DEL Lunchtime Seminar

27th November 2009

Chair: Fergus Devitt, Director of Higher Education

ESRC Placement FellowshipESRC Placement Fellowship Teaching and Learning Research Teaching and Learning Research

Programme (TLRP)Programme (TLRP)

Department for Employment and LearningDepartment for Employment and Learning27 November 200927 November 2009

Professor John Gardner and Professor John Gardner and

Dr Despina GalanouliDr Despina Galanouli

School of EducationSchool of Education

Queen’s University BelfastQueen’s University Belfast

Teaching and Learning Research Teaching and Learning Research ProgrammeProgramme

• Largest education research Largest education research programme in UK – £43m, 1999-2009 programme in UK – £43m, 1999-2009 (TEL -2012)(TEL -2012)

• ESRC programme with funding from ESRC programme with funding from HEFCE, DfES, DEL, DE etc.HEFCE, DfES, DEL, DE etc.

• Over 100 investments including 56 Over 100 investments including 56 research projects (22 in schools – 34 research projects (22 in schools – 34 in post compulsory education)in post compulsory education)

Teaching and Learning Research Teaching and Learning Research ProgrammeProgramme

TLRP’s mission:TLRP’s mission:

‘…‘…to promote high quality research on to promote high quality research on education, focused on improving education, focused on improving outcomes for all types of student and outcomes for all types of student and designed to be relevant to the designed to be relevant to the practice of teaching and learningpractice of teaching and learning ’ ’

Teaching and Learning Research Teaching and Learning Research ProgrammeProgramme

Priorities:Priorities:

• Involvement of practitioners in contributing to Involvement of practitioners in contributing to and using research – relevance and qualityand using research – relevance and quality

• Development of research capacity in the field -Development of research capacity in the field -PD for both researchers and practitionersPD for both researchers and practitioners

• Forming partnerships for sustainability Forming partnerships for sustainability

• Collaboration between disciplines and sectors.Collaboration between disciplines and sectors.

DEL’s PrioritiesDEL’s Priorities

• Quality of provision (inc. HE Quality of provision (inc. HE Strategy)Strategy)

• Skills and workforce Skills and workforce developmentdevelopment– Literacy and NumeracyLiteracy and Numeracy– EmployabilityEmployability

• Widening participation in HEWidening participation in HE

Quality of ProvisionQuality of Provision(inc HE Strategy)(inc HE Strategy)

• Hard-to-reach adult learners are best Hard-to-reach adult learners are best served by community-based learning served by community-based learning provision with support to move later to provision with support to move later to other learning environments or other learning environments or employment (Gallacher et al 2005)employment (Gallacher et al 2005)

• Improved approaches to teaching and Improved approaches to teaching and learning require improved understanding learning require improved understanding by HE lecturers of VET student by HE lecturers of VET student backgrounds (Hayward & Ertl, 2008)backgrounds (Hayward & Ertl, 2008)

Quality of ProvisionQuality of Provision(inc HE Strategy)(inc HE Strategy)

• Universities should have a sophisticated Universities should have a sophisticated understanding of the diversity of students’ understanding of the diversity of students’ social, cultural and educational backgrounds social, cultural and educational backgrounds (Hockings & Bowl, 2008)(Hockings & Bowl, 2008)

• Emphasizing understanding and enjoyment Emphasizing understanding and enjoyment inin FE and HE mathematics teaching FE and HE mathematics teaching improves student attitudes to mathematics improves student attitudes to mathematics learning, especially for those with low GCSE learning, especially for those with low GCSE achievement (Williams et al, 2008)achievement (Williams et al, 2008)

Quality of ProvisionQuality of Provision(inc HE Strategy)(inc HE Strategy)

• Inadequate and unstable funding along Inadequate and unstable funding along with over-emphasis on measured with over-emphasis on measured outcomes damage learning in FE outcomes damage learning in FE (Hodkinson et al 2005)(Hodkinson et al 2005)

• Attempts to improve teaching and learning Attempts to improve teaching and learning must pay heed to subject characteristics must pay heed to subject characteristics (Hounsell et 2004)(Hounsell et 2004)

Quality of ProvisionQuality of Provision(inc HE Strategy)(inc HE Strategy)

• In work-based environments, the In work-based environments, the allocation and structuring of work along allocation and structuring of work along with a high standard of constructive with a high standard of constructive feedback on performance are crucial feedback on performance are crucial (Eraut et al, 2004)(Eraut et al, 2004)

• FE needs to make the communicative FE needs to make the communicative aspects of learning more explicit and aspects of learning more explicit and visible (Ivanic et al, 2006)visible (Ivanic et al, 2006)

Skills and Workforce Skills and Workforce DevelopmentDevelopment• An expansive workplace environment enables An expansive workplace environment enables

richer learning than its restrictive counterpart richer learning than its restrictive counterpart (e.g. variety of settings and challenges) (Rainbird (e.g. variety of settings and challenges) (Rainbird et al, 2003)et al, 2003)

