Being in constant transition or recurrent formation: Non-traditional graduates’ life transitions before, during and after higher education in Sweden

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine non-traditional graduates' life transitions before, during, and after higher education (HE) in Sweden. The article builds on a theory called biographical work, which is used for understanding non-traditional graduates' identity formation and transformation. The article is based on the narratives of two non-traditional graduates who were selected from biographical interviews with nine non-traditional graduates, 2-5 years after graduation from HE. By exploring significant events, learning paths and the formation and transformation of identities in the two graduates' lives, we identified two expressions of their ongoing life transitions: being in recurrent formation and being in constant transition. Being in recurrent formation means returning to well-known paths in life and learning reactively by reflecting on experiences, whereas being in constant transition means a constant focus on what is next in life and a constant commuting between reactive and proactive learning, i.e. by both reflecting on experiences and preparing oneself for the next move. In the article, we discuss what it means to be in transition as a non-traditional graduate. We conclude that the theory of biographical work helps to understand identity formation and transformation processes in periods of transition, and also how periods of transition occur as parts of biographical learning.

Being in limbo or learning to belong? – Telling the stories of asylum seekers in a mill town

“…Finally, we conducted a synchronic analysis, where we compared their stories of participation in different CoPs with the fieldwork in the mill town. Using both synchronic and diachronic analyses helped to understand the participation in the local community, as well as their biographical processes when they tried to integrate their situated belonging with their biographies (Bron andThunborg 2017, Thunborg andBron 2019).…”

“…We also stress that learning to belong is part of identity formation. We define identity as how people see and present themselves in relationships, and regarding others (Thunborg and Bron 2019).…”

Educational Trajectories of Non-Traditional Students: Stories Behind Numbers

“…We found that, in the interpretations of our respondents, graduating effaces any previous drop out. As Thunborg and Bron (2019) put it, "being in recurrent formation means returning to well-known paths in life and learning reactively by reflecting on experiences" (p. 36). Our findings confirm the secure feelings these students had when they decided to enroll for another university degree.…”

Adult education in Sweden in the wake of marketisation

“…At the upper secondary level, the legal right is restricted to courses that give eligibility for higher education or higher vocational education, as part of a policy to widen access for 'nontraditional' students (cf. Thunborg and Bron 2019). In addition to these courses, the municipality should also strive to offer other upper secondary level courses, including vocational education, corresponding to needs and demands.…”