Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Addressing unrealistic optimism with counterfactual reasoning in an employability module in higher education

Addressing unrealistic optimism with counterfactual reasoning in an employability module in... The study aimed to explore the effect of second year business students engaging in counterfactual reasoning on their unrealistic optimism regarding attainment on an employability module.Design/methodology/approachUsing an experimental design, the study compared the module performance of those who generated reasons why they would and would not achieve a series of specific grades. A control group who did not generate any reasons also took part.FindingsStudents who generated reasons why they would not achieve a good grade were less likely to be unrealistically optimistic and more likely to attain a good grade on their assessment.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a small sample of students from one form of programme, so replication with a greater sample drawn from other programmes would increase reliability.Practical implicationsThe results suggest an easily applied and practical way of engaging students in employability modules to support their development of a range of capitals.Social implicationsThe findings are considered in relation to the theory of possible selves, the value for students, particularly widening participation of students, of improved engagement with employability modules and the possibility of applying this technique in wider educational settings.Originality/valueThis paper extends Hoch’s (1985) original study by considering the use of counterfactual reasoning for assessment performance and offering a an easy-to-apply tool for module leaders to support student attainment in employability development modules. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education Emerald Publishing

Addressing unrealistic optimism with counterfactual reasoning in an employability module in higher education

Download PDF
19 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/addressing-unrealistic-optimism-with-counterfactual-reasoning-in-an-KyC5fdNkYs
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2050-7003
DOI
10.1108/jarhe-02-2019-0047
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the effect of second year business students engaging in counterfactual reasoning on their unrealistic optimism regarding attainment on an employability module.Design/methodology/approachUsing an experimental design, the study compared the module performance of those who generated reasons why they would and would not achieve a series of specific grades. A control group who did not generate any reasons also took part.FindingsStudents who generated reasons why they would not achieve a good grade were less likely to be unrealistically optimistic and more likely to attain a good grade on their assessment.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a small sample of students from one form of programme, so replication with a greater sample drawn from other programmes would increase reliability.Practical implicationsThe results suggest an easily applied and practical way of engaging students in employability modules to support their development of a range of capitals.Social implicationsThe findings are considered in relation to the theory of possible selves, the value for students, particularly widening participation of students, of improved engagement with employability modules and the possibility of applying this technique in wider educational settings.Originality/valueThis paper extends Hoch’s (1985) original study by considering the use of counterfactual reasoning for assessment performance and offering a an easy-to-apply tool for module leaders to support student attainment in employability development modules.

Journal

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jun 7, 2021

Keywords: Employability; Attainment; Counterfactual reasoning; Unrealistic optimism

References

  • Reflexivity, structure and agency: using reflexivity to understand further education students' higher education decision-making and choices
    Baker, Z.
  • Connecting academic and employability skills and attributes
    Blaxell, R.; Moore, C.
  • Quantitative studies of student self-assessment in higher education: a critical analysis of findings
    Boud, D.; Falchikov, N.
  • Attempting to predict withdrawal from higher education using demographic, psychological and educational measures
    Charlton, J.P.; Barrow, C.; Hornby‐Atkinson, P.
  • Rethinking graduate employability: the role of capital, individual attributes and context
    Clarke, M.
  • Unrealistic optimism: still a neglected trait
    Coelho, M
  • Employability, emotional intelligence and career preparation support satisfaction among adolescents in the school-to-work transition phase
    Coetzee, M.; Beukes, C.J.
  • Using online coaching to develop psychological fitness and employability
    Hanson, J.; Lees, D.
  • Using the lens of ‘possible selves' to explore access to higher education: a new conceptual model for practice, policy, and research
    Harrison, N.
  • Embedding and integrating employability
    Harvey, L.
  • Assessing unrealistic optimism: impact of different approaches to measuring susceptibility to diabetes
    Hevey, D.; French, D.; Marteau, T.; Sutton, S.
  • Counterfactual reasoning and accuracy in predicting personal events
    Hoch, S.
  • Trends in participation and attainment of Chinese students in UK higher education
    Ianelli, C.; Huang, J.
  • Metacognitive Realism: a cognitive style or a learning strategy?
    Jans, V.; Leclercq, D.
  • What is unrealistic optimism?
    Jefferson, A.; Bortolotti, L.; Kuzmanovic, B.
  • Do UK higher education students overestimate their starting salary?
    Jerrim, J.
  • Individual differences in metacognition: evidence against a general metacognitive ability
    Kelemen, W.L.; Frost, P.J.; Weaver, C.A.
  • Accuracy of students' self‐assessment and their beliefs about its utility
    Lew, M.D.; Alwis, W.A.M.; Schmidt, H.G.
  • Mind the gap: are students prepared for higher education?
    Lowe, H.; Cook, A.
  • Possible selves
    Markus, H.; Nurius, P.
  • An investigation in the effects of gender, prior academic achievement, place of residence, age and attendance on first-year undergraduate attainment
    Newman-Ford, L.; Lloyd, S.; Thomas, S.
  • The key to successful achievement as an undergraduate student: confidence and realistic expectations?
    Nicholson, L.; Putwain, D.; Connors, L.; Hornby-Atkinson, P.
  • Responsibility, metacognition and unrealistic pessimism in obsessive–compulsive disorder
    Niemeyer, H.; Moritz, S.; Pietrowsky, R.
  • Possible selves and delinquency
    Oyserman, D.; Markus, H.R.
  • Possible selves as roadmaps
    Oyserman, D.; Bybee, D.; Terry, K.; Hart-Johnson, T.
  • Possible selves and academic outcomes: how and when possible selves impel action
    Oyserman, D.; Bybee, D.; Terry, K.
  • Gender differences in the correlates of academic achievement among university students
    Pirmohamed, S.; Debowska, A.; Boduszek, D.
  • The attainment and experiences of disabled students in distance education
    Richardson, J.T.
  • Another look at the role of age, gender and subject as predictors of academic attainment in higher education
    Richardson, J.T.; Woodley, A.
  • The attainment of ethnic minority students in UK higher education
    Richardson, J.T.
  • Maintaining the promise without killing the dream: developing resilience for future ‘graduate’ careers
    Scurry, T.; Burke, C.; Blenkinsopp, J.; Smart, A.
  • Taking stock of unrealistic optimism
    Shepperd, J.A.; Klein, W.M.P.; Waters, E.A.; Weinstein, N.D.
  • Predicting students’ academic performance based on school and socio-demographic characteristics
    Thiele, T.; Singleton, A.; Pope, D.; Stanistreet, D.
  • Graduate employability and student attitudes and orientations to the labour market
    Tomlinson, M.
  • Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability
    Tomlinson, M.
  • Unrealistic optimism about future life events
    Weinstein, N.
  • Unrealistic optimism: present and future
    Weinstein, N.D.; Klein, W.M.