Higher education and hybrid institutions

Widening participation policy as experienced in FE/HE

institutions

Ann-Marie Bathmaker, UWE Bristol UK

Overview Widening Participation in HE and dual

sector/hybrid institutions The FurtherHigher (FH) Project What is a dual sector institution? Conceptualising WP in HE in the context

of the FH project The experience of adult/mature

students Conclusions

Acknowledgements This paper is based on work contributing to an ESRC TLRP project entitled Universal access and dual regimes of further and higher education.The research team comprises:Diane Burns, Anne Thompson, Val Thompson, Cate Goodlad (University fieldwork research team)Andy Roberts; David Dale; Will Thomas; Liz Halford (Institution based researchers)Ann-Marie Bathmaker (UWE), Greg Brooks, Gareth Parry (University of Sheffield), David Smith (University of Leeds) (Project directors)Karen Kitchen (University of Sheffield) (Project administrator)

Context for WP in HE Policy imperative to widen

participation in HE in context of ‘knowledge economy’

PSA target (towards 50% participation by 2010 by 18-30 year olds)

2 tertiary sectors in England:LSC/FE sector and HE sector

‘Dual sector’ FE/HE institutions

The FurtherHigher project

Research questions Why do we have two ‘sectors’ providing

higher education in England? What impact does this have on

widening participation in HE? How do students experience transitions

between further and higher education, and between different stages of undergraduate study (level 5/6)?

FH project fieldwork Fieldwork in 4 dual sector institutions Transition between level 3 (FE) and level 4

(HE) AND between level 5 (2 yr HE) and level 6 (final year UG degree)

Interviews with students, tutors, institutional, managersdocumentary analysiscollection of fieldwork observation recordsphotographs of space and place

Adult/mature students in HE policy & the FH study

Who counts?Varies in different policies and placesHESA: over 21PSA policy target: not over 30

Older students in FH project sample mainly:ON Access programmes, HND, Fd DegreeNOT ON level 3 programmes, such as BTEC National, AVCE

What is a dual sector institution?

A relational understanding - ‘dual sector’ institutions need to be understood in relation to other parts of HE system in England:

‘elite’ universities Post-1992 universities FE colleges

Role of dual sector institutions

Enabling WP and transition to HE through: Alternative routes Second chance opportunities Increased variety and geographical

spread (local and regional) Foundation degree provision: widening

participation in HE, a progression route to Honours

‘Seamless’ transition WITHIN single FE/HE institutions

What is a dual sector institution?

Northgreen Federal College East Heath College Central HE College Southleigh University What makes them dual? What makes them dual sector? All are in transition, undergoing change,

but not in the same direction

Changing the landscape of HE in England

Elite, mass, universal (Trow, 1973) Features of all 3 in current system

Differentiation and stratification Changing configuration of the

landscape of HE

Conceptualising WP in HE in dual sector institutions

Cultural understanding of learning drawing on the ESRC Transforming Learning Cultures in FE project (http://www.education.ex.ac.uk/tlc/project.htm)

Relational understanding of the HE system Institutional habitus and cultures of HE

Bourdieu, 1990, 1996; Bourdieu and Passeron, 1990Reay, David and Ball, 2005

Constructions of habitus, culture and ‘position’

Structure and agency in the practices of WP

Preliminary insights from the FurtherHigher Project

Significant aspects of teaching and learning cultures in dual sector institutions with particular reference to adult/mature students:

Space and placeUCAS and applying for HEExpectations of HE

Name Born Course Progression route

Dave 1961 Science Access BSc Physics at local pre-1992 university

Lizzie 1975 Science Access BAQTS at local post-1992 university

Vicky 1978 Science Access Radiography at local post-1992 university

Sam 1979 HND Tourism Management Y2 Tourism & Hospitality at distant post-1992 university ORBA Modern Languages

Sarah 1980 HND Tourism Management Y3 Tourism Management at local post-1992 University

Julia 1983 HND Tourism Management Y3 Tourism Management at local post-1992 university ORYear 2 of Human Geography

Ruth 1942 HND Fine Art City and Guilds Embroidery

1960 HND Fine Art Y1 BA Fine ArtLocal post-1992 university

Diane 1967 HND Fine Art Y1 BA Fine ArtLocal post-1992 university

Sample of ‘mature’ students from Northgreen Federal College

Space and place

What do students name as important about space and place?

What signifies ‘higherness’?What signifies ‘furtherness’?

Different ‘cultures’ in different parts of an institution

Space and place

Car parking and accessibility A place where I belong, a place

that belongs to me ‘school cultures’: conflict with

‘adult’ identities

Teaching room at Daiston Campus site of Northgreen Federal College

Wall display in teaching room at Daiston Campus site of Northgreen Federal College

College notice at Tultry College site of Northgreen Federal College

UCAS and applying for HE

Surviving UCAS Support:

cold knowledgehot knowledge

Getting an offer to study

Expectations of HE Will I fit in? Will I be clever enough? Will there be any students like me?

(adult/mature)

Expectations of HE describe anticipated ‘higherness’ and by implication, experience of ‘furtherness’

HE is harder Harder, a big jump so need to move into 1st or 2nd year,

not final year More intense A lot more work Stricter deadlines Dissertations Exams

HE requires independence

Independent study and self-direction

More independent research Use the library a lot more Less individual support

Relationships with others

Much bigger classes Different atmosphere: not so close

knit Lecturers less approachable Doctors and professors: lofty and

straight-laced

Current study means students are ready for the move to HE

Excited ‘Good’ nervousness Lizzie:

I can’t wait to start, I really can’t wait to start

ConclusionsMixed economy: mixed experiences

Institutions pulled in different directions

Formal systems and structures may discourage

Local relationships may encourage

Conclusions

This is linked to a wider context of change:

Dual sector institutions in transition

HE system in transition Focus of WP policies in transition

Contact details

Ann-Marie BathmakerAnnmarie.Bathmaker@uwe.ac.uk

The FurtherHigher Projecthttp://www.shef.ac.uk/furtherhigher/