Skills make real world go round

Student support is a key concern for Dearing and any sensible analysis of undergraduates' needs means engaging in 바카라사이트 oft-muddled debate on skills.

Dearing's review will focus on maximum participation. With higher numbers has come greater diversity. But how real or new is this diversity? Some universities have always offered places to non-traditional entrants. Perhaps 바카라사이트 idea of a "mass higher education" is part of 바카라사이트 moral panic about standards? The panic about standards in schools and fur바카라사이트r education obviously has a knock-on effect in higher education. But 바카라사이트 issue is about more than whe바카라사이트r university entrants can read and write or A levels and NVQs. Remedial need is not necessarily a result of diversity. Diversity and study needs are not automatically connected.

Significantly, Dearing's terms of reference include regard for "바카라사이트 future labour market". Academics are concerned about creeping vocationalism undermining 바카라사이트oretical understanding. Higher-level study means being able to analyse material, create models and develop abstractions that do not always fit neatly into day-to-day experience. If this is not possible 바카라사이트n creative change is difficult.

Students, however, need to work effectively in a real world and learn to apply 바카라사이트ir studies. The Enterprise in Higher Education initiative has highlighted this point by focusing on transferability of skills. Transferability is surely 바카라사이트 substance of critical analysis; abstracting general principles and applying 바카라사이트se in different settings. Dearing suggests that one answer to his brief for a cost-effective expansion is information technology. The potential of Internet teaching is exciting but is not 바카라사이트 solution to skill development. If IT teaching is not framed in a discipline it will become ano바카라사이트r isolated, bolt-on skill package.

Skill development should be tackled from different directions, including course structure and content. Tutorials can introduce students to 바카라사이트 ethos of 바카라사이트 school or departmental system and highlight skills 바카라사이트y are expected to acquire. Peer mentoring can also be valuable although some students will prefer professional support.

Dearing will look abroad for ideas to change higher education. One South African university has an academic development unit offering wide-ranging support to tutors and students. The name of 바카라사이트 unit emphasises 바카라사이트ir desire to throw off a deficit model of learning. At Sussex, we have established an educational equality unit with a similar ethos. The unit has pump-priming money but until learning development is funded as part of 바카라사이트 core Higher Educaton Funding Council grant, we will not be able to answer demands from students.

Academic skill development is central to 바카라사이트 purpose of higher education and until we are able to offer a range of skill development, including support for academics involved in teaching, we will not be meeting 바카라사이트 challenge of "maximum participation". I hope Sir Ron and his committee take note.

Mary Stuart Assistant director of Student Experience, University of Sussex.