HERE to stay? Why do students persist and how can we support them to do so? Nottingham Trent University University of Bradford Bournemouth University
HERE to stay? Why do students persist and how can we support them to do so?
Nottingham Trent University
University of Bradford
Bournemouth University
Introduction to session
• Activity: – What is learning development? – How do learning developers support retention?
• About our research – Why did students have doubts?– Why did students stay?
• Activity– How can learning development address the problems identified in our research?
Activity
• What is learning development?
• Can you come up with a slogan or catchphrase for learning development?
Vorsprung durch technik
Where do you want to go today?
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a
relief it is…
I’m a secret lemonade drinker…
'Learning Development' is an emergent, but increasingly recognised field of practice in higher education in the UK. Those who identify with the term are principally involved in areas of work focussing on student learning, working directly with students and in a consultative capacity with other HE staff. This work has also been termed 'learning support' or 'study skills'. The main aim of LD work is the empowerment of students typically through the enhancement of students' academic practices, such as skills for research; communication; self-awareness; and critical thinking; in order that they may benefit as fully as possible from their experiences of, and life beyond, higher education.
(Hilsdon, Ridley, Sinfield, 2008)
Learnhigher (2010)
Activity
• As learning developers what do you think you do to support retention?
12th October 2009 5
Background & Strand 1 Research
Background
• HERE Project set up as part of the ‘What Works? Student Retention & Success Programme’
• HEFCE/ Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• Collaborative project– NTU– Bournemouth – Bradford
HERE Project
•Two strands– Student doubters (first years)
– Higher number of students have doubts than leave– Some research into difference between doubters and leavers (Mackie,
2001 & Roberts 2003)– Survey conducted at each partner NTU, Bournemouth & Bradford – (873 respondents)– Actual withdrawals analysed in December 2009
– What can programmes do to support retention? Looking in particular at practice and examples.
Strand One: Student DoubtersStudent Transition Survey
Have you considered withdrawing at any point during your first year?
Please tell us what made you consider leaving.
What has helped you decide to stay on your course?
Student Transition Survey (March – May 2009)
NTU BU
Sample Size 656 89
% doubters 37% 45%
% male doubters 31% 36%
% female doubters
41% 50%
Age Slight rise as students age
More doubts among younger students
Disability 50% 60%
Part time 43% 0%
Progression
NTU BU
Sample size 370 52
% withdrawal from this sample
4.3% 3.8%
% withdrawal among doubters
8.8% 4.3%
% withdrawal among non-doubters
1.7% 3.4%
Why did students consider leaving?
Reasons Why Students Considered Leaving (NTU) HERE Project (March - May 2009)
(263 responses from 219 individual respondents)
112
38
28 2622
137 7 7
3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Course-related issues
Student lifestyle (accommodation & students)
Finance
Personal incidents/ problems
Personal /Emotional
Homesick/ Missing family
Other
Doubts about future goals
Lack of support
location
NTU course related issues (draft)
Course factors (NTU)
05
10152025303540
Reasons Why Students Considered Leaving (BU)HERE! Project March - May 2009
BU data: 51 responses from 39 first year respondents
22
7 6 5 42 3 2
0
5
10
15
20
25
Yorke and Longden (2008) – seven factors that contribute to withdrawal
National Audit Office (2007) – five main reasons why students withdrew
Harvey and Drew (2006) - social integration important to retention
Thomas et al (2002) – importance of student services to retention
Prior information (NTU)
Before you started your course at NTU, did you read any materials to help prepare you for your course (e.g. prospectus, course induction materials)?– 88% Yes– 12% No
Was the information from NTU before starting your course:
% of students in each group who had considered leaving
Very accurate 27%
Reasonably accurate 37%
Not very accurate 73%
Very inaccurate 67%
Understanding Differences (NTU)
Since coming to university has anyone at NTU explained to you the difference between learning at university and your prior learning, particularly learning since age 16 (e.g. A’ Levels, BTEC)?– 52% Yes– 48% No
Do you feel that you understand the differences between learning at university and earlier learning?
% of students in each group who had considered leaving
Yes, in some detail 30%
Yes, a little 38%
No 62%
Current Course Experiences: Doubters vs. non-doubters (NTU)
% is the number of students who agreed or strongly agreed with each statement
33%
34%
40%
44%
43%
49%
48%
46%
39%
54%
53%
58%
61%
78%
76%
73%
77%
55%
58%
55%
64%
68%
65%
66%
67%
78%
74%
75%
77%
81%
84%
88%
92%
91%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I'll have enough money to finish my course
I feel valued by teaching staff
I know where to go if I have a problem
Feedback on my work is useful
My taught sessions are interesting
I like where I am living
My course is well organised
Assessment on my course is what I expected
I'm confident that I can cope with my studies
Lecturers are accessible
I have enthusiastic lecturers
My fellow students are supportive
I have an enjoyable social life
I have easy acess to University resources
My family is supportive
My subject is interesting
Completing my degree will help me achieve future goals
Non-doubters
Doubters
Base = 656 (doubters = 243, non-doubters = 413)
Current Course Experiences: Doubters vs. non-doubters (Bournemouth)
% is the number of students who agreed or strongly agreed with each statement
Base = 87 (doubters = 40, non-doubters = 47)
33%
35%
48%
43%
48%
53%
63%
45%
45%
75%
45%
75%
65%
88%
68%
70%
85%
45%
49%
55%
64%
64%
66%
68%
70%
72%
72%
74%
74%
74%
85%
91%
96%
96%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I feel valued by teaching staff
My course is w ell organised
The feedback I receive about my w ork is useful
The assessment on my course is w hat I expected it to be
I am confident that I w ill have enough money to complete my course
My taught sessions(such as lectures, seminars) are interesting
Lecturers are accessible
I w ould know w here to go w ithin the university if I had a problem
I feel confident that I can cope w ith my coursew ork
I have an enjoyable social life
I have enthusiastic lecturers teaching on my course
My fellow students are supportive
I like the house/f lat/halls that I am living in
My family is supportive
I have easy access to university resources e.g. computers, library booksthat I need)
My subject is interesting
Completing my degree w ill help me achieve future goals (e.g. career)
Non-doubters
Doubters
Why did students decide to stay?
