Divination and Forecasting: What Will Happen in the Future of HE?

Becka ColleyDean of Students

National Teaching Fellow

The Runes They Say…

• Chris might finally have started to relax• Eloise will have knitted a sexy jumper for

everyone in the audience• Ed will snigger every time I mention technology• 3 people will fall asleep• Matches and gas lamps will have made a

comeback, but only in booths in the Crown• I will have spoken too fast, again• And it will all still be Nick Clegg’s fault

By the end of this keynote I predict that…

Areas of Focus…

• Changing nature of student population and expectations about HE experience

• Impact on institutions of new funding regime

• Role of Learning Development

But first!

Let’s do some shared thinking…

not really ;-)

Card sort instructions

In groups, discuss the student quotes• Decide if they are related to issues of:

– social– academic– professional service– organisational

• What would you do to support the student? How would you do this?

• 5 mins!

To get you thinking…

Students 2.0?

• Who/what are modern students? –A vision of students today (Wesch, 2007)

–Engaging Students at Bradford (Currant, 2009)

• What issues do they face? • What challenges does this pose for us?• How do we respond to differences from the

‘norm’?

Stating the Obvious But…

…Higher Education is changing:• “The university system is in need of ‘radical

change’ to provide a better deal for taxpayers and students” (Willetts, 10 June 2010)

• How is the sector going to respond?• What will you do differently?• How can Learning Development support

this process?

• Over last 20 years Higher education has undergone radical and unprecedented change (Education Act, 1992; Dearing Report, 1997; Roberts Report, 2003; Leitch

Report, 2006; Browne, 2010; CSR, 2010)

• Learners are entering with different expectations and assumptions about their experiences

• The student body has become dramatically more heterogeneous and has fragmented in some cases

The Impact of ‘massification’

What will happen to HE?

Go Back to Basics??

Become Futuristic??

Universities 2.0?

• Diversity of entry routes

• Issues of dealing with developing autonomy

• Earning whilst learning

• Disengaged learners seeking qualification

• Pressures on the system and individuals

• Changing processes within an inflexible

system

• Tradition and history

£9000 a year fees will be the

exception not the rule.

“Certain tutors appear arrogant and unwilling to listen to student's views. Tutors are often unable to make lectures interesting and/or

teach the subject matter in a way that clearly communicates the information and is stimulating. £3,000+ per year definitely

not worth it.” [quote from NSS]

In the context of…

• How long to see the impact and effects?

• And how long before even more change??

Outcome = Mixed (imho…)

Those that can, will and those that can’t, will (struggle…)

What does this mean for• Staff• Students • Institutions• Society• Learning

Development• You???

• Universities need to become less fragmented but not turn into a unstimulating vanilla experience or a corporate collective…

Expectation management is key• Support• Integration• Transition issues• Success• Awareness• Personalisation within a complicated and

fragmented system

It’s All About Expectations…

How do students think they learn best?

“I prefer practical learning as I like to do things and get bored when just listening to someone talking. I do quite well when working in a group as well as it gives me more ideas and opinions”

“Through repetition. I like to study independently initially but then to consolidate the learning I like to discuss it and have feedback on it. I have a low attention span and so find a lot of reading and quiet time very hard work. I like to interact with people and so the discussion and debate of ideas appeals to me greatly”

“I learn best from doing things or thinking through a problem with other people or by writing something down, drawing it. I don't learn much by just reading something”

The Traditional Curriculum…

University of X provides per module:• Lectures x 2 hours x 12• Seminars x 1 hour x 6• Group tutorials x 1 hour x 3

– Group work (with assessed presentation)• 100+ hours of independent study (aka the

library) per module• Assessed by coursework and 3 hour exam

And if they’re really lucky they get…

• “I do not get enough contact time. I am paying over £3000 a year and this semester I will have no lectures. This is not value for money!”

• “We are paying a lot of money to gain a degree only to be let down time and time again!”

• “More lecturers for the money I'm paying”• “Too much self-directed studies, not enough help from staff,

not sufficient lecture hours, too much money paid for not enough hours.”

• “The tuition fees are really expensive and they don't give us enough lecture time and I don't know what we are actually paying for.”

And the students say…

(and that’s before £9000 for September 2012…)

1. Make Research-Based Learning the Standard

2. Construct an Inquiry-Based Freshman Year

3. Build on the Freshman Foundation

4. Remove Barriers to Interdisciplinary Education

5. Link Communication Skills and Course Work

6. Use Information Technology Creatively

7. Culminate with a Capstone Experience

8. Educate Graduate Students as Apprentice Teachers

9. Change Faculty Reward Systems

10. Cultivate a Sense of Community

Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate Education

The Boyer Commission onEducating Undergraduatesin the Research University: REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATIONBoyer, 1999

What role does Learning Development have in all this?

Who is the most senior person in your institution that

• supports • knows about • understands (and champions) Learning

Development?(VC, DVC, PVC, Dean/Director, Head of Department, Head of the Unit??)

• What relationship do you have with senior management? Academic staff?

How many of your Units were mentioned in your

University’s access agreement?

How do we work with academics?

Academic system

Social system

Organisational system

Professional services system

Student relations

Dispositions & capacities

Student engagement & belonging

HE system

May & Thomas, 2010

• How do programmes become ‘grounded and nourished’?

• What does your institution do to welcome students & support with transition?

• How do you provide social interactions with teachers/staff and other students?

• How do you embed course advice and support services?

• Where does Learning Development feature in this?

Intervention level: Core principles

• VFM• USP• Collaboration• Collegiality• Sustainability• Effectiveness

• Efficiency• Individualisation• Personalisation• Strategic direction• Mission• Access agreements…

Buzz Word Bingo…

The role of learning development is crucial• To help staff succeed, we are vital• To help students succeed, we are vital

• To help institutions succeed, we are vital

• Position to influence• Keep fighting!

“I think things have changed so much since I started working in LD in 2006 - we have so much more confidence as a professional community now, but we do still need to be reminded of the importance of being pro-active and not reactive.”

Remember…the only certainty is uncertainty.

The Runes Said:

• Poerdh: time of crisis, many choices open but what choice is made will affect you and others for a long time to come. This rune is a danger sign…

• Thorn: updating of thoughts and opinions, think carefully about what is wanted.

• Os [r]: misjudgement, outcome disaster if action not changed.

• Rad [r]: challenge the way things are seen.

• Hoel: struggle and effort needed, victory can be won but at a cost. Conflict can not be avoided, destruction of obsolete, removal of the irrelevant.

• Nyd: great opportunities at hand.• Ehwis: strength, courage, tenacity,

perseverance.• Ing: wisdom and advice from

others, gathering of friends. Laying of foundations that will last for a long time, good time in life, approval of others.

• Interpretation: it’s gonna be hard but we’ll get there…!

Any Questions?!

<Thank you!/>