Degrees of Success: The Transitions from Vocational to Higher Education

Policies to promote HE participation aim to deliver social justice and economic development, but the success of learners with vocational backgrounds is a critical test. Degrees of Success examines the transitional frictions experienced by these learners and finds that their modes of participation may not provide fair access and outcomes due to epistemic incompatibilities between higher and vocational education. The book extends the debate about widening participation beyond barriers to access to consider the epistemic and pedagogical challenges of increasing student heterogeneity in HE systems and provides policy suggestions for supporting students' HE learning journeys.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 26 October 2021
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Policies aimed at promoting high participation in higher education (HE) systems are crucial in achieving social justice and economic development by increasing the representation of under-represented groups. Degrees of Success offers a valuable examination of this issue by focusing on the participation and success of learners with vocational backgrounds in HE. The authors employ an innovative conceptual framework that combines the ideas of Basil Bernstein and Pierre Bourdieu to analyze the various transitional frictions experienced by these learners as they navigate into and through the HE system.

The findings of the study indicate that including students with vocational qualifications in HE does lead to increased participation, but their modes of participation may not provide fair access and outcomes. This is partly due to the persistent epistemic incompatibilities between higher and vocational education, which continue to hinder efforts at resolving them despite ongoing reforms in vocational qualifications.

To address these challenges, this book extends the debate about widening participation beyond mere metaphors of barriers to access and considers the epistemic and pedagogical challenges of increasing student heterogeneity in high participation HE systems. The analysis and policy suggestions provided in the book are relevant to all stakeholders involved in supporting students' HE learning journeys, as well as policy makers seeking to utilize HE systems as tools for furthering social mobility and justice.

In conclusion, Degrees of Success provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion about widening participation in HE systems. By examining the experiences of learners with vocational backgrounds, the book sheds light on the complexities and challenges faced by these students as they navigate the HE system. The analysis and policy suggestions offered provide valuable insights for all stakeholders involved in supporting students' HE learning journeys and for policy makers seeking to utilize HE systems as means of promoting social mobility and justice.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 128 x 198 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800431959