Your Experience, Your

Wellbeing, Your Learning,

Our Advice:

Establishing and

maintaining learning and

academic skills programs

that promote student

wellbeing

•S

tudent

Learn

ing a

nd A

cadem

ic D

evelo

pm

ent

Dr Jane Skalicky

University of Tasmania

July 2013

Overview

Students’ physical, social and emotional wellbeing are fundamental

to their success as learners. This presentation will provide an

overview of the learning development and academic skills

programs at the University of Tasmania and how they are planned

and implemented in the context of student wellbeing. Key areas of

focus include:

• Enabling academic transition to tertiary learning and university

culture

• Developing academic literacies, English language skills, and

discipline specific learning

• Engaging students as partners in learning, through peer learning

and leadership opportunities

• Establishing partnerships for support across a range of student

services and in collaboration with academic colleagues

• Considering a diversity of student learners through flexible modes

of study and by building intercultural competence

First day on campus

First lecture

First tutorial

First independent study

First assessment

Before Easter

...

Underlying theories/frameworks

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/learnerwellbeing/

Principles:

•Wellbeing is central to learning and learning is central to wellbeing

•Wellbeing is built on the strengths of individuals, groups and communities working

together

• Learner wellbeing

• Positive psychology

and thriving

• Appreciative inquiry

• Transition pedagogy

and third generation

approaches

Underlying theories/frameworks

Nick Zepke: Keynote at the 2013 First Year in Higher

Education Conference

(Strong relationship between student engagement and

wellbeing)

• Engaging teaching considers student well being

• One of key indicators of well being is people being

engaged

• Encourage feelings of autonomy, competence, and

relationship

• Help develop self esteem, resilience and positive

emotions

Protective factors

• Positive relationships with educators and peers

• Feeling safe

• Engaging curriculum

• Feeling connected

• Belonging

• Positive climate

• Pro-social peer group

• Responsibility and required helpfulness

• Opportunities for success

• Recognition of achievement

• Sense of control of learning

• Feeling competent

• Meaningful pathways through and beyond schooling

Context – Student Learning @

UTAS

Enabling academic transition

• Early connections to university

community and culture

• Range of support staff

• Strong peer networks developed

• Learning in context

• Culture shock made explicit

• Social constructivist program

“UniStart was awesome I think it should be

compulsory! For example – I am regularly talking

to …….. – all met in UniStart. I have a new besty

who is with me most everyday. This has given me

confidence to approach and befriend others who

now also know my name. And I learned that the

lecturer knowing my name increases my chances

of success”

Developing academic literacies

• Students as individuals

• Relationship and rapport building

• Confidence building

• Set expectations high

• Open ended questioning

• Acknowledge students’ strengths, skills and abilities

http://www.appreciativeadvising.net/

• Individual consultations

• Workshops

• Speaking groups

• Discipline connections

“Yes if you don’t mind we need every week

group face-to-face discussion with

students about their study and about their

condition”

Engaging students as partners

• Student Learning Drop In – Peer support for writing

and study skills

• Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) – Discipline specific peer led

study groups

• Leaders – modelling elements of wellbeing; beyond cognitive

Engaging students as partners

• Active and relaxed learning environments

• Relationships

• PASS – building relationships with a group

– enabling networks

“A good way to revise in a stress free environment.” (PASS)

“Gave me confidence I would cope.” (PASS)

“The fact it was peer based..., ...it was someone we could relate to.” (PASS)

• Drop In – build rapport with an individual within

1-2 minutes in order for session to be meaningful

• Aware of supporting connections to other services

“It was very welcoming,... There was no judging of ability, just offering to

help and they took a real interest in helping students to succeed to the

best of their abilities.” (Drop In)

Establishing partnerships

• Work with other support services and faculties to provide holistic service provision and embedded learning development

• Referrals; counselling, disability, academics, engagement activities… – trust

– relationship with individual students

– personal introductions

– curricular and co-curricular connections

• Examples of effective partnerships: – Orientation

– Psychology: UniStart culture shock lecture by academic

and follow up embedded workshops within the discipline

– Nursing: communication skills in clinical placements, go into the hospital with the students in collaboration with staff

Considering diverse learners

• Online

• Student success program – risk intervention and engagement

– Normalise

– Every student phoned

• Example: Human library

• Building intercultural competence

References

• Bloom, J. et al. Appreciating advising, http://www.appreciativeadvising.net/

• Kuh,G.D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H.,Whitt, E. J., and Associates. (2005). Student

Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter. San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass.

• Nelson, K. and Kift, S. (Student success and FYE; transition pedagogy and third

generation approaches)

• Shusok, F. & Hulme, E. (2006). What’s Right with You: helping students find and

use their personal strengths’. About Campus.

• Tinto, V. (Student success)

• Zepke, N. (Student engagement)

• www.utas.edu.au/student-learning