Balancing ‘What Works’ and personalised student pathways: How Herts Success is fostering success amongst widening participation students --Stephane Farenga @StepFareEdu

Today’s presentation Policy context of widening participation Creating a framework: WW-1 and personalisation Findings Retention and transition Success @StepFareEdu

What is widening participation (WP?) Combining increased, widening and fair access of under-represented groups (Ertl and Hayward, 2008) Institutional definitions: sub £25k and POLAR Q1/2 “redressing the under-representation of certain social groups in higher education” (Burke, 2012, p.12) @StepFareEdu

Context National WP data Access Outcomes 43% increase in WP students since 2004 (HEFCE, 2013a) POLAR Q1, 29% more likely to enter HE than 2012, 73% since 2006 (UCAS, 2016) Outcome Quintile 1 Quintile 5 First or upper second 45.0% 58.6% Degree & employed or studying 66.7% 73.9% Degree & graduate job or study 41.2% 51.8% Policy re-framing 2004 HE Act 2011 White Paper “Students at the heart…” Shift towards student lifecycle White Paper endorses further success measures Research evidence Ineffectiveness of bursaries on entrant’s decisions (Callender et al., 2009; Callender and Wilkinson, 2013) ‘Deadweight loss’ (Callender and Wilkinson, 2013) (HEFCE, 2013b) @StepFareEdu

Context National WP policy re-framing 2011 White Paper “Students at the Heart of the System” Shift towards student lifecycle Current White Paper endorses further success measures Policy re-framing @StepFareEdu

Context WP student retention & success National University of Hertfordshire 8% leave HE during Year 1 33%-42% consider withdrawing (Thomas, 2012) 14% Year 1 withdrawal in 2013/14 Down to 8% in 2014/15 37% Year 1s consider withdrawing in 2015/16 88% got 1st or 2:1 97% graduates employed/further study 71% graduates in graduate jobs Outcome Quintile 1 Quintile 5 First or upper second 45.0% 58.6% Degree & employed or studying 66.7% 73.9% Degree & graduate job or study 41.2% 51.8% Policy re-framing 2004 HE Act 2011 White Paper “Students at the heart…” Shift towards student lifecycle White Paper endorses further success measures Research evidence Ineffectiveness of bursaries on entrant’s decisions (Callender et al., 2009; Callender and Wilkinson, 2013) ‘Deadweight loss’ (Callender and Wilkinson, 2013) (HEFCE, 2013b) (Farenga et al., 2016) @StepFareEdu

University of Hertfordshire Methodology Case study approach (Yin, 2009 and Stake, 1995) Mix of online surveys and qualitative case studies Generalisability and transferability 2014/15: 432 responses 2015/16: 315 responses 2016/17: 100 responses so far @StepFareEdu

Adapting What Works… (Thomas, 2012) Student belonging Supportive peer relations Developing knowledge, confidence and identity as successful HE learners HE experience relevant to students’ interests and future goals Intervention characteristics Mainstream Proactive and developmental Relevant Well timed and appropriate media Collaborative Monitored Targeted student pop. Institutional buy-in? @StepFareEdu

…Personalised transition (Gale and Parker, 2014) Institution Pathway following sequentially defined periods High level of institutional control 165 Sampled Personal development Personal trajectory “shifting from one identity to another” Non-linear Think Terenzini et al. (1996) Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Herts Success Avoiding one-size-fits-all Academic Employability Social Focus groups Choice of support and self-selective engagement 165 Sampled Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Proactive and developmental and collaborative Herts Success Proactive and developmental and collaborative Academic/Social/Employability/Personal skills Relevant Experience-based Opt-out @StepFareEdu

Findings Student demographics – 2016/17 – 350 Year 1s 67% engage-ment 44% BAME back-grounds 9 parents and 7 care leavers 9% are mature students 1 in 3 commute 8% with declared disability Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Herts Success Curate your experience 50 events or initiatives during 2016/17 @StepFareEdu

Herts Success Well timed and appropriate media Weekly e-newsletters, texts, social media @StepFareEdu

Herts Success Well timed and appropriate media Feedback to students @StepFareEdu

Findings Retention & transition 2013/14 13.85% withdrew 2014/15 8% withdrew 42% decrease In 2015/16… 37% of Y1s considered withdrawing 46% of those students said Herts Success played an important role in keeping them enrolled Farenga, 2015 Farenga, 2016 @StepFareEdu

Findings Retention & transition “If it wasn’t for Herts Success I would not have been able to survive even Semester A of my 1st year. Herts Success helped me fit in by providing me with a buddy in the first month of university who gave me guidance about what to expect.” – Year 1, Biomedical Science “If it wasn’t for Herts Success I would not have been able to survive even Semester A of my 1st year. Herts Success helped me fit in by providing me with a buddy in the first month of university who gave me guidance about what to expect.” – Year 1, Biomedical Science “I was extremely anxious when I started, but when I began to attend events, I was able to meet people who helped me not only in the event, but also to settle into the university and become more comfortable with my surroundings.” – Female, Year 1, Humanities “I was extremely anxious when I started, but when I began to attend events, I was able to meet people who helped me not only in the event, but also to settle into the university and become more comfortable with my surroundings.” – Female, Year 1, Humanities Personal support Social groups "I was growing disillusioned with my mediocre work output. But the various [events] and short courses offered by Herts Success made me realise that opportunities could be found if I worked hard enough. I have stayed because Herts Success has showed me that I can build skills even when I may feel I lack them.” – Year 1, History "I was growing disillusioned with my mediocre work output. But the various [events] and short courses offered by Herts Success made me realise that opportunities could be found if I worked hard enough. I have stayed because Herts Success has showed me that I can build skills even when I may feel I lack them.” – Year 1, History Farenga, 2015 Skill-building opportunities @StepFareEdu

