This document discusses student engagement in tertiary education. It explores student expectations and experiences, as well as reasons for student engagement or disengagement. The document examines challenges in engaging students academically and socially. It also discusses the importance of transition support, belonging, and building community. Interventions discussed include induction programs, formative assessment, and integrating academic and social experiences.

1. Why Am I Here? Why Should I Stay?
Understanding student expectations,
experiences and reasons for engaging with
tertiary level studies.
Becka Currant
Dean of Students
National Teaching Fellow
University of Bradford, UK

2. What do we want to do?
• Explore the student experience of learning
in tertiary education.
• Be aware of current research into the
student experience.
• Explore different influences which may
impact on student engagement.
• Identify how we deal with changing times.

3. But first…
An activity 
In pairs, discuss the student quotes
• Decide if they are related to issues that are:
– social
– academic e.g. on your module, within the course
– professional service e.g. learning development
– organisational e.g. infrastructure, regulations
• What would you do to support the student?
How would you do this?

4. Debrief…
• From the audience, give me an example of
something which was:
1. Social
2. Academic
3. Professional service
4. Organisational
• What did you suggest should happen? How
would you have supported the student?

5. Students 2.0?
• Who/what are modern students?
• A vision of students today Wesch (2007)
• Engaging Students at Bradford (Currant, 2009)
• What issues do they face?
• What challenges does this pose for us?
• How do we respond to differences from the
‘norm’?

6. Stating the Obvious But…
…Tertiary Education is changing:
• In the UK: “The university system is in need of
‘radical change’ to provide a better deal for
taxpayers and students” (Willetts, 10 June 2010)
• The role of Learning Development is
sometimes mis-understood or indeed not
understood at all
• How is the sector going to respond?
• What will you do differently?

8. • Over last 20 years Higher education has
undergone radical and unprecedented
change (Education Act, 1992; Dearing Report, 1997; Roberts Report, 2003;
Leitch Report, 2006; Browne, 2010; CSR, 2010)
• Learners are entering with different
expectations and assumptions about their
experiences
• The student body has become dramatically
more heterogeneous and has fragmented
in some cases
The Impact of ‘massification’

9. What about Universities 2.0?
• Diversity of entry routes
• Issues of dealing with developing autonomy
• Earning whilst learning
• Disengaged learners seeking qualification
unsure what University life is about
• Pressures on the system and individuals

10. Tinto’s Model
(adapted from Tinto,V. (1975) "Dropout from Higher
Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent Research"
Review of Educational Research vol.45, pp.89-125.
Draper, 2008 found at:
http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/localed/tinto.html last
accessed 4 Nov 2010)

11. Why are you here?
Think about:
• Why you decided to come today?
• What your expectations were?
• What your objectives were?
• How many new people have you spoken
to?
• How does it feel to be here?

12. Expectations prior to arrival
“I hope I can become more confident as
well as stretch myself in lots of new ways,
push my boundaries. I hope University
can support me in this and help me when
I flounder”
“I expect to sign up to do a hundred and
one things and then get stressed because
I can't cope with them all. Or I expect I will
try too hard and therefore overload myself
with unnecessary pressure and get
stressed”

13. How do students think they learn best?
“I prefer practical learning as I like to do things
and get bored when just listening to someone
talking. I do quite well when working in a group
as well as it gives me more ideas and opinions”
“Through repetition. I like to study independently initially but
then to consolidate the learning I like to discuss it and have
feedback on it. I have a low attention span and so find a lot of
reading and quiet time very hard work. I like to interact with
people and so the discussion and debate of ideas appeals to
me greatly”
“I learn best from doing things or thinking
through a problem with other people or by
writing something down, drawing it. I don't
learn much by just reading something”

14. “I think the best part for me was meeting so
many new people. I didn't know anyone else
before I came here, and I was worried about
not making friends, not fitting in etc. But on my
very first day (the welcome talk), I already got
talking to a few people, and that really worked
wonders for my confidence. Since I've got
here, I've got to know so many different
people, and it's just been amazing!”
What is their best experience?
“The tutorials were very helpful to guide the
students during the year. Also seminars and
other supporting classes. I felt that the lecturers
were people who we can speak with and this is
necessary for a non English student”

15. What do we mean by ‘engagement’?
‘Student engagement’ is a difficult term!
Psychological investment:
• Devoting time and effort
• Participating in an organisation
• Contributing to a community
• Exchanging ideas
• Student AND staff engagement important…

16. Why Do Students Leave University?
• Because they are not engaged
• Not engaged academically
– “I am not clever enough”
– “The course is not what I thought it would be”
• Not engaged socially
– “I feel lonely”
– “I am homesick”
– “The other students are not friendly”

17. What Will This Mean For Us?
• Significant changes to how we do what we do
• How will we engage diverse learners and
support a different learning experience?
• What do we know about student
expectations, experiences and reasons for
engaging with University?

