Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
Globally, the traditional norms and practices of higher education are under question. Increasingly, higher education is assumed primarily to be a pathway for future employment, however, historically the value of higher education is more complex. It is not only after graduation that students receive value from their studies but also during when the experiences and relationships can have immediate have benefits. It is critical in the future that, as higher education continues to maintain its perceived value, it is able to communicate both the value of degrees towards employment prospects and also the value of the experience itself and the enjoyment and satisfaction that can be derived from student life. This paper will explore the construct of value-in-use to highlight and discuss the nature of value within the higher education experience. It will further unpack the construct across three dimensions: relationships, personalisation, and experiences to analyse how these dimensions are currently met or unmet in the typical higher education experience and how they may be innovated in the future to create more value for students. Empirical analysis arising from interviews with students who had participated in a range of higher education activities, such as peer mentoring programs, are further provided, and their responses on how specific activities influenced their perceptions of value-in-use were analysed. Analysis resulting from the data further demonstrates how specific activities may be designed to foster value-in-use and improve the student experience.
Keywords: revaluing education; higher education; value-in-use