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
ade
quat
e
Part
ially
ade
quat
e
Fully
ade
quat
e
Larg
ely
adeq
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
SupportTransition
to Uni
No p
rogr
ams a
re
prov
ided
Limite
d di
scre
te
prog
ram
s
Inte
grat
ed su
ite o
f pr
ogra
ms /
a h
olist
ic ap
proa
ch
Gene
ric &
disc
iplin
e pr
ogra
ms
Ad hoc DeliveryPlanned
Process
Category
DefinedManaged
Maturity Assessment:Pervasiveness &
AdequacyDimensionsContent
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 / TimelineKey Activities TimeframeDevelop 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