Higher Education Pathways

In what ways does access to undergraduate education have a transformative impact on people and societies? What conditions are required for this impact to occur? What are the pathways from an undergraduate education to the public good, including inclusive economic development? These questions have particular resonance in the South African higher education context, which is attempting to tackle the challenges of widening access and improving completion rates in in a system in which the segregations of the apartheid years are still apparent. Higher education is recognised in core legislation as having a distinctive and crucial role in building post-apartheid society. Undergraduate education is seen as central to addressing skills shortages in South Africa. It is also seen to yield significant social returns, including a consistent positive impact on societal institutions and the development of a range of capabilities that have public, as well as private, benefits. This book offers comprehensive contemporary evidence that allows for a fresh engagement with these pressing issues.

This book explores the multiple pathways from scholarships for international study to positive social change. Bringing together studies from academic researchers, evaluators and program designers and policymakers from Africa, Asia, Latin and North America, Europe, and Australia, the book compiles the latest research and analysis on the policy, practice, and outcomes of international scholarship programs. Contributions examine the broad trends in sponsored overseas study, program design considerations, the dynamics of the immediate post-scholarship period and the impact of scholarships on international education and development. Particular attention is focused on assessment and evaluation, the complexities of selecting awardees, the dynamics of returning home and concerns about brain drain and the state of knowledge and research on long-term outcomes of international scholarships with social change aims.nt>

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book brings together contributions by researchers, scholars, policy-makers, practitioners, professionals and citizens who have an interest in or experience of Indigenous pathways and transitions into higher education. University is not for everyone, but a university should be for everyone. To a certain extent, the choice not to participate in higher education should be respected given that there are other avenues and reasons to participate in education and employment that are culturally, socially and/or economically important for society. Those who choose to pursue higher education should do so knowing that there are multiple pathways into higher education and, once there, appropriate support is provided for a successful transition. The book outlines the issues of social inclusion and equity in higher education, and the contributions draw on real-world experiences to reflect the different approaches and strategies currently being adopted. Focusing on research, program design, program evaluation, policy initiatives and experiential narrative accounts, the book critically discusses issues concerning widening participation.

In this volume, language learning and professionalization are explored by addressing the existing gap between pressing needs for enhanced soft skills in work environments wherein technology-mediated, multilingual communication is increasingly the norm, and current foreign language teaching and learning offerings in higher education. Considering theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical perspectives for preparing language learners and teachers in/for the 21st century, this volume’s eight chapters underscore that research findings should inform the design of learning experiences so that people’s communication needs in fast-changing work environments are met and the link between language education and professionalization, within a lifelong learning perspective, is sustained.

This volume is the first to compile the insights of experienced and informed education researchers and practitioners involved in the delivery of university pathway programs. These programs have emerged as effective responses to global, national and local students’ needs when transitioning to Higher Education. The book opens with an overview of the main drivers for the development of university pathway programs, and a description of the main characteristics of such programs, as well as of the different types of programs available. It examines topics such as the way in which policy and governance issues at the institutional, state, and federal level affect university pathway programs’ financial models, compliance and quality assurance mechanisms as well as program provision. It also looks at how to address issues related to 'non-traditional' background students such as those from lower socioeconomic background, students for whom English is an additional language (EAL), indigenous students, mature age students and humanitarian entrants. The volume showcases thirteen university pathway programs offered in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Qatar, and the United Kingdom. These examples provide valuable insights that will help guide future practice in the field as the programs described effectively foster and support the development of students’ academic literacies, study skills and awareness of the socio-cultural norms that are necessary to participate successfully in higher education settings. In reporting the strategies to overcome challenges in the areas of curriculum development and implementation, of equity, inclusion and participation, of cross-sector collaboration and of student welfare, the volume promotes reflection on these issues and, therefore, better equips those education practitioners embarking on the university pathway program journey.

Offering a unique insider view of higher education, Ferris and Waldron skillfully showcase expert leadership, providing a rich and meaningful understanding of higher education leadership from across the nexus of existential, philosophical and practical concerns.

The contributors to this volume are academics working directly or indirectly with teaching and learning centers and professional communities, serving in the capacity of educational developer, researcher, or specialist; unit manager or director; or senior administrator. Drawing on survey and interview data, individual experience or perspective, and familiarity with the educational literature, they offer a context to understand and appreciate how the field of educational development, developer practice, and individual pathways have evolved, further highlighting what territory remains to be explored and uncovered. Over the last fifty years, educational development has evolved from an informal set of instructional improvement activities championed by individuals to a scholarly field of study and practice that aims to advance teaching and learning at the individual, institutional and (more recently) sector levels. During this time, educational development work has moved from the fringes to the mainstream of the higher education landscape, bringing to the community a diverse group of dedicated academic professionals. This volume draws on their experience and insight to provide an invaluable guide to future challenges and issues. This is the 122nd volume of the Jossey-Bass higher education quarterly report series New Directions for Teaching and Learning, which offers a comprehensive range of ideas and techniques for improving college teaching based on the experience of seasoned instructors and the latest findings of educational and psychological researchers.

Community colleges enroll half of the nation’s undergraduates. Yet only 40 percent of entrants complete an undergraduate degree in six years. Redesigning America’s Community Colleges explains how two-year colleges can increase their students’ success rate quickly and at less cost, through a program of guided pathways to completion.