Helen Gale University of Wolverhampton ( April 2008 Retention and Progression: an institutional view

Helen Gale University of Wolverhampton (www.wlv.ac.uk/celt) April 2008Helen Gale University of Wolverhampton (www.wlv.ac.uk/celt) April 2008

Retention and Progression:an institutional view


Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student BodyCentre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 2005

University of Wolverhampton


University of Wolverhampton: institutional profile

23,000 students (60% f 40%m)23,000 students (60% f 40%m) 65% over 21 years old65% over 21 years old 40% ethnic minority40% ethnic minority 70% live locally70% live locally 99% from state schools (bm 95.4%)99% from state schools (bm 95.4%) 50% lower social classes (bm 38%)50% lower social classes (bm 38%) 25% low participation areas (bm 18%)25% low participation areas (bm 18%) 88.4% retention (bm 89.6%) - 200588.4% retention (bm 89.6%) - 2005


Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student Body

The student journey: a risk assessment on retention

enteringstaying

understandingachieving

Art & Design

Applied Sciences

Humanities Education

E-portfolio Student to student mentoring


Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student Body

The student journey: a risk assessment on retention

enteringstaying

understandingachieving

Art & Design

Applied Sciences

Humanities Education

IndividualLearner Profile

LearnerDevelopmentCentre

Individualmonitoring

Tracking

Follow up

Academicliteracies

Feedback

Critical awareness

Self assessment


What have we learnt?What have we learnt?

Repeat after me ………Repeat after me ………

“There is no one simple answer to the “There is no one simple answer to the issues of retention and progression.”issues of retention and progression.”

… … if there was, the Higher Education sector would have found it by if there was, the Higher Education sector would have found it by nownow


What have we learnt?What have we learnt?NAO: actions to improve retentionNAO: actions to improve retention

http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607616es.htmhttp://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607616es.htm

Management information – Management information – accurate, sophisticated & accessible informationaccurate, sophisticated & accessible information …… not just data …… not just data

Strategic commitment to retention – Strategic commitment to retention – Retention and Progression StrategyRetention and Progression Strategy Learning and Teaching StrategyLearning and Teaching Strategy Human Resource Strategy Human Resource Strategy

Commitment from students Commitment from students student2student mentoringstudent2student mentoring

Support through academic provision Support through academic provision integrated and embedded academic commitmentintegrated and embedded academic commitment

Broaden options for learning Broaden options for learning blended learningblended learning

Provide specialist support Provide specialist support clearly signposted, multiple sites of supportclearly signposted, multiple sites of support


What have we learnt? What have we learnt? in response to ….in response to ….Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience of Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience of

higher education in the UKhigher education in the UKhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/FYEFinalReport.pdfhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/FYEFinalReport.pdf

‘‘Poor choice of programme’ and ‘Finance’Poor choice of programme’ and ‘Finance’ - network with feeder schools and colleges- network with feeder schools and colleges

- manage student expectation- manage student expectation - use current students- use current students - frontload student support- frontload student support - personalise student support- personalise student support - clearly identify multiple sources of supportclearly identify multiple sources of support - provide accurate and up to date web sites- provide accurate and up to date web sites


What have we learnt? What have we learnt? in response to ….in response to ….Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience of Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience of

higher education in the UKhigher education in the UKhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/FYEFinalReport.pdfhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/FYEFinalReport.pdf

- 2-way use of electronic systems,- 2-way use of electronic systems, including on-line booking systems, including on-line booking systems, email, virtual learning environments, email, virtual learning environments, texting, frequently asked questions texting, frequently asked questions - monitoring and tracking via electronic data, - monitoring and tracking via electronic data, with personal follow up with personal follow up - personal tutors trained and knowledgeable - personal tutors trained and knowledgeable in triage in triage

‘‘Lack of contact with academic staff’ andLack of contact with academic staff’ and‘Inadequate academic progress’‘Inadequate academic progress’


What have we learnt? What have we learnt? in response to ….in response to ….Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience Yorke & Longden (2008) The first-year experience

of higher education in the UKof higher education in the UKhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/surveys/FYE/

FYEFinalReport.pdfFYEFinalReport.pdf

- encourage early student engagement- encourage early student engagement and collaboration and collaboration

- develop staff and student - develop staff and student understanding of academic literacies understanding of academic literacies

- use formative assessment / computer- use formative assessment / computer aided self assessment aided self assessment

- develop model internal PG Cert and- develop model internal PG Cert and professional development programme professional development programme

‘‘Lack of contact with academic staff’ andLack of contact with academic staff’ and‘Inadequate academic progress’‘Inadequate academic progress’


To senior managementTo senior management Invest in accurate, sophisticated and accessible Invest in accurate, sophisticated and accessible

information systems .. and staffinformation systems .. and staff Develop student mentoring systemsDevelop student mentoring systems Link university strategies .. and keep targets Link university strategies .. and keep targets

local and simplelocal and simple Frontload resources to support first year studyFrontload resources to support first year study Invest in blended learningInvest in blended learning Support continued research into learning and Support continued research into learning and

teachingteaching

….. and retention should improve. UoW 2008 = <89.6


The third European First Year Experience (EFYE) Conference will explore the student experience at universities across Europe, and is being hosted by the University of Wolverhampton.

07 - 09 May 2008

Telford Campus, University of Wolverhampton, Telford, TF2 9NT, UK

wlv.ac.uk/efye

Documents

Helen Gale University of Wolverhampton ( April 2008 Retention and Progression: an institutional view