- 1. Postgraduate transitions Postgraduate student perceptions of thetransition into postgraduate studyAnna Heussi in collaboration with Suzanne Leckie
2. Background myths In the past it has been assumed thatpostgraduate students dont have much of anadjustment to make when transitioning intopostgraduate study (West, 2012). Postgraduate students are already experts in therealm of education and so need no assistance intheir transition (Tobell, O Donnell and Zammit,2010). Assumed that the progression will be natural tothem as they are progressing from one step tothe next, however, often this traditionalprogression is not the case in recent times (ODonnell et al, 2009). 3. However... More recently researchers have realised thatthere is a gap in the literature and thatpostgraduate transitions may be difficult and areactually not well documented enough. Cluett and Skene (2006) found that 80% ofpostgraduate students reported their first year ofstudy to be overwhelming. Furthermore even those following a traditionalroute of study have been found to struggle withthe transition. West (2012) found 64% of studentsreported the transition as difficult. 4. Literature review Tobbell, O Donnell and Zammit (2010) carried outinterviews, focus groups and email contact withstudents over a one year period, as well asconducting interviews with staff in five UK universities.Overall they found the pressure of independent studyto be a key difficulty for students in their transition asthey received little support from teachers and feltisolated. These findings directly challenge previousassumptions that postgraduate students do not haveto negotiate a difficult and significant transition inorder to succeed. The current study will follow in the footsteps of theresearch by Tobbell, O Donnell and Zammit (2010) incontinuing to challenge the views that the transitioninto postgraduate study is a natural progression thatrequires no adjustment. The theme of using focusgroups will be replicated. 5. Literature review The study conducted by West (2012) is the most recentstudy in this area. West (2012) wanted to move away fromthe research conducted into doctorate students andinstead explore postgraduate students studying a mastersdegree as it was felt that the needs of taught postgraduatestudents on the whole had been ignored. One main findingthat emerged from the focus groups was that postgraduatestudents are often not equipped for their studies evenwhen they have previously completed an undergraduatedegree. Students sought more specific support for theirstudies as well as more guidance at the beginning of thecourse. Perhaps the largest problem area was that ofneeding more guidance on how to academic writing andassignments. The Current research will extend Wests (2012) research inlooking at postgraduate masters students exclusively. Theaim is to expand the research into these problem areas toaddress what can be done to aid the transition process forpostgraduate students. 6. Findings of the PTES The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey wasadministered to postgraduate students halfway through theacademic year at Sheffield Hallam to find out how theyrated their course and the teaching overall. The results of the survey revealed that Only 33% ofstudents on the Environmental management, Wildlife andLandscape course found it easy to adjust to the academicdemands of the course, with only 50% understanding whatthey needed to do to succeed on the course. Furthermore only 30% of students on the Urban andRegional planning course found it easy to balance theirstudies with other commitments And only 40% of the Transport, planning and managementstudents found it easy to access support at timesappropriate to them. 7. Percentage of students who found it hard to balance their studiesalongside other committements90%85%80%70%% who found it hard60%51%50%40%30%20%10%0%Full timePart timeType of studentTotal students: FT=45, PT= 80 8. Percentage of students who found it hard to access support at times appropriote to them45% 41%40%35%% who found it hard30%25%20%15% 12%10%5%0% Full time Part time Type of studentTotal students: FT= 34, PT= 63 9. Percentage who found it hard to adjust to the academic demands of the course70% 63%60%50%50%% who found it hard40%30%20%10%0%Distance On-campusType of learnerTotal students: Distance= 16, On-Campus= 96 10. Findings of the PTES continued... Additional qualitative data would help to explainwhy students are struggling in certain areaswhether it be: adjusting to the academic demandsof the course, knowing what they need to do tosucceed, accessing support, or balancing studieswith other commitments. However whilst surveys like this areinsightful, they fail to create a sense of ownershipfor students in which they can contribute theirown input and explain the course experience.Therefore the decision was made to carry outfocus groups to further explore studentperceptions. 11. Current study rationale To find out why many students struggle with the transition into postgraduate study and obtain suggestions for what can be done to improve this experience. To expand previous research to gain a better understanding of the postgraduate transition and what can be done to aid the transition. 12. Methods Students were selected to take part viaopportunistic sampling Qualitative research Two focus groups. 9 participants. The first focusgroup consisted of urban and regional planningstudents and contained two males and twofemales (one international). The second focusgroup consisted of the courses Environmentalmanagement, wildlife and landscape andTransport, planning and management, containingfour males and one female. 