scholarly journals Interim findings from the Uni Connect Raising Higher Education Aspirations evaluation in Lincolnshire

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthea Rose ◽  
Lucy Mallinson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Article ◽  
Evaluation Activity ◽  
Learning Partnerships ◽  
Education Aspirations ◽  
Education Participation

This short article summarises the evaluation findings from the end of Year 1 Phase 2 Uni Connect Raising Higher Education Aspirations project in Lincolnshire. This national initiative, funded by the Office for Students, delivers targeted Higher Education outreach activities to young people in Years 9 to 13 in areas where the Higher Education participation of young people is much lower than expected based on GCSE-level attainment. These areas often coincide with where universities focus their widening participation efforts to help them meet their Access and Participation Plans. In Lincolnshire the project is managed and delivered by LiNCHigher, one of 29 local learning partnerships involved in the project nationally. The data were collected between March and July 2020 during the Covid-19 national lockdown when all schools were closed and draws primarily on data collected from six case study schools. Evaluation activity comprised an online student activity survey, semi-structured interviews with School and College Leads, LiNCHigher Area Engagement Officers and two student focus groups, conducted just prior to lockdown in early March. The evaluation found that, prior to Covid-19, interventions were beginning to have a positive impact on the Higher Education aspirations of all students and that schools both welcomed and valued the initiative highly. The evaluation report made several recommendations, including ensuring workshops are more interactive.

‘I don’t want to go to a crummy little university’: social class, higher education choice and the paradox of widening participation

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Byrom
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Class ◽  
Young People ◽  
Working Class ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Education Choice ◽  
School Based ◽  
Institutional Habitus ◽  
Participation In Higher Education

Whilst there has been growing attention paid to the imbalance of Higher Education (HE) applications according to social class, insufficient attention has been paid to the successful minority of working-class young people who do secure places in some of the UK’s leading HE institutions. In particular, the influence and nature of pre-university interventions on such students’ choice of institution has been under-explored. Data from an ESRC-funded PhD study of 16 young people who participated in a Sutton Trust Summer School are used to illustrate how the effects of a school-based institutional habitus and directed intervention programmes can be instrumental in guiding student choices and decisions relating to participation in Higher Education.

scholarly journals Risk, Choice and Social Disadvantage: Young People's Decision-Making in a Marketised Higher Education System

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 110-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheryl Clark ◽  
Anna Mountford-Zimdars ◽  
Becky Francis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Disadvantage ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Tuition Fees ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
High Achieving Students ◽  
Risk Choice ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Relationship

Rising tuition fees in England have been accompanied by a policy mandate for universities to widen participation by attracting students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This article focuses on one such group of high achieving students and their responses to rising tuition fees within the context of their participation in an outreach scheme at a research-intensive university in the UK. Our findings suggest that rather than being deterred from attending university as a result of fee increases, these young people demonstrated a detailed and fairly sophisticated understanding of higher education provision as a stratified and marketised system and justified fees within a discourse of ‘private good.’ Our analysis situates their ‘risk’ responses within the discursive tensions of the fees/widening participation mandate. We suggest that this tension highlights an intensified commodification of the relationship between higher education institutions and potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds in which widening participation agendas have shifted towards recruitment exercises. We argue that an ongoing effect of this shift has resulted in increased instrumentalism and a narrowing of choices for young people faced with the task of seeking out ‘value for money’ in their degrees whilst concurrently engaging in a number of personalised strategies aimed at compensating for social disadvantage in a system beset by structural inequalities.

Facilitating educational opportunities and raised self-esteem in disadvantaged young people in South East Wales: Effects of the Junior Rock Music Academy widening participation programme

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Rock Music ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

This study examined the effects of the Junior Rock Music Academy (JRMA) on participants’ (N = 39) confidence and self-esteem. The JRMA was a widening participation Saturday music programme developed to reduce the influences of poverty on educational underachievement for young people (10–18 years) from poorer families across South East Wales. Participants’ confidence and self-esteem scores reported a significant rise, with no significant difference reported between genders or age groups. Participants (N = 5), programme tutors (N = 3) and participant parents/guardians (N = 4) were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to establish the fidelity of the structure and content of the intervention. The impact of JRMA on the psychosocial, cultural and emotional characteristics of participants and their parents/guardians as barriers to educational attainment and preparedness to thrive in education are discussed; these include enhanced cognitive development, social and emotional skills and learner motivation.

