An Exploration Of An International Mature Students Transition And Experiences In Higher Education

Abstract

Knowledge acquisition is a lifelong process. However, mature students enter the education systems with some circumstances which hinder their success such as less experience in formal education, extra responsibilities within the family, etc. This study adopted qualitative methods as per the case study. The data was collected by a Semi-structured interview with mature international students who started a master's studies after twenty years of academic gap. The results indicate that students face the difficulty of being away from friends and family, the clash which happens between the older community and the existing community, starting from the bottom, carrying all the educational pressures and institutions not paying much attention to the transition of non-traditional students. Other challenges identified include starting all again and facing pressure to finish huge tasks.

1.0 Introduction

The acquisition of knowledge is a lifelong process. It usually includes; acquiring new knowledge, learning a new skill, change in behaviours, values, and preferences. It's a process that is not in our control, and it is wrapped up with the environmental changes we are existing in and the relationships we make or developed alongside these developmental changes in our environment. According to Lave and Wenger (1991), learning is a result of engagement in a community of practice, and in this practice, an individual has formed an identity. This identity can transform or change if community, relationship, environment or circumstances are changed Wenger, 1998). A person will go through multiple changes by joining a new community or institutes (Tobell & O’Donnell, 2005). There is significant research that explores multiple identities and plays a role in the development of students’ experiences and helps in transition (Tobbell, O’Donnell & Zammit, 2010). Universities usually adopt various strategies to maximize students' ability to gain knowledge (Christie, Tett, Cree &McCune, 2016).

Mature students enter the education systems with some circumstances which hinder their success such as less experience in formal education, extra responsibilities within the family, etc. (O’Donnell, & Tobbell,2007). Usually, a transition from undergraduate to postgraduate is not considered problematic because students participate with already existing knowledge about the institution and with developed identity (O’Donnell & Tobbell, 2007). Until now, enough research has not been done on the transition and participation of mature international students entering the master qualification. Lots of mature students join universities for masters from multiple backgrounds and communities. Some are staring their education again in later life after a long gap. Some want to change their field or occupation, and some want to improve their status in society. However, it has been discovered that mature students go through various difficulties and barriers which can affect their identity and the expectations from a student of a master’s level are entirely different compared to an undergraduate. They are choosing a particular area of their interest and ability to convey their systematic knowledge and critical recognition of contemporary topics (Atherton, 2011). Masters means getting expertise in a specific area of a subject and it a mostly a self-directed study.

A successful transition can play a vital role in a mature student’s participation to complete the course without any barriers. Universities adopt different strategies to maximize the learner’s completion rate (Christie, Tett, Cree & McCune, 2016). Currently, the numbers of mature age students are increasing in western countries due to the change in government policies, because higher education raised the living standards of the people which helps the government with positive economic outcomes (Moreau, 2016). These governmental incentives are also encouraging the mature students to participate in higher education, and due to this market, driven imperative institutions are focusing on raising their standards to increase this ranking (Bruke, 2013). As per the socio-cultural perspective which originates from Lave & Wenger (1991), in institutions where education is characterized by mastering the techniques and becoming embedded in the social structures of that practice, a transition may be very difficult. Learning is therefore what changes individual ability to engage in practice as well as the ability to understand we engage in learning.

The social learning concept communities of practice (CoP) is used to analyse the themes that emerged in this case study. There are lots of social learning theories that shed light on different aspects of learning and useful for several purposes. Lave and Wenger (1991) first presented a social learning theory (CoP), then Wenger expended conception of Cop further in 1998. The coP is a conceptual framework which obtains a consistent set of fundamental principles and directions for acquiring knowledge and enabling learning (Lave and Wenger, 1991). Cop concept can help to investigate multiple dimensions of higher education including transition (Merriam & Caffarella, 1991; Tobell & O’Donnell 2005). CoP can help in the development of efficacious support in transition and multidimensional problems of learning. Lave and Wenger, (1991) emphasize the application of the CoP concept in professional practice because the objective of the CoP is not only stressing on learning but also on participation as well. There are a wide range of practices, problem-based learning activities and activities which help students in academic skills, multidisciplinary issues, and their everyday life. Research shows that students from various educational backgrounds come with different levels of skills, preparations, and educational backgrounds so participation in higher education can be difficult especially for international students (Sovic, 2008; Haggis, 2006).

This knowledge brought up in this paper will bridge the gap in the literature concerning international mature student’s transition and experiences in higher education. This paper, therefore, explores international mature student's transition and experiences in higher education.

2.0 Method

This study adopted a qualitative method as per the case study. The data was collected by a Semi-structured interview with mature international students who started a master’s studies after twenty years of academic gap. A semi-structured interview is a combination of both structured and unstructured questions and follows an open framework with the help of focused and conversational communication between the participant and interviewer (Galletta, 2013). With the help of open-ended questions, a researcher can interact with the participant to discover the thoughts and feelings (Gray, 2004, p. 217). This probing gives the interviewer a chance to discover a new dimension that was not considered at the beginning of the study (Gray, 2004, p.217). However, an interviewer must have the ability to ask questions promptly and collect relevant data by giving an explanation and asking clarification if something is not clear (Kajornboon, 2004).

