forms of adjustment

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Forms of AdjustmentKen Simpson a & Tamsin Kingston a ba School of Applied Management , UNITEC Instituteof Technology , Private Bag 92-025, Auckland, NewZealandb School of Business , UNITEC Institute ofTechnology , Private Bag 92-025, Auckland, NewZealandPublished online: 14 Oct 2008.

To cite this article: Ken Simpson & Tamsin Kingston (2002) Forms of Adjustment,Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 2:2, 21-42, DOI: 10.1300/J172v02n02_02

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Forms of Adjustment:

Smoothing the Way into Tertiary Study

for First Year Tourism Studies

Ken Simpson

Tamsin Kingston

ABSTRACT. In the increasingly competitive field of tertiary educationin New Zealand, characterised by strong levels of institutional competi-tion for a numerically limited pool of students, there has been an almostbelated recognition of the importance of student retention strategies. Inthis context, the literature indicates that transition to the tertiary institutelifestyle can often result in a period of major personal re-adjustment forfirst year students, which sometimes manifests itself in early academicresults that are below expectations–these twin factors can contribute toearly perceptions of alienation and, in some instances, can result in unac-ceptably high dropout rates. This paper describes an intervention that at-tempted to increase rates of retention in a tourism study programme,through a process designed to facilitate easier assimilation into the ter-tiary education culture, and to consequently improve the academic re-sults obtained in early course assessment. The nature of this approach,intended to alleviate adjustment problems and provide students with ap-propriate coping mechanisms, is described in outline, and the results ofsubsequent student evaluations discussed. The paper concludes by as-sessing the benefits of this intervention, and by highlighting the implica-tions for future student intakes. [Article copies available for a fee from TheHaworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address:

Ken Simpson (E-mail: [email protected]) and Tamsin Kingston (E-mail:[email protected]) are respectively Senior Lecturer in the School of AppliedManagement and Administration Manager in the School of Business, UNITEC Insti-tute of Technology, Private Bag 92-025, Auckland, New Zealand.

The authors wish to acknowledge the constructive feedback received as a result of apreliminary version of this paper being presented to the annual conference of the Aus-tralia and New Zealand Academy of Management, Hobart, Australia, December 1999.

Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, Vol. 2(2) 2002 2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

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<[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2002by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]

KEYWORDS. New Zealand, tourism education, student retention, ter-

tiary transition, tertiary adjustment

INTRODUCTION

An increasingly evident national adoption of ‘New Right’ politicalphilosophies, as initially introduced by former U.S. president RonaldReagan and enthusiastically pursued by conservative political adminis-trations throughout the Western world, has been responsible for substan-tive changes in the underlying principles which dictate the behavioursof many central government agencies. It has become commonplace forsignificant consumers of public funds, such as health and education ser-vices, to be radically reconceptualised as business enterprises ratherthan social services, and the twin commercial imperatives of efficiencyand effectiveness are increasingly used as benchmarks by which institu-tional performance may be evaluated (Cooper et al., 1992).

In New Zealand, a decade of incremental change in central govern-ment attitudes and policies towards post-secondary education has led todramatically reduced levels of public funding and the consequent adop-tion of a predominantly “user pays” approach. As a result, the previ-ously collegial and co-operative model of tertiary education has beensubjected to contemporary market forces, with students being asked tocontribute an escalating proportion of their own study costs, and pro-vider relationships have rapidly become more overtly competitive(Levy and Edlin, 1995).

A common student reaction to this scenario has been their growingawareness of a revised role in an increasingly business-like exchangeprocess–today’s students are fully aware of their status as customers ina distinctly commercial model of education–and, as a result, there hasbeen a perceptible change in the power relationships between the teach-ers and the taught. No longer are education providers the undeniablydominant partner in a one-way transfer of knowledge, and a much moreequitable seller/buyer relationship has allowed students to become in-creasingly critical of the resources provided, delivery methods used,and attitudes adopted by institutions. For tertiary educators, the mes-sage is clear–students require their education to be current, relevant,

22 JOURNAL OF TEACHING IN TRAVEL & TOURISM

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and appropriate for their future needs, and that the utility of theirprogramme be clearly evident from the outset.

This paper adopts a case study approach to examine one method bywhich an attempt was made to maximise student satisfaction during theall-important initial introduction to the institution. After a brief reviewof the literature relating to student induction and retention, we identify arange of issues that have historically posed adjustment problems fornew entrants to the tertiary education system. We then outline the de-sign of an intervention used with one particular study programme of-fered by our institution, and describe the philosophy and methods bywhich a revised induction process was pilot implemented. Key aspectsof process design and delivery are discussed, and the results of quantita-tive and qualitative student evaluations of the induction experience areanalysed. Finally, implications for future student intakes are identified,and recommendations for further research highlighted.

