New pathways to university degrees, such as degree apprenticeships and direct entry from further education, challenge universities to support students to make the most of their higher education opportunities and achieve good degrees. Researching students’ experience of transitioning into university in these non-traditional contexts can help universities align support with students’ needs. However, researchers need to look beyond surveys to gather data, as contemporary students’ lifestyles and identities, combined with survey fatigue, reduce the quantity and quality of responses. Rich Pictures, completed by students working in groups, provide a great way to gather students’ perspectives, as a potentially rewarding activity, producing useful data that goes beyond researchers’ preconceptions. This paper focuses on two Rich Picture studies: degree apprentices looking ahead at the beginning of their degrees; and direct entrants, looking back. The advantages and challenges of the method are presented, as well as insights into the students’ transitions
Citation
Taylor-Smith, E., & Meharg, D. (2019, December). Using Rich Pictures to understand students’ transitions on new degree pathways. Presented at Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual International Conference, Newport, Wales
Presentation Conference Type
Conference Paper (published)
Conference Name
Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual International Conference
