‘Bridging the Gap’: An analysis of transition from Further to Higher Education via a bridging programme

‘Bridging the Gap’: An analysis of transition from Further to Higher EducationAbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate whether students with a foundation degree experienced barriers to learning, following their transition from a Further Education institution onto Higher Education programmes, via a bridging programme introduced by the Department of Hospitality and Tourism at Ulster University. The programme offers fast track conversion for Foundation Degree students onto the final year of degree programmes offered within the department. Students completed the bridging programme in the summer of 2013 which was designed to provide them with necessary key skills for coping with final year degree programme delivery and the assessment methods they would encounter. This paper analyses the students’ experience of transition particularly when they are direct entrants, joining an on-going cohort of students who are already familiar with the HE environment (Knox 2005). The research is qualitative in nature using open-ended questionnaires, in addition to exploratory, in-depth, face to face interviews with the ‘bridging’ students throughout the duration of their studies. Keywords: transition; direct entrants; foundation degrees; widening participation, constructive alignment, threshold concepts, assessment and feedback