1. Improving transition for Combined Honours students through a holistic engagement approach
Colin Bryson, Alex Roper, Hannah Lyons, Stacey Duggan, Grace Cooper and Helen Thomas
Combined Honours
Newcastle University

2. Fostering student engagement
The Australian evidence (FYE, McInnis, Krause, inter alia)
The US evidence (NSSE, Pascarella & Terenzini, Tinto)
My own evidence (Bryson, Hand, Hardy)

3. Conception of SE
Engagement is a concept which encompasses the perceptions, expectations and experience of being a student and the construction of being a student in HE (Bryson and Hand, 2007).

4. To foster SE - aims Combat the alienating forces (Mann, 2001)
Academic and social integration (Tinto, 1993)
Belonging (Kember et al, 2001)
Community (Wenger, 1999; Tinto, 2006; McInnis, 2005; Perry, 1997)

5. Key influences on engagement (Bryson & Hand)
Student expectations and perceptions – match to the ‘personal project’ (Dubet)
Balances between challenge and appropriate workload
Degrees of choice, autonomy, risk, and opportunities for growth and enjoyment
Trust relationships
Communication and discourse
The holistic approach – transition pedagogies (Kift)

6. Issues in this case – less than good experiences and perceptions
Lack of support from staff
No sense of belonging or identity
Poor academic and social integration into subjects and degree
Lowest NSS score!

7. The nature of degree An almost unique path through modules
A non-shared curriculum experience
But could not be done through the curriculum or classroom….

8. A slightly different approach
Co-determination - Not just listening to the student voice but empowering – co-ownership of the agenda and the implementation
Making linked interventions
Evaluation and more interventions

9. Empowering the student voice
Indirect – lots of feedback gathering
Direct – new student presentation system
Student led
Wider student forums

10. Interventions Changes to the degree – minor and major
Alternatives to personal tutor support
Redesign of induction
Building community – reinvigorated society, common room
Peer mentor system – the flagship

11. Peer mentor scheme
Students wanted a transition mentor scheme not peer assisted learning
Recruited one mentor per ten first years
Trained
Had pre-induction advisory and socialising role
Major roles in induction week and weekly meetings thereafter

12. Two different systems evolved
Most mentors faded into background after week 1 of term – perceived they were not needed – 85% of mentees did not participate after induction week
But 6 mentors had far higher impact – had 60-90% of mentees participating in one way or other
The latter group took responsibility through ownership (became self-reinforcing)

13. Did it all work? Gathered lots of evaluation
Mentor system a success – 80% of students drew on it
Other interventions well received
These approaches seen as exemplars by rest of the university
….BUT

14. Some limits… Full buy–in – 10% of the students
Those that really get involved
10% of students participate
60% make use to some extent – and appreciate it more or less (but don’t feel part of a community)
20% at best indifferent or oblivious
And involvement in some aspects – giving , social events etc remains problematic

15. So back to engagement
Some students show engagement to the programme aspects – relationships and dialogue, even discourse
Others are clearly engaged enough to be doing well enough in their studies and apparently enjoying their student experience
? – no communication channel

16. Questions to address (and consider your own context)
1.Where should the focus be for building the sense of belonging and community: University or subject or degree or more local? 2. Consider the model of student (rep) as partner – pro’s, con’s and limits?

17. More…
3.Is peer mentoring and support an alternative to personal tutoring and learning support (i.e. staff)?
4. Do we need to reach all the first year students or it enough just to offer opportunities?

18. And more
5.Which students should we prioritise in our fostering student engagement agenda? The disengaged – very challenging! The slightly engaged – big dividends The already engaged – most gratifying…