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2. “STUDENT VOICE” AS TOPIC

6. STUDENT CONTENTMENT

6.8. Opinions about how they felt as Education majors

Those personal narratives are characteristic of the answers provided at the end of the fi rst semester for this question that 1) recall the fi rst days at the training programme. In connection with this almost all students wrote about 2) their personal histories of selecting this training programme, and refl ect on how the fi rst year came up to their expectations. We cannot endeavour to analyse these extensively here, instead, we intend to present those common themes, junction points that can be especially important in terms of the effectiveness of the training programme. Students frequently report about 3) their diffi culties in connection with time management, and how they gradually got accustomed to the university workload. A similarly typical topic is 4) the problem of interpreting the tasks connected to different courses: students gave a detailed account of how unclear the tasks were at the beginning of the term, but then by the end of the term they more or less understood what was expected of them by the teachers. The exam period was the freshest experience for the students at the time of completing the questionnaire, so, as we expected, 5) the interpretation of the challenges of the exam period and the achieved results were frequently discussed. Additionally, a typical part was 6) the characterisation of the social environment (peers and teachers), which (the positive relationships and attitudes) seems to be an important motivational factor for the students.

“I had a great time in the fi rst term, although I felt exhausted many times and feared that I would not be able to complete all assignments

in time, so I was frequently nervous. I have realised since then that with proper time management I can settle these problems. My exams were successful, which I was really glad about, and I feel that I deserve my results as I worked hard for them.”

“The mid-term assignments were not easy, and were not clear at times, but I managed to complete them. As we were approaching the end of the term, there were more and more tasks to do which I left for the last moment unfortunately.”

“I succeeded in the fi rst term. My results could have been better, but it was not bad for a start. I expect more of myself in the next term.”

“I have had the feeling from the very fi rst day as if I have been attending this university for a long time. I like everything, the attitudes of students and teachers, the family-like atmosphere and the training programme as well.”

“Even though I did not apply for this training programme at the fi rst place, I grew fond of the Education training programme in the past term.

Because of the family-like atmosphere and the usefulness of the above mentioned subjects among other things.”

“As soon as I found my place among the students, I found my place at the university. And this should be my fi nal thought. One cannot succeed at the university alone.”

In the second term a different focus can be observed in the answers of students; characteristically they compare the two terms along the features of the training programme (even though they were asked to write about the second term exclusively, but it seems they cannot separate it from the fi rst one). In connection with this they write about 1) there prior expectations of the courses and the transformation of these and 2) their relationships with students and teachers. Beyond the features of the training programme 3) personal problems that hinder their studies (e.g. having two majors, working) are typical elements and 4) refl ecting on their own studies and personal development. In these personal refl ections the experience of “I have found my place” frequently appears, which indicates that after two terms most students see their own development path in connection with the training programme.

“I have a lot more casual relationship with teachers and students alike.

I can manage my time better, as by getting to know people I know now how to do things. Besides, I could build on the knowledge I acquired in the fi rst term, so my development is not solely down to my teachers and peers, but is my own merit as well.”

“I felt better this term and more self-confi dent. (…) my feelings and thoughts are more crystallised in connection with the training programme. This means that I think that the content of this training programme and its future goal are more important for me.”

“I am more conscious and less desperate (actually I’m not desperate at all :)) compared with the previous term.”

“I started the term really enthusiastically, I attended every lesson, then I had to realise that it could not go on like that in the situation I was in.

I had to give up something for being able to close a part of my life.”

“This training programme means a lot to me, and the university as well, since I have been attending it I deal with Education in my free time as well. My opinion is even more positive than in the fi rst term, as I feel more and more that my place is here at this training programme.”

* * *

The investigation of student contentment and well-being at the bachelor training programme in Education by means of giving voice to students resulted in such set of information that demonstrated us, beyond the individual experiences, how students tackle the diffi culties and problems accompanying their entry to the training programme. Although the expectations of students in connection with the training programme are less professional, and their image of the professional career is undifferentiated, in their answers to open-ended questions they demonstrated conscious thinking of the professional aspects of their student existence. Of the components of well-being, contentment with social relationships seems to be dominant, and within that more the positive attitude towards teachers (which was confi rmed by the results connected to expectations in connection with the training programme). Social relationships among students are still shaping, as we were investigating fi rst-year students, and thus they are often full of confl icts. We thereby think based on our fi ndings that the stabilisation of social ties and the proper interpretation of the requirements connected to the courses form the main battle fronts of students.

