Page 157 - Secondary school students’ university readiness and their transition to university Els van Rooij

Chapter 6
Abstract
Secondary school teachers could play an important role in preparing students (better) for university, but there is not much knowledge about their actual role. In this study, we were interested in teachers’ beliefs regarding university readiness attributes, their practices regarding university preparation, and their role perception regarding university preparation. Framework analysis was applied on interview data from y teachers, where the framework was based on the four- key model of college readiness by Conley, which consists of cognitive strategies, content knowledge, learning skills and techniques, and transition knowledge and skills. e results revealed that teachers believed that attributes falling into the category of learning skills and techniques were the most important aspects of university readiness. ese beliefs, however, were not in line with teachers’ university preparation practices, because these mainly consisted of providing students with information about studying at university (transition knowledge). Although most teachers believed their role involved contributing to university readiness, few teachers had university preparation in mind as explicit goal; instead, most of them mentioned university preparation practices they performed unintentionally. As barriers to university preparation teachers mentioned spending most of their time on preparing students for the national examinations and a lack of knowledge of what universities expect from rst-year students. More awareness of the importance of university preparation and collaboration between schools and universities o er potentially helpful resolutions.
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