Academic identity, confidence and belonging: The role of contextualised admissions and foundation years in higher education

Abstract

This article presents a cross‐national exploration of responses to widening participation (WP), with a specific focus on the provision of foundation year (FY) programmes and the use of contextualised admissions (CA) in selective Irish and UK institutions. There remains a dearth of research on these routes, with little understanding of the characteristics of students who utilise them, of why students use these routes and little knowledge of their effect on students’ experiences in university and their overall sense of belonging. A year‐long longitudinal comparative case study design examined three alternative entry routes in two selective higher education institutions (HEIs) in England and Ireland: a well‐established FY; a newly formed FY; and a CA pathway. Data were collected through a mixed‐method approach. Questionnaires and in‐depth focus groups were employed at fixed points with participating students in each route. Results indicated that FY students had lower levels of familial educational history and parental occupation. FY students’ sense of belonging significantly increased over the year, with students reporting increased confidence and sense of belonging due to the relationships established during the FY. CA students’ sense of belonging remained the same, with students reporting feeling different and isolated. Results indicate that while students utilising FYs may be ‘more disadvantaged’ than CA students, their experiences helped establish a sense of belonging; illustrating the need for diverse WP routes catering to a wide range of needs. Results highlight the importance of providing opportunities to develop social and bridging social capital for all non‐traditional students.

Sense of belonging as an indicator of social capital

“…The findings align well with a small number of recent studies focusing on belonging and social capital in higher education (e.g. Soria and Stebleton, 2013;Fearon et al, 2018;O'Sullivan et al, 2019). For instance, the analysis of the Student Experience in the Research University survey in United States in 2010 confirms that social capital of the working-class students is positively correlated with sense of belonging and academic engagement (Soria and Stebleton, 2013).…”

“…For instance, the analysis of the Student Experience in the Research University survey in United States in 2010 confirms that social capital of the working-class students is positively correlated with sense of belonging and academic engagement (Soria and Stebleton, 2013). Another study investigating the widening access policy in the United Kingdom concludes that students' social network and interaction, as a form of social capital, play an important role on their belonging (O'Sullivan et al, 2019). In the other study focusing on UK higher education (Fearon et al, 2018), the relationship between belonging and social capital was statistically tested, showing how it affects students' professional career.…”

“…For the research investigating students' social capital and belonging, social capital is mainly taken to refer to resources embedded in the social networks (Lin, 2001), which are itemised as trust and social interaction with peers, and available support from them (e.g. Soria and Stebleton, 2013;Fearon et al, 2018;and O'Sullivan et al, 2019).…”

Tackling Educational Inequalities with Social Psychology: Identities, Contexts, and Interventions

“…On the one hand, this is no doubt beneficial for those students, but, on the other, it may signal to them that their group has historically underperformed and thus induce threat (Hall, Zhao, & Shafir, 2014;House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, 2004;Kissane, 2003;Lens, Nugent, & Wimer, 2018;Leslie & Mayer, 2014;Sahota, Woodward, Molinari, & Pike, 2014). This means that any policy initiatives that, for example, allow certain groups to enter higher education with lower grades than otherssometimes known as contextualized admissions-need to be carefully managed, not least because they can make these students feel like they are imposters who will not fit in within those institutions once they arrive (O'Sullivan, Bird, Robson, & Winters, 2019). Indeed, such affirmative action policies have been shown to reduce the academic performance of groups that are suffering from social identity threat (Van Laar, Levin, & Sinclair, 2008).…”

“…Indeed, such affirmative action policies have been shown to reduce the academic performance of groups that are suffering from social identity threat (Van Laar, Levin, & Sinclair, 2008). Foundation year programs, in which students who have not met the grades to go straight into bachelor degree programs, seem to boost and develop students' sense of belonging, despite their often disadvantaged background (O'Sullivan et al, 2019). This suggests that such programs may be an effective way to increase the proportion of disadvantaged students within higher education without triggering social identity threat.…”