FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING DURING THE TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING DURING THE TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY

Summary/Abstract: The transition from high school to university presents significant challenges, particularly in adapting to new academic expectations and knowledge paradigms. This shift often leads to difficulties in managing the discrepancy between expected and actual academic demands. Despite its importance, the lived experience of this transition remains under-researched, particularly regarding how students engage with different forms of knowledge. This qualitative exploratory study investigates first-year students’ perspectives on the types of knowledge they encounter during their transition to university. The aim is to conceptualize the transition as a lived experience and understand the role of knowledge in shaping the necessary competencies for success. The study focuses on two primary research questions: What types of knowledge do students refer to when discussing their transition from high school to university? and How do students describe their engagement with different types of knowledge, both explicit and implicit? The data were gathered through an online questionnaire consisting of five open-ended questions, administered between November and December 2023 to 437 first-year social science students at the University of Bucharest. Using reflexive thematic analysis, three key themes emerged: (1) knowledge management and learning strategies, (2) the value and utility of knowledge, and (3) knowledge as a process of personal growth. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how students perceive and engage with knowledge during their transition and how these perceptions align with the competencies necessary for academic success in higher education.

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