STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES AT A SOUTH - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES AT A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY: AT A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY: A University of Johannesburg A University of Johannesburg First First Year Experience success story Year Experience success story

Maxine Shandler – Maxine Shandler – Head: Access Programmes, Head: Access Programmes, Academic Development Centre, Academic Development Centre, University of Johannesburg University of Johannesburg mshandler@uj.ac.za mshandler@uj.ac.za June 2010 June 2010

OUTCOMES OF OUTCOMES OF PRESENTATION PRESENTATION

• T
• discuss the academic benefjts that underprepared students believe that

they have derived from student support programmes;

• T
• illustrate how these benefjts have prepared them for the rigours of HE

study and contributed to their success in HE;

• T
• indicate, using statistics, that the success rate of underprepared students

who have participated in the student support programmes at the UJ is higher than that of students nationally who meet the minimum entrance requirements and are accepted into mainstream programmes.

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

T

• discuss:
• How the principles of Academic Development, the First Year Experience

and Invitational Education have led to the development of innovative teaching and learning methodologies which are focused on ensuring that all the needs of the under-prepared students in these programmes are met;

• How these innovative teaching and learning methodologies have

infmuenced the success of students in student support programmes.

SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

• Numerous educational and curriculum changes since fjrst democratic elections

in 1994;

• Increased access to Higher Education;
• Secondary education failing in its job;
• Misrepresentation of students’ knowledge and competence in terms of results;
• First generation students;
• Underprepared students, teachers, lecturers;
• Lack the skills and competencies required for Higher Education studies.

UNIVERSITY OF UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG CONTEXT JOHANNESBURG CONTEXT

• Comprehensive University;
• 46,000 students
• 9 faculties
• ADC ofgers extended diploma (student support) programmes on behalf of

the following faculties:

• Engineering – 250 students,
• Management – 350 students, and
• Humanities – 50 students.
• 2 models of student support programmes;
• Bridging, foundation, extended diploma programmes = student support

programmes.

WHAT IS AN EXTENDED DIPLOMA? WHAT IS AN EXTENDED DIPLOMA?

• A National Diploma or Degree in which the fjrst year is split over two years

in order to upgrade the skills and knowledge required for the chosen fjeld

• f study and HE;
• Ministerially approved programmes extended by one full academic year;
• Can be 1 + 3 or 2 + 2 model;
• Foundational provisioning must be additional to the coursework prescribed

for the regular curriculum;

• Substantial foundational provisioning is provided in modules that are

identifjed by faculty as “high risk”;

• All modules have to be credit bearing;
• Diploma programme students have a unique profjle with specifjc needs.

UNDERSTANDING STUDENT UNDERSTANDING STUDENT SUPPORT (AD) PROGRAMMES AT SUPPORT (AD) PROGRAMMES AT THE UJ THE UJ

• Embrace a holistic approach and provide support for academic and non-academic

programmes;

• First year subject course materials used together with additional AD strategies and

materials to equip students with the academic and life skills, knowledge and competencies required for entry in HE studies;

• Contrary to mainstream courses, students’ prior knowledge is not taken for granted;
• Students don’t attend lectures with large numbers of students and are not too

intimidated to ask questions;

• Receive large amount of feedback when they fail an assessment and as a result they

understand where they have gone wrong and how to improve their performance;

• AD at UJ focuses on enhancing the quality and efgectiveness of teaching and learning;
• Not a band aid approach.

STUDENT PROFILE STUDENT PROFILE

• Disadvantaged social and educational backgrounds;
• 2nd/3rd/4th language English speakers – functional English insuffjcient to engage in

an interactive learning environment;

• Lack prerequisite content knowledge or may lack the ability to use knowledge they

have;

• Interpersonal and communication skills needed for efgective engagement at HE level

may be inadequate;

• Require pedagogically sound teaching strategies to introduce concepts gradually

using examples from their own frame of reference;

• Study skills not suffjciently developed to support mainstream subjects;
• Although they have come from this context, they have potential to succeed but need

efgective programmes to deal with the educational gaps.

EFFECTIVE STUDENT EFFECTIVE STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES SUPPORT PROGRAMMES

Efgective programmes should be based on the intersection between:

• 1. Emerging ideas around the First Year Experience (FYE).
• 2. Invitational Education; and
• 3. The innovative teaching and learning methodologies that characterise

Academic Development;

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE (FYE) (FYE)

Aimed at ensuring that students are supported during the transition from secondary education to HE.

• Issues and characteristics central to FYE
• Importance of understanding the students;
• Recognise that students in transition frequently change cultures;
• Many of those who teach in HE are not well prepared to teach efgectively;
• Learning in 21st Century changed – incorporate new technologies.
• Principles of FYE
• Familiarise students with physical environment, academic culture & support

services;

• Develop students’ sense of purpose & direction by promoting their

understanding of their course;

• Promote and support students’ engagement with the University & their peers;
• T
• enhance students’ learning by developing their knowledge and skills, taking

into account their diverse backgrounds and abilities.

