Entitlement in HE: student and academic perspectives.

Abstract

Is entitlement an inevitable characteristic of marketised higher education? If so what are its implications? This qualitative study amongst students and academics, finds evidence of feelings of entitlement amongst undergraduate students. Entitlement is conceived by students as expectations of access to human and physical resource. Perceived effort appears to be an important factor: students expect to see effort from academics; students’ own effort has variable influences on entitlement. Entitlement appears to relate entirely to the curriculum, disregarding extra-curricula opportunities. Both student and academic participants relate entitlement to increased tuition fees. Some academics see students’ expectations as a rational response to tuition fees; others reject this idea. This may have an impact on academics’ response to perceived entitlement. Academics view entitlement as a hindrance to learning, whereas some students take the opposite view. Expectations and effort are key themes: pedagogic strategies should facilitate discussion of expectations and demonstrate effort from academics.