Academic Adaptation Experiences

The first adaptation experience category examined was related to the respondents’ academic adaptation to the university. A list of twelve adaptation experiences was presented to the respondents. The results regarding the academic adaptation are presented in Table 4.2 below.

Table 4.2 Academic Adaptation Experiences

Distribution of responses %

Items SDA DA A SA CDA CA Mean

1.1 I am finding the university academic tasks easier than those in college

7.2 32.0 50.3 10.5 39.2 60.8 2.64 1.2 I am adapting to the university academic culture 7.2 9.8 75.8 7.2 17.0 83.0 2.83 1.3 I need extra help for completing my study tasks

inside university hours

7.1 35.1 29.2 28.6 42.2 57.8 2.79 1.4 I need to take tuition for competing my study tasks

outside university hours

33.1 45.5 17.5 3.9 78.6 21.4 1.92

1.5 I can cope with the university teachers’ teaching

style

9.9 16.4 63.2 10.5 26.3 73.7 2.74 1.6 I need to devote more time to my studies in

university than I used to do in college

9.7 28.8 39.9 21.6 38.5 61.5 2.73 1.7 I need to work harder in university than I used to do

in college

7.8 27.3 37.0 27.9 35.1 64.9 2.85 1.8 I can manage the university academic workload 23.2 34.4 29.1 13.3 57.6 42.4 2.32 1.9 I can complete my academic tasks within given time 5.3 19.1 55.3 20.4 24.4 75.7 2.91 1.10 I feel shy to approach academic staff when I need

assistance in academic or other tasks outside classroom

4.6 16.4 69.1 9.9 21.0 79.0 2.84 1.11 I do not hesitate to ask the teacher questions in

classroom

11.0 33.2 34.4 21.4 44.2 55.8 2.66 1.12 I do not hesitate to request the teacher for

clarification of a concept in classroom

11.4 27.9 36.4 25.3 39.3 61.7 2.77 Note. SDA = Strongly Disagree (1); DA = Disagree (2); A = Agree (3); SA = Strongly Agree (4); CDA = Combined Disagree; CA = Combined Agree

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While the majority out of the 154 respondents (60.8%) showed agreement (M=2.64, mean above 2.5) to finding the university academic tasks easier than those in college (item 1.1), a noticeable number (39.2%) did not share the same experience. The reason for a majority of respondents finding university academic tasks easier than those at college could be that they were prepared for and had learnt the required skills to do university academic tasks. On the other hand, the reason for 39.2 percent respondents finding university academic tasks more difficult than those at college could be that they were not equipped with the required skills and prepared for the new culture by their prior institutions. As noted by several researchers (e.g. Bazerman, 1988; Burton & Chadwick, 2000; Thompson et al., 2013) in prior studies, learners are required to do different kind of academic tasks compared to what they had been doing during their pre-university years. A majority of learners come under-prepared for university academic tasks which may present them with difficulties in doing these tasks. In order to complete university academic tasks, learners are required to learn and become proficient in a range of advanced literacy competencies and practices for doing university academic tasks. For this purpose, learners are required to learn various skills that they had not been taught during pre-university education, such as research-based assignments (Stapleton, 2005), incorporating sources into writing (Plakans & Gebril, 2012), and different assessment system (Pecorari, 2008). These respondents in the current study also appear to be under-prepared for and lacking in skills required to do the university academic tasks. This might be the reason why these respondents appear to be finding university academic tasks more difficult than those at college.

Another reason for the respondents in this study finding the university academic tasks harder can be located in the learners’ misperception of the university academic culture and unrealistic expectations as they enter the university with the same picture of academic work in their mind as they used to do at school and college. The respondents appear not to realise and picture the big difference between the academic work level and requirement between school/college and university levels. They seem to assume that they would fare through the university academic work in the same way and with the similar level of effort they used to make during school/college days and be successful in the university too.

In response to item 1.2, the majority of respondents (83.0%) expressed agreement (M=2.83, mean above 2.5) that they were adapting to the university academic culture. Positive experience in this regard would be helpful for respondents’ smooth and successful transition into university. Interview data provided further explanations to what factors facilitated respondents in adapting to the university academic culture.

