Engaging a diverse student population to improve the higher education experience and outcomes

Overview and objectives

Engagement and belonging: Overview of the findings from the What works? Student retention and success programme, including practical examples

Partnerships: between academic and professional service staff to enhance the student experience

Looking back: the barriers to engagement and belonging for your students and ways in which you have improved student engagement and belonging

Looking forward: working collaboratively to provide a more inclusive and internationalised curriculum to promote engagement and belonging

Next steps.

Evidence base/references

Andrews, J. et al Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2. York: HEA http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/retention/Compendium_volume_two

Crosling, G., Thomas, L. and Heagney, M. (2008) Improving student retention in Higher Education. The role of teaching and learning. London and New York: RoutledgeFalmer

Thomas, L. (2012) Building student engagement and belonging at a time of change in higher education. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Woodfield, R. and Thomas, L (2012) Male Student Experience in Higher Education: Gender and the use of academic and pastoral support services in UK higher education. London: ECU

What works? Student retention and success

NAO (2007) and PAC (2008): Lack of progress and lack of evidence about what works

£1 million (Paul Hamlyn Foundation and HEFCE) to support 7 projects involving 22 HEIs to identify, evaluate and disseminate effective practice.

The primary purpose of the programme is to generate robust, evidence-based analysis and evaluation about the most effective practices to ensure high continuation and completion rates.

Key messages

The key message from the programme is the centrality of students having a strong sense of belonging in HE; this is most effectively nurtured in the academic sphere.

This puts high quality student-centred learning and teaching at the heart of effective student retention and success.

Student belonging is an outcome of:

Supportive peer relations.Meaningful interaction between staff

and students.Developing knowledge, confidence

and identity as successful HE learners.An HE experience which is relevant to

interests and future goals.

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Academic

ServiceSocial

Early engagement extends into HE and beyond

Student capacity building

Institutional management and co-

ordination

Staff capacity building

Characteristics of effective interventions and approaches

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Belonging

Mainstream

Proactive

RelevantWell timed & appropriate

media

Collabor-ative

Monitored

What works process

Implement-ation (activity)

Engagement (level

1 outcome

s)

Belonging (level 2 outcome)

Retention and

success(impact)

S t r a t e g i c e n a b l e r s

Implementation Fun, semi-structured approach to group formation during induction in engineering

Mainstream Activity takes place as part of academic induction for all level 1 students.

Proactive All students participate.Relevant It is led by senior lecturer as part of

the course. Groups then undertake projects.

Well-timed & appropriate media

During first week. Emphasis is on forming groups rather than providing information.

Collaborative Promotes peer interaction and group working. Structured to promote mixing.

Monitored* Qualitative feedback and review of data.Are non-participants followed up?

T-shirt induction activity

T-shirt inductionOutcomes Surveys and focus groups with

students and analysis of institutional data

Peer relations Groups continued to work and socialise together one year later (58%)

Interaction with staff*

Opportunity to get to know a key member of staff.

Developing capacity

Students help each other (44% reported receiving help)

Relevant to current/future goals*

Group working in the curriculum, and relevant to engineering employment.

Sense of belonging

Created a belonging always or mostly (81%)

Retention & success

Better retention rates year on year (85-94%) & compared to other engineering schools.

Student voices

“....it kind of makes....you don’t just feel like one individual person on a course, it is kind of like you are in a conglomerate of people kind of thing...I think it does definitely make you feel part of the group or part of something within the year group rather than just one lone person.”

“First year is bad because you don’t know anyone....if you don’t set up the design group you have got to make friends, where are you going to make friends kind of thing.....well you wouldn’t usually.....and if it was all individual work. You have to stick around to do the work and obviously if it is group work you are forced to meet people....”.

“…I think if you are part of the kind of group then if, if you are going to drop out then.... or if you are struggling academically then you have got people there to support you as well”.

Implementation Using web, email, discussion forums for student-centred, international activities.

Mainstream Activity takes place as part of academic programme

Proactive All students participate; its assessed.Relevant Part of academic programme, group

work to explore international perspectives.

Well-timed & appropriate media

All students participate using IT tools, so levelling.

Collaborative Promotes peer interaction and group working, values alternative perspectives.

Monitored Monitored by the lecturer, who can intervene.