INVITATIONAL EDUCATION INVITATIONAL EDUCATION

Powerful process of communicating caring and appropriate messages to summon forth the greatest human potential.

• 4 basic assumptions – respect, trust, optimism, intentionality;
• 4 levels of functioning
• Intentionally Disinviting
• Unintentionally Disinviting
• Unintentionally Inviting
• Intentionally Inviting
• 5 areas – People, Places, Policies, Programmes and Processes

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

Defjned as:

‘an open set of practices concerned with improving the quality of teaching and learning in higher education’ Volbrecht and Boughey (2004:58), extended by De Kadt (2008:1) to include ‘the professional development of teaching stafg’.

Guiding principles of Academic Development:

• T
• ensure equity of access and outcomes;
• T
• ensure the academic success of talented students;
• T
• develop innovative pedagogic strategies;
• T
• counteract the ‘articulation gap’ between students’ prior learning and HE’s

expectations;

• T
• enhance the quality and efgectiveness of teaching and learning in HE;
• T
• exert a positive infmuence on the structure of mainstream curricula.

METHODOLOGY & METHODOLOGY & PEDAGOGY PEDAGOGY

• OBE principles – results-oriented, learner focused, curriculum design, content

and lecturing are informed by assessment;

• Innovative pedagogical strategies and teaching methodologies - acquisition
• f skills rather than rote based learning of content;
• Lecturers with teaching background guide students initially - individual

attention and specialised tuition;

• Students valued, respected and encouraged, boosts self-confjdence and self-

esteem;

• Doubts about chosen career path resolved through immersion in discipline;
• Provide a strong knowledge and skill foundation;
• Students apprised of their efgorts - Progress reports;
• Identifjcation and tracking of ‘at risk’ students.

MONITORING UNDER-PREPARED MONITORING UNDER-PREPARED STUDENTS STUDENTS

In Class: In Class:

• Small group teaching allows for making a realistic appraisal of the students’ prior

learning and embedded knowledge;

• Identify and manage the struggling student;
• Assess continuously using a variety of assessment methods.

In the Centre: In the Centre:

• Interrogate fjrst assessment opportunity and track students;
• Weekly meetings and reports highlight concerns about students – absenteeism, bad

attitude;

• Mark review meetings followed by consultation with Academic Advisor;
• Students below 50% - compulsory Student Academic Intervention Programme.

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS INTERVENTIONS

• Provide opportunities for students to connect with other students - ADC Orientation,

Student Conference;

• Supportive, nurturing teaching and learning environment to address students’ special

needs;

• Students consult stafg and discuss with peers without fear of ridicule;
• Learning communities develop and study groups form;
• The developmental nature of learning is emphasised and achievement is

acknowledged;

• Areas of weakness are identifjed and procedures for improvement are provided;
• Content is scafgolded to close the ‘articulation gap’ and to enhance the teaching and

learning;

• Foundational provision is intrinsically woven into the regular curriculum without

compromising the quality of the curriculum.

FOUNDATIONAL PROVISION FOUNDATIONAL PROVISION (FP) (FP)

• Primary Purpose = to provide a set of learning activities designed

to enable educationally disadvantaged students to perform successfully in their chosen fjelds of study;

• FP -intrinsic part of curriculum; formally accredited modules;

additional to the prescribed coursework;

• T

ypes of FP –

• Fully Foundational Modules – preparatory to 1st level course;
• Augmented modules – same duration, contact time doubled;
• Extended modules – longer duration, combine regular course material

with substantial foundational material

FOUNDATIONAL PROVISION IN FOUNDATIONAL PROVISION IN MATERIALS MATERIALS

• T
• explain diffjcult concepts and terms in easy to understand language;
• T
• break theory up into smaller parts;
• T
• provide additional, real life application exercises and case studies from the

students’ own frame of reference – often lacking in international or traditional textbooks;

• T
• scafgold the theory and application exercises - basic to progressively more

advanced as topic develops - thus encouraging understanding as opposed to rote learning;

• Materials constantly refer to the textbook thus showing integration of resources;
• T
• allow for multiple assessment opportunities;
• T
• encourage students note making, note taking and annotating which eliminates the

possibility of losing class notes made on separate pieces of paper.

MEASURING THE MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAMME PROGRAMME

• Student evaluation
• Statistics
• Monitoring of students
• Feedback from past students
• Feedback from faculty members

RESEARCH AIMS RESEARCH AIMS

T

• determine:
• 1. How students perceived their experience of fjrst year;
• 2. Whether students perceived that they had benefjted academically

as a result of their fjrst year experience;

• 3. Whether the success rate of students in the Engineering student

support programmes is higher than that of students who enter directly into HE programmes;

RESEARCH DESIGN RESEARCH DESIGN

• Qualitative and quantitative methods;
• Student performance based on results;
• Generic qualitative approach to understand students’ perceptions
• f their fjrst year experience and the academic benefjts that they

had derived;

• Results and data gathered analysed and interpreted using

interpretivist lens.

