Do We Really Know Our Students? Student Expectations of Higher Education and Implications for Universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7190/jostle.v1i1.592Keywords:
student engagement, student typlogies, student needsAbstract
The aim of the roundtable session is to debate and discuss the following questions:
- Do we know who our students are?
- What do students want from universities?
- Is a ‘one size fits all approach’ to student engagement and success feasible?
- Student typologies: do they exist and are they helpful?
The student population within higher education (HE) has changed dramatically in recent years (Mehta et al, 2024) and traditional approaches to standard classroom delivery and a one size fits all approach to student success is argued against (Nunez et al, 2026). Understanding who our students are and their individual needs are deemed necessary to student success and engagement however, in an ever-changing dynamic HE landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fully understand and manage the expectations of HE students. Crabtree (2023) suggest that many barriers to student engagement and ultimately student success exists, and having a greater understanding of student needs is vital.
References
Crabtree, R.M. (2023). Barriers to student engagement: why don't university students engage? Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 4(3), 28-47. https://doi.org/10.66561/sehej.v4i3.1156
Mehta, K.J., Aula-Blasco, J., & Mantaj, J. (2024). University students’ preferences of learning modes post COVID-19-associated lockdowns: In-person, online, and blended. PLoS ONE 19(7): e0296670. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296670
Nunez, N.A., Fernández-Concha, R., & Cornejo-Meza, G. (2026). One size does not fit all: customizing teaching and learning strategies with Generative AI. Frontiers in Education, 11, 1699228. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1699228
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ruth M. Crabtree, Luke Williams
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