STUDENT INDUCTION AND RETENTION

There is some evidence to suggest that the initial encounter betweennew student and tertiary education provider is characterised by a signif-icant element of self-doubt and apprehension on the part of both contri-butors. Hurtado and Carter (1997) have observed that the student’sconceptualisation of joining a tertiary institution remains a function ofthe well-established and very real concerns of ‘getting in’ (the processof gaining admission to the college of choice) and ‘getting to know’ (theprocess of successfully integrating with the social structure of the col-lege). In other words, students have no sooner experienced the anxietyof waiting associated with their enrolment application, and the elationassociated with institutional acceptance, than they are faced with theequally momentous concerns of assimilation into an as yet unknown so-cial environment.

Contrast this ‘will they like me?’ concern with the parallel issueswhich are likely to occupy the thoughts of college administrators duringthe same enrolment process. As institutions become increasingly com-petitive in their marketing activities designed to attract new student co-horts, such attention to recruitment effectiveness is accompanied byheightened regard for issues of retention–when governments of coun-tries such as the United Kingdom and Australia choose to link theirfunding provision to successful student graduation rather than initialstudent enrolment (McGivney, 1996), an already pressing issue be-

Ken Simpson and Tamsin Kingston 23

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comes even more of a concern. Thus, institutions are increasingly sensi-tive to the first impressions they convey to new recruits–in other words,the ‘will they like me?’ question is almost equally valid from the per-spective of college administrations.

Retention Theory

The foundations of student retention theory can be traced to the ideasof Vincent Tinto, presented in a series of writings which spanned a periodof eighteen years (Tinto 1975; 1987; 1993). Tinto’s research centred onthe degree to which the incoming student’s individual personality, aca-demic capability, social norms and cultural background could bequickly reconciled with the dominant characteristics of the institutionattended. In essence, he suggested that the new student would inevita-bly undergo a period of both academic and social re-adjustment on en-tering college–successful re-adjustment would result in an enhancedprobability of eventual graduation (what has become known as studentpersistence) whilst unsuccessful re-adjustment would substantially in-crease the chances of student dropout.

Complementary work by Spady (1971) emphasised the importanceof social factors in determining the success or otherwise of an introduc-tion to college. Spady believed that the essentially naive new studentwould approach colleges which possessed well entrenched academicand social systems, and which identified with an expectation that stu-dents would quickly adapt their behaviours to conform with both sys-temic paradigms. The speed with which new students could make theseadjustments would influence what Spady called ‘social integration,’ asubjective feeling of belonging which was argued to be a dominant fac-tor in determining student commitment to the college, satisfaction withcollege life, and an ultimate decision to persist or drop out.

A number of studies have sought to verify these ideas, particularly interms of the concept of twin re-adjustment processes–the idea thatalignment with the college lifestyle would be necessary on both an aca-demic and a social plane. Despite varying approaches to research meth-odology, and an element of inconsistency in the way concepts havebeen operationalised, there is reasonable consensus that the student’sinitial encounter with an institution is subjected to both academic andsocial value judgements (Pascarella and Terenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1993;Astin, 1993). As Hurtado and Carter (1997) have put it, the eventualsuccess levels of student/college relations are assessed according to cri-teria based upon involvement, engagement and affiliation.


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Despite a number of challenges to some aspects of founding philoso-phy (e.g., Braxton et al., 1997), Tinto’s ideas have constituted the domi-nant paradigm of student retention theory in the latter part of the 20thcentury. There is thus little debate amongst the research community thatthe initial period of contact between student and institution is critical tothe extent to which the student feels accepted and made welcome–the‘getting to know’ process is therefore acknowledged as a strong influ-ence over consequent academic success and inclination to persist withstudy until eventual graduation.

Persistence and Dropout Factors

A cornerstone of Tinto’s ideas suggests that coincidence betweenstudent and college perspectives will inevitably be achieved by changesin student behaviour, for the 1980s view of education incorporated anassumption that the college culture would be necessarily dominant, andthat intending students would consequently adapt to the ‘college code’or depart as a dropout. This is an idea which has become increasinglydifficult to support as tertiary education moves into the 21st century(Braxton et al., 1997).

In this context, some authors (e.g., Tierney, 1992) have criticised theassumption that non-traditional student attitudes and behaviours wouldnecessarily defer to a mainstream college culture determined by the ma-jority characteristics of the primary student demographic. In support ofthis challenge, Attinasi (1989; 1992) has argued that students do not infact secure their principal social attachments through affiliation withthe dominant college ethos, but instead from the extent to which the col-lege acknowledges the social acceptability of a group sub-culture ad-hered to by the student and circle of friends. If this is the case, it ispossible to infer the existence of a wide range of individual factorswhich may influence subsequent persistence or dropout behaviours.

