The Developing Self in Higher Education

The self plays a prominent role in higher education – the purpose of higher education has variously been described as the development of self-managed, self-motivated, self-regulated, autonomous learners, with enhanced self-confidence and self-efficacy. Generally, however, the focus of concern is not on the self, but on motivation, regulation, autonomy, efficacy etc. The presentation uses a ‘constructivist\u27 framework based on the philosophies of Vygotsky, Mead, Dewey and Popper. Information will be presented from interviews with students contemplating entry to university (senior high school students), students in higher education and mature students returning to higher education, and look at how this information should be interpreted. It is intended that at the end of the session all participants (including the presenter) will have a clearer idea of how this important aspect of learning in higher education could be examined in future scholarship