2012 ERGA Conference19-21 September 2012

Karen Nelson, John Clarke & Ian Stoodley, QUT

Moving beyond transition pedagogy:

Maturity models & student engagement

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs:

An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

“stop tinkering at the margins of institutional academic life and make enhancing student success the linchpin about which they organize their activities ...

... establish those educational conditions on campus that promote the retention of students, in particular those of low-income backgrounds”.

Tinto, V (2009) Taking Student Retention Seriously: Rethinking the First Year of University.

Keynote address ALTC FY Curriculum Design Symposium, QUT, Brisbane, Australia, February 5, 2009.

Inspiration

2 Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Topics Background to project:

rationale, significance, & objectives Beyond the transition pedagogy Overview of maturity models A SESR example Findings so far ... Discussion

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Rationale

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Existing bodies of work report on students perceptions and their experiences in higher education (e.g. AUSSE, CEQ, FYEQ, UES, ISB...)

No similar attention to sector-wide assessment of institutional activities designed to enhance students learning experiences

Timing for the sector – WP, performance based funding, compacts, increased attention to HE reputation, quality ...

Concept of a maturity model appealing: Focus on sustainable processes Enable contextual interpretation of activities Assess other organisational imperatives (e.g. Quality, BPM)

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Significance

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Student success largely determined by experiences in first year

Increasing evidence that factors beyond students control influence success and success

Engagement success & retention Institutions striving to strengthen / implement

strategies to foster and promote learning engagement

Need for a comprehensive framework to benchmark within and between institutions

Student Engagement Success and Retention (SESR) Maturity Model (SESR-MM)

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Project Objectives

Develop a SESR Maturity Model (SESR-MM) Design a SESR Maturity Assessment

Inventory Implement the SESR Maturity Survey and

develop a series of Case Studies that explain and describe SESR practices in context

Publish Institutional Maturity Reports (for project team institutions)

Develop & publish a Sector SESR Maturity Model Report (model, inventory findings, case studies, tools)

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Generational approaches to the FYE(Kift, 2009; Wilson, 2009; Kift, Nelson & Clarke, 2010;)

1st generation FYEEssentially co-curricular – professionals on curriculum’s periphery

2nd generation FYECurriculum focus – recognizes entering diversity and supports student learning experience via pedagogy, curriculum design, & L&T practice – requires faculty & professional partnerships

3rd generation FYE1st and 2nd generation FYE quality assured and seamless across institution, across all its disciplines, programs & services via faculty & professional partnerships

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Transition pedagogy

A guiding philosophy for intentional first year curriculum design and support that carefully scaffolds and mediates the first year learning experience for contemporary heterogeneous cohorts.

Kift & Nelson (2005) http://conference.herdsa.org.au/2005/pdf/refereed/paper_294.pdf

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Informing Literature

SESR-MM

Student Engagement

(AUSSE)

Transition Pedagogy

FYEQ Data & Reports

Model of student

engagement

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-

2013

Capability

Maturity Models

Maturity Models

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-

2013

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Precursors in Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy of Needs and Nolan’ (1973, 1979) Stage Theory

Influenced by TQM and the evolutionary stages of practice adoption (Crosby, 1979)

Emergence of Capability Maturity Models Key concepts of org. Mgt derived from TQM Notions of sequential and progressive stages Ideas about capability of s/ware development orgs

CMM frameworks map an improvement path from ad-hoc immature to a mature disciplined processes

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Features of Maturity Models

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Precursor InfluencesTheory, practice, background and history of maturity

models

Discipline theory

and practice

Content:

Categories

Processes

Practices

Dimensions of

maturityMeasures of Quality

(scale of 4 points)

Maturity of key

practices interpreted for each dimensio

n

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SESR Content

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Category (5)

Process (n)

Practices (Nn)

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For example ...

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Timely Access to Support

(1/5)

Transition to

University

Orientation

Program

14 Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

practices

Ad hoc Delivery

Planned

Defined

Managed

Optimising

Not

ad

eq

uate

Part

ially a

deq

uate

Fu

lly a

deq

uate

Larg

ely

ad

eq

uate

Content Dimensions

Adequacy

processes

categories

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Practice

The delivery / provision/visibil

ity of Orientation Programs

For example ...

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Orientation programs

are available to

students

Access to

Support

Transition to Uni

No p

rogra

ms

are

pro

vid

ed

Lim

ited d

iscr

ete

pro

gra

ms

Inte

gra

ted s

uit

e o

f pro

gra

ms

/ a h

olis

tic

ap

pro

ach

Generi

c &

dis

cip

line

pro

gra

ms

Ad hoc Delivery

Planned

Process

Category

Defined

Managed

Maturity Assessment:Pervasiveness &

Adequacy

DimensionsContent

Optimising

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What we have found so far ?

SESR Category Example Processes Example Practices

Curricula that engage students in learning

-engaging pedagogies-authentic assessment -feedback processes

-role plays-collaborative learning

Access to support -proactive monitoring-extended service ‘hours’

-monitoring student learning engagement-academic advising

A sense of belonging

-inclusive language & practice-develop successful identity-flexible delivery

-peer programs-cultural competence-communication strategies

Transition pedagogy

-whole of course design -academic & professional

-orientation and transition as a process

Capacity, resources, infrastructure, policy

-staff development -promotion policies -physical & virtual

-technologies that support flexible learning

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

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Project Progress / Timeline

Key Activities Timeframe

Develop a SESR Maturity Model (SESR-MM)• Conceptual model from literature analysis (top

down)• Categories derived from practices and processes

identified through workshops in team institutions (bottom up)

Oct 2011 - Sept 2012

Design a SESR Maturity Inventory Feb – Dec 2012

Conduct SESR Maturity Assessments in 3 team institutions : 3 stage process.Develop a series of Case Studies to explain & describe SESR maturity in the context of each institution.

Feb – April 2013March - May 2013

Publish Institutional Maturity Reports (team institutions)

June - July 2013

Develop & publish a Sector SESR Maturity Model Report (model, case studies & tools)

August - Sept 2013

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs: An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013

Questions & Discussion

http://studentengagementmaturitymodel.net/

Thank you for participating in this session.Please contact the authors for more information about this

project.

Moving beyond transition pedagogy:

Maturity models & student engagement

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in HEIs:

An Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded project ID11-2056:2011-2013