Beyond inequality? A case study of progression, achievements and experiences of health and care workers in higher education, 2005–2011
Beyond inequality? A case study of progression, achievements and experiences of health and care workers in higher education, 2005–2011
During the first decade of the new millennium, the New Labour government promoted a discourse of inclusion in health and care work in two central ways:
• A restructured career ladder was introduced with the aim of offering advancement based on ability.
• The Foundation degree was introduced, as an attempt to open up access to health education in higher education (HE).
This paper focuses on the latter, analysing the progression statistics of all entrants to one Foundation degree (at a research-intensive university) over six years. Two groups of students are discussed: those who attained honours degrees and professional qualifications (30% of all who continued) and those who left with no qualifications (19% of all entrants).
In order to move beyond typologies that seek to correlate personal characteristics with the likelihood to achieve, we reflect on the contextual and social factors reported by students. Interviews reinforce the importance of peer support and the prospect of a professional career. The dataset examined here would suggest that the range of student voices needs to be attended to with greater sensitivity if the plurality of student perspectives and needs are not to be obscured. The data here enables a more profound consideration of what inclusion could mean.
widening participation, foundation degree, health and care, attrition, persistence, retention, diversity
172-189
Wintrup, Julie
9f1df4c7-aae8-4d0e-9176-8e33b7417370
James, Liz
b7e90b5a-da45-4459-ae84-150adc07e988
Humphris, Debra
7248f9f4-53fc-4519-8211-72ab16d345c9
2012
Wintrup, Julie
9f1df4c7-aae8-4d0e-9176-8e33b7417370
James, Liz
b7e90b5a-da45-4459-ae84-150adc07e988
Humphris, Debra
7248f9f4-53fc-4519-8211-72ab16d345c9
Wintrup, Julie, James, Liz and Humphris, Debra
(2012)
Beyond inequality? A case study of progression, achievements and experiences of health and care workers in higher education, 2005–2011.
Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 14 (3), Winter Issue, .
(doi:10.5456/WPLL.14.3.172).
Abstract
During the first decade of the new millennium, the New Labour government promoted a discourse of inclusion in health and care work in two central ways:
• A restructured career ladder was introduced with the aim of offering advancement based on ability.
• The Foundation degree was introduced, as an attempt to open up access to health education in higher education (HE).
This paper focuses on the latter, analysing the progression statistics of all entrants to one Foundation degree (at a research-intensive university) over six years. Two groups of students are discussed: those who attained honours degrees and professional qualifications (30% of all who continued) and those who left with no qualifications (19% of all entrants).
In order to move beyond typologies that seek to correlate personal characteristics with the likelihood to achieve, we reflect on the contextual and social factors reported by students. Interviews reinforce the importance of peer support and the prospect of a professional career. The dataset examined here would suggest that the range of student voices needs to be attended to with greater sensitivity if the plurality of student perspectives and needs are not to be obscured. The data here enables a more profound consideration of what inclusion could mean.
Text
__soton.ac.uk_ude_personalfiles_users_jw8_mydesktop_ebook_widening-participation-lifelong-learning_vol14_winter_12-13_article-10.pdf
- Version of Record
Restricted to Registered users only
Request a copy
More information
Published date: 2012
Keywords:
widening participation, foundation degree, health and care, attrition, persistence, retention, diversity
Organisations:
Faculty of Health Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 348730
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/348730
ISSN: 1466-6529
PURE UUID: 266d7205-42d7-4d1a-8c1a-34c7935feddb
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 21 Feb 2013 15:24
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 13:04
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Julie Wintrup
Author:
Debra Humphris
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
