Agents of Aspiration: The (Often Unintended) Benefits to University Students Working in Outreach Programmes

Autor/inn/en	Fleming, Michele J.; Grace, Diana M.
Titel	Agents of Aspiration: The (Often Unintended) Benefits to University Students Working in Outreach Programmes
Quelle	In: Educational Research, 58 (2016) 3, S.300-318 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0013-1881
DOI	10.1080/00131881.2016.1185316
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Outreach Programs; Universities; College Students; Aspiration; Questionnaires; Qualitative Research; Student Motivation; Student Experience; Rural Population; Low Income Students; Indigenous Populations; Student Satisfaction; Access to Education; Mentors; Role Models; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Jobcoaching; University; Universität; Collegestudent; Streben; Fragebogen; Qualitative Forschung; Schulische Motivation; Studienerfahrung; Landbevölkerung; Sinti und Roma; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Identifikationsfigur; Australien
Abstract	Background: Universities in many countries increasingly deliver outreach programmes to raise aspirations and encourage participation in higher education. At the University of Canberra in Australia, these programmes target schools that have been identified as having a large number of students from rural/regional, financially disadvantaged and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds--groups that continue to be underrepresented in higher education. Involved in the delivery of these programmes are current university students--at the University of Canberra termed "Aspiration Agents"--many of whom come from similar backgrounds to the students with whom they work. Although not the focus of the outreach programmes, the Aspiration Agents themselves also derive benefits from the experience. Purpose: This research aimed to explore the reasons why students choose to become Aspiration Agents, and the perceived benefits of the mentoring/ambassador role. Sample, Design and Methods: The data collection comprised two small-scale exploratory questionnaire studies (N = 12; N = 20). Qualitative methods were used to investigate participants' self-reported motivations for, and experiences of being Aspiration Agents. Findings: Findings suggest that students perceived benefits in personal, student-related and future professional domains. Dominating all these areas, however, was the recurring theme that the students were both motivated to, and derived satisfaction from, helping others. These findings are discussed in terms of the specific role of the Aspiration Agent and how this form of employment can positively, rather than negatively, impact on the student's own university experience. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01