Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries Derek Larkin & Ian Harrison Forty-seven psychology undergraduates volunteered to complete diaries outlining their daily academic and non-academic routine, covering semester one of their first year at a post-1992 university. The aim of the research was to investigate whether diaries were an appropriate method for exploring student engagement; also we wanted to measure whether the themes found through thematic analysis corresponded with those reported in previous research or whether new themes would emerge, not previously explored. In the course of the research we found themes that related to student engagement, disengagement, withdrawal concerns, and more general concerns regarding course choice, and university choice. We also found evidence which suggested that for some students there is a conflict between what is expected of them from the institution, in regards to the amount of time they could devote to their studies and the pressure from external forces which may take them away from studying, such as social commitments and paid work. We conclude with a discussion around the relationship between these themes, and the use of diaries as a research tool. Keywords:word; diary study, engagement; student attrition; psychology. T HE FIRSTfew weeks/months at univer- year grades, their findings suggest that lower sity are a time of substantial transition than average grades tend to generate into and adjustment for new students high levels of attrition. (Rowley, Hartley & Larkin, 2008). It is More than a fifth of all students drop out during these first few weeks/months that of university (22 per cent) within their first university students are at the greatest risk of year in England and Wales, and according to withdrawal, and it has been reported (Ozga The Public Accounts Committee (a Govern- & Sukhanandan, 1997) that most students ment body which examines public expendi- who leave do so within their first year at uni- ture) 28,000 full-time and 87,000 part-time versity have withdrawn by the end of students who started their first degree course semester one. Research has also found that in 2004–2005 were no longer in higher edu- students decide to leave university for any cation a year later. The report also states that number of reasons, ranging from academic students from non-traditional backgrounds difficulties, problems adjusting to university who enter higher education are at the life, (Tinto, 1987), financial concerns (Cal- greatest risk of dropping out, and are less lendar & Kemp, 2000), family pressure, or likely to change course than the more tradi- lack of commitment to the course (York, tional entry students. 1999) even lack of social integration (Chan- There are social and academic pressures dler & McKnight, 2009). Predictive models on students to conform to particular expec- of student attrition have shown to be largely tations. Often these expectations are formed unreliable, however one consistent predictor long before the student reaches university of risk is the students’ prior academic (Rowley et al., 2008). Research (Rowley et achievement (Harrison, 2006). Johnes al., 2008) has shown that there can be a mis- (1990) however, states that a more precise match between these expectations and the predictor of non-completion (at degree reality of life as a university student. In some level) can be achieved by using the end of instances this mismatch can lead to disen- 64 Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 © The British Psychological Society 2011 Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries gagement and ultimately total withdrawal In the present study we employed both from the university (Bank, Biddle & Slavings, quantitative and qualitative methods (ques- 1992; Cook & Leckey, 1999). tionnaire and diary). Both methods were Although much of the research has been used to explore academic expectations, in concerned with student attrition and with- relation to how much time students devoted drawal (see, for example, Harvey, Drew & to their degree. We also set out to investigate Smith, 2006) there is also an increasing body the external pressures which may take stu- of research that has explored students who dents away from their studies such as paid persist in higher education but either never employment, social life and/or university- fully engage or disengage from the academic related sports activities, etc. process very early on. The notion of engage- ment is, according to Carini, Kuh and Klein Paid employment (2006) self-evident, the more time a student The profile of the student body has changed studies and practices a subject the greater over the last several decades or so, and for their chances of gaining high grades. They most universities there has been an increase suggest that students who reported drafting in non-traditional, mature and part-time stu- multiple essays