First-in-Family Students, University Experience and Family Life

Sarah O'Shea is Associate Professor at University of Wollongong, Australia, and an Australian Teaching and Learning Fellow who is currently researching the experiences of first-in-family learners in higher education. Her research focuses on student access and participation within the university sector, with particular reference to students from identified equity groups. Josephine May is Conjoint Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle, Australia.  She has a special interest in educational experiences, history, representations and gender. Cathy Stone is Conjoint Senior Lecturer with the University of Newcastle, Australia, and a Visiting Research Fellow with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education at Curtin University, Australia. She has had many years' experience in developing strategies to improve student success and retention in higher education; her research and publications focus particularly on improving outcomes for mature-age and online students. Janine Delahunty works in academic professional development and various research projects at the University of Wollongong. Her core interest is how the learning-teaching experience can be enhanced in HE, particularly for students from diverse backgrounds. Her other research interests include the experiences of first-in-family students, online learners and Indigenous students.