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BaselineMonitoringReport General Provision of Foundation Education ← Initiatives to Support the Transition to Tertiary Study | Home Page | Specific Programmes in Foundation Education → The majority of foundation education is provided through the general provision of TEOs and largely funded as part of general student funding. Significant increase in foundation learning coursesWhile it is difficult to specify and identify exactly which courses cover foundation education, there is a group of courses focused on foundation competencies. These courses are categorised as ‘mixed-field programmes’ and cover general education, social skills and employment skills programmes. The following analysis uses data on these courses as an indicator for provision of foundation competency courses at all levels of tertiary education. It should be noted that this analysis focuses on courses specifically designed to teach foundation competencies and doesn’t cover teaching of foundation competencies within subject-based courses. Therefore, it only captures part of the provision of foundation learning within tertiary education. Between 2000 and 2002, the provision of mixed-field courses has increased substantially. In 2002, there were 81,000 people enrolled in one or more of these courses. This is a 230 percent increase over the 24,500 students studying in 20001. In 2002, the majority of these students (88 percent) were enrolled as either domestic or international fee-paying students. Five percent were funded through Training Opportunities, Youth Training or Industry Training and four percent through Prison Education. These proportions were fairly similar in previous years. Within mixed-field courses, the areas that have grown the most from 2000 to 2002 have been general courses, particularly literacy and numeracy, and social skills courses. Just under half of the overall growth in mixed-field courses has been through the wānanga, with the rest of the growth spread across PTEs, polytechnics and universities.
In 2002, 97 percent of all people taking mixed-field courses were enrolled in qualifications below degree level. The largest sub-sector providing these courses in 2002 was the wānanga (35 percent of enrolled students), followed by polytechnics (29 percent of students). Seventy-one percent of total enrolled students took formal courses (ie assessed for credit to a qualification). Most of the rest were enrolled in informal courses, either through community education or as unassessed components of Training Opportunities and Youth Training programmes. People studying for qualifications below degree level in 2002 were most likely to take courses in general education and social skills. There were somewhat lower numbers in employment skills courses. People studying for degrees and postgraduate qualifications were most likely to take courses categorised as learning skills. Forty-two percent of all students enrolled in mixed-field courses were Māori, 35 percent were Pākehā and six percent were Pasifika. The majority (64 percent) were women. The overall gender distribution is influenced by the high numbers of Māori women enrolled in these types of courses through the wānanga. Half of all students were aged under 30 years. However, 17 percent were aged 45 years and over.
The largest single programme of study in this area was Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Mahi Ora programme. This is a 12-month distance education programme, which leads to the National Certificate in Employment Skills. It covers many aspects of life and work, including educational choices, health, finance, housing and business development within a Māori context. Over 14,000 students were enrolled in it in 2002. Half of these were undertaking tertiary education for the first time. Significant increase in te reo Māori coursesTe reo Māori courses are provided through both formal tertiary study and community education. Nearly all of the students in 2002 were enrolled as either domestic or international fee-paying students. In 2002, the majority of tertiary provision of te reo Māori courses was through the wānanga (65 percent of course enrolments). The polytechnics also played a significant role. Nearly all the provision was below degree level. Nearly a quarter of the people enrolled for these courses were non-Māori. Secondary school community education also provided some te reo Māori courses for adults. The majority of students in these courses are non-Māori. The significant development behind these figures has been Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s te reo Māori programmes. This wānanga enrolled nearly 11,000 of the 23,000 students engaged in te reo Māori courses in 2002. Their Te Ara Reo Māori courses provided entry-level accelerated learning in te reo Māori, using a range of language learning techniques. The courses were provided around the country and could be easily delivered in remote locations. The courses lead into Te Tohu Mātauranga i Te Reo Māori, which provides more in-depth learning about language and tikanga. More coherent approach to bridging educationBridging programmes provide support for students who are under-prepared to meet the entry standards required of a course of study and to develop the competencies necessary for success in tertiary education. Most TEIs offer bridging programmes, as do many PTEs. Since 2000 there has been a concerted effort to develop cohesion and identity across bridging programmes through the New Zealand Association of Bridging Educators. The impact of bridging education has been the focus of small-scale outcome studies and while this work identifies the success bridging education has had in making tertiary study accessible, there is also much work to be done to reduce the cost to students2. A survey of bridging programmes in six tertiary providers found a high representation of Māori and Pasifika students (18 percent and 27 percent respectively)3. 1 Some of the increase between 2000 and 2001 may be due to improved subject coding of courses. From 2001 on virtually all courses were subject coded. (↑) 2 Stephenson, M, Anderson, H, Millward, P and Rio, N (2002) The Voices from Manukau Project, Report to NZARE Conference, Palmerston North. Coltman, D (2001–2002) MIT Foundation Education Programme’s Annual Destination Studies. (↑) 3 The New Zealand Association of Bridging Educators Research Group (2003). (↑) ← Initiatives to Support the Transition to Tertiary Study | Home Page | Specific Programmes in Foundation Education → Page last modified on 26 November 2006, at 06:29 PM |
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