Importance of Foundation Year Programs for Wider Participation

This study emphasizes on describing the notion of foundation year and its importance in the student’s life. The programme of foundation year has been discussed below in the study along with the challenges and problems that are faced by the students and teachers while pursuing the same.

Individual Report

Running Head: Report
Executive Summary
This study emphasizes on describing the notion of foundation year and its importance in the
student’s life. The programme of foundation year has been discussed below in the study along
with the challenges and problems that are faced by the students and teachers while pursuing the
same. Further, the study highlights the key recommendations in order to overcome the challenges
that are particularly faced while pursuing the foundation years. The study is a essay report which
aims at covering all the major aspects related to the study of foundation year programs.
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Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................1
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Importance of foundation year – wider participation...................................................................................3
Challenges facing foundation year..............................................................................................................5
Overcoming the challenges.........................................................................................................................7
Conclusion drawn........................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
This is an individual report which demonstrates the importance of studying at a university and
pursuing for a foundation year. This report describes the notion of foundation programme along
with the main agenda that is discussed widely – wider participation. This complete study is in
reference to the foundation year programmes at the Universities of UK. Also, further in this
study, the challenges that are faced by the students as well as by the teachers in managing the
study environment of wider participation is also discussed and then the recommendations to
overcome the same are also highlighted in this study.
Importance of foundation year – wider participation
Foundation years turn out to be very beneficial for the students trying to get into any university.
The UK Universities have been facing the issue of receiving the entry applications from a wide
participation, which is a major issue for the universities and needs to be addressed. The question
of having gaps in the knowledge of the learner is the major drawback in the Higher Education
system of UK. The universities of UK have been trying hard to eliminate the gaps of knowledge
and the wrong approach of giving the admission to the students who are worth the admission and
have the talent to exhibit the higher education courses. The Foundation year is the year of one
year where the students are provided with the special courses that help them in taking the
admission into the Higher Education Universities of UK. One of the top most universities of UK,
University of Warwick facilitates to provide the Foundation Year programmes to its students for
helping them in providing easy entry to the Universities of UK(Craig, 2009). Foundation year
programmes are offered to the international students to support them and help them by increasing
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their current level of qualifications in order to apply in the UK Universities. These are the
courses that help build the knowledge of the students on specialized courses that are highly
required by them during the undergraduate or graduate study. Also, the foundation year
programmes help the students in developing their skills like critical thinking, note-taking, essay
writing and various other skills that help build their base and provides them with the opportunity
of applying in the UK universities. In UK, the maximum number of applications in the
universities is by the people with high economic status and better social living, which raise the
concept of wider participation.
Major problem these days is that a large percentage of the students get entry into higher
education universities due to their status and high standards, whereas the students with low
standards do not. There is a large gap between the high SES students and low SES students,
which must be addressed by the universities. The foundation year now have started taking
application from the various students coming from wide backgrounds as they might have the
knowledge and are potential of studying at the top universities. The strand of wider participation
policy emphasizes on identifying the potential among the low SES students to support them and
get them through the higher education universities of UK. The wider participation is the bottle-
neck where the students from various backgrounds should be allowed to participate effectively in
order to take entry into the HE universities(Greenbank, 2010). The whole concept of providing
foundation year programmes is to first cream skim the potential students from a bunch of low
SES students, who have the potential and then encourage them to seek the educational
qualifications, which might help them in building their future career. Not just the background in
terms of social and cultural aspect is taken into consideration, rather the capability of each pupil
is counted and evaluated, which help them in taking entry into the universities. Providing
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foundation year programmes to the students has a huge importance now as it is essential to
narrow the gap between the high and low SES students as everyone should get the chance of
applying at the universities those who have the capability and potential to do so. Also, the wider
participation helps in accumulating the pupils belonging to different backgrounds and helps
create a mixed set of bunch at the universities, which gives a fair chance every pupil belonging to
different background and helps in building strong relations among the students. The foundation
year is highly important as it helps in providing the higher education universities with well
trained and talented students, who have an abundance knowledge about their specialized course
and can further get full chances and opportunities of applying at various organizations. Fully
prepared and high quality students are delivered by the foundation year programmes to the
undergraduate colleges and universities. It is also important as an experience of multicultural
classroom is provided to the students and further help in increasing the levels of academic
discipline among the students(Taylor, et al., 2017).
