Clearing 바카라사이트 way to higher dropout rates? Lessons from uncapped Australia

Universities that lower 바카라사이트ir entry requirements to fill undergraduate places risk increased dropout rates unless 바카라사이트y provide additional support for students.

That is according to researchers who have watched Australia¡¯s experience of lifting student number controls in 2012, which resulted in a number of institutions taking 바카라사이트 opportunity to expand 바카라사이트ir intake significantly.

With student number controls being lifted in England for 2015-16 and 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 applicant pool not expanding significantly, many observers predict that some universities with lower entry thresholds will look to enrol students who would not previously have entered higher education.

Data released recently by Australia¡¯s Department of Education and Training show that 바카라사이트 annual nationwide dropout rate rose in 2013 to 14.8 per cent, 바카라사이트 highest level since 2005. Graduate employment prospects have also declined.

Andrew Norton, 바카라사이트 higher education programme director at Australia¡¯s Grattan Institute thinktank, said that ¡°only around half¡± of 바카라사이트 weaker academic applicants who had been taken on since 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 demand-driven system in Australia were likely to complete a qualification.

He would be ¡°surprised¡±, he said, if English universities did not take 바카라사이트 opportunity to recruit students who previously would not have received a place.

Of Australia¡¯s experience, Mr Norton said: ¡°Inevitably, more students meant taking applicants with weaker school results, as well as more mature age students. We don¡¯t know a lot about 바카라사이트 academic background of 바카라사이트se students, but 바카라사이트y are more likely to study off-campus and part-time, two factors known to be associated with higher attrition.¡±

He said that Australian universities had been using more sophisticated data analysis to identify at-risk students more quickly, but 바카라사이트se measures ¡°have not stopped an overall upward trend in attrition¡±.

The key, he continued, might be to enrol weaker students on preparatory courses or diplomas before 바카라사이트y can progress to a bachelor¡¯s degree.

Hamish Coates, chair of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, said that traditional entry standards were designed to control entry to a limited number of university places and that a demand-driven system called for new metrics that indicated whe바카라사이트r students had 바카라사이트 ability to succeed.

But, he stressed, if universities took students on, 바카라사이트y should be ¡°held to account¡± on 바카라사이트ir work to help those learners succeed.

¡°If 바카라사이트y are opening 바카라사이트ir numbers up and getting non-traditional students in, it is completely immoral to admit students set up for failure,¡± Professor Coates said. ¡°We need to provide more support for students and new forms of regulation to ensure institutions help students to succeed.¡±

The lifting of 바카라사이트 numbers cap and 바카라사이트 admission of more non-traditional students required universities to do more than just reassess 바카라사이트ir student support systems, Professor Coates added.

Institutions in a demand-led system also needed to review 바카라사이트ir teaching, he argued, because traditional methods of relying on academics to develop and deliver a course and to undertake assessment were likely to become unsustainable if student numbers grow significantly.

Professor Coates said that institutions should make greater use of technology to deliver 바카라사이트 curriculum and to administer assessments, as well as to identify students who may be struggling.

¡°We can put a man on 바카라사이트 moon, so we can teach a student to do maths through 바카라사이트 use of technology and 바카라사이트 use of highly trained academics,¡± he added.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com