Toolbox for Flexible Learners: Supporting Student Success in the Transition to Higher Education

1. Dr. James Brunton,
Prof. Mark Brown, Dr. Eamon Costello,
Lorraine Delaney, Seamus Fox & Nuala Lonergan
Toolbox for Flexible Learners:
Supporting Student Success
in the Transition to Higher Education
ECIU Working Meeting
2nd October 2015

3. http://www.studentsuccess.ie

4. Toolbox for Flexible Learners

5. • Importance of course choice
• Emphasis on self-regulation
• Need for personalised feedback
• Provide information at point of need
• Feedback in language of the learner
• Recognise value of external support
• Develop academic and social confidence
• Focus on long-terms goals and student wellbeing
Basic assumptions…
Toolbox for Flexible Learners

6. Pathway Intervention
What do we do for failing
students
Secondary Intervention
What do we do for at-risk
students?
Targeted/Selective Primary Intervention
What do we do for targeted groups of students?
General/Primary Intervention
What do we do for all students?
Adapted from Wilson (2009)
Support Pyramid
Toolbox for Flexible Learners

7. Study Life Cycle
Individual Staff
Peers
School
Institution
Toolbox for Flexible Learners
Shillington, S., Brown, M., MacKay, A., Paewai, S., Suddaby, G., & While, F. (2012). Avoiding the goulash: Closing
gaps and bridging distances. Open Learning: Journal of Open, Distance and eLearning, 27, (1), 65-80.

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20. • We need to move away from a “goulash” approach
(Simpson, 2009)
• Institutions need to analyse their own retention
strategies and ‘spot the leaks’ (Simpson, 2003)
• Develop a framework informed by the literature
that identifies and coordinates best practice
Based on a principled approach…
Toolbox for Flexible Learners
Summary…