Transcript Slide 1

Supporting Student Success
Critical points in successful
student support
Professor Caroline MacDonald
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Learning and Student Experience)
International Benchmarking Project –
supporting student success
• Established April 2008 as 1 of 2 interim year projects (other
was indicators of enhancement project)
• Working group established and has met regularly to scope
and manage the project
• Jane Denholm undertaken underpinning research
• Funded by SFC and run by QAA in conjunction with SHEEC
• Complementary to broader projects to support students to
become autonomous learners and develop graduate
attributes
What does the project entail?
• Benchmarking defined as identifying, considering,
comparing and learning from practice internationally
(outside Scotland)
• Not just established practice but looking for innovation,
ideas and new developments even if not well
established
• Not evaluating ideas – best practice is subjective and
what suits one situation/institution may not suit another
• Not judging performance or developing a league table
What is included within the term student
support services
• All student facing activity
• Holistic approach and role of central
services/discipline based activity something
we considered
• Important to consider support in a positive
rather than remedial way
• Supporting student success
Approach taken – the learner journey
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Strategies and policies for student support
Support for students prior to entry
Academic/campus orientation
Library and information resource services
Range and balance of services
Engaging students: building student communities and a sense of
belonging
Peer support and mentoring
Students associations/unions
Use of technology
Life and study skills
Careers and employability support
Service learning – voluntary and the co-curriculum
Support for alumni
Staff training and development
Issues we considered
• Who comprises the student body
– When do they start/stop being a student
– Diversity
full time/part time
Undergradute/postgraduate
Campus based/distant/work
Mature
International
• Balance between generic and subject specific
• Role of academic tutors
• Face to face/technological delivery
• Role of Students’ Association
• Impact on staff
• Evaluation of success
Activities and Outputs - 1
All Scottish HEIs asked to:
• Provide update on activity
• Describe how student support in organised
• Identify up to 3 examples of developments
and practice in student support
Activities and Outputs - 2
2 meetings held with sector
1. June 2008
to establish a network of people interested in
contributing to the project by helping identify
examples of good practice within Scotland and
externally
2. November 2008
to showcase some examples of good practice in
Scotland and invited speakers from University of
Guelph-Humber
Activities and Outputs 3
1. Scottish case studies
2. Scoping international developments
report
3. Benchmarking Report
Scottish Case Studies
• Available on QAA enhancement themes
web site
• To date 37 case studies submitted from 13
institutions. Live resource to be added to
– not too late to submit
• Presentations to November conference
and some giving workshops at this event
Report Scoping International Developments
Will be published on the enhancement theme website
• Description of the developments, practice and activities
aimed at supporting student success in HE drawn from
rest of UK and further afield
• Desk research undertaken by Jane Denholm with over
700 emails and over 20 telephone interviews
• 70 examples from 35 HEIs in 11 countries
• Grouped under headings : the learner journey
Approach taken – the learner journey
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Strategies and policies for student support
Support for students prior to entry
Academic/campus orientation
Library and information resource services
Range and balance of services
Engaging students: building student communities and a sense of
belonging
Peer support and mentoring
Students associations/unions
Use of technology
Life and study skills
Careers and employability support
Service learning – voluntary and the co-curriculum
Support for alumni
Staff training and development
Examples from outside Scotland - 1
A. Strategies and policies for Student Support
University of Leeds – “Leeds for Life”
Set out values, skills and attributes with aim of developing a more consistent personal
tutoring model
University of Guelph-Humber – STAMP
Student transition and mentoring scheme which begins before they start their course: “from
cradle to grave”
B. Support for students prior to entry
University of Guelph, Ontario – START Online
An on-line community to facilitate transition to university life and welcome and engage
students
C. Academic/Campus Orientation
University of Sydney – SWOT programme and O-week
Academic and social orientation activities run in parallel but
co-ordinated
Examples from outside Scotland - 2
D. Library and information resource services
University of Otago, New Zealand
Integrated student learning support, library, meeting and eating spaces
G. Peer Support and Mentoring
University of Wollongong (and others) PASS
Trained students facilitate study sessions and support to lower year students
University of Bournemouth – PAL
Peer assisted learning scheme
H. Student Associations/Unions
University of Surrey – DAVE
Peer led student training : Development, Accreditation, Volunteering and
Employability
I. Use of Technology
University of Leeds – “Leeds for Life”
Web resources for students in all years
Examples from outside Scotland - 3
L. Service Learning – Volunteering and the co-curriculum
Macquarie University, Australia
All students to undertake some form of participation e.g. mentoring, work integrated
learning or global futures (aid projects)
N. Staff training and Development
University of Sheffield – Supporting the Supporters
Web site, publications and development activities – guide for staff, new training
programme and redesigned staff web pages
Report for SFC
Benchmarking report
• Record of group activities
• Discuss findings
• Provide conclusions and lessons learned
for future benchmarking activities
Membership of the Group
Chair:
Caroline MacDonald
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Student
Experience), University of Teesside,
previously PVC at Glasgow Caledonian University
Officers:
David Bottomley
Heather Gibson
Heather Norton
Bill Thomson
Assistant Head of Office, QAA Scotland
Development Officer, QAA Scotland
Administrative Assistant, QAA Scotland
QAA Scotland
Consultant:
Jane Denholm
Critical Thinking
Membership of the Group continued
Members:
Chris Baxter
Josh Capaldi
David Carse
Duncan Cockburn
Ellie Douglas
Jill Hammond
Eve Lewis
Gillian Mackintosh
Denise McCaig
Linda Savage
James Shields
Jordan Smith
Judith Vincent
Lande Walsey
Jane Weir
Philip Whyte
Vice-President of Welfare and Education, SUSA, University of Stirling
President of the RGU Union, Robert Gordon University
Democratic Services Manager, Students Association, Glasgow Caledonian Uni.
Development Advisor, sparqs
Head of Student Support Services, University of Dundee
Head of Student Counselling , Glasgow School of Art
Education and Welfare Manager, Student Association, Heriot Watt University
Academic Registrar, University of Aberdeen
Vice-President Support and Advice , Students Assoc. Glasgow Caledonian Uni.
Student Services Support Co-ordinator , UHI Millennium Institute
Director of Representation, Student Association, University of St Andrews
Vice-President of Representation , Students Association, University of Dundee
Vice-Principal (Teaching and Learning), University of the West Scotland
Head of Student Services, Queen Margaret University
Director of Career Services, University of Glasgow
Academic Affairs Officer, USSA, University of Strathclyde