Reasons why Student Doubters stay at University
HERE Project March - May 2009 NTU data 198 responses from 171 first year respondents
55
3428 27
24
14
7 63
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Reasons Why Student Doubters Stay at University (BU)HERE! project March-May 2009
BU data: 62 responses from 36 first year respondents who had doubts
22
13
75 5 4 4
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
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rt fro
m fa
mily
and
frien
ds
Adapt
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cours
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ivers
ity
Lack
optio
ns/h
ard
to tr
ansf
er/co
st
Deter
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ation
/inte
rnal
fact
ors
Suppo
rt fro
m in
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tiona
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Futur
e go
als/e
mplo
ymen
t
Oth
er
Loca
tion
Focus groups• Focus groups May 2009 (NTU)
4 focus groups (1 hour workshops, 13 students in total)
– Control group of non-doubters– Selection of doubters– STEM subject doubters– Mature student doubters
• Limitations– All students that we spoke to were female.– Of the doubters we spoke to, four students were mature students, one
student was a mature international student, one student was an international student and one student was a home student with English as a second language.
– This is not representational of the profile of the total respondents.
Focus group findings
Spectrum of reasons to stay
• From positive decision to ‘no choice’
Key differences between non doubters and doubters
• Relationship with staff
• Belonging
Belonging: non doubters
All of the students who had never had doubts could all
describe the time when they felt that they belonged to the university
“I think it starts when you walk down the street and you see someone and you go hey … I know them from University and that’s what made me feel like it [like I belonged]”.
“The more people you know through other clubs and stuff the more you feel part of the University”.
“The second term is when I started to feel more at home because in the first term you are always referred to as a fresher and 2nd term you are a first year student…I’ve got more friends, more like friendships, rather than just knowing lots of people”
Belonging: doubters
Theresa, had had doubts and still describes herself as having difficulty ‘fitting in’. She has stayed because she doesn’t feel she has much choice.
“I don’t seem very involved with the University to be honest”. A theme that emerged here was one of recognition, that “probably if I see my tutor on the road, he wouldn’t recognise me”.
Charlie, on the other hand, who had had doubts but made a positive decision to stay, described that now she could recognise places and people,
“I feel better now because now I feel like I know where everything is and I always see someone walking around that I know if I want to stop and talk to them”.
Understanding our findings so far…
Why did students give different reasons for staying than leaving?
• Easier to say stayed because of friends rather than left because of no friends? Easier to blame course?
• Asking about student persistence is “rather a different order of question” (Barnett, 2007, p2)
• Students need to engage emotionally with the institution to allow learning to take place (Percy, 2002)
Activity
• How would you address the problems identified in our research?
– Either through your work with students or with staff?
• In particular course factors identified such as…
– Problems with workload– Not enjoying course – Doubts about choice of course/uni – Lack of confidence – Academic transition
Further research…
Consider factors that reduce leaving and increase staying
• Strand Two: what programmes do to support retention, in particular, looking at practice and examples
• Use findings to develop a review tool that looks at things we can do that can reduce leaving and increase staying
Thanks very much for your time
Any Questions?
References
• BARNETT, R., 2007. A will to learn: being a student in an age of uncertainty. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
• HARVEY, L., DREW, S. with SMITH, M., 2006. The first year experience: a literature review for the Higher Education Academy. York: HE Academy.
• LEARNHIGHER, 2010. Funding for Learning Resource Development April 2009 Grant Scheme Publicity [online]. Liverpool Hope University: LearnHigher. Available at: http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/funding.htm [Accessed 24 March 2010].
• NAO (National Audit Office), 2007. Staying the course: the retention of students in higher education. London: The Stationary Office.
• PERCY, A., 2001. Student Induction: The Psychology of Transition. In P. FRAME, ed. Student Induction in Practice Birmingham: Staff and Educational Development Association, Vol. 113 pp. 95–104.
• THOMAS, L., 2002. Student retention in Higher Education: the role of institutional habitus, Journal of Educational Policy, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 423–32.
• YORKE, M. and LONGDEN, B., 2008. The First Year Experience of Higher Education in the UK. York: Higher Education Academy.