Philip Carey

Student as co-producer in a marketised higher education system: a case study of students’ experience of participation in curriculum design

Student engagement is an expectation of UK quality enhancement processes. It is not without its challenges in a marketised higher education sector where students are increasingly treated as consumers of an educational product. Nowhere is this more the case than in curriculum development. This encompasses engagement in learning and teaching, in identity and in governance. As such, it demands a lot of both students and tutors. This paper reports a case study of student participation in curriculum development. Analysis of data from students who were involved in the process, complemented by information from students who did not engage, suggests that meaningful engagement requires a revision of the culture and processes of university curriculum decision making. Moreover, it concludes that engagement needs to be a consistent part of the student experience and not just an activity that occurs in a particular quality enhancement activity such as curriculum design.

Representation and student engagement in higher education: a reflection on the views and experiences of course representatives

Student engagement is increasingly part of higher education rhetoric. It is seen as a means for universities to understand and enhance the student experience. This has been prompted by a number of potentially conflicting factors. These include growing consumerism in higher education, the rise of user involvement and the notion of students as partners in education. Despite this, student engagement in universities is under-researched and under-theorised. This paper is based on an exploratory research project to consider the role of student representation in engagement. It borrows from theory developed in the compulsory education sector to explore how course representatives occupy the ground between providing information for the university and offering a mechanism for students to work as partners in their education. The paper concludes that representation can enhance engagement, but that its impact will be mediated by the willingness of the institution to adapt its procedures and processes.

Student Engagement: Stakeholder Perspectives on Course Representation in University Governance.

Student engagement has become a key feature of UK higher education policy and analysis. At the core of this is a notion of engagement characterised by dialogue and joint venture. The article explores this by considering the role of student representation in university governance. It focuses on the system of course representation that is a feature of most British universities. Using a small-scale, exploratory study of key stakeholders within one UK institution, it examines the context within which such representation operates. Analysis suggests that a complex interaction between cultural, social, individual and structural factors shapes the nature of representation. It concludes that enhancing engagement requires institutions to resist managerialist impulses to regulate and control course representation. Instead, they should respond flexibly and reflexively to create an environment for meaningful engagement between students and staff.

Cancer Education in Secondary Schools.

Abstract Data were collected from 1024 teachers from secondary schools throughout England and Wales. The sample included teachers of all National Curriculum subjects, and analysis revealed that cancer was most often taught about in science or personal and social education (PSE). There was a significant association between the teachers’ knowledge of cancer and their involvement in cancer education. Teachers who showed a greater awareness of cancer issues are more likely to have taught about cancer than their less knowledgeable colleagues. Data are also available on why some teachers had not taught about cancer. It appeared that the teachers’ lack of knowledge and the poor supply of educational resources were primary factors. The authors conclude that these issues must be addressed if there is to be an increase in cancer education. This can only occur within the broader context of training and support for general school health education.

Exploring variation in nurse educators’ perceptions of the inclusive curriculum

This paper reports findings from a study into how nurse educators view the notion of an inclusive curriculum within their discipline. UK nurse education is professionally accredited, with substantial levels of work-based learning. Therefore, this analysis should be useful to practitioners on other professional courses. The study was based on a phenomenographic analysis of data collected from interviews with 15 nurse educators in one university. Analysis exposed wide variation in respondents’ perceptions and experiences of developing and delivering an inclusive curriculum. Much discussion focused on teaching students with disabilities and tutors expressed concern over implications regarding fitness for practice and public safety. However, there was recognition that diversity was a feature of the contemporary educational environment and that nursing courses had much to gain from inclusive practices. Key differences identified related to the extent to which change was required to current processes and practices. The findings indicated a concern over support for educators to manage these issues and suggested that in the absence of more robust direction, the student experience is shaped by the attitudes of individual tutors. In light of this, the author suggests that a coordinated and consistent response from the higher education establishment, professional bodies, practitioners and policy-makers is necessary to fully establish the notion of inclusive curricula in any professionally accredited course.

Pastoral Care in Initial Teacher Education: A Survey of Secondary Teacher Education Institutions

The study reported in this paper was undertaken to discover the extent of pastoral care training carried out during secondary initial teacher education. Questionnaires were sent to heads of initial teacher education institutions in England and Wales. It was found that institutions were likely to provide some form of training in pastoral care but the extent and method of training varied greatly between institutions. However, training in actual practical skills such as basic counselling skills was much less likely to be available. The authors conclude that there is still some considerable way to go before newly qualified teachers are likely to feel adequately prepared for their pastoral roles.

The impact of institutional culture, policy and process on student engagement in university decision-making

ABSTRACT There is a strong focus on the importance of student engagement in higher education, with increasing attention on how students can participate in their university’s decision-making processes. Yet, although the concept appears to be almost universally accepted, it is rarely problematised. This has led some commentators to conclude that student engagement lacks theoretical clarity. Consequently, an increasing number of authors have sought to address this. This paper adds to those efforts by proposing a model for student engagement that recognises the importance of institutional action in facilitating different types of participation. These are aligned with expectations for student activity, but the key message is that the university shapes its students’ engagement. This reinforces arguments that engagement needs to be cognisant of the power dynamics of higher education. In line with this, the paper borrows from debates around public participation to enhance understanding of student engagement in institutional governance.

Inservice training and cancer education: some perceptions of health professionals

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the reactions of health education training personnel to a cancer awareness raising workshop, which forms part of the CECGs ‘Cancer in Perspective’ training manual. The workshop covers the biological and psycho-social aspects of cancer, as well as examining the case for cancer education in schools. The results presented are a (mainly) qualitative analysis of the opinions of 156 participants to cancer issues. This provides an interesting insight into the cancer-related views of health professionals and suggestions are made of how the workshop structure could be adapted for future use with teachers to encourage them to teach about cancer.