Supporting students from equity groups

Experiences of Staff and Considerations for Institutions

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4097538
AutoresSuzanne Macqueen (0000-0003-4453-4015, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia, autor de correspondencia), Erica Southgate (0000-0003-1104-8029, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia), Jill Scevak (0000-0002-8257-9583, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia)
Año2023
Volumen48
Número2
Páginas356-367
Fecha de publicación2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaStudies in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0307-5079 • E-ISSN: 1470-174X
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03075079.2022.2137124
OpenAlexW4307046586
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas50

In light of widening participation initiatives internationally, including those in Australia, much has been written about equity policies in education. There is a growing body of research related to the outcomes of such policies and the experiences of non-traditional students, including those from low socio-economic status (LSES) backgrounds and students who are First Generation and/or First in Family, as well as other equity groups. This paper presents data related to a less researched effect of widening participation: the experiences of and impact on academic staff and those providing support services to students. We focus particularly on students from LSES backgrounds. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups with academic and student support staff in a large regional Australian university, with several themes emerging. In this paper, we investigate staff experiences related to diversity in student cohorts, drawing on Bourdieu’s concept of capital. Results show that the academics are supportive of LSES students and sensitive to the range of student backgrounds in their courses, including differences in cultural capital and students experiencing extreme hardship, but the support provided is affected by staff gender. It is evident that staff endeavour pedagogically and pastorally to support students, often at personal cost. There are workload and welfare implications evident for staff, institutions and funding

Cultural capital · Focus group · Higher education · Management · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Qualitative property · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Welfare · Workload · Higher Education and Employability · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Higher Education Research Studies · Medicine · Psychology