scholarly journals Cufflinks, photos and YouTube: the benefits of third object prompts when researching race and discrimination in elite higher education

2020 ◽  
pp. 146879412097260
Author(s):  
Constantino Dumangane
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Black British ◽  
Counter Narratives ◽  
Research Techniques ◽  
Sensitive Issues

Research suggests that interviews, unaided by additional methods, may be an ineffective way to explore young people’s experiences with sensitive issues. Researching minority youth’s experiences on personal or emotionally charged issues requires research techniques that enable young people to reflect on issues in a way that reduces the potential discomfort involved in such discourse. This article discusses the methodological approach of incorporating interviews with ‘third objects’ via photos, cufflinks and video in a study aimed at facilitating conversations with black British university men about the significance of their parents guidance during their formative and adolescent years, and their experiences with racism during their higher education studies. The overarching message of this article is that when exploring personal and sometimes emotional topics, the implementation of third object visual and physical prompts with semi-structured interviews can contribute to the depth of findings by unearthing the seldom heard counter-narratives of marginalised ‘others’.

scholarly journals Improving equality of opportunity in higher education through the adoption of an Inclusive Curriculum Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-121
Author(s):  
Nona McDuff ◽  
Annie Hughes ◽  
John Tatam ◽  
Elizabeth Morrow ◽  
Fiona Ross
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Equality Of Opportunity ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Inclusive Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Framework

Within higher education, inclusion of students from diverse nations, socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds is vital for social mobility and economic development. Despite some international successes in widening participation, inequalities in student experiences and differentials in degree attainment for traditionally underrepresented groups, remain a major challenge. Institutional approaches to inclusion that value diversity as an inherent source of learning are underdeveloped. This paper adds theoretical insights and evidence to the debate on inclusive curricula by showing the benefits of institutional change through a strategic approach and innovation in practice (case studies). We argue that the Inclusive Curriculum Framework (ICF), underpinned by core principles of inclusion, can enhance equality of opportunity all the way through the student journey. The paper innovatively and rigorously bridges theory and practice in relation to inclusivity in learning and teaching and student success. It describes early and positive impact at Kingston University, adoption and spread in other institutions in England and potential international relevance.

scholarly journals Social Identification, Widening Participation and Higher Education: Experiencing Similarity and Difference in an English Red Brick University

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-369
Author(s):  
Tom Clark ◽  
Rita Hordósy
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Time Work ◽  
Part Time ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Similarity And Difference ◽  
The University

In 2012, the UK government introduced the National Scholarship Programme – a scheme that aimed to ensure that young people from families with low household incomes would not be discouraged from entry into higher education by increases in tuition fees. Drawing on longitudinal evidence in the form of 80 semi-structured interviews conducted in an English Red Brick University over a 3-year period, this article uses Jenkins’ work on social identification to examine the processes by which these post-2012 undergraduates used and experienced the financial support made available to them as part of the Programme. The article explores how the initially categorical label associated with being a student in receipt of financial assistance was variously understood and experienced as they moved through their degree. Not only did the additional finance allow students to avoid excessive part-time work, recipients also felt increasingly valued by the institution when they began to recognise how their financial circumstances differed from their peers, and that the university had made this provision for them. It remains to be seen whether these, more intangible, benefits of non-repayable financial support will transfer to the system of ‘enhanced’ loans that have subsequently replaced maintenance grants and the National Scholarship Programme.

A Taxonomy of Unintended Negative Consequences: A Qualitative Study Examining Diet and Fitness Apps in the Context of Eating Disorder Behaviors (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Victoria Eikey
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Young People ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
College Women ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Eating Disorder Behaviors

