Motives, commitment and student identity in higher education—experiences of non-traditional students in Sweden

Thunborg, Camilla; Bron, Agnieszka; Edström, Eva

doi:10.1080/02660830.2013.11661650

Cited by 25 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The interview results indicated different motives for dropping out or continuing to study in the current programme (Thunborg et al, 2013). Two main themes were identified from the interview accounts.…”

Section: Research Question 2: Problematic Study Trajectories and Meanmentioning

confidence: 96%

Identifying Problematic Study Progression and “At-Risk” Students in Higher Education in Finland

Korhonen

Rautopuro

2018

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research

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Finland offers a specific example of a country with a broad enrolment in higher education, where the educational starting age is relatively high and where studies may last considerably longer than in most other European countries. This study attempted to identify at-risk students in Finnish universities with the greatest probability of non-completion of studies. This probability is by far the highest in the fields of information technology and information sciences and, in specific cases, in the fields of mathematics and science and economics and management. The situation of at-risk students is best described in terms of the scant use of time for present studies, uncertainty regarding their study field choices and their general intention to withdraw from their studies. An analysis of qualitative case study interviews revealed six general student types, each representing different meanings of studying for slowly advancing at-risk students.

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Section: Research Question 2: Problematic Study Trajectories and Meanmentioning

confidence: 96%

Identifying Problematic Study Progression and “At-Risk” Students in Higher Education in Finland

Korhonen

Rautopuro

2018

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research

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“…They do, however, seem to struggle in their learning and formation of a learner identityespecially when it comes to the relationship between theory and practice (cf. Lawson 2014, Pearce et al 2008, Taylor and House 2010, Merrill 2015, Field 2012, Thunborg et al 2012, 2013, Ulriksen et al 2017. Both Adam and Irma also seem to form liminal identities (Field 2012) between education and work, trying to be both good students and good employees at the same time; in Irma's case, this appears to be very exhausting, but in Adam's case, it is a way of understanding what he does not want to do.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other articles focus on the formation of different student and learner identities formed through HE (e.g. Lawson 2014, Pearce et al 2008, Taylor and House 2010, Merrill 2015, Field 2012, Thunborg et al 2012, 2013, Ulriksen et al 2017.…”

Section: Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Thunborg

Bron

2018

Studies in the Education of Adults

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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.

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“…A one-sided university pedagogy, imprinted by the increasingly common view of the university as a mediator of knowledge and combined with a larger and more diverse student group risks decreasing the room for the subject-becoming with roots in the different motives and self-images the students express (cf. Thunborg, Bron, and Edström 2013). This makes it important for teachers to be responsive and understanding to the fact that more and more students go against their understanding/ image of what a student is.…”

Section: Conclusion: Didaktik As a Path Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Approaching higher education with Didaktik: university teaching for intellectual emancipation

Magnússon

Rytzler

2018

European Journal of Higher Education

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European higher education has been highly influenced by the Bologna-process, entailing coordination and standardisation from policy to teaching practices. This led to increased demands on university teachers. Courses in university pedagogy are required as part of competence development and have become decisive for employment. Constructive Alignment has become a popular model, being in line with Bologna-process ideals. Emerging is an instrumental view of higher education that risks excavating university pedagogy of its pedagogical dimensions and reducing the autonomy of the university teachers with focus on standardisation and emphasis on effective output. This paper proposes a Didaktik-approach to university pedagogy. We argue that Didaktik can help revive relational and emancipatory elements of higher education. By viewing the relationship between teachers and students as a gathering around common interests, we maintain that Didaktik emphasises teachers' reflections regarding the subject, the students, and other educational dimensions.

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Motives, commitment and student identity in higher education—experiences of non-traditional students in Sweden

Cited by 25 publications

References 2 publications

Identifying Problematic Study Progression and “At-Risk” Students in Higher Education in Finland

Identifying Problematic Study Progression and “At-Risk” Students in Higher Education in Finland

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

Approaching higher education with Didaktik: university teaching for intellectual emancipation

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