before the deadline; com- dents and this according to Cook and Leckey pleted readings before lectures; had a good (1999) is likely to have led to an increase in relationship with faculty members and those non-completion rates. Another significant who had a good record of attendance subse- change has taken place in the way students quently gained higher than average grades. pay a component of their tuition fees, and What is not clear from these studies is why living costs are in the form of subsidised students often persist with their studies when loans. The impact of this has been to they have apparently disengaged from the increase financial pressure on students, academic process, measured by the non-sub- which has led many to seek part-time mission of coursework or having a poor employment (Lansdown, 2009). Callendar attendance record. There is evidence that and Kemp (2000) suggest that 60 per cent of attendance at lectures and seminars is a cru- students take on part-time employment cial component for both social integration during term time, and as much as 80 per (Chandler & McKnight, 2009) and academic cent during holiday periods. Curtis and success (Woodfield, Jessop & McMillan, Sham (2002) however, point out that time 2006). Woodfield et al. (2006) found that engaged in paid employment during term students who regularly attended lectures and time may be beneficial in terms of develop- seminars gained significantly higher degree ment skills and confidence. On the other classifications than those who had a poor hand, Callendar and Kemp (2000) reveal attendance record. They report that atten- that paid employment was a major contribu- dance was a better predictor of grades than tory factor in student withdrawal, more as a cognitive ability, and personality traits, and consequence of financial pressure than aca- even A-level grades. demic failure. Then again Wilkie and Jones In the present study we focused upon psy- (1994) suggest there is no clear relationship chology students’ engagement/disengage- between paid work and student attrition. ment in a post-1992 English university which They suggest that students who worked part- has embraced the culture of widening par- time for an average of eight hours per week ticipation. We were interested in the rela- were less likely to withdraw and more likely tionship between students who indicated a to achieve higher overall grades than their pattern of engagement (reading-writing) non-working colleagues. This all suggests and those students who we labelled as disen- that taking on a small amount of paid gaged who divided the majority of their time employment may not necessarily have a between non-academic pursuits. detrimental effect on students’ academic Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 65 Derek Larkin & Ian Harrison performance. Lansdown (2009) however, they progress through their degree (Rowley found that paid term time employment can et al., 2008; Rowley, Larkin & Hartley, 2009). have both positive and negative conse- quences. In a positive way students may be Wrong university – wrong course exposed to other life choices and opportuni- Among any cohort of students a small ties they would ordinarily not have had, how- number will disengage from the academic ever they were more likely to miss out of the process, because of early experiences at uni- ‘student experience’ and were more likely to versity that cause them to question their have a reduced commitment to their course. career path (Harrison, 2006). Harrison (2006) states that these early experiences Student drift may factor heavily in the student’s inability to Quinn et al. (2005) described what they cope with the demands of their chosen termed as ‘student drift’, they suggest that degree choice. Furthermore, they could find some students gradually disengage from the the level of independent learning too chal- academic process over time, which they lenging, because an element of their degree attribute to lack of early formative feedback: was not anticipated, or imagined would be UCAS (2002) however, attributed this phe- difficult. Many psychology students find the nomena to non-traditional students who do statistical element of their degree demanding not have qualifications at A-level, and as such or they are surprised by emphasis that is put lack the skills to cope with the high demand on research methods, and often this is cited of undertaking (reading for) a degree in a as the reason for their disengagement or topic for which they had not necessarily had attrition (Rowley et al., 2008; Ruggeri et al., prior experience. Forsyth and Furlong 2009; Sizemore & Lewandoski, 2009). Har- (2003) go much further and suggest that all rison (2006) states, however, that if these stu- non-traditional students are at the greatest dents totally disengage early enough and risk of gradual disengagement, because they decide to leave university because they