Most enjoyable presentation and conversations in a small intimate group tonight.
Presenter: Sarah Sharpe
Title: Resilience in Transitions: a study examining parallels between student persistence in Higher Education and young children facing transitions
Drawing on an earlier study in student persistence in Higher Education (HE), this paper aims to study how extracts of data may be used to examine corresponding practices that cultivate resilience qualities in children in order to help them make positive adaptations in transitions. There has been an increase in interest in research in stress and transition in children (Petty, 2017), coinciding with a rise in reported incidences of children’s mental health issues (Wong, 2014). The transitioning process poses risk challenges to children (Correia and Marques-Pinto, 2016) who often experience a range of stressors and anxieties. Possible correlations are investigated between students’ persistence as they experience the ‘transfer-shock’ of transitioning from one academic environment to another (Ivins et al, 2017), and children’s resilience in the face of multiple transitions as they adjust to new situations. This study draws on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory to understanding resilience through a holistic consideration of contextual ‘nested contexts’ that influence children’s experiences (Stevens, 2005). Findings suggest that there are strong connections between resilience and persistence qualities in children and in HE students alike in the challenges and transitions they face – strengthened by positive, reciprocal relationships and holistic support. This research has political and cultural implications for early years practice and for how the environment could nurture resilience.
Keywords
Resilience, persistence, transitions, stress factors, positive relationships
