beth, and Ryan mentioned financial aid late in the

interview. It would appear that daycare is a common connection among the interviewees and that

finance, though important, is not at the forefront of any of the participants’ minds.

Although his need for support from the university is not great, when Ryan spoke about the

possibility of a daycare, he did lead into the suggestion by saying, “I would say, I know they have

the education program here – maybe a daycare?” This is a common thread across Ryan’s,

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Laura’s, and Beth’s interviews. They all see a possibility for Nipissing University to build on

existing resources like the Bachelor of Education program to provide them with support that

would help. Ryan said, “We have 8 children and 3 are daycare age so my wife stays home

because it would cost us more than she would make to send them to daycare.”

Awareness. Although Ryan did not directly speak to this theme, he did mention on a few

occasions that through interactions he has had with other parenting students, he has an idea of

what they would benefit from or what they might be interested in. He indicated that flexibility on

due dates during peak periods would be beneficial, “I know a lot of parents in my situation, they

would rather have those extra couple of weeks to get their assignments done.” He also suggested

that “a lot of parenting students I know would be interested in… some kind of a transition

program into the next step be it career or school.” Ryan has an awareness of the needs of

parenting students but his statements seem to suggest that the university does not share this

awareness and offer these programs. This viewpoint supports Laura’s theme about Nipissing

University’s level of awareness of parenting students and Beth’s and Kate’s theme that Nipissing

University could do more. Ryan sees the issues and wants to respond rather than wait for a

program to be offered by the university. His desire to be proactive further supports the descriptor

of a strong work ethic.

Like Laura and Beth, Ryan said that he has not taken online courses in order to balance

his school and family commitments. He said, “I’m not an online person. I don’t have the time or

focus.” Although he did not say his choice was motivated by a desire to be in a classroom

specifically, the idea that he needs structure in order to accomplish his goals was inferred.

Nipissing University’s lack of awareness of the needs and wants of parenting students has been

mentioned previously and could be a variation of a theme or a theme itself.

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Figure 4.4. Themes from Ryan’s interview illustrated to aid in critical theory analysis.

Ryan benefits from substantive support at home and he is highly motivated to achieve his

goal. These factors mean that he needs less support from Nipissing University.

Alicia

Alicia is a single mother to two toddlers. She is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of

Education program in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University. Alicia also

completed her undergraduate degree at Nipissing University and was a parenting student during

her fourth year of study. Her children attend daycare, and her mother has been supportive and

available to help with the children when needed. Alicia’s interview produced different data than

that generated in other interviews. While the theme of needing support from social networks and

Nipissing University remained consistent, Alicia frequently spoke about how being a parent has

affected her decision-making process as it relates to her education. Like Ryan, Alicia did not

demonstrate a lack of understanding for existing policies and services. However, she did make a

reference to Nipissing University lacking awareness of parenting students, which was an idea

shared by Laura, Kate, Beth, and Ryan. A lack of awareness from the university was developing

into a key theme of this study.

Increased home support

Increased "do it yourself" mentality

Decreased need for support

from university

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Alicia’s day-to-day life is consistent with the experiences of Laura, Kate, Beth, and Ryan.

Her days are long, “I would have class at 8:30 and then I’d run back home for the two hours and

then come back up for class and then back home and then back for my third class. It was just the

way it was. Now that they’re in daycare I have the time but before it was ‘ok, I have to feed you,

change you, feed you and now I’ve got five minutes to do this, gotta go!’” More than being a

common theme, this is a common daily experience of the parenting student. It is also a

characteristic that causes the desire for support.

Needs support. Alicia’s initial response to how can Nipissing University best support the

needs of parenting students? was that “it’s definitely challenging for students who have children

and I feel like there aren’t enough resources.” Like the other interviewees, Alicia was quick to

point to daycare as being a priority. She said, “Daycares are so far away from the school… it

would have been a huge stress relief. Right now, I’m running all across town to drop them off

and then all the way back here and I end up leaving them there all day long now.” Daycare is an

area where, for Alicia, Nipissing University could do more as it has done in the past, “I know that

a long time ago there was a daycare here but there isn’t anymore and I think that it would be

fantastic if they brought that back.” Near the end of the interview, she said, “how sad is that? I

love Nipissing but that’s [a daycare] lacking.”

Though she did not use the term “family-friendly space” like Kate did, Alicia said that “a

nursing room. Something so simple that would make the world of difference for the comfort of a

mother and her baby… having that space where you could go when the baby is upset would be so

meaningful for a parenting student.” Calling this a “simple” option, Alicia sees this as an area

wherein Nipissing University could offer more support. She further shared that “Breastfeeding

was really awkward for me because I’m a really private person but baby was hungry and there

53

was nowhere to go!” Kate also mentioned feeling like she had a lack of private and comfortable

places to nurse her toddler during the infant stage.

Alicia also saw the need for support from “a universal, across the board approach or

policy about” absences. Alicia was speaking specifically about absences from the Bachelor of

Education program practicum days. Her reasoning for this suggestion was “let’s face it,

parenting students don’t tend to have an extra $700 laying around for the extra weeks of

placement and all because fate intervened and your child ended up with the chicken pox.” This

policy would allow her some more financial freedom and flexibility as a learner. This comment

was the only time Alicia mentioned finances in her interview. She went on to say that “I’ve had

fantastic and understanding professors but it’s just an area where some professors aren’t as

understanding.” Once again, from Alicia’s perspective, this is an area where Nipissing University

could do more to support parenting students. Positively, some professors are already allowing her

to “Skype into classes when [she] couldn’t physically be here” and bring her “kids to classes

when things with childcare have fallen apart.” A universal policy would provide her with the

peace of mind that she could still attend class even if her childcare arrangements change. This

would also improve her student experience.

