The pressure on higher education providers (HEPs) and national programme partnerships to evaluate the impact of widening participation (WP) interventions has intensified as a…
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The pressure on higher education providers (HEPs) and national programme partnerships to evaluate the impact of widening participation (WP) interventions has intensified as a result of wider changes in higher education (HE) policy and regulation, including the imposition of market forces. This chapter describes how policy stakeholder assumptions about how evaluation works and the outcomes it delivers have evolved over the last two decades. It shows how regulatory emphasis has shifted from a focus on monitoring and tracking, through to a call for return-on-investment analysis, before falling back on a pragmatic theory-informed approach. This chapter goes on to locate WP evaluation in the middle of a paradigm war, caught between proponents of a medicalised trial-based conception of evaluation methodology, and a practitioner-led position, which points to the complex contextual character of WP activities. It continues by exploring some of the many practical challenges faced by WP evaluators and argues that these have contributed to the sector’s perceived failure to deliver robust evidence of the impact of fair access activity. This chapter concludes with a look at the expanding market for WP evaluation products and services, which emerged in response to new flows of WP investment created by the 2012 increase in tuition fees.
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Increasing diversity in higher education (HE) – or widening participation (WP) – is now a concern worldwide (Billingham in this volume, Chapter 1; Bowes, Thomas, Peck, & Nathwani…
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Increasing diversity in higher education (HE) – or widening participation (WP) – is now a concern worldwide (Billingham in this volume, Chapter 1; Bowes, Thomas, Peck, & Nathwani, 2013; Shah, Bennett, & Southgate, 2016). However, we all know that access to HE is not sufficient; access needs to be accompanied by success – staying on the course, gaining a good degree and securing graduate-level employment. In this chapter, it is argued that in order to equalise student outcomes a ‘whole institution approach’ (WIA) is required. Evidence is drawn from two studies (each led by the author): one focussing on improving student retention and success in HE, which concluded that a WIA is required (Thomas, Hill, O’ Mahony, & Yorke, 2017, pp. 133–135). The second commissioned by the Office for Fair Access to better understand a WIA to WP (Thomas, 2017). The chapter discusses three key findings: the importance of both cultural and structural change; the role of evidence and the need for a deliberate process of change. These findings are illustrated with examples.
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Purpose – This chapter identifies the reasons why institutions need to undertake transformation to engage a diverse student population: it presents a model of student retention…
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Purpose – This chapter identifies the reasons why institutions need to undertake transformation to engage a diverse student population: it presents a model of student retention and success, which centres on student engagement pre- and post-entry.
Methodology/approach – The chapter overviews the literature on student retention and success and utilises emerging findings from the meta-analysis of the What works? Student retention and success programme.
Findings – The emerging model puts student engagement at the heart of student retention and success. Institutions should promote engagement by•Provision of a range of opportunities for student engagement of different types, at different levels, across the institution in different sites (academic sphere, social sphere and professional services sphere), throughout the student lifecycle.•Developing students to recognise the importance of engagement and to have the capacity to engage in a range of opportunities.•Developing staff responsibility for and capacity to provide effective engagement opportunities.•Taking responsibility for engagement, including monitoring engagement and acting when there are indicators of lower levels of engagement.•Creating a partnership between students and institutions towards a shared outcome of successful learners and graduates.
Research limitations – This chapter draws on emergent findings from the What works? programme.
Practical implications – This chapter assists institutions to improve student retention and success by focusing on engagement and institutional culture.
Social implications – The model assists institutions to critically consider transformation to engage a diverse student population and improve retention and success.
Originality/value – The chapter pre-views original research about engagement, retention and success, which are international concerns.
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Purpose – This chapter provides an overview of the book and discusses student diversity and institutional responses.Methodology/approach – The chapter draws together literature…
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Purpose – This chapter provides an overview of the book and discusses student diversity and institutional responses.
Methodology/approach – The chapter draws together literature and conceptual thinking about what student diversity is. It then analyses the drivers for increased diversity within higher education in the case studies in this book. Alternative approaches to diversity are presented, drawing on a synthesis of approaches identified in the literature. Finally, the chapter provides a summary of the other chapters and the associated case studies.
Findings – The chapter finds that diversity incorporates difference across a number of dimensions: education, personal disposition, current circumstances and cultural heritage. There are a wide range of reasons prompting institutions to recruit a diverse student population: a commitment to social justice, expansion and access to new markets, tapping the pool of talent, enhancing the student experience, national and/or regional policy, funding incentives, conforming with equality legislation, institutional research and personal commitment of staff. Institutions can respond to diversity in different ways. The idealised types are: altruistic (no institutional change), academic (little or no change), utilitarian (special access and additional support mechanisms) and transformative (positive view of diversity resulting in institutional development).
Research limitations – This chapter draws largely on the author's work in England and the United Kingdom and the case studies presented in this book.
Practical implications – This chapter is important as an introduction to the book, and providing frameworks to think about diversity.
Social implications – The framework for institutional change assists institutions to critically consider the response they make to a more diverse student population.
