ERIC Number: EJ1447087
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1759-667X
Student Dropout and Feelings of Belonging and Mattering in UK Undergraduate Allied Health Students
Clair Zawada
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, n31 2024
Student belonging is well researched, with links identified between a sense of belonging in students and student experience (Pedler, Willis and Nieuwoudt, 2022), satisfaction (Fan, Luchok and Dozier, 2021), and student persistence (Ahn and Davis, 2023). Mattering refers to an individual student's perception that they are noticed and valued, and it is less well researched (Flett, 2018). This research investigates levels of belonging and mattering across the academic and the clinical environment in undergraduate Allied Health professional students and the correlation with students who have seriously considered dropping out. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was distributed to undergraduate students enrolled on Allied Health programmes at one UK university. The questionnaires utilised four previously validated Likert scales measuring feelings of: mattering in the university environment (Elliott, Kao and Grant, 2004), mattering in the clinical placement environment (Elliott, Kao and Grant, 2004); belonging in the university environment (Yorke, 2016); and belonging in the clinical placement environment using the Belongingness Scale-Clinical Placement Experience (BS-CPE) (Levett-Jones et al., 2009). Participants were also asked whether they had seriously considered dropping out from their studies. An analysis of the 264 completed questionnaires showed that students who had seriously considered dropping out had significantly lower scores for all four scales. This research demonstrates that feelings of belonging and mattering may impact on the student's intention to persist with their studies. For students attending clinical placement as part of their studies, attention needs to be given to supporting students to feel that they belong in the clinical placement environment and that they matter to clinical staff and their peers during placements.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Allied Health Occupations Education, Student College Relationship, Student Attitudes, Dropout Characteristics, Experiential Learning, Clinical Experience
Association for Learning Development in Higher Education. 33 Lower Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 9NB, UK. e-mail: admin@aldinhe.ac.uk; Web site: https://jldhe.aldinhe.ac.uk/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A