Sub-Theme 3.1: A Multi-Faceted Transition

Tinto (1987) discusses the notion of transiting from membership of past communities of school to the new communities of university. He talks about

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the notion of multiple communities, consisting of academic and social, and the strategies that students employ to approach these. Referring to Attinasi’s (1989) description, as discussed in 2.2 on page 26, this initial experience of third level education comprises three elements: the physical, the social and the cognitive. The latter two elements share commonality with Tinto’s theories, but the former physical aspect also appears to be an impacting factor in this research as illustrated by the following student comment.

I have a problem when I go to a new place I don’t get used to it so fast, so the problem is getting into the new environment of the new place. This was my biggest problem. Student 3: Foundation Year Repeating Student.

For some students coming from an Arabic learning background all three of Attinasi’s factors can be experienced.

Everything is new. I come from a Government School so it’s like every aspect is different, in school it is only girls. Student 2: Repeating Foundation Year.

This student introduces the point that Arabic schools are single gender schools and the transition for these students is not just physical, social and the cognitive, but additionally involves a cultural element.

It is also of interest to note that previous Student 2 and 3, who talk about problematic transitions, are both currently repeating students having failed Foundation Year in the last academic year. Whereas the following Student 9, who appears to have enjoyed an immediate and seamless transition, achieved a first class honours in her Foundation Year grade.

I remember I was very comfortable in the first few days, meeting people. It was fine for me. Student 9: Foundation Year H1 Grade.

Student insight into experiencing academic transition demonstrates the differences in the individual experience of the depth, length and experiential

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impact of this phenomenon and on the ultimate result on academic success. First experiences, it appears are important for setting the scene of learning. A problematic or drawn out transition period may have a longer lasting effect than previously perceived.

Students in the first-year of university face a number of transitional issues. First year medical school covers a large amount of material across broad science subject areas. Challenges that students face include: scientific content adaptation from secondary level education to third; adapting to a large class size; and dealing with large chunks of content through the large-scale impersonal delivery style of lectures.

Focusing on lectures was really hard. This was the thing I found most hard. I didn’t know how to focus on lectures and understanding them was a major problem to me. Student 9.

The challenge presented by lecture learning proves difficult to overcome by many students, as illustrated by the following repeating student.

Most of the students are not paying attention. Some of the students are surfing, someone’s phone rings, someone is laughing, joking, sleeping. You know most of the lecturers are talking to the first few rows. I don’t think that lectures are helpful for me. Student 3: Repeating Foundation Year.

Transition means struggle and a key area of struggle is developing an active, independent learning style.

Like in the first two or three weeks I was deciding how to study, like, for example in the first week they taught us that you can study this way or that way but it was difficult to know what is the way for me. Student 5.

This transition period involves not only getting to grips with how to study but also with how to simultaneously revise.

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They have to build two calendars, one for study and one for revision. Revision gets less as it goes along; you lose less when you revise on a two-week period. They learn and then leave their revision to the last fortnight and that’s a waste of time, they have to relearn and they think it is revision. Staff C.

The cyclical and complex nature of the learning and revision cycle is easily overlooked, misunderstood, ignored or simply not realised in the transition period.

They have no idea, I tell them but with many it goes right over their heads. Staff C.

The impact of this failure to gain control of their learning is an on-going transition period, where instead of students finding their way and reaching what will be later described in 6.10 on page 137, as the constructed term - the ‘state of realisation’, they remain unanchored and vulnerable. This transition period for many students lasts for at least the first semester and for some the whole first year.

For me I had transitional issues for the first few weeks, other people might have had it for the first semester. Student 9: Foundation Year H1 Grade.

Ultimately, the impact of transition can be directly seen on academic achievement. This is shown by the academically successful student above who experienced a short transition and the repeating student below who experienced a more extended transition period.

At the beginning it was hard because I didn’t know what to do. Then later on I started getting used to it. First semester exams I didn’t know how the exams would be. I wasn’t used to the university so I didn’t do well in the first semester. Student 3: Repeating Foundation Year.

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The difference in how students experience transition illuminates how each students experience is a personal one and how individual components of the transitional journey can impact on some and leave others unscathed. Some students transit immediately and effortlessly and other face a long struggle, the ultimate result of which can be academic failure. The following sub- themes integrate aspects of this multi-faceted transition, starting with the area of academic culture shock.