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‘Hi, I’m Sam’ How the Student Advisory Model Can Enhance Student Services Dr Simone Clarke Ian Munton Keele University Who is SAM? SAM: ‘Student Advisory Model’ • First example of a virtual student adviser and virtual one-stop-shop for the UK HE sector • Interaction between students and avatars in real-time • Intuitive responses to questions on hot topics such as student finance and what it’s like to be at University • Intelligent IT system which ‘learns’ from interactions and remembers conversations with individual students • Open to the entire UK HE sector Why SAM? • 2011/12: Keele reviews its delivery of student-facing services. How can we be more efficient/effective? Do we need to be co-located? • The way we work and how our students engage is very different from how it was in the past • More diverse than ever before – one size does not fit all • Rise of social media questions ‘traditional’ models of delivering i.e. 9-5 pm, physical only • Research undertaken with students: what do you want from student services? Where? When? • Informed by AMOSSHE One Stop Shop group What our Students Thought • Flexible and enhanced access to services outside of business hours and off-campus • Existing web services could be better structured to meet their needs • The service needed to work with modern technology: mobile apps, iPads, smartphones • Students at Keele felt that investment in physical services in their current locations would be more beneficial The Keele Experience How do you bring together an extensive range of specific expertise and support to provide students with an effective and relevant service? 1. Physical 2. Virtual …..not an either or Inspiration • Keele’s Virtual Patient: Keele Intellectual Property which support innovative delivery for students in medicine, pharmacy, and other healthcare professions. • Using 3D characters in a virtual environment to simulate interaction between the learner and a virtual patient or clinical avatar SAM v iSAM SAM • Generic resource available to all students in the UK HE sector • Will cover a number of key topics • Needs to be meaningful, but also has to be generic on what it can say to remain relevant – major challenge • Sounds easy, but difficult because of its scope iSAM • Very experimental and will be trialled at Keele using Keele systems. • High risk, high return – will it work? • Review of core University business processes to provide technology-supported solutions • Reviewing opportunity to integrate key information systems and processes Benefits Students • Provides what students say they want: 24/7 access to services and utilising the latest technology • Staff • Provides an opportunity for training and development Provides a confidential, safe space for asking questions (anonymity can be switched on/off) • • E&E: potential to reduce time spent on ‘simple’ requests • Provides a creative alternative to major capital investment • Provides an opportunity to work in partnership with other HEIs and organisations in a structured way Allows a depth and quality to interactions with staff if students use SAM for more basic information • • Organisation Enhanced knowledge and skills base amongst staff: through shared knowledge of key processes and the student journey which will strengthen succession planning and career development Provides a sector-wide data source on student concerns, to inform future IAG developments Challenges Students • • • Language: translating personal circumstances into typed questions Accessibility Content: appropriate and actually meeting student need Staff • • • • • Developing the methodology: first decision tree has highlighted issues of scale, connections, and restrictions on content Culture: buy-in of staff. Wash hands of iSAM? How will the real and virtual complement each other? OD project group exists to manage this issue Cross-departmental working: different specialisms coming together – how can we find a common language? Match funding: more than originally scoped Organisation • • • • Managing expectations: what the service can deliver Resources: limited to deliver a very ambitious, experimental programme Project management: complex project which touches on IAG/pedagogy/development of professional support services/major IT systems development aspect Systems integration: requires the integration of systems not designed to work together • Future-proofing: difficult Heterogeneous HE sector: generic but addressing common concerns and issues Facing the Challenges: Project Organisation Project Management Group Organisational Development Group Stakeholder Group Student Group Technical Group Partner Institutions Facing the Challenges: Methodology 1 Scope topics for decision-tree with stakeholders 2 Review topics with students, identifying common issues/questions 3 Review topics and questions with stakeholders and identify answers 4 Map out decision-tree 5 Draft text for each branch of decision tree 6 Rehearse every part of decision tree with stakeholders and student (joint workshop) 7 Input dialogue into database 8 Animation for decision-tree 9 Test decision tree in action 10 Identify actions and timescale for future decision trees Facing the Challenges: Progress to Date • October 2012 • • • The Student Group and Stakeholder Group meet separately to discuss questions Decision trees are drafted The Technical Group meets to review decision trees and SAM progress Partner Institutions review progress and contribute to decision tree content The Student Group and Stakeholder Group meet separately to finalise the decision trees November 2012 • December 2012 • • Technical team work on SAM animation and dialogue recording Initial testing carried out • Soft launch of first decision tree to Keele and Partner Institutions First tree is assessed and all groups review and evaluate how the development process was carried out January 2013 • SAM Decision Trees • Topics of interest to current and prospective students • Frequently asked questions in existing physical one-stop-shops • Survey of the sector via JISC, ARC, AMOSSHE (15 Oct 2012) • Student Finance: underway • Money Management: underway • Transition to HE: settling in to University, the language of HE, time management, learning styles (i.e. independent learning) • Accommodation: types of accommodation, choosing the right accommodation, facilities available • Personal Difficulties: ill-health, financial problems, exam stress, loneliness, family problems (bereavement/divorce/caring responsibilities) 10 8 Other Alumni 21 Career Planning Options for Further Study 19 Exam Stress 11 Coping with Ill-Health and/or Personal Problems 14 Progressing through your Studies 15 What is Plagiarism? 17 18 Organising your Time 20 Key Services at University 24 Health and Wellbeing 22 Settling in to University Help with Funding Managing your Money Visas and Immigration 7 The Language of University How is University Different from School/College 18 Living with Others in Accommodation 25 Finding and Choosing Accommodation 10 What Different Qualifications are Available 20 Choosing the Right Course Output of Survey 35 31 30 23 18 20 13 9 6 5 0 0 Timeline of Events 2012/2013 • Review of student life cycle and key processes to identify content • Development of SAM technology: o Creation and testing of decision-tree o Soft launch and trial of first SAM decision tree with HEI partners (January 2013) o Soft launch and trial of subsequent SAM decision trees (April – July 2013) o Sector launch of SAM service (August 2013) 2013/2014 • Creation of evidence-base and production/dissemination of evaluation/analysis reports for the sector • Official launch of SAM to the sector • Development of iSAM @ Keele: o Internal launch of first three iSAM @ Keele decision trees (October 2013) o Development and marketing of iSAM to other HEIs and maintaining content and functionality of SAM for the wider sector o Development and trail of Translation Component: bi-lingual guidance o Development and trial of Identity Checker and Form Generator components • Project evaluation, including review of future sustainability Partnerships Where Do You Come In? • We want to know what you think! o Have we appreciated fully the benefits and challenges? o What have you learnt from similar projects? Any advice? o Have you come across a project of this type? Advice on lessons learnt? o Any priorities for topics for future decision trees?