In-school enabling programs in the landscape of university pathways for secondary students in Australia: a scoping review

Article

Ramos, Fabiane, Ryan, Naomi and Forbes, Meg. 2025. "In-school enabling programs in the landscape of university pathways for secondary students in Australia: a scoping review." The Australian Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-025-00853-1
Article Title

In-school enabling programs in the landscape of university pathways for secondary students in Australia: a scoping review

ERA Journal ID20008
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsRamos, Fabiane, Ryan, Naomi and Forbes, Meg
Journal TitleThe Australian Educational Researcher
Number of Pages28
Year2025
PublisherSpringer
Place of PublicationNetherlands
ISSN0311-6999
2210-5328
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-025-00853-1
Web Address (URL)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13384-025-00853-1
Abstract

In-school enabling programs are emerging across Australia as an alternative pathway to university for secondary students, with a particular focus on widening participation. The importance of these programs is likely to grow considering the recent Australian University Accord recommendations for equity targets. However, little is known about these programs. This study contributes to bridging this gap by developing a desktop scoping inquiry, consisting of a literature review and mapping of existing programs, into what is currently known about in-school enabling programs in Australia. A particular focus is on where these programs fit within the landscape of university pathways available to secondary students and what role they might play in providing equitable access for underrepresented students. Findings suggest that in-school enabling programs are primarily responding to larger structural issues with streaming practices and the traditional Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) pathway with programs attempting to alleviate some of the entrenched inequity at play.

KeywordsAlternative pathways ; Enabling education; Secondary students; Equity; Underrepresented students; Accord
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020390303. Higher education
390306. Secondary education
390199. Curriculum and pedagogy not elsewhere classified
Byline AffiliationsUniSQ College
Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australia
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/zy827/in-school-enabling-programs-in-the-landscape-of-university-pathways-for-secondary-students-in-australia-a-scoping-review

Log in to edit

Download files

Published Version
s13384-025-00853-1.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Anyone