Alicia made a brief reference to the lack of support from Nipissing University being the

result of “a narrow view of who the students are.” Ryan, Beth, Kate, and Laura also addressed

this theme.

In addition to support from the university, both current and potential, Alicia has a

considerable amount of support from her social networks. She said, “I’ve been really fortunate

because my mom has been here a lot of this year to help me pick up the slack but then I think

about a lot of the students who don’t have that support system.” She values her support system

and acknowledges how it contributes to her academic success. Alicia values “the community and

54

people… I don’t know if it’s Nipissing or if it’s the people I’ve been lucky to meet along the way

but…I’m so thankful. My support system is my favourite tool.” She also shared that she “never

expected to have that community when I got here. I thought, ‘oh great, I’m the only one with

kids; they’re going to count me out from the beginning’ because there is a stigma to it.” Alicia

has a desire for an inclusive student experience, but she expected to be excluded by her

classmates as a result of being a parenting students.

Being a parent affects decisions. All of the interviewees spoke to the decisions they

made related to their education as a result of being a parent. For Alicia, this was very clear. All

of Alicia’s answers traced back to her children. She said, “you end up with this sense of guilt

that you should be with your child when you’re in class… A grade is a grade but I’m never going

to put anything above my kids. I will do what I have to do to provide for them.” Likewise, Kate

said, “family comes first, in my opinion.” Similarly, Ryan said, “I always have supper with my

kids. It’s important to have that time. Just family.” Laura said, “as a parent, I can’t go to

Toronto (for graduate school). It’s not appropriate.” Alicia, Laura, and Beth have all made

changes to their education for their children. Though these participants are experiencing

education, in Alicia’s words, “kids…aren’t something I have to overcome; they’re a part of me.”

There could be a perception, therefore, that the university sees children as something to overcome

or manage because the traditional student does not have a child or children as part of their

identity. For the parenting student, the child or children are the priority and integral to their life.

Family-friendly supports from social networks and the university could have a positive effect on

the decisions parenting students make to continue or discontinue their education.

55

Figure 4.5. The themes of Alicia’s interview organized into a flow chart to aid in critical theory analysis.

The themes of Alicia’s interview revealed that being a parent changes the decision

making process and results in the need for support from a social network and the university both

for the parenting student and children. Having support affects the student experience positively if

it is present and negatively if it is lacking.

Maggie

Maggie is the single mother of a pre-teen and a teenager. She is a full time student in a

Bachelor of Arts program and works a flexible, part-time job about which she jokes, “I think I

work just to pay for sports” because her children are very involved in athletics. Maggie has

strong opinions about how Nipissing University could better support parenting students but, like

Laura, her need for support had greater emphasis on supports for her children. Like Alicia,

Maggie sees her children as being an integral part of her student experience.

•Being a parent affects decisions

Parent

•Support from social network and/or university

•Support for children

Support•Student experience can

be positively affected by support or negatively affected by a lack

Experience

56

Needs support. Maggie’s interview began in a similar fashion to all of the other

interviews. She quickly identified a need for childcare and simply said, “Daycare. There was a

daycare and now it’s gone.” In this statement, Maggie both identified a support service and

indicated that Nipissing University could do more. Later in the interview, she went on to say, “I

know there are plenty of high schools that have daycares right in the high school and they’re not

even a university. When you sit back and think about it, the high school has one but this campus

has nothing and nothing for mature students.” This statement supports the ideas Nipissing

University lacks awareness of parenting students. This lacking was identified by all of the

participants.

Maggie answered in the affirmative when asked if she would be more likely to pick a

university because it offered childcare and “other extra-curriculars for kids.” Here again, she

went on to identify that Nipissing University could do more, “They’re big on Phys. Ed. here but

there aren’t any extra-curriculars for the kids of students.” Maggie sees this as being “just little

things that they can do to help us while we’re trying to improve our situation and get an

education.”

She also identified a need for a more universal approach to allowing children to come to

class. She said, “I think that the profs should take into consideration that there are mature

students who go here. Not that you can bring them (children) to class every day but as long as

they’re quiet, you should be allowed to bring them.” Like Alicia and Beth, Maggie perceives

Nipissing University as having a narrow view of the student body. She sees being allowed to

bring children to class as being an area wherein the “prof should accommodate mature students

because we’re just trying to benefit our lives.” She also noted that, “if they [professors] could

help out a little bit, that makes a world of difference.”

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Like the previous interviewees, Maggie does not use many services on the campus;

however, “if they had services for children, I would totally be using those! Especially the gym.

They love it and they burn off so much steam!” When asked if she would be willing to pay extra

for family programming, she said, “Absolutely! I didn’t go to Frosh week. There would have

been nothing for me to do. But if they could take that money and use it so my kids could use the

gym or be added to the health plan.” Further to that point, “I want health care for my kids, access

to the gym and even a bus pass that covers them.” Services are being offered but they do not

meet the needs of this student population.

As a result of Maggie’s perception of her situation, Maggie commented, “I feel like we’re

not involved in a lot of things because we’re mature students so we feel excluded and we don’t

have the time or inclination to do things.” She then said, “I find that some people here aren’t

really welcoming to younger kids and kids can sense that. You want them to feel welcomed

because they’re potential (future) students.” For Maggie, support for her children directly

correlates to how supported she feels as a student. Like Alicia, she said, “My kids are part of me.

It’s not just me and them on the side so if you’re not taking care of them, you’re not taking care

of me as a student.”

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Figure 4.6. The themes of Maggie’s interview organized into a chart to aid in critical theory analysis

Maggie saw a lot of possibility for Nipissing University to support parenting students

through the use of existing services and programs. For her, using these services to provide

support for her children would result in a more positive student experience.

