Search Results

Currently, there is great interest across Ontario in the expansion of pathway programs between colleges and universities. Through strategic partnerships, two Ontario-based postsecondary institutions (a college and a university) have developed innovative and effective pathway programs that facilitate the transition of students between institutions for the completion of degrees, diplomas, and certificates. These programs support the training of highly qualified, market-ready graduates. This paper reports on a mixed-methods study of the successes and challenges of a particular Ontario college and university pathway program, with a focus on the Bachelor of Commerce Pathway program.

Preliminary results indicate that pathway students were more academically successful than their traditional university student counterparts but did experience a number of challenges in transitioning from college into university. Principal challenges included inefficient communication between program administrators, academic advisors, and students; lack of orientation activities for pathway students; lack of college student preparedness in communication and critical thinking skills; and difficulties experienced by college students integrating into the social-cultural life of the university.

Published abstract. Show less

Student mobility has been promoted within Europe since the early 1980s and is available to students widely through European educational systems. This chapter examines the extent to which disabled students can participate in this opportunity and the way in which misconceptions of what disabled people can do limit the opportunities for disabled students to gain from European dimensions in their education and training programs. Strategies to address the problem are considered. The author begins by briefly looking at the uniqueness of British approaches to disability in relation to education and training and then reviews European policies, based on the experience of a number of transnational projects at Coventry University. The potential of European programs is considered and practical advice for project developers provided. The author concludes with comment on European differences in perceptions and representations of disability.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 70.103. Selected chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 70.104 to TD/TNC 70.112. Show less

It is not unusual to hear study in the vocational education sector referred to as a 'stepping stone' into further studies in the higher education environment. What this pathway entails for those who choose it is not immediately clear however. This article reports on research conducted with a small cohort of students who arrived at an Australian university with advanced standing or credit transfer based on their studies in the vocational sector. A narrative inquiry approach highlights the voices of these participants drawn through stories of their individual experiences of the transition to higher education. Recommendations related to structural and educational change are based on evidence that this vocational 'stepping stone' can mean different things to different people.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Over the past two decades there has been a substantial increase in the mobility of students in Europe, while also research has become much more internationally oriented. In this paper we document changes in the structure of research and higher education in Europe and investigate potential explanations for the strong increase in its international orientation. While higher education started to grow substantially around 1960, only a few decades later, research and higher education transformed gradually to the American standard. Decreased communication costs are likely causes for this trend. This transformation is most clearly revealed in the change of language used in research from the national language, Latin, German and French to English. Smaller language areas made this transformation earlier while there are also clear timing differences between research fields. Sciences and medicine tend to switch to English first, followed by economics and social sciences, while for law and arts only the first signs of such a transformation are currently observed. This suggests that returns to scale and the transferability of research results are important influences in the decision to adopt the international standard.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

How established is the horizontal permeability between modes of vocational education and training (VET) in Switzerland? Formally encouraged by the Swiss law on VET, horizontal permeability refers to transitions across VET modes, i.e. between dual and school-based VET. This paper first discusses why horizontal permeability is indeed relevant and then empirically examines the horizontal permeability of the Swiss VET system for a given occupation - commercial VET. The latter is the largest VET domain in Switzerland and, importantly, a domain in which school-based VET is well established. The empirical analysis uses panel data following a cohort for over 10 years in the Canton of Geneva. Results show that going from school-based to dual VET within commercial VET increases chances to earn a qualification, however students changing modes lose half a year in the process. These findings suggest that, at least in commercial VET, horizontal permeability is only partial.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This research study examines regional student participation and migration, using novel data sources and analytic techniques. It seeks to progress knowledge of regional student participation and mobility through quantitative analysis of: factors associated with regional student progression through school and into higher education, using data generated by the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth (LSAY); and factors associated with the migration of students with a commencing regional home address to major cities and other regional areas using customised data obtained from the Department of Education and Training.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Outbound student mobility has been slowly gathering momentum in Australia over a number of years. It has gradually found its way first into the internationalisation and strategic plans of institutions and, more recently, has been gathering increasing support and momentum at higher levels. Outbound mobility crosses many disciplines at many levels. Students interact with university staff who then submit funding requests to government, who in turn may have discussed arrangements with other governments around the world. The European Union and Bologna Reforms are perfect examples of how student mobility has been carefully and deliberately placed at the front of intricate interactions across borders. This paper will review a number of major developments in outbound student mobility in Australia over the past few years. It will discuss some of the major issues that have been raised and look at possible ways to move forward on those issues. Finally, it will consider some developments and innovations that could take place to better connect Australian mobility with mobility schemes around the world. Show less

