Deconstructing the learning experience of students on alternative degree pathways: A researcher-practitioner perspective

This study was driven by the researcher-practitioner’s observation of increasing numbers of private education providers (internationally and nationally) partnering with UK degree-awarding universities to deliver programmes for direct progression onto their second or final year of a degree programme. Supported by a comprehensive review of the internal and external quality assurance practices and approaches in Higher Education institutions, the study defined and described a growing segment of the higher education student population (alternative degree pathways - ADPs) that has not been previously studied. The study further explores the types of students undertaking these pathways and why such pathways appeal to them. Guided by well-established Quality Management theories, the literature review critically evaluates service quality models studied in the business context. These concepts were adapted to examine student satisfaction in the higher education context and were examined to provide the underpinnings for exploring the students’ perception of their learning environment during their ADP and provided insight into their overall learning experience as ADP students

The ADP phenomenon is shaped by a range of factors that cannot be captured through positivist methods; therefore, an anti-positivism approach is adopted. As these factors should be considered to understand the phenomena fully, an interpretive investigation is necessary to provide a distinct and comprehensive understanding of students’ learning experiences on ADPs. Open-ended responses were obtained from hour-long interviews with 28 ADP students, which were transcribed, coded and categorised, leading to the identification of themes that emerged from the data. Common themes and patterns facilitated a deeper understanding of the learning experiences and perspectives of the ADP students.

Findings attest that students from various learning backgrounds embark on the ADP, which is available to them in a number of partnership modes with a degree-awarding university. According to the ADP students, these pathways appeal due to their ease of access, low cost, and as a time-saving way of obtaining a higher education degree. Furthermore, ADP students described features of their ‘learning environment, ‘learning tools’ and ‘learning facilitators’ that influence their perceived satisfaction with their learning experience. Finally, the findings suggest that students who completed their degree at the awarding university tend to have a more positive overall experience of their pathways. Therefore, they would recommend the ADP regardless of whether they had a poor sub-degree experience.

This study fills an important gap and provides an in-depth understanding of a growing and significant segment of students enrolled in UK higher education. It advances the understanding of students’ learning experience on non-traditional pathways to a UK bachelor’s degree and presents broad findings of their perception of and satisfaction with their learning environment. Findings reveal that students experienced learning challenges transitioning from sub-degree levels to their final year degree programme. Current quality assurance approaches to ensure academic standards should emphasise effective assessment strategies ensuring students’ attainment of intended learning outcomes before starting their final year. The study has also extended Altback’s (1998) push-pull theory to examine students’ motivation for embarking on an ADP. Findings indicate that ADPs have facilitated increased participation in UK Higher Education and identify important criteria for degree-awarding universities when determining partnership opportunities with education providers. Third, Abdullah’s (2006) HEdPERF model is extended to include the features of ‘learning tools’ and ‘learning environment’, facilitating the measure of ADP students’ learning experience and satisfaction.

Recommendations are that degree-awarding institutions and partnered education providers should evolve practices in five areas to improve their students’ learning experience on the ADP. These include (i) establishing internal quality assurance frameworks that clearly map to the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, (ii) providing teaching and learning training for partner institutions, (iii) fostering the in-context design of assessments at partner institutions, (iv) arranging joint teaching delivery of flying faculty and local tutors at partner institutions and (v) including facilities and infrastructure evaluations in quality audits at partner providers.

Future studies should generalise the findings by extending the current research to ADP students from different UK universities. Dimensions of the ‘learning environment’, ‘learning facilitators’ and ‘learning tools’ should be operationalised with aspects that were described by students as significant. Findings from this study have presented an opportunity for future studies to develop the quality assurance practices and principles that will not only maintain the academic standards and quality of ADPs but focus on the outcomes of ADP students.