Table 4.1

Description of Participants

Laura

Kate

Beth

Ryan

Alicia

Maggie Marital status

Single Married Single Married Single Single

Number of children

1 1 2 8 2 2

Employed No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Part or full time student

Full-time Leave Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time w/ reduced

load Program B.A. Withheld B.A. B.A. B.Ed. B.A.

Support for parenting

student using

existing services

Support for children of parenting

student

Positive student

experience

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Discussion

The interview process revealed several interesting themes and subthemes. Over the

course of six interviews, I was able to develop an understanding of the characteristics of

parenting students, the challenges they face, and their needs and priorities. This discussion will

first describe parenting students and demonstrate their common characteristics as being a cause

for support; it will then outline the themes that emerged from the six interviews that were

conducted. I will next illustrate the needs of the parenting student and relay the importance of

recognizing the whole parenting student. The whole parenting student includes the characteristic

that ultimately makes them a parenting student: their children.

What makes this group of students different from the typical university student is that

they have children. The interviews revealed a feeling among the parenting students that children

are viewed by the university as a burden to the student, but, from the perspective of the parenting

student, children are a part of who the student is. The child is, therefore, a characteristic of this

group of learners and the participants indicated that this important characteristic needs to be

recognized in order to support the whole student.

Characteristics of the parenting student. The six interviewees provided unique insights

into the characteristics of the parenting student. Each came from different experiences and was

in a different program of study at Nipissing University. However, they also share one element in

common: they all have at least one minor child. This commonality led to a series of common

characteristics that lead to a need for support.

Strong work ethic. Alicia, Beth, Laura, and Maggie were able to provide insights into the

experience of single mothers who, to quote Maggie, are “trying to improve [their] situation and

get an education.” These participants mentioned the difficulties they had when trying to balance

school with sometimes precarious childcare situations.

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This hardworking group of students is willing to put in the time needed to achieve

academic goals and, according to Maggie, the working mother aspires to “get her dream job.” At

the same time, they have demands that make their days more difficult than those of the typical,

direct-from-high-school student.

All of the participants either have off-campus employment or they are heavily involved in

on-campus extra-curricular activities in order to achieve their goal of pursuing graduate or

professional studies. They all have a goal in mind and are driven toward that goal.

Dual role. All of the interviewees spoke about long days, combating priorities and

identities, and working class schedules and homework around nap times and childcare;

furthermore, Maggie and Alicia spoke about the guilt and stigma associated with being a

parenting student. Both women said they felt guilty for the time school took away from their

children and guilty for not being able to focus all of their energy on their studies. They also felt

that being a parent resulted in exclusion. Additionally, Ryan, Maggie, and Laura spoke about

spending more time on schoolwork than they did when they had full-time jobs before beginning

their studies. Maggie shared an interesting anecdote about studying and completing her readings

while cooking supper because no one interrupts her when she is cooking. Alicia read academic

journal articles along with children’s books to her infant daughter so she could be engaged with

her child and complete her readings at the same time.

Cause for support. As a result of their characteristics and dual role, parenting students

require support. The interviews revealed that parenting students have a need for support from

social networks in the form of childcare and better communication of existing policies and

practices, childcare, scheduling, social networking and family-friendly spaces in the context of

the university.

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Support from social networks. To varying degrees, all of the participants indicated that

support from social networks is important for childcare. However, all of the participants,

regardless of their level of social support, indicated that a formalized social group for parenting

students would benefit their student experience. Ryan whose social supports were high saw this

as an opportunity for further academic success while Beth whose social supports were low, saw it

as a way of feeling less isolated. A social network plays an important role in the experience of

the parenting student and would increase a sense of belonging.

If an increased level of support is received from a social network, it appears to lead to

decreased need for support from the university (see Figure 4.7) with the exception of childcare.

Regardless of the level of support a parenting student receives from a social network, they all

commented on the need for on-campus childcare. Reliable on-campus childcare would decrease

the pressure of potential problems with consistency and scheduling that can arise from asking

favours of friends and family. For example, Kate and Ryan have supportive co-parents in their

spouses, but they have different levels of support and demands at home. Although Ryan’s wife

currently stays at home with their children, he has to balance the needs of his other children with

his studies, and, though Kate’s husband is supportive of her academic pursuits, he works different

shifts. This causes gaps in childcare that she does not have an extensive social network to help

fill.

Support from Nipissing University. The university plays a vital role in the experience of

the parenting student. All of the interviewees were able to point to perceived deficiencies in

support but they were also able to offer remedies based on existing programs such as the

Bachelor of Education and the Bachelor of Physical and Health Education or infrastructure in the

form of available space. By offering alternatives and repeatedly mentioning existing

infrastructure and programs, the parenting students who participated in this study see these

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options as being overlooked by Nipissing University. In the students’ shared opinion, they are

areas wherein the university is perceived as being able to do more.

Childcare. As previously mentioned, regardless of the amount of social support a

participant had, they all mentioned the need for childcare on campus. Laura, Kate, Beth, Alicia,

and Maggie all mentioned that Nipissing University once had a daycare. They further mentioned

the Bachelor of Education along with Canadore College’s Early Childhood Educator programs as

being natural ways of bringing this support service back to campus. Laura and Alicia saw

opportunity for students to collaborate and create a drop-in service that would increase flexibility

for the parenting students.

Outside of daycare, Laura and Maggie who both have older children saw opportunities for

tutoring and March Break day programming through the Bachelor of Education program and

improved extra-curricular offerings through the Bachelor of Physical & Health Education

program. Childcare needs change as the child becomes more independent but there is still a need

for reliable services for days when primary schools are closed or for the after-school hours if the

student has to take a class in the evening.

The theme of childcare can also include care for the child. Several of the participants

spoke about the need for improved health and dental care for children along with mental health

supports and referrals to local services.

Communication. In many cases, the services that the participants were requesting are, in

fact, available. However, they are not widely discussed and, in some cases, they are out of date.