Challenges facing foundation year
Along with strong benefits and advantages of providing foundation year programmes to the
students, there are certain drawbacks too, that are faced by the foundation year students while
pursuing the same. Various challenges are faced by the foundation college as well as the students
of the foundation year. The major challenge that the students face is to even first apply for a
specialized course at the foundation college and accommodate for the fees of the course. Wider
participation raises the challenges of accommodating and adjusting with the low SES students
coming from various cultures and backgrounds that makes it difficult for the students to adjust
among themselves. This is the major challenge that the students face at the foundation year and
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along with them, the universities and teachers also face the same on how to manage and
accommodate a smooth and sound working environment among the students who are of high
SES and low SES cadre. It is the responsibility of the teachers to effectively manage and
coordinate the environment that helps in managing the students coming from various sections of
the society and get a sound studying environment, where no one feels less wanted and is able to
give their best while studying. Another challenge that is faced in the foundation year is the level
of group assignments, which makes it all the more difficult for the people to work together and
complete their assignment as there is always a conflict and a feeling of being superior among the
students of the foundation year(Winlow & Schaaf, 2011). Also, the teachers and universities face
the challenge in foundation year on how to help a student with less academic skills and other
variant skills to study and develop more. The level of confidence is very low among the low SES
students, which is another challenge for the teachers on how to help the students develop more
confidence among themselves. Other issues such as work deadlines, exam pressures, workloads
and participation in the curricular activities makes it very challenging for the foundation year to
study and complete with their course. Also, it is not just the responsibility of the student to fill in
the gaps of knowledge by themselves, but it is the duty of the teachers and the universities to
help address the weak points and support the students that help them in becoming well trained,
confident and worthy high school graduates. It is also challenging for the teachers and the
foundation year college to deeply identify and recruit the right student from a whole lot of bunch
of low SES students, who can apply into the foundation year courses. It is also difficult for the
universities in order to cream skim the students and give a chance to each student for looking
ahead and carry on with their studies. Narrowing the gap of wider participation and not letting
knowledegable and talented students to suffer unnecessarily is the biggest task that the
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universities like university of Warwick addresses in order to deliver the best group of
undergraduate students to the Higher Education Universities(Ambrose, 2007).
Overcoming the challenges
The challenges that are actively faced by the foundation year colleges and students can be
overcome easily by taking in some ways very accurately. A foundation year student can resolve
and overcome various challenges by developing certain study skills at the higher education
university, which will develop the student personally and professionally well. Also, the
universities should provide a good environment to the foundation year students in order to help
them accommodate more to the new environment and feel at peace. With a more level of work
and classroom sessions, the time management skills taught at the higher education university can
help the students in overcoming the challenges relating to exam pressures, work deadlines and
overloads. It is also the responsibility of the universities to take care of students and look after
the well being and welfare of the same(European Union, 2014). The students coming from
various backgrounds are very hesitant and new to the changing study environment and also the
higher SES students have the habit of harassing the low SES students, thereby, it should be the
ability of the college to help address the serious concerns of the students and protect them from
serious ailments. The Higher Education University also provides the foundation year students the
freedom of speech, where they are allowed to talk openly about their issues and frequent debate
competitions are organized for them to excel in their communication skills, which improve and
develop the level of the skills that each foundation year student possess. Also, the teachers must
be provided with adequate training that must be organized by the universities in order to help the
students in building their level of confidence and work effectively. Also, providing better
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facilities and technology attributes to the students help them in giving out the best and increases
their level of comfort and confidence(Krutkowski, 2017). The students always look for proper
mentoring, career advice and some level of personal support from the university, which must be
addressed by the teachers and the college in order to develop the students in a varied manner,
where they are able and capable of developing their skills, which they lacked earlier. The
universities when attract the students from poor backgrounds help create a level of trust and
confidence among the students, which can be built more by the teachers when providing better
environment. Certain other recommendations are giving induction training to the students,
collaborating the courses of Higher Education and Foundation Education, Aligning and
reinforcing the HE systems in the foundation year courses and providing students with proper
skill support can help address the issues and challenges faced by the students and as well as the
universities(Tremblay, et al., 2018).
