Academic drift in vocational qualifications? Explorations through the lens of literacy

Abstract

Retention, attainment and progression have become key issues in post‐compulsory education in the UK, as the policy agenda of increasing and widening participation has taken hold. Keeping students in the system, enabling them to gain qualifications and thereby progress to higher level courses is a key educational goal. Yet alongside increasing progression and attainment have emerged discussion of the nature and extent of academic drift within vocational education. This paper seeks to explore these issues in the context of the vocational curriculum in further education colleges in Scotland. Using the lens of literacy practices, the authors explore the ways in which the expectations upon students of the reading and writing associated with learning their subjects can illuminate the nature and extent of academic drift. Evidence is indicated to suggest that there is increasing emphasis given to educational rather than occupational relevance in the vocational curriculum.

Keywords:

• academic drift
• literacy
• literacy careers
• parity of esteem
• progression
• attainment

Acknowledgements

This article arises from work done within the Literacies for Learning in Further Education research project, funded by the ESRC’s Teaching and Learning Research Programme (grant number RES‐139‐25‐0117). Thanks are offered to other members of the research team for making this article possible, in particular Roz Ivanic.