• FE must recognize a greater range of learning FE must recognize a greater range of learning outcomes and skills as valuable (Hodkinson et al outcomes and skills as valuable (Hodkinson et al 2005)2005)

• Multinational companies are more concerned with Multinational companies are more concerned with employee performance and personality than with employee performance and personality than with formal qualifications (Brown et al, 2006)formal qualifications (Brown et al, 2006)

Skills and Workforce Skills and Workforce DevelopmentDevelopment• The assessment of students’ literacy capacity The assessment of students’ literacy capacity

should tailored to the practical contexts for should tailored to the practical contexts for which their courses are preparing them which their courses are preparing them (Ivanic et al, 2006)(Ivanic et al, 2006)

• Occupational labels can be misleading Occupational labels can be misleading indicators of the knowledge, skill and learning indicators of the knowledge, skill and learning experiences of employees while increased experiences of employees while increased responsibility raises aspirations and creates responsibility raises aspirations and creates more opportunities to learn more opportunities to learn (Felstead et al, (Felstead et al, 2008)2008)

Skills and Workforce Skills and Workforce DevelopmentDevelopment

• Workplace training that merely re-teaches Workplace training that merely re-teaches school mathematics will not close the skills school mathematics will not close the skills gap. Techno-mathematical skills are rarely gap. Techno-mathematical skills are rarely picked up ‘on the job’ and need to be picked up ‘on the job’ and need to be developed explicitly in context (Hoyles et al, developed explicitly in context (Hoyles et al, 2007)2007)

• Adult basic skills programmes initiated by and Adult basic skills programmes initiated by and within workplaces survive the longest. within workplaces survive the longest. Increased proficiency requires use of the skills Increased proficiency requires use of the skills ‘on the job’ (Wolf et al, 2007)‘on the job’ (Wolf et al, 2007)

Widening ParticipationWidening Participation

• Universities need to be sure about the means Universities need to be sure about the means of accommodating disabled students and of accommodating disabled students and upholding academic standards. Many upholding academic standards. Many adjustments for disabled students are in line adjustments for disabled students are in line with good teaching practices for all students with good teaching practices for all students (Fuller et al, 2007)(Fuller et al, 2007)

• Working class students show resilience and Working class students show resilience and commitment despite structural discrimination commitment despite structural discrimination and should not be viewed by universities as and should not be viewed by universities as high risk or problematic (Crozier & Reay, 2008)high risk or problematic (Crozier & Reay, 2008)

Widening ParticipationWidening Participation

• Students need more financial support to Students need more financial support to reduce the need for taking employment while reduce the need for taking employment while studying (Crozier & Reay, 2008)studying (Crozier & Reay, 2008)

• Universities need to ensure they do not limit Universities need to ensure they do not limit the learning of students from diverse the learning of students from diverse backgrounds (Hockings & Bowl, 2008)backgrounds (Hockings & Bowl, 2008)

• Policy makers need to continue their focus on Policy makers need to continue their focus on narrowing the socio-economic gap in relation narrowing the socio-economic gap in relation to university attendance (Vignoles et al, to university attendance (Vignoles et al, 2007)2007)

Widening ParticipationWidening Participation

• An expansion of work-focused higher An expansion of work-focused higher education will place new demands on access education will place new demands on access and transfer functions of dual sector and transfer functions of dual sector institutional arrangements (Parry et al, 2008)institutional arrangements (Parry et al, 2008)

• More high quality work-related provision by More high quality work-related provision by employers could release latent employee employers could release latent employee demand (Fuller et al, 2007)demand (Fuller et al, 2007)

• Widening participation – addressing attitudes Widening participation – addressing attitudes that contribute to non-participationthat contribute to non-participation

Non-Participation in HE: Decision-making as an embedded social practice

Alison Fuller Email: a.fuller@soton.ac.uk

Department for Employment and Learning, Belfast, 27 November 2009

School of Education

Background to our research• Policy and research interest in WP: persistently uneven

patterns of participation

• Target that 50% of 18-30s to enter HE (by 2010 dropped)

• 2020 target of at least 40% of working population with L4 qualifications

• Nearly 6 million workers have L3 Qs as their highest qualification

• Demographic changes

• The problem of participant proxies

Research Aims

• To examine the extent to which HE is conceived as within the bounds of the possible for 'potentially recruitable' but 'non-participating' adults

• To explore how attitudes to HE and decisions about participation are distributed across, embedded and negotiated within inter-generational 'networks of intimacy'

Project methodology• Stage one: desk research (lit reviews), analysis of

large scale data sets, 32 key informant interviews

• Stage two: sixteen case study 'networks of intimacy‘: 16 ‘entry point’ interviews plus approx. 5 additional interviews per network (107 in total), followed by second entry point interviews

• ‘Entry points’ were adults aged over 21 who have attained L3 qualifications but have not [yet] participated in HE

Our network sample

• Aged 13 to 96 (most 21-60), 60% female

• 44 (approx 40%) in total have L3 as highest qualification; approx 30% have L4 as highest qualification

• 90% of those with L3 had vocational qualifications, most acquired some years after leaving school

• 72% of our L3 sample in NS-SEC classes 3 and below, most in skilled/supervisory level work

