The HEA funded research by Yorke and Longden (2008), explored first year undergraduate student experiences of HE, with data collection after 6 months at university. Outlining the importance of ‘bending the odds' to ensure student success and the importance of perceived ‘value for money' it set the scene for the subsequent HEFCE funded student retention and success report (Thomas, 2012). This body of work emphasised the importance of students experiencing a ‘sense of belonging' during their time at university. The importance of identity ‘as a student' was reported by Briggs et al. (2012) in relation to the transition to university, and studies on student ‘drop-out' (cf Bennet & Kane 2010) clearly pinpoint the first six weeks as the critical period for students at risk. Drawing upon three biographic life histories of students attending London based Universities; this paper will present a cross-case analysis that draws out emergent themes of transition. The research is part of a mixed methods approach that sought to understand the factors affecting student sense of belonging in three different London HEIs. Seeking to inform approaches to recruitment and retention, our earlier research (Shoderu et al. 2012, Holley et al forthcoming 2014) identified overarching similarities in sense of belonging measures across all three institutions potentially masking important variations that can contribute to a better understanding students experiences of transition in the crucial first weeks of University study. The work presented here focuses on the biographic life history interviews from three students and provides a rich picture of the influence of individual social context. The approach to interviewing and analysis draws on Biographical Narrative Interpretive Method (Wengraf, 2001) through which we sought to construct a narrative in which the present perspective of a situtated subjectivity are understood in relation to their past perspectives on past situations. It provides insights into differences and similarities across the individual student's sense of belonging constructing a more nuanced perspective. Our cross- case analysis found the dynamics of gender, ethnicity and space to be significant, and we offers insights into the complexities of ‘being and becoming' that our students narrate in moving between their home/University transitions and adopting a student identity. How these key themes play out in the lives of our interviewees can inform our own understanding of the literature in this area, and a way of theorising our local practices, presenting an emergent model for successful transition.

1. The dynamics of gender, ethnicity and space:
constructing meaning and identity in student transition
Helen Pokorny
University of Westminster
Debbie Holley
Anglia Ruskin University
Suzanne Kane
Salford University

2. Structure of this presentation
 The study – background/methodology
 The findings – quantitative
 Cross case analysis
 The ‘lived experience’ of students Kuura (f)
Paola (f) Isi (m)
 Discussion

3. Background to project
 Sense of belonging
The extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected,
included and supported by others in the social environment.
(Goodenow, 1993)
 Previous work indicates that developing a sense of belonging :
 is a key issue in successful transition (Kember et al, 2010; Hand
and Bryson, 2008).
 is a particular challenge for inner city universities (Stuart et al,
2009)
 Models of Sense of Belonging focus on social relationships
Hoffman, Richmond, Morrow & Salomone (2002) identified, amongst
others, the following factors related to a sense of belonging:
(1) empathetic faculty and understanding,
(2) perceived peer support, and
(3) perceived classroom comfort.

4. Research Methodology
 Quantitative
Psychological Sense of School Membership
(PSSSM) instrument (Goodenow,1993)
 Qualitative
‘Biographic Narrative’ (Wengraf, 2001)
interviews using a qualitative tradition of
‘cultural stories’ (c.f. Miller and
Glassner,1997).

5. Quantitative study
1346 students from London
Metropolitan, Westminster
and Queen Mary
All in first year, first
semester
Administered in learning
weeks 7 or 8
Who are the students?
Gender/age/ethnicity/family
background
What are the students
choice of institution/home
students/hours of work
Measuring students’ sense
of belonging
Their university experience
so far
Their involvement with non
academic activities

6. Measuring
Sense of
Belonging
Denotes students
with a low sense
of belonging

7. Sense of Belonging by Ethnicity (level)

8. Conclusions from quantitative work
oOverall most, students seem to develop a “Sense of Belonging”
oAround 10% to 15% of students in each School seem to find it
difficult to settle in and feel accepted
o On average, all ethnic groups display a developed Sense of
Belonging, with the exception of the ‘Mixed Ethnic Group”
o Within each ethnic group there are students who display possible
settling down and/or acceptance issues
oEarly engagement with university (induction, attendance, learning,
other activities) all appear to be correlated with higher SoB

9. The question of how to integrate students into the world of higher
education (or academe) has challenged universities since the initial
expansion in numbers in the 1960s. A typical response was to make
residential status a prerequisite of university attendance. The university
management saw residence as a suitable strategy for assimilating
undergraduates, especially where the family background was not
conducive to the habits and culture of study, and further thought that
residence constituted “a part of the benefits of the University education
whose value can scarcely be overstressed” (Evans 2004, p.14).
This is very different today, because as market forces impact on all, those
at the margins are unable, unwilling or even forbidden to study away from
home. Attendance at their local university and remaining in the family
home is the norm, rather than a move to a campus.
Evans, M. (2004). Killing thinking: the death of the universities. London:
Continuum.

