Evaluating the effectiveness of a programme for improving the participation and academic success of an underrepresented minority group in New Zealand.

Pacific peoples are a minority under-represented ethnic group in higher education in New Zealand. This article explores the effectiveness of a specific programme, which sought to improve outcomes of Pacific students in the tertiary environment. The aim of the evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of an intervention programme (2013-2015) to increase the participation and academic success of Pacific students in the first year in Health Sciences. The study found the academic results of Pacific students who participated in the intervention programme were significantly better compared to those who did not. The findings inform future research, suggesting that, when assessing the effectiveness of a programme, it is useful to explore the performance of the whole cohort separately to those who declared intention or interest to attend the programme. Strategies to support participation of each of these groups are likely to be different. Having a standardised approach when comparing groups will adjust for any confounding factors or prior differences. This will allow a more accurate assessment of the effectiveness of the programme being evaluated. This paper presents the importance of a robust approach to the delivery and evaluation of intervention programmes for improving outcomes for underrepresented students in the tertiary environment.

Pacific students undertaking the first year of health sciences at the University of Otago, and factors associated with academic performance.

AIM: To describe Pacific students in the first year of health sciences at tertiary level, their academic performance, and factors associated with academic outcomes. METHOD: Routinely collected data for students who enrolled in the Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) programme at the University of Otago between 2007 and 2011, including their school National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) results were obtained in anonymous form. Descriptive statistics were calculated and regression analyses were undertaken using SAS v9.2 software. RESULTS: A small but increasing number of Pacific students are enrolling in health sciences at tertiary level. Pacific students had poorer performance compared to non-Pacific students in both NCEA and the HSFY programme. Factors associated with academic performance were gender, NCEA results, school decile, accommodation type, ethnicity, international status and disability. CONCLUSION: Pacific students are under-represented in health sciences and would benefit from better preparation from school. Pacific solutions are required to improve academic outcomes over and above mainstream policy solutions. Tertiary institutions need to engage prospective students earlier to ensure they are well informed of requirements, and are appropriately prepared for study at the tertiary level.

Investigating factors that influence success of Pacific students in first-year health sciences at university in New Zealand.

AIMS: Pacific peoples in New Zealand are a migrant population and suffer disproportionately from poor education outcomes compared to the total population. The purpose of this study was to understand factors that influence academic achievement of Pacific students studying health sciences at the University of Otago. METHODS: Pacific students enrolled in health sciences first year (HSFY) in 2010 were invited to complete a questionnaire on their experiences and adjustment to university. It sought information on university preparedness and "engagement factors". Academic results were obtained. RESULTS: 90% of eligible Pacific students completed the questionnaire. Most students scored their experiences at university highly. Following first semester exams, 60% passed all papers and 40% failed one or more papers. Of those who failed a paper, 50% felt they had developed good study skills. One-third would memorise facts without fully understanding them. Fourteen (23%) HSFY students were successful in getting into a health professional course after end-of-year exams. CONCLUSIONS: Factors influencing academic outcomes of Pacific students at first year of study at University are complex. Further research focussing on effective roles universities can play in the provision of support, and the influence of preparedness prior to entering university is required.