Entry Point• John Hanley (age 34)• Lives with wife and children <11years. • Location: isolated small town• Boat builder• Highest qual: CMI Diploma• Experience of HE: No

John Hanley’sNetwork

Sister• Jackie Hanley (age 29)• Lives alone.• Location: urban• PT work and Student • Highest qualification: Level 4• Experience of HE: Yes

Mother• Mary Hanley (age 57)• Lives with partner.• Location: isolated small town• PT caretaker• Highest qualification: Level 1 shorthand/ typing/book keeping• Experience of HE: No

Wife• Cathy Hanley (age 35)• Lives with husband and children <11years• Location: isolated small town• PT Supermarket worker• Highest qual: NVQ1 Retail• Experience of HE: No

Aunt• Anne Miller (age 49)• Lives with husband and child >11 years.• Location: isolated small town• PT Dental Nurse.• Highest qualification: Level 3 SEN• Experience of HE: No

Friend• George Harris (age 40)• Lives with wife and children age <11.• Location: isolated small town• Section leader and Boat Builder• Highest qualification: Level 3• Experience of HE: No

Friend• Graham Powell (age 34)• Lives alone.• Location: isolated small townl• Not in paid work• Highest qualification: GCSE• Experience of HE: No

Mother-in-law• Julie Renwick (age 57)• Lives alone.• Location: isolated small town• PT administrator• Highest qualification: NVQ2• Experience of HE: No

The network approach• Educational decision-making is often theorised as a

deeply embedded social practice

• Yet… often based on individual accounts

• What is the added value of network-based research?

Network-based decision-making • Networks as sites of varying forms of social,

cultural and economic capital

• Critical nature of network characteristics (e.g. strength and range of interpersonal ties, shared/contested values)

• Importance of life course perspective and life stage

Peter Sharpe(Husband)

Gill Henson

(Friend)Susan Bryant(Friend)

Jane Walker(Friend)

Tom Andrews

(Brother)

Helen Andrews

(Sister-in-law)

Joanne Sharpe

(Entry Point)

Nature of tie

Strength of tie

Very strongStrongWeakVery weak

FamilyFriendship

Key

Notes1This sociogram represents interviewed network members only. 2‘Nature of tie’ represents the type of relationship between the network members. Family ties include immediate blood family and constructed (married in/partnered) members.3 ‘Strength of tie’ demonstrates a combination of the amount of time, the emotional intensity, the intimacy (mutual confiding), and the reciprocity which characterise the tie.

Joanne Sharpe’s Network

Social Networks, Relationships & Value“I have supported him loads and loads and loads, and

Joanna has brilliantly supporting [sic] Peter for four years …Everything is about a team effort you know, if you think you can just do everything in your life without accepting any help from anyone else, then you are a fool… my friendship with Joanna has been her supporting me in times of need, and me supporting her in times of need.” (Susan, friend)

Key Findings (1): Sources of advice • No single agency has WP in HE across the life

course as its core mission

• 75% of our KIs worked with under 19 year olds, those working with older groups focused on L2 and below

• Lack of independent IAG increases reliance on ‘hot knowledge’

• Rosie’s experience – IAG provided through children’s school and family learning centre

Key Finding (2): Relevance of HE• The ‘potentially recruitable’ in our research were

living comfortable, stable lives and usually see little need to participate in HE

• Historically, L3 qualifications have generated relatively good returns

• Are degrees always necessary for advancement?

• Need for higher level qualifications is growing in importance

Key Finding (3) The multi-directionality of network influence• Network influence is transmitted upwards from

child to parent as well as downwards

• Those with no 1st hand HE experience express ambivalence about its value

• HE experiences within social networks critically shape the perceptions of ‘potentially recruitable’ adults across and within generations

Inter-generational ambivalence

“I just think there’s too many people going along that road for the amount of work there is…I have probably said to the boys [teenage sons] that I think a degree leaves you with a very large debt and not necessarily what you want to do in life, but I haven’t suggested to them that they couldn’t do it if they wanted to.” (Cathy’s aunt)

Key Finding (3) The multi-directionality of network influence• Network influence is transmitted upwards from

child to parent as well as downwards

• Those with no 1st hand HE experience express ambivalence about its value

• HE experiences within social networks critically shape the perceptions of ‘potentially recruitable’ adults across and within generations

Key Finding 4: Perceived value of learning• Generally positive attitudes towards formal and

informal learning as adults, despite often negative experiences of compulsory schooling.

• Perceive value of self-directed and non-certificated froms of learning in pursuit of personal interests

• Appetite for high quality, work-related and employer-supported provision, and for recognised qualifications that offer recipients tangible returns

Policy Implications and conclusions• Limits of WP approaches which focus solely on individual

and under-estimate influence of social networks/cultures

• Need for professional information, advice and guidance for adults that is relevant to their life stage and is accessible

• Identification with entrants to HE who are ‘people like me’ influences decision-making across and within generations

• Tapping latent employee demand for qualifications that offer tangible returns, requires support from more employers and availability of flexible, PT provision