BACKGROUND Diet and fitness apps are intended to improve people's health. However, they can have adverse effects on some populations, such as young people. Young people, particularly college women are heavy users of mobile health applications (apps) for diet, physical activity, and weight loss (also known as diet and fitness apps). These apps are often promoted in university and college settings and touted as a means to improve health with little attention given to their actual impact and potential unanticipated negative effects, especially among those at risk for or with eating disorders. OBJECTIVE Few researchers have studied how diet and fitness apps affect college women with eating disorder behaviors. Thus, this research investigates the unintended negative consequences of engaging with these tools to inform how these types of apps may trigger and exacerbate unhealthy app engagement as well as eating disorder-related behaviors. METHODS This study used a qualitative approach to better understand the consequences of using diet and fitness apps among college women. This approach allowed for emergent themes unlikely to be discovered using quantitative approaches. Data collection sessions consisted of three components conducted with 24 college women with eating disorder-related behaviors who have experience with diet and fitness apps: survey (demographic and eating disorder symptoms), think-aloud exercises, and semi-structured interviews. RESULTS Findings reveal that diet and fitness apps trigger and exacerbate symptoms through focusing heavily on quantification, promoting over-use, and providing certain types of feedback. A taxonomy of eight negative consequences was developed based on these findings. The types of unintended consequences include: 1) fixation on numbers, 2) rigid diet, 3) obsession, 4) app dependency, 5) high sense of achievement, 6) extreme negative emotions, 7) motivation from negative messages, and 8)excess competition. Although these themes were very common when users' focus was to lose weight or eat less, these adverse effects were also prevalent when users wanted to gain weight, eat more, or focus explicitly on eating disorder recovery. CONCLUSIONS Unintended negative consequences are linked to the quantified self movement, conception of appropriate usage, and visual cues and feedback. Thus, this paper critically examines the design of diet and fitness apps and offers suggestions for improvement and then discusses implications for educators and clinicians. Ultimately, this research emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in how diet and fitness apps promote health. This work also showcases how focusing on specific subpopulations can shed light on problematic aspects of design that if addressed may have a positive impact on the broader user base. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals Reframing widening participation towards the community: a realist evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-204
Author(s):  
Adam Formby ◽  
Anna Woodhouse ◽  
Jemma Basham
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Realist Evaluation ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Educational Inequalities ◽  
New Model ◽  
Community Space

This article draws on an evaluation of Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) Uni Connect – an initiative by the Office for Students (OfS) to reduce educational inequalities through collaborative widening participation (WP) outreach across West Yorkshire. It contributes to wider debates on widening participation policy through demonstrating how Higher Education Progression Officers (HEPOs) normalised 'progression' based on community and learners' needs. We deploy realist evaluation to examine the role of HEPOs in a range of educational contexts where young people historically do not progress on to higher education (HE) at the same rates as their peers when GCSE results are taken into account. While there are complexities around the introduction of WP resources in such communities, the article highlights the importance of contextualised WP, and offers a new model of community-focused WP that incorporates learners' needs, educational institutions and the wider community space in which they reside.

scholarly journals Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Karla de Freitas Alves Pinto ◽  
Ruth Bernardes de Santana
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
Young People ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
School Experiences ◽  
Research Data ◽  
First Year ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Schooling Experiences ◽  
Schooling Process

This article presents the results of a research that sought to analyze the schooling process of young students in their first year of Higher Education from a rural school. We try to highlight the most significant facts of the school experiences brought by students and their expectations for the future with the aim of understanding the meaning they attribute to the experiences in a school located in countryside. The research procedures were establishment observations, individual semi-structured interviews, questionnaire and documentary study The survey data suggest that young people are able to express their opinions about classes, content and school. From the research data, we can say that young people are able to express their opinions about classes, content and school. From the interviews, we realized that the meanings attributed to the school in the schooling process are positive, since young people feel confident in this institution.

scholarly journals It’s the fear of the unknown: Transition from higher education for young autistic adults

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1575-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Education Courses

More young people with a diagnosis of autism are enrolling and successfully completing higher education courses than ever before and this is set to increase; however, while there is a burgeoning body of literature surrounding the transition into this stage of education, there is a paucity of research that investigates the transition as this population exit higher education. This exploratory qualitative study is one of the first to identify the specific experiences of young autistic adults making this transition, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 students and recent graduates. Findings indicate that transition out of higher education is challenging on both practical and psychological levels, manifested by feelings of anxiety and loss. However, there is also evidence that the same phenomenon can also be understood as a positive departure with important implications for identity development. Findings are discussed in relation to future research and implications for practice in higher education institutions.

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