For example, in a recent study of retention issues in 230 American in-stitutions (Antley, 1999), the principal issues which determined studentpersistence were the overall level of educational achievement prior tocollege entry, the apparent advantages enjoyed by those who chose to‘live in’ on campus dormitories, and the more positive outcomes experi-enced by colleges with a higher than average proportion of more mature(often part time) students. In contrast, Zhang and Richarde (1998) sur-veyed 462 new college entrants to conclude that student dropout wasmost frequently a function of an inability to handle stress, a radical un-


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derestimation of the required level of student commitment, and a gen-eral lack of realism in student expectations of tertiary study.

Though the studies above are apparently contradictory in their find-ings, the reality may be that both are indicative of multiple, and perhapssite-specific, influences. Such a conclusion would allow that a majorAustralian study (Abbot-Chapman et al., 1992) was correct to concludethat student centred aspects such as prior academic performance, com-mitment to the course, and motivation to study are the major predictorsof retention and success; whilst also acknowledging the legitimacy ofParker’s (1998) findings that highlight provider issues such as staff atti-tudes, positive community profile for the college, and a substantial in-frastructure designed to deliver comprehensive student supportservices. Thus, the existence of conflicting conclusions may merely re-flect substantive elements of diversity in the characteristics of specificstudy sites selected for review.

In terms of the specific provision of designated support services, abrief scan of institutional web sites (e.g., City University of New York;University of Hartford; Monash University, Melbourne, Australia) re-veals multiple references to assistance for students who may be encoun-tering difficulties which threaten their continuing participation. Newstudent orientations, study skills programmes, and counselling servicesare all common aspects of a response to these situations, and are represen-tative of a frequently experienced interventionist approach to achievingimprovements in student retention statistics. There is therefore at leastsome suggestion that institutions have recognized the potential hurdleswhich confront new students, and are attempting to introduce initiativeswhich will make some contribution towards a smoother and less trou-bled relationship.

Institutional Interventions

It is perhaps unsurprising that much of the literature relating to earlyintervention programmes is characterised by concern for the reductionor elimination of inequalities in educational opportunity for minoritystudents. In this context, Parker (1998) has argued that minority groupsare particularly susceptible to becoming dropouts, as an already daunt-ing social prospect is exacerbated through the clearly perceptible socialstigma that sometimes appears to accompany any divergence from thedemographic norm. Thus, rather than introduce a broadly based and ge-neric programme designed to facilitate ‘across the board’ student entry,


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some colleges have chosen to focus their attention on smoothing the in-duction process for non-traditional student categories.

The proportion of non-traditional students has risen dramaticallyover recent years. According to Dey and Hurtado (1998), part time stu-dents now constitute 40% of all United States college enrolments, andmany of this group occupy an older age bracket than the traditionalschool leaver cohort who are most often associated with a tertiary stu-dent profile. In addition, cultural and ethnic diversity is considerablymore prevalent than ever before (Bishop, 1990; Stone and Archer,1990) and the contemporary student body is likely to be representativeof a wide racial and age-group distribution. Even the traditional highschool leavers are more likely than ever to live at home with parent orparents, and to hold a part time job to help finance their studies (Dey andHurtado, 1998).

Thus, recent literature has highlighted specific induction initiatives es-tablished to assist a number of different minority groups. Dales’s (1995)description of the HORIZONS programme operated in the state of Indi-ana notes an attempt to equalise entry conditions for the financially disad-vantaged; Gartin (1996) reports on a similar model specifically focussedon the initial needs of the physically disabled community; Schwitzer etal. (1999) relate an example of interventions designed to assist Afri-can-American students; and Wright (1998) discusses a highly success-ful partnership programme between a Canadian community college andits locally resident First Nations people.

In general, these interventions appear to have made a highly positivecontribution, with Dale (1995) in particular noting an eventual retentionrate of 85% for those students who had undergone the programme, com-pared with a 47% retention of those who had not. In addition, the FirstNations partnership described by Wright (1998) reported a retentionrate in excess of 90%, with a correspondingly impressive grade pointaverage amongst participating students. Similar results have also beenapparent in the few cases where interventions have been targeted at abroad cross-section of students rather than an identifiably at-risk minor-ity group–Clark (1995) reports that the SELECT programme of coun-selling and guidance for new students in the formative days of theircollege career achieved a retention rate of 73%, as opposed to a rate of42% for students who had not experienced the SELECT programme orany other form of orientation activity.

Interventions have also been specifically designed to assist those seenas “at risk” of dropping out, with varying levels of success. Polansky andHoran (1993) tested the effect of study skills training, career counselling,


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and a mix of the two, on “at risk” freshmen, and found that only the studyskills training had a significant positive effect on retention; both Swain(1997) and Carter and McNeill (1998) have highlighted the value of anintroductory programme in which peer guidance from senior studentsplayed a significant part; and Parker (1998) reaffirmed that the creationand marketing of a comprehensive social structure of on-campus supportgroups, clubs and societies could make a substantial contribution to feel-ings of belonging. In the light of these findings, it appears reasonable toconsider the advantages of introducing a generic intervention programmetargetted at all students, a programme which would play a key role as thefirst learning experience encountered by a new student on entering thecollege of his or her choice.

