HERE! Project Case Study 2

HERE!

Higher Education Retention and Engagement project

Strand B:

Programme review of good practice

at Bournemouth University

Case Study 2

BSc (Hons) Psychology

Natalie Bates and Christine Keenan

Contents

SECTION 1: Context Page 2Course data Page 3

SECTION 2: Programme/staff view Page 4Examples of practice and evaluation Page 13Summary Page 16

SECTION 3: Student view Page 16Practical examples that enhance the student experience Page 22Summary Page 23

SECTION 4: Document analysis Page 24

SECTION 5: Overall summary and key conclusions Page 25

SECTION 6: HERE! Programme Review Tool Page 27

HERE! Project – BU Case Study 2 – BSc (Hons) Psychology 1

HERE Project Programme Reviews: Case Study 2BSc (Hons) Psychology at BU

SECTION 1

Context

BSc (Hons) Psychology is a 3 year course located in the School of Design, Engineering and Computing at Bournemouth University and has been running for 3 years. The programme was chosen for the review based on its good retention figures for the number of first year students who progress to year 2 (based on 2007/08 data). Two lecturers were interviewed from the programme including the course leader. They were invited to participate due to their close involvement with first year learning and teaching and were both interviewed by the BU project research assistant.

The course was originally validated as BSc (Hons) Psychology and Computing with a team of approximately 6 lecturers teaching 45-55 students. It was considered to be a niche course as it was hoped the joint subject would help students to secure jobs after graduation. In recent years, the course changed focus to a single psychology subject with accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS). Since 2007, BSc (Hons) Psychology has experienced a significant increase in numbers, rising from approximately 70 students to 155 in 3 years. These interviews particularly reflect the pressures this increase in numbers can have on delivering a course. This year, for example, the course team received around 1500 applications for 140 places in 2010/11.

In terms of student support, the course initially used a designated first year tutor as a first point of contact for all first year students. The course team have now implemented a personal tutor system as opposed to a first year tutor role due to the increase in student numbers. Over the past 5 years there has been a major emphasis on staff within the team to develop their research profiles and the impact of this on the course and student experience is also discussed.

The course team gave consent to survey all first year students on the 2009/10 BSc (Hons) Psychology cohort. A total of 18 out of 155 students from the course completed the student survey for our project (12% response rate) which included a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data.


Course data

Student administration data BSc (Hons) Psychology

Cohort 2009/10Total no. of first year students in cohort 155UCAS tariff requested by course 2010 entry 280 points

2011 entry 320 pointsGender Male 33

Female 122Age 18 69

19-20 5521-24 1725-30 731-40 441-50 3

Mode of study (FT/PT) FT 155PT 0

UK/EU/International UK 149EU 3International 2Channel Isles

1

Disability ALN 16Non-ALN 139

No. of students taken through clearing 3No of students repeating year 1 1Professionally accredited Yes – The British

Psychological Society (BPS)

Sandwich course/placement yr No

Retention data for previous cohorts (no. of first year students progressing from year 1 to year 2 over past 4 years):

Registry data BSc (Hons) PsychologyLeft Cont’d to yr 2 Total no. 1st years

06/07 N/A N/A N/A07/08 14.3% 85.7% 7008/09 10.3% 89.7% 11709/10 N/A N/A N/A


SECTION 2

Programme/staff view

This section provides a summary of the analysis of the staff interviews. Two lecturers were interviewed in total from the course team. Section 2 begins by highlighting the key factors that the staff feel contribute to their retention rate, followed by a more in-depth analysis of their perceptions on course related factors, the relationship between students and staff, feelings of belonging and students at risk of doubting or withdrawing. Subheadings have been taken from the HERE! Programme Review tool (see section 6, p.17). At the end of section 2, practical examples are listed from the staff interviews that could be used by other university programmes to enhance the student experience.

Those lecturers interviewed as part of the programme review believed the following factors were important for retaining students on the BSc (Hons) Psychology course:

Open days and the importance of giving a good first impression of friendliness and approachability

A good induction, including an ‘Unofficial Student Handbook’ Having a good personal tutor system Placing high emphasis on the student experience Reacting quickly to student issues The students’ interest in the topic Connectedness to other students/having a strong friendship group

Course related factors and adapting to the course

Academic transition

One of the key ways in which the psychology course team address academic transition is through a good induction. The team put a lot of work into induction week as they feel it is an important first impression and first feeling for the students:

At the end of the week are they thinking oh my God what have I done or are they thinking well this is brilliant, and I want them to be doing the latter.

During induction week, the students appreciate being told that second and third years are not on campus that week while they are finding their way around and most of the initiatives used during induction are aimed at minimising stress for the students. Students meet their personal tutors for the first time during induction week and opportunities are provided for them to start building friendships and develop peer support. The staff work hard to make the seminar groups bond:

My aim in induction week is to settle them in as quickly as I can and one of the main ways you do that I think is by giving them a friendship that’s kind of social support to get them through.

In their first lecture during induction week the students are encouraged to chat amongst themselves and give their phone number to at least two other people on the course. It is hoped that when they leave the lecture, all students will have someone they can talk to, find the next room with or have a coffee with. The lecturers make a point of saying they don’t want to see anyone leaving the lecture theatre alone and believe this takes the fear out of wondering what to


do between induction sessions. Icebreaker games are also used during induction week such as ‘Call My Bluff’. In groups of three, one student has to tell a lie about themselves and the other two must tell something true about themselves. The rest of the seminar group then have to guess who is lying. The course team claim that the activity is a good fun way for the students to get to know each other and is appreciated by the students.

The team ensure that the first experience students have at university is about the course, and that it is informal and ‘a bit of a laugh’ as opposed to the process of enrolment. One activity used is part of BU’s Stepping Stones 2HE which involves a pre-induction task that the students prepare for prior to coming to university. Students are asked to find information on a psychology related topic that they will then use to create a poster during induction week in small groups. The activity is aimed to be low key to take the stress off of the students and ends with a social event where the students’ posters are judged by staff and a prize given to the winning group. The social provides an opportunity for both staff and students to mix.

Students are also given an ‘Unofficial Student Handbook’ during induction week for the Psychology framework which has been created by the course team. The Unofficial Student Handbook is intended to pick out relevant information that the students need in the first few weeks as the staff believe students don’t tend to look at the university’s student handbook. The unofficial guide is a light-hearted form of support for the first years which includes mug shots of staff, a timetable for the first week, a section on what a seminar and lecture are, maps and what the floor numbers mean to help students find rooms. The document still refers to official regulations that are in the university handbook but summarises twenty main points that they need to be aware of or do at first:

It’s a lot of work for just one week in effect but I think it’s worth it. I think they quite like the fact that I bother to do something that isn’t an official document.

