Introductory description

This module explores issues within widening participation policy and practice in higher education. It analyses the relationships between education and social mobility to develop an understanding of the different stages of the student lifecycle approach to widening participation (recruitment, retention, progression and lifelong learning). It considers the relationship between meritocracy and education and how widening participation policy and practice impacts on different social groups in the UK and in selected global case studies.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Widening Participation in Higher Education: The course opens with an introduction to the issues of widening participation in UK higher education. We will analyse which students act as the focus of widening participation efforts and the importance of access to and progression at university for social mobility and economic development.
Meritocracy and Educational (In)Equality in Schools: This session considers educational (in)equality in UK schools. We will analyse the concept of meritocracy via an examination of the ways it is used to support educational outcomes. In doing so, we will examine the roots of unequal access to higher education institutions and the question of whether attempts to ensure fair university access should focus on schools rather than universities.
University Outreach and Recruitment: This session explores the policies and practices of university outreach work. We will analyse the different outreach activities that exist and discuss the relative effectiveness of them in widening participation.
Theoretical Perspectives on Widening Participation: This session focuses on introducing students to Bourdieu’s theories of social reproduction and social capitals. The session will also explore models and understandings of theories of society, equality and justice and how these fit into the academy. Discussion will centre on ways of understanding and critiquing these concepts in relation to widening participation in higher education.
Study skills and essay writing: This session will provide advice and guidance on essay writing in preparation for the upcoming assessments.
Contextual Data and University Admissions: This session explores the arguments for and against the use of contextual data in university admissions policies. We will examine the different ways contextual data is used by universities and the indicators of disadvantage employed. In doing so, we will relate to the wider political context within which this debate takes place.
Marketisation of Higher Education: To explore what we mean by the marketisation of higher education we will trace the move from elitist to mass higher education. We will discuss the implication of tuition fees as well as university discourse surrounding “student experience” or “students as customers”. We will analyse neoliberal and capitalistic ideology and issues around student “choice” and agency that these ideologies imply whilst critically engaging with concepts such as the myth of merit and upward and downward social mobility.
Higher Education as Transformative Learning: This session explores the ways widening participation draws on the idea that higher education has the power to transform individuals’ lives or possibly wider society. We will explore ideas from Freire and Mezirow, analyse the discourse of transformation taken from marketing materials from universities and critically engage with concepts of societal reproduction, social mobility, meritocracy and justice.
Retention and Progression: This session explores the retention of students from disadvantaged backgrounds at university and the extent of their progression into professional careers. We will examine the specific challenges faced by disadvantaged students in participating fully in the university experience and the impact this has on retention rates. We will also explore the challenges disadvantaged students face in accessing professional careers.
Widening Participation and Gender: This session considers the gender dimensions of widening participation work. We will examine the gender trends in university and subject specific recruitment and the reasons behind these patterns. We will also analyse the challenges faced by women in university access, retention and progression.
Widening Participation and Race:
This session considers the racial dimensions of widening participation work. We will examine the race trends in university and subject specific recruitment and the reasons behind these patterns. We will also analyse the challenges faced by ethnic minorities in university access, retention and progression, with a particular focus on the BME attainment gap.
Disability in Higher Education: This session explores various models of disability, including medical, social and universal models in relation to the current UK higher education context. The session will include a broad definition of disability to include specific learning difficulties and mental health as well as physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities. Issues of discourse, the power of language and labels as well as the politics of space and politics of difference will also be analysed.
The Politics of Care: Concentrating on two distinct groups – care leavers and young carers/sole parents – this session will explore the collaborative nature of WP. Universities are increasingly collaborating with one another, local councils, virtual schools, CAMHS, charities and across university departments to engage these groups. The discussion will allow students to draw on other themes presented in the module including evidence based approaches, gender issues, the experiences of mature students, collaborative outreach and community.
Lifelong Learning: This session explores adult education and lifelong learning in the university sector. We will analyse the debates surrounding lifelong learning and government policy in this field. In doing so, students will examine the particular experiences of adults in higher education and the extent to which universities are geared towards the specific requirements of this cohort.
Student Presentations: Students will be asked to prepare a 15 minute group presentation on an aspect of widening participation in UK higher education.
Global perspectives I - Widening Participation in the USA: We will explore global perspectives on widening participation across the next two sessions and concentrate specifically on affirmative action policies and quotas in non-UK universities. The first of the two sessions will focus particularly on policies and practices in the United States of America and their affirmative action policies in the context of community college routes to higher education. We will explore motives for such affirmative action policies in this context, the practice of these policies as well as interpretations, responses and court interventions as well as impact.
Global perspectives II - Widening Participation in India and South Africa: Building on our initial exploration of global perspectives on widening participation in the previous session, we will continue examining affirmative discrimination and quota policies. This week in post-colonial states: studying India with its caste based system and South Africa with its legacy of apartheid. Considering both these case studies and the US one from the last session, we will consider the merits of such policies as well as criticisms. We will also discuss models of equality and justice when evaluating the affirmative action case studies presented in these two sessions.
Rethinking Widening Participation Policies: This session provides a final exploration of widening participation policies. We will discuss your recommendations for how you would rethink government and university widening participation policies. In doing so, we will consider the benefits and risks of each approach.
Group Review and Essay Advice: In these sessions, we will undertake a review of the core themes of the module and provide one-to-one meetings to discuss your summative essay 2.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Knowledge and understandingDemonstrate a critical understanding of key issues that shape and inform widening participation policies and practices in UK higher education.Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of key aspects relevant to this particular field of study, including acquisition of detailed knowledge informed by the defined aspects of the discipline.Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.Demonstrate an ability to apply methods and techniques learned in order to review, consolidate and apply knowledge and understanding.
• Cognitive skillsDemonstrate an ability to deploy techniques of analysis within this particular discipline.Demonstrate an ability to solve problems, using ideas and techniques at the forefront of this particular discipline, and to comment upon aspects of current research.Demonstrate an ability to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, including research articles appropriate to the discipline.Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate arguments, make judgements, and frame appropriate questions in order to achieve a solution to a particular problem.
• Communication and other skillsDemonstrate an ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility and also the learning ability needed to undertake further training of a professional nature.Demonstrate their ability to present complex ideas in both written and oral form

