Student Experience Plan - University of Wales, Newport...Student Experience Plan 2016-2020...

Student Experience Plan

2016-2020

www.southwales.ac.uk

University of South WalesPontypridd, Wales, UK CF37 1DL

Call: 03455 76 01 01Visit: www.southwales.ac.uk

Produced by USW Strategic Planning & Performance Services

Designed by USW Print & Design 01443 482 677

The University of South Wales is a registered charity. Registration No. 1140312.

References:

Ann Pegg, Jeff Waldock, Sonia Hendy-Isaac, Ruth Lawton (2012)Pedagogy for Employability, Higher Education Academy

Gibbs, G. (2009) Developing Students as Learners- VariedPhenomena, varied contexts and a Developmental Trajectory forthe Whole Endeavour Journal of Learning Development inHigher Education

Higher Education Academy (2012) Building Student Engagementand Belonging in Higher Education at a Time of Change: FinalReport from the What Works? Student Retention and SuccessProgramme

National Union of Students (2012) Student Experience ResearchPart 1: Teaching and Learning

National Union of Students (2012) Student Experience ResearchPart 4: First year Student Experience

Rich, J. (2015) Employability, Degrees of Value, HEPI

Woodfield, R. (2014) Undergraduate Retention and Attainmentacross the Disciplines, Higher Education Academy

www.southwales.ac.uk 3

Student Experience Plan | 2016-2020

University of South Wales2

The plan will focus on delivering against the following performanceindicators outlined in the strategic plan:

CPI 1: Total Student Population of 30,000 plusCPI 2: Overall satisfaction in the NSS 2 percent above the national

average (86 percent on current figures)CPI 3: 70 percent of students in graduate employment CPI 4: Percentage of full time first degree students expected to

obtain a degree at UK average of 80.5 percent completion

These CPIs imply a journey. That we recruit students to the rightcourses, deliver excellent learning and teaching, build aspiration,ensure they stay with us and complete their studies and go on toexcellent jobs and long term careers. As a result, the conceptualheart of the plan will focus on a journey of ‘Student Success’ and itwill outline some key conditions for that success to occur.

At the end of the journey is a life of achievement in fulfilling careersor for those that aspire to further study, student who are wellequipped to do so. If we can answer the question ‘what kind ofgraduates does USW wish to develop?’ we can also ask and answerwhat kind of learning and teaching we need to develop to do that (apedagogy for employability), what kind of support we need toprovide and in what kind of learning environments?

The plan will therefore centre on graduate attributes and placesuccessful lifetime careers and an intra-connected graduatenetwork as the output that we seek for our learners. It will detail keyinter-connected ‘Success Objectives’ with associated actions thatwill be codified as either a call to action where colleagues shouldfeel empowered to act now (green), areas where there is ongoingcross institutional work (amber) and areas requiring institutionalresource and project management to deliver (red). In many of theseareas, progress is already being made – turn to page 15 for furtherinformation.

University of South WalesStudent Experience Plan 2016-2020

This vision implies that:

1. USW is a quality institution and an aspirational choice2. That we are not parochial, we are locally rooted but highly

connected nationally and internationally3. That our purpose is vocational. We enable people to prepare well

for a career with valuable graduate attributes and support the economy through our research

4. That we are problem solvers connected to the challenges of our times

These underpinning themes of aspiration, connectedness, graduateattributes and an approach to learning focused on action andproblem solving will recur in this plan. They align to and developaspirations of the Academic Plan to effectively build ‘signaturepedagogies’ based on active, simulation based and immersivelearning. The SEP outlines in more detail what the learningexperience at USW will be and how we will develop it. It will reinforceour values to be Professional, Responsive, Inspiring and Creative.

The SEP will not be deliverable without living the values outlined inthe USW People Plan. Being proud and passionate about USW,attracting and retaining great staff, providing excellent staffdevelopment through effective and inspiring leadership and creatingan environment for high achievement with reward. The studentexperience is people centred and relationship based. Personalinteractions are valued and students remember them from their timehere. Without recognising and enabling the people who create thoseinteractions, we will not succeed.

The Student Experience Plan (SEP) is a companion piece to the University Strategy and Academic Plan. Itshould be seen as a continuum of thinking and many actions are already underway. The SEP is underpinnedby the University vision to be:

‘The University of Choice in Wales and beyond for students, organisations and communities who value vocationallyfocused education and applied research, which provides solutions to the problems that affect society and economy.’

Pedagogy forEmployability

GraduateAttributes

TransformativeLearning

Environments

InspiringPractitioners

Retention and Achievement

Communities of Learning

Students asPartners

The Course

Blueprint PeoplePlan

AcademicPlan

UniversityStategy

An extract from a staffnomination – USW StudentChoice Awards.

