Widening the educational capabilities of socio‐economically disadvantaged students through a model of social and cultural capital development

Hannon, Cliona; Faas, Daniel; O’Sullivan, Katriona

doi:10.1002/berj.3309

Cited by 28 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(58 reference statements)

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“…Bridging social capital may therefore provide an ideal mechanism to understand how individuals overcome the barriers associated with educational disadvantage. Access to bridging capital is crucial for facilitating progression to HE in low SES groups as it provides access to 'new' forms of capital, whereas bonding capital has the potential to close down opportunities within networks where progression to HE is not the norm (Vaughn et al, 2015;Hannon et al, 2017;Nicholson & Cleland, 2017. Building bridges; alternative entry routes to HE. Since the late 1990s, there have been several policy changes in both England and Ireland to try to improve access to HE for low SES groups.…”

Section: Academic Identity Confidence and Belonging 555mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Others assert that academic achievement is the primary barrier to HE participation (Chowdry et al ., ), with large disparities observed between the attainment of low SES students and their more affluent counterparts (McKnight, ). This approach frames access to HE in terms of human capital; seeing education reform and curriculum changes as preconditions to improved economic responsiveness and increasing employment opportunities for low SES students (Hannon et al ., ). Universities currently active in promoting WP under this policy focus are employing activities like subject supports, guidance and learning supports alongside financial supports.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Academic identity, confidence and belonging: The role of contextualised admissions and foundation years in higher education

O’Sullivan

Bird

Robson

et al. 2019

British Educational Res J

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This article presents a cross‐national exploration of responses to widening participation (WP), with a specific focus on the provision of foundation year (FY) programmes and the use of contextualised admissions (CA) in selective Irish and UK institutions. There remains a dearth of research on these routes, with little understanding of the characteristics of students who utilise them, of why students use these routes and little knowledge of their effect on students’ experiences in university and their overall sense of belonging. A year‐long longitudinal comparative case study design examined three alternative entry routes in two selective higher education institutions (HEIs) in England and Ireland: a well‐established FY; a newly formed FY; and a CA pathway. Data were collected through a mixed‐method approach. Questionnaires and in‐depth focus groups were employed at fixed points with participating students in each route. Results indicated that FY students had lower levels of familial educational history and parental occupation. FY students’ sense of belonging significantly increased over the year, with students reporting increased confidence and sense of belonging due to the relationships established during the FY. CA students’ sense of belonging remained the same, with students reporting feeling different and isolated. Results indicate that while students utilising FYs may be ‘more disadvantaged’ than CA students, their experiences helped establish a sense of belonging; illustrating the need for diverse WP routes catering to a wide range of needs. Results highlight the importance of providing opportunities to develop social and bridging social capital for all non‐traditional students.

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Section: Academic Identity Confidence and Belonging 555mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Academic identity, confidence and belonging: The role of contextualised admissions and foundation years in higher education

O’Sullivan

Bird

Robson

et al. 2019

British Educational Res J

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“…As Hannon et al . () discuss, there are structural factors beyond academic ability that either support or hinder young people in developing aspirations. Awareness of these structural factors can help students navigate university applications.…”

Section: Discussion: How Schools Can Nurture the Capability To Aspirementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This also recognises, in Eccles' (2009) terms, the complex nature of decision-making: it links to wider processes of maturation, and individual and collective identity formation, including the emergent nature of long-term aspirations. As Hannon et al (2017) discuss, there are structural factors beyond academic ability that either support or hinder young people in developing aspirations. Awareness of these structural factors can help students navigate university applications.…”

Section: Discussion: How Schools Can Nurture the Capability To Aspirementioning

confidence: 99%

‘Learning to play the game’: How schools with below average attainment can support the decision‐making processes for high‐potential learners in applying for university

Rose

Tikly

Washbrook

2019

British Educational Res J

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This article explores how schools with below average attainment can support high‐attaining learners in their decision‐making about university. We report on a project involving longitudinal case studies of 43 high‐achieving learners from a range of backgrounds across five institutions, during their sixth form career in 2013/14 and 2014/15, focusing on ways in which aspirations towards university develop. To understand schools’ roles in supporting learners, we draw on Hart's analytical framework which sees the development of aspiration for higher education as a capability—the development of the opportunity freedoms of young people to pursue future trajectories that they have reason to value. We draw attention to the factors that facilitate or hinder this development, and highlight the key crunch points at which this feeds into young people's decision‐making about university. We suggest that policy and practice should move beyond a traditional focus on the role of schools in raising aspirations amongst learners from non‐traditional backgrounds. Instead, there should be a focus on how schools can support young people to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the university landscape, so that young people do not rule out options without fully understanding them. This will in turn lead to young people being able to make informed choices linked to future trajectories they have reason to value. ‘Learning to play the game’ of attending Russell Group universities needs to be seen as part of the development of this wider capability to aspire.

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“…Others assert that academic achievement is the primary barrier to participation (Chowdry, Crawford, Dearden, Goodman, & Vignoles;Jones & Thomas, 2005). With large disparities seen between the educational attainment of disadvantaged students and their more affluent counterparts (Coley, 2002;Burgess, Ding, Hargreaves, Van Ryn & Phelan, 2008;Feinstein, 2003;McKnight, 2015) this approach frames access to high-status professions in terms of human capital; seeing the barriers in terms of an individual skill deficit (Hannon et al, 2017;Thomas, Yorke & Woodrow, 2003). Both approaches emphasize barriers which exist within the individual, and indicate impoverished levels of personal agency, including reduced freedom to decide and reduced power to act and be effective (Crocker & Robeyns, 2009;Wilson-Strydom, 2012, 2016.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversifying Initial Teacher Education: Who Utilises Alternative Entry Routes to Teaching & How They Compare to Direct Entry Students

O’Sullivan

Burns²,

Bird³

2019

5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'19)

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Recognition of the growing homogeneity of the Irish teaching body (Keane & Heinz, 2016), and increasing awareness of the positive impact a more diverse teaching population have on disadvantaged and diverse students’ educational engagement, has precipitated an Irish policy response which has included funding a university foundation course (FC) which supports students who are underrepresented in teaching, to progress into initial teacher education (ITE).There is a dearth of empirical research on who is accessing these interventions, and how these students differ from those who ‘usually’ apply to and enter ITE directly. Consequently, in September 2018, twenty FC students and eighteen students from the direct entry group completed an on-line survey in order to compare the demographic make of both groups.The results of the descriptive analysis indicate that students utilising the ITE FC are more diverse in ethnicity, disability status and academic history, and have greater levels of disadvantage in terms of family history of education and family occupation than those entering ITE directly. These results highlight the value of utilising alternative entry routes to ITE, and their potential to support those disadvantaged and underrepresented to take the initial step into ITE.

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Widening the educational capabilities of socio‐economically disadvantaged students through a model of social and cultural capital development

Cited by 28 publications

References 35 publications

Academic identity, confidence and belonging: The role of contextualised admissions and foundation years in higher education

Academic identity, confidence and belonging: The role of contextualised admissions and foundation years in higher education

‘Learning to play the game’: How schools with below average attainment can support the decision‐making processes for high‐potential learners in applying for university

Diversifying Initial Teacher Education: Who Utilises Alternative Entry Routes to Teaching & How They Compare to Direct Entry Students

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