First Year Students and the Orientation Programme

Although dropout rates are a significant problem throughout the entirestudy period, there is some evidence to suggest a substantially higher in-cidence amongst first year students (Rickinson and Rutherford, 1995).Studies differ slightly in their weighting of factors that influence reten-tion, but a number of common themes emerge. Rickinson and Rutherford(1995) found that those who dropped out in their first term left for threemain reasons–feelings of being academically unready for tertiary study,abrupt realization of their own lack of emotional preparedness, and expe-rience of welfare problems such as financial difficulties or family issues.

In this respect, it has been noted that new students face four categoriesof demand as they embark on a tertiary education career (Baker andSiryk, 1984; Baker et al., 1985). They are required to considerably adjusttheir concepts of academic rigour, as college often represents a quantumleap from the degree of difficulty experienced at high school; refocustheir established daily operating processes to correlate with the collegeacademic and social systems; contend with a major personal and emo-tional attitude shift as the transition to a student existence is made; andcope with a social upheaval centred around the formation of an entirelynew battery of friendships and other personal relationships. It is in thosecircumstances that the value of a comprehensive orientation programmehas been advocated as essential to the effective integration of a new stu-dent into the college environment (Pascarella et al., 1986).

Drew (1990) accents the importance of institutions showing theycare, by maintaining and promoting links with students through mecha-nisms such as orientation sessions, and it has been recognised that thecontent of these sessions will necessarily be wide ranging–if the ‘get-


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ting to know’ process is to proceed smoothly, the literature suggests thatadequate attention needs to be paid to both the academic and social as-pects of the college lifestyle. Some authors (e.g., Baker et al., 1985;Krallman and Holcomb, 1997) suggest that considerable time needs tobe spent on isolating student expectations and ensuring that uniformlyhigh expectations are supported and encouraged, but within an appro-priate climate of realism–in this respect, the Krallman and Holcombstudy identified completely unrealistic student expectations related tocourse difficulty, the need for external assistance, and the complexitiesof personal relationships within the college environment.

This gap, between over-optimistic expectations and a sometimesabruptly administered reality check, is symptomatic of the difficultiesfacing most students entering the tertiary system for the first time. Thereis a distinct element of mystery surrounding academia and its operatingmethods and, as a result, the transition to tertiary study has often re-sulted in an intellectually and emotionally difficult period of re-adjust-ment, accompanied by early academic results that can sometimes bebelow expectations. In this context, academic achievement over theearly stages of a programme can often be negatively affected by the par-allel pressures to adjust to an unfamiliar life style–new students are thusconfronted by the collective influence of a doubled-barrelled range ofre-adjustment issues we have chosen to call “study shock.”

If the negative impact of study shock is to be minimised, contempo-rary education philosophy advocates the adoption of a multi-faceted ap-proach to intervention, and this suggestion is supported by analysis ofsuccessful induction processes–the HORIZONS programme describedby Dale (1995) incorporated both cognitive and affective issues in itsorientation course, whilst the HETM programme (Gartin, 1996) in-cludes psychosocial adjustment, academic development, and collegeand community orientation. It appears possible then, if an inductionprogramme can be designed to address the issues which new studentsbelieve to be critical to their success, the available evidence suggeststhat the results will benefit both student and institution.

For example, using a conventional experimental group/control groupdesign with 80 new entrants to a New Jersey college, Smith (1997) foundthat the 40 strong experimental group, those who were exposed to a spe-cially designed intervention programme, reported significantly lowerlevels of anxiety than those who had not been exposed to the programme.The key to success, here and elsewhere, appears to be the extent to whichstudent concerns are comprehensively identified and successfully ad-dressed in the administration of an intervention programme–this is an is-


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sue which takes on an enhanced significance in terms of newly rigorousand demanding student attitudes towards the assessment of collegeproduct and service quality.

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

The research project that forms the basis for this paper took placewithin the School of Applied Management at the authors’ own institu-tion, and selected as its subjects a new intake of full time students to aone year travel and tourism programme.

PROGRAMME BACKGROUND

Travel and tourism industry training has been offered at our institu-tion since 1990, with students enrolling in a programme of study thatleads to a New Zealand national qualification at certificate level. Theone year programme contains fourteen discrete papers, each of whichhas been traditionally offered over a half-year (fourteen week) semes-ter, and new students have therefore been placed in seven concurrentclasses at the outset of their study. All learning is regularly assessed ac-cording to a competency model, and summative assessment is requiredto be administered at a very early stage in each paper’s evolution.