Several participants were unaware of how to access a family healthcare plan while others were

not aware of maternity and parental leave options. Those who did address issues also identified a

need for wider communication and awareness around options. When combined with their dual

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roles and the demands of parenthood, parenting students may not have the time to find

information when such information could be communicated to them in a different manner.

Flexibility. The participants also identified a need for a more universal approach to

policies. They noticed discrepancies between whether or not a professor would allow children to

come to class in the event of an issue with childcare. Several participants also sought leniency

for due dates when unforeseen challenges such as childhood illnesses arise. Alicia noted that

some of her professors allowed her to attend class via video conferencing software while others

did not have that option and she has had to pay for a babysitter in order to attend class.

Further to that point, Maggie, Beth, Kate, and Ryan hold part or full time jobs that afford

them flexibility in scheduling. In order to be successful in employment, the parenting students

require flexibility from their employer.

Structure. Although evening and online courses are offered in order to accommodate

learners’ schedules, such a structure does not always serve the needs of the parenting student. All

of the participants suggested that evening courses were not appropriate because of childcare.

Maggie, whose eldest child is able to care for her younger child, was willing to take evening

courses but noted that her evenings were occupied by her children’s extra-curricular activities.

The desire for family-friendly spaces was another variation of this theme. Several of the

interviewees mentioned a desire for a family-friendly space to bring children or to breastfeed in a

comfortable place. Laura, Maggie, Kate, and Alicia mentioned that they wanted their children to

come to campus with them so they could see the parent as a student. Such a space would,

according to Laura, Maggie, Kate, and Alicia, make a difference in their day-to-day experience.

Beth actually mentioned that she brings her children to the First Peoples Centre at Canadore

College rather than spending time with them at Nipissing University because “I feel more

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comfortable there.” Child-friendly spaces at Nipissing University, like a social network, would

create a sense of belonging.

Finance. Money was not a primary concern for the participants of this study. Though

they discussed a desire for subsidies for childcare and Kate mentioned that financial aid would

make her more likely to participate in academic events, finances were not the most important

factor. In fact, while they acknowledged that education is expensive and that they have limited

money right now, all would be willing to pay for programming like family gym memberships and

bus passes, improved health and dental care, and childcare in the form of daycare as well as day

programs during March Break and summer vacations. Financial concerns were mostly

mentioned when the participants brought up having to pay a babysitter when they were unable to

coordinate a more convenient class schedule.

What they would like to see is more choice in how their student fees are spent. Maggie,

Ryan, and Laura said that they did not participate in any Frosh Week orientation events. Maggie

felt that those dollars from her fees could have been spent in a way that would be more

appropriate for a parenting student. Parenting students are not traditional students and so they

have different needs from direct entry or younger students.

Awareness. All of the participants spoke about Nipissing University’s lack of awareness

of the needs of parenting students. Several suggested that the university serves the needs of the

typical student. Participants commented on a lack of appropriate orientation programming and

the feeling that they are not part of the university community because of being a parent. Beth,

Alicia, and Maggie noted that they felt excluded as a consequence of being a parent. Alicia

worried that classmates would not want to include her during group work assignments because

they believed she would not be able to accomplish as much because she is a parent. She spoke

about completing an entire group assignment on her own in order to prove her capabilities. Laura,

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Ryan, and Maggie said that they were more likely to gravitate toward other parenting students

who understood their experiences.

The largest area of concern related to awareness is that, from the perspective of the

participants, Nipissing University is not aware of the importance of their children in their self-

identity and, thus, their student experiences. All of the participants continually brought their

responses back to their children. The children, regardless of their age, are at the forefront of

decision-making and very much an integral part of their student- and self-identity. The child or

children are not in addition to the parenting student. Instead, they are a part of that student. If

Nipissing University does not see or care for the child, then it does not see or care for the whole

parenting student. Nipissing University cannot have a family-friendly campus if it is unaware of

the parenting student presence.

Family-friendly campus. Maggie said she finds “that some people here aren’t really

welcoming to younger kids and kids can sense that.” Since the child is a characteristic and an

integral part of the parenting student, if the child does not feel welcomed, the parenting student

also feels unwelcome. As the themes emerged from this study, it became clear that at the heart of

the matter is a desire from parenting students to have a family-friendly campus (see Figure 4.7)

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Figure 4.7. The themes of this study converge on the idea of a family friendly campus

Family-Friendly Campus

Cause for support

Flexibility

Childcare

Communication

Structure

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To the participants, a family-friendly campus is essential and would reduce pressure on

their external social networks. Such an environment would support the needs of parenting

students through increased communication and awareness of their needs; it would provide spaces

for children and appropriate accommodations for breastfeeding mothers; it would build around

universal policies about flexibility and course schedules; and would offer daycare or referrals to

local childcare services. On a family-friendly campus, parenting students would feel included

rather than isolated and their children, a critical part of their lives, would be cared for. The

parenting student would be seen and acknowledged.

This concludes the analysis component. It is now time to further apply the Critical

Theory lens.

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Chapter 5 – Critical Theory

My kids are a part of me; it’s not just me and them on the side, so if you’re not taking care of my kids, you’re not taking care of me. (Maggie)

As a critical researcher, I seek to “make social life and practices not just intelligible but

also better” (Chapman, 2005, p. 309). Therefore, in the following chapter, I will, as Kincheloe

and McLaren (1998) suggest, “abandon the guardrail of neutrality” (p. 264).

Introduction

As I reflect back to the first chapter of this study, I am reminded of the significance and

background of the issue I am researching. The number of mature students is predicted to increase

internationally (Randall, 2012; Taylor & House, 2010) with a changing labour market (Kasworm,

2011; COU, 2010). They are stressed by extra-curricular responsibilities (MacGregor & Ryan,

2011; Giancola, Grawitch, & Borchert, 2009) and affected by guilt (Stone, 2014) and low self-

esteem (O’Shea & Stone, 2011). Still, research reveals that the services and curricula they

choose to invest in do not meet their needs (Kasworm, 2008, 2011; Shapiro & Bray, 2011;

Harper & Ross, 2011).