Due to the large increase in student numbers, plans are being considered to change the Stepping Stones 2HE induction task from a poster to a quiz on the Unofficial Student Handbook to help students get to know the staff better in the first week, ‘just so hopefully there’s a bit of connectedness there’.

With regard to academic transition and addressing students’ expectations of studying at university, the course lecturers tell the students that they are going to be expected to work more independently than they may have been used to previously. However, the team would like to do more on this in the future by actually showing the students how to study independently using a new unit which will address academic expectations. The unit will aim to give direction to students, in particular reading limits. One lecturer stated that students often don’t know how much reading they should do for their course which can become overwhelming. This unit will give students small written tasks, such as writing an introduction, which will require them to read two or three papers/chapters of a book. It is hoped this will help students to cope with their coursework and understand the academic transition:

So that they’re absolutely clear about what it is they’ve got to do and it’s a sense of achievement isn’t it. Once they’ve done their reading, then they know they’re equipped.

Students meet their personal tutors again in the second week of term for a group tutorial where further aspects of the course are explained, such as passing assignments and how the years are weighted. Some staff, however, feel that the students do not really take the information in at


this early stage. One practical way in which the team used to help first year students to understand university systems, processes and grades was to run a mock exam board.

Despite a recent drive to become research focused in the department, the course team maintain the philosophy that ‘it’s all about the student experience’. They consider that having a well established routine and the ability to deal with issues as they arise helps them to retain students on the course. Whilst the course is well-coordinated, it is not immune from institutional pressure on staff to release potential:

It’s sink or swim a little bit but it’s understandable because the staff are under pressure.

It’s a whole different culture now with this research emphasis…and it’s trying to manage that and we’ve lost our way this last year.

Having identified this as an issue, the team have aimed to ensure that time is still given to improving the student experience on the course, for example, introducing initiatives such as the new unit for supporting academic transition to enhance students’ learning.

A further pressure on staff is the large increase in numbers on the course, including managing the large numbers of applications for the next academic year (around 1500 applications for approximately 140 places). The course requests that students have at least two B grades at A level which helps to filter the applications, however, there are no pre-requisites in terms of subjects studied so not all students will have experienced Psychology before. The course initially accepted most students in an attempt to increase enrolment numbers, however, this resulted in an intense investment from staff in terms of support for students, particularly with regard to widening participation. The team found that some widening participation students were fairly dependent, needing a lot of encouragement and support from personal tutors.

Coping with coursework

The lecturers ensure that students have access to various methods of support to help them cope with their coursework. Students are directed to the academic communities on myBU and are also made aware of workshops and support offered by academic services which staff pass on via e-mail, advertise on myBU or give as hard copies during individual tutorials. First year students have five lectures per week on the course and one seminar, plus additional stats lab support is available. As well as having an individual tutorial with personal tutors during induction week, students are also required to see their personal tutor in the first week of term two for a mid-year review to discuss their progress. During the ten to fifteen minute individual review, students look at their first transcript of marks with their personal tutor who uses the opportunity to congratulate and motivate students, or uses it as a reality check for those who have not been working hard. The course team believe this has been valuable for retaining students

A variety of assessment methods are used by the course to develop students’ skills. To introduce independent learning, students are given a portfolio of self study tasks to complete which helps to build their confidence. Research diaries are also provided to students to encourage reflective practice on their experiments/research experience which will help to prepare them for their final year research project. Assessment methods on the course have in some cases been adjusted to accommodate pressures on staff in relation to marking commitments, for example, MCQs (Multiple Choice Questionnaires) and short answer tests are


being used to assess students. Whilst these methods may still assess students’ knowledge, the lecturers are finding that it needs to be balanced:

Now we’re picking up the tab for this because students are saying how can I write an essay in the exams when I’ve never written one?

For assessment methods such as presentations, the staff help build students’ confidence by asking them to present to small groups of students and by not asking them to stand at the front of the room. However, the lecturers still find that students dislike giving presentations to each other as they don’t trust what other students present and therefore don’t feel they can learn from the content.

Choice of course

The importance of open days was emphasised by those interviewed, in particular ensuring that staff get involved by talking to individual families. The psychology team express an approachable and friendly manner at open days and this has been acknowledged by parents who comment that the lecturers are ‘not ivory tower, aloof’. As part of the open day talk, the team refer to the personal tutor system which they consider to be informative for both parents and students. The mid-year review is especially welcomed by parents:

Parents just look so relieved when I say we monitor them and we do a review mid-year and get them to face up to the marks they’re getting and their attendance.

This reassurance, together with the approachability of staff, helps to secure a good first impression of the course and an understanding of the support available to students.

Making the subject interesting

The course team ensure that seminars are well structured and relevant for the students. One lecturer, for example, gets students to practise making essay plans in small groups. Mock essay titles are given to the students who have to prepare an essay plan that they will present as a group to a small number of students. To take the fear out of presenting, students do not have to stand at the front of the class. Students are not encouraged to use PowerPoint for the task and are instead advised to make their presentation as interactive as possible, such as conducting a questionnaire, test or experiment, or using resources such as YouTube. This task is hoped to build students’ confidence in presenting and structuring essays.

By getting students involved in staff research as research assistants, and encouraging students to attend research seminars delivered by outside speakers or staff, the lecturers hope that students will engage and have a better sense of contact and interest in the course. Although the quality of lectures is not officially monitored by the university, the team ensure that they respond to feedback from students to improve their lectures and seminars. In the past, for example, students have expressed that too many slides have been used in lectures and not enough colour or pictures – as a result, presentations were adjusted the next time. However, it was acknowledged that some feedback is difficult to respond to:

There are twenty students in there who say I talk too quickly, twenty students who say I talk too slowly. Nothing you can do about that.


This highlights the difficulty in pleasing all students and how different groups of students may have different expectations or want different things.

Plans for improvement

The most significant change planned for the programme is an increase in contact hours between staff and students via lectures or seminars to address student feedback. The team would also like to consider making improvements to the current student rep system for the course. One lecturer reported that students have to vote for their reps at a point when they do not really know each other and ‘it’s usually the loudest, most extrovert that gets voted in’. It was suggested that lecturers should be more involved in the selection process of reps.