For the study, relevant themes were collected from the data after understanding the transcript to establish a thematic analysis. Thematic analysis was chosen for the analysis because it is a highly flexible approach and can be adapted according to the requirements for detailed and detailed and complex data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). There are not any complicated theoretical and technological procedures in a thematic approach and can be used by a researcher who is not familiar with qualitative methods (Braun & Clark, 2006). Another benefit of thematic analysis is that it is very easy to summarise large data to produce a well-organized final report (King, 2004).

2.1 Ethical Consideration

This study has some ethical consideration. Participants in the study were instructed to read and sign a consent form to suggest that, the participation was voluntary and that they could withdraw from the research any time as per their wish. Additionally, the study participants were fully informed of the research objectives and assured that the study data will only be collected for academic purposes and will be confidential.

3.0 Analysis

Learning is a source of developing skills and expertise to develop the life opportunities and employment. According to Wenger (1998), an individual’s participation in a range of different contexts or community practices formed his/her identity.

3.1 Theme 1: Barriers in the Way of Trajectories

In a CoP theory, an institution is a domain and a well- defined domain not only works for the majority of interest but also works for non-traditional (mature) participants as well. A participant "like Sam" who brought diversity, experience and theological perspectives can show desirable progress. She was a part of multiple communities and Wenger (2010) considers it a trajectory that representing her journey through multiple communities and these identities can help to enhance the experience or learning or sometimes can clash with each other. Data shows that even though Sam has completed her higher education (HE) a while ago but still facing problems in settling down in the new educational system because nearly everything is changed, community and community members were new. According to Wenger (1998, p219), for the accomplishment of a trajectory past and present both are important, so achievements of the past can help to achieve future trajectories. Learning occurs in the participation within the community and incomplete participation effects on their identity. For the accomplishment of these trajectories transformation of the relationships will take an important role and it will play the role of a bridge between the teacher and learner.

When students move to other countries for learning they experience a learning shock because they experience a difference between home and host countries, in the educational process and approaches can be different. It is possible that they were successful participants in their own CoP and when they arrive in new new CoP face challenges to start at the same level. According to Wenger, (1998, p.185) our old developments and events, and transitions will reinterpret our trajectories and set them in a new way for future possibilities. Wenger, (1998) resembles participation and imagination with an open door that requires motivation, freedom, energy and time to discover new identities.

According to Wenger (1998, p219), for the accomplishment of a trajectory past and present both are important, so achievements of the past can help to achieve future trajectories. Learning occurs in the participation within the community and incomplete participation effects on their identity. For the accomplishment of these trajectories transformation of the relationships will take an important role and it will play the role of a bridge between the teacher and learner. To support learning and engagement legitimate access is required in participation and reification (Wenger, 1998, p.185). For instance, the results show that, when student join university, struggle to start all again. Moreover, the student reveals the difficulty of being away from friends and family. Handley et al., (2006) describes that some students fail to negotiate their place in the CoP they face a different type of challenges at the beginning (Jones & Fleicher, 2012). Other students reveal that colleges help in transition and induction in the university which makes students familiar and more comfortable. Sam's data suggest that accessibility is the main thing to achieve goals and difficulty in a transition can be huddled in the full participation of students.

A student who is starting after a long gap would like to be a newcomer and the newcomer’s participation is legitimately peripheral. Participation in the central doctrine of the CoP theory. In the beginning, participants have little knowledge and experience but over time, knowledge and experience grow and peripheral participation changed into full participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Sam's participation works in both ways: participation as a periphery and participant with full of diverse educational experience where a transition is offering new insights into the process. Sometimes a successful student in other learning community can struggle in a different community (Turner & Tobell, 2017)

At the beginning of her postgraduate course, Sam had a clash that happened between the older community and the existing community. She faced language barriers, a new digital library, the use of technology, submitting assignments via Turnitin, referencing, citing everything was new to her. In her older community, she did not experience all those things. Her old identity and her trajectories helped her to overcome these transitional barriers. Tobbell and O’Donnell (2014), reports the importance of negation between and across the existing communities. Data shows that new and unfamiliar institutional practices delayed her participation. But her willingness and commitments and trajectories are still making her a strong part of the community. When we move into different societies and engage ourselves in different practices in each community, we behave differently in each community to develop ourselves in a unique way with different perspectives. Our different type of participations is a fragmented identity and needed to combine into one single identity and reconciling is important (Wenger, 1998, p.159).

