Applying ‘hope theory’ to first year learning. A Practice Report

Abstract

This paper proposes a model of student support based on student goals and strengths, rather than addressing their weaknesses. It argues that Hope Theory can be used in education as it has been used in counselling to assist students to develop goal setting and a sense of agency by building on their strengths. It suggests that careful curriculum design and engaged learning are essential to building hope and eventual learning success; and that this can be achieved through ongoing collaboration between professional and academic staff. While acknowledging the limitations of a convenience sample, it presents a case study of a single first year course with an enrolment of 250 students.