Relationship with staff – staff/student relations

The personal tutor system for the Psychology course forms a significant method of support for students. There are approximately eighteen students allocated to each personal tutor which meets the BPS requirement of a 20:1 student staff ratio. Personal tutors keep free at least one hour a week for their tutees to make appointments to see them but it is ‘an unspoken rule’ that students can see their tutor at any time for urgent problems. Students are advised to visit their personal tutors if they have difficulties in coping with their academic work and staff make themselves available at the end of lectures and during seminars to have discussions with students. If students are unable to meet with their personal tutors they can also contact the course leader if experiencing problems. At present, it has largely been compulsory for staff to take on the role of personal tutor in addition to lecturing due to the large number of students on the course but it is hoped that the role will become voluntary in the future and balanced against other responsibilities.

Students benefit most from the individual nature of the relationship which has become even more important due to the increase in cohort size:

The personal tutor is someone who knows your name. Someone who has a little bit of history about you. Someone who knows about you.

I think I’m the kind of stop gap, you know, if there’s a hole they’re falling into then they’ll come to me.

Knowing students’ names was considered important for giving students identity on the course. This, however, has become more difficult as numbers have increased:

The numbers have shot through the roof so we went from 45 to an intake of 165 last year and the one thing that I was most scared about was happening. I couldn’t possibly keep tabs on all those names and I just, the first few weeks of term, I walk around with a smile on my face because I’m not sure who are my students and who aren’t and there’s nothing more offensive than being blanked, just being anonymous.

All staff therefore make the effort to be approachable, friendly and personable and this impression is set from day one at open day. The lecturers make students feel valued by taking the time to talk to them and highlighted the importance of being available to see students irrespective of workload pressures or time constraints, stating that ‘there must always be


someone that they can come to’. The relationship between students and staff is also enhanced through the celebration of student achievement. The lecturers place value on praising students’ presentations and seminar work or encouraging students who are borderline firsts, and letters of commendation are sent to students who do well in their first year. The staff believe such praise is motivating for the students.

In an attempt to build a relationship with the students, staff engage in a social event during induction week which is part of the Stepping Stones 2HE poster activity. Those interviewed reported that they like to be seen as friends to the students as opposed to ‘ivory tower academics’:

One of the things students like to see is that we’re all just normal as well and we’ll go and we’ll have a couple of beers and we’ll have a bit of a laugh so we all mix then with the students.

With this approach also comes the need for boundaries, particularly where students are keen to work as research assistants for lecturers and consider themselves to be on peer level with staff. The course team do not organise many social events for students to mix with staff throughout the year and admitted that even the poster social event has become more difficult with larger numbers. Whilst most lecturers enjoy engaging with students in the first year, some staff are more research focused and it was noted that students can sense those who are not fully focused on the teaching experience. Some lecturers, for example, prefer to get to know students through participation in their research:

We’ve got full on researchers and they’re a different kettle of fish.

If you don’t like dealing with the students, things like seminars become horrendous…and the students sense it. They really do pick up on it and we’ve had complaints this year for the first time about contact time. They don’t feel that anyone’s really got time for them or that they’re a priority.

This provides links to other programme reviews for the HERE! project at BU and highlights similar views surrounding the importance of employing those most suitable for teaching in the first year. The course team constantly review their practice and act upon student feedback. To address students’ complaints about contact time, they are doing everything ‘to improve the sense of engagement for the incoming first years’, including restructuring the timetable. One lecturer interviewed believes the students are consumers and want value for money. They want to know that they can approach a member of staff. The previous cohort of first year students did not complain about contact time on the course and this year’s students have had the same input. This highlights the difficulty in designing a course that will suit all students’ expectations.

The lecturers give information to students about the course via myBU, such as lecture notes and announcements, and they become accustomed to this form of communication from induction week when they are advised to check myBU each morning for possible lecture announcements. Although the staff believe that students find the amount of information on myBU overwhelming, they do feel that students appreciate having the information there to refer to. The course handbook is given to students as a hard copy but will be available to students online for the next academic year.


Support from friends/peers

Opportunities for making friends and building peer support are considered right from the beginning of the course. Much effort is focused on the development of friendships during induction week and the lecturers hope that students will have developed a bond within that time to support them through the course:

They don’t really lose that cohesiveness that they build in that very first week.

Following induction, the course team mainly use group work to continue to help students make friends. This is not always enjoyed by the students despite its positive intentions and the lecturers find that even when they mix students to work in groups, they tend to revert back to their original group of friends formed at the start of the term:

I think these bonds happen early on and I think it’s very difficult to change how that happens and I think that’s largely due to who you’re sitting next to, who you’re living with, that sort of thing. Some people get left out because of those factors and some people don’t and largely it can be down to luck but maybe there should be something in place where there’s more socialising going on, more organised social events.

The social event for the Stepping Stones 2HE poster task allows students to meet others from the cohort, not just their seminar group, but course socials are limited after induction. One lecturer discussed the possibility of arranging more social events throughout the year for students which would give those who miss an event the opportunity to attend another time. Electing a social secretary for the course was one suggestion.

The team feel that friendships are essential to the first year experience. It was acknowledged that beyond making students more polite, aware and accepting of each other, lecturers have little influence over the process of friendship development itself as it depends on the personalities of the students:

These people who don’t form a group of friends here probably didn’t have friends at school. It’s not necessarily going to change but maybe for those students there needs to be something in place, for the students who don’t successfully bond.

The lecturers are currently contemplating the use of BU’s Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme in the future which may provide another form of support that students can access, particularly those who appear to be excluded from friendship groups. PAL is being considered following student requests for the scheme which they have heard about from students and reps on other courses across the university.

The lecturers embrace diversity on the course by integrating students as much as possible. Groups are blended so that students are exposed to different backgrounds and can learn from each other’s experiences:

I try not to separate. I always think they’ve got so much to offer each other, you know, the mature students are so committed and motivated that they have no life outside it and the younger students have so much life outside it they have no commitment and motivation so I always think if you can blend the two…we integrate them by not treating them any differently.

On the whole, the lecturers find that mature and non-mature students mix well and have good support networks together. The only occasion where such peer relations have been less


successful is where student reps have raised their own agendas to which non-mature students have agreed without much consideration. This is one example that has spurred a review of the student rep system for the course. For students whom English is not their first language, and who may be quiet at first, staff ensure that they help put them into groups with other students.

Fitting in/belonging

The lecturers claimed that having friends increases a student’s sense of belonging and there are a lot of group work opportunities provided on the course for students to develop friendships through their academic study:

I mean I think feeling part of it is something to do with having friends on the course and that’s peer to peer as opposed to pupil to lecturer.

