On Track: Class of 2004
Commissioned by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), 'On Track Class of 2004' was a five-year longitudinal study of people qualifying from Scotland's colleges and higher education institutions. The aim of the study was to track the progress of the 'Class of 2004' and to explore the impact of students' learning experiences on their futures in order to help universities and colleges to respond to the needs of learners more effectively.
By the fourth and final sweep in 2009, the study focused more on respondents as `people', rather than `learners'.160 In addition, the final sweep of the survey coincided with a turbulent financial period culminating in global economic recession. 160For these reasons, and also because it was the final report, the questionnaire included a more holistic examination of the Class of 2004 as people and citizens, asking more about attitudes and general wellbeing.160 The reports considered these aspects, and how160respondents compared with others in the general population, as well as looking back at the journey they have taken.
The full research report can be viewed on the Scottish Funding Council website here.
Results from previous sweeps of the survey are available to view here.
Technical details The survey was a longitudinal postal survey of people who qualified from further and higher education institutions in 2004. Full details of the recruitment methodology are contained within the first report; On Track: Class of 2004 Sweep 1. All (1,237) Sweep 4 respondents had completed the Sweep 1 and Sweep 3 questionnaires. Most (1,111) had also completed the Sweep 2 questionnaire. A further 126 had taken part in Sweep 1, not responded to Sweep 2, but160taken part in Sweep 3. The fourth, and final, sweep of the On Track: Class of 2004 study was conducted in the summer of 2009, between 31 April 2009 and 31 August 2009. A survey pack containing a paper questionnaire and reply paid envelope was mailed to all eligible respondents. Completed160questionnaires were160returned directly to Ipsos. A total of 1,864 learners responded to the third sweep and provided the sample for the fourth sweep. In Sweep 4, a total of 1,237 learners responded.
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