The structure of the programme (and its associated assessment re-gime) is nationally determined, and imposes constraints that limit theextent to which innovative methods can be used to address study shockdifficulties. Operating realities do not permit a more gradual introduc-tion of workload–staff categorise the programme as moderately diffi-cult but with an undeniably high volume of content–and similar factorsprohibit the deferment of assessment until later in the programme.Thus, there has been little time to adjust to the demands of tertiarystudy, and study shock symptoms have been clearly evident in pastyears–student problems with reconciling academic and social re-adjust-ment demands, consequent difficulty with initial assessments, and un-acceptable levels of early dropout (within the first two weeks).

Anticipated Induction Problems

Past experience had created an expectation that the annual Februaryprogramme intake would number approximately 90 new students, and itwas similarly anticipated that this cohort would be representative of an


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extensively varied demographic. In addition, nearly a decade of in-volvement with travel and tourism training had engendered a strong de-gree of institutional familiarity with programme content, course deliveryissues, and key student characteristics. Academic staff had inevitablyaccumulated considerable experience in recognising various symptomsof the ‘study shock’ syndrome and, in this respect, previous years hadseen a number of common concerns surface during the early weeks ofstudy. These concerns are summarised in Table 1.

No formal research had previously been undertaken to validate sub-jective perceptions, but it was generally accepted by staff that studentconcerns of this nature would have a disproportionate effect on achieve-ment during the first three to four weeks of their programme. Althoughthese concerns were believed to manifest themselves in a variety ofways, a useful summary of effects can be presented as follows:

1. A sense of confusion, attributable to conflict between the stu-dents’ lifestyle prior to tertiary study and the situational impera-tives prescribed by institutional systems.

2. Sub-standard performance in early course assessment, which isadministered during a period of considerable social adjustmentand measures student achievement during a time of emotionalfrailty.

3. Unsatisfactory assessment results in the early stages, to the extentthat the student is necessarily involved in catch-up study almostbefore they begin.

A number of different responses to these issues have historicallybeen proposed and discarded over the years of the programme’s opera-tion. In particular, considerable effort has been expended, during an ini-tial half day orientation session, in attempting to eliminate the morecommonly experienced negative symptoms through attention to under-lying causes–open acknowledgement of potential difficulties for stu-dents has therefore been a notable characteristic of the orientationprocess. However, despite a genuine staff commitment, these effortshave been only partially successful, and a reasonably consistent data setof student teething troubles, growing pains or study shock continues tobe evident with each new intake. In recognition of these constraints, anew approach to the difficulties posed by study shock was trialled forthe first time in February, 1999.


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METHODS

Accepting the strong likelihood of a widely varied pre-enrolmentbackground amongst new students, the current research consciouslyabandoned efforts to remove study shock from the induction process.Rather than work towards the elimination of study shock, the new ap-proach instead attempted to condense its effects within a shorter timeframe. It was therefore intended that an intensive and compulsory oneweek orientation programme would serve to equip students with copingmechanisms that would lead to radically enhanced achievement levelsand improved retention statistics.

In pursuit of this objective, though the traditional half day orientationprogramme was retained for the February 1999 student intake, substan-tial changes were made to the ensuing fourteen week semester. Insteadof introducing seven separate courses, to run concurrently from weekone, a split start format was used. This approach required six of theseven courses to commence on week two, and to be delivered over thir-teen weeks instead of fourteen, whilst all other aspects of delivery andassessment remained unchanged. The seventh course (Stress and TimeManagement) was selected for an alternative delivery method.

All students were required to spend thirty hours in the classroom forweek one (approximately double the standard allocation envisaged),with participation structured into eight sessions ranging from two to


TABLE 1. Transitional Difficulties for New Students

Student Demographic Demonstrable Concerns

School leavers, primarily female,aged 17-19 years

• Replacement of school friends with new circle• Enhanced personal freedom vs. added responsibilities• Differing power relationships between staff/students• Tertiary study as first steps in independence

New permanent residents, bothgenders, primarily Asian culturalbackground, aged 30+ years

• Unfamiliarity with Western tuition methods• Coping with English as medium of instruction• Need for success as a boost for self esteem• Need for success to improve life in New Zealand

Mature students, primarily femalereturning to work force after periodof full time home duties, aged 30+years

• Tertiary study as a psychological cross-roads in life• Concern re potential financial pressures• Reconciling demands of study and motherhood• Adjusting to study regime after lengthy break• Coping with technological advances• Fear of age discrimination in a youth environment• Adjusting to expanded lifestyle horizons

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four hours in duration. The anticipated 90 students were a priori dividedinto 9 equal groups (described below as S1 to S9) and rotated throughthe classroom sessions as shown in Table 2.

