Session 78: White, male and first-in-family: understanding student experience and helping them to succeed

Abstract

White working-class males remain most academically disadvantaged in our country, and many of those who progress into higher education continue to underperform (Hillman and Robinson, 2016). Inequality is often hidden behind ‘white privilege’ discourse, and literature shows that a focus on other marginalised demographic student groups at the expense of this group has resulted in them feeling forgotten (Cotton et al., 2016).

This presentation will share outcomes of a project, supported by LJMU Diversity and Inclusion Fund, on understanding barriers to academic achievement of white, first-in-family male students. The overarching aim of the project was to explore to what extent approaches to learning, patterns of decision making, seeking support, and beliefs about succeeding at university differ within this demographic group, and how various student groups could be supported in their university journey.

The study design consists of three parts: (1) semi-structured interviews with academic and professional services staff; (2) online survey of the student population, and (3) analysis of individual students’ experiences, using Q-methodology. Based on results of the staff interviews (19), student questionnaire (1300 first-in-family male and female students responded) and literature review, a ‘concourse’ was compiled representing different views, experiences, and behaviours of being a first-in-family university student, which was refined into 60 discrete statements. Q Methodology was then used in workshops with students to gain an in-depth understanding of subjective experiences of individual students, revealing areas of consensus and variations between their collective beliefs and views. The methodology is based on correlation and factor analysis of the ranked statements, and interpretation is supported by student commentaries during the sorting exercise and their demographic profile, reported separately.

The presentation will include insights from all stages of the research and proposed recommendations. The discussion will be focused on how the potential of white male students could be enhanced, by both academics and colleagues from professional services.

References
Hillman, N. & Robinson, N. (2026). HEPI Report 84, Boys to Men: The underachievement of young men in higher education: and how to start tackling it.
Cotton, D.R.E., Joyner, M., George, R. & Cotton, P.A. (2016). Understanding the gender and ethnicity attainment gap in UK higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 53(5), 475-486, DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2015.1013145