WIDENING PARTICIPATION: ARE WE PREPARED FOR OUR STUDENTS?

1. WIDENING PARTICIPATION: ARE WE PREPARED FOR OUR STUDENTS? DR. RACHEL BOLTON-KING, STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY METHOD INTRODUCTION Fig. 1 illustrates how existing data was collected from SU student records and analysed on an individual basis to try to identify any reasons for high first year (Level 4) failure rate on the Techniques for Scientific Investigation (ToSI) module of the BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation award. Fig. 1 – Flow chart illustrating the research method was employed. Since the 1960s, universities have been seeking to ensure that the opportunity to undertake higher education (HE) is inclusive to all by reducing barriers, such as those arising from disability, to increase applications from under-represented socio-economic groups and educational backgrounds for example (Bibbings2006, Comptroller & Auditor General 2008); an initiative known as widening participation (WP). The success of this initiative seems to vary from institution to institution, with some of the highest regarded institutions typically not reaching their benchmark quota (Comptroller & Auditor General 2008). Chrowdry et al. (2010) also noted that student participation at a HE institution is more likely with improved academic achievement at secondary school, i.e. Ages 11 to 16. WP at Staffordshire University (SU) means students are from up to 40 % of the most deprived areas of England, as classified by 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation. SU currently has minimum entry requirements for awards offered by the Forensic and Crime Sciences (FaCS) department, but do they prepare the staff for the students’ capabilities and what impact does that have on the potential for student success? This research aims to establish whether the author, in their capacity as a lecturer, was prepared for the current cohort of students undertaking a distance learning (DL) module and whether information from the university admissions department has the potential to alter the andragogic approaches to increase success rates. Oracle Systems – TheSIS queries Data Collection A: Admission Forms Data Collection B: Level 4 Module Assessment Manual Data Extraction Manual Data Extraction Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Combined Data Analysis RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 7 Fig. 2 – Classifications of marks achieved by 38 students on module. Fig. 3 – Classification of marks for 17 students classed as WP. Fig. 4 – Highest entry qualification by type for students who passed and failed the module. Fig. 5 – Range of post-16 subjects studied by students and the corresponding proportion who failed the module. ACTION PLAN CONCLUSIONS • From this research the following conclusions can be drawn for this cohort: • Students from WP backgrounds were less likely to achieve the highest award classifications; • Those who undertook more traditional educational routes, such as A Levels, were more likely to succeed on the module; • Individuals who had studied chemistry related science courses, such as applied science, were more likely to succeed; • Greatest proportion of students had studied a biology or non-science related course and these students were less likely to successfully pass the module; • Taking the university taught SJ module before ToSI may have improved the success rate of the student. • The author was unaware of the high proportion of non-science students undertaking this module without first completing the SJ module. Therefore, the self-taught andragogic approach was detrimental to the Level 4 student learning process as they typically do not have sufficient chemistry background and scientific self-confidence to maximise their chance of success. • This research has shown that if the module leader had prior knowledge of the typical academic backgrounds of the students, a DL approach may not have been selected. This module has had high exam failure rates for a number of years. As a result, the following actions are being taken to improve success rates: • Devise a new core module combining SJ and ToSIoption modules; • Provide lectures to support the online material and tutorials as distance learning approach at Level 4 is too early in their development as an independent learner; • Maintain regular class tests, but use as compulsory formative assessments; • Monitor and compare exam results for next cohort of students. REFERENCES BIBBINGS, L.S., 2006. Widening participation and higher education. Journal of Law and Society, 33 (1), 74-91. CHOWDRY, H. , CRAWFORD, C., DEARDEN, L., GOODMAN, A. & VIGNOLES, A., 2010. Widening Participation in Higher Education: Analysis Using Linked Administrative Data. Discussion Paper No. 4991. Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labour. COMPTROLLER & AUDITOR GENERAL, 2008. Widening participation in higher education. UK: National Audit Office.