Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh

1. Workshop Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh www.safeguardingstudentlearning.net

2. Workshop objectives . • A review of the relevant literature and evidence underpinning SJF. • A philosophical & applied understanding of each principle. • How to achieve good practice in MSLE in your context/institution. • Copy of the social justice framework. • Examples of MSLE good practice related to each of the principles. • Ideas for applying the framework to other student retention and success initiatives

3. Project Team Members Dr Tim Rogers Dr Glenda Jackson Rhonda Leece Andrew Brown Chris Hepperlin Dr Jim Elliot Liz Smith Joanna Scarbrough Launch of the Good Practice Guide 26 March 2013

4. The business case The social justice case • Important that all students who are made an offer encounter “institutional conditions” designed to facilitate learning engagement and success • Aspirations for social inclusion demand equity of opportunity The economic case • Adams, Banks, Davis & Dickson (2010) Australian retention study estimated total cost of attrition to be ~$1billion per annum for sector or $20-$36 million per public university

5. “Higher education can transform the lives of individuals and through them their communities and the nation by engendering a love of learning for its own sake and a passion for intellectual discovery”. Bradley, Noonan, Nugent & Scales (2008) Review of Australian Higher Education: Final Report

6. For a university with 44,000 students and 11,000 commencing students ... If 10% of students who accept a place leave before the census date (1,100) and another 15% leave during their first year (1,650) This is an annual loss of 2,750 first year students Direct loss of income per student per year ~$16,500 Total loss of income $45,375,000 Every 1% improvement in commencing retention (110 students) = $1,815,000 12 more students retained each year = $198,000 Cost of Attrition “CALCULATOR”

7. Motivation Since 2005 - at QUT progressive development and deployment of a systematic approach to monitoring and intervening with students identified as “at risk of disengaging”  the Student Success Program. (in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development, 6(1), pp. 1-15. Similar large MSLE initiatives at AUT and UNE High levels of interest throughout the sector, e.g., ANU, Deakin, Monash, Auckland, Griffith University, UniSA, RMIT, Charles Sturt, CQU, ACU, Swinburne, Wollongong, Griffith, Curtin, UQ, Curtin, Edith Cowan... Hobsons

8. Rationale It is critical for students’ learning outcomes, the government’s widening participation agenda and the reputation of the sector that various approaches to MSLE are guided by an agreed set of guiding principles, consistent with the notions of equity and social justice, to ensure that the ultimate benefit of monitoring is positive for students ...

9. Project Aim and Objectives To lead good practice for the Australasian HE sector in monitoring student engagement by Designing and developing a set of guiding principles for Safeguarding MSLE; and making available a set of resources to support learning and teaching policy and practice; and providing a good practice guide for MSLE that reflects the expertise of personnel in existing good practice programs.

10. Project Approach

11. Deliverables • Annotated bibliography • Literature review • Good Practice Guide • Social Justice Framework • Principles • Good practice exemplars • Eight Institutional Case Studies • Practical artefacts • Toolkit • Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Website

12. https://safeguardingstudentlearning.net/ Launch of the Good Practice Guide 26 March 2013

13. Literature Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh www.safeguardingstudentlearning.net

14. A snapshot • The more students learn; the more value they find in their learning; the more likely they are to stay and graduate… Least we forget the purpose of higher education is not merely that students are retained, but that they are educated. In the final analysis, student learning drives student retention. [Emphasis added] (Vincent Tinto, 2002) • ENTER scores are more highly correlated with SES status / opportunity than academic potential (Trevor Gale, 2009) • Equity students show similar attrition and completion patterns as their non-equity peers. • “The time and effort students devote to activities that are empirically linked to desired outcomes of college and what institutions do to induce students to participate in these activities (Kuh, 2001, 2003, 2009a)”

15. Social justice in HEPerspectives of social justice to frame the MSLE principles (Gale, 2000 p.268) Launch of the Good Practice Guide 26 March 2013

16. Launch of the Good Practice Guide 26 March 2013

17. Launch of the Good Practice Guide 26 March 2013

18. Principles & Examples Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh www.safeguardingstudentlearning.net

19. 1. Self-determination • Fundamental to recognitive social justice; individuals participate in democratic processes to ensure self-control over their lives. •  students are actively involved in the design and enactment of programs and in the review of program outcomes. • Student participation in program design, enactment and evaluation and making informed decisions about their individual participation in the program.

