Best Practice in HN/degree Articulation Caroline MacDonald PVC Student and Community Engagement.

Best Practice in HN/degree ArticulationCaroline MacDonald

PVC Student and Community Engagement

SFC review of widening participation policy Learning for All recommended that we should:

Minimise the time it takes learners who wish to progress to achieve their goals (by eliminating unnecessary delay and repetition);

Make transitions between learning environments easier;

Support the development of more effective articulation routes between colleges and HEIs; and

Work collaboratively to match qualifications along the routes learners are most likely to take.

GCU Mission

To provide a high quality accessible, inclusive and flexible learning and teaching environment which is enhanced by curiosity–driven research and which applies its knowledge and skills for the social and economic benefit of the communities it serves in Scotland and around the world.

Key Objectives

To become an international leader in learning innovation

To enhance the student experience and access to learning

To ensure our programmes are designed to enhance students’ employability and their capacity for civic engagement

To ensure our student support services align with our innovative approach to learning and teaching

Articulation is a significant activity for GCU - 1

In 2005-2006

735 students entered GCU on a full time course into year 2 or 3 with an HNC/D or equivalent

Represented 29.3% of total for Scotland

(excludes OU – Data from Articulation for All)

Articulation is a significant activity for GCU - 2

Articulation provides a substantial proportion of our entrants

Entrants to year 2/3 with HNC/D 735

Total full time 1st degree entrants 3766

Articulating students as a % of all 19.5%(2005-06 data from Articulation for All)

Across the sector articulation represents about 7% of entrants to first degrees in Scotland

Key challenges for the sectorMaximise opportunities for articulation that areavailable to students

Ensure staff and potential students are aware ofthe opportunities

Make transition between college and university as

smooth as possible• Curriculum match• Support to students

Improve success rates in terms of percentage ofHN students who graduate with a degree

Approaches taken by GCUMaximise opportunities available

Improve links between colleges and university (College Partnership Board)

Strategic Change Grant project looking at links between city centre colleges and GCU & University of Strathclyde

Audit of links and opportunities being proposed by Articulation Hub Advisory Group

Appointment of Development Officers to work with colleges to identify

opportunities

Call for proposals to develop new routes or enhance existing links

Approaches taken by GCUEnsure staff and potential students are aware of the opportunities

Open Evening for college applicants (20 November 2008)

Special supplement to the prospectus for college students

Staff briefings

Information on web

Approaches taken by GCUMake transition between college and university as smooth as possible 2+2 programmes College staff teach on programmes (interior design) Ensure students understand what university is like before they Come (On-Track project) Support students when they arrive (college mentoring project) Clarity about what support is available – single access point (Saltire Base) Involvement of Students Association Information at appropriate time (just in time not all at once) Specific focus on students with disabilities to understand and enhance their experience

Approaches taken by GCUImprove student success rates

Offer opportunity to come to university to as many qualified students as possible

Track students progress and provide support in form of discipline-specific support (ADTs) and central (Learner Support)

Summer school programme

Enhanced induction

Peer support scheme

What more could be done

More co-ordination between Schools and CentralStudent Services

More flexibility in programme choice

Better formative feedback: Timing, quality, quantity

Learn from good practice elsewhere (QAABenchmarking Project)

QAA Benchmarking project – supporting student success

To consider how best to provide for the needs and expectations of the increasingly diverse range of HE students

To identify key challenges in the provision of student support

To identify and learn from leading international developments and practice

Activities and outputs of project

Workshop in June 2008

Conference in November 2008

Report early 2009

Web resource

Dissemination at QAA conference in March 2009

Listen to Student ViewsInternal module and programme evaluation

National Student Satisfaction Survey

International student views – i-barometer

Act on feedbacke.g. on amount of feedback to students

CommunicateYou said, we did ……

How will we know when we have got better?

Key performance indicators

Number of applications from HN students

Progression, retention and completion rates

Student satisfactionInternal, NSS, i-barometer

EmployabilityDLHEEmployer feedback