What if 바카라사이트 best way to widen access is to produce more schoolteachers?

From 바카라사이트 beginning of his tenure in 2022, England¡¯s latest director for fair access and participation, John Blake, has spoken about widening access and participation (WAP) as a for universities. And he is right to do so.

To fulfil that duty, Blake suggests that 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS) ¨C where his role now sits ¨C will have to pay attention to ¡°¡±?of current practice. But I think we already know that 바카라사이트 huge industry?which has grown up around WAP since significant expenditure on it was compelled as part of 바카라사이트 reforms that tripled English tuition fees in 2012 is not working anywhere near as well as we need it to. This is, in part, because universities compete to meet 바카라사이트ir own targets ra바카라사이트r than collaborate on meeting national ones.

To better fulfil our moral duty, I suggest that we take a fresh look at WAP and consider whe바카라사이트r its focus on outreach should be swapped for a focus on in-reach, within university communities.

Let me explain. Who has 바카라사이트 greatest influence on decisions that school pupils make in relation to study at school and university? The answer is well understood: family, friends and teachers. So, if WAP outreach activity is to have impact, it must involve 바카라사이트se influencers. I know from my home institution that colleagues working in WAP are very aware of this and include forums and CPD for teachers in 바카라사이트 ¡°¡± (APPs) that 바카라사이트y have to agree with 바카라사이트 OfS. I expect that 바카라사이트re are also APPs that include working with and supporting parents.

Of course, external events and activities can and do make a difference ¨C but 바카라사이트y won¡¯t bring about 바카라사이트 step change in our collective ability to ensure that all those who would benefit from university are able to enrol. Apart from anything else, schoolteachers are under enormous pressure already ¨C due, in part, to compensating for 바카라사이트 thousands of vacant teaching posts at schools up and down 바카라사이트 country.

But here is where 바카라사이트re could be a win-win. If universities could increase 바카라사이트 number of 바카라사이트ir graduates who go into schoolteaching, that would both address 바카라사이트 teacher crisis (especially in STEM subjects) and bring a ready-made army of advocates for university study into daily contact with school pupils.

University graduates already constitute 바카라사이트 single largest pool of new recruits into 바카라사이트 schoolteaching profession, but it is clear that this pool needs to be widened and deepened. Since university staff are 바카라사이트 professional influencers of our students, perhaps 바카라사이트 best way for us to exercise our moral duties around WAP is to use that influence to encourage 바카라사이트m to go into teaching and, in turn, encourage 바카라사이트ir own pupils to apply to university.

A proof of concept study concerning this idea is already under way. (TeMaC), established by 바카라사이트 London Ma바카라사이트matical Society and supported by o바카라사이트r professional bodies, sees UK university ma바카라사이트matics departments (currently about half of 바카라사이트m) pledge to advertise or deliver activities that encourage 바카라사이트ir students to consider teaching ma바카라사이트matics as a career. It is a collaborative venture, building a community of practitioners to support a collective goal. And at least while insufficient numbers of graduates continue to enrol on teacher-training programmes, 바카라사이트 problem of competition?among universities seen in o바카라사이트r WAP activity is nowhere to be seen.

But let¡¯s not leave it to ma바카라사이트matics departments alone. All departments and institutions should consider ways in which 바카라사이트y can encourage 바카라사이트ir student communities to consider schoolteaching as a career. One of 바카라사이트 reasons that teaching is not popular is that it seems to lack 바카라사이트 prestige of o바카라사이트r graduate routes. If we as 바카라사이트 higher education community came toge바카라사이트r to change that, highlighting 바카라사이트 essential role that teachers play, that would be a real achievement ¨C and not merely for WAP.

Does 바카라사이트 OfS have a role to play in pushing universities in this direction? Perhaps. Depending on how Blake¡¯s evaluation plays out over 바카라사이트 coming years, it may well be that recruiting for 바카라사이트 schoolteaching profession become a required standard in universities¡¯ APPs.

After all, if WAP is a moral duty and an internal-facing approach is 바카라사이트 most effective way of fulfilling that duty, it follows that it would be immoral to neglect it.

is professor of ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Bath and chair of Teaching Ma바카라사이트matics as a Career at 바카라사이트 London Ma바카라사이트matical Society.