According to Wenger, “Our identities must be able to absorb our new perspectives and make them part of who we are and our communities must have a place for us that does justice to the transformation of identity that reflection and excursion can produce. P. 217 so community and practice work side by side to develop an identity. For instance, in the interview, Sam reveals the challenges of starting from the bottom which is very stressful, though critical to work hard. Sam is struggling, she is stressed and carrying all the pressures alone but moving on. Wenger (1989), suggested that the transition process should have to happen in a very smooth and ideal way. But unfortunately, institutions not paying much attention to the transition of non-traditional students comparing to young students and that how some trajectories can stay outbound.

Going back to studies as per Sam, feel like punishing oneself due to adaptation to new technology like Turnitin and changed ways of studies. Data shows that even though Sam has completed her higher education (HE) a while ago but still facing problems in settling down in the new educational system because nearly everything is changed, community and community members were new. According to Wenger (1998, p.219), for the accomplishment of a trajectory past and present both are important so achievements of the past can help to achieve future trajectories. However, Sam enjoys learning a whole new language and a new culture. However, relearning what has been prior learned is a challenge. The collected data shows that Sam is experiencing difficulties start all again and facing pressure to finish huge tasks shows that she is trying to inhabit new identities. As Wanger (1998, p. 155), an educational transition is a transfer from one educational place to another and during these rearrangements, a student goes through different types of discontinuities. In the results, a person develops a new community.

According to Walker, (2004) appropriate study skills can make the transition easy and if there will be barriers if there a disparity between their own learning style and required at university (Rhodes et al., 2002). Murtagh, (2010) investigates transition to higher education and configured that some students have a lack of understanding of what is expected and needed to resolve this by clear articulation by professors according to their expectations (McKendry, Wright, & Stevenson, 2014). However, Lave and Wenger (1991) reveal that “an extended period of legitimate peripherality to give student chance to make a culture of practice (P.95).”

3.2 Theme 2: Reshaping an Identity

The theme of re-shaping an identity is configured after digging deep in the data because as a member of multiple communities Sam has built multiple identities. Now she has become a part of this community and set higher ambitions and trajectories for the future. For instance, due to personal goals, Sam decided further studies in the UK. Her trajectories have been changed as she moved around the different communities and went through different phases of life and different environments. She is also accompanying some loses and struggles which are shaping identities and setting new trajectories. The role of self-efficacy and habitus is also visible in her data. According to Abraham and Ingram (2013, p. 35) habitus is our disposition and cognition which develops a sense of motivation to choose complex ways where individuals set their priorities according to their capital, race, gender or class. Research suggests that identity is shaped with the help of interactions of multiple factors related to social capital because learning is a social activity (Tett & Macclachian,2007) and learning and social capital are necessary for each other (Field, 2005, p.110).

Moreover, higher education opens opportunities to enhance a student's lifestyle and helps to develop a valuable member of a valuable community. According to Bandura (2000) desire to acquire personal standards develops a self-regulatory system that works with internalized self-sanctions. Sam realized that achieving higher education and then Ph.D. Will help her and family to establish a good life standard. Wenger explains it in this way, one can be motivated for learning due to their experiences of life, family needs, and social capital.

Having fantastic friends, a conducive environment and being motivated by teachers is another thing embraced by students. Sam, for instance, appreciate the significance of amazing professors. Identity is shaped in the social context and the formation of identity is an ongoing procedure (Wenger 1998, p.154). Participation does not happen without mutuality and it is the notion of mutuality that foregrounds the value of students’ identity (Turner & O’Donnell). CoP theory considers that we shape our identity with interactions and not only with people but also artifacts such as books and different resources and opportunities as well (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002).

Good course choice and a full understanding that one is back into the system teach students how to learn and appreciate being in school. Sam has clear trajectories in front of her and she knows her destination and sets an ambition to reach there. According to Wenger (1998, p. 272) imagination must have to be involved in a central way to open students’ perception of possible trajectories in the existing community. Lastly being an individual who loves learning, a lovely little family and having both life and professional goal is very motivating for students to learn. Motivation to share knowledge and practice is critical to reaching the trajectories in CoP. Our identities are distributed phenomena and change within time and circumstances (Paechter 2003, p546).

4.0 Conclusion

Knowledge acquisition is a lifelong process. Learning is a result of engagement in a community of practice, and in this practice, an individual has formed an identity. Mature students enter the education systems with some circumstances which hinder their success such as less experience in formal education, extra responsibilities within the family, etc. Lots of mature students join universities for masters from multiple backgrounds and communities. Mature students go through various difficulties and barriers which can affect their identity and the expectations from a student of a master's level are entirely different compared to an undergraduate. Some of the challenges which are faced by the mature student include the difficulty of being away from friends and family, the clash which happened between the older community and existing community, starting from the bottom, carrying all the educational pressures and institution not paying much attention to the transition of non-traditional students. Other challenges identified include starting all again and facing pressure to finish huge tasks. However, appropriate study skills can make the transition easy.