Who engaged got a 2:1 or a 1st Findings Success 88% Who engaged got a 2:1 or a 1st Farenga, 2015 Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Opportunities & personal support Findings Success “Having a mentor which had previously experienced my course and who has experienced a lot of what the University has to offer definitely helped academically and fitting in at University.” – Male, Year 1, Engineering & Technology “Having a mentor which had previously experienced my course and who has experienced a lot of what the University has to offer definitely helped academically and fitting in at University.” – Male, Year 1, Engineering & Technology “Herts success provided a lot of free extra-curricular activities and events that really helped me to cope with academic stress. Herts success has also provided helpful trainings and workshops which really benefited my academic skills (academic mentor)" – Male, Year 2, Pharmacy   “Herts success provided a lot of free extra-curricular activities and events that really helped me to cope with academic stress. Herts success has also provided helpful trainings and workshops which really benefited my academic skills (academic mentor)" – Male, Year 2, Pharmacy   Opportunities & personal support Personal support Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

97% 71% Findings Success @StepFareEdu Employed/further study Employed in graduate jobs Farenga, 2015 Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Findings Success Specific skills Financial assistance @StepFareEdu “In terms of my employability, Herts Success has encouraged me to find work experience in the community. In doing so, they awarded me a bursary to cover my expenses.” – Year 3, Computer Science “In terms of my employability, Herts Success has encouraged me to find work experience in the community. In doing so, they awarded me a bursary to cover my expenses.” – Year 3, Computer Science “The trip to Nice [in France] with Education First has enabled me to improve my French language skills that I will find very useful when starting a career in tourism” – Year 2, Tourism Management “The trip to Nice [in France] with Education First has enabled me to improve my French language skills that I will find very useful when starting a career in tourism.” – Year 2, Tourism Management Specific skills Financial assistance Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Findings Personal development I see Herts Success as my key to a fuller life, giving me more character and universal skills. [Herts Success] gives me opportunities I can use anytime in my life.” – Year 1, Commercial Law “[Herts Success] has motivated me to keep going and working hard to achieve my goal. It has helped me grow as an individual and a young adult. The programme changes students’ lives for the better, helping students grow.” – Year 1, Law LLB @StepFareEdu

Findings Sense of belonging BAME students relying more peer networks? White students on taking advantage of what’s available? Year 1s BAME White Positive impact on social integration 80% 48% Considering withdrawing 24% 43% Farenga, 2015 @StepFareEdu

Targeted interventions without wider buy-in Conclusions Targeted interventions without wider buy-in Challenge of using WW-1 as a foundation but allowing personalisation Curated student experience with demonstrable outcomes and personal narratives @StepFareEdu

Thank You! Any questions? Say hi to the team! Stephane Farenga Research & Evaluation Officer s.farenga@herts.ac.uk @StepFareEdu

References @StepFareEdu Burke, P.J. (2012). The right to higher education: Beyond widening participation. Oxon: Routledge. Callender, C. and Wilkinson, D. (2013) ‘Student Perceptions of the Impact of Bursaries and Institutional Aid on their Higher Education Choices and the Implications for the National Scholarship Programme in England’, Journal of Social Policy, 42, 2: 281-308. DOI: 10.1017/S0047279412000992. Ertl, H. and Hayward, G. (2010). “Caught in the ‘triple lock’? An evaluation of governance structures of the development of 14-19 Diplomas in England”, Research in Comparative and International Education, 5(3), 316-330. Farenga, S. (2015) ‘How going beyond financial support contributes to student success and retention: an institutional case study of the National Scholarship Programme’, Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning. 17, 3: 60-73. Farenga, S., Renton, R. and Collins, S. (2016) ‘Improving the transitional student experience through innovative delivery of the National Scholarship Programme’, Forum for Access and Continuing Education. @StepFareEdu

References @StepFareEdu Gale, T. and Parker, S. (2014) ‘Navigating change: a typology of student transition in higher education’, Studies in Higher Education. 39, 5: 734-753 Higher Education Funding Council for England. (2013a) ‘Trends in young participation in higher education’ at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2013/201328/HEFCE_2013_28.pdf (accessed 05 Apr 2017). Higher Education Funding Council for England. (2013b). Higher Education and Beyond: Outcomes from full-time first degree study. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2013/201315/ (accessed 05 Apr 2017). Higher Education Funding Council for England. (2015) ‘National Scholarship Programme’ at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/sas/nsp/ (accessed 20 Apr 2016). Office for Fair Access, (2015) ‘What do we know about the impact of financial support on access and student success?’ at https://www.offa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Literature-review-PDF.pdf (accessed 20 Apr 2016). @StepFareEdu

References @StepFareEdu Stake, R. (1995) The art of case study research. London: Sage Publications Terenzini, P., Springer, L., Yaeger, P., Pascarella, E., & Nora, A. (1996). First-generation college students: Characteristics, experiences, and cognitive development. Research in Higher Education, 37, 1–22. Thomas, L. (2012) ‘Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: final report from the What Works? Student retention & Success programme’ at https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/what_works_final_report.pdf (accessed 05 Apr 2017). Universities and Colleges Admissions Services. (2015) ‘End of Cycle report 2016’ at https://www.ucas.com/file/86541/download?token=PQnaAI5f (accessed 05 Apr 2017) Yin, R. (2009) Case study research design and methods. 4th ed., London: Sage Publications @StepFareEdu