Are A levels a good preparation for university?

Julia Winterson

March 2008

Understanding the transition from school to university in music and related subjects

• literature review

• interviews with education bodies, teachers and

lecturers

• observation of practice in schools and colleges

• analysis of current specifications and modules• staff and student questionnaires

• suggesting changes to university curricula and

teaching methods

Are A levels intended to be a preparation for university?

Curriculum 2000

The aims of the QCA Subject Criteria were that A levels should

• encourage life-long learning• help HE institutions and employers know what has been

studied and assessed

Progression to Higher Education is not mentioned

Universities no longer have a role in determining the content of A level

Interviews with teachers

• league tables mean courses are more exam-driven

• two sets of exams - AS and A2 – cuts down teaching time

• no time to introduce the kinds of pedagogy that students

will encounter at university

• most teachers interviewed looked for a broadening out of music degrees

.

Observation of practice in schools and colleges

• friendly, informal groups unlike large university lectures

• students well-prepared for their A Level exams - spoon fed

• classes teacher dependent and teacher led

• no preparation for independent thinking and independent study they will encounter at university.

Generic overview of transition

Problems for students• study skills• time management• independent learning• large lectures off-putting• new learning styles

This was clearly reflected in the student survey.

Lectures and seminars

Students in all subjects prefer the smaller groups and discussions associated with seminars.

Large lectures were not popular- some students find it difficult to take all the information in.

Do high A level grades lead to a high degree classification?

Entry and exit qualifications

There does not appear to be a correlation between the total number of UCAS points and the final degree classification

There does appear to be a correlation between A level grades for the degree subject and the degree classification

Are there any aspects of the course that you have felt particularly well-prepared for?

Music Technology

Recording and aspects of computer compositions

Music

Performance

English

Specific modules in relation to A level

Had A levels prepared the students for these aspects of their courses?

BTEC ND v A level MT

BTEC students are better prepared for MT degrees

BTEC students • have more guided learning hours • a wide choice of options• spend much more time in the recording studio• are taught by people from the music industry

Upsurge of popularity in MT has meant that • schools often unprepared in terms of staff and equipment• students often left to work on their own and teach themselves

Music outside school

93% of MT students had been involved in extra-mural activity

72% found that it had helped them with their university course

Some students blunt about shortcomings of A Level – e.g. ‘Most of the preparation I had was from my own learning because I was interested in music technology.’

National Curriculum in Music

This reflects changes in cultural, social and educational attitudes

• increased emphasis on accessibility across full ability range

• jazz, popular, world music and film music are included alongside Western Classical music

This broader approach is welcomed by most teachers.

Not reflected in university degrees

Which aspects of the course were not what you expected them to be?

MT students expected• more recording and performance• less technical, mathematical or computer based

Music students expected• more performance• less musicology

English students expected the degree to be more like A level

Is there a gulf between student expectations and the reality of course content?

Questions

At pre-university level there is a huge diversity in experiences. Given that students have different starting points would it be better to adopt a clean sheet approach?

Is there a mismatch between undergraduate music and the National Curriculum?

. Rather than bemoaning the extent to which students are prepared at school for university, would it be better to identify their strengths and modify the university curriculum accordingly?