Conclusion drawn
From the study stated above, Foundation degree can turn out to be very beneficial and worthy for
the students coming from wide backgrounds as it has huge importance and provides the students
a platform to study. It is the serious attribution of the universities of UK now, that they have
started addressing the policy of wider participation, where the low standard students or the
people coming from poorer sections of the society are given a fair chance to prove their
capability and knowledge in order to compete with the high standard students and then take
admissions and get direct entry to the Higher Education Univeristy. The undeniable gap of
knowledge should be shortened and the students must be provided with better chances and
facilities in order to continue their foundation degrees. The foundation year students try to cope
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up with the new challenges and environment changes that they face, which is new to them. Also,
for the foundation year students the whole idea of higher education is new as they experience the
level of education and study environment at a whole new level, which takes time for them to
adjust in the same. But, with such foundation degrees offered by the universities of UK help the
students in developing personally, energizes a different spirit among them, raises the level of
confidence and self-esteem, which helps them in studying at the HE University and as well as in
the future career as well. Thereby, it is the right path chosen by the universities of UK to provide
the foundation degrees to the students that accept the policy of wider participation and emphasize
at treating all the students at par and help them build themselves. Also, the foundation degrees
are the right pathway for the students to follow in order to experience a new study environment
where a variety of courses are offered and helps them drive towards the future aspects that raises
the level of employability and participation among them.
Conclusion
From the study stated above, it is evident that foundation years at the universities are of utmost
importance and a student must opt for it but at the same time should also acknowledge the
concept of wider participation. The universities of UK have been constantly trying from the
recent past in order to help the student coming from different backgrounds to accommodate well
and it is all the more the duty of the university to help establish and participate in welcoming the
concept of wider participation. Also, the students and as well as the teachers should consider
each and every student as equal.
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References
Ambrose, P.(2007)Study of the role of Foundation Degrees in Wales: A report to the Higher
Education Funding Council for Wales, Available at:
http://www.sqw.co.uk/files/9413/8712/1366/121.pdf
Craig, J. (2009) New ways of being public: the experience of foundation degrees. Journal of
Further and Higher Educatio, pp. 23-31, Available at:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/91cd/bc89ce7bbff965beb21645501049831fd60f.pdf
European Union.(2014) England Higher Education System, Available at:
https://www.euroeducation.net/prof/ukco.htm
Greenbank, P.(2010) Foundation Degrees: A Case for Greater Institutional Autonomy?,
Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234641779_Foundation_Degrees_A_Case_for_Greater
_Institutional_Autonomy
Krutkowski, S. (2017) A strengths-based approach to widening participation students in higher
education. 45(2), pp. 227-241, Available at:
https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/RSR-10-2016-0070
Taylor, G., Mellor, L. & Walton, L.(2017)The Politics of Widening Participation: A review of
the literature, Available at: https://extra.shu.ac.uk/alac/text/Article%20The%20Politics%20of
%20Widening%20Participation.doc
Tremblay, K., Lalancette, D. & Roseveare, D. (2018)Assessment of higher education learning
outcomes, Available at:
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http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/AHELOFSReportVolume1.pdf
Winlow, H. & Schaaf, R.(2011) Student experiences of foundation degrees in further and higher
education, Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/11745056/Student_experiences_of_foundation_degrees_in_further_a
nd_higher_education
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