White Working Class Males in British Higher Education
• Self-definition : Previous research with university students indicated that participants ’ ‘ self-identified social class strongly correlates with students ’ self-reported and institutionally reported family income and parental education , lending validity to students ’ self-identification in a social class ’ ( Soria and Bultmann , 2014:52 ). Though the challenge with this method is that some students may not identify as working class , even if they come from low income families , and some more financially privileged students may not identify as middle class .
7.2 Challenging ' low-aspiration ' discourses
Pre-entry : The study suggests that the majority of male learners from disadvantaged backgrounds hold positive attitudes to education . The vast majority of participants reported that they are keen to engage in new or different types of learning , they see a link between studying and success and view working hard at school / college as a positive characteristic . They also show more interest in a wider variety of HE pathways , rather than the ‘ tried and tested ’ full time route . Although they may not report financial gains as the most important motivator , they are interested in accessing education and training and allows them to progress into careers that suits their interests and skills . Many of the learners we spoke to do however have concerns about their ability to cope with HE , both academically and on a personal and social level and therefore the issue appears one of low confidence .
• Outreach provision that supports schools and colleges to building confident learners may be effective in increasing progression .
• White , working class male learners need to experience the full breadth of HE learning opportunities available , to allow them to explore how provision might offer them a suitable pathway .
Post-entry : The findings from the post entry research suggest that this population of underrepresented students may be more aspirational than their peers . This is not to suggest that all white , working class males are more aspirational than their peers . While it may be difficult to reconcile research findings that challenge the dominant aspiration discourses that suggest that white , working class males have low or no aspirations , consider :
• A number of scholars have challenged the ‘ low aspiration ’ rhetoric employed to construct underrepresented students , including white , working class males , through discourses of deficit ( Grant , 2016 ; Stahl , 2016 ; Burke , 2011 ; Spohrer , 2011 ; St Clair and Benjamin , 2011 ; Burke , 2006 ).
• If current strategies for increasing recruitment of white , working class males that are primarily focused on ‘ raising aspirations ’ were effective and successful , then this research and report would not be necessary . This is not to suggest that widening participation teams should eliminate all strategies focused on providing opportunities for students to raise and articulate their aspirations . However , additional strategies should be developed to account for those students from underrepresented backgrounds , including white , working class males , who are already aspirational but need other forms of outreach and support in order to make the choice to pursue higher education .
7.3 Risk and decision-making
Pre entry : Risk of studying in HE is high for this group of learners and other routes may appear a safer option . Some learners report that making a decision about university is stressful and they seem aware that information provided is not always impartial . Other learners have limited access to information that will allow them to understand the level of risk and make an informed decision . Discussions with parents show they feel this risk keenly and possibly negative messages about university in the media and within their local community heightens the unease . Outreach provision cannot ignore the fact that tuition fees make HE a risk . And given this group of learners as a whole are less interested in financial return it cannot simply make the argument that you will earn more in future .
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