Diana M. Grace

Discipline Social Identification, Study Norms and Learning Approach in University Students.

Adopting a deep approach to learning is associated with positive academic outcomes. In the current paper, we extend this analysis in a university context by recognising that learners are not isolated individuals, but share important social identifications with others. Using online surveys at an Australian university, we examine the effects of discipline social identification and educational norms on the adoption of learning approaches. Students from a range of academic disciplines indicated their social identification with their discipline, their perceptions of peer norms within their discipline of study, and what their own learning approaches were. Results demonstrate a significant role of discipline-related social identification in predicting learning approaches, even after controlling for personal factors and quality of teaching. Moreover, perceived norms moderated this effect. Students’ approaches to learning are affected not simply by their salient self-concepts, but by their salient discipline-related self-concepts and the norms embodied in the learning environment.

Increasing Participation of Rural and Regional Students in Higher Education.

Regional and rural students in Australia face unique challenges when aspiring to higher education. These challenges reflect systematic disadvantage experienced by rural and regional populations as a whole. In an effort to redress these inequities, and aided by the Australian Government’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), the University of Canberra’s flagship Aspire UC Schools Outreach Program involves multiple in-school sessions for students in years 7–10. This article presents findings from the delivery of this program to nearly 3000 students in 2012. Increased considerations of post-school study and work options were seen across all year levels and across all options, with greatest increases evident for university aspirations, and by Year 10 students. Moreover, girls exhibited greater positive changes in post-program aspirations than did boys. The program’s success is attributed to its depth and intensity and the concomitant recognition of the distinctive nature of rural and regional communities.

Eyes on the future: The impact of a university campus experience day on students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds:

Students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, rural areas, non-English speaking backgrounds and those who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education in Australia. The UC 4 Yourself experience day is an outreach program by the University of Canberra for schools identified as having substantial numbers of students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides a full day of participation in, and gaining information about, university life. The current article reports on two survey studies (N = 525; N = 183) investigating the effectiveness of this program. Students who participated in the program were more likely to plan to attend university and were better able to imagine themselves as university students after their campus visit. Findings from the two studies suggest that the actual visit, despite its brevity, provides a unique experience by simultaneously establishing a knowledge base and facilitating the psychological transformation necessary to imagine a new future.

Bingo! An Engaging Activity for Learning Physiological Terms in Psychology

Brain Bingo is a tutorial activity for helping undergraduate psychology students learn complex physiological terms. In two experiments, the authors tested pretest and posttest knowledge, and in Experiment 2, the authors tested retention after 5 weeks. In Experiment 1 (n = 41), the experimental group (Brain Bingo) recalled more terms than the control group (standard tutorial activities). In Experiment 2 (n = 107), control and experimental groups did the Brain Bingo activity, but only the experimental group received feedback during the activity. Both groups recalled more terms at posttest and follow-up than at pretest, and the experimental group outperformed the control group at both time points. Brain Bingo, particularly with feedback, is a useful activity for learning physiological terminology.Brain Bingo is a tutorial activity for helping undergraduate psychology students learn complex physiological terms. In two experiments, the authors tested pretest and posttest knowledge, and in Exp...

Beyond aspirations: addressing the unique barriers faced by rural Australian students contemplating university

Abstract Central to the widening participation agenda in Australia is a focus on rural and regional students given their continued underrepresentation in higher education. The ACT University Experience camp is a joint venture by the Country Education Foundation Australia, the University of Canberra and the Australian National University providing academically able rural students a first-hand experience of university and city life. Utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods, the current research explored the unique factors affecting rural students’ transition to higher education. Along with increasingly positive views about university, students reported greater understanding of their post-school options and greater confidence in making this choice. Students’ descriptions of their imagined futures highlighted the strong connection between these young people and their families and communities, emphasising the need for a continued focus on the unique aspects of rural young people in securing their educational and occupational futures.

Agents of aspiration: the (often unintended) benefits to university students working in outreach programmes

Abstract Background: Universities in many countries increasingly deliver outreach programmes to raise aspirations and encourage participation in higher education. At the University of Canberra in Australia, these programmes target schools that have been identified as having a large number of students from rural/regional, financially disadvantaged and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds – groups that continue to be underrepresented in higher education. Involved in the delivery of these programmes are current university students – at the University of Canberra termed ‘Aspiration Agents’ – many of whom come from similar backgrounds to the students with whom they work. Although not the focus of the outreach programmes, the Aspiration Agents themselves also derive benefits from the experience. Purpose: This research aimed to explore the reasons why students choose to become Aspiration Agents, and the perceived benefits of the mentoring/ambassador role. Sample, Design and Methods: The data collection comprised two small-scale exploratory questionnaire studies (N = 12; N = 20). Qualitative methods were used to investigate participants’ self-reported motivations for, and experiences of being Aspiration Agents. Findings: Findings suggest that students perceived benefits in personal, student-related and future professional domains. Dominating all these areas, however, was the recurring theme that the students were both motivated to, and derived satisfaction from, helping others. These findings are discussed in terms of the specific role of the Aspiration Agent and how this form of employment can positively, rather than negatively, impact on the student’s own university experience.

Showing Leadership by Not Showing Your Face: An Anonymous Leadership Effect

We examined experimentally whether a person unknown to potential followers could be seen as showing leadership. Based on the social identity analyses of leadership, we predicted that would-be leaders pursuing group-oriented goals would be seen as showing leadership to a greater degree when they were anonymous than when they were identified. We predicted this pattern would reverse when would-be leaders pursued personal, self-oriented goals. Support for this hypothesis was found for all but the most highly identified group members. For extremely highly identified group members, a would-be leader’s pursuit of group-oriented goals was all that mattered to produce relatively high levels of leadership perceptions. For all other participants, an anonymous, in comparison with an identifiable, group-motivated target was seen as showing relatively high levels of leadership. These data provide support for the social identity analysis of leadership, and help explain otherwise counter-intuitive and naturalistic observations of followership of anonymous leaders.