Niamh Moore, Amanda Gibney, Sara O’Sullivan, Feargal Murphy University Fellows in Teaching and Academic Development Channelling innovation: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Academic Policy Formulation

Overview Introduction The study context Methodology The UCD student experience From practice to policy

Introduction Aim: –To illustrate the potential of a new model of governance to bridge the gap between academics and policymakers Context: –Changing international context leading to redefined role for academic developers (Kayrooz et al. 1997; Martin et al. 2003) –Collaborative, collegial approach essential for transformative change (Ramsden 2003) –New managerialism and marginalisation: lossed opportunities

Teaching-learning role of academics: –Direct experience of impacts of change –Potential role as policymakers requires critical conversations (Rowland 2002) –Existing dichotomy (King 2007, p. 129) ‘Policymaking is about finding answers, whereas research is about asking questions’ Opportunity: how research on teaching and learning combines pedagogy with solution finding to bridge traditional gap

Study context Government level policy change and restructuring of the tertiary sector UCD response: –Modularisation, semesterisation and UCD Horizons –Fellows in Teaching and Academic Development scheme Goals: –To understand the challenges and complexities of restructuring –New approach to policy formulation –Key priority is research on First Year Experience (McInnis 2001; Krause et al. 2005)

Methodology Capturing the student perspective and challenging pre-existing assumptions: Data collection: –Online survey Stage 1 Nov 2007 (1227 responses, 28% of cohort) –Follow-up survey Stage 1 April 2008 (831 responses, 19% of cohort, highly engaged group) Data analysis: –Screening and coding –Major themes, academic and demographic data added –Descriptive analysis

The student experience Generally positive: –83% agreed that Stage 1 at UCD has been positive experience overall –72% agreed that they had chosen the right programme of study –68% agreed that lecturers and tutors are very approachable Areas of concern: –The new learning environment –Academic abilities –Time commitment

General Survey Findings Apr 2008 Stage 1 Experience 26% reported that they do not feel part of a community at UCD ‘I never felt part of it’ ‘there is a very poor community on campus, this needs to be rectified’ 32% found it somewhat or very difficult to make friends ‘its very hard to make friends in such large classes’ 33% have considered withdrawing from UCD ‘I found the first semester the worst and almost dropped out’

The new learning environment Social concerns ‘making friends as I knew no-one in the college before coming here’ Academic concerns ‘Being in completely over my head’ Concern about choice (16%) ‘having made the wrong choice and being stuck with it’ Other concerns relating to basic needs (e.g. finances, getting around)

Academic abilities Perception of skills dependent on programme, gender and age (mature v non-mature) Widespread concern around time management

General Survey Findings Stage 1 Experience

Time commitment Gap between student and staff expectations Surprising findings re: paid employment and changing pattern over the year 29.4 hours 52.3 hours

Stage 1 Students Time spent in paid employment (hours/week)

Translating practice to policy Student needs: –Additional support services, more small classes and more tutorials (Kift 2004) –‘Negotiated engagement’ (McInnis 2003) Potential response: –Innovation in delivering small group experience and supporting ICT use –Rights and responsibilities approach clearly outlining univ. expectations and consistent application of policies ‘Universities must be strong enough to be very demanding of their students; to demand a real participation in the interactive exchange of knowledge and values that is the hallmark of the university experience’ (Kirby 2002 quoted in McInnis 2003).

Need appropriate support to manage transition –Practical needs –Academic needs An intensive non-subject specific transition module: –Advice on practical issues –Learning community and clustering of students –Establishing a learning pattern –Enhancing and supporting key skills e.g. writing drop-in centre

26% of students do not feel part of the university community –More group work to encourage participation –Improve relationships between classmates Community-building –Transition module –University policies supporting academic delivery of group work –Networking e.g. MyUCD.ie portal and expanded peer mentoring scheme (potentially resource neutral)

Conclusion Paper contests the ‘fundamental dichotomy between the discipline of analysis and the more pragmatic concerns of effecting change’ (King 2007, pp ) Model of leadership drawing on the change experience SoTL valuable input into more appropriate policy making Addresses McInnis (2003, p. 19) that ‘the responses of institutions have been largely ad hoc with strategies for instruction and support based on guesswork’ Real opportunity to bridge the apparent academic-policymaker divide