  • 3
    total views
  • 1
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Beyond decolonising doctoral education: Alternatives for doctoral scholars
McDowall, Ailie and Ramos, Fabiane. 2025. "Beyond decolonising doctoral education: Alternatives for doctoral scholars." Hallett, Fiona (ed.) Debates in Doctoral Education: Challenges and Opportunities. United Kingdom. Routledge.
reimagining feminist futures through geographies of selves: a letter to the poetics of being and becoming.
Ramos, Fabiane. 2024. "reimagining feminist futures through geographies of selves: a letter to the poetics of being and becoming. " Feminist Review. 136 (1), pp. 118-124. https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789241232511
Wellbeing Matters Guide: Peer Insights for Social Enterprise Leaders - A Regional, Rural and Remote Perspective
Ryan, Naomi, Malhotra, Aastha, Mullens, Amy, Luke, Jennifer and Excell, Tarra. 2024. Wellbeing Matters Guide: Peer Insights for Social Enterprise Leaders - A Regional, Rural and Remote Perspective. Australia. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/zqx35
Focusing on access and participation for underrepresented students through community engagement: the potential of in-school enabling programs in Australia
Ramos, Fabiane, Ryan, Naomi and Forbes, Meg. 2024. "Focusing on access and participation for underrepresented students through community engagement: the potential of in-school enabling programs in Australia." Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA) Conference 2024. Auckland, New Zealand 19 - 22 Nov 2024 New Zealand.
Parallel Mothers, Parallel Academics: Becoming Mothers in Australia Academia
Ramos, Fabiane, Eslick, Belinda and Roberts, Laura. 2024. "Parallel Mothers, Parallel Academics: Becoming Mothers in Australia Academia." Australian Women's and Gender Studies Association Conference. Gold Coast, Queensland 13 - 15 Nov 2024 Australia.
Tailoring emergency and disaster preparedness engagement approaches for culturally and linguistically diverse communities
Hayes, Hailey and Ryan, Naomi. 2024. "Tailoring emergency and disaster preparedness engagement approaches for culturally and linguistically diverse communities." The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 39 (3), pp. 42-48. https://doi.org/10.47389/39.3.42
Teaching with wonder: Engaged pedagogy and attentive listening
Ramos, Fabiane and Roberts, Laura. 2024. "Teaching with wonder: Engaged pedagogy and attentive listening." Journal of International Political Theory. 20 (3), pp. 259-271. https://doi.org/10.1177/17550882241283589
True encounters with the fictional university: collectively rewriting the script of filmic dark academia from the academic margins
Hopkins, Susan, Balloo, Kieran, Ramos, Fabiane, Salmeron, Raquel, Singh, Niharika and Wilson, Victoria E.. 2024. "True encounters with the fictional university: collectively rewriting the script of filmic dark academia from the academic margins ." Culture and Organization. https://doi.org/10.1080/14759551.2024.2394461
Exploring the identities of pathways educators through the lens of Third Space Theory
Balloo, Kieran, Ramos, Fabiane, Crank, Russell, Crane, Daniel, Hopkins, Susan, McGovern, Mary, Parkes, Frey, Penno, Julie, Singh, Niharika, Todd, Nicholas, Wilson, Victoria, Windsor, Angela and Worsley, Sue. 2024. "Exploring the identities of pathways educators through the lens of Third Space Theory." Pedagogy Culture and Society. 32 (5), pp. 1549-1571. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2023.2230986
Preparation for doctoral research: a narrative review
McDowall, Ailie and Ramos, Fabiane. 2024. "Preparation for doctoral research: a narrative review." The Australian Educational Researcher. 51 (4), pp. 1101-1119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-023-00630-y
A comparative autoethnographic lens on the doctorate as told by a supervisor and a doctoral candidate
Ryan, Naomi and Mulligan, Deborah L.. 2023. "A comparative autoethnographic lens on the doctorate as told by a supervisor and a doctoral candidate." Anteliz, Emilio A., Mulligan, Deborah L. and Danaher, Patrick Alan (ed.) The Routledge International Handbook of Autoethnography in Educational Research. United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 137-147
Mapping the values and identities of academics who teach into widening participation university preparation programs
Balloo, Kieran, Crane, Daniel, Crank, Russell, Hopkins, Susan, McGovern, Mary, Parkes, Geoffrey, Penno, Julie, Ramos, Fabiane, Singh, Niharika, Todd, Nicholas, Wilson, Victoria, Windsor, Angela and Worsley, Sue. 2022. "Mapping the values and identities of academics who teach into widening participation university preparation programs." Society for Research into Higher Education International Research (SRHE) Conference 2022. 05 - 09 Dec 2022 United Kingdom.
O encantamento como pedagogia feminista: rompendo a cumplicidade feminista com a colonialidade
Ramos, Fabiane and Roberts, Laura. 2022. "O encantamento como pedagogia feminista: rompendo a cumplicidade feminista com a colonialidade." Cassiani, Suzani, Giraldi, Patricia Montanari, Conde, Soraya Franzoni and De-Carvalho, Robert (ed.) Resistir, (re)existir e (re)inventar II : pedagogias decoloniais em dialogo com o Sul Global. Sao Paulo, Brazil. Editora Livraria da Fisica. pp. 221-250
Pondering Hierarchy of Oppressions in Australia: The Case of Refugees and Their Mode of Arrival
Ramos, Fabiane. 2019. "Pondering Hierarchy of Oppressions in Australia: The Case of Refugees and Their Mode of Arrival." Journal of the European Association for Studies of Australia. 10 (1), pp. 28-39.
‘It's so messed up, it’s unfair’: conversations about the refugee crisis
Ramos, Fabiane. 2018. "‘It's so messed up, it’s unfair’: conversations about the refugee crisis." Borderlands journal. 17 (2), pp. 1-22.
Reflections on methodology: Dilemmas in a research project about the educational experiences of refugee-background youth
Ramos, Fabiane. 2015. "Reflections on methodology: Dilemmas in a research project about the educational experiences of refugee-background youth." Annual International Australian Association for Research in Education Conference 2015 (AARE 2015). Fremantle, Australia 29 Nov - 03 Dec 2015 Australia.
