VIEWS & OPINION
Hung Parliament leaves undergraduate tuition fees hanging in the balance
Comment by
DR JONATHAN NICHOLLS, director of strategy and policy services for education at
Shakespeare Martineau
In a hung Parliament, with another election very likely within a year or so, the debate about tuition fee policy is wide open once again. With this in mind, the Higher Education (HE) sector should prepare for more debate and uncertainty and keep a watchful eye on future funding policy to ensure teaching excellence does not suffer. There is no doubt that the Labour Party’s proposal to provide free undergraduate university tuition fees in England had a major impact on the recent General Election outcome. The double-figure swings to Labour in university seats and the 60+ percentage vote for the party in the under-30 age group emphasises the power of this offer. Although Labour remains committed to its principle, it acknowledges that its headline policy will need refinement. The fact that a graduating English student only pays back a tuition fee loan when they are earning above £21k has now been lost in the general perception that debts are too high, and that raising fees above £9k linked to judgements about teaching excellence is deeply unpopular. The perception of unfairness is compounded by different fee arrangements in Scotland and Wales. More specifically, as no fees are charged in Scotland and, at present, a tuition fee grant may reduce the loan in Wales by nearly 50 percent.
The Government and the new Office for Students have a major headache. The cost of Labour’s policy has been calculated at £9bn per year (when maintenance loans are converted to grants alongside free tuition). Many universities will be concerned that reversing current legislation will provide no certainty that the Government would commit to replacing lost fees with the same amount of grant. Sector representative bodies also point out that scrapping tuition fees and maintenance loans would benefit students from wealthier families. Yet, there may be some welcome pressure to reduce the cost of some courses which could justify lower replacement teaching grants.
However, for the likes of Oxford and Cambridge universities, where they already demonstrate the significant inadequacy of £9k per student for their teaching model, there would be real alarm that the funding gap will widen and their competitive position threatened.
Where this will end will be fascinating to observe and probably stormy to navigate. But the status quo cannot surely persist. One outcome could be a stratified sector that would be familiar to a citizen of the USA. A small group of universities would continue to charge fees in exchange for guarantees of providing financial support to those from deprived backgrounds and maintaining their mission of widening participation. While other universities might become state-supported with no power to charge fees. Alongside this, the privately-funded sector could thrive.
Yet another independent commission on how tuition fee policy should develop seems possible. Its conclusions, if adopted, would almost certainly require amendments to legislation only recently passed after widespread debate. The HE sector should expect another prolonged national debate about the purposes and funding of tertiary education.
16
www.education-today.co.uk
In every classroom, even those that are set by ability, there will be a range of different capabilities and learning styles. This creates challenges for teachers when it comes to delivering the curriculum to ensure that it appeals to every individual.
However, an inclusive classroom recognises that no two learners are alike and has many benefits including developing subject mastery, promoting social skills and encouraging participation. Thankfully for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) lessons, the subjects lend themselves perfectly to an inclusive learning environment. So how can we teach STEM as an inclusive subject?
Classroom ethos
Creating an inclusive classroom can be as simple as sitting pupils at shared tables, rather than at individual desks. Or, as in some classrooms, remove the desks entirely! This creates a shared space for learning, in which pupils are able to discuss their thoughts and ideas and support one another’s progress. However, ensure expectations for each pupil remain high and that there is a mutual understanding for what is required.
It’s also just as much about the teacher as it is the pupils, so rather than standing at the front of the class delivering a lecture-style class, why not facilitate learning, instead of leading it? This way, learning is less textbook and teacher-led, and more autonomous. Which leads me onto my next point…
Active enquiry
Give pupils ownership of their learning through hands-on, minds-in activities that challenge them to explore topics and gain a real-world understanding of STEM concepts. A great way of implementing this is using a robotics resource that encourages creativity and practical discovery linked to the real world. For example, pupils could be tasked to invent a device that can sort plastic to be recycled from general waste.
Active enquiry challenges pupils in areas they might struggle with, while also developing their strengths. But either way, they will be motivated to reach their own conclusion at a pace that suits them.
Collaborative learning
Rather than setting individual tasks, why not open the classroom floor for discussion and collaboration? Have pupils work together to develop answers to questions and tasks to build their knowledge, as great ideas often stem (pun intended) from working together.
While competitions make us work faster, collaboration makes us work better; for some coding might click, whereas others might have a natural affinity for physically building a robot or leading a team. Collaboration builds on each pupil’s strengths, while also developing key skills such as communication, resilience and critical thinking.
The classroom shouldn’t be about making sure all pupils are on the same page, and this is why inclusivity is important: it values the unique contributions of every pupil. In turn, the classroom is able to engage all learners and give every individual the opportunity to develop their skills and ability.
Those sitting in today’s classrooms, are the future of tomorrow and have the potential to not only maintain and advance the STEM industry, but to revolutionise the world around us. So make the STEM classroom a place of inclusivity and watch pupils’ potential unfold!
July/August 2017
Teaching STEM as an inclusive subject
Comment by
SIMON DAVENPORT, LEGO® Education
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