International Retention OECD (2000) Education at a Glance.

1. ‘Institutional Retention Strategies’Professor Alison HalsteadDean of Learning and Teaching and CETL Director

2. Country Retention JAPAN 89% UK 82% GERMANY 72% USA 63% FRANCE 55% International RetentionOECD (2000) Education at a Glance.

3. Vincent TintoUSA retention • According to Tinto (1982), retention rates in USA HE have averaged a steady 55% over the last century despite huge changes in participation rates and other major aspects of HE. • Barefoot (2003) “For over a decade in the US, the overall retention rate from first to second year has remained steady at almost 60 %.”

4. What can retention theory tell us?

5. Tinto’s retention model (1975) Learning Environment Academic Integration Goal Commitment Institutional Commitment Family Background Characteristics Qualifications Experience TO GO OR STAY? I Social Integration ‘Dropout from Higher Education:A theoretical Synthesis of recent research’ Review of Educational Research vol.45,pp89-125

6. Aston’s Retention I-E-O model

7. "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education"(Chickering & Gamson, 1987) • Encourages Contact between Students and Faculty • Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation among Students • Encourages Active Learning • Gives Prompt Feedback • Emphasizes Time on Task • Communicates High Expectations • Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

8. Significant factors - Yorke & Ozga (1997) • incompatibility between the student and the course / institution • lack of preparation for the HE experience • lack of commitment to the course • financial hardship • poor academic progress

9. New Zealand 2002 Impact of Student Support Services and Academic Development Programmes on Student Outcomes in Undergraduate Tertiary Study:A Synthesis of the Research Report to the Ministry of Education T. Prebble, H. Hargraves, L. Leach, K. Naidoo, G. Suddaby and N. Zepke Massey University College of Education

10. 1999-2000 Retention 87% In 2001 established a Retention Task Force

11. Student Profile 34% Under 21 66% Over 21 First Generation Learners

12. University of Wolverhampton • 22,000 • 66% mature • State School 99% • Low Participation Neighbourhood 26% • NS-SEC 4-7 50% • 27% ethnic minority • Live at home 85% • 11% non continuation

13. What about a strategy? Embedded in L and T strategy 1st in 1997 2nd in 1999

14. Learning and Teaching Strategies 1999-2002: Growing a Learning Community The aim of this strategy was ‘to develop the quality, relevance and efficiency of our learning and teaching methods so as to enhance the educational experience of students across the whole institution’. Staff – methods of learning and teaching Technology supported learning

15. Learning and Teaching Strategy 2002-5: Managing the Learning Environment aim: ‘to develop the quality, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of our learning environment, so as to enhance the educational experience of students across the whole institution’. Students Technology supported learning Staff

16. Objective 2002-5 • To develop strategies for improving student retention and progression • Raised profile across the university • Generated so much activity, pre-entry,induction, within the curriculum and support services • One stop advice centres, student buddies, mentors, formative assessment etc etc

17. Targets

18. Challenge of retention • Driven technological innovation • VLE, ePortfolio, SMS texting and podcasting • Success at level 1 resulted in the £4.85 million CETL • Highest University priority along with the Learning Environment.

19. Staff • PG Certificate – Re-accreditation • Learning and Teaching Research Network • Expansion of Teacher of the Year • National Teaching Fellowships

20. Technology Supported Learning • WOLF success 20,000 different users • Interactivity, collaborative learning and discussions, web quests etc • ePortfolio developed for PDP - creating independent and reflective learners • CAA formative and summative • Sharpen up your skills with e-mentors

21. Student Support • Personal, Academic, Careers and Employability expansion into eportfolio • Teesside and Wolverhampton FYE • JISC regional eportfolio, UCAS, SMS texting with partners • Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning – Enabling achievement in a diverse student body – 10 PhD’s and staff secondments.

22. University of Wolverhampton Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student Body

23. Use of new technologies/Outputs of CETL

24. CETL strengthened the staff research element of the strategy

25. Learning and Teaching Strategy 2002-6: Managing the Learning Environment Students Technology supported learning Staff Research It is therefore proposed that a section of our Learning and Teaching strategy should concentrate on the development of student learning within a ‘research-informed environment’.

26. Eportfolio Trainee teachers Sharing issues and concerns Moved Tutor to student led within the fisrt year Group self sustaining in year 2. Raising confidence and self esteem through dialogue and collaborative learning Julie Hughes - Education NTFS 2005 Rising Star

27. Jackie Peiterick 300 level 1 Humanities students 92% plus over five years. Guided work Formative feedback Peer mentoring and feedback Developmental approach Input to University wide ‘Sharpen your skills website – being developed into blended learning version. Writing for Academic Success

28. Applied Sciences (98% retention) – Tracking, Monitoring, Intervention, Smartcards and SMS. Alison Halstead Eleanor Cohn Ken Oliver Matt Bates

30. Has any of this made a difference? • Performance indicators? –recognised as one of the leading WP institutions • Benchmarks – met our benchmark 10.7 (03/04) • Where are the challenges ?

31. Where does all this leave the 2006 –2010 strategy?

32. Learning and Teaching Strategy 2006-10: Embedding and Employability “to embed the quality, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of our learning environment into the mainstream processes and procedures of university planning and implementation, so as to enhance the educational experience and employability of our students” STAFF STUDENTS TSL • PGCERT • MA • Doctorate • Embedded skills • S2S Mentoring Research

33. STAFF To enable our staff to develop their learning and teaching expertise in order to enhance the student learning experience STUDENTS To enable all our diverse students to deepen knowledge and understanding, and develop skills and personal attributes which will enrich their lives and enhance their achievement and employability. Two strategic priorities

34. On going priorities for Wolverhampton • Start earlier – Podcasts on how to enrol, use the Virtual Learning Environment and the ePortfolio • Startright – Welcome week and academic induction • Tracking, monitoring and intervention • Early formative assessment • High quality timely feedback • Peer mentoring, buddies and sharpen up your skills website

35. Under consideration • Complete overhaul of first year • Hand selected teaching teams • High level of face2face • Embedded and transferable skills taught through the subject • Peer mentoring • Just formative assessment with a pass/ fail first year boundary

36. Conclusion • Theory understood • Participation has been widened significantly • Highest strategic priority • Issues for us • Buy in by all staff • Joined up internal strategies • Keeping information clear, simple & timely • Challenge of to-morrows students!