2015

Informing Policy and Practice I' reports on the 12 research projects funded under the 2014 round of the NCSEHE Research Grants Program and acts as a conduit for discussion on how the research findings may inform student equity policy and practice. Summaries and links to each report are supported by expert commentary.

This research examined the relationship between resilience, career optimism, wellbeing, academic satisfaction and academic achievement. The research was based on a web based survey of 274 predominantly mature-age students, followed by interviews with 30 high-achieving students.

By tracking two cohorts from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth (LSAY) the report addresses: the size of the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous in education performance; whether there has been any improvement in academic performance at age 15; and the extent to which educational outcomes for Indigenous students are affected by the final years of schooling.

This report investigates the sources of inequalities in university participation by focusing on the university application and admission process. We build on the growing international evidence of differences between high and low socioeconomic status (SES) students in their understanding of the university application process.

This article is a reflection on the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) national forum on Indigenous pathways and transitions into higher education (#HEPP15) conference and the emergent themes.

This project, Choosing University, sought to identify factors associated with schools and schooling that impact on students’ aspirations to attend university. The schools identified for the study were NSW government secondary schools with low levels of socioeconomic advantage (average ICSEA 911). Students targeted for the study were primarily from low socioeconomic status backgrounds.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of FiF status, socio-economic and demographic contributors to the academic outcomes of students enrolled in a large regional Australian university.

Recent government objectives aimed at increasing student enrolment from non-traditional backgrounds has led to a broadening of the university student enrolment base. The profile of the university student population has diversified, and diversification is likely to continue. The aim of this guide is to address the changing needs of undergraduate students, provide perspectives on pedagogy, and suggest a number of teaching strategies.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has revealed Labor’s policy platform for higher education, saying the focus would be on retaining students in higher education and curbing the numbers dropping out. This article provides tips on how to ensure students from an equity background complete their degrees.

Drawing on interviews conducted with first-in-family students, this article explores how one cohort considered their movement into university and how they enacted success within this environment. Utilising Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, this article discusses how these individuals drew upon existing and established capital reserves in this transition to higher education.