Transcript Learning and teaching research – from strategy to action

‘Institutional Retention
Strategies’
Professor Alison Halstead
Dean of Learning and Teaching and CETL Director
International Retention
OECD (2000) Education at a Glance.
Country
Retention
JAPAN
89%
UK
82%
GERMANY
72%
USA
63%
FRANCE
55%
Vincent Tinto
USA retention
• According to Tinto (1982), retention rates in
USA HE have averaged a steady 55% over the
last century despite huge changes in
participation rates and other major aspects of
HE.
• Barefoot (2003) “For over a decade in the US,
the overall retention rate from first to second
year has remained steady at almost 60 %.”
What can
retention
theory tell
us?
Tinto’s retention model (1975)
Learning Environment
Academic Integration
Goal
Commitment
I
TO GO
OR STAY?
Family Background
Characteristics
Qualifications
Experience
Institutional
Commitment
Social Integration
‘Dropout from Higher Education:A theoretical Synthesis of recent research’ Review of Educational Research vol.45,pp89-125
Aston’s Retention
I-E-O model
"Seven Principles for Good Practice
in Undergraduate Education"
(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)
1. Encourages Contact between Students and Faculty
2. Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation among
Students
3. Encourages Active Learning
4. Gives Prompt Feedback
5. Emphasizes Time on Task
6. Communicates High Expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning
Significant factors Yorke & Ozga (1997)
• incompatibility between the student and the
course / institution
• lack of preparation for the HE experience
• lack of commitment to the course
• financial hardship
• poor academic progress
New Zealand 2002
Impact of Student Support Services and
Academic
Development Programmes on Student Outcomes
in Undergraduate Tertiary Study:
A Synthesis of the Research
Report to the Ministry of Education
T. Prebble, H. Hargraves, L. Leach, K. Naidoo, G. Suddaby
and N. Zepke
Massey University College of Education
1999-2000
Retention
87%
In 2001
established
a Retention
Task Force
Student Profile
34% Under 21
First Generation
Learners
66% Over 21
University of
Wolverhampton
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
22,000
66% mature
State School 99%
Low Participation Neighbourhood 26%
NS-SEC 4-7 50%
27% ethnic minority
Live at home 85%
11% non continuation
What about a
strategy?
Embedded in L and T strategy
1st in 1997
2nd in 1999
Learning and Teaching Strategies
1999-2002: Growing a Learning
Community
Staff – methods of
learning and teaching
Technology
supported
learning
The aim of this strategy was ‘to develop the quality,
relevance and efficiency of our learning and teaching
methods so as to enhance the educational
experience of students across the whole institution’.
Learning and Teaching Strategy
2002-5: Managing the Learning Environment
Students
Staff
Technology
supported
learning
aim: ‘to develop the quality, relevance, effectiveness
and efficiency of our learning environment, so as to
enhance the educational experience of students
across the whole institution’.
Objective 2002-5
• To develop strategies for improving
student retention and progression
– Raised profile across the university
– Generated so much activity, preentry,induction, within the curriculum and
support services
– One stop advice centres, student buddies,
mentors, formative assessment etc etc
Targets
2002-3
2003-4
2004-5
-each School to have
completed analysis of
current retention
projects and statistical
analysis of retention
figures
-University to
perform at the
HEFCE
benchmark on
-University to
perform at 1%
better than the
HEFCE
benchmarks on
-each School to have a
retention strategy
-student wastage to be
no more than 10%
retention
retention
Challenge of retention
• Driven technological innovation
– VLE, ePortfolio, SMS texting and
podcasting
• Success at level 1 resulted in the
£4.85 million CETL
• Highest University priority along
with the Learning Environment.
Staff
• PG Certificate – Re-accreditation
• Learning and Teaching Research
Network
• Expansion of Teacher of the Year
• National Teaching Fellowships
Technology Supported
Learning
• WOLF success 20,000 different users
– Interactivity, collaborative learning and
discussions, web quests etc
• ePortfolio developed for PDP - creating
independent and reflective learners
• CAA formative and summative
• Sharpen up your skills with e-mentors
Student Support
• Personal, Academic, Careers and
Employability expansion into eportfolio
• Teesside and Wolverhampton FYE
• JISC regional eportfolio, UCAS, SMS
texting with partners
• Centre for Excellence in Teaching and
Learning – Enabling achievement in a
diverse student body – 10 PhD’s and
staff secondments.
University of Wolverhampton
Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student Body
Use of new technologies/Outputs of CETL
CETL strengthened
the staff research
element of the
strategy
Learning and Teaching Strategy
2002-6: Managing the Learning Environment
Students
Technology
supported
learning
Staff
Research
It is therefore proposed that a section of our Learning and
Teaching strategy should concentrate on the development
of student learning within a ‘research-informed
environment’.
Raising confidence and self esteem
through dialogue and collaborative
learning
Julie Hughes - Education
NTFS 2005 Rising Star
• Eportfolio
• Trainee teachers
• Sharing issues and
concerns
• Moved Tutor to
student led within
the fisrt year
• Group self
sustaining in year 2.
Writing for Academic
Success
Jackie Peiterick
300 level 1 Humanities
students 92% plus over five
years.
• Guided work
• Formative feedback
• Peer mentoring and
feedback
• Developmental
approach
• Input to University wide
‘Sharpen your skills
website – being
developed into blended
learning version.
Applied Sciences (98% retention) – Tracking,
Monitoring, Intervention, Smartcards and SMS.
Alison Halstead
Ken Oliver
Eleanor Cohn
Matt Bates
Has any of this
made a
difference?
• Performance indicators?
–recognised as one of the leading WP
institutions
• Benchmarks
– met our benchmark 10.7 (03/04)
• Where are the challenges ?
Where does all
this leave the
2006 –2010
strategy?
Learning and Teaching Strategy
2006-10: Embedding and Employability
STAFF
•PGCERT
•MA
•Doctorate
TSL
Research
STUDENTS
•Embedded
skills
•S2S
Mentoring
“to embed the quality, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of
our learning environment into the mainstream processes and
procedures of university planning and implementation, so as to
enhance the educational experience and employability of our
students”
Two strategic priorities
STAFF
To enable our staff to
develop their
learning and
teaching expertise
in order to enhance
the student learning
experience
STUDENTS
To enable all our diverse
students to deepen
knowledge and
understanding, and
develop skills and
personal attributes
which will enrich their
lives and enhance their
achievement and
employability.
On going priorities for
Wolverhampton
• Start earlier – Podcasts on how to enrol, use
the Virtual Learning Environment and the
ePortfolio
• Startright – Welcome week and academic
induction
• Tracking, monitoring and intervention
• Early formative assessment
• High quality timely feedback
• Peer mentoring, buddies and sharpen up
your skills website
Under consideration
•
•
•
•
Complete overhaul of first year
Hand selected teaching teams
High level of face2face
Embedded and transferable skills
taught through the subject
• Peer mentoring
• Just formative assessment with a pass/
fail first year boundary
Conclusion
• Theory understood
• Participation has been widened
significantly
• Highest strategic priority
• Issues for us
– Buy in by all staff
– Joined up internal strategies
– Keeping information clear, simple & timely
• Challenge of to-morrows students!