Skip to main content

Concluding Thoughts

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
  • 721 Accesses

Abstract

It is widely recognised that access to university has become necessary for fuller, healthier and more satisfying participation in post-industrial society, as well as for the attainment and maintenance of national prosperity. As a result of this understanding, universities have been strongly encouraged by governments across the globe to widen participation to sectors of society which traditionally did not participate in Higher Education (HE). At the time of writing, cohorts of students, who are the first in their families to access university, are enrolling in unprecedented numbers, and in some cases, make up over 50 per cent of university populations (Spiegler and Bednarek 2013). While the metaphorical door of the tertiary sector has been opened more widely to these students, the welcome mat can be difficult to locate. Indeed, these students have for too long been regarded as ill-equipped guests to the HE party.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Brun, C., & Rapp, R. (1999). Strengths-based case management: Individuals’ perspectives on strengths and the case manager relationship. Social Work, 46(3), 278–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cassells, R., Duncan, A., Abello, A., D’Souza, G., & Nepal, B. (2012). Smart Australians: Education and innovation in Australia (AMP. NATSEM income and wealth report (32)). Melbourne: AMP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clifton, D., & Nelson, P. (1992). Soar with your strengths. Delacorte Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graybeal, C. (2001). Strengths-based social work assessment: Transforming the dominant paradigm. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 82(3), 233–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maruna, S., & LeBel, T. (2003). Welcome home? Examining the “reentry court” concept from a strengths-based perspective. Western Criminology Review, 4(2), 91–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKay, J., & Devlin, M. (2016). ‘Low income doesn’t mean stupid and destined for failure’: Challenging the deficit discourse around students from low SES backgrounds in higher education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(4), 347–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Shea, S., Lysaght, P., Roberts, P., & Harwood, V. (2016a). Shifting the blame in higher education—Social inclusion and deficit discourses. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(2), 322–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Shea, S., Stone, C., Delahunty, J., & May, J. (2016b). Discourses of betterment and opportunity: Exploring the privileging of university attendance for first-in-family learners. Studies in Higher Education. doi:10.1080/03075079.2016.1212325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths based leadership. New York: Gallup Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit, R. (2012). Toward a clearer understanding of student disadvantage in higher education: Problematising deficit thinking. Higher Education Research & Development, 31(3), 369–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spiegler, T., & Bednarek, A. (2013). First-generation students: What we ask, what we know and what it means. An international review of the state of research. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 23(4), 318–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, C., & O’Shea, S. (2012). Transformations and self-discovery: Stories of women returning to education. Champaign: Common Ground Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yosso, T. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

O’Shea, S., May, J., Stone, C., Delahunty, J. (2017). Concluding Thoughts. In: First-in-Family Students, University Experience and Family Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58284-3_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58284-3_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-58283-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-58284-3

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics