Foundation Year in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of the foundation year in higher education, particularly within the United Kingdom. It emphasizes the importance of this preparatory year for students from diverse backgrounds, highlighting how it bridges knowledge gaps and equips them with essential academic skills. The report explores the various challenges students face, including a lack of experienced teachers, limited resources, and communication barriers, and discusses how personal skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and time management can help overcome these obstacles. The report concludes by summarizing the key benefits of the foundation year, emphasizing its role in preparing students for the rigors of higher education and fostering a smoother transition into university studies, particularly for international students and those needing to meet specific academic requirements.

Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Importance of Foundation Year In Higher Education.................................................................1
Challenges of Foundation Year in Education System for students..............................................3
Advantage of Personal Skills to Address Particular challenges..................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Foundation year is a extra year of higher study before starting of university studies. This
foundation year help the student to get admission in the higher studies and they don't have to
meet the requirement that are necessary for higher university education in a normal course
(Holyhead, Bullock and Willis, 2018). This extra year of education is important to provide base
and full fill the gaps in the further education of student. When the students go for higher
education they don't know anything about it and there are many gaps in their skill and knowledge
and these gaps in knowledge can create barrier in future education of student. This report is
explaining importance of foundation year education for students. Different challenges faced by
them in foundation are also covered in study. This report is explaining how the foundation help
students in higher education.
MAIN BODY
Importance of Foundation Year In Higher Education
There are different benefits of foundation user in higher studies cause students comes
from different study background and universities are more focused on their further studies. Cause
of different study background mind set of students is not ready for higher study directly and it is
important for them get guidance to full fill loopholes and educational gaps in their basic
knowledge and education (Sanders, Daly and Fitzgerald, 2016). This foundation courses are
designed for different purposes that are related to improve their basic education level prepared
for further studies. It is important for student in different ways and this can help students to stay
ready for higher studies.
Designed for International Students
for the students who came from different nations and educational backgrounds and there
basic knowledge is different from their country. Different types of study methods are preferred in
different nations and it is not easy for students to work according to new study pattern that is
designed in United Kingdom for higher studies. This foundation courses are designed to make
the different student aware of new education system of United Kingdom. In higher education
students go for core subjects and they don't know anything about this core subjects. So in this
extra year basic knowledge of further studies is provided to students that will be helpful for them
(Duncan and Haslam, 2015). This extra year is all about making them aware of new education
system without putting a lot pressure on them.
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Full fill Gaps in Knowledge and Skills
To study new thing about core subjects students have to learn how to develop skills and
methods for higher studies. There are many loop holes student have in their basic education that
could be act as barrier in their future study. In foundation course students are provided with
different kind of basic knowledge of the core subjects that they are going to read in higher
studies (Garg, Wong and Dhariwal, 2017). This basic knowledge and skills help them to perform
studies in manner of ease. Main purpose is to make the foundation of higher education robust for
better result. This can help them better to learn technicality of subjects in productive way.
Academic Skills development and Improvement
The academic skills are too important for the students to learn about the methods of study
and writing. Each education system has their own preferred method and structure for education.
Student don't know about the procedures of higher education and there are many gaps in their
knowledge about writing and languages. This foundation course id provided to them to make
them aware and develop their writing skills and proficiency of language to be more effective in
higher education system. For higher studies mind set of student should be clear enough to
differentiate between different subjects and topics. This will improve their base of higher
education and will improve their understanding related to university studies.
Provide Better Environment
for higher education people come from different regions and their educational and social
background is quite different from others. This make them uncomfortable in new conditions.
This is very important for them to feel confident and comfortable in new education system to full
fill their goals of education and carrier. This foundation year provide them with extra time from
actual study to get set and prepared for further classified study of proper field. This foundation
course help them to maker adjustment in their old method to develop skills and understanding for
new type of educational system (On, Harrison and Haddick, 2015). This extra course help them
to develop new style of learning to improve the information gaining process.
Alternative Rout for Higher Education
To get entry in higher education there are different methods. One way is to full fill the
requirement of special course to get entry in higher studies and other way to get entry in high
education by taking an extra year studies that is related to further education. In this way student
don't have to full fill the several requirements of education system. This is more effective to get
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entry in higher education cause this will develop better under standing in student for related field
of studies.
This is how the foundation courses are important to the students to start their further
higher studies. This also an important part of education system and that help both student and
universities to receive and deliver information and skills. This also improves the effectiveness of
education system.
Challenges of Foundation Year in Education System for students
There different challenges faced by students in foundation year course that is organized
by different education systems. This challenges prevent the student to learn new things and
create different barriers in their higher education. Also, it forces the student to follow
unnecessary compulsory processes that are total waste of time. Main challenges faced by the
students are lack of teachers and lack of confidence in them, poor space and less resources and
communication gaps and barriers. These are some barriers of foundation year studies.
Lack of experience and knowledge teachers
In the foundation year it important for students to have good experienced teachers who
are able to provide them enough knowledge to stay prepared for higher education. Lack of
confidence in teacher reduces the moral of students and increase the pressure on them. This is
really difficult for them to deal with problems of higher education that are new to them. So it is
required must provide students with the best teachers who are efficient at knowledge and
information delivery (Hogg, Littley and Jones, 2018). This is a stage where the students are
prepared for higher studies. For better effective performance it is important to have good tutors
who can better deals with new students who are unaware of new procedures. The experienced of
teacher provide student better opportunity to gain as much knowledge as they can. This
experience will allow teacher to use their experience as advantage to deal with different issues
that comes during the period of foundation year. Because of huge experience their confidence is
also too high.
