Abstract:

Increasingly universities are required to develop widening participation strategies to encourage non-traditional students. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study aimed at understanding the academic behavioural confidence level of non-traditional students compared to their traditional student classmates. In this study the non-traditional student is identified as those older than 24 years of age at commencement of their studies (Deutsch and Schmertz, 2011; Samuels, Beach and Palmer, 2011).

The students are part of a transnational programme delivered in Singapore by a UK university. Students enter at the second stage of the undergraduate degree having completed a relevant Diploma that includes subjects that cover topics from the university’s first stage of the degree. Many of the students have been employed for several years and to advance their careers perceive the importance of an undergraduate degree. Therefore many of the students are older than 24 years of age and often there is a considerable time lapse since participating in their last formal education, sometimes as long as four or five years. With added demands of employment and in many cases family responsibilities on the non-traditional student there can be a high attrition, thus understanding what type of support is needed by this distinct set of students is of importance.

This quantitative study employs the Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale (ABC) to assess whether non-traditional students perceive themselves as being able to cope and succeed in their university study. The scale employs seventeen statements forming the four factors of verbalising, studying, attending and grades. Correlation and t-tests highlight differences between the younger and older age groups. The older students are less confident in their abilities for all statements relating to the factors of studying and attending and less confident in all but one statement for grade factor, that is, producing your best work under exam conditions. For the overall verbalising factor the older age group are more confident than those aged 24 years and under suggesting the older student has confidence in speaking out within the class, a confidence gained with maturity and their work environment where contributing to meetings is part of their role.

The two statements of ‘passing assessments at the first attempt’ and ‘writing in an appropriate academic style’ were significantly different for the two age groups with the older group having less confidence in their abilities. To develop their confidence more use of ‘trial’ assessments (formative) might be appropriate to gain academic writing skills required and learn from their feedback for the summative assessments. Results from this study highlight the areas where academic support is needed for the ever increasing group of non-traditional students.

Keywords:

Non-traditional, business student, confidence, undergraduate.