Journal article
'I knew I had the support from them': understanding student support through a student engagement lens
Higher Education Research and Development, Vol.41(6), pp.2034-2047
2022
Abstract
Centralised student support such as academic advising, career guidance, and wellbeing services are important elements of the first-year student experience. While some studies have investigated how use of these services relates to student outcomes, there has been little focus on how they might influence student engagement. The current study addresses this gap. Nineteen students were interviewed weekly throughout their first year at an Australian regional university. The subset of data reporting students’ use of support services was analysed through the lens of a conceptual framework of student engagement. Findings show support services potentially foster student engagement through improving student belonging, self-efficacy, wellbeing, and emotions, and that support services offer opportunities to break cycles of disengagement. Why students were sometimes reluctant to use such services is also explored. The findings lead to recommendations for practice: teaching students to view support services as proactive skill-building rather than remedial help-seeking; implementing strategies that normalise and individualise student support; and supplementing campus-based services with personal online appointments. All such strategies need to be in partnership with academic staff.
Details
- Title
- 'I knew I had the support from them': understanding student support through a student engagement lens
- Authors
- Catherine Picton (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students)Ella Kahu (Author) - Massey University
- Publication details
- Higher Education Research and Development, Vol.41(6), pp.2034-2047
- Publisher
- Routledge
- DOI
- 10.1080/07294360.2021.1968353
- ISSN
- 1469-8366
- Organisation Unit
- Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students); School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Student Services and Engagement
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99564008602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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