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The results showed that more than half of the respondents (57.8%) agreed (M=2.79, mean above 2.5) that they needed extra help for completing their study tasks inside university hours (item 1.3). The reason for this could be the habit of over-dependence on teachers during school and college days. This finding can be compared to the findings of Sheridan and Dunne’s (2012) who studied a group of Irish first year undergraduate students and reported that this situation occurs because of the learners’ habit of being used to directed learning and great dependence on teachers at school and college. Since university academic culture comprises independent learning, learners may be faced with such a situation. On the other hand, for item 1.4, the majority of respondents (78.6%) showed disagreement (M=1.92, mean below 2.5) to feeling the need to take tuition for completing their study tasks outside university hours. Disagreement to this notion is considered a positive adaptation experience because this indicates that these respondents were intentionally or unintentionally shunning dependence on support systems and heading on to becoming independent learners. Taking the responsibility for their learning outside university hours would help these learners in academic adaptation and may eventually lead to successful transition into university. This finding is unique to this study.

The results show that the majority of respondents (73.7%) expressed agreement (M=2.74, mean above 2.5) that they could cope with the university teachers’ teaching style (item 1.5). This positive experience reveals that the majority of respondents were adapting to the university teachers’ teaching style. This indicates that these learners had accepted their responsibility and were becoming independent learners. Where the majority showed positive response, 26.3 percent respondents showed disagreement which means that they could not cope with the university teachers’ teaching style. These respondents may require more time to adjust to the different style of teaching.

The respondents in this study may have been used to teacher-centred teaching style during the last 12 (pre-university) years. Upon university entrance, there may have been a sudden change in teaching style which switched to learner-centred that expects learners to develop and show independent learning skills, and renders more responsibility of learning to the learners as suggested by Iurea et al. (2011). Similar problems were reported by Hagan and Macdonald (2000) being faced by first year computer programming students in the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Monash University, Australia. Hagan and Macdonald (2000) report that transition from high school to university demands students to undergo an immediate adjustment to the university teachers’ teaching style which presents the transitioning students with adaptation problems. Similar problem is seen being faced by a small percentage of

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respondents in the current study who reported that they were facing problem in coping with the new teaching style.

The data shows that 61.5 percent respondents agreed to (M=2.73, mean above 2.5) the need to devote more time to their studies than they used to do in college (Item 1.6). These respondents appear to be facing challenge in organising university academic tasks. Similarly, for item (1.7), 64.9 percent respondents agreed (M=2.85, mean above 2.5) that they needed to work harder in university than they used to do in college. A possible reason for these respondents feeling the need to devote more time to their studies at university and the need to work harder could be their failure in realising and getting prepared to tackle the mismatch that exists between the school/college, and university academic culture. The respondents appear to have entered the university with the expectation that the same amount of work input that they used to do in their academic work at college would be sufficient for meeting the university academic demands. However, after arriving at university, they appear to realise that the situation was different to what they expected. These findings coincide with the findings of Lowe and Cook’s (2003), who surveyed Irish undergraduate entrants in the University of Ulster and found that students’ study habits that they form during pre-university years persist until the end of the first semester at university and present some students with academic adaptation problems. The current study respondents also appear to follow the same study habits that they used to have at college due to the expectation that university academic culture would be similar to that at college. They appear not to realise that university academic demands are different to those at college and as such require more work to be completed on time and up to university academic standard. Interview data provided more explanations to this experience.

More than half (57.6%) of the respondents disagreed (M=2.32, mean below 2.5) to the notion that they could manage the university academic workload (Item 1.8). This shows that 57.6 percent respondents in this study could not manage the university workload. These learners appear to be finding university workload heavier compared to that at school and college. University academic culture is different to school and college because it comprises different types of academic tasks. This may make some learners feel that they have to juggle with so many different academic tasks and problems with organising work, thus making them feel that they are overburdened. This finding is consistent with Asmar et al. (2000) who studied the first year experience of Australian students at University of Sydney and found that along with other challenges, 33.4% respondents (in their study) expressed having a heavy workload at university. The percentage of respondents finding it hard to manage their university academic workload in the current study is significantly higher (57.6%) compared to Asmar et al.’s (2000) study

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(33.3%) which shows that Pakistani respondents in the current study had higher tendency of facing this challenge compared to Australian students in Asmar et al.’s study. However, 42.4 percent respondents in the current study reported agreement to the item which shows that these respondents had learnt (either pre- or post-university entrance) how to manage their workload and organise their academic tasks.

