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Background - HE Part time students make up 40 per cent of all students in higher education (Ramsden, 2006) Concerns that part time students are less likely to achieve their intended qualification (National Audit Office, 2001, 2007)
Citation preview
Earning and learning:the influence of secondment
on retention rates in part-time social work qualifying
education
Jo MoriartyJill Manthorpe
Shereen Hussein
Outline
Background Aims and methods
Looking at DipSW students Findings
Seems like a social work success story!
Implications for the futureChanges since new degree
Background - HE
Part time students make up 40 per cent of all students in higher education (Ramsden, 2006)
Concerns that part time students are less likely to achieve their intended qualification (National Audit Office, 2001, 2007)
Background – social work
Early interest in part time educationFrom educationalists (Everett, 1989,
1990)From employers (Balloch et al, 1999)
All three DipSW routes offered opportunities to study part timeMainly on non-graduate programmes
Aims
GSCC asked Social Care Workforce Research Unit to look at progression among DipSW students in 2005Start of ongoing programme of work
Aim to look at demographic and HEI factors influencing progression (Hussein et al, 2007)
Methods (1)
Methodological challenges in deciding what constitutes progression on part time programmesPurpose is to offer more flexible timingDanger of comparisons with full time
students when option to study full time not necessarily to them (Callender et al, 2006)
Methods (2)
GSCC provided details on all students registering for a DipSW 1995-1998Advantage is that need a longer
period to measure progression for part time students
1209 on part time non-graduate DipSW programmes
Demographics
Similar to full time students in terms of their demographics73 per cent women48 per cent aged 30-3920 per cent from a black and minority
ethnic group10 per cent had a disability
Funding
Differences in funding between full time and part time students36 per cent seconded16 per cent sponsored26 per cent self funding
Progression
Overall progression rates were high81 per cent awarded a DipSW1 per cent failed14 per cent withdrew(<5 per cent no information)
87 per cent of full time non graduate students awarded a DipSW
Analysis
Logistic regressionDistinguishes between effects of each
factor after controlling for all the other risk factors
No assumptions about independent variables (e.g. distribution)
Likelihood of withdrawal (1)
No differences by type of HEINAO suggests that it does differ by
HEI across all part time students No differences by previous
educational attainmentExtensive literature suggests that
generally students with higher educational qualifications do better in HE
Likelihood of withdrawal (2)
No differences by gender or disabilityHussein et al found men/students with
disabilities had poorer progression on full time programmes
Small differences by ethnicityHussein et al found BME students had
poorer progression on full time programmes
Likelihood of withdrawal (3)
Seconded and sponsored students less likely to withdraw(‘blindingly obvious’ school of
research) Referred/deferred students as likely to
continueSuggests that they received
appropriate institutional support
Who gets seconded?
Slightly older?’Reward’ for service
Less likely to have a disability?Reluctance to disclose to employer
(McLean, 2003) Strong regional differences
?Effective way of solving local shortages
Social work success story?
Results seem better than for part time students as a wholeNAO (2007) suggested that 45 per
cent left early Fits into widening participation agenda
Many students from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds
Since new degree (1)
Evaluation of social work degree qualification in Englandhttp://www.dh.gov.uk/en/
Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_086079
Small declines in proportions of part time students and in students supported by an employer
Since new degree (2)
?Some evidence that employers now more interested in traineeships than sponsorshipsMay disadvantage ‘older’ students
where salary is an essential part of the household income
Would some full time students find part time study easier?
Issues
How should HEIs and employers work in partnership to develop flexible routes into higher education?
Should there be more flexible study options?Opportunities to switch between full
and part time? Are mature students neglected in
widening participation strategies?