Inclusive internationalisation

InternationalisationOutcomes Not formally evaluated; staff

perspectives. See Leask in Crosling et al 2008

Peer relations Promoted group workingInteraction with staff

Staff were able to view all the interactions and adapt task to meeting learning needs.

Developing capacity

Students had to work together

Relevant to current/future goals

Developed a range of study, employability and internationalising skills in professional context

Sense of belonging*Retention & success*

Partnership working

Students awareness of professional services

The majority of the students responding to the survey reported that they were aware of the following services: financial support; careers and employment; counselling; study skills as part of timetabled sessions; study skills beyond timetabled sessions; IT support and skills; library services; and students’ union-based services.

The majority were not aware of: money advice; disability services; services supporting religion or belief; advisors and wellbeing services; student mentoring.

Focus groups revealed understanding could be quite vague or serendipitous.

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Students’ awareness of services

“Induction week was a waste of time, I heard it was crap, and I’d got better

things to do with my time basically”. (Male student).

“I was quite surprised today with people like

mentioning counselling and stuff. I don’t think it’s very well advertised. I had no idea about any of that, no idea at all”. (Female

student).

“I missed Freshers’ Week, lots of pieces of paper with information, but [service availability]

should be there, it should be reinforced on notice-

boards or whatever”. (Female student).

Retention Support Officers Implementation RSO - or Student Support Officer - in

each school, managed centrally. Academic/service bridge.

Mainstream Initiated in one school, rolled out to all.

Proactive Follow up students not attending/missing assignments.

Relevant Student-centred. Locally owned and developed. Feedback to staff.

Well-timed & appropriate media

Available all the time. Some RSOs have developed on-line material.

Collaborative Non-intimidating and helps connect students to others in the university.

Monitored Usage and issues arising are reviewed.

RSOsOutcomes Institutional data, feedback from

students and staff and reflection by RSO team.

Peer relations RSOs help students get to know each other.

Interaction with staff

RSOs provide a bridge to academic and professional staff.

Developing capacity

Helps students to become effective learners.

Relevant to current/future goals

Directly relevant to becoming engaged and belonging to the institution.

Sense of belonging

Student support officers indicate that the university cares.

Retention & success

Withdrawal rate improved from 21% to 10%.

Student and staff voices

“The Student Support Officer couldn’t have been more helpful. She helped me to find the information I needed and introduced me to some other students on the course, who I’m still friends with.” (Student).

“Many of our students who were poor attenders in the first few weeks, are now attending regularly. Also feedback from students is that they really appreciate having an approachable, friendly and helpful person who they can go to if they are having problems.” (Academic).

“The RSO is providing a vital role in our student engagement strategy, helping us direct students who need help to the right people.” (Assistant dean).

Why are partnerships needed?

Engagement is more effective locally and if it has an explicit academic purpose.

All staff are responsible for nurturing a sense of belonging.

A significant proportion of staff (~40-50%) are not academic staff.

Their contribution is central to the student experience.

Students need to be involved in the process of change.

Students are willing to be involved in change, but programmes, departments etc need to provide the opportunities.

Looking back

Barriers to engagement and belonging of your students

Working with people on your table think about the barriers to engagement.

Think about what does or might make them feel like ‘outsiders’ or not belonging to this university in general, or their programme of study in particular.

Barriers to engagement and belonging of your students

Barriers to engagement.Living arrangementsLanguage and cultural differences (e.g. alcohol)Previous educational experiences

Makes them feel like ‘outsiders’ or not belonging to this university in general, or their programme of study in particular.No friendsCurriculum contentsUnfamiliar teaching and assessment methods

Strategies to improve student engagement and belonging

On your table share activities or strategies have you used to help international students be engaged in their learning and feel like they belong.

Identify one example that you feel is particular effective.

Looking forward

Visioning activity

Think about how you could work collaboratively to implement an activity to improve the engagement and belonging of international students (e.g. on one programme or college).

What is the intervention? (Brief description). Does it directly impact on students, or indirectly by

working with staff? Will it benefit all students, but particularly address the

barriers international students face? Is it located in the academic sphere and with an explicit

academic purpose? Does it work collaboratively? Use the principles of effective practice to review and

revise your intervention.

Next steps

Identify your next steps at the individual, collective and/or institutional levels.

Who else do you need to get involved to help turns your ideas into reality?

In what ways can you use the International Student Experience Community of Practice?

Thank you

For listening, participating and sharing.

For your comments: liz@lizthomasassociates.co.uk.