2015, Whannell, Robert, Whannell, Patricia

There has been extensive research done with a view to explaining the processes of transition into tertiary study and the factors that may be associated with student attrition. This paper consolidates the authors' research in relation to the transition of students into adult and tertiary bridging programs and undergraduate university study and presents an alternative approach to the use of objective conditions such as financial challenges and first-in-family status in explaining the attrition phenomenon. Identity theory is used as the basis to develop a theoretical framework that will assist educators working in these areas to engage more fully with and assist students to develop the academic and scholarly identity necessary to sustain appropriate and effective academic behaviours during the transition into tertiary education.

2014, Chambers, Kelly, Whannell, Robert, Whannell, Patricia

This paper presents the findings from research on peer assessment practice that was specifically focussed on improving the experience in a tertiary bridging course. The objective of the study was to examine the impact of this assessment approach on student social relationships and the overall assessment experience. The study also examined whether peer assessment provided a valid and reliable method of assessment at the tertiary bridging level and whether students were equipped to be able to engage with this form of assessment. Data were collected from 107 students enrolled in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university in Australia using a custom designed questionnaire. Four subscales, Task Experience, Feedback, Peer Relationships and Process Understanding, were identified and analysed. The initial results suggest this model of assessment did add value for students in the positive attitude toward the task and the feedback they received from their peers. The participants did not report a preference for peer assessment over other traditional forms. Improvements in the quality of peer relationships were also not identified. It was concluded that, while there are benefits provided by peer assessment in improving the students' understanding of the process of assessment, there were limited benefits in its use in relation to improving the overall student experience.

2013-07, Whannell, Robert, Whannell, Patricia, Bedford, Tasman

This study examined the early departure of students between the ages of 18 and 25 years from an on-campus tertiary bridging program at a regional university. Participants comprised 20 students who had dropped out of the program within the first four weeks of study. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews, which examined the student experience and the reasons for departure. It was concluded that participants comprised two general groups: those who have no clearly defined long-term career goal prompting their attendance at university with an associated low level of commitment to university study, and those who were committed to completing a university degree, but for whom a change in circumstances prevented them from continuing. Participants indicated that attendance in the bridging program was a generally positive experience and that there was little that could have been done to prevent their departure. It was concluded that a certain level of early departure was inevitable in the tertiary bridging program. Where intervention was attempted, it should be addressed towards the development of long-term employment and career goals for which university study was an essential prerequisite.

2011, Whannell, Robert, Whannell, Patricia, Chambers, Kelly

This qualitative study examined students’ academic identity with a view to understanding the process involved in the development of a university student identity over the first seven weeks of a full-time on-campus tertiary bridging program. The sample comprised six male and six female tertiary bridging students between the ages 18 and 24 who had successfully made the transition into the tertiary bridging program. Participants engaged in a one-on-one interview in week eight of the semester. Most participants reported having developed a sense of identity as a university student. The primary event which facilitated this process was a successful engagement with the initial assessment tasks. The requirement to perform the role of a self-organising and independent learner in preparing for these assessment tasks was considered to distinguish the university student role from that required in secondary school. Good assessment results were identified much less frequently as playing a role in the process. A negative influence of peer interaction on university student identity development was identified where bridging students interacted with current undergraduates. The suitability of traditional approaches to assessment, such as tests, for use in tertiary bridging programs is raised.

2015, Whannell, Robert, Woolcott, Geoff, Whannell, Patricia

The number of students studying science and mathematics at the secondary and tertiary levels of education in Australia has been in steady decline for many years. A number of major research projects have been funded in an attempt to address this decline by identifying strategies that will improve the experience and engagement of students studying mathematics and science in primary and the early years of secondary education. This paper reports on a multi-institutional project focused on improving the mathematical thinking of pre-service teachers and changing mathematics teaching pedagogy so that it is more closely based on mathematical thinking in real-life contexts. The paper also describes the initial development of scales to measure the self-reported ability of pre-service teachers to think mathematically and to teach mathematics using pedagogies as specified by the recently developed Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Early data analysis indicates that the scales developed will have the potential to provide robust measures of these dimensions.

