Supporting the First Year Experience

Jenni WallaceProfessional Development Adviser, Student Experience, London Met.

London Metropolitan University

• August 2002 London Guildhall University and University of North London join together

• 30, 000 students on 17 sites on the City and North London

• 14 Departments

• New undergraduate curriculum 2004/5

London Metropolitan University

• Directorate of Learning Teaching and Student Affairs

• Learning and Teaching Strategy (Centre for Academic Development,Undergraduate Curriculum,Human Resources)

• Student Services (Counselling,Advising,Guidance,Careers, Welfare)

• Sudent Expereinece-Peer Support,Students’Union,• Student feedback on learning Expereinece.

Key initiatives 04-05 intake

• Pre entry Summer Schools ‘what being a student means’

• Induction continuum• 5 Undergraduate Centres• Advisers• Validated Peer Support Systems• Student Attendance monitoring• Return to Study Plans

Success = Retention

• Retention should not be the primary aim : it should be an intended outcome from well designed policy and practice that has student success and satisfaction as the primary goal.

Student Success

• We need students to succeed, and have a positive learning Experience -

• ‘The success of an institution and the success of its students are inseparable:

• (Noel and Levitz 1991)

The first year

• Status of teaching on the 1st year?

• Boyer report

• H.E. now consumer led economy

• Students ‘shop around’ for institutions and courses that best cater for their needs

• Make your mind up – was 6 weeks (Tinto)

• This now seems to be 4 weeks

Retention: a multifaceted approach

• How students are recruited

• Design of induction approaches

• Resources front loaded

• Quality of guidance and teaching provided

• Needs start from the first point of contact with the university and to continue through all stages until point of exit and beyond

To get students to stay you must get them started right (Noel and

Levitz)• Students need only one critical incident to judge

the quality of service.• Age, ethnicity,gender, teaching and learning

styles, may differ from those who teach• We may only embrace retention practice as a

result of recruitment crisis or QAA• Managing retention means enhancing programmes

and services, and thus student learning

Themes for success

• Need to define what we mean by 1st year success• Defining retention language which links with

institutional goals and mission• Guaranteeing guidance from peers, mentors and

support services• Setting specific goals for the 1st year• Identifying those things both internal and external

which interfere with student success

Themes for success 2

• Devising systems that help you spot early warning signs of students at risk

• Checking out assumptions through the eyes of the student

• Front loading the essential resources• If you market a strong first year programme -

make sure you deliver it• Address student expectation, listen to concerns• Create support groups

Issues to consider

• Understand expectations- is there a mismatch when they come to study

• We have to guard against limiting their expectations by our own attitudes and practices

• ‘Understanding what students are thinking and how they are feeling is the first step to getting retention results’ ( Noel and Levitz)

Methodologies to support both learners and teachers

• Flexible courses through well designed curricula,institution can demonstrate responding and adapting to change

• Review and monitor approaches and practice• Strategies that support both tutor and student• Flexibility in mode of study and recognising prior

learning

Peer Support – one strategy

• Student rights and responsibilities as learners

• Need to provide the opportunities• Peer Support programme that is part of the

co-curriculum• Purpose-development of independent

learners- need to develop skills of critical skills and enquiry

Peer Support 2

• Part of the new undergraduate curriculum

• Embedded within the L&T Strategy

• Joined operations and resources with Students Union

• Support of PDP

• Success in our science foundation degree

• Recruiting ground

Are you going to P.A.S.S.?

• Peer Assisted Study Support (SI)

• Peer tutoring programme-14 yrs. UK

• 2nd year students acting as role models to the first year student

• Invited in by academic member of staff,adjunct to the course, students trained and supervised to facilitate learning groups

Peer Support 2

• Part of the new undergraduate curriculum

• Embedded within the L&T Strategy

• Joined operations and resources with Students Union

• Support of PDP

• Success in our science foundation degree

• Recruiting ground

Facilitation

• Students do NOT re teach the subject• Help peers to learn to process the material,

problem solving, organising materials, managing time, knowing HOW to ask for help, KNOW where to get it.

• Metacognitive – thinking about their learning, structured experience that enables critical and realistic activities

Feedback

• Student Leader Role- giving feedback on how the learning is taking place

• Not a discussion about individual students

• Academic uses information for, structuring next lecture/tutorial, information for the re design of the 1st year

• QAA like it

2nd year students

• Develop leadership skills…..

• Learn about collaborative learning

• Become more organised about their own workload and life

• Opportunity for revision

• Good for CV

• University Certificate/payment

Outcomes

• More students familiar with group work, have been trained

• Some good retention data• Students more likely to learn what their role

is as a learner• Better engagement with University life and

the subject• Academic staff pleased with feedback