Research


In this section of the website you will be able to find copies of research reports produced by the West Area and links to other useful websites with research relevant for widening participation and Aimhigher practitioners.

Area Reports

Themes
Students in Schools
Students in Schools & Colleges
Employers and Work-based Learners

Useful links


Students in Schools

Evaluation of Aimhigher West Mentoring and Tutoring activity 2006-07.  Analysis of questionnaires given to mentees and staff in the schools/colleges where the mentoring and tutoring programmes were undertaken.
Mentoring & Tutoring Evaluation Report 2006-07 Mentoring & Tutoring Evaluation Report 2006-07
Mentoring & Tutoring Evaluation Report 2006-07 Mentoring & Tutoring Evaluation Report 2006-07

Investigation amongst Secondary School students in South Gloucestershire into barriers to progression to HE: March 2006
 S Glos research: Barriers to progression S Glos research: Barriers to progression S Glos research: Barriers to progression - a student's view S Glos research: Barriers to progression - a student's view

The career choices young people make and why they make them: Results from questionnaires completed at Gloucestershire Skills Festival April 2006
The Career choices of Year 10 students and why they make them The Career choices of Year 10 students and why they make them

Research with Year 10 students to discover awareness of the range of qualifications available, including Work-based and Work-Related courses: Results from questionnaires completed at Gloucestershire Skills Festival April 2005
Year 10 students' knowledge of vocational qualifications Year 10 students' knowledge of vocational qualifications


Students in Schools and Colleges

Research into Learners' understanding of Work-based learning: Research commissioned from UCAS by Pathways Strand.  Report published February 2007
 Learners' understanding of Work-based Learning Learners' understanding of Work-based Learning Learners' understanding of work-based learning Research Executive Summary Learners' understanding of work-based learning Research Executive Summary


Employers and Work-based Learners

A research report was commissioned by the Pathways Strand looking into West of England training provider attitudes to progression of their work-based learners on to higher education.  The resulting report produced a plan of action, supporting training providers and enabling them to influence the employers, whose learners they train.
 
In collaboration with the Western Vocational Lifelong Learning Network and the Higher Level Skills Pathways Project, this work is now underway and will continue throughout 2007-2008.
 
This research was disseminated at a one day conference on 21st June at the Oakfields Campus at the University of Bath at Swindon.
 
A copy of the report Sustainable solutions to Employer Engagement: Progression to Higher Education via the Work-based Learning Community Sustainable solutions to Employer Engagement: Progression to Higher Education via the Work-based Learning Community  can be downloaded here.  Hard copies can be obtained from Julia Ingram, email julia.ingram@gloscol.ac.uk

Useful links to other relevant websites

Regional resources on Aimhigher SW website
Work-based learning http://www.aimhighersw.ac.uk/wbl.htm

Regional & Area reports http://www.aimhighersw.ac.uk/progress.htm#reports

Regional Tracking study http://www.aimhighersw.ac.uk/tracking/study.htm

National resources
Aimhigher Practitioners' website: Monitoring & evaluation reports http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/sites/practitioner/programme_information/monitoring_and_evaluation.cfm

HEFCE: Widening Participation http://www.hefce.ac.uk/widen/

Action on Access: Resources http://www.actiononaccess.org/?p=2_5