now lack the social support that traditional entry believe it is taking them along the wrong students have. career path, they are very likely to return to Forsyth and Furlong (2003) suggest that a university at a later stage often with a dif- number of middle-class students who disen- ferent career goal in mind. gage do so for different reasons to their non- In the present study, we were thus inter- traditional counterpart’s .They suggest that ested to see how first-year psychology stu- university choice is secondary to the desire to dents responded to the demands of the first live a lively student life, choosing the univer- semester at university. As described above we sity with a ‘party’ reputation rather than one wanted to explore whether our participant’s with good academic credentials. Harrison differed in their willingness/desire to spend (2006) however, reports that he found no time reading/studying for their degree (as such division within this subset of students an essential part of academic engagement), based on entry route or the students back- and we wanted to see whether non-academic ground, and that the slow progressive disen- pursuits such as paid employment or social gagement can be attributed to the loss of activities had a positive or negative effect on direction in just one module of an under- module grades. graduate programme. Nevertheless Rowley et al. (2008) report that students who study psy- Methodology chology at degree level, and who had previ- Participants ously obtained an A-level in psychology A total of 47 (of a total cohort of 73) single report being more prepared for their degree honours psychology first-year students than those with no A-level psychology, and (40 female: seven male; mean age 22.8, this level of preparedness is maintained as range 18 to 46) studying at a post-1992 66 Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries university in the north-west of England vol- had atypical pre-university qualifications such unteered to take part in this study. as Access and International Baccalaureate. All students had achieved the minimum Additional demographic and course-related entry requirement (or equivalent) for the information were recorded and will be course of three A-levels (240 UCAS points reported later. Of the 47 who initially con- plus GCSE math). Typically students live sented to take part 21 returned a completed within 20 miles of campus; local industry is or part-completed Stage 2 diary element of characteristically light industrial manufac- the research (18 females, three males, mean turing. A typical student might be the first in age 20.47, range 18 to 32). The data shown in their family to enter higher education. Table 1 indicates that the distribution of par- Twenty-nine (57.1 per cent) of the students ticipants who returned a completed diary is had an A-level qualification in psychology, essentially representative of the target and 18 (42.9 per cent) had no prior experi- sample. None of the students received course ence of academic psychology. Eight students credit or any other incentive to participate. Table 1; Distribution of participants who submitted a completed diary set against qualification – prior experience of academic psychology – age and gender. Diary Qualification Prior Experience Age Gender Type of Psychology 1 Access Yes 32 Female 2 IB* Yes 28 Female 3 A-level No 19 Female 4 A-level Yes 18 Male 5 A-level No 18 Female 6 A-level No 18 Female 7 A-level Yes 18 Female 8 A-level No 18 Female 9 A-level Yes 20 Female 10 Access Yes 30 Female 11 A-level Yes 18 Female 12 A-level No 19 Male 13 A-level Yes 18 Female 14 A-level Yes 18 Female 15 Access Yes 24 Female 16 A-level Yes 18 Female 17 A-level No 18 Female 18 A-level Yes 18 Female 19 A-level Yes 18 Female 20 Access Yes 23 Male 21 A-level No 19 Female * International Baccarat Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 67 Derek Larkin & Ian Harrison Materials pants were asked to complete the diary each At Stage 1 the volunteers were asked to com- day/week detailing their daily (24 hour) rou- plete a short structured questionnaire of tine with regards to how much time during nine questions; in addition to demographic each day they engaged with an aspect of information we asked participants a number their degree; for example, how much time of questions about their own expectations of would be spent reading for lectures/sem- how they plan to study. Questions related to inar, writing assessments, revising for exams anticipated time spent studying; future goals; and so forth. They were also encouraged to and possible entry into postgraduate studies. detail aspects of their daily routine where We also asked whether they had, or planned they engaged in non-academic pursuits. to gain employment whilst undertaking their Research was carried out in accordance degree. with the ethical guidelines of the British Stage 2 consisted of the diary