‘I just think it’s really awkward’: transitioning to higher education and the implications for student retention [Scholarly Article - Higher Education, June 2022]

Title:

‘I just think it’s really awkward’: transitioning to higher education and the implications for student retention

 

Authors:

Helen Williams & Nicola Roberts

Both from: School of Social Sciences, University of Sunderland, St. Peter’s Campus, Wearside View, Sunderland, SR6 0AN, England

 

Published:

Higher Education, 7 June 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-022-00881-1

 

Abstract:

New first-year students are vulnerable to dropping out of university because the transition into higher education (HE) is difficult to navigate. Using thematic analysis, we analysed focus groups/interview, exit interviews and qualitative survey data with university students during their first year as criminology undergraduates to explore how they transitioned into HE. Findings show that the transition to a new identity of ‘university student’ was hampered by feelings of awkwardness, which prevented students from fully integrating into student life. However, the subject of criminology was a protective factor because interest in the topic and wanting a degree for betterment, including for future career plans, buffered students against dropping out. We argue that subject-specific interventions may be better in supporting the retention of students and that addressing physical, social and academic awkwardness is key.

 

Decolonising the Criminology curriculum in South Africa: Views and experiences of lecturers and postgraduate students [Scholarly Article - Transformation in Higher Education, January 2022]

Title:

Decolonising the Criminology curriculum in South Africa: Views and experiences of lecturers and postgraduate students

 

Authors:

Lufuno Sadiki, Department of Social Work and Criminology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa 

&

Francois Steyn, Department of Social Work and Criminology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

 

Published:

Transformation in Higher Education, 27 January 2022

 https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal/article/view/150

 

Abstract:

Background: For many years, the lived experiences, knowledge systems and histories of previously colonised people have been misinterpreted, removed and devalued in university teaching. The present curricula of African universities are predominantly Eurocentric and Criminology is no exception. In the wake of the #RhodesMustFall student protest action, there is a recognition and need to include African epistemology within the discipline of Criminology.  

 

Aim: The study investigated the views of lecturers and postgraduate students regarding the content, transformation and decolonisation of Criminology curricula.  

 

Setting: South African universities offering Criminology as a degree and/or academic subject.  

 

Methods: A total of 87 respondents, 42 lecturers and 45 postgraduate students, voluntarily participated in an online survey. Lecturers were purposively selected whilst postgraduate students were recruited via snowball sampling.  

 

Results: Nearly all the respondents had heard of decolonisation before, with the majority of the academic staff members being aware of it prior to #RhodesMustFall. Respondents agreed that the Criminology curriculum needs to be decolonised, with statistically significant differences emanating between black lecturers and white lecturers.  

 

Conclusion: Decolonisation and transformation have been debated for many years without meaningful translation in and changes to Criminology curricula.