Early Assessment Betsie Vlok  Lecturer in Occupational Therapy (OT)  B OT 1 Class coordinator May 2007 May 2007

First Year Academy: Early Assessment as seen in the context of the program Occupational Therapy from the Faculty of Health Science.

Overview  Why Early Assessment (EA)  EA in perspective to the Occupational Therapy (OT) Program  Time frame for assessment  Process to identify the student at risk  Looking at possible underlying factors.  Action plans  Summary

Big Picture: Why EA?  US Strategic planning (March 2000) Vision for teaching A university characterized by quality teaching by: the constant renewal of teaching and learning programs, the creation of effective learning opportunities TGLO Support for a more diverse group of students Throughput, maintain, success Student centered learning and teaching environment SOL VA 2007

EA 2007  Identify students at risk early in the academic year –4- 6 weeks –Assessment opportunities –Under 50% –Communicate to students their marks –Actions plans to help students  VA process at OT

EA in perspective to the OT  OT – 4 year occupation specific course.  Entry requirements –Selection process –Mathematics and a Science  % Places for ‘previously disadvantage students’  Tuesday and Wednesday (afternoon) students at TBH Campus ; Thursday afternoon OT at Stellenbosch Campus

The complex situation Subjects in B OT 1  Basiese kennis vakke  Sielkunde 114,144  Sosiologie 114,142,152  Spesiale Fisika 142  Bedryfsielkunde 142, Bedryfsielkunde (Arbeidsterapie) 132  Biologie (Geneeskunde) 111, Biologie (AGB)  Beroepspesifieke vak  Arbeidsterapie 178 (Teoreties en prakties)  Filosofie en Modelle in Arbeidsterapie  Aktiwiteite van die daaglikse lewe by die mens  Gesondheid  Disfunksie  Aktiwiteitstudie  Aanvullende Media  (Bestuur, Onderrig en leer; Ontwerp, Navorsing).  Professionele Aangeleenthede  Kliniese Werk

How do we coordinate B OT 1  Program coordinator  Class coordinator  Class leader  4 Class meetings during the year –Strategy problem solving –Discuss academic and academic topics –Communication opportunity

Timeframe for assessment  Basic knowledge subjects 4-6 weeks for assessment – 7 the week contact with program coordinators  OT –Permission to use March test. –First weeks – orientation to different subjects. –March test: 6 Questions from different subjects  Class coordinator collect students results –Encourage students to discuss with lecturers –Analyze the results

Results Lets look at the results  Previous results –March test: no students under 50% since 2005 one student –June test 2006

Verspreiding van punte Junie toets Aantal studente Punte uit 50 Figuur 1: Verspreiding van eerstejaar arbeidsterapiestudente se prestasiepunte vir die Junie toets Verspreiding van punte Maart toets Aantal studente Punte uit 50 Gemiddelde van die klas Onder 50% Figuur 2: Verspreiding van eerstejaar arbeidsterapiestudente se prestasiepunte vir die Maart toets ? Level of Knowledge and understanding ? Level of Knowledge

Meaning of Results  More students battle from the start of the academic year.  Increase of poor performance  9 students at risk –1 due to emotional problems –8 poor academic performance STUDENTE AANTAL MODULES Sosiologie 114 Sielkunde 114 Biologie 111 Bedryfsielkunde 132 Arbeidsterapie % 437?4 50% 11?3 Tabel 1. Aantal risiko studente in die onderskeie modules vir B Arbeidsterapie I in Maart, 2007.

? The Problem  Pre Knowledge from school –Biology: –All students had Biology and Science grade 12, Mainly on higher level –No Significance –OT ? Recall of information  Subject/module  Student

Subject Module  Biology –More students higher marks than under 50% –Information from class meeting: Students struggle with terminology –Action plans: Tutorials over 2 weeks in July

Subject OT 178  Level of questions  Monitoring of questions  Results: Average and individual questions Gemiddelde prestasie in elke vraag Vrae van verskillende onderwerpe prestasie Onderwerpe Figuur 3: Die gemiddelde prestasie van studente tydens die Maarttoets 2007 in Arbeidsterapie. Question level: Knowledge Unequal distribution

Student  Meeting with students at risk  Explain EA – as a help initiative  Response very positive  Individuals indicate their perception of the problem

Student  Qualitative information  Themes –Study methods (5) Amount, context –Adaptation after gap year and to varsity (2) –Stress management (2) –Don’t understand questions: Multi choice (1) –Language (English and Afrikaans)(2) –Late start with program (1) –Need to put in more energy into studying (1) –Study environment too noisy (1)

Students  Individual action plans – 0% response –Students can identify their problems or weak points and strengths (study Whittle, Whelan & Murdoch-Eaton, 2007) –But not ready to take responsibility for own learning  Class coordinator will meet individual students

Action plans  Encourage student ; SSVO: Study methods, stress management and time management  Tutorial : Answering questions –Approach –Level of questions  Individual action plans  July seminar to consolidate information from the beginning of the year  Subject – plus tutorials (Huxman from Napier University, Star Project)  Tutorials – web if needed  Evaluate indicators – results ( June, Sept and Exam) and student’s perception (focus group)  EA evaluate by planning meeting

4 class meetings Class leader Lecturers open door policy Actions already in place to support students Students Class coordinator Mentor Mentor-tut SSVO formal Buddy informal New EA added value

Summary  In line with US vision – OT structure optimal learning environment for effective learning and help to ensure positive results  EA –opportunity to evaluate academic performance and to plan and implement early interventions. Students should develop more skills to enable them to take on the responsibility for own learning  Socio-emotional problems should be identify early and refer for support  One challenge still to take on: Top performers

Jy kan nie die leer van die lewe klim met jou hande in die sakke nie Arbeidsterapie hoop om deur effektiewe, innoverende Onderrig en Leer die studente tot professionele, trotse jong volwassenes te begelei wat verantwoordelikheid sal neem vir lewenslange leer.

Hope all students shall go from