Resistance to Monoligualism: School Principals and Head of Languages’ Voices on Factors that Promote and Deter Languages Education in Queensland, Australia
Diaz, Adriana, Cordella, Marisa and Ramos, Fabiane. 2021. "Resistance to Monoligualism: School Principals and Head of Languages’ Voices on Factors that Promote and Deter Languages Education in Queensland, Australia." Lanvers, Ursula, Thompson, Amy S. and East, Martin (ed.) Language Learning in Anglophone Countries: Challenges, Practices, Ways Forward. Cham, Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 485-502
Academic success as willful-resistance: theorising with refugee-background students in Australia
Ramos, Fabiane. 2020. "Academic success as willful-resistance: theorising with refugee-background students in Australia." Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education. 42 (3), pp. 440 -455. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2020.1718063
Wonder as feminist pedagogy: disrupting feminist complicity with coloniality
Ramos, Fabiane and Roberts, Laura. 2021. "Wonder as feminist pedagogy: disrupting feminist complicity with coloniality." Feminist Review. 128, pp. 28-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789211013702
Doing Decoloniality in the Writing Borderlands of the PhD
McDowall, Ailie and Ramos, Fabiane. 2017. "Doing Decoloniality in the Writing Borderlands of the PhD." The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 47 (1), pp. 54-63. https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2017.23
Opening-up entangled conversations: engaging with the stories of refugee-background students in Australia
Ramos, Fabiane. 2018. Opening-up entangled conversations: engaging with the stories of refugee-background students in Australia. PhD Thesis Doctor of Philosophy. University of Queensland. https://doi.org/10.14264/uql.2018.375
A Declaration of Gratitude for the Tongues We Speak
Ramos, Fabiane. 2022. "A Declaration of Gratitude for the Tongues We Speak." Wilson, Gloria J, Kraehe, Amelia M and Acuff, Joni Boyd (ed.) A Love Letter to This Bridge Called My Back. United States. The University of Arizona Press. pp. 279-284
Doctoral Discourses: The Journey—Past, Present and Beyond
Mulligan, Deborah L. and Ryan, Naomi. 2022. "Doctoral Discourses: The Journey—Past, Present and Beyond ." Mulligan, Deborah L., Ryan, Naomi and Danaher, Patrick Alan (ed.) Deconstructing Doctoral Discourses: Stories and strategies for success. Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 321-328
Disrupting Dominant Discourses and Celebrating Counternarratives: Sustaining success for doctoral students and supervisors
Mulligan, Deborah L., Ryan, Naomi and Danaher, Patrick Alan. 2022. "Disrupting Dominant Discourses and Celebrating Counternarratives: Sustaining success for doctoral students and supervisors." Mulligan, Deborah L., Ryan, Naomi and Danaher, Patrick Alan (ed.) Deconstructing Doctoral Discourses: Stories and Strategies for Success. Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 1-13
An exploration of the influence of engagement with commemoration on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people in South West Queensland, Australia
Forbes, Megan Jane. 2020. An exploration of the influence of engagement with commemoration on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people in South West Queensland, Australia. PhD Thesis Doctor of Philosophy. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/ERES-WK16
Navigating the Affordances and Limits of Ethnographic Research in Exploring Career Development for Marginalised Youth in an Australian Flexible Learning Programme
Ryan, Naomi. 2020. "Navigating the Affordances and Limits of Ethnographic Research in Exploring Career Development for Marginalised Youth in an Australian Flexible Learning Programme." Mulligan, Deborah L. and Danaher, Patrick Alan (ed.) Researching Within the Educational Margins: Strategies for Communicating and Articulating Voices. Cham, Switzerland. Springer. pp. 79-93
QMF Outback Trail: Community Wellbeing Impacts of Hosting Regional Music Festivals
Woolcock, Geoffrey and Forbes, Meg. 2021. QMF Outback Trail: Community Wellbeing Impacts of Hosting Regional Music Festivals. Australia. Queensland Music Festival.
Career development for marginalised youth: study of the practices within a Flexible Learning Program in South West Queensland
Ryan, Naomi. 2019. Career development for marginalised youth: study of the practices within a Flexible Learning Program in South West Queensland. PhD Thesis Doctor of Philosophy. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/vts0-je51
Facebook and the fast-track to better futures for disadvantaged youth
Ryan, Naomi and Hopkins, Susan. 2013. "Facebook and the fast-track to better futures for disadvantaged youth." Australian Career Practitioner. 24 (3), pp. 13-14.
Engaging youth through self-reflective digital narratives: a Career Development initiative with a Tertiary Preparation program
Ryan, Naomi and Hopkins, Susan. 2014. "Engaging youth through self-reflective digital narratives: a Career Development initiative with a Tertiary Preparation program." Australian Career Practitioner. 25 (4), pp. 8-9.
Digital narratives, social connectivity and disadvantaged youth: raising aspirations for rural and low socioeconomic young people
Hopkins, Susan and Ryan, Naomi. 2014. "Digital narratives, social connectivity and disadvantaged youth: raising aspirations for rural and low socioeconomic young people." Access: Critical Explorations of Equity in Higher Education. 1 (1), pp. 28-42.
Combining social media and career development learning: an intensive tertiary preparation programme for disadvantaged youth
Ryan, Naomi J. and Hopkins, Susan. 2013. "Combining social media and career development learning: an intensive tertiary preparation programme for disadvantaged youth." Australian Journal of Career Development. 22 (3), pp. 107-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/1038416213505274