From placement to academic meltdown. A qualitative study of student experience in the transition from third year placement back to fourth year academic study

Pirie, Tracy; McNicholas, Carolyn

Abstract

Placements perform a valuable role in enhancing discipline-relevant skill sets, improving confidence and making students more employable. A declining trend in placement uptake may be due to problems experienced with the transition back into university, primarily with getting back into sync with studying and engaging with academic requirements. In this study the transition experience of two groups of placement students returning to the Robert Gordon University (RGU) was explored through in-depth qualitative interviews. Students who had undertaken a workshop as part of the Business Creativity module (BCM) prior to starting fourth year felt more prepared for the transition than their counterparts who went straight from placement into fourth year. This study concludes that placement students should be offered a tailored induction through workshops prior to re-commencing to adapt their mind set and re-engage with the academic process to help them succeed in their final year.

Citation

Pirie, T., & McNicholas, C. (2015, June). From placement to academic meltdown. A qualitative study of student experience in the transition from third year placement back to fourth year academic study. Paper presented at International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education
• Start Date: Jun 9, 2015
• End Date: Jun 11, 2015
• Acceptance Date: Jun 11, 2015
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education