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Student Attendance Tracking University of Bolton – Retention to UKBA to Retention Presented by………. Andy Dale – Systems D evelopment Manager [University of Bolton] Richard Cooke – Technical Consultant [CELCAT Consultancy Services]. Brief Overview.
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Student Attendance Tracking University of Bolton – Retention to UKBA to Retention Presented by………. Andy Dale – Systems Development Manager [University of Bolton] Richard Cooke – Technical Consultant [CELCAT Consultancy Services]
Brief Overview • We have been using CELCAT at Bolton for a number of years now. • We currently use the following elements of the software across the University...... • Timetabler • Student Attendance • Web Publisher • RoomBooker • iCalendar
Project Approval • The Student Attendance Project proposal was approved by the University’s Executive in May/June 2007. • Following this approval, it was agreed with and backed by the teaching unions in the University. • Pilot scheme ran from the start of the 2008/9 Academic Year, this was available to everyone on a trial basis. • We identified some specific staff in different areas of the University to try the software and feed back any issues.
Support for the Project • University buy-in at a senior level has been key to the success of the project as a whole, initially through the three major commitments……….… • the purchase of a dedicated server for the CELCAT system • a Senior Management ‘champion’ has been essential to the continued success of the project • the decision of the teaching unions to support the project
Initial Intentions • The aim of the project was to improve our retention rates • The registers would assist staff in identifying students who might be seen to be ‘at risk’ • Allowing for an intervention before the student actually withdrew • To do this, the University appointed Student Liaison Officers [SLO’s] to act as an independent point of contact for all students • The SLO’s reported to the then Director of Learning, Retention and Professional Practice
How are Registers marked? • Registers can be completed on-line in the classroom, using either the Client or Web based application • Staff can also take a paper register and complete the register once they return to their office • Electronic registers must be completed within 48 hours of the session – if using paper
Implementaion The project went live across the whole University at the start of the 2009/10 Academic Year After a few issues in the first month, mainly around training and confidence, we had reached a figure close to 80% compliance by the second month Reports were generated on a weekly basis and these were e-mailed to senior academic staff identifying any unmarked registers by staff name The introduction of a 90% benchmark from the start of the second semester, helped us to reach around 95% compliance mark
Notifications • We sent an e-mail to students when they missed a class, in a gentle ‘miss you’ style • They were also invited to speak to the SLO for their academic area if they had any personal issues or problems with their studies • Staff were sent an e-mail, if they had not completed their registers within the 48 hour grace period • A further e-mail was sent to their line manager after 72 hours if it was still incomplete. Evolution • An unmarked register report now goes out on a Wednesday of each week to the academic managers
Staff/Student Comments ‘We have always used paper registers why do we now have to do this twice...’ Fast forward a couple of months, this member of staff was checking the attendance profiles of the students on his course, from his computer ‘I need the students signature to prove they were here’ ‘I can’t go back to an earlier date when I need to fill in my register......’ ‘We have not had any training and I am to busy to sort it out’ ‘From day one I have had problems........’ ‘It’s a useless system’ ..........these are all staff quotes • I was in this class on another day’ • ‘Thank you for the e-mail and show of concern.......’ • ‘Me, NOT ATTENDED!.... This is wrong’ • ‘Thank you for the e-mail, everything is alright I will be in next week’ • ‘I’m dropped out, this is probably an automated message that no-one will read’ • ‘I told the tutor I would not be in’ • ‘I was at this lesson? The tutor doesn’t even take a register’ • .....these are all student quotes
Benefits • Improved data quality • More accurate management information • Ability to check against student performance [eg. degree classifications] • Check space utilisation- [planned v actual] • First indications would indicate an improvement in retention
The PULSE Report • The report was developed to assist Personal Tutors to quickly and clearly see any of their tutees potentially at risk • It is ordered by most at risk on the left and alphabetically on the right • Identifying students most at risk in red at the top through to green • It also includes an attendance trend arrow, indicating whether a student is improving or not • By clicking on a student’s name you can see their full profile