Indicative reading list

Archer, L., Hutchings, M., & Ross, A. Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of exclusion and inclusion (RoutledgeFalmer, 2003).
Arrow, K., Bowles, S, and Durlauf, S. Meritocracy and Economic Inequality (Princeton UP, 2000).
Bhopal, K. and Maylor, U. Educational Inequalities: Difference and Diversity in Schools and Higher Education (Routledge, 2013).
Bourdieu, P. ‘The Forms of Capital’. In J. Richardson, Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (Greenwood, 1986).
Burke, P.J. Accessing education: effectively widening participation (Trentham, 2002).
Cavanagh, M., Against Equality of Opportunity (Oxford UP, 2003).
Cole, M. Education, Equality and Human Rights: issues of gender, 'race', sexuality (RoutledgeFalmer, 2000).
Curren, R. (ed.), A Companion to the Philosophy of Education (Blackwell, 2005).
Devine, F. Class Practices: How parents help their children get good jobs (Cambridge UP, 2004).
Fuller, A., Heath, S. and Johnston, B. Rethinking widening participation in higher education: the role of social networks (Routledge, 2011).
Haydon. G. (ed.) Educational Equality (Continuum 2nd.ed, 2010).
Hinton-Smith, T. Widening participation in higher education: casting the net wide? (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012).
Jackson, S. Challenges and inequalities in lifelong learning and social justice (Routledge, 2013).
Lareau, A. Unequal Childhoods (University of California Press, 2nd ed. 2011).
Lareau, A. and D. Conley (eds.), Social Class: How Does it Work? (Sage, 2008).
Matherson, D. An Introduction to the Study of Education (Routledge, 2008).
Meyer, K. (ed.) Education, Justice and the Human Good (Routledge, 2014).
Molesworth, M., Nixon, N. and Scullion, R. The marketisation of higher education: the student as consumer (Routledge, 2011).
Murray, N. and Klinger, C.M. Aspirations, access, and attainment: international perspectives on widening participation and an agenda for change (Routledge, 2014).
Reay, D., David, M. and Ball, S. Degrees of Choice. Social Class, Race and Gender in Higher Education (Trentham Books, 2005).
Taylor, Y. Educational Diversity: The Subject of Difference and Different Subjects (Palgrave Macmillan 2012).
Thomas, L. Widening participation in post-compulsory education (Continuum, 2001).
Tooley, J., Reclaiming Education (Cassell, 2000).
Vincent, C. Social Justice, Education and Identity (RoutledgeFalmer, 2003).
Warikoo, N.K. The Diversity Bargain: and other dilemmas of race, admissions, and meritocracy at elite universities (University of Chicago Press, 2016).

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate a critical understanding of key issues that shape and inform widening participation policies and practices in UK higher education.
Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of key aspects relevant to this particular field of study, including acquisition of detailed knowledge informed by the defined aspects of the discipline.
Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
Demonstrate an ability to apply methods and techniques learned in order to review, consolidate and apply knowledge and understanding.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate an ability to deploy techniques of analysis within this particular discipline.
Demonstrate an ability to solve problems, using ideas and techniques at the forefront of this particular discipline, and to comment upon aspects of current research.
Demonstrate an ability to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, including research articles appropriate to the discipline.
Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate arguments, make judgements, and frame appropriate questions in order to achieve a solution to a particular problem.
Demonstrate an ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility and also the learning ability needed to undertake further training of a professional nature.
Demonstrate their ability to present complex ideas in both written and oral form.