The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The student as consumer: affordances and constraints in a transforming higher education environment

The student as consumer: affordances and constraints in a transforming higher education environment
The student as consumer: affordances and constraints in a transforming higher education environment
The chapter addresses the notion of student as consumer and argues that the liberalisation of HE under the GATS has ushered a new era in education in which students feel more like customers/consumers purchasing qualifications from universities. The chapter provides a balanced discussion of the affordances and constraints of adopting the consumer metaphor in education. On the positive side is the greater accountability this brings to HE. The increase in student complaints and litigious issues in HE is a symptom of the greater need for accountability in HE. It is argued that as consumerism increases, so too will the quality of what is taught and the overall student experience. On the other hand however, increasing consumerism might lead to a devaluing of education and the educative processes to become symbolised by the exchange relationship between money and degrees. The chapter utilises Cheney's theoretical propositions against consumerism in education as a basis for the discussion
9780415584470
1-20
Routledge
Maringe, Felix
87437772-d86d-4d6e-9553-53884eb7d1da
Molesworth, Mike
Scullion, Richard
Nixon, Elizabeth
Maringe, Felix
87437772-d86d-4d6e-9553-53884eb7d1da
Molesworth, Mike
Scullion, Richard
Nixon, Elizabeth

Maringe, Felix (2010) The student as consumer: affordances and constraints in a transforming higher education environment. In, Molesworth, Mike, Scullion, Richard and Nixon, Elizabeth (eds.) The Marketisation of UK Higher Education: th Student as Consumer. London, UK. Routledge, pp. 1-20.

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

The chapter addresses the notion of student as consumer and argues that the liberalisation of HE under the GATS has ushered a new era in education in which students feel more like customers/consumers purchasing qualifications from universities. The chapter provides a balanced discussion of the affordances and constraints of adopting the consumer metaphor in education. On the positive side is the greater accountability this brings to HE. The increase in student complaints and litigious issues in HE is a symptom of the greater need for accountability in HE. It is argued that as consumerism increases, so too will the quality of what is taught and the overall student experience. On the other hand however, increasing consumerism might lead to a devaluing of education and the educative processes to become symbolised by the exchange relationship between money and degrees. The chapter utilises Cheney's theoretical propositions against consumerism in education as a basis for the discussion

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 30 September 2010

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 79661
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/79661
ISBN: 9780415584470
PURE UUID: 40636e94-e3e3-4cbe-9903-9e9b121aa5b2

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 18 Mar 2010
Last modified: 08 Jan 2022 02:26

Export record

Contributors

Author: Felix Maringe
Editor: Mike Molesworth
Editor: Richard Scullion
Editor: Elizabeth Nixon

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×