“Don’t ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to”: An exploration of 1st year university students’ expectations and experiences from the students’ and the teachers’ perspectives.

Abstract

Students are likely to approach their first days at University with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. They may be enthusiastic about their independence and learning new skills and knowledge, but may also be nervous about the many unknowns facing them. These feelings and expectations may have greater ramifications than immediate student happiness and comfort and may impact on student retention and motivation. It is therefore important that potential sources of dissatisfaction are known so where possible they can be addressed, resulting in better matches between experience and expectations and improved outcomes for all. This session will introduce a research project that explores the mismatch between experience and expectations of commencing students across the three universities in South Australia. It will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about the research, discuss its potential value and consider any possible risks associated with research which compares expectations with experience.