18. Transition
• What does ‘transition’ mean to you?

20. Transition:
Passage from one form, state, style, or
place to another.

21. • Transition is a key issue with regard to the
student experience (Tinto, 1987, 1993; Pitkethly & Prosser,
2001; Longden and Yorke, 2008; the STAR project, 2008; HERE project,
2019)
• Transition starts before students arrive –
from the moment they think about applying
• Transition continues throughout their
University lives – between semesters,
modules, concepts, years/stages and upon
exit
Transition

22. Student Life Cycle Model
Better
preparation
Fair
admissions
First steps in
HE
Flexible
progression
Student
success
Layer et al, 2002

23. Transitions Life Cycle Model
Clear
expectations
Explicit
requirements
Support
during studies
Flexible
assessment,
regular
feedback
Student
success
Currant, 2009

24. Beyond HEIn HEPre-entry
Academic
system
Social
system
Organisational
system
Professional
services system
Student
relations
Dispositions
& capacities
Student
engagement
& belonging
HE system
May & Thomas, 2010

25. Example interventions
Extended
and
integrated
induction
Peer
learning
Personal
tutors/
advisers
Problem
/enquiry
based
learning
Formative
feed-
forward/
feedback
Academic system
Curricula
design and
contents
Curriculum
delivery
Assessment
and feedback
Academic
development

26. Example interventions
Accredited
/integrated
volunteering
Learning
communities
Ning
Facebook
Twitter etc
Extended
opening
hours
Social system
Co-curricula
activities
Social spaces
and facilities
Travel &
accomm-
odation
Social
networking

27. Example interventions
Peer
mentoring
Early and
extended
induction
Student
helpdesk
Exit support
Professional service system
Pre-entry
(e.g.
admissions,
outreach,
marketing)
Pastoral
(e.g.
counselling,
financial
support, SU)
Learning &
teaching
(library, academic
skills, disability
service)
Progression
(e.g.
graduation,
careers)

28. Example interventions
Inclusive and
accountable
validation
process
Triangulated
data use at
programme
level
Staff
recruitment,
reward and
recognition
Mapping
student
engagement
opportunities
Organisational system
Corporate
mission,
vision and
strategic plan
Leadership,
whole staff
responsibility
and CPD
Inclusive and
aligned
policies/
procedures
Co-ordinated,
evidence
informed
strategy

29. Why did you come to university?

30. Why Study?
• Balance of power between intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation
• Why have students decided to enter
tertiary education at all?
• What do they expect…
– of the institution itself?
– of themselves whilst they are there?
– to do once they leave?

31. Why Are You Here?
• Because “I have nothing else to do”
• Because “my parents/siblings told me to come”
• Because “I don’t want to get a job”
• Because “I want to study the subject”
• What impact will this have on
engagement? Why are our students here?
Why should they stay?

32. 1. Student doubters (first years)
–Higher number of students have doubts
than leave but what makes them stay?
–Doubter = someone who has thought
about leaving at any time but has stayed
2. Programmes with better than peer
rates of retention
–Based on the observations of significant
differences in rates of retention between
ostensibly similar programmes
HERE Project

33. Why do students doubt? Why do students stay?
Course related issues Course related issues
Student lifestyle Drive/ ambition /
motivation
Finances Friends
Personal incidents/
problems
Tutor / staff support or
family support
Personal/ emotional issues Ability
Why do students stay?

34. What does all this mean?
• Challenges with engaging students in their
studies
• Conflicting pressures and concerns taking
focus away from studies
• Lack of ‘academic maturity’ and poor
decision making in some cases
• Focus on positives; making time to listen
and hear…building communities

35. Building Communities
• Do you feel you belong to the institutional
community?
– How?
– Why?
– Evidence it!
• How do you create and maintain a
community?