An integral part of the new approach was the methodology used to

determine the final content of the three Stress and Time Management

sessions shown in Table 2. During their first session, on their first Mon-

day morning at college, each of the three groups of 30 students was fur-

ther sub-divided into either “school leavers” or “mature students”–this

selection criterion was selected, on the basis of past experience, as a

simple mechanism to realise two classroom units of similar size. Each

individual student was then asked to generate his or her own personal

written answers to the question “In what ways do you think that 1999

will be different for you than 1998?”


TABLE 2. Timetabling Week One

TeachingSession

StudentGroup

StaffMember

1 S1,S2,S3S4,S5,S6S7,S8,S9

SimpsonWarnerWiltshier

Introduction to the Institution; Tertiary Study & Culture Shock

2 S1,S4,S7S2,S5,S8S3,S6,S9

NaylorTurnerWarner

Student/Staff Expectations; Self Esteem & Self Image

3 S1,S5,S9S3,S4,S8S2,S6,S7

TurnerBerridgeWarner

Stress and Time Management I

4 S1,S6,S8S2,S4,S9S3,S5,S7

SimpsonAlexanderPayne

Learning & Teaching Styles; Study Skills & Assessment Technique

5 S1,S2,S3S4,S5,S6S7,S8,S9

WiltshierPayneSimpson

Stress and Time Management II

6 S1,S4,S7S2,S5,S8S3,S6,S9

AlexanderPayneNaylor

Learning Support Structures; Information Sources

7 S1,S5,S9S3,S4,S8S2,S6,S7

WiltshierTurnerBerridge

Stress and Time Management III

8 S1,S6,S8S2,S4,S9S3,S5,S7

BerridgeNaylorAlexander

Research Skills; Course Evaluation

9 All All Barbecue Lunch and Social Hour

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Students were then reconvened into their (school leaver or maturestudent) sub-group, and were required to table their individual writtenanswers for discussion amongst contemporaries–as a result of this pro-cess, an agreed list of anticipated lifestyle changes was generated byeach sub-group. The two sets of changes were then placed on a white-board for comparison, and all 30 students combined to generate a con-sensus listing of issues which would accurately represent the majorconcerns of the total group.

Finally, staff used a simple additive/accumulative approach to com-pile a combined agenda of concerns which would reflect the attitudes ofthe entire 90-strong cohort. This global list of issues was then used as ablueprint to guide the selection of role play and case study situations forsubsequent inclusion in the three Stress and Time Management ses-sions, attempting to address two major factors related to study shockand its management.

Firstly, it was hypothesised that students would perceive greater util-ity in self generated study topics, as opposed to those which had beenidentified on their behalf by academic staff–it was reasoned that, if stu-dents had effectively nominated key components of the change process,then it was probable that instances of disputed relevance would beminimised. Furthermore, it was thought likely that a greater degree ofstudent interest in the topics discussed would ensue, and that a conse-quently enhanced level of involvement and perceived ownership wouldresult. Secondly, the adoption of a conscious effort to address studentgenerated issues was seen to offer considerable practical value to the in-dividual. Whilst the three Stress and Time Management sessions ad-hered strictly to the academic requirements of a nationally determinedcourse curriculum, it was nevertheless possible to augment the corewith a supporting body of local campus knowledge which would func-tion as a practical guide to the tertiary lifestyle. As such, the studentcould be adequately prepared for the realisation of academic objectives,whilst simultaneously adjusting to the demands of a radically differentsocial environment.

The degree to which this approach could be judged as successful wasevaluated through three separate mechanisms. Firstly, student opinionwas sought via the administration of a confidential course evaluationconducted during the final session of the first week; secondly it waspossible to compare initial assessment results with those conducted forthe same course in previous years; and finally it was possible to makesimilar comparisons in terms of the extent of student dropout during thisinitial period. Whilst positive student evaluation would indicate a de-


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gree of support for this experimental approach, the quantitative dataavailable in relation to assessment results and dropout rates would pro-vide more objective indicators of success or failure. The extent to whichthese ambitions were realised is discussed in the following paragraphs.

RESULTS

In February 1999, 66 female and 21 male students commenced theone year travel and tourism programme. This new cohort, numericallymuch as expected, was also characterised by an ethnic background andage distribution which was reasonably consistent with previous experi-ences and prior expectations. Details are summarised in Table 3.

These data reflect a student body which primarily comprises Euro-pean and Pacific Island female school leavers, plus a substantial groupof women returning to the workforce and aged in their early thirties.The potential for considerably diverse points of view from these twogroups alone is readily apparent.

