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SAST: Fostering student engagement through supporting academic development

SAST: Fostering student engagement through supporting academic developmentJulie Blackwell-Young

Sarah Parkes

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>The HEA/HEFCE model of student engagement (see Thomas and Ceredigion-Ball, 2011, p 14)

>Development of the SAST system and how this fits into the model

>Findings of a student SAST evaluation survey and the impact of SAST on the student experience.

SAST: Fostering student engagement through supporting academic development

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Senior Academic Support Tutors

• Replaced the previous Academic Support Tutor system within SHS• Comprises of five academic colleagues • H7 from 9-4pm for drop-ins or appointments plus email, mobile and landline

telephone• Advise and support academic and personal issues including but not limited

too: Personal Development Planning Presence at various committees

Mitigating circumstances, Programme Assessment Boards, Academic Standards Student Services , Pastoral and Welfare Group, Student Support Group.

Academic progress and regulations - extensions; Individual Learning Plan’s; Reasonable Adjustment

Plan’s; transfers; suspension; withdrawal Supporting and liaising with staff in their support of students ILP referrals Advocacy

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Student Engagement to Improve Student Retention and Success (Thomas and Ceredigion Ball, 2011)

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SAST operating within the ‘Student Engagement to Improve Student Retention and Success’ model

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SAST: Use of service since 0809

  Instances of contact

  Students

Number Number0809 49  0910 182 1471011 642 351

77 male; 269 female; 5

gender not recorded

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SAST: Instances of contact

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 Reason Instance of contact (09/10)

 

Instance of contact

(10/11)

Integrating Theory 2  Bereavement 1 15Mental Health 3 12Financial 3 4Careers 11 0Other 15 16Institute Transfer   1Personal Relationships

  12

Social and Peer relations

  1

Follow up meeting   10Physical Health   32Residential   2Programme Transfer

  9

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SAST Survey 2011

Respondents:

20% response rate81% full time student92% honours degree

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SAST Survey 2011

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Where now?

Qualitative study into ‘The impact of the SAST scheme on students experience of higher education; their progression and success.’

Analysis of institutional data re mitigation, ILP, fail and withdrawal decisions, appeals and student progression

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References:

Crossling, G., Thomas, L. and Heagney, M.(eds.) (2008) Improving student retention in higher education. New York: Routledge Falmer

Dodgson, R. and Bolam, H. (2002) Student retention, support and widening participation in the North East of England, Universities for the North East, available from: www.unis4ne.ac.uk/unew/projectsadditionalfi les/wp/retention_report.pdf

Hills, J. (2003) Stakeholder perceptions of the employability of non-traditional students, London: London Metropolitan University, available from: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/employability/projects/gem/publication/home.cfm

James, R., Krause, K., and Jennings, C.(2010) The first year experience in Australian universities: Findings from 1994–2009. Available from: www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/research/FYE_Report_1994_to_2009.pdf

Jones, R. and Thomas, L.(2005) The 2003 UK government higher education white paper: a critical assessment of its implications for the access and widening participation agenda. Journal of Education Policy.20 (5), pp.615–30.

Kuh, G.D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J.H., Whitt, E.J.and associates (2005) Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Higher Education Academy, The Higher Education Funding Council for England and Action on Access (2011) Retention Grants Programme, Briefing No.6 [online]. Available from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/retention/retention_illustrative_examples_july2011 (accessed July 2011)

Thomas, L., and Jamieson-Ball, C. (eds) (2011) Engaging students to improve student retention and success in higher education in Wales, Higher Education Academy, [online]. Available from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/inclusion/Retention/EngagingStudentstoImrpoveRetentioninWales_English (accessed June 2011)