element. Psychological Society. The diary was a standard A3 academic diary. Each page represented seven days (Monday Results to Sunday) with space for additional ‘Home- Stage 1: Questionnaire data work’ information. There was one caveat One of the questions we asked was ‘How pointed out to the participants; if they much time (in hours) do you anticipate reported sensitive personal information this studying outside of lecture/seminar times would be read as a sign of requesting help each week?’ and may lead to them being directed to stu- Data from this question illustrated in dent services. Other than this extreme cir- Table 2, appears to show that the vast cumstance all information was kept strictly majority of students (74.4 per cent) antici- confidential. Two participants did use this pated studying for five to six or more hours opportunity to report personal issues, and per week, with only eight students expecting were consequently given additional support. to study for more than eight hours per week. Participants were explicitly asked to It should be noted that prior to the start of record their academic routine, for example, data collection students had been present at how many hours they read for each day, and an induction lecture. During this lecture stu- how many hours they spent studying each dents were informed that a full-time degree day (specifically how many hours they spent requires a full-time commitment often writing assignments), they were also asked to exceeding 40 hours per week; this piece of record time spent in non-academic pursuits information was stressed on a number of such as paid work and leisure activities. We occasions. Surprisingly, therefore, is the fact did not, however, constrain participants to that 12 students (17.1 per cent) acknowl- only include these activities, but stressed that edged they anticipated spending only five or we wanted a full picture of their daily rou- less hours per week reading, working on tine. We asked participants to complete their assignments or revising outside of lectures diaries at regular intervals, preferably daily and seminars sessions. but at least once a week, and to be relativity This could be used as an early indication assiduous in their entries. The study lasted of either an unrealistic notion of what is for 16 weeks, the entire first semester. required of a degree level student or that even within these first few days a significant Procedure minority of students are showing early signs Stage 1: Questionnaire was administered in of disengagement or student drift. the first week of teaching at the beginning of We additionally asked participants the 2008–2009 academic year. Stage 2: whether they already had paid work and 26 Diaries were distributed following the com- (53 per cent) acknowledged working at least pletion of Stage 1 on the same day. Partici- 15 hours per week; anecdotally many 68 Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries Table 2: Number of hours participants anticipate spending actively engaged with their studies outside lecture and seminar sessions. All of Questionnaires Returned Questionnaires Anticipated Number of Percentage Number of Percentage Study Participants Participants 0 hours 2 4.3 2 9.5 2–3 hours 2 4.3 – – 3–4 hours 4 8.5 2 9.5 4–5 hours 4 8.5 1 4.8 5–6 hours 12 25.5 6 28.6 6–7 hours 9 19.1 3 14.3 7–8 hours 6 12.8 4 19 8+ hours 8 17 3 14.3 reported holding down jobs that required trasted with the finding that 30 participants more than 15 hours per week. Of the 21 (44.7 (63.8per cent) reported wanting to pursue a per cent), who were not employed 12 (57.1 postgraduate degree/career in psychology. per cent) acknowledged they would be Diary data were analysed in a number of seeking paid employment during their ways; initially we took a quantitative degree. This figure of 15 hours paid work per approach in order to gain an overall picture week goes way beyond the eight hours that of the data, and calculated the number of Wilkie and Jones (1994) suggest is beneficial hours spent in each activity. to academic performance and retention. Table 3 illustrates the number of hours participants reported an activity. In order to Stage 2: Diary data gain a more complete picture of these data The data collected was, for the most part, we ran a hierarchical regression analysis. extremely rich in detail, with most partici- This method of analysis enables the model- pants giving a very detailed picture of life as ling and evaluation of several variables set an undergraduate. A number of participants against a known dependent variable. In this opted for bullet-pointed entries, whereas study we wanted to investigate whether others gave fully structured sentences. All engagement or disengagement had a posi- had given some indication of the hours tive or negative impact on overall grades. We spent working towards their degree, and measured engagement as time (hours) spent non-academic