Student Success Advisor Training Foundation Program Session 1: Orientation to Griffith & to the SSA Role

Acknowledgment of Country In the Spirit of Reconciliation Following on from Sorry Day I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land that we are meeting on today, the Yugambeh People, and pay respect to their Elders past & present

Overview Three Questions What are the academic contexts in which you will be working? Who are our students with whom you will be working?? What is the general focus of your SSA role?

What are the academic contexts in which you will be working? Four Academic Groups

What is the notional structure of an academic Group?

What are types of Degree Program contexts in which you might work? Aligned Feeder Common Start Degree Program School P Sc Foundation Year Degree Program Sc PP

Business Group (GBS) Departments Dept of Accounting, Finance & Economics Dept of Employment Relations & Human Resources Dept of International Business & Asian Studies Dept of Marketing Dept of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel & Sport Management School of Government & International Relations

Business Group (GBS) Programs Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor of Business (Nathan & GC) Bachelor of Business (HTERS) (Nathan & GC) Bachelor of Commerce (Nathan & GC) Bachelor of International Relations (Nathan & GC) Bachelor of International Business (Nathan & GC)

Health Applied Psychology (MG & GC campuses) Public Health (GC) Nursing & Midwifery (Nathan, Logan & GC) Human Services & Social Work (Logan & GC) Medicine (GC) Health Foundation Program for the first year (GC) x 5 Schools Pharmacy (GC) Medical Science (GC) Dentistry & Oral Health (GC) Rehabilitation Sciences (GC) Public Health (Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics) (GC)

Arts Education and Law (AEL) School of Criminology & Criminal Justice Griffith Law School School of Humanities School of Education & Professional Studies School of Languages & Linguistics Griffith Film School Qld Conservatorium Qld College of Art

SEET Four Schools School of Engineering School of Information & Communication Technology School of Environment School of Biomedical & Physical Sciences

What is the SSA role?

Student Success Advisors Goal Co-creating a student success culture in a School or Program. Context Embedded in a specific academic setting(i.e., a particular School/Program on a particular campus.

Embedded...not arms length!

Embedded....but not stuck!

Embedded...but not consumed!

Embedded....in working partnerships!

See the Handout for your embedded practice contexts

Who are our Students?

Griffith Student Context Institutional Context Large metropolitan university (1 of 7 in S-E Qld) across 5 campuses x 60 k corridor. Large metropolitan university (1 of 7 in S-E Qld) across 5 campuses x 60 k corridor. Enrolment of 42,000 Enrolment of 42,000 Student Diversity 70% of students are first-in-family at uni 70% of students are first-in-family at uni 6 th highest low SES student intake in Australia (as high as 45% in some Programs) 6 th highest low SES student intake in Australia (as high as 45% in some Programs) 3 rd highest Indigenous student intake in Australia 3 rd highest Indigenous student intake in Australia 25% International student enrolment 25% International student enrolment Keithia Wilson GU - May 2012

Higher Education Political Context Moving from an elite (0-15% participation) to a mass model (16-50%) of higher education (Trow, 2004). Federal policy driver of widening student participation in Higher Education – A FAIR GO! (Bradley Report, 2008) Increasing the access to and success of students from low SES and disadvantaged backgrounds to university. Keithia Wilson - Griffith University 2012

Who are our students?

What is Student Diversity? Traditional Students (TS) medium-high SES second generation higher entry levels full time on-campus Elite Model Non-Traditional Students (NTS) low SES first-in-family lower entry levels full-time & working not on-campus much Indigenous NESB, International, refugees disability Mature are with home care responsibilities from rural & remote settings Mass Model Prof Keithia Wilson ALTC National Fellow

What do we assume our students know?

Two domains of assumed knowledge 1.Foundational Academic Skills Well- recognised by support and academic staff 2. Academic Capital The Hidden Curriculum generally less well recognised, understood or acknowledged by academic staff

What are some Foundational Academic Skills? Information Literacy Computer Literacy Reading Skills Written Communication Numeracy Skills Critical thinking & analysis Independent Learning (self-regulation) (viz. time on task, self-study, time management, uni-work- social life balance, successful student behaviour) Prof Keithia Wilson ALTC National Fellow

What are some aspects of academic or cultural capital? The “Hidden Curriculum” Student role Understanding student role expectations & successful behaviour (realistic role appraisal, time investment necessary to achieve, predictors of success, home study desk, computer access) Performance Expectations Reading the academic context for performance requirements about studying & especially assessment (different language, academic jargon) Help-seeking Capacity for help-seeking without fear of negative labelling (dumb/stupid) Identity as a student Sense of belonging & personal fit with university & role (overcome the “outsider within” phenomenon – “A stranger in a foreign land”) Prof Keithia Wilson ALTC National Fellow

Are non-traditional students (NTS) capable of being successful at university?

The national research evidence shows: The success rate (or tendency to pass their year’s subjects) of low SES students is 97% of the pass rates of their medium & high SES peers & has been stable over the last 9 years (Bradley et al, 2008:30) However, they require higher levels of support to succeed e.g., financial assistance, academic support, mentoring & counselling services (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009) Prof Keithia Wilson ALTC National Fellow

How do we contribute to our students’ success?

Types of Intervention Approaches to the First Year Experience First Generation Strategies = Co-Curricular A focus on designing FYO &E supplemental activities & strategies which are outside of the classroom (Orientation, Peer Mentoring) Second Generation Strategies = Curricular A focus on enhancing FY curriculum design, pedagogy and assessment practices Third Generation Strategies = Systemic Whole-of-Institution Institution wide approach to 1 st & 2 nd generation strategies, with practice standardisation & QA mechanisms for continuous improvement (FYAs/Cs & SSAs) Whole-of-School/Program Strategic combination of 1 st & 2 nd generation strategies for a particular disciplinary context (FYA/Cs & SSAs)

An Integrated Griffith Strategy

Where does the Student Success Advisor fit in the overall strategy? A co-curricular role, designed primarily as a proactive intervention role for enhancing student engagement, success and retention.

How does the Student Success Advisor role contribute?

Student Success Advisor Role is: Outcome oriented and focused on being a ‘game changer’ in students lives. Informed by and contributes to an ongoing evidence base about ‘what makes a difference’ or ‘produces results’.

Student Success Advisor How shall we learn more about our roles as Student Success Advisors?

Student Success Advisor

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