Data from this study revealed that a feeling of being unseen is present among the

participants and that this feeling is reflected in the larger picture of their university experience.

This lack of visibility is not simply perceived: it is affirmed through the priorities, policies, and

services of the university. In 2015, Nipissing University presented its strategic priorities for the

coming five years. Although international universities have predicted increases in the number of

applications from mature students (Taylor & House, 2010; Randall, 2012), Nipissing University’s

governing bodies have prioritized “bridges to success, especially for students from northern

communities, and Aboriginal, first generation, and international learners” (Strategic Plan, 2015)

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while making no reference to mature students or those with family obligations such as children.

These strategic priorities will frame the university’s decision-making processes for next five

years. Mature learners are not actively prioritized despite predicted growth from this

demographic. This lack of inclusion of the parenting student, reflected at the highest level of the

university’s strategic priorities, has a ripple effect through the institution and on the services and

policies that inform student experience.

Through an examination of these policies and services, the participant interviews, and

adult learning and student development theories, it becomes apparent that the needs of this group

are misunderstood or overlooked making their presence at the institution invisible. Their lack of

formal recognition through policies and procedures, when cross-referenced with the university’s

strategic priorities, suggests that this misunderstanding or oversight is institutional. This issue is a

systemic issue.

In this chapter, I will re-visit the existence of this disconnect between the needs of the

parenting student and the policy and service provisions of Nipissing University; I will then

establish that this disconnect results in undue challenges for parenting students in the attainment

of their degrees. Next, I will establish the adverse effects that undue challenges have on student

motivation and retention; finally, I will demonstrate that parenting students are deserving of

support and that their inclusion will benefit the greater Nipissing University community.

Current Support Services

An examination of the Nipissing University website revealed little evidence that the

institution recognizes that students could have additional responsibilities such as children. The

homepage is filled with images of young adults, and encourages young adults to explore on-

campus housing options. The terms mature, child, and family do not appear on the residence

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website. The Student Development and Services division website and the majority of its

affiliated departments make no reference to the possibility of a student being a parent. The

athletics department website advertises hockey, volleyball, and basketball summer camps for

children aged six and up; however, the registration form does not indicate preferential registration

status for the children of students or a discount on the camp fees for current students. This

situation of absence is evidence of a lack of awareness of the importance of the child in the

experience of the parenting student.

As was previously mentioned, the Nipissing University Student Union is responsible for

the coordination of the student health plan. The online information about this service includes out

of date deadlines for making changes to the plan, including information about adding dependents,

something that would benefit parenting students. Having children included in a comprehensive

health plan was among the support services the participants identified as being beneficial. They

also noted that they cannot easily access accurate information.

The provision of on-campus childcare or referral services also highlights a lack of

consideration for the parenting student. All of the participants referenced childcare as being

crucial. Even participants whose children were no longer in need of daycare saw it as being

necessary. Maggie’s children are beyond daycare age but the need for a daycare was the first

thing she pointed to. She also pointed out that childcare services go beyond daycare. They

include extra-curricular activities and, as Laura put it, “at least some kind of referral services or

referrals.”

It would seem that Nipissing University has made strides to consider the schedules of a

variety of students. As an example, the provision of evening courses increases flexibility for

many students. As was made clear in the participant interviews, however, this is not the case for

the parenting student. All of the participants who referenced scheduling mentioned that evening

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courses did not work for them or made their lives more complicated. The participants would

prefer an institutional policy that would allow them to bring their children to class in the event of

a childcare emergency.

The Office of Aboriginal Initiatives (OAI) does present itself as being family-friendly on

its website and in its programming. The OAI mentions of family and support programming that

is congruent with the needs mentioned in interviews. The OAI main webpage states, “The Office

of Aboriginal Initiatives (OAI) welcomes you and your family to Nipissing University”

(Aboriginal Initiatives, 2015). This simple reference fulfills Beth’s desire for Nipissing

University to understand that there are parenting students on campus. Although the language is

inclusive of parenting students, Beth still chooses to spend her time at the Canadore College First

Peoples’ Centre rather than Nipissing University’s OAI because she feels more comfortable in

that setting. Beth did not wish to elaborate but did clearly state her preference.

More than merely acknowledging the existence of parenting students, the OAI offers

programming to support them. The Summer Family Support Program website states that, in

order “to support students in their goal in achieving academic success, the Summer Aboriginal

Education Programs has developed a number of daily activities for families of our students”

(Summer Family Support Programs, 2015). Such programs are not well advertised because

Laura and Maggie, who both have older children, mentioned the need for extra-curricular

programming. The OAI also offers a STEM camp that is available to the general student

population at a cost of $125 per week. This program does not specifically mention parenting

students. However, the OAI offers relevant support and opportunities for inclusion. Outside of

the OAI, Nipissing University is not demonstrating a family-friendly attitude. It is important to

hear the concerns of the parenting student population when establishing policies and services in

order to learn about what would be most beneficial.

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Unaware that the Child is a Part of the Student

In order to understand parenting students and the support they need, it is important to

establish that their identity is fundamentally different than that of the traditional student. In the

following section, I will use adult learning theory and the participant interviews to demonstrate

how the parenting student is different and the areas wherein Nipissing University has exhibited a

lack of understanding in its policies and services.

Experience changes the learner. Adult teaching and learning theories can help establish

how being a parent can affect being a student. According to Jarvis (1987), “all learning begins

with experience” (p. 16). As the adult learner experiences life, they are changed. Jarvis’ (2006)

Transformation of the Person through Experience model posits that, when a person experiences

an event, reflects, and reacts, the whole person is changed; therefore, when that person is faced

with a new experience, it is the newest version of the original person that encounters the

situation. Being a parent brings with it a series of experiences and these experiences are unique

to people who are parents.

