The Politics of Integration: The Opportunities, Challenges and Successes of Embedding Academic Skills and Literacies Development into an Interdisciplinary, 'Integrated' Foundation Year Programme

Autor/inn/en	Wallbank, Adrian; Le Hen, Phillipa
Titel	The Politics of Integration: The Opportunities, Challenges and Successes of Embedding Academic Skills and Literacies Development into an Interdisciplinary, 'Integrated' Foundation Year Programme
Quelle	In: Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 20 (2023) 4, Artikel 5 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1449-9789
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; College Freshmen; Program Implementation; Interdisciplinary Approach; Skill Development; Access to Education; Departments; Communities of Practice; Inclusion; School Holding Power; Research Universities; Program Evaluation; Academic Achievement; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Studienanfänger; Fächerübergreifender Unterricht; Fächerverbindender Unterricht; Interdisziplinarität; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Department; Abteilung; Community; Inklusion; Forschungseinrichtung; Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Schulleistung; Großbritannien
Abstract	Foundation Years (FY) have proliferated within UK Higher Education in recent years, and their benefits and successes have been well documented (e.g. the enhancement of opportunities for underrepresented students, second-chance education, skills and confidence enhancement, and a pipeline into STEM. However, when managed centrally, their implementation can be a contentious site of interdisciplinary unease and 'mutual suspicion' and as much as a fruitful avenue for innovative collaboration. One of the key issues is the question of how to embed academic skills/literacies development within a meaningful, 'integrated', interdisciplinary context effectively whilst utilising expertise from both academic departments and learning development/skills teams, and thus navigating disparate disciplinary agendas, communities of practice and strategic priorities. This paper reports on how this complex terrain was navigated at Royal Holloway, University of London, to successfully embed academic skills (using Universal Design for Learning pedagogy) into an academically authentic, inclusive, interdisciplinary 'Global Perspectives and Academic Practice' unit that facilitated student integration into academic departments. Whilst we report on how the programme led to higher than sector average attainment, retention and progression (the EE described it as a 'TEF Gold offering'), we critically analyse the challenges of embedding and aligning such provision within the communities of practice of a research-intensive institution. Throughout, we suggest ways forward at both practical and strategic levels to ensure the immense potential of integrated academic literacies development within FYs can be realised. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	University of Wollongong. Available from: Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources. Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Tel: +61-2-4221-3140; Fax: +61-2-4225-8312; e-mail: jutlp@uow.edu.au; Web site: https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01