Doors Close,Windows Open: A British Columbia Case Study on Widening Access

Abstract

This essay addresses ways of widening access to university degree-completion programmes for mature, mid-career people. Our focus is on the Integrated Studies Program (ISP) at Simon Fraser University, Canada. The ISP, leading to a Bachelor of General Studies degree, is designed for students who would otherwise feel unwelcome in a mainstream university environment, or who would simply not be able to complete a course of study in a reasonable time-frame, given their responsibilities in the workplace and at home. This innovative programme relies on implicit prior learning and recognition (PLAR) credits and a compressed teaching framework that allows students to maintain full-time employment as well as a cohort-based approach that fosters co-operation among students and reduces student attrition. The leadership focus of the ISP means that students will be involved in courses from the humanities and social sciences and that they will be able to apply new concepts, methods, and approaches in their workplace and community. We present findings from a case study of access patterns undertaken through the SFU Centre for Integrated and Credit Studies. Special attention is paid to the cohort-based Integrated Studies Programs in Liberal and Business Studies (LBS) and in Justice & Public Safety Leadership (JPSL). We trace a pattern of declining representation of older students with full-time employment and family responsibilities and discuss how the ISP may contribute to greater diversity and social inclusiveness at this University. We also caution that despite provincial and national interest in lifelong learning, access to post-secondary programs may be hindered for many other interested applicants who face rising tuition fees, uncertain access to courses, and inflexible and possibly irrelevant course content.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aspin

Chapman

(2001) ‘Towards a philosophy of lifelong learning’, in Aspin

Chapman

Hatton

Sawano

(eds), International Handbook of Lifelong Learning: Part One, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 3–33.

AUCC News (2002) Trends in Higher Education Backgrounder, Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada, online at: http://www.aucc.ca/.

Bowl

(2001) ‘Experiencing the barriers: Non-traditional students entering higher education’, Research Papers in Education, vol 16(2), pp 141–60.

Britton

Baxter

(1999) ‘Becoming a mature student: Gendered narratives of the self’, Gender and Education, vol 11(2), pp 179–93.

Business Council of British Columbia (2002) ‘Barriers to Adult Education and Training Need to be Reduced’. Executive Comment, Industrial Relations Bulletin, vol 34(8), 21 August.

Canadian Association of University Teachers/Association canadienne des professeurs et professeurs d'université (2002) ‘Real fees at historic high’, CAUT/ACCPU Bulletin, vol 49(8), pp A5.

Centre for Education Information (1999) Recent Trends in Demand for Public Post-Secondary Education in BC [draft], prepared for Presidents' Council Meeting, 29 November, Victoria, BC, 12 pages.

David

(2002) ‘“It's taking me a long time but I'll get there in the end”: Mature students on access courses and higher education choice’, British Educational Research Journal, vol 28, pp 5–20.

Enslin

Pendlebury

Tjattas

(2001) ‘Political inclusion, democratic empowerment and lifelong learning’, in Aspin

Chapman

Hatton

Sawano

(eds), International Handbook of Lifelong Learning: Part One, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 61–78.

10.

Gallacher

Osborne

Postle

(1996) ‘Increasing and Widening Access to Higher Education: A comparative study of policy and provision in Scotland and Australia’, online at www.stir.ac.uk/departments/humansciences/education/online/Elibrary/Readings/scotaust.htm. This is a modified version of an earlier article published in the International Journal of Lifelong Education (1995) vol 15(6), pp 438–54.

11.

Gallagher

Day

(2001) ‘Community colleges and lifelong learning: Canadian experiences’, in Aspin

Chapman

Hatton

Sawano

(eds), International Handbook of Lifelong Learning: Part One, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 645–62.

12.

Jones

(2001) ‘Islands and bridges: Lifelong learning and complex systems of higher education in Canada’, in Aspin

Chapman

Hatton

Sawano

(eds), International Handbook of Lifelong Learning: Part One, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 545–60.

13.

Nash

(2002) ‘Schools slam doors on mature students’, Times Educational Supplement, 17 May, no 4481, pp 36–39.

14.

Oldendorff

(2001) ‘The Access Challenge: The looming crisis in post-secondary education in BC’, a discussion paper prepared for the Advanced Education Council of British Columbia.

15.

Reay

(2002) ‘Class, authenticity and the transition to higher education for mature students’, Sociological Review, vol 50(3), pp 398–418.

16.

Selman

(1993) Report on Adult and Part-time Study at Simon Fraser University, (prepared with the assistance of Maureen Nicholson), December. Department of Extension Credit, Continuing Studies, sfu.

17.

Speech from the Throne (30 September 2002), Prime Minister Jean Chretien, online at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/001_2002-09-30/han001_1525-e.htm.

18.

Watt

Patterson

(2000) ‘Pathways and partnerships: Widening access to higher education’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, vol 24(1), pp 107–16.

19.

Wright

(1998) ‘Preparing First Nations students for college: The experience of the Squamish Nation of British Columbia’, Canadian Journal of Native Education, vol 22(1), pp 85–92.

20.

Young

(2000) ‘“I might as well give up”: Self-esteem and mature students' feelings about feedback on assignments’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, vol 24(3), pp 409–18.