The addition of a child or children to the lives of the participants has fundamentally

changed their student experiences. Alicia admitted that her marks actually improved after having

children because she “didn’t have time to over think everything. I just had to do it.” Before

having children, Alicia’s reaction to an assignment was different than it was after having

children. The same is true for Laura who, without a child, might have decided to move to a

bigger city for graduate studies, and for Beth who, without children, might not have had to take

on a part-time job in order to manage financially, and for Kate who is on leave from her academic

program due to the stress of balancing her being a mother, student, and a professional. They had

a reduction in time, were more restricted in choices, had greater financial concerns, and had

greater demands on them personally than they would have had in their pre-children lives. All of

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the participants shared similar experiences about how becoming a parent changed them and how

the challenges they face at school are fundamentally different as a result.

Experience adds to responsibility. Jarvis (2015) found that there are experiences that do

not easily lend themselves to new situations because they negatively affect the experience.

McClusky’s Power Load Margin (PLM) directly coincides with Jarvis’ model by acknowledging

the relationship between responsibilities, supports, and the amount of energy a student has

available for learning. According to Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner (2007), adult learners

can easily relate to McClusky’s PLM. The PLM model is based on the balance between load,

which Lagana (2007) describes as stressors, responsibilities, and power, which “consists of such

external resources…as family support… It is also internally acquired or accumulated skills…

such as resilience, coping skills, and personality” (Hiemstra, 1993, pp. 42, as cited in Merriam,

Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 93). The balance between the two is referred to as the

margin, which is the energy a person has for learning and handling stress (Lagana, 2007).

Maggie and Kate acknowledged being exhausted as a result of being a parent and trying

to be academically successful. Maggie is now on a reduced course load having “hit the wall” a

few months prior to the interview and Kate has taken a leave from her program. All of the

participants admitted to having long days that, in some cases, saw the participants going to bed at

2:00am in order to complete their schoolwork after their child or children have gone to sleep.

Laura felt well rested the week of our interview having gone to bed before midnight each day due

to illness and Ryan came to the Monday morning interview having arrived home at 5:00am after

working the hours of a full time job in two days. According to McClusky (1970), an increased

load, such as having a child, reduces the amount of energy a person has for learning. By

increasing the power through support programming, the load is reduced, which translates into

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more energy. Such power-increasing support programs are not currently offered at Nipissing

University.

Responsibility adds to challenges. McClusky’s PLM helps to discover the optimal

balance for learning in adulthood (Goddu, 2012). Student development theorist, Sanford (1966)

found that post-secondary students undergo a great deal of change and development in and

outside the classroom. In order for this development to occur, Sanford maintains that the student

must have an appropriate level of challenge and support. A high amount of support in an

environment that offers little challenge can result in disengagement. In the case of parenting

students at Nipissing University, a high amount of challenge in an environment that offers low

amounts of support can result in retreat. In an ideal setting, the level of support would meet the

level of challenge for a given task resulting in development and engagement (Sanford, 1966).

Through the interviews, it was revealed that the participants are also seeking a student

experience. Laura is involved with as much as she can be during her time on campus while Beth,

unfortunately, had to seek out a comfortable student experience and space at Canadore College.

In correspondence after her interview, Kate wrote, “As a parent and student I often get the

feeling from peers, friends, and society in general that you can be a successful parent or

successful student but you can't juggle both…. why can't I have the best of both worlds?" Further

to that point, Alicia said, “you end up with this sense of guilt that you should be with your child

when you’re in class. When I was at school I felt I was neglecting her and at home I was

neglecting school and I felt like I was falling short on both ends.” Maggie identified a feeling of

guilt about taking time away from her children that had typically been “family time” and Ryan

spends his weekends working away from home in order to balance all of his responsibilities. By

Sanford’s (1966) standard, these students have challenges. Parenting students are dealing with

combating responsibilities, priorities, and an emotional load that differs from that of the

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traditional student. According Sanford (1966), with the appropriate support, the challenges will

still exist but they will be manageable and more akin to the challenges faced by the traditional

student.

On top of the demands from home, these students face the same academic challenges

experienced by a student who does not have children. To compensate, all of the participants

spoke to their daily academic challenges such as late nights and three of the participants had

decided to reduce their course load or, in Kate’s case, take a leave of absence in order to handle

all of the challenges. The participants spoke to time spent taking their children to and from

daycare by car or public transit and starting their homework after their children go to bed in order

to spend time as a family and concentrate on their school work. The participants stated, across

the board, that the support they are being offered does not meet their needs; thus, according to

Sanford (1966), their student experience has been affected. A parenting student at Nipissing

University is affected by being a parent in an environment that does not support their needs.

Unsupported Challenges Affect Retention

Sanford (1966) demonstrated that, when a low degree of support is met with a high degree

of challenge, the student experience is adversely affected and the student is at risk of retreating.

As Kasworm (2008) notes, adult learners are challenged by the decision as to whether or not they

will continue their studies, which is evidenced in this study by Kate who has taken a temporary

leave from her program. If, from the business perspective of the institution, Nipissing University

wishes to retain students, according to Tinto (2004), students must be able to access appropriate

social, academic, and personal supports from a variety of departments on campus. Demetriou

and Scmitz-Sciborski (2012) assert that these services and the sense of support they provide

allow students to feel connected to the institution and increase the likelihood that they will

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complete their program of study. This thinking builds on Tinto’s (1975) original theory, which

suggests that students who feel poorly integrated into their chosen post-secondary school will be

more likely to leave without earning their degrees.

