A practical strategy to enhance the chances of success for students on probation at the University o

1
A practical strategy to enhance the chances of
success for students on probation at the
University of CanberraIt was like a blessing

• Garry Collins, Kate Wilson, Sue Prentice,
  Academic Skills Program
• Gerald Tarrant, Planning and Resource Development
  
• Coralie McCormack, Teaching and Learning Centre
• University of Canberra

2
Presenters

• Garry Collins Sue Prentice,
• Academic Skills Program (ASP)
• University of Canberra

3
Outline

• Definitions
• The Problem of Student Retention
• Aims of the Project
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusions
• Recommendations

4
Retention - definitions

• the length of time a student remains enrolled at
  the first institution toward completion of a
  degree (Lotkowski, Robbins Noeth, 2004, p. 4).
  
• the policies, actions, strategies and culture of
  the institution that are designed to keep a
  student (Jardine, 2005, p. 22).

5
The Problem of Student Retention

• Rising number of students with low UAIs IELTS
  scores
• Special entry schemes/ articulation programs
• Students underprepared and ill-equipped
• 20 of students fail to complete their course
• (Crosling, Thomas Heagney, 2008, p. 2)

6
Reasons for dropping out

• Tinto (2000) identifies five key conditions which
  support student retention
• expectations,
• relevant learning,
• support,
• feedback,
• involvement.

7
Aims of the Project

• Increase the retention rates by improving the
  success rates of students on probation.
• Students on probation
• failed more than 50 of their study load
• OR
• failed a particular unit more than once.
• Identify reasons for student non-completion
• Improve our capacity to encourage students to
  persevere with their studies

8
Methodology

• Students on probation contacted and encouraged to
  attend the ASP to discuss their studies
• 113/360 students responded
• 88 students attended the ASP for consultation.
• Consultations followed a Successful Study
  Checklist
• Consultation notes entered into the ASPs
  database of student consultations and an excel
  spreadsheet.
• Student grades, pre- and post- intervention, were
  analysed and compared

9
Quantitative data collection

• Successful Study Checklist
• Designed to identify
• reasons for probationary status
• action support required to improve
• academic performance

10
Reasons for probationary status

• content
• understanding requirements
• communication/language
• motivation, confidence
• time/work/study balance
• health issues disability
• finance
• family

11
Action support required

• Included
• Make appointment with ASP,
• Careers Office, Disabilities, Health
  Counselling
• Attend ASP/library workshops, Learning Resource
  Centres

12
Qualitative data collection

• Students contacted and asked to participate in a
  confidential semi-structured interview
• 9 students responded to the request 8 attended
  for interview
• Aim to establish whether, in retrospect,
  students regarded the intervention as valuable.

13
Results Quantitative data analysis

• Factors contributing to failure
• General
• unit specific difficulties, language, literacy
  and study skills personal difficulties such as
  health and finance.
• Key
• time management, work/study balance,
  understanding the bureaucratic culture of the
  university learning skills
• Other
• motivation, health and well-being and family,
• confidence, adjusting to study, finance

14
Comparison of success and retention rates
15
Table 2

• Improvement in the success rate
• of students on probation
• (Success in passing enrolled units in semester
  1, 2008)

16
Qualitative data analysis

• Interviews with 8 Students
• comprised 4 men 4 women including
• 2 international students
• 6 mature age students
• 4 NESB students
• 1 student with a disability
• 1 indigenous student.

17
Responses to intervention -1

• Yeah, and I did come here in March cause I
  received the letter, cause I thought I got no
  hope to know what to do and its good to see that
  the university is still helping you to stay and
  help you out yeah...it was like a blessingyeah
  I thought, you know, like the uni isnt turning
  its back on me and it felt, you know, that Im
  still wanted

18
Responses to intervention -2

• It actually made me think I should definitely
  go ahead with studies because of just knowing
  that there was a good support network there set
  up for students who are having troubles

19
Responses to intervention -3

• Now I am confident I am going to pass the
  course. Now I am even thinking of doing a Masters
  degree

20
Responses to intervention -4

• Great. I think it is a great initiative. Cause
  lots of students who have troubles and stuff
  dont actually reach out for help and having the
  letters sent and knowing there are people there
  just to come in to talk to I think offers them
  the chance to get help

21
Discussion

• Key student learning points
• managing time study effectively
• gaining control of study projects
• understanding requirements of academic literacy
• understanding the University culture
• accessing other sources of support

22
1. Life-study balance

• As McInnis and James point out, students no
  longer fit their lives around university but
  increasingly expect university to fit around
  their lives (1995, 1999, cited in Jardine 2005,
  p. 21).

23
2. Reconsidering study options

• Consultations with convenors, ASP lecturers, and
  other advisers, helped students select more
  appropriate units and courses and a more
  manageable study load

24
3. Academic literacy

• Attending ASP consultations and workshops, and
  seeking assistance from other Learning Resource
  Centres helped students improve their academic
  literacy.

25
4. Understanding University Culture

• The university has a duty of care towards
  students that extends to providing full
  information and conducting thorough
  consultations (Bowser, Danaher and Somasundaram
  2005 p. 46)
• Thus, students are better informed and feel the
  university does care.

26
5. Student Support

• Students who accessed support services were more
  likely to succeed in their studies
• Academic Skills Program,
• Health and Counselling Centre,
• Disabilities Office,
• Course Convenors
• Other Learning Resource Centres

27
Conclusions

• Positive response to Retention Project
  Intervention
• it was like a blessing
• UC appears to be moving in the right direction in
  demonstrating that it cares and in providing the
  information and support necessary for students to
  continue and to succeed in their studies
• Insights into why students fail key factors
• time management
• work-study balance
• lack of understanding of the UC culture

28
Future Plans

• Enhanced learning support activities across
  campus
• Peer Assisted Learning Strategy (PALS)
• Systematic delivery of in-discipline academic
  literacy tutorials,
• Smart Study Passport (an extended orientation
  program)
• Continuation of the Retention Project in 2009
• Expansion of the project by collaborating with
  other universities