36. Possible examples
• Group sessions
• Interactive activities
• Online and face2face support
• Personal tutor groups
• Links with other
modules/courses/Schools/Colleges
• Links outside the curriculum e.g. Student
Union

37. Individual level: What Can We Do?
• Identify student expectations of University
• Make explicit institutional requirements
• Demystify the complex, codified structures
• Provide holistic induction experience
• Supportive assessment process
– Provide early formative assessment
– Engage with curriculum to inspire learners
• Define curriculum engagement
• Academic and Social integration

38. Intervention level: Core principles
Intervention
level
Proactive
Inclusive
Flexible
Transparent
Ongoing
Timely
Integrated
Collaborative

39. If you can only make one change…

40. Smiling helps with…
• Belonging
• Building a community
• Staff morale
• Student satisfaction
• Initial impressions
• League tables
• Putting a human face on the experience
• Smiley KPI!

41. Any Questions?!

42. <Thank you!/>

43. References
• Caldwell, J., Toman, N., and Leahy, J. (2006) Diversity and difference in the learning experience of
students in contemporary mass Higher Education. Paper presented at NUI Galway 4th Annual
Conference on Teaching & Learning 8-9 June 2006
• Cook et al, 2007; The STAR Project http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star [last accessed 16 January 2009]
• Currant, B., & Keenan, C. (2009). Evaluating Systematic Transition to Higher Education. Brookes eJournal
of Learning and Teaching, 2(4).
• Currant, B (2008) Towards a New Typology of Digital Learners: Issues for 1st Year Support Workshop
delivered at the 3rd EFYE Network Conference, May, Wolverhampton
• Currant, B and Keenan, C (2008a) Learning from learners about developing e-learning resources to
support transition to HE Proceedings of SEEL conference, July, Greenwich
• Currant, B and Keenan, C (2008b) Evaluating Systematic Transition to HE paper to be published in
Brookes e-journal of Learning and Teaching (BeJLT) in December 2008
• Dearing, R. (1997) Higher Education in the Learning Society Crown Copyright Norwich
• Draper, S (2008) Tinto’s model of Student Retention available online:
http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/localed/tinto.html last accessed 4 Nov 2010
• Harvey, L., Drew,S. & Smith, M. (2006) ‘The first year experience, a review of the literature for the Higher
Education Academy’ [online] Retrieved 1 December 2008 from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk
• Leitch, S (2006) Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills HMSO, Norwich [available
from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/leitch_review_index.htm] accessed 24 February 2009
• NAO (National Audit Office) (2007) Staying the course: the retention of students in higher education.
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General. London: The Stationary Office, available from
http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/06-07/0607616.htm
• Peelo, M. & Wareham, T. [Editors] (2002) Failing Students in Higher Education The Society for Research
into Higher Education, Open University Press

44. References
• Quinn, J., Thomas., et al (2005) From life crisis to lifelong learning: Rethinking working-class 'drop out' from
higher education, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Rhodes, C. and Nevill, A. (2004) Academic and social integration in higher education: a survey of satisfaction
and dissatisfaction within a first-year education studies cohort at a new university, Journal of Further and
Higher Education, 28.2
• Roberts, G. (2003) Joint consultation on the review of research assessment: consultation by the UK funding
bodies Available from http://www.ra-review.ac.uk/reports/roberts.asp [last accessed 8 November 2007]
• Scott, P. (1995) The Meaning of Mass Higher Education Buckingham SRHE/Open University Press
• Thomas, L., 2002, ‘Student Retention in higher education: The role of institutional habitus’. Journal of
Education Policy, 17(4), pp.423–42.
• Tinto, V. (1993) Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition. (2nd Ed) Chicago:
University of Chicago Press
• Toman, N.; Leahy, J. and Caldwell, J. (2005) The Learning Culture of Students in Contemporary Mass Higher
Education. Proceedings of 3rd International Conference - What a Difference a Pedagogy Makes: Researching
Lifelong Learning & Teaching Conference (2005) Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning
• UK Government Further and Higher Education Act, (1992) (c.13) HMSO, Norwich
• Yorke M. and Longden B. (2007) The first-year experience in higher education in the UK: report on Phase 1 of
a project funded by the Higher Education Academy. Available at
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/research/FirstYearExperience.pdf [last accessed 7 November 2008]
• Yorke, M. (1997), Undergraduate Non-completion in Higher Education in England, Report 1, HEFCE, London.,
• Yorke, M. and Longden, B. [editors] (2004) Retention and Student Success in Higher Education. The Society
for Research into Higher Education, Open University Press