Browsing by Author "Kahu, ER"
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- ItemFriendship supported learning – the role of friendships in first-year students’ university experiences(2017-07) Picton, C; Kahu, ER; Nelson, KThe student experience at university is impacted by student and institutional factors that combine to influence student wellbeing and engagement. This paper contributes to existing literature on student engagement by exploring friendships that are formed with other students. The qualitative study followed students at an Australian regional university throughout their first year of study. Drawing on Kahu and Nelson’s framework of student engagement, this paper reports findings on the influence of friendships on students’ psychosocial experiences, and on learning engagement outcomes. Findings indicated that students establish friendships with people with common interests, increasing a sense of belonging. Friendships also improve student wellbeing through increasing comfort in attending class, reducing stress, and providing opportunities to relax. Through initiating student supported learning opportunities, friendships also lead to opportunities for students to deepen their engagement: enhance student interest, develop positive learning behaviours, and increase cognitive understanding.
- ItemI'm excited! Student expectations prior to starting their first year at university(Unistars, 2016) Kahu, ER; Nelson, K; Picton, CFirst year student retention is an ongoing challenge in higher education and expectations are an important influence on students’ adjustment. Based on interviews with 19 students before they started at a regional Australian university, this research is informed by a framework of student engagement that proposes that the student experience occurs in an educational interface, the dynamic space influenced by student and institutional factors. Four constructs manifest within the interface and influence engagement. This paper therefore explores students’ emotions, self-efficacy, well-being, and belonging prior to starting university. Overall, the students have expectations of high engagement driven by two key influences: the alignment between their interests and their courses, and the relationships they expect to make. While some are nervous about what lies ahead, others are naïvely optimistic. Most know what they need from the university but seem less aware of what they need to do in order to succeed.
- ItemLife integrated learning and assessment: Strategies to connect mature-aged distance students with the course content(DEANZ, 2016) Kahu, ER; Wright, NNearly a third of mature-aged students (over aged 24) in New Zealand study by distance so they can fit study into their full lives. Past research suggests these students enjoy and cope well with distance learning, but also have a high first year attrition rate. More is needed to identify better ways to engage these students to ensure their retention and success. Part of a wider project on student engagement, this paper explores how older distance students connect with the course curriculum. Nineteen first year distance students, aged from 26 to 59, took part in pre and post semester interviews and completed weekly video or email diaries throughout their first semester at a New Zealand university. Findings indicate that life integrated learning and assessments are key tools to engage these students. Students were enthusiastic about course content when they saw connections with their past, present, and future selves. This triggered a positive spiral, motivating them to spend time on study and making it easier to understand and learn content. These connections were not limited to work, suggesting that the current focus on work-integrated-learning is missing important opportunities to engage students. Assessments were a second key trigger for cognitive engagement. While enjoying learning for its own sake, the students were strategic and prioritised assessment tasks. Effective assessments do not just grade the students, they also engage them. The use of digital tools for content delivery and discussion was beneficial at times and problematic at other times. The findings highlight the need to design courses carefully and to enable students to find connections with their interests, experiences, and skills.