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Ruth Cohen
Jacqueline Stone
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Part 1: University Admissions
Procedures for NSW TAFE Graduates Ruth Cohen |
3. Findings—University Admissions Policy and Practice
4. Findings—Survey of TAFE Graduating Students
5. Discussion and Implications of Findings
Appendix: University Admissions
Policy and Practice for TAFE
Graduates—Interview Schedule
[contents] [next chapter]
The transition of students from TAFE to university has been a major issue in recent years in a climate that is increasingly concerned with developing cross-sectoral links. In 1995 in Australia 20 000 students with a TAFE award such as a diploma or associate diploma enrolled in university—out of 244 000 commencing students (Maslen 1997). According to Lewis (1995), the number of applications from TAFE graduates to university (1991–94) grew more rapidly than that of any other category. With former TAFE students representing a significant proportion of university enrolments and exhibiting increasing demand for university places, issues which have implications for this pathway are of critical importance. The purpose of this study, in examining university admissions procedures and practices which apply to TAFE qualified applicants, is to improve the pathway with respect to access, equity and efficiency.
The emphasis in most previous related research has concentrated on gathering quantitative data regarding institutional structures, admission to and performance of TAFE graduates at university and credit transfer, with the qualitative dimensions of these issues being addressed to a lesser extent. While a number of studies identified the need for universities to communicate more effectively with TAFE staff and graduating students about university admission, less attention has been devoted to considering how to communicate admission requirements to these students. The rationale behind the practices, the development of the systems and other qualitative issues which might give insights into best practice for the institutions and work effectively for potential students have been continually highlighted as issues needing further action and research, and these form the basis of this study.
The study assesses in terms of efficiency, access and equity, the policies and practical implementation of admission pathways and credit transfer into universities for TAFE students. It seeks to clarify current university admissions policies and credit transfer principles for TAFE graduates and in particular to analyse how universities assess their qualifications and other prior learning including work experience. The study seeks also to discover TAFE graduating students' level of knowledge of the university procedures which apply to them and the sources of this knowledge. Following analysis of the findings, the report indicates issues to be addressed and notes specific examples of current good practice. These can improve university admissions and credit transfer policy and practice, lead to improved levels of knowledge for TAFE students about this policy and practice and encourage greater consistency between universities.
The total project on university admissions procedures for TAFE graduates comprises two distinct but inter-related research studies, a primarily qualitative analysis and a quantitative analysis. It was funded by the Commonwealth Evaluations and Investigations Program (EIP) which is administered by the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA). This report relates only to the qualitative study, which includes quantitative elements in the survey analysis. The qualitative study used interviews and surveys to generate data relating to the policy and practices used by three New South Wales universities in managing the admissions process for TAFE graduates and surveyed the level of knowledge of these policies and practice by TAFE graduating students.
The university aspects of this study investigated the admission processes at three New South Wales universities-Macquarie University, The University of Wollongong and University of Technology, Sydney. In depth interviews were conducted with academics and administrative officers responsible for admissions in the three universities to ascertain the key principles on which decisions were made, the degree of flexibility in general and in relation to specific students. These interviews focused on the application of admission policies to a select number of courses likely to be relevant to TAFE graduates.
The second part of the study surveyed over 1000 graduating students across all twelve New South Wales Institutes of TAFE to identify their levels of knowledge and perceptions about the potential of university admission for themselves and TAFE graduates in general. Students surveyed were also questioned on their understanding about admission and credit transfer possibilities on the basis of TAFE qualifications.