Parity, progression and social mobility: critical issues for higher vocational education pathways

Leesa Mary Wheelahan, University of Toronto - OISE

Leesa Wheelahan is an Associate Professor at the Ontario Institute of Studies for Education at the University of Toronto where she holds the William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership. She has recently moved to Toronto from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne in Australia. She started her career as a community development teacher in TAFE (the Australian analogue of further education), has worked in a number of universities in Australia in the field of tertiary education and vocational and higher education. Her recent projects include: a project exploring the links between post-compulsory education and the labour market; the emergence of ‘mixed-sector’ institutions in Australia that offer vocational and higher education; the quality of teaching in vocational education; building future capabilities for vocational education teachers; and alternatives to competency-based training models of curriculum.

leesa.wheelahan@utoronto.ca

Ann-Marie Bathmaker, University of Birmingham

Ann-Marie Bathmaker is Professor of Vocational and Higher Education at the University of Birmingham, UK. She started her career in secondary and post-secondary education in England, working in provision for English for Speakers of Other Languages, and in technical and vocational education. She worked as a local authority advisor for equal opportunities and technical and vocational education, before moving into higher education. She directed the Bristol Research Centre in Lifelong Learning and Education at UWE Bristol with Professors Brine and James, before moving to the University of Birmingham in 2012. Her career in higher education has also involved teacher education for the post-compulsory education and training sector, teaching and managing on professional doctorate programmes, and leading developments in teaching and learning. Recent research projects include Who wants to be an engineer? A study of what it means to attend a University Technical College; The role of higher education in social mobility: the Paired Peers project; Knowledge in vocational education: constructions of knowledge in general vocational qualifications in England, and The FurtherHigher Project: a study of widening participation in new forms of higher education in ‘dual sector’ FE/HE institutions.

a.m.bathmaker@bham.ac.uk

Debra D. Bragg, Professor of Higher Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Debra D. Bragg is Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Education Organization, Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois and Director of the Office of Community College Research and Leadership. Her research focuses on P-20 education policy, with a special interest in the transition of youth and adults to college and careers. Recent studies include research and evaluation studies funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and Lumina Foundation for Education. Dr. Bragg holds a PhD and master’s degree from The Ohio State University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is the recipient of the career teaching, distinguished research and Breakthrough awards from the College of Education at the University of Illinois, and the senior scholar award from the Council for the Study of Community Colleges.

dbragg@illinois.edu