The focus of this report is on a group of young people living in non-metropolitan areas in their final years of secondary school and their pathways following secondary school, including their geographic mobility and participation in education, training and employment. It is based on data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) which studies the progress of cohorts of young Australians as they make the transitions from secondary school to work and further education and training, beginning in year nine. The study investigates: the post-school pathways of non-metropolitan youth, i.e. it looks at their levels of participation in education and training activities in the years after secondary school and in employment activities, and where they are located during these years; the characteristics of young people that are associated with remaining in their non-metropolitan community or, conversely, leaving the area and moving to the city, i.e. who leaves, who stays, and why, whether some young people eventually return, and whether certain characteristics increase the likelihood of leaving a non-metropolitan area, and for those who do leave, whether there are characteristics associated with them eventually returning; and various economic and other outcomes associated with decisions to move, remain or return, i.e. whether those who leave are more likely to gain employment in their desired occupation, whether there are differences in the income levels of those who leave, those who remain and those who return, and whether there are differences in their self-reported life satisfaction, or social outcomes, such as partnership formation and home ownership. Key findings include: for many of the young people, the move from non-metropolitan areas was associated with participation in post-compulsory education, and more frequently university study; young people in the non-metropolitan sample moved to the major cities to study at university more frequently than to take up an apprenticeship or traineeship, or to undertake other study; for young men, current activity had the strongest effect on the likelihood of leaving a non-metropolitan area - full-time study at university and TAFE increased the likelihood of leaving while full-time employment decreased the likelihood of leaving; and young women who held tertiary qualifications were less likely to return to non-metropolitan areas than were young women who did not hold such qualifications. The study concludes that the results indicate that the decision to leave non-metropolitan areas, especially in pursuit of further education is developed over a period of time and within the context of other decisions about one’s future, including educational and occupational aspirations and expectations. Show less

Project Lead The Way (PLTW), which aims to create a seamless pathway from secondary education to college and career success in [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] STEM fields, was first implemented in the state of Iowa in 2005. As a part of a statewide, longitudinal research in PLTW, this study explores the effectiveness of PLTW in college persistence by analyzing multiple data sources to examine multiple educational pathways of PLTW and non-PLTW students into higher education. Data sources included the state's K-12, community college Management Information System, and National Student Clearinghouse. More specifically, this study looks at patterns of students' educational mobility within two years after high school graduation.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Similar to the relation between the inflows of immigrants and educational outcomes that are found in immigration studies, the spatial distribution of internal migrants within a given country also may influence educational outcomes, at least in the short run. This could be particularly true in Turkey, where inter-provincial mobility is high and where striking differences in educational resources and therefore educational success across regions persist. Using the 1990 and 2000 Turkish Censuses, this study exploits variations over time in the inflow of internal migrants across provinces to identify the causal effect of internal migration on natives' educational outcomes. The evidence suggests that the inflow of migrants lowers natives' completion rates for middle school and high school. Evidence also indicates that while the negative effects appear to be greater among native children from low-[socio-economic status]SES households, native high-SES households are able to mitigate these adverse effects for their children. Furthermore, the estimated effects exhibit some differences by children's gender and migrant status.

Published abstract reprinted from 'Economics of education review', copyright 2009, with permission from Elsevier. Show less