I think it’s mainly socialising probably within the course, with other students within the course. Working in groups. We have a lot of group work although they hate it!

With regard to social opportunities for students, the course team leave the students to take responsibility for engaging in university societies and events to gain a sense of belonging. The Student’s Union is discussed during induction week but rarely referred to thereafter. The lecturers do, however, instil a sense of institutional pride into students by commenting on how employers are impressed with the psychology degree at BU. They also strongly believe that getting students involved in open days enhances a sense of belonging. In the past, the course leader has selected psychology students to act as campus tour guides on open days for the course. As the marketing department now has control of the selection of campus tour guides, it is not guaranteed that psychology students will be chosen to lead tours for prospective psychology students, for example, a student from a design course could be given the role. The course leader expressed an interest in involving current students again:

I have been thinking I should be getting them engaged again in that because it does give them a sense of pride. They like being able to talk about their course and the university.

The value of having a student from the course talk to prospective psychology students was highly recommended as a way of increasing a student’s connection to the university, as well as having benefits for future students who can ask questions to those who have experience of the course.

Life outside of studies

Should students experience any problems outside of the course, they would be advised to see their personal tutor for support and be directed to the counselling service where appropriate. In the Unofficial Student Handbook students are given contact details for personal support, including the accommodation service, medical centre and chaplaincy. The handbook also suggests talking to AskBU for problems with housing and financial issues, as well as the Student Union’s Advice Centre.


Students more likely to doubt

To monitor students who are at risk of doubting, student attendance at seminars is monitored and letters are sent to students who miss two consecutive seminars to check if there are any issues causing their absence, and suitable support is implemented as necessary. Personal tutors also use the registers at the end of term one to identify infrequent attendance and any students who may have disengaged with the course:

I would say that in probably 90% of the cases of people who want to leave, when I actually talk to them and find out why it’s because they’ve missed so much. They feel they haven’t got a choice.

In such cases, staff do their utmost to speak to any students who are considering leaving and help put things in place to work through any obstacles. The personal tutor system in particular is therefore considered crucial for retaining students on the course:

If the personal tutor system is not working, these people don’t get identified.

Students are advised to make an appointment with their personal tutor to discuss any decisions to leave and recommendations are made to talk to the counselling service where appropriate. The personal tutors also monitor coursework submission and contact students who continuously do not submit in an attempt to help manage the situation. Reasons for considering leaving the course are not always associated with personal issues, attendance or assignments. One student, for example, had expected more opportunity for discussion on the course. To address this student’s doubts about staying, a personal tutor suggested that the student participate as a research assistant in staff projects to provide further opportunities for discussing psychology and to bridge the gap in expectation:

It’s just trying to get them more involved when they’re feeling less involved.

One lecturer noted that students have to make an effort to explore the support on offer to them and take up opportunities to see their personal tutor otherwise there is not much more that can be done to retain student doubters.

Determination and internal factors

Staff suggested that doubting may be linked psychologically to personality characteristics, for example, students may either attribute problems to themselves or will attribute them to external factors. The lecturers also indicated that students who have an interest in psychology are usually interested in people and ‘tend to need the personal contact’. It was therefore suggested that the type of course a student is studying could affect the most suitable form of support that needs to be put in place for students. For example, dedicated time with a personal tutor may be more appropriate for psychology students if they tend to favour personal contact, as opposed to a less structured form of support.

Future goals

Most input on students’ future goals takes place in the second and third years of the course where one lecturer, whose role is dedicated to career support, explores graduate employment opportunities with the students, gives advice on developing their CVs, interview techniques and


career choices. In the first year students engage more so in thinking about the future of the course, however, the unit ‘Applications of Psychology’ in year one does discuss areas of psychology that the students might consider entering after graduation, the usefulness of their psychology degree and where they can go with it. The course was essentially regarded by the lecturers as a stepping stone to further study, where students achieve BPS accreditation and go on to gain a masters or doctorate.

Examples of practice and evaluation

Course related and adapting to the course – systems, departmental set-up, staff relations

Academic transition

Induction activity – Stepping Stones 2HE poster. Prior to starting university, students are asked to find information on a psychology related topic that they will then use to create a poster during induction week in small groups. By working in groups, students get to know each other and a social event is used to judge the poster. Prizes are given and the course team sometimes book local pubs for the poster event – some venues offer free food to the students in return for publicity and the possibility of students returning.

The Unofficial Student Handbook – an alternative format of the information that will help students during induction and the first few weeks of term. The handbook includes a timetable for first week, what rooms the students need to find and mug shots of staff. Picks out relevant information for the first week as staff believe students don’t look at the official university student handbook. Makes it light-hearted yet still highlights the most essential regulations from the official university handbook (summarised in twenty main points). Also has a section on what a lecture is, what a seminar is, what the floor numbers mean, how to find a room and contains maps.

Induction activity – Call My Bluff. In groups of three, one student has to tell a lie about themselves and the other two must tell something true about themselves. The rest of the seminar group then have to guess who is lying.

Mock exam board used in first week of term to help students understand university systems and procedures (no longer takes place due to time constraints).

Creating a unit to help address differences in expectation and coping with course work. Students will learn how to apply their reading directly to tasks and limits will be put on the reading for tasks to give students an indication of how much is necessary (e.g. a certain number of journal articles or book chapters).


Students have a mid-year review with their personal tutor in term two of year one to discuss how the students feel they are coping with the course and their progress.


Portfolio to help self-study – encourages independent learning. Contains questions that relate to the students’ core texts which aims to get students used to referring to reading to support their work.

Choice of course

Staff presence at open days, in particular taking the time to talk to individual families in a friendly and approachable manner.

Involvement of current students as campus tour guides who can also answer prospective students’ questions about the course and hear what it’s like from a student’s point of view.

Making taught sessions interesting

Essay plan work – students work on mock essay titles in groups and present their work interactively to small numbers of students in their seminar groups. The use of You Tube, psychological experiments and tests are encouraged.

Encouraging students to engage in research seminars put on by the course that involve outside speakers or course staff presenting their research interests. Also helps students get to know staff.

Involving students in staff research as research assistants, for example, getting the students to help run experiments.

Making presentations visually appealing – colourful, use of pictures, not too complicated and not too many slides.

Plans for improvement

Increasing contact hours by introducing more lectures and seminars where possible.


Personal tutor system – this allows staff to get to know students at an individual level and support their individual needs and development.

