What are the Implications for Working-class Adult Learners within the structures of Higher Education?

This thesis sets out to explore the experiences of students within higher education in terms of ‘implications’ by where the values placed on success within the grading process has ill effects. The values placed on students can be found within common meritocratic discourses that are heavily infiltrated within the system, where ‘successful achievement’ is psychologically constructed around hierarchal status. Such internally built constructs have its foundations within middle class aspirations, where the grading system determines ‘crossing over to the other side’ for working class students, that is, the greener side. Where achievement to reach this side lies in a competitive structure that ‘operates’ on individual performance for a market orientated economy. The heavily weighted values placed on working class students to achieve to such aspirations have ‘voiced’ their implications of competing in such structures within higher education. Where educational policies and discourses that governs these operations are having serious ill effects for some working-class students. Although, the education system professes a sense of overall human wellbeing and a prosperous life through the perception of social mobility, the findings within this research would suggest otherwise, where social, emotional, and psychological damage has occurred for some working-class students. Where such operational structures are embedded with unequal practices, which will be emphasised in this research. This study has attempted to unveil the real and honest truth through the experiences of these students to highlight concerning issues for working class backgrounds who enter in the realms of the dominant structure that is highly middle class led. This thesis can only work off its limitations, sadly, where all findings cannot be included. This study involves only three participants and therefore cannot give a general perspective. Additionally, and in support to these findings, a statistical account will be offered to further support such issues. The themes that have concerningly arose within these findings would require further exploration in order to address a transformation within policy agendas and ideologies where the use of such discourse of ‘working hard and you will succeed’ are at the core of such ill effects.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

National University of Ireland Maynooth

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Tracey, Scully

Language dc:language

en