Wayne Clark

1. Student learning communities, the student experience and the institutional value proposition:a research led first year experience strategy delivers Presentation to the 21st International Conference on the First Year Experience Wayne Clark

2. RETENTION ~ AN INTERNATIONAL CONCERN “[t]he average freshman retention rate for the top 25 US universities, for the freshman years of 1996 through 1999, is reported as 96%” Comparable UK figure for the top 25 universities … for students in the years 1998 through 1999 is 92%” The 2002 attrition rate for all domestic students was 18.5% and for international students, 17.7%. For these groups these are the lowest rates since 1994 ” “Fifty-one percent of those who had started a qualification in 1998 had left without completing it five years later, and nine percent were still studying towards it five years later.”

3. RETENTION ~ A NATIONAL CONCERN “Nearly 15 per cent of first year undergraduates at the university, which has branches in Reading, London and Slough, dropped out. Out of more than 100 universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only a few institutions had higher drop out rates than the Reading college. Universities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland where more students left included UHI Millennium Institute, Ulster (Ireland), Paisley, Napier, Bell College (Scotland) and Glamorgan (Wales).” Reading Evening Post Article by Anna Roberts 9/6/2008

4. Dé Máirt, 17 Nollaig 2002Tuesday, 17 December 2002 “In the case of the universities the average drop out rate was found to be 15% while in the case of the institutes of technology it was found to be 42%. It should be noted, however, that there were differences between fields of study in both surveys with the subject areas of computer science, engineering and science registering higher non-completion rates than the humanities and business studies. The Dublin Institute of Technology also conducted a similar study and shows an overall non-completion rate of 39.46% for … full-time first-year students.”

5. A WORD ABOUT WORDS Meaning in context: Persistence means staying beyond first year and remaining enrolled for the duration of the program/programme. Sometimes interchangeably uzed with retenshun. Other typos = creative genius

6. A WORD ABOUT WORDS Meaning in context: Persistence means staying beyond first year and remaining enrolled for the duration of the program/programme. Sometimes interchangeably uzed with retenshun. Other typos = creative genius

7. A WORD ABOUT WORDS Meaning in context: Persistence means staying beyond first year and remaining enrolled for the duration of the program/programme. Sometimes interchangeably uzed with retenshun. Other typos = creative genius

8. DIFFICULTIES IN TRANSITION TO STUDENT LIFE • Trouble adjusting to campus life • Finding it hard to adjust to the commitment required • Feeling overwhelmed with a different environment (McInnis) • Feeling isolated • Lack of social and academic engagement (Krause) • Teaching and learning paradigms that are different to those used to in high schools (Meade)

9. RESEARCH LED STRATEGY PREMISE: First year students face a number of problems in adjusting to university life. • These include • developing an appropriate identity • becoming socially integrated into the university • attaining learning and generic skills such as critical thinking and intellectual rigour.

10. STUDENT SUPPORT STRATEGY Formulated to integrate functions that support transition and retention. Increase recognition of the importance of the transition process for new students entering the university environment. Recognises the general needs of all students as well as the unique requirements of identified groups. Improve and enhance the student experience. Is research led

11. Grouping students into appropriate subsets Enhancing all aspects of the teaching & learning and the working environments Stimulating the student to improve attainment levels and skills Developing & fostering relationships between students and the institution Supporting students in their lives outside university BEATTY-GUENTER MODEL Transforming the Institution Sorting Transforming the Student Supporting Connecting

12. SORTING, SUPPORTING AND CONNECTING STRATEGIES • Grouping students into appropriate subsets • Sorting is by voluntary participation • Into peer mentoring groups • Into residential groups • Supporting students on campus in the “living and learning” environment • Develop and foster relationships between students and between students and the institution • Socialisation strategies include: • student community events • peer support • advisor support • transition monitoring

13. STRATEGIES TO TRANSFORM THE STUDENT • Student transformation focused on ensuring the student understands and engages with the social, support, living and personal environment

14. STRATEGIES TO TRANSFORM THE INSTITUTION • “Soft” approach • To improve all aspects of teaching and learning, and the student support environment • There is no attempt to transform the institution from a core operational (academic) perspective

15. For students to be fully integrated and involved in university life they need to develop a sense of belonging and an appropriate identity as a university student. A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

16. A learning community is a group of individuals within an educational context who constructively share information, communications, technologies, common values and beliefs, in order to promote collaborative and cooperative connections through actively engaging in learning together and from each other (Goodyear, De Laat & Lally, 2006). LEARNING COMMUNITY

17. A Residential Learning Community differs from a Faculty Learning Community (UniGuides) UniGuide Assisted Learning Community: Is a heterogeneous "self select” programme Participation even after self selection in not compulsory Members can ‘opt out’ at any stage Only a short term commitment A Residential Learning Community is an engineered, selected, governed community (e.g. academic record, leadership qualities, community and civic service). Is more homogeneous There is no option to simply leave, or to not participate. Commitment is social, academic, and longer term. DESCRIBING LEARNING COMMUNITIES

18. UNIGUIDE PROGRAMME AND STRATEGY The University introduced the ‘UniGuide’ Programme in Semester 1, 2004, with the intention of assisting first-time students to adapt to campus life and reduce the drop-out rate.

19. UNIGUIDES • Provide assistance and advice to new students during the first 6 weeks of the Semester • Inform and direct students to campus facilities • Encourage new students to participate in campus activities • Support and nurture new students during their transition to campus life. • Establish a one-to-one relationship with students in the group and providing a personalised support for the transition

20. UNIGUIDE PROGRAMME OUTCOMES The programme exceeded expectations, with the dropout rate for all first-time entering undergraduate students declining by almost 50%

21. RESULTS SO FAR… Percentage of all students who withdrew from their course of study after Semester One: 2003Prior to UniGuides 2004Introduction of UniGuides 2005Expansion of UniGuides 2006Incremental expansion of UniGuides 10.94% 5.27% 4.92% 4.57%

22. THE UNIGUIDE EFFECT Percentage of students with UniGuides who withdrew from their course of study in Semester One… 20041.12% 20050.73% 20060.49% 20070.47%

23. “The primary objective of residential learning . . . is to provide an environment where students can explore the interconnected relationship between what is learned and what is lived.” “The communities bring together diverse groups of residents with common intellectual, political and/or social interests.” “provides a living and learning environment that encourages personal enrichment and the achievement of shared educational goals.” “ .. . students who chose to live together because they share something in common, such as academic endeavours, social concerns or humanitarian pursuits” A RESIDENTIAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

24. 1.UniGuides (n=633) Faculty groups, voluntary First Time Entering Undergraduates Full Time (90points)/ All 2.Control Group (n=675) Random selection excluding UniGuide Assisted, non residential FTEU 3.Residential (n=253) FTEU not UniGuide, not Control, Full Time First Year at University of Auckland RESEARCH PARAMETERS

25. RETENTION

26. RETENTION

27. ATTRITION BY SEMESTER

28. ATTRITION BY SEMESTER

29. PROGRESSION

30. COMPLETION

31. COMPLETION

32. PERSISTENCE

33. RETURN TO THOERY Transforming the Institution Sorting Transforming the Student Supporting Connecting

34. RETURN TO THEORY Transforming the Institution Sorting Supporting Transforming the Student Connecting

35. RETURN TO THEORY Transforming the Institution Sorting Supporting Transforming the Student Connecting

36. VALUE PROPOSITION • Learning Communities create a social ecosystem in which relationships are formed, developed and maintained. • Ultimately these groups are instrumental in the creation of social equity, engagement infrastructure and academic collateral. • A key difference is based on the establishment, composition and numbers making up the groups: • The UniGuide Learning Communities introduce new students to a small number of ‘similar’ students and a limited social equity • Residential Learning Communities introduce pre selected students to an exponentially extended cohort and therefore to a greater opportunity to build social equity in a more structured and more controlled environment

37. VALUE PROPOSITION • It is social equity that allows for engagement, persistence and progression. • When a UniGuide group breaks down, paucity of social equity reduces persistence and engagement effectiveness increases the risk of disengagement. • When a residential group is formed, its exponentially higher membership mitigates disengagement, offsets paucity of social equity, and sustains academic engagement.

38. INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND STRATEGY “Students living in a Residential Learning Community have the opportunity to share their talents and pursue their interests with like-minded people. Residents can expect academic and peer support from their advisors, the residential life staff and their fellow residents.” (Uni San Diego)

39. “Through this interaction, students can share their understanding of course content and university enculturation, thus hastening the transition process and increasing the likelihood of retention. Learning communities are their preferred option for interaction with peers … the assistance, guidance, encouragement and emotional support group members offer one another increases their persistence through the camaraderie established; these informal networks assist students to not only engage with, but also remain at, the university.” (Kantanis)

40. “ …not only engage with, but also remain at, the university” Transition–Retention-Persistence-Completion • Achieved

41. Self selection and Association The theory of homophily - people with similar traits, attributes and demographic characteristics are more likely to associate with one another. Status homophily:individuals with similar social status characteristics are more likely to associate. Value homophily associate with others who think in similar ways, regardless of differences in status. Systematic evidence of homophily in informal network ties is evident among “school children, college students and small urban neighborhoods." Demographic characteristics like age, sex, race/ethnicity and education, and psychological characteristics such as intelligence, attitudes, and aspirations are also easily identified

42. Homophily and Social Darwinism A homophilous concentration of students increases the odds that communities will exhibit the kinds of behaviour that characterize particular social groups such as adolescents. More gregarious and outgoing students more likely to affiliate International/foreign students will be less engaging Introvert students are less likely to identify with social interaction. Astin: “the single most powerful source of influence on the undergraduate student’s academic and personal development is the peer groups” Homophily risk was seen as minimal because socialisation and engagement with student life as a platform for retention and persistence, was the key driver.

43. Thank you for choosing to be at this presentation Thanks also to Michelle Clark, Kathleen Kramlinger and Michelle Staff for their technical and statistical expertise in preparing this presentation