DATA COLLECTION TOOLS DATA COLLECTION TOOLS

• Purposeful sampling - 2005 and 2006 cohort;
• Student results derived from a variety of cohorts between 2001

and 2009;

• T

elephonic interviews (ongoing);

• Focus group interviews.

FINDINGS FINDINGS

Laying strong academic foundations

Nurturing Environment And Caring Relationships

Bridge from ‘where they are’ to ‘where they need to be’

Motivation Academic Integration

Perceived benefjts of alternate access programmes

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Students perceived that student support programmes had: 1. Academically integrated them into mainstream appropriately; * Made familiar with new ways of doing; learnt student success skills; acquired good academic habits, English profjciency; lecturers don’t teach.

• 2. Motivated them to pursue further studies in higher education;

* Ashamed and demotivated; not prepared to live up to label; develop confjdence from good marks and encouragement; S2 qualifjed for all exams.

• 3. Enabled them to move from ‘where they were’ to ‘where they have to be’

academically; * Explicit about type of learning is expected; no assumptions about prior knowledge; taught what to do then ‘go catch a fjsh’; practiced new skills in case studies.

• 4. Supported them due to the nurturing environment and caring relationships;

* emotional & social support; part of a family; sense of belonging; didn’t want to disappoint lecturers; learning communities; lecturers like parents.

• 5. Laid strong academic foundations.

* Don’t miss lectures; academic discipline; mastered the ‘how’; can use library, internet; in S1realise you’re way better than them; study groups; prioritise efgorts.

RESUL TS 2001 BRIDGING RESUL TS 2001 BRIDGING COHORT COHORT

RESUL TS 2002 BRIDGING RESUL TS 2002 BRIDGING COHORT COHORT

RESULTS 2005 FOUNDATION RESULTS 2005 FOUNDATION COHORT COHORT

RESULTS 2006 FOUNDATION RESULTS 2006 FOUNDATION COHORT COHORT

FINDINGS COMPARED TO SCOTT FINDINGS COMPARED TO SCOTT ET AL’S NATIONAL FINDINGS ET AL’S NATIONAL FINDINGS

Scott, Yeld and Hendry’s (2007) analysis

• f Engineering National Diploma

cohorts in South Africa

__________________________________________________________

2000 and 2001 17%

• f students in Engineering National

Diplomas graduated in 5 years Shandler , Machika and van Wyk’s (2009) analysis of extended Engineering National Diploma cohorts in the UJ ________________________________

2001 95% completed in 4½ years 2002 68% completed in 4 years 2005 88% completed in 4 years 2006 56% minimum expected to complete in 4 years

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF COMPARISON IN PERCENTAGES COMPARISON IN PERCENTAGES

CONCLUSIONS & CONCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS LIMITATIONS

Conclusions:

This research study reveals that: (i) Students benefjt from student support programmes in a number of ways; (ii) These benefjts contribute to their academic success in their further studies; (iii) Statistics confjrm their success compared to a national study.

Limitations:

(i) Students who failed the programmes were excluded; (ii) Participants only from Engineering faculty; (iii) Other factors contributing to success not considered.

RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

In order for student support programmes to be benefjcial (efgective):

• Lecturers must employ a pedagogical approach and move gradually towards an

androgogical approach;

• Students must be introduced to ‘new ways of doing’ in respectful, optimistic, trusting

and caring manner;

• Students must be invited to become members of the academic community;
• Students must be encouraged to rise above the labels assigned to them;
• University stafg must ensure that students feel a ‘sense of belonging’ to the

community that they’ve just entered;

• The manner in which orientation, teaching, consultation and assessment must

change in line with student needs.

FURTHER POINTS FOR FURTHER POINTS FOR DISCUSSION DISCUSSION

1. Lecturers who lecture on or develop materials for student support programmes report how their teaching and assessment strategies have become more learner-centred; 2. Extra learning materials help to develop understanding and make meaning of knowledge by providing an authentic curriculum in which students are able to apply theory to real life situations in a variety of ways; 3. If students have a sense of ownership of the institution they will be more successful; 4. Extended time provides lecturers with the opportunity to refmect on what they have taught and how well students have understood it; 5. Lecturers need to be available to all students; 6. Although there is discussion in SA to mainstream the 4-year diploma there is still a place for student support programmes given the state of secondary schooling in SA; 7. Can the success of the foundation-type programmes be replicated in the mainstream if this entails the watering down of the pedagogy and methodology that models success?