The majority of respondents (75.7%) expressed agreement (M=2.91, mean above 2.5) to item 1.9 revealing another positive experience which shows that these respondents could complete their academic tasks within given time. These respondents appear to have learnt how to organise their work and manage their time to meet the deadlines. Although the majority of respondents did not face challenges in time management, nearly a quarter of current study respondents (24.4 %) disagreed to the item which shows that they were facing difficulties in managing time to complete their university academic tasks. University academic culture appears to be posing a challenge to these Pakistani learners as academic tasks in school and college did not demand the amount of time compared to university academic tasks which demand more time. The finding regarding 24.4 percent of the current study respondents perceiving difficulties in managing time for university academic tasks is consistent with Prescott and Simpson’s (2004) finding. They studied a large cohort of 687 first year students enrolled in various Diploma and BSc (Hons) programmes in the University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland. Prescott and Simpson (2004) investigated the students’ perception of and measured how the students in their study managed time in order to complete their coursework assessments. They found that the first year Scottish students in their study had concerns with regards to time management at university. Some respondents in the current study also perceived that they could not complete their academic tasks within given time.

The results show that the majority of respondents (79.0%) reported agreement (M=2.84, mean above 2.5) to feeling shy to approach academic staff when they needed assistance in academic tasks outside classroom (item 1.10). On the other hand, the result for item 1.11 shows that 55.8 percent respondents expressed agreement (M=2.66, mean above 2.5) to not hesitating to ask the teacher questions in classroom. However, 44.2 percent respondents reported otherwise which is a noticeable number that cannot be ignored. Lastly, the data for item 1.12 reveals that a large number of respondents (61.7%) showed agreement (M=2.77, mean above 2.5) to not hesitating to request the teacher for clarification of a concept in classroom. It is also noted that a noticeable number of respondents (39.3%) showed disagreement to the measure. The results reveal that more than half of the respondents (55.8% and 61.7%) faced no hesitation in interacting with the teacher in the classroom but a large proportion of the respondents (79.0%) encountered shyness

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in approaching the teachers outside the classroom. Developing interactions with the university academic staff both inside and outside classrooms holds great importance in both successful academic and social transition into university. Learners’ shyness to interact with the academic staff could increase their problems to adapt to the university academic culture and may create ongoing academic challenges during their university years. Tinto (1993) has also documented similar arguments with regard to the importance of developing interactions with the academic staff in university and its role in successful transition. Tinto (1993) stressed the importance of contact and interactions with the academic staff both inside and outside the classroom for good intellectual growth, and enhancing the academic performance and quality. Feeling shy to interact with the academic staff may lead to a feeling of isolation and impaired academic performance. Hence, respondents’ shyness to interact with the academic staff could increase their problems to adapt to the university academic culture and may make them keep facing academic challenges during their university years.

The academic adaptation experiences of the respondents comprised positive experiences as well as some challenges. It is noted that the academic adaptation experiences consisted more of the positive experiences for a majority of the respondents compared to the challenges in academic adaptation. The results show that a large number of respondents (ranging between 60.8% to 83.0%) expressed having positive academic adaptation experiences which shows that they were not facing major problems is various academic adaptation areas (items 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1,5, 1.9, 1.11, and 1.12). However, there was a consistent minority ranging from 17.0 percent to 44.2 percent who reported to facing challenges of a various nature in afore-mentioned aspects.

Along with the positive academic adaptation experiences, more than half of the respondents reported facing bigger challenges in four academic areas (items 1.3, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, and 1.9). The respondents facing these challenges seem not to realise that university academic tasks would demand more responsibility, work and time compared to pre-university studies. Clearly students need to be prepared to face the new culture where new practices and attitudes need to be learned and developed for successful academic transition into university (Tucker, 1998). The academic adaptation challenges faced by the respondents in the current study can be attributed to the same situation where they appear not to be prepared for the big changes involved in academic work during transition from college into university. Nonetheless, the positive findings indicate that the majority of respondents were taking the responsibility of their learning and adapting to the university academic culture.

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In the light of the above findings, the positive academic adaptation experiences of and academic adaptation challenges faced by the respondents are listed below.

Positive academic adaptation experiences

The majority of respondents reported that they:

x were finding the university academic tasks easier than those in college (Item 1.1)

x were adapting to the university academic culture (Item 1.2)

x did not need to take tuition for completing their study tasks outside university hours (Item 1.4)

x could cope with the university teachers’ teaching style (Item 1.5)

x could complete their academic tasks within given time (Item 1.9)

x did not hesitate to ask the teacher questions in classroom (Item 1.11)

x did not hesitate to request the teacher for clarification of a concept in classroom (Item 1.12)

Academic adaptation challenges

The majority of respondents reported that they:

x needed extra help for completing their study tasks inside university hours (Item 1.3)

x needed to devote more time to their studies in university than they used to do in college (Item 1.6)

x needed to work harder in university than they used to do in college (Item 1.7)

x could not manage university academic workload (Item 1.8)

x felt shy to approach academic staff when they need assistance in academic or other tasks outside classroom (Item 1.10)

The results and findings on social adaptation experiences are presented next.