1. Eoin Langan & Owen Ross Changing student expectation through “habit forming”: Describing the AIT Business School’s evolving student transition model for students entering third level education.

2.  14 institutes of technology  7 universities  Institutes of technology account for  44% undergrad students (62,000) University Institute of Technology Irish Higher Education

3. AIT Business School circa 1,600 students 3 Departments Only HEI in the Midlands Region Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of diversity – Educational (CAO, Mature/Life Experience) – Dispositional (self-esteem, EI, 1 st in family to HE) – Circumstantial (age, disability, caring role) – Cultural (Language, EAL) Specific socio-economic profile Economic resources Academic and Assessment literacies Business School circa 1,600 students 3 Departments Only HEI in the Midlands Region Diversity and Inclusion

4. AIT Business School circa 1,600 students 3 Departments Only HEI in the Midlands Region Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of diversity – Educational (CAO, Mature/Life Experience) – Dispositional (self-esteem, EI, 1 st in family to HE) – Circumstantial (age, disability, caring role) – Cultural (Language, EAL) Specific socio-economic profile Economic resources Academic and Assessment literacies Dimensions of diversity:  Educational (CAO, Mature/Life Experience)  Dispositional (self-esteem, EI, 1 st in family to HE)  Circumstantial (age, disability, caring role)  Cultural (Language, EAL) Specific socio-economic profile Economic resources Academic and Assessment literacies

5. How to get learners off the right start in Higher Education

6. Literature

7. Student Engagement The concept of engagement embraces a specific understanding of the relationship between students and institutions. Institutions are responsible for creating environments that make learning possible, and that afford opportunities to learn. The final responsibility for learning, however, rests with the student. The nature and degree of learning is dependent on how the student makes use of his/her environmental resources. (Krause and Coates 2008, p. 494)

8. Literature Student Responsibility Quality and Qualifications Ireland Principle 1 Learners are responsible for demonstrating their learning achievement. Assessments and Standards (Revised 2013, p. 6) Source: http://www.qqi.ie/Publications/Assessment_and_Standards%20Revised%202013.pdf

9. Literature Definition of Engagement Hamish Coates, describes engagement as: “a broad construct intended to encompass salient academic as well as certain non-academic aspects of the student experience” comprising the following: active and collaborative learning; participation in challenging academic activities; formative communication with academic staff; involvement in enriching educational experiences; feeling legitimated and supported by university learning communities. (2007, in Trowler, 2010, p.7)

10. Literature What is the Opposite to Engagement? Mann (2001, p.7) contrasted engagement with alienation, proposing the engagement–alienation dyad as a more useful framework to understand students’ relationships to their learning than the surface–strategic–deep triad Marton and Säljö, (1976), since both ‘surface’ and ‘strategic’ approaches to learning are responses to alienation from the content and the process of study.

11.  Krause (2005, 4) lists “inertia, apathy, disillusionment or engagement in other pursuits” as alternatives to engagement for the student.  Krause (2005, 9)  “For some students, engagement with the university experience is like engaging in a battle, a conflict. These are the students for whom the culture of the university is foreign and at times alienating and uninviting ”. (in Trowler, 2010, p.4)

12. Literature Driver of Change The First-Year Experience A positive first-year student experience is crucial to achieving the goals of higher education; failure to address the challenges encountered by students in their first year contributes to high drop-out and failure rates, with personal and system-wide implications. Transition into higher education – access and induction. National Strategy for Higher Education, p. 55-57 Source: http://www.hea.ie/sites/default/files/national_strategy_for_higher_education_2030.pdf

13. Literature Vincent Tinto Individual departure from institutions can be viewed as arising out of a longitudinal process of interactions between an individual with given attributes, skills, financial resources, prior educational experiences, and dispositions (intentions and commitments) and other members of the academic and social systems of the institution. The individual’s experience in those systems, as indicated by his/her intellectual (academic) and social (personal) integration, continually modifies his or her intentions and commitments. (Tinto 1993, pp. 113–115)

14. Literature High rates of withdrawal and low rates of satisfaction may have reputational, economic, ethical and legal implications for universities and colleges, as well personal and financial disadvantages for individuals. (Thomas, 2012, p.4) Source: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/What_works_final_report.pdf

15. LHDE  Learning and Development for Higher Education  Introduced in 2010 with a view to assisting transition  Compulsory 1 st Year 1 st Semester Module  Skills required for success in HE  Community of practice among academic who deliver the module

16. Business School Experience  Non Progression rate of over 30%  Learning & Development for HE module  Big Stick Approach - Any student failing a semester 1 subject – meet the HOD - Letter about meeting sent to students home - Advise/ Encourage/ Scare/ Listen  Students were (brutally) honest! - Average study for leaving cert = 2.5 -3 hours - Average study time in first year college – 0 hours  Conclusion: Students had formed bad habits!

17. Habit Forming  School Retention Strategy is based the theme “Habit Forming”  Building on habits from the Leaving Cert  Developed in conjunction with academic staff  1 st assignment at induction  1,500 word SWOT Analysis including referencing  Time consuming  Students likely to succeed  Two week deadline  Flags for those who did not submit or failed  Student get Earlier Big stick

18. A Bigger Jigsaw  Parents information session x 2  Briefings for students with failed modules  Not alone  Reinforce belief that you can succeed  Support Tutors  PASS Programme (Peer Assisted Student Support)

19.  How do you measure?  Overall reduction in Non Progression rates 13.7 %  Active programmes based on a 5 year weighted average 25% decline.  Programme non progression rates BA Accounting 26% to 17% BBS (hons) 25% to 12% HC in Office Management 29% to 6% HC in Business 30% to 29%

20. Future Enhancements  Changes to 1 st year programmes  Changing nature and timing of assessment  Learning Analytics from our VLE (Moodle)  Student Journey from dependent to independent learner  Business Psychology  Continue to monitor rates on an annual basis  Increase student participation  Adopting learning from this conference

21. Questions