Poor Space and Less Resources
Education system does not provide enough opportunity to student to learn new things.
They have to deal with pressure of different assignments and home work. Apart from this they
don't have enough time to manage their personal life and solve personal issues. This is a big
problem for them. Other issues and challenges student face during foundation year, they are
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provided with less resources and space and it is not possible for them to manage their study with
less resources also the effectiveness of information will be reduced with it. As a extra year
education system take it as burden and don't consider these students as responsibility. This is
major problem with students that they are not provided with enough response which is required
to set foundation for higher education (Newlands., Shrewsbury and Robson, 2015). In education
system students who are in higher studies are more prioritised and fewer opportunities are
provided to foundation year students. This is an important thing for student to get enough
resources and space to full fill their requirements to complete their educational goals.
Communication Gap with Teachers and Management
Other problems faced by students in foundation year are related to communication and
mutual understanding. Communication is most important thin in education system. For better
effectiveness of education system communication is required must (O'keeffe, Carter and Mason,
2017). Communication gap in management and student make them short handed in education
system. Communication gap between reduce the effectiveness of education system because less
understanding creates barriers in information transfer. This communication gap creates barrier
between teacher and student that lead to less effective educational system. The purpose of this
foundation year is to provide better knowledge and develop new technical skills in students.
Communication is also important tom make student aware of local culture and traditions of local
are it makes better relation with teachers and get familiar with environment. This will also help
the students to release their stress by consulting their issues with teachers. Good communication
also important to increase confidence of student and this confidence can help them to learn skills
in effective way.
Advantage of Personal Skills to Address Particular challenges
Different kind of skills are posses by individual person can help to minimise the effect of
these challenges. These challenges of foundational year for students are more based on
relational, environmental, resources, efficiency and experience of teachers and trainers. Different
personal skills of individual student are team work, problem solving, initiative, planning, self
management, learning and technology (Miles, Kellett and Leinster, 2015). These skills help the
person to manage challenges of foundational period. Team working skills help students to work
in a team with other students to develop better understanding with other people in class room.
This also will help them to communicate with tutors to develop better understanding. Most
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important skill required in a student is problem solving skill. This can improves the efforts of
student to learn something new which is difficult to understand. Problem solving help them top
deal with difficult problems with in the training period.
The quality to take initiative in different situation will increase the opportunities for
person. Initiatives of person will improve the chances of communication with students and
teachers. Taking initiative also help students to learn new thing about the higher studies and
improve the skills that are required in higher education. Planning and organization skills of
person will provide them extra time and organized resource to learn different things that are
related to higher education. Learning skills of individual person will help them to learn new
languages and professional tools to perform better in future higher education. Time management
skills will provide better opportunities to students to get extra knowledge of particular fields of
higher studies. The other important skills of students are effective reading, note taking, styles
writing and critical reading (Gao and Lu, 2016). Writing styles of student make their work more
effective and this is too good make effective impression on strange people. Effective reading
skills of a person can help them to learn new information faster and effectively. Good learning
skills are important to develop self work analysis to improve self improvement. Effective writing
is also provide better option to student to interact with other people with their writing skills.
CONCLUSION
This report is analysing the importance of foundation year for higher studies in United
Kingdom. In United Kingdom different foundation education is used to develop better
understanding in student about their higher studies. For wide range of students role of foundation
plan is concluded. Various key challenges of foundation education system is evaluated in report.
This is also concluded that how personal skills of person can help students to come over the
challenges of foundation system. The key points of foundation year is explained in report.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Duncan, M. and Haslam, C., 2015. A qualitative investigation of Foundation Year 2 doctors’
views on the European Working Time Directive. Journal of health organization and
management, 29(3), pp.367-380.
Gao, S. and Lu, M.A., 2016. National Natural Science Foundation-supported papers on oncology
published by domestic authors. Chinese Journal of Medical Library and Information
Science, 25(10), pp.41-46.
Garg, M., Wong, L. and Dhariwal, D., 2017. Seven-year review of dental foundation year
2/senior house officer training at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit in
Oxford. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 55(8), pp.775-779.
Hogg, E.S., Littley, N. and Jones, R., 2018. Managing a septic patient: the role of simulation in
the Foundation Year 1 induction programme. BMJ Simulation and Technology Enhanced
Learning, pp.bmjstel-2018.
Holyhead, K., Bullock, R. and Willis, D., 2018. 14 Foundation year 1 (fy1) doctors knowledge
about common palliative medicine prescribing issues.
Miles, S., Kellett, J. and Leinster, S.J., 2015. Foundation doctors’ induction experiences. BMC
medical education, 15(1), p.118.
Newlands, F., Shrewsbury, D. and Robson, J., 2015. Foundation doctors and dyslexia: a
qualitative study of their experiences and coping strategies. Postgraduate medical
journal, 91(1073), pp.121-126.
O'keeffe, C., Carter, A. and Mason, S., 2017. The value of emergency medicine placements for
postgraduate doctors: views of Foundation Year 2 doctors and training leads in the
emergency department (ED). Postgraduate medical journal, 93(1095), pp.15-19.
On, W., Harrison, R. and Haddick, A., 2015. PWE-421 Knowledge of refeeding syndrome
amongst foundation year doctors. Gut, 64, p.A394.
Sanders, L.D., Daly, A.P. and Fitzgerald, K., 2016. Predicting retention, understanding attrition:
A prospective study of foundation year students. Widening Participation and Lifelong
Learning, 18(2), pp.50-83.
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