Availability of staff – some personal tutors allocate a certain amount of time each week that students can sign up for an appointment to see them. This protects time for staff to fulfil their personal tutor responsibilities.

Letter of commendation sent to students who excel in the first year – motivating for the students.


Lecturers engage in a social event with the students during induction week so that they can get to know each other. The event is part of the Stepping Stones 2HE poster activity task where the social is used for prize-giving.

Making effort to know students by name – gives students a sense of identity on the course and makes them feel valued.


Incorporate plenty of opportunities for working in groups on the course to encourage peer support and friendship development.

Encourage students to exchange mobile numbers with at least two other people during the first lecture and to ensure that no one leaves the lecture theatre alone.

The social event arranged for the Stepping Stones 2HE task in induction week allows students to meet each other and make friends on the course.

Electing a student to be social secretary for the course. This would help to provide further social events for students to make friends throughout the course and not only during induction week.

Fitting in/belonging

Involving students in open days as campus tour guides for their course – gives current students a sense of pride to represent their course and university, as well as being of use to prospective students who get to hear a student’s perspective of the course and ask them questions.

Providing group work opportunities.

Life outside of studies

The course team use the Unofficial Student Handbook to provide students with contact details for different support services at the university and who they should approach for support for different issues, for example, the Accommodation Service, AskBU and Student Union Advice Centre.


Monitor attendance of students at seminars in order to pick up any absences and talk to students about any problems they may be having.

Monitor assignment submissions at the end of the term to see if any students have disengaged and implement appropriate support where necessary.


Future goals

Applications of Psychology unit – touches on the use of a psychology degree and the areas of psychology students can specialise in through post-graduate study.

Summary

The BSc (Hons) Psychology course team believe that a number of factors enhance the student experience on the course and influence its retention rates. Investing staff time into open days and induction week was considered essential for helping students during transition. Providing opportunities for students to develop friendships throughout induction and the first few weeks of the course was regarded as vital for helping the students to connect to one another and start to form networks of peer support. To ensure that students understand university and course expectations, the staff make information clear, concise and accessible to students, for example, the Unofficial Student Handbook, so that students are able to absorb information without feeling overwhelmed.

The personal tutor system works well as a method of academic and pastoral support for students and the mid-year review in particular helps students to reflect on their progress or address any difficulties they are experiencing. By monitoring students’ attendance at seminars and keeping track of assignment submissions, the lecturers are able to identify possible problems early with students and help to implement appropriate support where necessary. Should any students have doubts on the course, the lecturers do their utmost to talk to them and find a way of overcoming their problems or concerns.

SECTION 3

Student View

This section presents the views obtained from 18 first year students enrolled on BSc (Hons) Psychology for 09/10 (12% response rate). As part of their course, the psychology students are able to gain credits towards a particular unit for participating in research studies, including the completion of surveys. The HERE! online survey was distributed to the students via this process and students were awarded 0.25 credits upon completion. The survey was uploaded to the BU Psychology Research Participation System which students on the course access using a password.Students were asked to rate different aspects of their course using a Likert scale and a number of qualitative questions were included on students’ feelings about their first year experience. Following a summary of the survey results, practical examples that enhanced the student experience are listed. Care needs to be taken when interpreting the results due to the small sample size. Responses to the quantitative survey questions are as follows:

1. How interesting the students found their course

72.2% found the course interesting27.8% found it moderately interesting


2. How valued the students feel by staff

38.9% of students felt valued33.3% felt moderately valued by staff27.8% did not feel valued

3. Friendliness of the students on their course

83.3% said the students were very friendly on their course11.1% stated that students were moderately friendly5.6% felt students on the course were not friendly

94.4% had made good friends on their course5.6% had not made any good friends

4. Doubts in the first year

72.2% had never considered withdrawing in their first year22.2% had considered leaving but decided to stay5.6% had considered leaving and had not yet made up their mind whether to stay or go

5. Confidence in coping with their coursework

72.2% of students felt confident that they could cope with their coursework22.2% felt moderately confident5.6% did not feel confident at allIn comparison to when the students first started the course:

38.9% felt more confident now that they could cope with their coursework27.8% felt about the same33.3% felt less confident than they did at the start of the course

6. Differences between learning at university and previous learning

83.3% of students understand how learning at university is different from their previous learning16.7% do not understand the differences

7. Future goals

82.4% of students said that the course is helping them to achieve their future goals17.6% said it was not helping them to achieve their future goals

The analysis which follows is based on the students’ responses to the qualitative questions in the survey and the points below are overall aspects of their course that the students liked best:

Having interesting lectures The broad range of subjects studied The people The helpful lecturers Gaining knowledge about human behaviour


The in-depth information given for topics


Academic transition

The students agreed with the lecturer perspective that induction week provided a good opportunity to make friends with others on the course. In particular the Stepping Stones 2HE task was named as a useful bonding activity and students highly valued the friendships that they had started to develop that week:

I made friends on the induction week and those friends have remained my main friends.

Although the students did not give feedback on the Unofficial Student Handbook, they reported that the difference between learning at university and their previous learning was explained to them by the lecturers. They clearly understood that the focus was on independent learning and that learning would be more in-depth. A small number of students did not feel that much was explained to them about the course and commented that they learnt the hard way. These students stated that they were told to be independent learners and find answers in a book. They claimed ‘you are pretty much on your own here’. This reflects the lecturers’ concerns that more needs to be done on the course to address the academic transition and provides evidence to support their plans to introduce a new unit that will explore the differences in learning and differences in expectation.

In contrast to previous learning, one aspect of the course that the students welcomed was being able to share their views and having their opinions valued:

In seminars you are asked to discuss about what YOU think about a particular case or theory etc., instead of just studying other people’s explanations and reasoning.

The students also found that essay writing helped them to understand learning at university. This suggests that the essay planning tasks referred to by the lecturers have engaged the students and been considered useful.


Knowing the structure and expectations of the course has helped students gain confidence in their work, as well as being aware of the different sources of help available to them. The students believe that completing lots of coursework means that they get lots of practice at the level of work expected from them. They also value talking to PhD students and find the statistics drop-in sessions arranged by the course useful:

There is a lot of help available. The drop-ins on Fridays etc. have got me through more than one EMSA assignment as whoever’s there will go through SPSS or whatever is holding you back with you.

Students’ confidence is increased by the knowledge that they are always able to ask questions. They also commended particular lecturers for the format of their lecture materials:


The way [our lecturer] conducts [their] lectures, with notes printed for us and space next to it for additional information, is not only the best at the time but also makes revision a lot less painful and more successful.

