List of Titles

‘Working together’ : Public libraries supporting rural, regional, and remote low-socioeconomic student success in partnership with universities

- Power, Emma, Partridge, Helen, Owen, Sue, Kelly, Kathryn, Jeffries, Sandra

Authors: Power, Emma , Partridge, Helen , Owen, Sue , Kelly, Kathryn , Jeffries, Sandra
Date: 2019
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association Vol. 68, no. 2 (2019), p. 105-125
Full Text:
Reviewed:
Description: University students living in rural, regional, and remote (RRR) areas of Australia face unique challenges including geographical isolation, lack of access to face-to-face support, and technological barriers. Additionally, RRR students from low-socioeconomic (low-SES) backgrounds experience multiple forms of disadvantage compared to their on-campus peers, and require additional study, learning, and social support. Partnerships between universities and local public libraries can enhance RRR low-SES student success through increased access to face-to-face support, reliable technologies, and study facilities. This exploratory research, led by five regional universities, presents the first national-level empirical data exploring how Australian public libraries and universities can work together to facilitate success for RRR low-SES students. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with public librarians from RRR low-SES communities across Australia. Thematic analysis findings explore themes of librarians’ perceptions of students as persons; the role of regional librarians in supporting RRR low-SES students; RRR low-SES students’ access to learning support; and the critical elements of sustainable partnerships between RRR public libraries and universities. Key recommendations are provided to guide future partnerships between public libraries and universities, including building the foundations of partnerships; professional development to support partnerships; and recommendations for good partnership practices. © 2019 Emma Power, Helen Partridge, Sue Owen, Kathryn Kelly and Sandra Jeffries.

‘Uni has a different language … to the real world’ : Demystifying academic culture and discourse for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds

- McKay, Jade, Devlin, Marcia

Authors: McKay, Jade , Devlin, Marcia
Date: 2014
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Higher Education Research and Development Vol. 33, no. 5 (2014), p. 949-961
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: The Australian government has set ambitious targets for increased higher-education participation of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds. There is, thus, a pressing need to explore how best to empower these students with what they require to progress and succeed at university. The paper draws on a literature review and qualitative data from a national study in which 89 students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and 26 staff were interviewed. The paper argues that demystifying academic culture and discourses for these students is a key step institutions and staff can take in assisting students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to progress and succeed at university. A recurring theme to emerge from both the literature and interviews with students and staff was that teaching the discourse empowers and enables students to learn, has a positive impact on their sense of belonging and ultimately helps them succeed in higher education. © 2014 HERDSA.

Exploring partnerships between public libraries and universities in regional low-socioeconomic communities : the student experience

- Power, Emma, Partridge, Helen, Owen, Sue, Pizzani, Blanca

Authors: Power, Emma , Partridge, Helen , Owen, Sue , Pizzani, Blanca
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Higher Education Research and Development Vol. 41, no. 7 (2022), p. 2324-2337
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: Students from low-socioeconomic (low-SES) backgrounds living in rural, regional and remote (RRR) communities in Australia experience intersecting equity challenges and disadvantages impacting upon their study success. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, this study explored the experience of 42 students living in low-SES RRR communities in Australia. More specifically, the study considers, from the student experience, how public libraries and universities can work in partnership to support study success. Thematic analysis revealed two key themes: ‘student as person’, encompassing RRR low-SES students’ context, lived experience and study needs; and ‘access’, describing key enablers and barriers to students’ access to key study needs and support from the public library in their local areas, and their university. This study shows that collaboration between universities and public libraries through understanding of the needs, context and experience of RRR low-SES students can initiate and inform targeted action to help support these students, increase inclusion and belonging, and facilitate student success. © 2021 HERDSA.

