Developing valuable and relevant skills and attributes at L4 to improve retention- a multi-school investigation Alison Day, Dr. Iulia Mihai , Dr. Allan Mason and Dr. Ake Fagereng Opportunity to work cross-school as part of our Post Grad Qualification in T&L Problem of dis-engagement, attrition and success at L4 a concern for all.

Background- Group Project Rising attrition rates Physiotherapy Lack of engagement in core skills topics across ENGIN and EARTH at L4 Attrition and success a concern for all. Opportunity to work cross-school as part of our Post Grad Qualification in T&L UK-wide average 8% non-continuation (attrition and IOS) For many years attrition rate averaged 3%, one of the lowest in the School.- large cohorts ENGIN and EARTH schools were finding attrition rates were increasing, with staff reporting an increased lack of engagement, attendance and academic success in “core” quantitative skills, computer skills, maths and modelling. Programmes with higher rates of retention and success make use of group-based learning and teaching and varied learning opportunities including real-world learning and work placements; all of us representing the 4 programmes felt as all were vocational/professional programmes there should be a strong link to real-world examples, and applied skills developed in the 1st year. All 4 programmes incorporated work placements.

What works? Phase 1 Belonging Engagement Feeling connected Developing knowledge, confidence and identity HE experience relevant to interests and future goals “The development of clear, highly relevant skills of perceived value to students’ future aspirations are known to be key factors influencing retention and success.” (What Works- Phase 1) Programmes with higher rates of retention and success make use of group-based learning and teaching and varied learning opportunities including real-world learning and work placements; all of us representing the 4 programmes felt as all were vocational/professional programmes there should be a strong link to real-world examples, and applied skills developed in the 1st year. All 4 programmes incorporated work placements. All 4 programmes felt we used real-world examples, all included field trips/placements but interestingly not in the first year, group learning and a range of learning opportunities were offered and we felt in all of our programmes a range of skills were developed in areas to increase the students capacity to engage…..

Project aim: To determine which generic attributes and skills are perceived as being most valuable/relevant to the students in the 1st year across 4 programmes (3 Schools), most developed by the students; and which skills the students perceive are valuable to future employers.

Current practice HCARE programmes L4, L5 and L6 IPE modules (Personal and Professional Development) EARTH and ENGIN large proportion of time spent at L4 developing Health and Safety, Quantitative skills and Computer skills All 4 programmes represented in the project felt real-world examples were embedded at L4 though none had any field trips/placements at L4 IPE develop communication, team working, professional identity and communities of practice Historically within Physio students undertook a day in practice in the first year, but with increasing demand for placements, our clinical partners found it increasingly difficult to support the observation day so it was stopped 2 years ago.

Which attributes and skills should all students develop? Mobility International Experience Work Experience Creativity Curiosity Cultural Awareness Commitment to Wales Independence Writing Skills Interpersonal Communication Quantitative Skills Problem Solving Ability Ability to Follow Instructions Self-directed learning Computer Skills Confidence Team work Health and Safety Estimating risk and uncertainty Flexibility With reference to Cardiff University “The Way Forward”, QAA and subject benchmark statements, the following list of generic attributes was developed:

Design Questionnaire based survey of Level 4 students across 4 programmes across 3 different Schools within Cardiff University Students select 5 attributes/skills that they believe they have developed to the greatest extent, 5 attributes/skills they believe to be most important and 5 that they believe employers value the most. Sample size of between 50-60 students from each programme surveyed (210 total)

Results: 3 way correlation diagram: Most valued skills (ENGIN) Blue bubbles are the student rated skills/attributes Red bubbles are the skills/attributes perceived by students to be valuable to employers Bold- common to all 4 programmes Overlap are the skills that students feel they and employers value Top graph first- the most valued Most valued skills- Top right- valued and developed, Creativity unique to ENGIN Top left- valued but not perceived developed, except EARTH that valued and developed WE

Results: 3 way correlation diagram- most developed skills (ENGIN) Most developed- All 4- PS, Indep, Team work, SDL

Results: 3 way correlation diagram Ability to follow instructions (ENGIN) Bottom graph- least valued- all those in bold plus “Ability to follow instructions”, H&S poorly valued by Civil Engin and HCARE!! Bottom right- developed but not valued Bottom left- not developed or valued

Picture a typical ENGIN (Civil) student in the future…! Independent Health and Safety Solving problems Estimating risk and uncertainty Working in a team Quantitative skills Confident Ability to follow instructions

Picture a typical EARTH student in the future…! Independent Health and Safety Solving problems Estimating risk and uncertainty Curious Communication Confident Ability to follow instructions

Analysis: summary Self-directed learning and Writing skills, well developed by all students but of little perceived value to the students Work experience, very high value but poorly developed at L4 Health and Safety, well developed but of little perceived value to HCARE and ENGIN (civil) Health and Safety, high value but poorly developed in EARTH and ENGIN (mech)

Implications for practice: embedding real-world Work experience opportunity or real-world examples at L4 (Projects 4,5,7) See these valuable skills being used (H&S, Quant skills, Computer skills) Increase perceived value to students Increase engagement and motivation at L4/5 = lower attrition and higher success Embed the relevance in relation to future career aspirations Make visible what employers value and want early on in Programme Challenge student perceptions about what they think employers want Increase engagement and motivation = lower attrition and higher success Developing a range of skills to increase student capacity to engage and be successful including communication, academic skills, negotiation, learning styles, self-directed learning and team working (Projects 2,3,5 and 7) Real-world examples supported by findings from What Works Phase 2 Project 5 In developing range of skills- ensure these skills are overtly linked to ILOs so that it’s visible to students when and why they are spending time developing these skills e.g self-directed learning which was developed but poorly valued by all 4 programmes

Final thoughts Happy thought Slightly worrying thought Ability to follow instructions Final thoughts Happy thought Slightly worrying thought Unsurprising thought Puzzling thought DayA6@cardiff.ac.uk Happy top right Slightly worrying top left Unsurprising bottom left Puzzling thought – bottom right, developed but little value