20. Self Determination – examples Develop an ‘Action Plan’ with contacted students  self-identification of learning & non-learning issues and assists in the design of individually useful and relevant activities. Use input from student advisers to revise the intervention / program and training materials so that these resources incorporate issues or trends articulated in student responses to interventions Incorporate an evaluative mechanism (for example, a student survey) to gather feedback from the students on their contact experience

21. 2. Access From a recognitive social justice perspective; allindividuals have access to social, cultural, political and economic resources. considers that access is intentionally determined by inclusive structures, systems and strategies that promote learning engagement, particularly for ‘underserved’ students. MSLE programs are designed to serve as active and impartial conduits to the resources of the institution (e.g. curriculum, learning, academic, social, cultural, support, financial and other resources).

22. Access - examples Ensure that the focus of the intervention / program is about supporting engagement. Develop strong relationships and / or service agreements with support programs across the institution – such as mentoring, counselling and academic skills development programs. Ensure training of advisors involves understanding the institutional support ‘map’ and services available to students both within and outside of the university. Ensure advisors understand the historical, cultural, social and economic barriers to access.

23. 3. Rights From a recognitive social justice perspective; individuals have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to have their individual cultural, social and knowledge systems valued.  activities are mindful of the rights of students to be treated fairly with dignity and respect, as well as their rights to obtain or withhold information, and these rights are recognised by institutions that expect compliance with institutional policies. Ensure that all students are treated with dignity and respect and that their individual cultural, social and knowledge systems are recognised and valued.

24. Rights - examples Use ethical protocols for the use of student information. Tailor responses to meet students individual circumstances by listening to their responses and issues. Treat information gathered by the program as confidential provide explicit training and guidelines about maintaining confidentiality. Ensure advisor training incorporates culturally and inclusive communication practices.

25. 4. Equity From a recognitive social justice perspective social difference is understood so that responses can be designed and applied to particular situations to counteract the barriers that impede participation.  MSLE initiatives focus on counteracting barriers to participation such as finances and broadening the knowledge and experiences of higher education for previously under-represented groups. Programs are designed to demystify and decode dominant university cultures, processes, expectations and language for differently prepared cohorts.

26. Equity - examples Use experienced students as advisors to normalise the ‘student experience’ via the use of student ‘language’ and dispel myths and preconceptions about approaching academic staff for assistance. Recruit student advisors from a pool of student mentors with prior knowledge of processes and protocols. Recruit student advisors who have previously completed the same course of study are well equipped to discuss relevant issues. Consider matching advisors to particular cohorts of students when scheduling outreach activities. Email a ‘Student Readiness Survey’ to students prior to the commencement of their studies. Use the questions and response alternatives to help refine expectations about what ‘success’ might look like as well as identify non-academic issues that may impede connectedness and their university experience.

27. 5. Participation • From a recognitive social justice perspective participation is not predicated on previous opportunity or privilege. • all students should have the opportunity to participate in university activities and to complete their qualification(s) in ways that are harmonious with their individual backgrounds and circumstances. • MSLE programs to promote socially inclusive practices so all students experience a sense of belonging and connectedness. From a recognitive social justice perspective; participation is not predicated on previous opportunity or privilege. …which, when interpreted for MSLE initiatives considers that all students have the opportunity to participate in university activities and to complete their qualification(s) in ways that are harmonious with their individual backgrounds and circumstances. Therefore, for good practice in MSLE ‘Participation’ requires MSLE programs to lead to socially inclusive practices so all students experience a sense of belonging and connectedness.

28. Participation - examples Provide a ‘Welcome Call’ to students to invite discussion about the hidden curriculum and to offer a friendly voice  assists in breaking down and alleviating pre and mis-conceptions about university life and creates a sense of belonging. Make the student experience visible via social media tools to increase connections between peers (example – a blog site, Facebook page). Avoid language based on stereotypes or assumptions when communicating with students; use inclusive language

29. Good Practice Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh www.safeguardingstudentlearning.net

30. Workshop - activities

33. Workshop objectives . • A review of the relevant literature and evidence underpinning SJF. • A philosophical & applied understanding of each principle. • How to achieve good practice in MSLE in your context/institution. • Copy of the social justice framework. • Examples of MSLE good practice related to each of the principles. • Ideas for applying the framework to other student retention and success initiatives

34. Workshop Good Practice for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement Karen Nelson Tracy Creagh www.safeguardingstudentlearning.net