10. Paola
A mid-20s Brazilian student with positive
associations with working life and living
in a capital city; she does not view her
fellow students who are ‘less interested’
in study sympathetically
Isi
A young Asian man with a sharp and
combative narrative style that frequently
draws upon the gym as an analogy
Kuura
Very articulate and self assured,
confident of her choice, we unpack
hidden family dynamics that impinge on
her choices
Images: (1) wwwcollegegrant.com (2) http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk (3) www.critcialthinking.org

11. Isi despite a chaotic and confused life history has a
‘big’ sense of life and expectations. He has sought
good mentoring, support and guidance in terms of his
university selection and future career. He recognises
the limitations of his patchy family support and is
keen to draw a line under his council estate
upbringing. He rejects his background and sees it as
a barrier to his future opportunities moving with what
he sees as people who are high class and stuff like
that… it’s going to be tough for me to fit in…
…He is pained by his realisation that if he goes back
to his community and his roots he will be unable to
fulfil his ambitions for a “big life”.

12. Paola has no discussion of family in her
narrative. She feels she is at the wrong
university and is unhappy with her choice. She
found it difficult to relate to the young people
on her course. I think it does make a
difference being a mature student… I have
different goals in my life, it does make a
difference. Instead she looks for friendship
and support in the international student
community from Spanish and Brazilian
students whom she says are more like me.
Her regrets extend into discussions about the
physical environment which she finds old, Like
the building is very old, the class is very old,
toilets very old.

13. Kuura, by way of contrast, feels both a sense
of belonging and is fully engaged with her
course, her University friends and is hugely
proud of being at University, down to wearing
the University branded sweatshirt. Her course
narration is one where she is operating as part
of the course, and her University life tumbles
out and mixes with her home life.
She is very comfortable ‘where she is now’
both physically at the University, and also in
her home environment

14. Gender
 Our two female participants appear to have been limited in their
selection of university by lack of pre-entry knowledge and guidance.
Both relied heavily the knowledge of those around them in informing
their choices.
 In Paola’s case and in Kuura’s case neither had good guidance and
support to assist in their decision making. Paola’s perception of a top
Business School was that it would be located in the financial heart of
the city where international financial institutions have their base.
 Whilst both women talk about the importance of independence,
however their independence is framed by the cultural and social
expectations of those closest to them. They share a desire for the
warmth of family and community life. Kuura in the present and Paola
echoing back to her Brazilian roots. These family and social
influences mitigate against them making positive choices that would
build future opportunities and develop cultural capital

15. Ethnicity
 For Isi and Paola a significant theme emerged in relation to ethnicity and group
belonging. Despite being an international student Paola finds the multi-cultural nature
of the institution difficult :
[It’s] like people are divided in groups. As I said, not being prejudiced, but lots of black people talking to other black
people and Muslim people talking to Muslims. And there was me, and you don’t feel any group…they look at you
as if ‘you don’t belong to us’.
 This echoes with Isi’s experience. He talks about how students on his course form
clusters around ethnicity
Yes, most definitely…for example, that little group you see, all of them lot downstairs, little group there, and then
you see the little Asian group in the front and then you see all of them, and all of them lot in the back. It’s like you
see them clusters consistently, you see that and then you’ve got all the Chinese at the front. You see them
clusters.
 However their responses differ, Paola takes this personally and feels excluded whereas Isi sees
this as a challenge he needs to overcome…
Most definitely, most definitely. I realise if you don’t have an understanding of different people from different walks
of life, you don’t have an understanding of how to interact with them, you [inaudible] for the rest of your life, most
definitely. Because the world is bigger than East London… and meeting new people has made me realise that I
can’t be restricted, I can’t put my guards up when I meet new people, you have to interact with them. And you
have to cope with it and build a life around that as well.

