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ANU College EWES Development & Delivery Team:Eda CevikJoss StehbensLisa PowickSusila Selvarajah
ANU College EWES Development & Delivery Team:Eda CevikJoss StehbensLisa PowickSusila Selvarajah
The 3 Rs: Redefining post entry student support- the way forward for pathway colleges
The 3 Rs: Redefining post entry student support- the way forward for pathway colleges
EWES:• an ANU support initiative;• to support:
– international students in their first & second year,– domestic students from non-English speaking backgrounds;
• no cost incurred by students• fully funded by ANU• delivered by ANU College.
English and Wellbeing Enhancement Series (EWES)
1. The Context
2. Development of the Initiative
3. Delivery of the Initiative
4. Lessons Learned
5. Looking Ahead
A Journey of Reinvention, Resilience and Resolution
Resilience
Resolution
Reinvention
English and Wellbeing Enhancement Series (EWES)
2018
THE BRIEF
The Context: The Stars Align
June 2019
ANU: New admissions &
diversity policy
ANUC: Fall in enrolment numbers
ANUC: Exploring opportunities with Partner University
ANU: Recognising the need for
additional support for International students
ANUC:Redundancies and
low staff morale
A Bare Bones Brief
July 2019
• Provide Extra-Curricular Support for international students
• 48 hours of student engagement in their first year of study
• A limited brief• No needs analysis• Some trepidation & anxiety • A tight time line
BUT much enthusiasm
Our journey begins
July 2019
Ideas abound
Based on experience with international students:
Academic skills students struggle with
Practical skills for living in Australia
Fun activities, games
Social hub for international students
July 2019
Needs, Wants and Desires
Content development Student attendance Administration of the initiative
• A needs analysis
• Active/further engagement with University Services
• A clear incentive to get students to attend
• A compulsory component to the initiative
• Software for registration
July 2019
Another Brick on the Wall
12 Core compulsory units
Elective
Elective Elective
Elective
Elective
24 two-hour workshops over the first year of study
July – October 2019
Reality check
No compulsory units No clear incentives Not a course or a program Explicitly language based
November 2019
Struggling to Find Our Place
Meetings with university partner showed:concern that many support services
were already in place;how the new initiative would fit in; the need to differentiate our content.
Resilience
August – December 2019
Back to the drawing board
Content rewritten: Explicit focus on language Academic language Language related to wellbeing
Final product: 24 Standalone Workshops
February 2020
Reinvention
Pick and Mix: 24 Stand-alone Workshops Reinvention
English Language Workshops Wellbeing WorkshopsBuilding Sentences Personal SafetyCommon Language Errors Physical Wellbeing for SuccessCommunicating Objectively Managing your FinancesCommunicating with Certainty Social WellbeingSpeaking with Clarity Communicating with University StaffUnderstanding Academic Integrity Studying in AustraliaFinding the Right Tone Emotional WellbeingFinding the Right Word Intercultural AwarenessUsing Presentation Language Living in AustraliaUsing Your Sources Looking for a Part-time JobWriting with Unity Your Rights as a Part-time WorkerReading with a PurposeUsing Discussion Language
February 2020
Resolution
A clear success!
• Great interest and enthusiasm from students
• Many O-Week sign ups
• Interest from other areas of the ANU
Trial by O-Week
February 2020
Stud
ent R
egis
tratio
ns
Week
In-class teaching at ANU College
• Workshops small and slow to start off
• Attendance is unpredictable
• Cancellations are common
• The need to stay positive
February 2020
The real deal: Workshops begin
Critical mass approaches
• Attendance picks up
• Student feedback positive
• Increase interest in initiative
• Iterative process: EWES continues to improve and grow
Pressing on: Workshops Continue
March 2020
Reinvention
Supporting off-shore students:
• Delayed arrival of ANU students from China due to COVID-19
• Decision by ANU to extend support
• Development of 6 onlineself-directed workshops
February 2020
Expect the unexpected Reinvention
EWES goes fully virtual
• Face-to-face delivery via Zoom
• New EWES learning platform: basedon initial online workshops
• Unfamiliar territory: Rapid skilldevelopment
Expect the unexpected
March 2020
Reinvention
Online is a major turning point for the initiative.• EWES reinvented: new content,
approaches and technologies
• A swell in registrations:
– Barriers removed
– Increased promotion andcooperation across ANU
– Meeting students’ academic,language and wellbeing needs
Stud
ent R
egis
tratio
ns
Weeks
50
100
Getting EWES to it
May 2020
The State of the EWEnion:
• Student base expanded to 2nd year international students.
• Over 200 unique student registrations
• 97% of students agree or strongly agree that the EWES learning experience is valuable
• 93% of students are very or extremely likely to recommend EWES to others.
August – September 2020
Stud
ent R
egis
tratio
ns
Weeks
50
200
100
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
ResolutionGetting EWES to it
Workshop design and content:• provides continuous language development• meets students language needs• gives students opportunities to practice English
Attendance NOT dependent on:• traditional incentives• compulsory component
Lesson 1: Keep it relevant
Lesson 2: Keep it Simple
For students:• simple registration,
enrolment & confirmation process
• easy cancellation and rescheduling
No complex systems to administer & track• Post workshop Google
Forms survey• Excel registration database.
Registration & Enrolment: It is simpler than it looks!
Lesson 3: Keep it flexible
Scheduling• workshops repeated at different times and days• schedule according to varying student needs
Workshop content• adapted to meet student feedback and needs
Delivery • face-to-face• self-directed• online
Students value a stress-free, friendly engagement
Students get to know the staff:• one administrator• six teachers
Students also appreciate:• personalised responses
Lesson 4: Keep it personal
University Partner• Over 20 face to face meetings • Associate Deans/ Heads of Colleges• Student Central• ANU Orientation & Market Day
ANU Students• Student groups (e.g. ANUSA, PARSA)• EWES Ambassadors
Lesson 5: Keep Engaged
Name of initiative• pronunciation of EWES • imagery and connotation• alternatives were more inspirational (ARISE)
BUT EWES it is! You just get EWES to it!
Lesson 6:Don’t sweat the small stuff
Looking ahead:Offer both online and on-site
Student evaluation:• Online – time
management• On site – meeting others
face to face
Looking ahead:Expand the suite of workshops
24 New WorkshopsLevel of difficulty of existing workshops
• EWES Finding a Part time Job Workshop & ANU Careers
• Academic Skills
• ANU Counselling
• Engagement and Success
Looking Ahead:Expand collaboration with ANU
An opportunity for:
• Pathway colleges – post entry English language
• ELICOS teachers – work in the university space
Final TakeawayResilience
Resolution
Reinvention
Questions?
Would you like to learn about this initiative?
Contact us: [email protected]
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