“An effective, encouraging andhugely supportive tutor,reassuring for those new tohigher education or returning tostudies after a long break.

Tolerant of student doubt andpersistent lack of confidence,with positive mind-set, offeringtailored interventions to supportsuccess. Excellent at challengingways of thinking anddemonstrating how to applycritical thinking skills in real-lifescenarios.

A clear and proactivecommunicator orally and whenusing a range of teachingmaterials. Most importantly, sheappears to me to be anoutstanding human being, with arare depth of humanity,authenticity and empathy. She isamazing.”

Subject ‘fingerprint’Recently revised USW Graduate Attributes are mapped below.

In each subject area the development of these attributes will lookdifferent. A career in the creative industries will require a differentmix of attributes to a career in engineering. We will therefore needto develop a subject ‘fingerprint’ that shows how each subject mapsvariously against them, in order to build ownership within subjectteams and to ensure impact. A good example of this sort ofmapping can be seen in Rich, J (2015). More detail is provided in theupdated USW statement of graduate attributes. Similarly, Vitae’sResearcher Development Framework articulates the attributed forPGR students and supervisors use this with students to considerskills development requirements.

For many students there will be a gap between their sense of self,even their motivation or aspiration, at the start of their degree andthis set of attributes. Confidence may be an issue. The tableopposite outlines the actions to successfully achieve Object one.




Success Objective 1: USW Graduate Attributes and Aspirations

Fostering aspirationFor the long term goal we need to do more than provide studentswith the knowledge or skills for immediate employment. We alsoneed to develop self-confidence, esteem, integrity, adaptability andrespect for others. We must foster aspiration – what is often called‘social capital’ (Rich, J/HEPI, 2015) – such that our graduates can gainaccess to the networks and connections that facilitate socialmobility, particularly in a region that has challenges in rates ofeducational participation and employment. A combination of jobmarket opportunity, personal aspiration and reflectiveness, skilldevelopment and individual behaviours will allow students to‘become’ graduates, turning ability into lifelong careers.

Transformational learning and social bridgesAs well as the excellent work that we do in delivering high qualitycourses rich with content, we aim to offer ‘transformational’ learningopportunities, in which students are encouraged to reflect on –sometimes with difficulty – their values, sense of place and self andtake on new and unfamiliar challenges. These might includeregional, national and global study opportunities and projects, workexperience and internships, mentoring or access to high profile andcurrent industry professionals.

Such opportunities provide ‘social bridges’ that allow learners tobuild their academic and professional identity as they journeythrough their course and connect to others. Each course will have adifferent professional path that students take. This will need to be ascarefully mapped as the cognitive journey through a programme asthey accumulate credits on modules. In that way, learners will beginto see the connection between the academic journey and theirfuture goals.

It is vital that this transformative journey is located in the academicsphere for it to be meaningful, but it can only be delivered if there isgood partnership working between academic and professionalservices in both designing and delivering such opportunities. Thisincludes careers staff, but could draw on many other services suchas health and well-being staff, who can assist in areas aroundconfidence, esteem and emotional intelligence/resilience, or theOne World team for providing global opportunities.

Everyone has a part to play and we should conceive of the courseteam as a broad alliance of academic and professional staff, workingtogether to develop this journey. Boundaries between teams mustbe porous and focused on the common purpose to enhance thecourse experience for learners so that they exit with great careers.

Our focus is on employability as well as employment; creating the conditions in which students develop theknowledge, skills and attitudes that together allow them to function effectively at work immediately, but thatempower them to succeed, develop and adapt over long term careers.

PositiveAttitude &

Mindset

Business Awareness &Innovation

Communication& Influencing

PositiveAttitude &

Mindset

EnterpriseSkills

SpecificCareerSkills

SelfManagement& Resilience

CreativeProblem Solving

DigitalIdentity & IT

Skills

SO1.1

SO1.2

SO1.3

SO1.4

Objective

Further develop learner self-assessments – enhancing the work ofGrad Edge in providing skills assessments to prepare learners forsuccess. To ensure that diagnostic tools are aligned to our GraduateAttributes, and that new students can use them during or beforeinduction to audit their current preparedness for the challenges oftheir degree and career. Continued provision of comprehensive skills training for researchstudents

Develop a standard reflective ‘My Future Success’ online tool bySeptember 2017, to allow for each learner to articulate of theiremerging ‘professional identity’. This should simplify/integrate toolsalready available through Grad Edge, PDP and the HEAR and locatethem in a single place. This will allow for articulation of aspiration,reflection on activities that have built self-confidence from thelearning experience, as well as expressing skills, competencies andknowledge acquired through their studies.

