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The Past, Present and Future of Widening Participation Research
- Source :
-
British Journal of Sociology of Education . May 2007 28(3):333-347. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- The provisions of the Higher Education Act (2004) have renewed interest in widening participation research. Therefore, this paper explores the development of this scholarly field, primarily in the United Kingdom, by examining major trends in the study of higher education. Political debates related to higher education, the prevailing structure of the sector and predominant sociological perspectives have largely shaped the empirical and theoretical concerns of widening participation research. These delimiting factors have resulted in incomplete accounts of the barriers to higher education, which do not fully explore the relationship between students' social characteristics, learning experiences and university careers. Furthermore, contemporary research runs the risk of reinventing the wheel and replicating the mistakes of the past, since there has been a collective act of forgetfulness with respect to earlier contributions. In contrast, this paper provides guidelines to facilitate a holistic agenda for future widening participation research.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0142-5692
- Volume :
- 28
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- ERIC
- Journal :
- British Journal of Sociology of Education
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- EJ763957
- Document Type :
- Journal Articles<br />Opinion Papers<br />Reports - Descriptive
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/01425690701252531