The style of lecture notes are constructive for the students and the effort taken by staff does not go unnoticed.

Students did not highlight a dislike for presentations or group work but did indicate that their confidence in coping with coursework was affected by finding the work difficult, getting poor grades when they are trying hard and not being able to manage their time effectively. Whilst help from staff was appreciated, some students felt that independent learning was enforced too much by certain lecturers which left them feeling on their own at times:

I felt a lot more confident in school as teachers were a lot more supportive. However, I understand that university is more so about independent learning and encouraging students to further their knowledge independently.

This implies that students are experiencing a tension between wanting support and meeting the expectations of independent study.


Students enjoy the variety of subjects covered on the psychology course, in particular studying units on human behaviours and developmental and conceptual issues. They enjoy widening their knowledge by learning new facts, they find the topics engaging and like being challenged to think outside the box. The practical element of the course also contributes to student engagement, with students claiming that they like:

The interesting experiments, studies and research that has been conducted in certain areas of psychology.

What we learn can be applied to every day life.

The way in which it is taught does make a difference but mainly it’s the material we’re actually learning that makes it interesting.

Interestingly, the students do not tend to reflect much upon the teaching style of staff. This contrasts to staff opinion that students pick up on lecturers who are more focused on their research than teaching students. Lectures are considered interesting by the students and seminars ‘great fun’.

Aspects of the course that the students found to be less interesting included specific topics such as the biology unit, or theories and statistics which they found difficult. Some students found particular elements of the course less favourable if they did not regard them as relevant to their future careers:

I would perhaps find it more interesting if we didn’t have to focus so much on research methods, only because it doesn’t interest me to fulfil in my career as a psychologist.

Overall the students enjoy the course but would like more lectures, more help, and more time to develop their ideas through discussion with other students.



One of the things students like best about the course is the support they get from staff. The students acknowledged how staff help them to understand work and give detailed feedback on assignments. By listening to students’ opinions in lectures and seminars and by making an effort to help, the students feel valued by staff:

Simply because they seem to acknowledge every individual’s view and questions and do their best to answer or do something about it.

The students appear to be satisfied with the use of myBU for some aspects of communication with the lecturers, with one survey participant claiming that ‘the research and information provided on myBU’ was an aspect they liked best about the course. This particular view indicates that not all students find the content of myBU overwhelming as the lecturers had feared.

Although the term ‘personal tutor’ was not referred to, most students report that lecturers respond quickly to their e-mails and they feel able to approach staff with any issues they have. In contrast, some claimed that certain staff had appeared rude and unhelpful. The students acknowledged that this does not apply to all lecturers and that some are better than others, perhaps reflecting the staff perception that not all lecturers are suited to teaching first years. With seminars only once a week, the students do not feel that they have enough contact time with staff and believe there are too many students on the course for lecturers to get to know them individually:

As it is such a big course it is difficult for the lecturers to get to know us, or in some cases even recognise us.

You have no identity at university until you have been here for many months. Even then you don’t feel that anyone really has the time to help you.

Such comments reflect the concerns and fears of the lecturers interviewed that students may lose a sense of identity as student numbers continue to rise.


‘The people’ was another element that students liked best about their course, with 94.4% of students stating that they have made good friends with peers on their course. Opportunities to make friends during induction included the Stepping Stones 2HE poster activity and social; introducing themselves to each other in seminar groups; being given the time to bond as a group; and meeting at the Student Union bar for drinks. After induction, the students mainly made friends by interacting with people during seminars, meeting people in lectures or doing work in teams. One student commented that although they have made friends with people in their seminar group, they do not really socialise with them. This could relate to one of the lecturers’ views that students often remain with the friends that they first make at university which could be in halls or during a first lecture as opposed to during a seminar. Another student in the survey, for example, said that their friends were the people who lived near them. Some felt that no opportunities were provided for making friends during induction and expressed more prominent memories of the enrolment process, described as ‘a factory packing line!’. Others would like to see more opportunities for mixing with students from other seminar groups and


suggested combining two or more groups for some sessions during induction week to provide a greater range of people for students to mix with.

A lot of students referred to opportunities outside of the course for making friends, for example, social events and meeting friends of friends. The students had taken responsibility for arranging their own socials but it was noted that some people had felt excluded or believe they were not made to feel welcome:

There have been various social events that have been organised by students, however, if you are not a drinker/partier it is not easy to meet people.

To avoid isolating peers, the students suggested assigning someone to organise socials for the course which reflects one lecturer’s idea of creating a social secretary role. Others recommended that the course team should arrange more socials for students in term one to help them develop friendships:

Socials are the only way to do it really. We organised the first one this year but missed out a lot of people due to not knowing everyone. If the uni could organise one for the first month or so that’d work better.

Investment in peer support and friendship development is therefore rated important by both staff and students.


Of the eighteen students who completed the survey, four had experienced doubts at university but decided to stay. Course related issues were the main reasons students gave for considering withdrawing, including not enjoying the course, feeling that there was a lack of structure and not having prior knowledge of the subject, as the following responses illustrate:

The lack of contact time and the lack of willingness to understand that students need more help and structure in the first year. This would give us a better grounding for subsequent years.

Just that the course probably isn’t for me and because I haven’t studied it before!

Both student quotes imply a difference between expectation and reality. It also highlights the course team’s dilemma in the student selection process and whether previous knowledge of psychology and subject related qualifications should be favoured over students who do not have experience in the subject but who meet the academic criteria of the course.

Elements of the course that encouraged the students to stay were the friends that they had made on the course, understanding more about the course and getting into the experience more. Gaining help with assignments encouraged some students to persevere, as well as not failing work. Other aspects of life that convinced doubters to stay at university were personal determination and motivation and, once again, the importance of friends:

I am extremely committed to getting a good degree and I am self-motivated to work hard so I know that I can cope.

The friends that I have made that I doubt I would be able to find again.


Proximity to home also influenced one student doubter to remain on the course.

Future goals

The students believe that the course is giving them the knowledge they will need for their future careers, in particular providing a pathway to further study. The students also acknowledged the benefits of gaining ‘life skills’ from the course and ‘being able to work independently’. Specific examples are as follows:

I’m hoping to work in Clinical Psychology so a degree then Masters is essential.

By getting a degree I can succeed later in life and get a good job.

Opening our eyes to all of the course related jobs we could go into.

These student reflections imply that the course is helping students give direction to their future careers. This suggests that the Applications of Psychology unit, which explores the use of a psychology degree with first year students, is meeting its aims.