All participants in this study indicated that they were confident that they would attain

their academic goals but they also indicated that, as a result of being a parent, they did not feel

socially integrated or personally supported. The risk, therefore, is that they will withdraw

voluntarily rather than leave due to poor academic standing. Furthermore, the participants chose

to attend Nipissing University because they had networks established in North Bay through

extended family – not because they were committed to the institution. Maggie, Alicia, and Beth

all spoke about feeling stigmatized and isolated. Laura mentioned that she “gravitates toward

other students in my position,” which limits her interaction with other student groups. Alicia said

that she was initially concerned that her peers would not accept her or want her in their study

group because she has children; supportive peers and faculty made it possible for her to feel

personally supported and socially integrated. On the other hand, Kate’s negative experience with

a faculty member who advised another student against taking parental leave resulted in a feeling

of disappointment and the belief that Nipissing University does not support families, which is not

congruent with her belief that “family comes first.”

Laura, Kate, Beth, Alicia, and Maggie were all aware that Nipissing University did once

have a daycare and they saw its 2008 (Dale, 2008) closure as having had a negative effect on the

experience of the parenting student. The closure of the campus daycare makes social integration

difficult; therefore, according to Tinto (1975), Nipissing University’s retention of parenting

students depends on this group’s work ethic and commitment to achieving their goals rather than

on the supports of the university. This attitude should be rewarded.

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None of the participants are asking for, what Ryan called, “handouts.” They all

demonstrated willingness to work hard and to participate in and out of the classroom in order to

achieve their goals. The support they are looking for would come from the recognition of their

needs by the institution. Without that formal recognition, policies and services will not change.

Conclusion

As a Nipissing University staff member, I had the privilege of working behind the scenes

during the 2015 Convocation Ceremonies. I gave students their academic regalia and watched

them as they walked across the stage to be hooded by the deans of their faculties. A handful of

the graduates walked up with young children on their hips. Those young minds will recall

pictures of that convocation ceremony for years to come that will help shape their understanding

of post-secondary education.

These children should have been incorporated into the campus environment much sooner

than at convocation. They should have been included in orientation activities that would help

them understand the transition they are about to experience; they should have attended extra-

curricular programming that would further integrate them into the campus community; they

should have been welcome to come to a class or two when other childcare options fell through or

for the purpose of seeing how their parent spends their day. A child should have had the option

to attend daycare on campus, which would have allowed their mother or father to spend more

time with them rather than driving them to daycare facilities all over town. That child is an

extension of the parent and to care for the parenting student we must care for that child.

As a society, we admire lifelong learning. We enjoy hearing stories of people who go

back to school and many will give extra admiration to the student who brings their child on stage

during convocation. That respect and consideration cannot only take place once that person has

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completed his or her course of study. We cannot wait until the parenting student graduates to

congratulate them or say “I’m sure you tried your best” if parenting students are unable to

achieve their goals due to the pressure that comes with their particular dual role. As more and

more mature students return to formal education in an economy that more frequently requires

post-secondary education, the parenting student is going to become more of a common

occurrence on university campuses. Acknowledging that and taking steps to properly support

this population will be vital to writing more success stories for future graduating classes.

When I first proposed this study, I questioned whether or not it was important. It seemed

to be too common sense to contribute something unique to the greater academic conversation. It

seems simple to say that parents want their children to be considered but my interviews revealed

that parenting students at Nipissing University feel unseen because a part of them, their child or

children, is invisible. The participants of this study are aware of how Nipissing University can

help support them. They have simply never been asked.

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Chapter 6 – Conclusions and Recommendations

Mature students come to the post-secondary educational environment from a wide array

of backgrounds, experiences, and situations. They may have previous educational experiences;

they may have a job or be in the process of starting another career; they may have experienced a

large change in their life or they may be starting a degree program out of interest. They have

different needs and different motivations than other students. Within this subset of the student

population, there are as many possible scenarios as there are students. However, there is a group

within the mature student population who, regardless of any dissimilarity, have at least one

commonality: they are parenting students.

Parenting students experience their time at Nipissing University differently than do other

students. However, their desire for a student experience is challenged by their need for unique

supports. In the following section, I will outline the recommendations that come from the group

of parenting students in this study who were asked how Nipissing University can best support the

needs of students like themselves.

Recommendations

The interviews revealed a series of recommendations for practice and opportunities for

future research.

Recommendations for Practice

There are two major recommendations for practice. In this section, I will detail

recommendations for the creation of a family-friendly campus and Nipissing University’s

mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

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The creation of a family-friendly campus. The participants indicated that Nipissing

University is not a family-friendly campus. The following recommendations are intended to

remedy this perception and create a welcoming environment for children and parenting students.

Childcare. The participants of this study are unique but they all mentioned the need for

childcare on campus. It was the first response for four out of the six participants. Even Laura

and Maggie, whose children are beyond the age of daycare, saw the value of on-campus

childcare. According to Kate, such childcare should be “affordable and quality.” Beth said

“having access to daycare on campus would make a huge difference to me. It would let me be

more flexible.” Ryan mentioned that affordable childcare would make a difference for him and

his family.

Childcare is more than daycare for very young children. It is a care for the child.

According to the participants, childcare includes extra-curricular activities. Maggie and Laura

were passionate in their appeals for extra-curricular opportunities for their children. Maggie

focused on after school opportunities while Laura mentioned March Break and summer vacation

programming.

Student health plan. Providing childcare is more than supervised programming; the

interviews revealed that childcare is caring for the child or children of the parenting student. The

student health plan can, therefore, be considered a form of childcare. The Nipissing University

Student Union must make a more concerted effort to communicate with parenting students about

the intricacies of the student health plan, and accurate information must be included on all

documents and public websites. Sharing this information will cause more parenting students to

add their dependent children to their student health plans. This is particularly true of single

parents who do not have spousal employment benefits to cover their children.

