Getting There: From Application to Enrolment
Improving School/University Links
Students' Expectations of Higher Education
Employability Aspects of the Curriculum
Flexible entry and flexible approaches to learning
There is a need to Improve School/University Links
Although much progress has been made in recent years in easing the transition between school and university, closer links need to be forged and communication improved so that any myths and misconceptions of HE are dispelled or resolved. This might be achieved through more visits from HE staff into schools and FE colleges and vica versa; and / or visits from potential HE students into universities and / or the use of information technology to improve communication links. Read more, with case examples of easing transition.
Students know, accept and in most cases want the HE experience to be different from that of school, though they rarely have a clear idea of what HE will be like.
- Research indicates that students have no clear idea what will be expected of them when they arrive at university. This means, for instance, that the number of hours they expect to spend on independent study is often quite different from what they experience. Similarly, the overall perception of university as an ‘uncaring’ place that requires students to be ‘independent adults’ is widespread. The words ‘independence’ and ‘freedom’ carry a double meaning, being seen by students as negative in a learning context and positive in a social one.
- Those students who struggle with academic work at university often possess inadequate study skills, but there is also evidence that they make poor course choices, sometimes resulting from literature that does not always correspond to reality. They also suffer from a lack of access to staff for support when needed.
Read more, including data on the number of expected hours and actual hours of study.
Course information must be honest to ensure accurate decisions. Courses that do not deliver what they promise are often cited as reasons for students’ academic ‘failure’.
Student preparedness and compatibility of choice are seen as the main elements influencing decisions to leave university. Inaccurate perceptions of university life that lead to poor student preparedness are mainly derived from out-of-date or inaccurate information from family, friends, teachers and university literature. A poor choice has long-term implications and stems from unfulfilled or mismatched student expectations of the institution and the disappointment of staff in the students they have admitted.
There should be a clear statement of employability aspects of the curriculum in course publicity, as part of some general principles of best practice described in the Employability documentation.
The Employability Overview document provides four case studies that suggest some general principles of best practice. The case studies illustrating best practice are the University of Abertay, Dundee; University of South Australia; Swinburne University, Australia and Victoria University, Australia.
The general principles illustrated by the case studies include: clear communication of the employability related aspects of the curriculum in course publicity; central coordination of relationships with business and industry and the provision of resources to help academic staff to introduce learning in the workplace into their courses. Further details and links to other outcomes of the Employability Theme.
Offering a choice of delivery mode, pace and content of study means creating a partnership between students and staff regarding appropriate pathways. Such an offer has implications for programme design. More details
The greater diversity of today’s student population requires flexibility in terms of programme and curriculum design. There should be a developing partnership between staff and students to determine delivery mode, pace and content of study and Flexible entry routes and flexible approaches to learning need to be addressed at the point of programme design rather than programme delivery. Rather than fitting the student to the provision, the approach to programme design should focus on supporting entry and progression routes that meet the needs of different learner groups. Thus programmes should be designed to accommodate multiple entry routes, multiple prior learning experiences and multiple delivery strategies without disadvantaging the learner. Programme design should also allow for the myriad competences and knowledge that students bring to the academic curriculum. There is a clear link between such an approach and the need for educational guidance to ensure academic coherence. The design of learning outcomes should therefore seek to facilitate a range of different routes for their achievement that link into delivery and assessment methods.
At enrolment, the type and volume of information given out needs to be examined. It is often criticised for having too much information of the wrong type, but not enough of the kind that students find useful. See full details
At enrolment, the type and volume of information given out needs to be examined. Many students complain of too much information of the wrong type being issued but not enough of the type that they would find useful, namely such things as finding your way around the campus, domestic issues and so on. Student Union websites are valued because they are more ‘user friendly’ in that respect. More details.
Information needs to be given out in a variety of forms and not just electronically and it should be phased in, preferably using a student portal. The information itself could be subjected to test to determine a ‘centrality index’ so that information is prioritised appropriately. More details here and here.