7. SUMMARY

The goal of our study was to present how we took into consideration in the course of the action research the feelings, attitudes and diffi culties of students at the Bachelor training programme in Education and the changes of these. We started our study with the expectations of students towards the training programme, then the diffi culties and experience connected to institutional and higher educational socialisation were discussed, and eventually we intended to reveal the aspects of students’ contentment at the training programme and their well-being. Giving voice to students was an intention spanning throughout this study, which aided us in understanding the tackling methods of students entering the training programme. It is clear from the answers that we cannot detect one or a few dominant tackling patterns or strategies among Education majors, however, the problems that induce tackling are relatively similar; they primarily originate from the integration into the social environment and the particular system of conditions of studying at the university (time management, requirements, evaluation). So based on students’ answers we believe that the most characteristic way of tackling problems is using social support: they like to turn to teachers with their problems, as they feel that they are helpful and available, additionally, (despite the natural confl icts surrounding the evolution of social relationships) they positively evaluate cooperation with peers in handling diffi culties. The interpretations of diffi culties connected to time management (that are typical in terms of any student entering higher education), and students’ opinions of resolving them indicate that students actively seek opportunities of development in this respect. This attitude suggests a problem centred way of tackling, i.e. it mirrors that students do not give up their goals of a more effective management of time, they experiment with newer and newer solutions and refl ect on these. Frequently, they seek or enjoy the support of peers in this respect, as the assignments of the courses (e.g. developing each other’s learning on the Teaching learning course) expect this from them, and fulfi lling joint tasks, and assignments that build on students’ cooperation require this as well.

We concluded on the basis of our fi ndings that the motive for choosing the Education training programme is somewhat undefi ned, and at the beginning of their studies students understandably interpret this professional career on the basis of their secondary school student role, their vision of the future is not established on “real” knowledge in many cases, and mostly comprise conceptions of the profession of teachers. It must be emphasised here that even we, the teachers were not certain of the types of outputs the training programme could provide for the labour market, and so we could not effectively support students in their career socialisation. Since then, we

have received several feedbacks from many of our graduate students, and we make an effort to create active relationships with entities of the labour market based on dialogue, so that we can provide more concrete information and more alternatives for students of the newer years in connection with the utilisation of the BA degree. All these confi rmed us that we can aid students effectively in terms of resolving the uncertainties connected to studies at the training programme and career socialisation by securing valid information gained from the labour market, and providing opportunities for meeting the entities of the labour market.

Among the diffi culties and experience of students connected to their studies, their own and optimal time management and the adequate interpretation of requirements are dominant, that mirror that performance crisis well which most university students experience on entering a training programme. The diffi culties experienced by students provided us with important information for the revision and transformation of the Bachelor training programme in Education, which can be traced especially in the following principles (see Chapter 8): decreasing the number of contact lessons; creating subjects, blocks and modules with larger credit points;

balancing similar assignments with similar credit points, reducing training overlaps and regular, intensive cooperation of teachers in formulating the goals, requirements and tasks of the courses. Besides these we view it as an important achievement that students think more consciously about their learning processes thanks to the learning activities applied in the training programme (for example oral and written refl ections connected to the courses, cooperative learning and peer support6) compared with the beginning of their studies.

Our fi ndings indicate that students basically feel good at the training programme, and are contented with the material and training conditions.

It also turned out from the answers that after spending a year in the training programme they refl ect on their professional development and the aspects that make their learning more diffi cult more consciously (e.g.

the straightforwardness of the requirements, time management, cooperation with peers, diffi culties of interpreting evaluations). All these underpin the idea that in the introductory phase of the training programme we need to consciously consider what type of supportive opportunities there are for us in the fi eld of learning processes and career socialisation, and we need to seek and continuously analyse and evaluate these opportunities on a course (see Chapter 5) and training programme level as well (besides taking into

6 It is worthwhile to compare this with the research results of Hammond et al. from 2010, where they found that in the PAL programme the social competences of students developed but there was no signifi cant development that could be detected in terms of their learning.

consideration the support opportunities disconnected to the programme, for example the activity of Student Councils and peer helpers). Now we believe that the action research called the attention exactly to the fact that at present we support students in multiple ways (and the needs and motives of teachers connected to this is signifi cant), still, supporting students could not be executed in a systematic and effective manner, rather we identifi ed several initiatives and intentions running parallel to one another, which in some cases probably weakened one another’s effectiveness.

Based on our fi ndings and the literature of “student voice” (ASMAR

1999; MITRA 2006; DOYLE & FELDMAN 2006; RUBIN & JONES 2007; YONEZAWA & is worthwhile to involve students at the highest level in developments and research connected to them in higher education (see Mitra’s pyramid model in part 2.2.), as their opinions and experience mean a kind of knowledge in the process of research and development that cannot be secured from any other source. By writing this study, we would like to motivate similar research initiatives on all levels of education, and we hope that our fi ndings, conclusions and the questions we raised all convince the Reader that the opinions of students can be utilised well in the research process not just for cognition but for development as well, moreover, it can result in a remarkable surplus in knowledge.

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