 |
|
 |
|
This is the February 2009 eBulletin from FACE (the Forum for Access and Continuing Education), offered to practitioners, policy-makers, researchers and others with an interest in access, widening participation and lifelong learning. The eBulletin is sent to colleagues in the sector, members and non-members alike. If you would prefer not to receive it, please contact Jim at James.Tate@uwe.ac.uk and your details will be removed from the circulation list.
The FACE Research and Development Fund 2008/09
For the third year FACE is supporting some small pieces of research into Access and Continuing Education through its Research and Development Fund. In 2008-09 grants have been awarded to three pieces of research.
FACE supported research for 2008/09
Reseacher: Mary McKeever, University of Portsmouth
Title: "If they have got something to say, why can’t they just say it in English?"
Synopsis: This study will focus on the writing journeys of 6 non-traditional students as they struggle to produce written work for their degree courses. Ethnographic research tends to focus on the bigger picture and linguistics research tends to focus on individual texts (Lillis, 2008). This study will combine both approaches to provide an ethnographic linguistic study of six students, with their unique personal and educational histories, as they articulate their difficulties when tackling the written assignments required on their various courses.
Reseacher: Anastasia Dimitriadou, Westminster Kingsway College
Title: "Equipped for learning? A follow up of the effectiveness of an Access to HE delivery model for skills for participatory learning at university."
Synopsis: The proposed research sets out to investigate the value of an Access to HE delivery model for SIL (Skills for Independent Learning) at university through the exploration of former Access to HE students’ needs for accessing learning support services during their first year of study at university.
Reseacher: Maree Walker, Open College Network London Region
Title: "Are Access to HE learners being recruited onto Foundation Degrees?"
Synopsis: OCNLR proposes to explore the incidence of progression of Access learners into Foundation Degrees (FD) in the London area. With the increase in the number of FDs in London HEIs and in partner FE colleges requiring additional and targeted recruitment, it is of interest to investigate whether cohorts of Access to HE learners are already or could be presenting a pool of qualified entrants for entry onto FDs.
The final reports submitted by those in receipt of FACE research funding in previous years are available on the Research page of the FACE website
"FACE to FACE" Ejournal, Spring EditionThe Spring 2009 Edition of FACE to FACE has been edited and is currently with the copywriters. In its new format as an Ejournal, now with it's very own ISSN, it should be available from March 2009. This edition focuses on The FE/HE interface with contributions from leading lights in this area and tends toward becoming more of an academic journal in its style and content than was the case with previous editions. "Comparable to Tolkien at his best" according to one reviewer . . . admittedly it was Clifford D Simak and he wasn't reviewing FACE to FACE but that's just a technicality. It really is very good. Members can judge for themselves when it reaches their inboxes shortly. See also the FACE2FACE web page Editor, Peter Jones, Staffordshire University |
Speaker's Corner |
|
 |
As a member-oriented organisation FACE would like to invite individual colleagues to have their say on any issue of concern in UK education policy and practice. This is a purely personal point of view and should not be thought to represent any institution, organisation, or official body. To have your say, email Jim at James.Tate@uwe.ac.uk This month's contribution is from Tony Hudson who asks if we are really listening to the voice of the learner? |
The more I use the phrase listening to learners the more it seems to resonate, not just with me, but also with others. I’m sure it strikes a chord, not just because of the allure of alliteration, but because in our work we often talk about putting the learner in the centre and giving voice to the learner. “Putting the learner in the centre” someone told me “gives us the moral high ground.” And to some extent I have to agree, but only if we’re really listening. In such a short piece it is not possible to rehearse the history, problems and perspectives on learner or pupil voice. Suffice to say that in England the current policy position in relation to children and young people’s participation and engagement is based on the notion of “voice”. Under the Children Act (2004) local authorities must give children and young people a say in the development of the statutory children and young people’s plans. Having recently begun an evaluation of a pupil voice project I was interested to see how readily the learners had taken up the challenge of participation, whilst the teachers, at least some initially, were hesitant and had reservations about yet another initiative. It would be too easy to simplify their reservations as the fear of losing power – but it certainly does challenge existing relationships, not just between pupil and teacher, but also between teachers themselves. Ruddock and Flutter (2004) have put it more eloquently: "The pupil voice movement represents a new departure because it is based on the premise that schools should reflect the democratic structures in society at large. Under this conception the school becomes a community of participants engaged in the common endeavour of learning." Reading around the subject I discovered a gap in the literature – an absence or silence of learner voice in FE and HE. So my question to readers is how should those of us working in FE and HE take up the challenge of listening to learners - engaging with them in a meaningful way about education, teaching and learning. For colleagues who want to listen as well as talk, Continuum, together with colleagues in the Cass School of Education have organised a conference: Listening to Learners, Partnerships in Action on 22nd April 2009 at UEL’s Docklands Campus. Tony Hudson |