pursuits. reading and working on assignments and dis- Twenty-one diaries out of 47 that were engagement as time (hours) spent in leisure distributed were returned at the end of and paid work. We conducted a hierarchical semester one; this amounts to an attrition regression with reading and working on rate of 55.3per cent, this indicates that more assignments as the first predictor and leisure than half of our participants disengaged and paid work as the second predictor (see from the project before completion. Of Table 4). Although there was a small sample those who did complete a diary, there was size there were enough participants for a suf- still a significant sample (nearly 24per cent) ficiently powerful analysis. Post-hoc statistical who failed to identify the importance of analysis gave an observed power for this additional study time outside of lectures/ study of .86 (see Cohen et al.& Aiken, 2003). seminars (see Table 2). This should be con- Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 69 Derek Larkin & Ian Harrison Table 3: Total number of hour’s participants reported spending time on an activity. Diary Reading Assignment Revision Leisure Paid Other Grade** Work Activities 1 9 36 3 43 19 7 51 (2:2) 2 9 23 7 2 0 0 60 (2:1) 3 50 60 11 25 11 6 68 (2:1) 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 60 (2:1) 5 17 40 0 14 27 0 52 (2:2) 6 17 49 0 6 0 2 48 (3) 7 10 21 6 5 28 13 60 (2:1) 8 8 14 0 0 0 0 55 (2:2) 9 23 46 6 5 47 1 65 (2:1) 10 7 22 0 0 0 1 58 (2:2) 11 15 21 4 49 0 19 57 (2:2) 12 3 8 0 3 18 4 53 (2:2) 13 4 40 0 10 15 12 55 (2:2) 14 5 40 0 45 32 0 51 (2:2) 15 15 23 0 3 32 9 60 (2:1) 16 14 25 0 13 19 0 56 (2:2) 17 10 44 9 2 4 12* 46 (3) 18 1 1 0 2 0 2 39 (Fail) 19 9 27 0 26 4 20 * * 20 0 1 0 0 0 0 43 (3) 21 8 35 0 27 21 13 * * Mean 11.2 27.4 2.2 13.3 13.2 5.8 * Participants did not gain a final grade due to omitted course work or exam. ** Final mean grade for the three modules undertaken as part of the first-year psychology degree. These data strongly indicate that an extra advantage of this method is that in many hour spent reading within the topic equates respects it has the potential to reveal a great to a possible increase in the end of year amount of detailed information about an grade by more than five per cent, whereas individual’s behaviours, emotional state and hours spent in leisure or paid work, are not general psychological health. Braun and significant predictors of the final grade. Clarke (2006) state that thematic analysis is There is, however, a significant negative cor- an accessible and theoretically flexible relation between hours spent writing the approach, which can be used when analysing essay/report and the final grade. These qualitative data. In coding the data we ini- points will be explored in more depth in the tially anonymised each diary from D1 to D21, discussion. and for each statement we added year, In exploring the qualitative data con- month, and day, as such a quote taken from tained in the diaries we used thematic participant No 2, on the 23 October 2008 analysis (see Braun & Clarke, 2006). The will be expressed as D2:081023. 70 Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries Table 4: The results of a hierarchal regression analysis for time spend (in hours) reading, working on assignment, leisure time and paid work. B SE b β Step 1 Constant 55.60 2.63 Reading for Study 0.51 0.12 .96** Working on Assignment 0.96 -.54* Step 2 Constant 54.54 2.60 Reading for Study 5.20 0.18 .97** Working on Assignments –0.23 0.09 –.57* Leisure Time –0.04 0.61 ns Paid Work 0.13 0.07 ns Note: R2=.57 for Step 1, ΔR2=.11 for Step 2 (p<.001); *p<.05; **p<.001 Engagement Within a number of diaries participants The indication from the questionnaire data made reference to being overwhelmed by an was that 74.4 per cent of our participants aspect or aspects of their degree, but expressed a willingness to engage in their expressed a desire to work through these degree. This attitude of ‘engagement’ was feelings, and continue with their studies, in measured by the anticipated time spent spite of the added complication of illness. reading, and working on assignments. This ‘Couldn’t go in was too ill. Worried about missing response was most commonly justified, work’ (D8:081017). ‘Still not well so wasn’t in. within the diaries, with reference to wanting Panicking about workload missed… I will need to to get the best out of their degree, and feel- make up for the time I’ve missed’ (D8:081020). ings of satisfaction. ‘Time is precious if we all This student clearly shows a commitment to want to get the best degrees’ (D3:081110). their studies and their degree. However, ‘Finding it hard to make sense of a couple of other participants showed clear signs of stu- things, but still working at it’ (D17:081213). dent drift, seemingly disengaging at a slow ‘Feeling satisfied… understood a lot feeling quite progressive rate. Comments