'The university didn't actually tell us this is what you have to do' : social inclusion through embedding of academic skills in first year professional courses

• Published in: Student success Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 43 - 53
• Main Authors: Goldingay, Sophie, Hitch, Danielle, Ryan, Juliana, Farrugia, Dennis, Hosken, Norah, Lamaro, Greer, Nihill, Claire, Macfarlane, Susie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brisbane Queensland University of Technology Publications 01.03.2014; Queensland University of Technology
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic Skills, Social Inclusion, Embedding, Professional Courses; Curricula; First year students; Higher Education; Interdisciplinary approach; Nontraditional students; Perceptions; Postsecondary education; Professional education; Secondary Education; Skill Development; Social inclusion; Social work; Student attitudes; Student support services; Study skills; Transition programs; Undergraduate students; Universities and colleges; University students; Australia
• ISSN: 1838-2959; 1838-2959; 2205-0795
• DOI: 10.5204/intjfyhe.v5i1.194

The widening participation agenda means that students will be entering degree courses with increasingly diverse needs, particularly with respect to the academic skills necessary for successful tertiary study in Australia. This article presents findings from a mixed methods project investigating first year social work students' perceived role in academic skills and their development. Respondents had entered university through a range of pathways, with most entering via mature aged entry (45.5% valid responses), TAFE (34.1% valid responses), and secondary education (18.2% valid responses). Many had applied to university under the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) (31.8%), with the most common categories identified as mature age, financial disadvantage and rural/remote. Students expressed the perception that academic skill requirements and how they would be assessed should be made explicit, and identified a stigma associated with accessing study support services. The article concludes that an intentional design strategy, such as embedding academic skills into the curriculum, helps bridge the different expectations between academics and students in the teaching and learning of academic skills, and hence constitutes a socially inclusive strategy to teaching professional courses such as social work, within higher education. Recommendations to enhance the success and sustainability of such an initiative in the current higher education environment are offered. [Author abstract, ed]