A framework for Australian Universities and public libraries supporting regional, rural and remote students

- Partridge, Helen, Power, Emma, Ostini, Jenny, Owen, Sue, Pizzani, Blanca

Authors: Partridge, Helen , Power, Emma , Ostini, Jenny , Owen, Sue , Pizzani, Blanca
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association Vol. 70, no. 4 (2021), p. 391-404
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: University students living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities of Australia face unique challenges including geographical isolation, lack of access to face-to-face support, and technological barriers. This paper outlines a project funded by the Australian Government’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program that was undertaken by five universities with significant enrolments of students from low socio-economic backgrounds living in RRR communities. The project established a Framework for Australian Universities and Public Libraries Supporting Regional, Rural and Remote Students that provides a set of strategic recommendations that will guide the development of accessible, relevant and sustainable study and learning support to meet the needs of low socio-economic students living in RRR communities. This national project provided a unique opportunity for Australia’s universities and public libraries to work together in order to ‘future proof’ the education of students from low socio-economic backgrounds living in regional and remote communities. © 2021 Helen Partridge, Emma Power, Jenny Ostini, Sue Owen and Blanca Pizzani.

Directions for Australian higher education institutional policy and practice in supporting students from low socioeconomic backgrounds

- Devlin, Marcia, O'Shea, Helen

Authors: Devlin, Marcia , O'Shea, Helen
Date: 2011
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management Vol. 33, no. 5 (2011), p. 529-556
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: The Australian Government's response to the 2008 Bradley Review of higher education has set clear targets for increased university participation of people from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. Using a ‘success-focused’ methodological approach, this research documents the factors that a sample of 53 later-year, low socioeconomic status background students at one Australian university report have assisted them to manage and overcome the challenges of remaining at, progressing through and succeeding at university. Thematic analyses of the data identified the most helpful factors as including the students' own study behaviour around, and attitude toward, study; teacher characteristics; institutional support of particular kinds; and student-to-student connections. Directions for institutional policy and practice are outlined.

Bridging socio-cultural incongruity: conceptualising the success of students from low socio-economic status backgrounds in Australian higher education

- Devlin, Marcia

Authors: Devlin, Marcia
Date: 2013
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Studies in Higher Education Vol. 38, no. 6 (2013), p. 939-949
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: This article examines the conceptual frames that might be used to consider the success and achievement of students from low socio-economic status in Australian higher education. Based on an examination of key literature from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and North America, it is argued that Australia should avoid adopting either a deficit conception of students from low socio-economic backgrounds or a deficit conception of the institutions into which they will move. Further, rather than it being the primary responsibility of the student or of the institution to change to ensure the success of these students, it is argued that the adjustments necessary to ensure achievement for students from low socio-economic backgrounds in Australian higher education would be most usefully conceptualised as a ‘joint venture’ toward bridging socio-cultural incongruity.

Quick View

Higher education massification and pedagogic adaptation : An investigation of business teaching excellence in inclusive university environments

- Baker, Adam

Authors: Baker, Adam
Date: 2016
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text:
Description: Massification, a phenomenon driven by both the collective aspirations of citizens and governmental encouragement of a highly skilled workforce, is revolutionising the field of higher education. The student body, particularly in widened participation universities, has expanded in number and diversity increasing the demands on HE institutions and their teaching staff. Australian business school graduates are expected to drive national success in fast-changing, globally competitive business environments. This qualitative study investigates characteristics of teaching excellence in widened-participation teaching environments in Australian business schools. The recency of the massification phenomenon has meant theoretical conceptualisations are sparse so Grounded Theory was used to generate new theory. Using university entry scores as a surrogate for an academically inclusive student cohort, 23 award winning teachers from the business schools of eight universities were interviewed. These exemplary business educators displayed strong similarities in terms of their approach to teaching. Seven dimensions of diversity that significantly impact teaching within a widened-participation environment were identified. This thesis argues that alignment between the diversity of cohort and both the type of educators and the pedagogic strategies they employ is the key to unlocking teaching excellence within widened-participation universities, thus giving rise to the notion of context mediated pedagogy and the associated conceptual model. Findings from this study are significant because extreme student diversity is now the norm in many university environments and a better understanding of teaching excellence may offer specific insights for policymakers, academic leaders and educators seeking to adapt pedagogy for the massified HE environment. Improving teaching quality in these widened-participation universities has the power to significantly impact on individual student success, whilst driving innovation on the global stage.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Showing items 1 - 7 of 7