expressed calm, really enjoying being at university… appear to show that many students acknowl- learning so much’ (D8:081120). ‘I have a ten- edged a need to stay ahead of topics taught dency to work even when I take time away’ in lectures and seminars, and they also (D17:081213) acknowledge a desire to start course work Another measure of engagement was also and revision early. However, having acknowl- expressed when participants articulated a edged these crucial aspects of student aca- need to either catch up on missed work, demic life most prioritised non-academic even when illness may have prevented the pursuits. This is a theme that is revisited student’s attendance at lectures and semi- many times within the diary data, students nars. ‘Didn’t attend today… too ill, Work to catch appear to be aware of what is expected of up on though for missed lessons… but I don’t them, but for numerous reasons appear to want to fall behind’ (D8:081013). ‘I may be off adopt a laissez-faire approach to their sick but doesn’t mean being bone idle’ studies. There appears to be a mismatch (D2:081017). ‘Revision not going well, too ill… between effort and result, and possibly a mis- but do not want to drop out… I am enjoying the conception regarding how importantly the whole thing too much’(D9:090106). institution takes autonomous learning, a skill Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 71 Derek Larkin & Ian Harrison the institution promotes very early on in activity in their diaries; a small number, how- semester one. Pokorny and Pokorny (2005) ever, provided rather scant detail. The par- argue that the institution needs to prepare ticipants who provided minimal information students to become autonomous learners, coincidently reported some of the lowest and that students need help, and guidance end of year grades. ‘Had forgotten to write, to become more effective at managing their got loads of work to do but haven’t got around time and workload. It is argued that this to it’ (D20:081009). ‘Received this diary’ process helps equip students with the skills (D4:080902) (no further entries) to meet the demands of higher education Earwaker (1992) suggests that the start of (Fazey & Fazey, 2001). year one is a particularly vulnerable time of the year for new students. Tinto (1982) sug- Disengagement gests that for some students the inability to The notion of a disengaged student or one adapt to a new environment of university that is drifting into disengagement is illus- often leads to not only withdrawal but can trated below. Two types of comments were lead to lower academic achievement. ‘Did not apparent; the first describes a disconnection do any work today. Feel really down and homesick’ with the necessity to attend lectures and the (D6:081005). ‘Feel down again today- spent all second with an apparent disconnection with day in my pyjamas – unsure why’ (D1:081002). the assessment process. ‘I missed the intro to It is clear from these statements that the assessment – my group have ditched me – sod institution needs also to be aware of the stu- um… was absent [also] again today, spoke to [stu- dent’s emotional wellbeing as well as their dent name] he said [there] was nothing I needed to general health. Szulecka, Springett and De know…’(D12:081027). ‘Printed assignment, it’s Pauw (1987) found a link between student a load of pants, it might scrape through, it’s going health and the increased likelihood of stu- to be handed in as it is’ (D12:081207). dent attrition. Wolf et al. (1991) even found These remarks were reported within a few that students were more psychosocially weeks of the student starting their degree, unhealthy at the end of their first year than and appear to show a disconnection from the at the beginning, and suggests that the insti- degree process, but it is not clear from what tutions should teach students how to cope has been written as to why this student is with stress, that may cause ill health. seemingly starting to disengage. Some might argue (Wright, 1996) that this student has cer- Withdrawal concerns tain attributes that might explain this process, Within several diaries references were made such as being poorly prepared for higher edu- to instances in which participants referred to cation (see Rowley et al., 2008) or that they being so unhappy they expressed a desire to lack motivation (see Assiter & Gibbs, 2007). leave university, or change course. ‘…Made Others might suggest (see Blythman & Orr, me want to QUIT? Really not happy right now, 2002) that the university is to blame for not wondering if sociology is more me?’ (D2:081114). supporting students adequately enough, or ‘Can’t do it, nothing is going right. Hate it all, that the culture or workings of the university think I made a mistake’(D2:081205). We have are at fault. The fact remains that this partic- taken comments from this participant previ- ular student did not fail the year or leave their ously, in which they clearly showed early studies, however, this student was one of only signs of disengagement, this student how- a handful of male students in this year cohort, ever did not decide to leave university and which may lead to a lack of social integration attained a 2:1 grade for the year. This partic- thus the despondency (Porter & Swing, 2006; ular student had not previously studied in Woodfield et al., 2006). the UK, and as Bruce Johnstone, d’Ambrosio For the most part participants provided a and Yakoboski (2010) point out these stu- very detailed account of their daily/weekly dents are under unique pressures, away from 72 Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 Exploring student engagement through the use of diaries home and all that is familiar. However, with- Not sure so will ask mentors for guidance’ drawal concerns also affected UK-based stu- (D3:081011). ‘…arranged to meet with peer dents ‘lots of us feel stressed/overwhelmed, lack of mentor for some advice’ (D8:081027) ‘[Mentor’s direction… a lot of us feel like giving up entirely… name] was very helpful – supported idea…’ this is a major life change’ (D3:081103). ‘Saw (D3:081016). [tutor’s name] today told her that I feel over- Some seemingly well motivated students whelmed, she said go away and read! Fat lot of commented on the desire to form student good that’s going to do’ (D1:081030). ‘Very tired lead study groups. ‘Spoke to other students about now, esp starting p/t job & trying to balance a study group as concerned may fall behind’ work/assignments’(D3:081208). (D3:081208). ‘…going to start study group next Although only a handful of participants week’ (D3:090126). ‘Came in to see peer mentor, confirm this feeling, it is not possible to got a couple of worries, was meant to see personal assess if this was indeed a common concern tutor but have spoken to her instead’ or feeling among the student population (D17:081106). from these diary entries. ‘For first time ques- Many universities have students support tioning whether doing the right course for me and uppermost in the minds, which can be a where I learn the most’ (D3:081107). ‘Feel made costly enterprise in terms of time and money, major life change, getting into debt and wondering but within our sample no reference was made if chosen best subject’ (D3:081110). to seeking out this expensive additional From these comments it is clear that even support. It would appear from our data that the most committed student can express the un-motivated students seek neither support desire to withdraw. ‘De-motivated and very hard from teaching staff or fellow students, to study, read, write… wondering if done right whereas the motivated students main source thing leaving full-time employment, getting in debt of learning support are fellow students. or if picked wrong course...’ (D3:081124). It is apparent from these statements that some University issues students became despondent with the uni- Due to the largely independent learning versity as a whole, and had the propensity to environment of any university some students drift into disengagement. Other comments can find it hard to move from the ‘hand- appeared to go much further, to where the held’ dependent nature of high school and student would actively give a time scale to college. ‘Wondering if chosen best uni as heard possible withdrawal. ‘…Brought to tears as we about how other students benefit from more direc- felt we were trying to find our way in the dark... so tion/teaching time at uni, etc. Speaking to other many talking of leaving or changing courses...’ students – seems to be a common concern’ (D3:090119). ‘At an all time low. Giving it ‘till (D3:081110). ‘…feel more guidance especially after xmas then see how I feel. If the same [then] first year so we know what to do and how best to do uni isn’t for me’ (D9:081207). it would be great…’ (D3:081110). The transition from guided to Student support autonomous learners can sometimes be Participants made a number of references to problematic for some students (Harvey et al., learning support, and the interaction with 2006). According to Harvey et al. (2006) teaching staff and dedicated learning being prepared for university is a fine bal- support staff. ‘…four of us in the meeting, spent ance between being informed, having real- an hour going over the results section, asking ques- istic expectations and being motivated. tions, feel a little better about it…’(D2:081114). Rickinson and Rutherford (1995) con- Even with the best intensions in the world, ducted a survey of red-brick universities in some students still feel nervous approaching the UK and found that the reasons for with- teaching staff, and instead seek out the help drawal were very diverse, but the most fre- from fellow students. ‘Asked fellow students – quent reasons were wrong course or Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 No. 1 73