Originality/value – The paper provides original perspectives to conceptualising and responding to diversity.
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Purpose – This chapter answers the question ‘what does a transformed institution look like’ by presenting a framework for institutional transformation to mainstream diversity. It…
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Purpose – This chapter answers the question ‘what does a transformed institution look like’ by presenting a framework for institutional transformation to mainstream diversity. It exemplifies the framework by assessing how well English higher education institutions (HEIs) are doing with respect to mainstreaming. Relevant examples of change from the case studies are identified.
Methodology/approach – Reports from two institutional change programmes in the United Kingdom and the European Universities Charter on Lifelong Learning are synthesised to create a framework for change to mainstream diversity. The framework is used to assess the progress of English HEIs. This analysis is based on data from a thematic review of the Widening Participation Strategic Assessments (WPSAs) prepared by each of the 129 English HEIs. Each WPSA was coded up. Query reports were read and re-read to identify common approaches and themes.
Findings – The 12 item framework for mainstreaming diversity demonstrates that institutions need to attend to both infrastructure (policies, processes and procedures) and the institutional culture (the understandings and implementation of a strategy). The analysis suggests that English HEIs are making good progress towards this challenging agenda of change.
Research limitations – The WPSAs are a subjective account of WP, and claims have not been checked. Furthermore, WPSAs were written at a specific time and so only provide a snap-shot of institutional approaches to diversity.
Practical implications – This chapter assists institutions to think about, plan and evaluate institutional transformation.
Social implications – This approach puts diversity at the centre of HEIs.
Originality/value – The chapter provides an original framework to assist institutions to assess their progress with regard to institutional transformation to engage a diverse student body.
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Purpose – This chapter argues that institutions should take a strategic, integrated approach to enable all students to progress successfully beyond their first degree, to…
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Purpose – This chapter argues that institutions should take a strategic, integrated approach to enable all students to progress successfully beyond their first degree, to additional education or training or to the labour market.
Methodology/approach – The chapter reviews the literature about the progression of students from equity groups to the labour market and postgraduate study and the explanations for lower rates of success. The remainder of the chapter explores what institutions in England are doing to facilitate equality of outcomes for graduates from equity groups, based on analysis of the Widening Participation Strategic Assessments (WPSAs). Each WPSA was coded, and query reports were read and re-read to identify common approaches and themes.
Findings – Literature finds that graduates from diverse backgrounds and equity groups have poorer progression outcomes than other students. The WPSAs show that the majority of institutions are addressing employability but not progression to postgraduate study. On the basis of mainstream approaches to engaging students and developing their employability, the chapter presents a seven-point strategic approach to enhancing the progression and success of graduates from a diverse student body.
Research limitations – There are limitations associated with analysis of the WPSAs and that there is so little consideration of progression to postgraduate study.
Practical implications – This chapter proposes that institutions adopt an integrated and strategic approach to enhancing the progression and success of students.
Social implications – This approach addresses progression inequalities.
Originality/value – This chapter provides original insights into progression to postgraduate study for diverse students.
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Purpose – This chapter draws on the previous chapters and institutional case studies to identify and discuss the necessary conditions and facilitating factors which contribute to…
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Purpose – This chapter draws on the previous chapters and institutional case studies to identify and discuss the necessary conditions and facilitating factors which contribute to institutional transformation to engage a diverse student body.
Methodology /approach – This chapter is based on thematic analysis of the previous chapters and institutional case studies. It utilises national contextual information, details of changes undertaken and reflections on the process of change. The key ideas are illustrated by quotes from the case studies.
Findings – The following necessary conditions and facilitative factors are identified and discussed:i.Commitment to a transformational approachii.Sharing understanding and meaningiii.Institutional strategy for change: senior leadership, policy alignment, creating a facilitating infrastructure across the student lifecycle and co-ordinating changeiv.Engaging staff and creating an inclusive culturev.Developing students' capacity to engagevi.Taking an evidence-informed approachvii.Linking change to other institutional priorities and developmentsviii.An enabling policy and funding context
Research limitations – It is based on the chapters and case studies presented in this book rather than a wider analysis.
Practical implications – This chapter offers institutions insight into the conditions and factors that enable and smooth institutional transformation.
Social implications – This chapter is designed to support the promotion of social justice in higher education.
Originality/value – This chapter draws on international research and institutional examples and identifies common conditions and factors which contribute to managing change to engage a diverse student body. Its value is practical insights into change from an international perspective.
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Rashidah N. Andrews is an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned an Ed.M. in higher education at Harvard…
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Rashidah N. Andrews is an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned an Ed.M. in higher education at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and is currently a doctoral student in educational administration at temple. Before arrival at Temple, Rashidah spent three years as project manager for the Ethnic Minorities Student Achievement Grant (EMSAG) at Halesowen College in England, one year as director of College Retention at a non-profit in Philadelphia and two years as admission counselor at her alma mater. Her research interests include access, retention and persistence of low-income, first-generation students.