Capabilities and widening access to higher education: a case study of social exclusion and inequality in China

2013 ◽  
pp. 113-128
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Widening Access

Widening Access to Higher Education – An Australian Case Study

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-212
Author(s):  
Glen Postle ◽  
Andrew Sturman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
History Of Higher Education ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
History Of ◽  
Australian Case ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

In this paper the authors trace the development of equity within the Australian higher education context over the latter part of the last century. In particular they focus on the ways different perspectives (liberalist-individualist and social democratic) have shaped what has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of students accessing higher education in Australia. The adoption of a specific perspective has influenced the formation of policies concerning equity and consequently the way universities have responded to the pressures to accept more and different students. These responses are captured under two main headings – ‘restructuring the entry into higher education’ and ‘changing the curriculum within higher education’. Several examples of current programs and procedures based upon these are explained. The paper concludes with the identification of three ‘dilemmas' which have emerged as a result of the development and implementation of equity processes and procedures in higher education in Australia. These are: (a) While there has been an increase in the number and range of students accessing higher education, this has been accompanied by a financial cost to the more disadvantaged students, a cost which has the potential to exacerbate equity principles. (b) For one of the first times in the history of higher education, a focus is being placed on its teaching and learning functions, as opposed to its research functions. The problem is that those universities that have been obliged to broaden their base radically have also been obliged to review their teaching and learning practices without any budgetary compensation. (c) A third consequence of these changes relates to the life of a traditional academic. Universities that have been at the forefront of ‘changing their curriculum’ to cope with more diverse student groups (open and distance learning) have seen the loss of ‘lecturer autonomy’ as they work more as members of teams and less as individuals.

Through the Eyes of Students and Faculty

2016 ◽  
pp. 557-584
Author(s):  
Maysaa Barakat ◽  
Debra N. Weiss-Randall
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Research University ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Face To Face

Online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments. It is argued that online learning can help address issues of educational inequity, poverty, and social exclusion. The momentum is moving towards online learning, and universities are pressured to develop more online options for their students in order to stay relevant and provide needed flexibility. On average, courses that are delivered online have higher attrition rates than regular face-to-face courses. There are numerous challenges and difficulties in developing online learning environments without sacrificing the quality of learning. This case study examines the development, delivery, and evaluation of online learning through the eyes of students and faculty of an educational leadership department in a Southeast research university.

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