13. Methods continued... The focus groups were recorded and then sentoff to be transcribed. Once the transcriptions were completed the datawas analysed using Nvivo. Key themes were identified and a report drafted. 14. Ethics Consent forms were completed by all participantswhich stated that the data from the focus groupdata would be used in the final report, howeverthat student identities would be kept confidentialby keeping all data anonymous. It was explained to participants both by theresearcher and on the consent form that theywere free to withdraw from the study at any pointduring the focus group and until the focus groupswere transcribed. An ethical clearance form was also completed bythe student researcher. 15. Findings After analysing the data by coding various themes that occurred throughout the focus groups, four predominant themes emerged. 16. Theme 1: More support needed atthe start of the course This was the centre for discussion in the focusgroups with most group members expressing thatthey would have benefited greatly from moresupport at the start of the course. How about doing a module on academic management or something which is actually goingto help you obtain the grade which youre going to get and throw that right at you, frontloadthe programme and put that right at the start Id certainly say a bit more of an introduction into the planning system, the procedures, thedevelopment management, how the process works, planning law. It was like whiz-stop tourhere and then it was kind of finished."They should introduce it to the students then take it from there really." 17. More support continued.."Theres not everybody that has been in planning or had an experience in planning, the fact that there is a common interest, we are all hear to learn, they should be able to maybe put in a kind of introduction to what were supposed to do, like planning, what do you do in planning basically, they should introduce it to the students then take it from there really.This comment comes from the international student in the first focus group and highlights that a thorough introduction may be more important for some than others. Some students may need introducing to or re-familarising with the basics of the course. She elaborates: Well from the international students point of view, were just like fish thrown into water, like adifferent ocean. We didnt know what the planning policies were, we didnt know whatsobtainable in the UK and then were just given this piece of work to do.Although we only had the views of one international student another student comments on thecourse and how it is not adequate for international students its very lacking in the equal opportunities side of things because its very narrow directed inone point of view. 18. Theme 2: Quality of support The discussion of the support on offer wasgenerally quite negative; students believe thatsupport is not as helpful and individual as it couldbe. Its not personal. They dont have time to see us all, if we knocked on their door it would belike We dont have time to see you which is a shame because it makes anybodyslives easier if you know somebody and you know how to help them as well. "Yes. I think the support is adequate, I wouldnt say it was good personally but I think itsadequate, it could be better, but I just get the impression that the tutors are very, verystretched because of the amount of students, especially I think potentially theundergrad students. at no point in this course were we actually ever directed to anything particularly And, to be honest, being truthful, it was enough to put me off, I really felt like, I cant do this 19. Subtheme: More assistance needed on assignments"So for me what would have been useful is a more in-depth look at how the planning sector actually works initially, before beginning an assignment 20. Theme 3: Poor organisation of thecourse It seems that one of the main things students believe to be hindering them in their transition is the organisation of the course and the university in general. "but I think the university struggles with, its organisation and it seems to be really messed up some things. Like that could have been told, you could have had information, Blackboard sites didnt go live until two or three weeks after wed started unit. "I think our problems have more been the organisation of the course rather than academic problems." 21. Theme 4: Positives of support Despite a mostly negative discussion of thesupport on offer, students also highlightedpositives of support. I think the supports really good, it think we know who to talk to now as well toget answers. the course leader she was very good, she listened to our views and shesaid that she was going to make a couple of changes from the things wesuggested on a positive note, the modules have been, Ive found them veryinteresting, especially the Economic and Society modules, I find it veryinteresting 22. Suggestions for improvementthere does need to be more of a follow-upfrom the introduction, after people haveactually got into the course, after the lecturesare being delivered, after being given their"So it just might be an idea to first assignment, I think it would be good tohave a student rep meetinghave another kind of get together forearlier so that issues can be feedback, how are people getting on, this isaddressed sooner."reality, how are people finding it now thattheyve actually started? "I guess and just pointing us towards Blackboard but, you know, its all very So for me what would good doing that but its not, you have been useful is a know, to learn often many people need more in-depth look at how to rebound off someone dont they?the planning sector You know, time is money and you needactually works like a two hour session or something, orinitially, before beginning even a whole module." an assignment. 