TAG - The Alternative Guide (to UCLan): Developing Realistic Expectations of University

Lucy Warman, John O’Donoghue and Louisa Dignan

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Contents

• Background of TAG.• What is TAG• Aims• Content.• Promotion.• Challenges.• Get TAGged.

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Background of TAG

• Research– Reasons for withdrawal.– Lack of peer experience.– Unrealistic expectations.

• Developed through A2A Transitions.– 4 themes

• Review by SLOs.• Funding

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

What is TAG?

• A method of sharing students experiences• Alternative Guide - What university is really like.• All aspects of life here at UCLan.• Help students understand the issues they may face at uni

and how to deal with them.• Meet and chat with other students through the social

networking space provided by TAG.

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Aims of TAG

• To aid retention by– Enabling students to develop realistic expectations of university– Encourage engagement and ownership of learning and experience– Create “norm” that accessing support services part of the uni experience– Giving students the opportunity to access peer experiences

• Support employability by– Showcasing work produced by students online

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Content

• Student generated content– Extracurricular– Client for assessment– Policy

• Services generated content• Other content

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Promotion

• Staff• Potential students• Current students

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Challenges

• Timing.• Institutional support filtering

down. • Team experience.• Knowing the right questions

to ask

• Student engagement.• Relying on students.• Location in the university.• Scope creep. • Stepping on Toes.• Engaging staff.

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Feedback

“I think it's a brilliant source of information for potential students.” (Female, 29)

“Honest and written in language undergrads can relate to.” (Female, 22)

“It provides an informal introduction/guide to people, more over feels more personal and real, because it is not constricted by the normal 'rules' that the 'official' website is” (Male, 30)

“No jargon just nice easy language to read gives us a break from looking a theorists and studies all day.” (Female, 24)

“Honest and alternate perspective to uni life” (Male, 25, PR student, 1st year)

“I like the honest feeling about TAG, Because it is not made by the staff here at UCLAN I feel it gives a more reliable insight into what life at UCLAN is really like.” (Male, 19)

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Feedback cont.

• Has been access by 76 countries • JISC have funded further research • JISC have funded projects to take TAG to other HEIs• Has been continued as a UCLan initiative

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Get TAGged

• TAG at your institution• Resources– Online guide– Templates– Content

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

Questions

• Would TAG work at your HEI?• What are the barriers to TAG at your HEI?• Are you doing anything similar?– What challenges did you face?

• What are the benefits of a TAG?

HEA Annual Conference 2010, 23rd June 12.30

References1. Report by Comptroller and Auditor General on Staying the Course: Retention of Students in Higher Education 26 July 2007 HC (616) ( 2006-2007) [online]

Available at: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0607/retention_of_students_in_he.aspx (accessed on March 29th 2009)

2. Thomas, L., and Quinn, J. (2007) First Generation Entry into Higher Education. Maidenhead: Open University Press

3. Cook, Rushton and Mackintosh 2006, The STAR project. [online] Available at :http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star , (Accessed March 29th 2009)

4. http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star

5. Hodgson, L. (2008). Transition Induction Projects 2008/09. [online] Available at: http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/services/ldu/transition_induction_projects.php (Accessed on March 29th 2009)

6. http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/current_students/student_liaison_officer/index.php

7. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/institutionalinnovation.aspx

8. http://www.taguclan.org.uk

9. http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/services/futures/students/futures_award.php

10. http://www.uclan.ac.uk/health/schools/sphcs/index.php

11. http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/services/lis/index.php

12. http://www.taguclan.org.uk/burnley/index.php

13. http://www.tagguide.org