|
Conference Update - FACE 2009Towards a New Agenda for
Lifelong Learning:
|
Some Other Seminars and Conferences for 2009
Progressing to higher education: recent research and development
Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 9.30am – 3.30pm
Clarke Hall, Institute of Education, London WC1
Conference from the London Region Post-14 Network and the Centre for Post 14 Research. For further information, contact Paul Grainger p.grainger@ioe.ac.uk
"Delivering the Promise"
Thursday 19 March 2009
Marriott Hotel, Mill Lane, Cardiff CF10 1EZ
Hosted by the Welsh Assembly Government, Department of Children Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Qualification and Curriculum Division. The conference will consider the impact of the vocational reform and curriculum development in Wales. The importance of increasing the skills levels for the work force in Wales has never been more apparent. The radical reform of vocational qualifications and the introduction of a responsive, flexible credit based regulated Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) are important and welcome developments in Wales. Importantly the vision is totally consistent with the aspiration of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW).
The key speakers include: Mike Clancy Director Qualifications Curriculum and Learning Improvement Group; Trevor Clark Head of Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales; Mike Cole NLIAH, NHS in Wales; Paul Oliver Head of Vocational Qualifications pre-19.
There will be workshop sessions on: Benefits of a Credit System; Principal Learning Qualifications; Essential Skills Wales; Welsh Medium Vocational Qualifications; Impact on Delivery on a Credit Based System.
To reserve a place at this event contact joan.thomas@wales.gsi.gov.uk or Fax to 01443 663653. For further details on the event contact: Joan Thomas on 01443 663692.
CRADALL Seminar
"Regulatory Quality and Higher Education: What is the connection?"
3.00pm to 5.00pm, Monday 16 March 2009
Faculty of Education, University of Glasgow
Presented by Professor Josef Konvitz, Head of Division, Regulatory Policy, OECD. Questions and discussion will be encouraged as part of the seminar. The seminar is free and open to all.
The OECD has been helping countries to improve their regulatory management systems since the mid-1990s and, increasingly, the benefits of regulatory reform are being applied to fields such as higher education and the environment, in addition to more familiar terrain related to network utilities, energy and product markets. As head of the Regulatory Policy Division of the OECD, Dr Konvitz will present an overview of the scope of OECD work, together with insights into how civil society and governments learn from each other's experience to shape both domestic and international agendas in this field.
To register for the seminar contact Patsy Shiels (CRADALL) P.Shiels@educ.gla.ac.uk
Professional Development Conference for Teachers in Higher Education
Institute for Education Policy Research at Staffordshire University
8th May 2009
The theme of this year's conference is "The pursuit of learning as a co-operative enterprise: implications for higher education" and the speakers will be Professor Miriam David, Professor Peter Hartley and Paul Orsmond. The attendance fee is £65.
Online bookings can be made at www.staffs.ac.uk/pdc
Download programme details and booking form (pdf)
To book a place please complete the booking form and return to iepr@staffs.ac.uk
Call for papers
2nd Annual Conference, Widening Participation Research Centre
“Mainstreaming Equality in Higher Education?
Can practice influence and develop policy?”
Monday 1st June 2009 and Tuesday 2nd June 2009
Monday Evening Seminar, 6.00 – 9.30pm Blackburne House, Liverpool
Tuesday, Edge Hill University 9.00 – 4.00 pm Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK
The deadline for abstract (300 word) submissions is Friday 6th March 2009
Download the Call for papers (Word file)
What’s in the News?
For the latest UK Education headlines and stories go to the FACE News Feeds page where you'll find the online news feeds of several of the sources listed below gathered together on one page for easy access.
The Guardian http://education.guardian.co.uk
The Independent http://news.independent.co.uk/education
The BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/default.stm
The Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education
The Times Higher Education http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk
DCSF News Centre http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/newslist.cgi
DIUS News Distribution Service http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/dius/
LSC News http://www.lsc.gov.uk/News
If you wish to respond to anything in this E-bulletin or contribute to the March 2009 issue, please email Jim at James.Tate@uwe.ac.uk