Student engagement and motivation in Higher Education: the contribution of a level 4 residential upon university experience.

This paper is the result of a research project carried out by a team of lecturer and undergraduate student researchers as part of the University Teaching Fellowship scheme.

The research took the form of an explorative case study with the objective to explore student perceptions as to the possible impact of the residential opportunity on their University experience as students on a three-year BA (Hons) Education course.  There was a particular focus on the impact of the residential on tutor-student and student-student relationships, feelings about the course and engagement and motivation.

A co-research approach, with two novice undergraduate researchers, was used as a way of creating staff-student partnerships, developing research skills and addressing perceived power imbalances.

Level 4 and Level 6 students who had attended the residential experience were interviewed individually. The resulting transcripts were analysed for themes which were cross checked across the team, with lessons learnt and implications for future practice emerging.