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Helen Corkill Bridges CETL University of Bedfordshire, UK

STAR Conference Strategies for Student Retention University of Ulster, Coleraine June 14 th / 15 th 2007. Helen Corkill Bridges CETL University of Bedfordshire, UK. Crazy paving, stepping stones or gaping voids?. UK HE participation. The UK: the class of 2006.

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Helen Corkill Bridges CETL University of Bedfordshire, UK

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  1. STAR ConferenceStrategies for Student RetentionUniversity of Ulster, ColeraineJune 14th / 15th2007 Helen Corkill Bridges CETL University of Bedfordshire, UK

  2. Crazy paving, stepping stones or gaping voids?

  3. UK HE participation

  4. The UK: the class of 2006 • 89% of those with 2+ ‘A’ levels progress to HE • 50% with equivalent vocational qualifications progress to HE • 55% new undergraduates – 21+ • 45% new undergraduates part-time • 61% new undergraduates female • 50% of UK population in lower socio-economic groups - 28% HE population

  5. The University of Bedfordshire…

  6. The ‘second dimension’ – the partner colleges

  7. University Class sizes: large lecture groups Pastoral care: poor Contact with tutors: variable / poor Transition into HE: smooth Specialist subject facilities: good Social life: good / excellent Colleges Class sizes: small Pastoral care: excellent / big selling point Contact with tutors: excellent Transition into HE: problematic Specialist subject facilities: good Social life: very variable / some non-existent Two dimensions: common perceptions …

  8. University of Bedfordshire 2006 Lecturers very supportive Staff really supportive (apart from one) University offers a good range of support and I have used financial support and special workshops Good system of appointment booking to speak to tutors Tutors offer informal and formal support sessions Small seminar groups really helpful Tutors always ready to help staff not biased – will help everyone Careers help really good Partner Colleges 2006* Staff fantastic! Really supportive Staff always there for you Staff always have time for you Staff always ready to listen AM really good – gives everyone her mobile number and doesn’t mind if we phone at 10.00pm Can always ask for help – only small group Best thing about college and course is supportive staff Difficult to get help with counselling Guidance staff not very sure about HE finance problems Staff…

  9. University Social life The course University experience independence Partner colleges Making friends (on course) The course The staff Learning new skills Key findings: Semester 1…best features

  10. University Adjusting to University life Residential accommodation Nothing Partner colleges Assignments Administrative problems (eg car parking/timetable or room changes) Workload Travelling Key findings: Semester 1…worst features

  11. University Coping well with volume of work Coping well with academic level of work Exceeding reading requirements of course Feedback: not receiving detailed comments on work Partner Colleges Volume of work too great / “impossible” Coping well with level of work Key texts too expensive to buy and insufficient in libraries Feedback: delay in receiving feedback Key findings: Semester 1…best/worst practice 1

  12. University 88% SU membership “Freshers Week was brilliant” “Freshers Angels really helped me to settle in” “Student Union takes us clubbing” “Activities in Union really helped me settle in” “I don’t go to the Union – I stick with my own crowd” Partner Colleges Between 0% - 60% SU nominal membership “What is Freshers Week?” “Do we have a Student Union?” “No, we don’t belong to NUS” 0% attended student social event at college 19% had attended 1 or more student social events at the University Student life…

  13. National / international - Week 1 Week 6 - End Semester 1 End Year 1 - University of Bedfordshire partnership Before entry Week 1 - After Christmas break - (End Year 1) Start of Year 2 Retention: identified retention “flash points”

  14. Transitions • Pre-entry • [Registration / enrolment] • Induction • Semester 1 – Semester 2 • Semester 2 – start of Year 2 / Semester 3

  15. How can curriculum support transitions? • Pre-entry? • Induction: orientation? • Link Semester 1 – Semester 2? • Sum up learning / year? • Link Semester 2 – Year 2?

  16. Second Life for pre-entry…

  17. STAR ConferenceStrategies for Student RetentionUniversity of Ulster, ColeraineJune 14th / 15th2007 Helen Corkill Bridges CETL University of Bedfordshire, UK

  18. Stepping Stones 2HE • Using Stepping Stones 2HE • We would like to get to know you better, so please complete the self-profiling questionnaire by clicking the link below and tell us a little more about yourself. This will help us to help you in your move to XXXXX University. Please take half an hour to complete the self-profiling questionnaire and return it to us on-line. We would really encourage you to complete the questionnaire - we take care to read each profile carefully as it helps us to get to know our new students. It is also your opportunity to ask us any questions that you may have before you arrive.

  19. Bridges 2HE • What's New for BRIDGES2HE: Welcome to the Department of Computing and Information Systems! • Added or changed since Fri Jun 08 16:35:02 BST 2007: • Content ItemsNo new Content Items for this course. AssignmentsNo new Assignments for this course. TestsNo new Tests for this course. Discussion Board PostingsNo new Discussion Board Postings for this course. MessagesNo unread Messages for this course. Calendar EventsNo new Calendar Events for this course. AnnouncementsNo new Announcements for this course.

  20. University “brilliant” “we had a party” “went to Students Union with staff” “gave us information - did what it had to” Partner colleges 2 x inductions “what induction?” “made me feel welcome” “N/A” “not useful at all” Induction …

  21. Structures and frameworks… • Are different ‘learning periods’ more helpful to different types of students? • Should [how should] the curriculum be scaffolded to aid retention? • What processes can underpin the curriculum? • Can PDP processes help?

  22. New curriculum structure… • De-semesterisation • Re-examine units of learning / linkages • Function / effectiveness of Induction (Orientation) • Scaffolded curriculum • Underpinned by process model • Employability / transferable skills

  23. Crazy paving, stepping stones or gaping voids?

  24. Primary data sources… • Yorke, M & Langdon, B (2007) ongoing research for the Higher Education Academy (HEA) – University of Bedfordshire contribution • University of Bedfordshire Partner Colleges First-Year Experience Project 2006/7 • Corkill, H (2006): Eight case-studies on the First-Year Experience in off-campus locations (Cambridge: HE in FE Journal vol 1)

  25. Additional sources Beaney, P ed (2006) Researching Foundation Degrees (London: fdf publications) Charles, A (2006) Great Expectations (Luton: University of Luton) Frame, P (2001) Managing the induction crisis: students can make adifference Student Induction in Practice (Birmingham: SEDA) Hatt, S & Baxter, A (2003) From FE to HE: studies in transition: a comparison of students entering higher education with academic and vocationalqualifications Bristol: UWE Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning) HELP CETL http://www.help-cetl.ac.uk/ Henderson, G (2006) Making Opportunity Work: Managing Student Transition through Higher Education (First European FYE Conference, University of Teeside, UK) Mayhew, K Deer, C & Dua, M The move to mass higher education in the UK:many questions and some answers Oxford Review of Education Vol 30 no 1 (Oxford: OUP) Wyatt, J ed (2006) Forward (Lichfield: fdf publications) www.fdf.ac.uk

  26. Contact Details Helen Corkill Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning University of Bedfordshire, Park Square, LUTON LU1 3JU, UK email: helen.corkill@beds.ac.uk tel: +44 (0)1234 400400 x2646 www.beds.ac.ukwww.bridges.cetl@beds.ac.uk

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