Practical examples that enhance the student experience


Academic transition

The Stepping Stones 2HE poster activity was a good transition activity that helped students to make friends and engage in the course.

Practising writing essays – has helped the students to address the differences between learning at university and previous learning.


Friday drop-in sessions to help with statistics or any other problems the students are experiencing with their studies.

Opportunities to talk to PhD students and discuss with them any difficulties they may have with their work.

Lecture presentation handouts that have space at the side for students to make notes during the session. Helps students when it comes to revision for exams.


Applying course content to everyday life.


Practical elements – experiments, studies and research.

Providing more opportunities for students to have discussions and develop their ideas.


Providing research and information on myBU for students to refer to when needed.

Staff respond quickly to students’ e-mails.


The Stepping Stones 2HE poster activity and social provided a good opportunity for students to make friends

Assigning somebody to organise course socials or having more socials organised by the lecturers for students in the first term so that no one is left out.

Opportunities to combine two or more seminar groups during induction week for some sessions. This would enable students to mix with a larger group of people on their course in the first week.

Future goals

Applications of Psychology Unit – helps students to explore different careers that can be entered with a psychology degree.

Summary

The student perspective has illustrated that a good induction, support from staff and learning about a broad range of interesting subjects have all contributed to a positive first year at university for them. The students have enjoyed opportunities to make friends on the course and in some cases these friendships have played an important role in encouraging students with doubts on the course to stay. The students find the lecturers approachable and helpful, but feel a lack of individual identity on the course due to the high number of students enrolled.

In terms of course content, the students feel engaged in learning when theory is related to everyday life and when they are challenged to think outside the box. Drop-in support sessions are appreciated by the students, as are opportunities to discuss aspects of the course with PhD students.


SECTION 4

Document analysis

For each programme reviewed as part of the HERE! project, a selection of course documents were also analysed where possible to gain further understanding of how course teams enhance the student experience. Particular attention was paid to language style and clarity; the format of documents (online, CD Rom, hard copies); when documents are distributed; and information content e.g. details of academic services, library support, IT support.

Pre-course information

Students have access to Stepping Stones 2HE prior to arrival where they are asked to prepare for a poster task that will take place in induction week.

Induction:

Unofficial Student Handbook for the Psychology Framework

In addition to the official Psychology course handbook, the students are given a ‘Psychology Framework - Unofficial Student Handbook’ for induction week. Contains induction timetable and an easily accessible overview of key information that will be helpful to students at the start. Fun, light-hearted approach yet also deals with serious issues of meeting deadlines, exam boards and what to do if they fail an assessment. Includes advice and contact numbers for different available support for different problems students might experience; maps and directions to certain places on campus like the bars, food outlets and library. Includes photos of staff, explanation of acronyms used by the course team for different units. Explains role of personal tutor (they should have the same tutor throughout the 3 years of the course), the purpose of the tutor group and an indication of the contact they will have with their tutor e.g. time slots available once a week but always contactable if an emergency. Lots of pictures used and cartoons as illustration and a blank 5 day timetable that the students can photo copy and use. Humorous letter to parents included (Write a Letter Home). Language tailored to new students – ‘Even more important stuff you need to know!’

Course handbook Given to students as a hard copy. Will be available online for students in the next cohort.

First assignment details/assignment schedule

Portfolio for EMSAThe portfolio that students complete for the ‘Experimental Methods and Statistical Analysis’ (EMSA) unit in the first year includes exercises the students must complete. An explanation on the first page of the portfolio explains that the workbook is designed for independent study but that students can work at own pace and use weekly support sessions for any difficulties


with the questions. Exercises relate to the main recommended text used on the psychology programme.

Research Diary for EMSAAs part of the assignment for the ‘Experimental Methods and Statistical Analysis’ module in the first year, students are required to participate in experiments and/or critical evaluations and reflect upon their learning experiences. The students are encouraged to complete the Research Diary provided to them which asks them to reflect on different aspects of the experiments they have participated in or journal articles they have evaluated. This aims to encourage critical thinking in the first year of the course.

Other:

Student evaluation forms for induction weeks in 2005 and 2009

Feedback from students in 2005 acted upon e.g. students wanted a task to find out where certain places/services were on campus. This was happening by 2009. Shows students are being listened to.

Friendliness and helpfulness of staff commended. Students enjoyed the social events arranged by the course team, ice-breaker tasks, and group work as it helped them get to know people on their course.

Areas for improvement were related to timetabling issues and the lengthy enrolment process.

SECTION 5:

Overall summary and key conclusions

When comparing both the student and staff perspectives of the BSc (Hons) Psychology course at BU it is apparent that the structure is both engaging and supportive for students. This subsequently influences the course to attract many applicants each year and maintain good first year retention rates. The personal tutor system works well as the lecturers are considered friendly, helpful and approachable. The personal tutors respond quickly to students’ issues and they make every effort to always be available to students, whether in person or via e-mail. Further strengths of the course are reported to be its good approach to induction and transition, and the numerous group work opportunities provided for students to bond.

The students and staff express similar views on the importance of friendship development to the first year student experience in terms of learning, peer support and the social aspect of university life, and both acknowledge the good support structures in place on the course. Both the lecturers and students highlight the value of Stepping Stones 2HE in relation to academic transition and getting to know people on the course, and the opportunity to practise writing was considered the most useful way of understanding the differences between studying at university


and previous learning. A concern shared by both is that the individual identity of students on the course is being lost due to the large cohort size.

Differences in perspective were slight. The lecturers, for example, believe that students sense when staff are not passionate about teaching or are more absorbed in personal research. However, this was not expressed by students in the survey sample, who tended to report on subject content and resources more so than teaching style. Yet the students did note that not all staff are as helpful or interested in students as others.

The course team’s future aim is to not lose focus on the student experience as a result of institutional pressure on staff to develop their research profiles. The lecturers plan to continue to look at ways of enhancing the course and academic transition for students, as demonstrated by the proposed unit for addressing academic expectations and study. The students are enjoying the course and are determined to succeed which in turn reflects the effort invested by the course team to make the experience interesting and engaging for the students.


The HERE Project: Strand 2

Research into programmes with better than peer rates of retention

Guide for staff participants

Research Purpose

The HERE project is a 3 year research project funded by HEFCE/ PHF as part of the “What Works? Student Retention & Success” programme of work. We are interested in student retention, but unlike most studies we are primarily investigating why students stay rather than why they leave. The work has two strands: students with doubts who stay and those actions programmes can take to better support retention.

