Unexpected benefits of pre-university skills training for A-level students

Jones, H. L., Gaskell, E. H., Prendergast, J. R. and Bavage, A. D. (2017) Unexpected benefits of pre-university skills training for A-level students. Educational Studies, 43 (1). pp. 67-70. ISSN 0305-5698

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Abstract

First-year undergraduates can find the transition from the prescriptive learning environment at school to one of self-directed learning at university, a considerable challenge. A Pre-university Skills Course (PSC) was developed to address this issue by preparing sixth formers for the university learning style. It was piloted with students in the year prior to A-level examinations at a selective state-funded school in East Anglia. The present paper examines the effect of the course on the students’ A-level tariff. Chi-squared analysis of A-level grades of students with comparable GCSE results, indicate that students who undertook the PSC performed significantly better in their A-level results than those who did not. These data demonstrate how skills training might improve A-level performance and assist in the transition to university.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	transition,a-level,skills,pre-university,university
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Biosciences Teaching and Education Research
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	23 Sep 2016 15:00
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2023 00:09
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/59697
DOI:	10.1080/03055698.2016.1245601

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