Student Concerns

The major concerns identified during the initial orientation week, byboth school leaver and mature student subgroups, are shown in Table 4.Three issues feature as concerns for both sub-groups: transport prob-lems, which include traffic congestion, parking, and public transportavailability; a feeling that tertiary study represented a step into the un-known, an uncertain but possibly radical change to established life stylepatterns; and a variety of worries related to financial issues such as text-book purchase, daily living expenses, and the prospect of life without aregular weekly wage.


TABLE 3. Student Characteristics

Ethnicity Age Distribution

New Zealand European 37% 17-19 years 51%

New Zealand Maori 8% 20-24 years 16%

Pacific Island 28% 25-29 years 7%

Asian 22% 30-34 years 14%

Other 5% 35-39 years 5%

40 + years 7%

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The two sub-groups displayed two distinct levels of expectation re-lated to the nature of tertiary study per se. Mature students, many ofwhom had been absent from the education system for a number of years,were concerned for their academic ability to adapt to their new studentstatus; in contrast, school leavers frequently anticipated greater freedomfrom the regulation and discipline encountered at high school. Finally,mature students showed considerable concern with issues related to bal-ancing home life and study responsibilities, whilst school leavers weremore absorbed by the necessity to move away from established friend-ships and to cope with the necessary evolution of a new social circle.

These themes are not dissimilar to those discovered by previous re-searchers into student retention issues. However, it should be noted thatthere were culturally based variations in the extent to which individualstudents felt able to communicate their attitudes within a classroom envi-ronment. Whilst respondents of Asian origin displayed some reluctanceto articulate their feelings publicly, and the characteristic shyness of Pa-cific Island peoples was clearly evident in a general reluctance to makethemselves heard, there was a relative tendency for New Zealand Europe-ans to monopolise classroom discussions to a disproportionate degree.

These differences in participation levels were unavoidably reflectedin the nature of feedback received, and it is important to emphasise thatthe results as reported may have over-stated the concerns of New Zea-land European students at the expense of other cultures and ethnicities.Thus, the content of the (more anonymous) written evaluations was per-ceived to be of even more critical value.


TABLE 4. Primary Student Concerns

Student Grouping Concerns

Mature Transport problemsChanged lifestyle/new direction in lifeFinancial pressuresLoss of confidence regarding studyNeed to develop goals and successfully achieve themCombining family responsibilities with studyConcerns regarding level of family supportAnticipated language difficulties

School Leaver Transport problemsUncertainty regarding the new startFinancial pressuresRelease from restrictions of school disciplineNew circle of friends

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Student Evaluations

The institution’s standard course assessment instrument is designedto gather individual evaluations of student experiences with a course orpaper. It uses a five point Likert-type scale (1 = poor; 5 = excellent) tomeasure student assessment of course content, resource quality, teach-ing standards, and administrative effectiveness, before requesting an in-dication of overall course quality using the same scale. The instrumentalso provides a free format area to solicit unprompted student commenton any aspect of their educational experience that they feel is worthy ofmention. Summarised responses to the ‘overall assessment’ questionare presented in Table 5, and analysis of unprompted comments is pro-vided in Table 6.

The nature of evaluations was encouraging, though appreciably morepositive from female students in general and Pacific Island students inparticular. In addition, it was interesting to note that, whilst the positiveratings awarded by students at the high end of the age scale were at leastapproached by their counterparts at the low end, there was a noticeabledip in approval from those aged 25-34. Previously identified issues–re-turning to tertiary education after a lengthy absence for the former group,and negotiating the apprehensions of secondary/tertiary transition for thelatter–may have contributed to heightened perceptions of value for thesegroups that were not apparent to those in the middle age bracket.

Interpretation of ethnicity as a determinant of approval ratings canonly be conjecture at this stage, although it is apparent that the minorityPacific Island students felt greater benefit from this programme thanstudents from other cultural backgrounds. In this respect, the findings ofthe New York minorities study reported by Parker (1998) are supported,and further endorsement of these findings can be gleaned from an ex-


TABLE 5. Student Evaluations

Mean Evaluation by Ethnic Origin Mean Evaluation by Gender and Age

Pacific Island 4.30 Female students 3.95

NZ Maori 3.67 Male students 3.61

Asian 3.46 Under 24 years 3.94

NZ European 3.01 25-34 years 3.40

35 + years 4.23

All students 3.86 All students 3.86

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amination of students’ unprompted remarks in the same evaluation. Atotal of 106 positive, and 56 negative, comments were noted in the freeformat section of the evaluation instrument, and the nature of these re-marks is summarised into the ten broad subject areas shown in Table 6.

On the positive side, staff were clearly able to communicate their en-thusiasm for the programme to the new cohort, and the opportunity forindividuals to bond with fellow students appeared to be strongly valued.In addition, whilst the stress and time management sessions themselvesattracted considerable positive comment, there was a parallel apprecia-tion of the overall quality of supporting course content. Thus, many stu-dents appeared to complete the programme with an enhanced degree ofenthusiasm and confidence for the future.

