1. The Students’ Journey with Technology Enhanced Learning Becka Currant Dean of Students National Teaching Fellow

2. Areas of Focus… Changing nature of student population and expectations about learning environments. What is the student lifecycle model? Ideas and examples of activities for each stage of the lifecycle Use of TEL to support ideas Impact on the institution of these ideas and approaches

3. But first… A short video  How much do you know about social media and how technology has revolutionised interactions and communications? http://www.youtube.com/user/Socialnomics09#p/u/3/lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

4. So what..? Yes, business focused but key messages relevant: Brand management and identity How people interact What devices are being used, when, by whom Expectations: information management; delivery; speed; format; ease of access; portability

5. Stating the Obvious But… …Higher Education is changing: “The university system is in need of ‘radical change’ to provide a better deal for taxpayers and students” (Willetts, 10 June 2010) How is the sector going to respond? What will you do differently? How can TEL support this process?

7. The Impact of ‘massification’ 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

8. Universities 2.0? Diversity of entry routes Issues of dealing with developing autonomy Earning whilst learning Disengaged learners seeking qualification Pressures on the system and individuals Changing processes within an inflexible system Tradition and history

9. 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”

10. The Traditional Curriculum… University of X provides per module: Lectures x 2 hours x 12 Seminars x 1 hour x 6 Group tutorials x 1 hour x 3 Group work (with assessed presentation) 100+ hours of independent study (aka the library) per module Assessed by coursework and 3 hour exam

11. And if you’re lucky then you get:

12. And the students say… University of Salford 2010 NSS Scores for ‘The teaching on my course’ (taken from http://staff.salford.ac.uk/news/details/1869 last accessed 6 Jan 2011

13. The times they are a-changing What to do and how to do it? Where to find the time? How to evaluate effectiveness?

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

15. Bradford Student Lifecycle Model

16. Applicant (Preparation) Lifecycle

17. Transition Lifecycle

18. Progression and Support Lifecycle

19. Moving On Lifecycle

21. Examples of activities? Preparation: Successful student recruitmenthttp://jisconair.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2010/10/11/successful-student-recruitment/ Downloadable apps and media Use of social media to support choices

22. Transition 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

23. Context "... programs which most effectively meet the range of transition issues…must be grounded and nourished within the "everyday life" of universities, in their learning & teaching environments and in their student support services, rather than developed and implemented from above. Qualitative data suggest that the extent to which students are "welcomed", their social interactions with teachers and their early experiences of course advice and support services are the most crucial variables in successful transition." Pargetter et al (1998) in Cook & Ashton, Student Transition: Practices and policies to promote retention

24. Develop Me! Skills tracking Meet and chat, pre-entry activities Online resources developme.ning.com Mobile guides Student voice www.bradford.ac.uk/developme www.braduni.mobi; AboutUoB mobile app

25. A Brief History of Develop Me! Extended student model HEA Pathfinder, NTFS Outduction, HERE project Pre-entry to post graduation E-induction HEA e-learning Research Observatory, HERE project Seamless transition into University Integrated online support HEFCE 24/7 support available Responding to diverse students ELESIG/HEA/JISC/HEFCE Digital typology LLiDA work, development of SaPRA

26. E-induction: Social Start process of making links with peers on courses and other students in University (ning) Share hopes, fears and concerns about starting course (ning, expectations questionnaire) Identify challenges and find answers to burning questions (expectations questionnaire) Feel ‘at home’ (mobile app)

29. Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate Education Make Research-Based Learning the Standard Construct an Inquiry-Based Freshman Year Build on the Freshman Foundation Remove Barriers to Interdisciplinary Education Link Communication Skills and Course Work Use Information Technology Creatively Culminate with a Capstone Experience Educate Graduate Students as Apprentice Teachers Change Faculty Reward Systems Cultivate a Sense of Community The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University: REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION Boyer, 1999

30. Progression & Support Lifecycle Support needs to be personalised, appropriate and effective Re-induction as important as initial induction Nurturing communities Managing transition to next level of study Dealing with ‘sophomore slump’ http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/projects/detail/ntfs/ntfsproject_LiverpoolJohnMoores10 Issues of accessing support; identifying when appropriate

31. Moving On Lifecycle Alumni support: making the most of graduates; ensuring the community continues Outduction project: focusing on improving understanding of the final year experience

32. “Technology isn’t a solution though is it? People should be spending more time on campus face to face. Students should be engaging with each other. Let’s have less online and more face to face.”

33. We’re on the fringes Student/LearnerDevelopment

34. Needy students will seek us out Student/LearnerDevelopment

35. Traditional advertising reaches a few more Student/LearnerDevelopment

36. Two options Use existing networks Create a new network

37. Using existing vs. new networks

38. So we’re using social media… Student/LearnerDevelopment

39. …to help us reach many more Student/LearnerDevelopment

40. And they can communicate with us… Student/LearnerDevelopment

41. …and they tell their friends about us Student/LearnerDevelopment

42. …and they tell their friends about us “I think that the Facebook page is a great idea and I have since spread the word to mates and got them to join” Student/LearnerDevelopment

43. …who then follow our social media Student/LearnerDevelopment

44. …and numbers using our services increases Student/LearnerDevelopment

45. Organisational system HE system Academic system Social system Student relations Student engagement & belonging Professional services system Dispositions & capacities May & Thomas, 2010

46. How do your programmes become ‘grounded and nourished’? What do you do to welcome your students? Do you provide social interactions with teachers/staff and other students? How do you embed course advice and support services? Can technology provide a solution to some of the issues?

47. Intervention level: Core principles

48. TEL provides answers But it doesn’t provide all of them And it doesn’t always work And people need to know what is expected They need to: Buy in Sign up Commit to Immerse themselves And they need support to make it work.

49. Any Questions?!

50. <Thank you!/>

51. 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

52. 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