First year at university : students' expectations and experience

• Main Author: Jónína Sigrún Birgisdóttir 1989-
• Other Authors: Háskólinn í Reykjavík
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Sálfræði; Háskólanám; Væntingar; Eigindlegar rannsóknir; Psychology; Study and teaching (Higher); Qualitative research methods; Reykjavík; Iceland; Háskólans í Reykjavík; Reykjavik University
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/34846

The transition from secondary school to university can be challenging. To successfully transit students, need to adapt both academically and socially. The aim of this study was to gain better understanding of students’ expectations and experiences when starting university, using a qualitative method. This is the first research in Iceland with this focus. Between February and October 2019, semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with students and faculty at Reykjavik University. The overall findings are that students and faculty feel that there is a gap between high school and university and an even bigger gap than students thought beforehand as most of them mistakenly believed they were well prepared for university. Workload is heavy and studying at university is a full time job. The key to succeed, to fully transit to new environment, is to develop effective study methods and work hard. Students have other responsibilities than school and many of them work alongside their studies. Learning is a collaboration between students and faculty. For students to adjust and feel a sense of belonging within the university environment they need to be more realistic about their competences and that is perhaps something both high school and university can help them to become. Það að hefja háskólanám getur verið töluverð áskorun, umskiptin frá framhaldskóla til háskóla geta verið töluverð og til að þau heppnist sem best þurfa nemendur að finna sig í háskólanum bæði náms- og félagslega. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að öðlast betri skilning á væntingum og reynslu nemenda sem hefja háskólanám og er þetta fyrsta rannsókn sinnar tegundar í landinu. Eigindleg rannsókn var gerð á meðal fyrsta árs nemenda frá febrúar til október. Tekin voru viðtöl við nemendur og starfsfólk Háskólans í Reykjavík og rýnihópur meðal nemenda. Helstu niðurstöður eru þær að nemendur og starfsfólk segja gjá á milli framhaldskóla og háskóla og að þessi gjá sé jafnvel dýpri en nemendur áttuðu sig á við upphaf náms, því að flestir þeirra ...