2015, Whannell, Patricia, Whannell, Robert, Sims, Margaret, McFarlane, James

The early years of schooling are both foundational and formative. For many children this is a time of discovery and the first step away from their home environment. Early childhood teachers have a responsibility to encourage the learning and skill development of a highly diverse and often highly emotional cohort. Being away from the nuclear family for the first time and developing new relationships with teachers, peers and other parents adds a unique dimension to the learning environment for early childhood educators. In situation where a child is coming from a home environment that is under duress and associated high levels of stress, substantial challenges to bonding with peers and teachers exist and are often overlooked as part of the learning process. This paper presents an introduction to a research project being conducted to examine the association between environmental stress, the physiological effects of stress through measurements of cortisol and oxytocin levels, the influence of genetic polymorphism in relation to sensitivity to oxytocin and the quality of learning outcomes for students entering the first year of formal schooling. The study will combine empirical evidence in relation to physiological processes in the child participants, collected via analysis of samples of hair, fingernails and mouth swabs, and mouth wash in parents and teachers, and qualitative data analysis techniques from parents and teachers. The study will enhance the understanding of the interrelationships of the factors that influence the quality of outcomes for children as they enter formal schooling for the first time.

2013-05, Whannell, Patricia, Whannell, Robert

This paper describes an initiative commenced in Semester 1 2012 in a small rural town in Queensland, Australia, to address the high level of attrition experienced by tertiary bridging students studying by distance in regional areas. It was hypothesised that the attrition was caused by a lack of social and academic integration into the program. The initiative involved the conducting of face-to-face teaching and a study group on a weekly basis at a partner institution. The collaboration between the university, the local partner institution and representatives of local government and community organisations involved in identifying potential students and supporting those students once enrolled is described. The major findings of the initiative to date relate to the high incidence of a change in the circumstances of students which challenged continued attendance in the bridging program, the difficulties of distance students in relation to the administrative requirements of the university and the challenges associated with the completion of a high volume of assessment in the early transition weeks of the semester. The primary relevance the initiative has for providers of distance tertiary bridging programs relates to the lack of support that distance students have when experiencing these challenges.

2012-04, Whannell, Patricia, Whannell, Robert, Allen, Bill

This article describes the findings of an action research project which examined the link between academic self-efficacy and the study behaviours of students in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university in Australia. It describes the gap which exists between students’ instruction in, and knowledge of, being a self-directed learner and the enacting of study behaviours which demonstrate that instruction and knowledge. The intervention employed in the study resulted in significant improvements in many areas of academic self-efficacy and study behaviours and demonstrates the effectiveness of the tertiary bridging program in this regard. The appropriateness of using traditional forms of assessment in tertiary bridging programs is discussed.

2014, Whannell, Robert, Whannell, Patricia

This study presents the findings of the second phase of a project examining the attrition and progression of two cohorts of students in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university in Australia. The first phase of the study (Whannell, 2013) based on data collected up to week 5 of the bridging program identified age, academic achievement on the initial assessment tasks, the level of peer support and the number of absences from scheduled classes as being the factors which predicted attrition from the bridging program. This phase of the study examined a sample of 92 students who subsequently completed a custom questionnaire in week 12 of the tertiary bridging program and then continued into the first semester of undergraduate study. Participants at risk of failure in the first semester of undergraduate study were characterised by being younger in age, demonstrating a high incidence of absence from scheduled classes and low levels of academic achievement in the final assessment tasks in the bridging program and reporting lower quality relationships with academic staff. The need to initiate interventions to target at-risk students prior to commencement of their undergraduate study is discussed.

2015, Whannell, Patricia, Humphries, Judy, Whannell, Robert, Usher, Kim

A number of different models have been developed to integrate both Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university study with a view to producing work-ready graduates. This paper describes one joint initiative which allows students to integrate their theoretical study and WIL experience by supporting a sequential, embedded accomplishment of qualifications across both VET and university with a single higher education enrolment. Students in the dual-sector degrees have welcomed the skill-based practical work involved with VET education while learning the theoretical concepts of their university education. The need for a more seamless engagement with VET and university study is becoming more urgent and there are a large number of possibilities to explore, particularly relating to the differences in processes and philosophies between the VET and university sectors. This paper identifies some of the key issues and proposes some solutions