16. Space :The students all talk about ‘space’ and belonging
 Paola perception of a top Business School was that it would be located in the financial heart of the
city where international financial institutions have their base. She makes her decision in terms of
the university’s proximity in terms of her part-time work. Interestingly she feels a closer sense of
belonging when her modules are based at the city-centre site than when they are a short distance
away in a more urban site of the same university.
 She and Isi both have difficulties in occupying their ‘spaces’ in relation to their studies. Isi locates
himself firmly ‘at University’ to the exclusion of his community; he is happy with this demarcation
in his journey to a City career. With Paola it is the opposite – she locates her life outside the
university and the studying is simply a step to get her where she wants to go. Both are very
aspirational, but in terms of their University choice, Isi has made a more informed choice. In terms
of ‘sense of belonging’ to their course/ programme of study, they could be described as remote –
like islands, not connected to anyone or anything, and interestingly, they are both very engaged
with their studies.
 Kuura is seeks familiar spaces. She explains
So when I came here it was like I was taken back a bit, what I thought university was going to be
like wasn’t really like it. I thought shiny building, really impressive but it wasn’t. It was cosy, really
small, everything was together. And then [inaudible] was actually better because I thought if it
was even too big, you wouldn't really get to know anyone. Because I went to XXX University for
one of their open days and the place was huge and there were all these people going around and
just like you’re in the middle just watching.

17. Complexities in being and becoming
 Negotiating the transitions between home and university. For Isi
and Kuura the themes emerging from the ‘lived life’ are diametrically
opposed. Isi rejects his home life and seeks to build his cultural
capital.
 Kuura weaves together her university life and her home life and the
result of this is more freedom but no change in her cultural
capital.
 Paola is very aware of the cultural capital to be gained from the
education and ‘the city’ but is unsure how to access it.
 We argue that there is a gap in the first year transition literature in
that despite excellent induction activities etc this not does not fully
acknowledge the connectedness of these students to their lived
life and what this means for the transition to Higher Education.
 We suggest this has particular relevance for inner city universities.

18. Sources
Anderman, L.H., Freeman, T.M. (2004). Students’ sense of belonging in school. In P.R. Pintrich
and M.I. Maehr (Eds.), Motivating students, improving schools: Advances in motivation and
achievement, Vol. 13, p.27-63, Amsterdam: Elsvier
Cashmore, A, Scott, J, Cane C (2012) “Belonging” and “intimacy” factors in the retention of
students – an investigation into the student perceptions of effective practice and how that practice
can be replicated. University of Leicester
Chow, K., Healey, M., (2008) Place attachment and place identity: First-year undergraduates
making the transition from home to university. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 28 (4) 362-
372
de Beer, J., Smith, U., Jansen, C. (2009) ‘Situated’ in a separated campus – Students’ sense of
belonging and academic performance: A case study of the experiences of students during a
higher education merger. Education as Change 13(1) 167-194
Dixon, J., Durrheim. K., (2004) Dislocating identity: Desegregation and the transformation of
place. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 24 (4) 455-473
Edward, N., (2003) First impressions Last: An innovative approach to induction. Active Learning
in Higher Education, 4, 226-241.
Goodenow, C. (1993). Classroom belonging among early adolescent students: relationships to
motivation and achievement. Journal of Early Adolescence, 13, 21-43.

19. Sources (contd.)
Hand, L., Bryson, C., (2008) Student Engagement. SEDA - Special 22. London.
Holley, D., Kane,S., Volpe, G.,(2014) ‘My Ideal First Day’: Implications for induction a three (London)
university project Anglia Ruskin University Networks
[available electronically from http://www.lta.anglia.ac.uk/networkIssues.php/ENGAGE-14th-
Annual-Learning-and-Teaching-Conference-2013-Learning-and-Teaching-Project-Reports-5/
Hurtado, S., Faye Carter, D., (1997) Effects of College Transition and Perceptions of the Campus Racial Climate
on Latino College Students’ Sense of Belonging. Sociology of Education 70 (4) 324-34
Kember, D., Ho, A., Hong, C., (2010) Initial motivational orientation of students enrolling in undergraduate
degrees. Studies in Higher Education 35 (3) 263-276
Miller, J., Glassner, B., (1997) The inside and the outside: finding realities in interviews. In: Silverman, D.,
Qualitative research: theory, method and practice. 98-111. London: Sage
Mounts, N.S. (2004) Contributions of Parenting and Campus Climate to Freshmen Adjustment in a Multiethnic
Sample, Journal of Adolescent Research
Stuart, M., Lido, C., Morgan, J. and May, S., (2009) Student diversity, extra-curricular activities and perceptions of
graduate outcomes.http://gala.gre.ac.uk/3232/1/HEA_project_report_2007_8.pdf
Wengraf, T. (2001) Qualitative Research Interviewing: biographic narrative and semi-structured method, Sage
Publications, London.
Zepke, L. & Leach. L. (2010). Improving student engagement: ten proposals for action. Active Learning in Higher
Education, 11(3), 167-177.