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Website. Although the present student health plan’s website is out of date, the idea of

having such information on a central website is valid. A website should be developed for

parenting students that would allow them to look to one source for consistently accurate

information about policies regarding leave, a local childcare options, and upcoming child-friendly

events such as varsity sporting events. A similar website from the University of Toronto’s

Family Care Office advertises discussion groups, baby changing stations, and quiet, comfortable

breastfeeding locations. The language on the website is not only welcoming and inclusive but

also encouraging of students who are already parents and those who are considering starting a

family. Although such an expansive website may not be possible immediately, this model should

be considered as a long-term goal and the University of Toronto Family Care Office’s website

could be used as a template

Breastfeeding on campus. It is, of course, the right of the parent to breastfeed wherever

they feel comfortable, but for those who would prefer a quieter location for personal comfort or

for the comfort of the child, locations should be made available. Offices around campus should

provide rooms on request and, in exchange, they can be provided with an office sticker or poster

from the North Bay and Parry Sound District Health Unit advertising their commitment to being

breastfeeding-friendly. Such stickers are available without cost and upon request. Another

option is to have designated rooms for breastfeeding. Alicia described breastfeeding on campus

as being “really awkward for me because I’m a really private person but the baby was hungry and

there was nowhere to go.” She recounted her experience using her breast pump in a bathroom

stall before being offered an office space by a faculty member and breastfeeding in between

classes. She said, “I would run downstairs to the lounge, feed the baby and then, she was such a

loud eater, and I’d be fifty shades of red under a big blanket.” Kate shared a similar experience

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and said, “I had no comfortable place to breastfeed my son … there should be a space where you

can feel comfortable breastfeeding and currently there isn’t.”

Vision, Mission, and Strategic Priorities. The issues that Laura, Kate, Beth, Ryan,

Alicia, and Maggie face at Nipissing University cannot change unless the institution chooses to

recognize mature students as a priority. The vision, mission, and strategic priorities of the

institution will determine how funds are allocated and which initiatives are supported; Nipissing

University’s campus cannot be considered family-friendly until the guiding priorities actively

mention mature students.

Recommendations for Future Research

The experience of mature students at Nipissing University offers a wealth of opportunity

for future research. As I complete my current study, I find myself with several possibilities for

future research.

Sex of participants. This study drew upon data from the interviews of five women and

one man. It would be interesting to repeat this study an even representation of male and female

participants to see if there is a difference. Further, such a study would bring more voice to male

parenting students. During his interview, Ryan expressed that he chose to sit for an interview

because he suspected that the voice of male parenting students would be left out of the

conversation without his participation.

Marital status. Of the parenting students who participated in this study, two identified as

being married and four identified as being single parents. My study determined that a higher

amount of support from the institution is needed if there is a lower amount of support available at

home. A potential study could target single parenting students to determine the amount of support

that this group of students needs from the university. Laura, Maggie, and Alicia all mentioned

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having to ask favours from their social networks when childcare options were limited. A study

that is more focused on the needs of parenting students who, based on the findings of my study,

have the potential to require the most support from the university could reveal the full breadth of

services and policies that would benefit this group of students.

Longitudinal. A longitudinal study of a group of parenting students as they pursue their

degrees could reveal whether or not the type or amount of support needed by parenting students

changes as they move through programs. The parenting students in my study were all in their

upper years. Most of the participants were preparing for graduate or professional programs. A

longitudinal study of the perceptions of first year parenting students followed by interviews with

them throughout their degree programs would offer insight into if and how their needs change.

Action research. In order to examine whether or not my recommendations would

actually benefit parenting students, a researcher could interview parenting students and then, as

an example, create a daycare centre or breastfeeding room. The students could be interviewed

again to determine whether or not what had been perceived as lacking actually met the needs of

the parenting students. Further action and analysis could follow.

Aging parents. The University of Toronto Family Care Office (2015) provides services

not only for parenting students, but also for students who are caring for aging parents. The needs

of this group of students could be studied in order to provide optimal support for a diverse

student body. Although this study focused on parenting students, university students have a

variety of family responsibilities. This is consistent with Alsop, Gonzalez-Arnal, and Kilkey

(2008).

Children with exceptionalities. Laura revealed early in her interview that her child has

exceptionalities. As a result, she has a lot of stress at home directly related to her child’s special

needs and behaviours associated with her child’s exceptionalities. A study could focus on the

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needs of students who are parents of children with exceptionalities to determine how to best

support their unique stress and challenges.

The parenting student has not been fully researched and, if the population of mature

students continues to grow as the literature predicts (Randall, 2012; Taylor & House, 2010), this

is a group of students that will continue to enter post-secondary institutions without the support

they need to achieve success. My study has pointed to many avenues for further investigation.

The current study will be presented at the thesis defence and will possibly be the basis of a

journal article or a conference presentation.

Conclusion

My son, who was an embryo when I started this Master of Education program, is now two

years old. He sleeps through the night and he loves school buses and fire trucks. He is able to

create sentences, can identify primary colours, and is almost ready to be potty-trained. These are

important life skills and I am fortunate to see him thriving. As he grew, I learned that parenting

students at Nipissing University want a family-friendly campus; I learned that they feel invisible

and unrepresented.

The participants of my study were at a unique stage of life. They are experiencing

education at the same time as their children and they are paying for this education. Nipissing

University is capable of admitting more than the 39 mature students who registered in 2014.

Infrastructure in the form of policies and services must be in place to attract and retain these

students. The role of higher education in the lives of adults is growing and becoming an integral

part of the global economy (Kasworm, 2011), and Nipissing University has considerable room to

improve and realize its potential in this area.

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Appendix A

Recruitment Poster

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Appendix B

Letter of Informed Consent

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96

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Appendix C

TCPS 2 Certificate of Completion

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Appendix D

Ethics Approval