You can't ask a leaflet a question: relevant information about HE for under-represented social groups

Authors: Tate, Jim; Hatt, Sue; Baxter, Arthur

Source: Journal of Access Policy and Practice, Volume 3, Number 2, August 2006 , pp. 103-118(16)

Publisher: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education

Abstract:

This article addresses the importance of the provision of information in widening participation and argues for the continuous availability of information through a variety of formats and media to meet the diverse character of student information needs. The article draws on interview data with school and college students in the south-west of England to explore their attitudes towards higher education (HE), their information requirements, the extent to which these are being met and the ways in which provision can be improved. A number of issues are highlighted, such as the personalisation of information both in terms of the relevance it carries for the recipient and the strength of their identification with the information provider. The transition from generic information to specific information about courses of study and institutions is seen as crucial to ensuring that learners needs continue to be met as they progress towards HE. Similarly, it is important to make explicit the relationship between HE study and subsequent employment as learners from groups with little tradition of entering HE demonstrate an instrumental attitude towards HE study. The article recognises that students from under-represented groups face many barriers as they seek to enter HE and argues that the provision of information is not merely one barrier amongst many but is an intrinsic part of many other barriers

Keywords: EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE; WIDENING PARTICIPATION; EMPLOYABILITY

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2006-08-01

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• The Journal of Access Policy and Practice informs and supports development in access and widening participation. It explores education policy and practice as it affects access to learning and surveys the field, both nationally and internationally. Informed by theory and current research the journal shares ideas and practical solutions to create wider and deeper participation in lifelong learning and offers a space for practitioners and academics to critically reflect and debate different perspectives.
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