23. Discussion From the themes discovered in the focus groups we can see thatthere is a lot to be done in terms of helping students toexperience a smooth transition into postgraduate study. Themost predominant theme was that of receiving more support atthe start of the course. The start of the course could obviously bea very difficult time for students as they are being faced with lotsof new material and perhaps new ways of learning. Symons(2001) found similar findings in that many students found thebeginning of the course very difficult and wanted more directionto begin with. Therefore more should be done to make sure that students arecomfortable with this transition and know what they need to do tosucceed as this is not always the case. Students also often felt that they could not access support attheir times of need. Tobell, ODonnell and Zammit (2010) alsofound this to be a central issue as the students they interviewedfelt they did not receive enough support and some even feltisolated. 24. Discussion It is clear that the quality and amount of support currentlyon offer needs to be addressed, for example there arestudents who generally need guidance on how to write anacademic piece of work as they have been out ofeducation for a number of years or have never been touniversity before. This supports Wests (2012) research in which suggestedthat more guidance was needed on how to writeacademically. However not all students require thisguidance due to the heterogeneity of the studentcohort, therefore universal support is not alwaysappropriate. The findings from the focus groups do not exactly reflectthe PTES statistics or even fully explain them, howeverthey serve their purpose in explaining why students mayfind various things in their transition difficult. The PTESserves to highlight that some groups of students suffer 25. Limitations Sampling- the diversity of the focus groups was not idealas only one international student was recruited as well asonly two mature students. Suggestions for future directionswould be to look further into the postgraduate transitionexperience of international and mature students.Nevertheless even those students who had followed thetraditional route from undergraduate to postgraduate stillsuffered difficulties in their transition which shows thetransition can be challenging no matter what the studentsbackground. Due to time constraints there was only time to conduct twofocus groups. Future research should aim to collect moredata through follow up one-to-one interviews and furtherfocus groups if possible. Despite the limitations of the study, the results haveprovided valuable insight into student perceptions of theirtransition experience, views which are not attainable 26. Conclusions Despite the assumptions that postgraduate studentsare experts at education and struggle less with thetransition between different modes of study than otherdomains of students (West, 2012; ODonnell etal, 2009). It turns out there are actually many externaland internal factors which can contribute to asuccessful transition experience for postgraduatestudents, whether it be the students background orthe support on offer within the university. Overall it seems that students require more interactiveteaching, more specific support as well as guidancefor how to succeed both in assignments and in theworking world after university. Therefore it seems more consideration should begiven to the individual needs of students in order tosupport a successful transition into postgraduate 27. ConclusionsThe suggestions that came from students in these focus groups are valuable towards learning what support works and what support is less useful, aswell as areas in which more support is needed.Such information can go towards improving the transition experience of future postgraduate students. 28. References Cluett, L., & Skene, J. (2006). Improving the Postgraduate Coursework StudentExperience: Barriers and the Role of Institution. In: Proceedings of the AUQF2006: Quality outcomes and Diversity. Available online at:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.145.5455&rep=rep1&type=pdf#page=76. O Donnell, V. L., Tobbell, J., Lawthorn, R. L., & Zammit, M. (2009). Transition toPostgraduate Study: Practice, Participation and the Widening ParticipationAgenda. Active Learning in Higher Education, 10, 1, 26-40. Symons, M. (2001). Starting a Coursework Postgraduate Degree: The NeglectedTransition. Paper presented at the Changing Identities: Language and AcademicSkills Conference, University of Wollongong, 29-30 November 2001. Tobbell, J., ODonnell, V., & Zammit, M. (2010). Exploring Transition toPostgraduate study: Shifting Identities in Interaction with Communities, Practiceand Participation. Educational Research Journal, 36, 2, 261-278. West, A. (2012). Formative Evaluation of the Transition to Postgraduate Study forCounselling and Psychotherapy Training: Students Perceptions of Assignmentsand Academic Writing. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research: LinkingResearch with Practice, 12, 2, 128-135.