The negative issues mentioned can conveniently be considered ascomponents of two broad areas of concern. The first of these related toperceived shortcomings in the quantity and quality of programme infor-mation provided to students, both prior to the programme and, to an ex-tent, during this experimental first week. In the former case, studentsfelt that the material available prior to enrolment appeared to assume apre-existing level of knowledge amongst readers that was often miss-ing–for example, descriptions of the tourism industry and its role in theNew Zealand economy were perceived to be limited, and individualcourses were inadequately described in terms of content and difficulty.Consequently, many students felt that enrolment in the programme wassomething of a leap of faith, trusting to providence that the institution‘knew what was best’ for them.

In the latter case, as positive comments have indicated, students weregenerally appreciative of the (considerable) effort expended in preparingtheir intensive first week at the institution. However, there was some sug-


TABLE 6. Free Format Comments

Positive Aspects Negative Comments

Staff attitudes and behaviours 36 Insufficient information regarding entirestudy programme

14

Meeting class mates in appropriatecircumstances

20 Adequacy of physical resource issues 12

General satisfaction (more enthusiasm,more confidence)

19 More action less talk 10

Stress and time management sessions 15 Pace of the week too fast 9

Quantity and quality of information 14 Individual classes too long 8

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gestion that this first week was, if anything, too discrete as a unit ofstudy–whilst taken in isolation, the week’s activities were effective in ad-dressing the immediate “getting to know” objective, but were largely un-successful in supplying guidance for the weeks to follow. Thus, ratherthan the first week of a one year programme, students gained an impres-sion of participating in a five day stand-alone short course.

The second set of concerns were centred on operational aspects of theone week course, and provided valuable data for incorporation into futureinduction programmes. In this context, though completely predictablethrough the medium of past experiences, it was no less disconcerting tonote an almost equal volume of commentary noting a ‘pace too fast’ anda ‘pace too slow.’ This is a recurring difficulty we continue to strugglewith!

Assessment Results

Of the 87 students who commenced this course, 81 handed in the firstassignment due at the end of week four. Given that on-time assignmentsare a critical feature of any Time Management course, non-submissionwas interpreted as an indicator of early withdrawal from the programme,and the six missing assignments therefore translated into a 6.8% drop-out rate. Previous experience indicates that a substantial majority ofdropouts occur in the first two weeks of a programme, and under normalcircumstances further attrition was thought to be unlikely–a 6.8% ratetherefore appeared to be a promising beginning for the new programme,and compared favourably with retention statistics experienced in previ-ous years.

Of the 81 assignments submitted, 70 students met the requirementsof the course prescription and were pronounced competent (under com-petency based assessment, marks or grades are not awarded). Thisequates to an 86% pass rate, adjudged to be an extremely satisfactoryresult, and certainly a significant improvement on the 77% pass rateachieved in 1998.

CONCLUSIONS

The purpose of this experiment was to introduce a new student induc-tion process which would contribute to a positive learning environment,and in turn allow participants to commence their study programme on asuccessful note. In order to achieve these aims, we initially attempted to


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identify and articulate a broad spectrum of student developed concerns,the importance of which was two-fold.

Firstly it was felt necessary to acknowledge that these concerns ex-isted and were therefore legitimate, and secondly we had resolved to de-sign the first week of teaching around the specific issues students hadidentified. In this respect the process was successful, with a number ofindividual pieces of submitted assignment work clearly acknowledgingthe resolution of many concerns from the student’s perspective. How-ever, whilst we can gain considerable satisfaction from this and manyother aspects of the experiment, it is conceded that a number of issuesrequire further consideration.

Greater attention needs to be paid to the process of communicationimmediately prior to student arrival. If students experience uncertaintyrelated to our initial requirements and expectations of them, then thepositive impact of their first week’s learning will be diluted to a consid-erable degree. Similarly, some aspects of course delivery require ad-justment, though this appears to be a relatively minor operational issuewhich could be categorised as ‘fine tuning.’

Of greater concern is the uneven nature of student perceptions, particu-larly when analysed by demographic criteria. Further research is indi-cated to generate mechanisms by which the induction process can bettermeet the needs of middle age bracket European and Asian students,whilst retaining its apparent relevance and proven appeal to young Pa-cific Island females and those students at the higher end of the age scale.

In general, it was felt that the pilot programme had attracted a suffi-ciently positive level of comment to merit its ongoing refinement andsubsequent continuation. However, whilst both high pass rates and lowdropout rates were encouraging, much remains to be done before opti-mum results can be achieved–we nevertheless believe that the results ofthis initial experiment fully justifies the considerable extra effort re-quired to facilitate its continued application.

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Submitted: 09/14/00Revision Submitted: 02/05/01

Accepted: 04/02/01Refereed anonymously


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forms of adjustment

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