Our aim is to find out what works in your programme to support retention and help first year students to stay at university. We are primarily looking for good practice and, whilst we will seek to be rigorous, we are looking for examples of good practice, not flaws and weaknesses.

Research Design

The focus of our research is to find out what works best in your programme to support retention. We have applied the principles of the Appreciative Inquiry approach in order to do this. Appreciative Inquiry “…focuses on identifying and developing what works in an organisation rather than trying to fix what doesn’t” (Dovestone and Keenaghan, 2006, p5). We will ask you about what you do best in your programme

to support students to stay. We would then like to ask you about specific areas that we have found (from our strand one research) that appear to support retention.

Our strand one research collected feedback from just under 1,000 first year students between March & May 2009. Approximately 1/3 had, at some point, doubted and considered withdrawing from university. Importantly, the reasons for doubting were not the same as the reasons that doubters cited for remaining. For example, the most common reason for doubting related to the course (poor initial choice, dissatisfaction with some aspects of the experience etc.), but the main reason that doubters cited for subsequently remaining were associated with support from friends and family (particularly friends made on the course).

We have therefore structured the questions to reflect the need to reduce activities likely to lead to doubting and also to enhance those activities that support students who have doubts.

What would we like to find out?

We would like to know what you do in your programme to support students with retention.

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We would like to find out what you actually do (rather than what you would like to do or think would work given more time/resources etc). Where possible we would like to explore actual activities, examples and practices.

We would be particularly interested in exploring any research or evaluation that you have carried out into your own practice (formal and/or informal).

Anonymity

The information that we collect from you will be reported anonymously. A programme, for example, may be referred to as ‘a large programme within the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University’. Individuals will not be identifiable from the information reported. No incentives will be offered to staff for participation in the interview. Participants may withdraw from the project at any time and ask for their data to be destroyed.

Data will be stored according to the Data Protection Act 1998. An audio recording of the interview will be made only

with permission. This will be stored safely and not made available to those outside the project. Data will be kept for six years after the end of the project in line with current ethical guidelines. After this time, the data will be destroyed.

Intended use of the research data

The data will be used to report on progress for the “What Works? Student Retention & Success” programme of work. A final report will be produced that makes recommendations (based on evaluation and evidence from all projects within the programme) about how best to support student retention across the sector.

The data will also be used to produce academic articles and conference presentations.

DOVESTON, Mary and KEENAGHAN, Marian, 2006. Improving classroom dynamics to support students’ learning and social inclusion: a collaborative approach. Support for Learning, 21(1), pp.5-11.

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Interview Structure

The structure below illustrates the areas that we would like to ask you about. We may prompt you for further details, and are happy for you to give us additional information that you feel is relevant.

Questions

Background information about the programme

Can you give us some background information about your programme, common issues, types of students, its particular challenges to retention etc.

What works?

What is it that your programme does now when it is at its best in terms of retaining students?

What is it about your programme that makes this possible?

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Programme Practice

Reducing leaving Increasing staying

COURSE RELATED

The most common reasons that students who answered our questionnaire gave for having doubts about being at university were course related, for example, wrong choice of course, describing difficulties in making the academic transition to HE and problems with the workload. Students who had had doubts about being at university (doubters) were much less likely to agree with the statement ‘I’m confident that I can cope with my studies’ than non doubters.

Could you tell us what you do in your course that you think helps students in these areas? (Academic transition, coping with work, choice of course, problems with the course).

SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS & PEERS

The most common reason that students gave for why they had decided to stay (after having doubts) was because of ‘friends and family’. Friends were mentioned most often, and students often described friends they had made at university such as ‘seminar buddies’.

Can you tell us about the kinds of things that you do that help students get to know each other?

RELATIONSHIP/COMMUNICATION WITH STAFFStudents that we spoke to in our qualitative research that had not had doubts about being at university all described that they had ‘someone they could talk to’ (be it a lecturer, personal tutor, or so on) about their work if they needed to. Student doubters were also much less likely to agree that they felt valued by teaching staff.

Could you tell us about communication between staff and students on your programme (such as written, online, informal etc)?

ADAPTING TO UNIVERSITYIn our focus groups, all students who had never had doubts could describe a time when they felt they belonged to the university, and this was often linked to recognizing faces, or places. More of these students (non doubters) described taking part of the social life of the university (student union, student ambassador) than student doubters.

Can you tell us what you do to help students feel part of the university?

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ADAPTING TO THE COURSEStudents described adapting to the course, getting to know the staff, starting to enjoy the subject and course as reasons for staying after having doubts.

Can you talk about what you do to facilitate adapting to the course?

LIFE OUTSIDE OF STUDYThe second and third most common reasons that students gave for having doubts about their course were ‘student lifestyle’ (which included problems with accommodation, with other students such as flat mates, feeling unhappy with their social life) and ‘financial problems’.

Could you tell us about how you have communicated to students where to go if they had a problem with their finances, accommodation, or problems with other students?

DETERMINATION AND INTERNAL FACTORSSome students said that it was internal factors such as their desire not to quit that helped them stay here.

Could you tell us if there is anything that you do in your programs that would support such students (some of which may be staying here mainly because they don’t want to leave, rather than a desire to stay)?

STUDENTS MORE LIKELY TO DOUBTOur initial analysis of the survey data found that mature students were more likely to have had doubts about being at university than non mature students. Students who completed our survey and said that they had a disability were also more likely to have doubts than those students that did not declare a disability.

Can you talk to us about who you see as ‘at risk’ students in your programme and tell us about anything that you do because of these students?

FUTURE GOALSThe second most common reason that students cited as a reason for staying after having doubts was ‘future goals and employment’.

We would like to hear about how the programme (and in particularly any activities you do) relates to future student goals (both employment goals and personal goals if appropriate).

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Closing questions

Can you summarise why you think your retention rate is as good as it is and what it is you do best?

What have you plans to improve on?

It would be extremely beneficial if we were able to survey some of your students, may we do so?

As this is a pilot study for further research, could you also tell us if there any questions that we haven’t asked that you think would be useful?

We are happy to share our findings with you. Is this something you are interested in? We could, for example, facilitate a workshop about the project, forward presentations, academic articles etc.

Thank you very much for taking part in this research.

Contacts

NTU

Ed Foster [email protected]

Sarah Lawther [email protected]

Bournemouth

Chris Keenan [email protected]

Natalie Bates [email protected]

Bradford

Rebecca Currant [email protected]

Ruth Lefever [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]