Develop a menu/offer of ‘Transformative Steps’ for all students on allcourses including work placement (a requirement of the blueprint),provision of regional, national and international experiences(building on the One World initiative, and including internationalstudy/visits/exchanges), volunteering, and co-curricular activitythrough clubs, societies or projects. To be embedded as a core offer inall courses.

Continue to develop excellent peer mentoring approaches at courselevel, including using alumni. Schemes may vary according to theiraim (academic advice, employability and enterprise etc)

Lead Responsibility

Careers and employabilityteam with Faculties

Research Office

Careers and employabilityteam

Faculties, Campus andStudent Services and the One World team

Careers and alumni teams

Measurable Outcome

All courses to have self- assessmentsembedded

Pilots in 2016, leading to launch of astandard tool

All courses to review as part ofroutine monitoring processes during2015/16 with full embedding by2017

Peer mentoring 0ffer embedded ineach Faculty

By

Pilots in 2016, fullyembedded for September2017

September 2017

Ongoing throughvalidation and reviewprocesses

Ongoing

As a consequence, over the period of this plan we will:

SO2.7

SO2.8

SO2.9

SO2.10

Objective

Embedding our minimum expectations of the VLE in all modules andcourse organisations to allow any time anywhere access to learningresources

CELT to work with Faculties to develop staff digital literacy skills toenhance pedagogy, including, by way of example, building virtualwork based simulations/games across relevant disciplines to assist inmainstreaming authentic assessment practices. To embed digitalliteracies and competencies in the curriculum and assessment, in linewith JISC guidance https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies

Sharing best practice in flexible curriculum design and deliverythrough CELT, in particular learning from the Nicosia partnership

To continue to make available open educational resources through I-tunes U and TEACH to promote our excellence in learning andteaching

Measurable Outcome

Minimum requirements met for allcourses

Increased volume of authenticassessments measurable throughvalidation, modifications processesand assessment approval

A programme of staff developmentin flexible learning to be developedand implemented

Increased volume of resourcesavailable

Lead Responsibility

CELT and Faculties

CELT and Faculties

CELT

CELT and Learning Services




Learning and teaching enhancementThe University requires an underpinning infrastructure to bring thisall to life, based on some fundamentals. These include, excellence innew teacher development focused on developing classroom andassessment proficiency, the ongoing development of pedagogicthinking by leaders in the University (in order that they can lead),the development of motivation for individuals through careerstructures that reward excellence in learning and teaching, forminglocal (Faculty, School, or subject) communities of practice inlearning and teaching that give social opportunities for staffengagement, developing a culture that recognises that solving thelocal problems of disciplines will build the best means ofengagement with them, recognising and celebrating the emergingand innovative edge of practice and building learning environmentsthat recognise the affective and social nature of learning (Gibbs,2009). A key to this is making the conversation about learning andteaching enhancement happen locally, within disciplines. Withoutthe structural units of the University (eg. Schools) leading change,these aspirations will not be delivered.

We are on a journey in aligning pedagogy and development ofgraduate attributes, including the recently revised Assessment forLearning Policy. And we have some of the fundamentals in place,but with much more to do.

Success Objective 2: A USW Pedagogy for Employability

Transformational learning and social bridgesActive/experiential approaches, simulation and immersive learning,the creation of authentic contexts for learning (eg. live briefs andassessment developed through specific engagement withemployers), and flipped learning are sound principles in themselves.But they have a double benefit. As well as creating the conditionsfor success in assessment as learners move through differentcognitive challenges, they also test a variety of group and individualskills and embed attributes and behaviours that employers value,such as independence, team working, problem solving, or a focuson delivery of projects within timeframes. They build rounded self-aware students who are continually reflecting upon and refiningtheir personal approach to their own learning within the context ofa learning community.

Delivering a great course that has rich content and develops learnerpassion is vital for intrinsic motivation. But this is not mutuallyexclusive from the attributes needed for fulfilling careers, and weshould not treat it as such.

Learning is not a spectator sport. The Academic Blueprint sets out design principles that will build studentidentity on a course, coherence of study and approaches to learning and teaching that develop habits of deep learning.

SO2.1

SO2.2

SO2.3

SO2.4

SO2.5

SO2.6

Objective

Review the PgCDPPHE programme to ensure that it aligns to theprinciples of the Academic Blueprint and this plan in order to embeda USW signature Pedagogy for Employability, including immersive,simulation based and transformational learning. Develop exemplarsfor TEL that support this pedagogy, as well as models of PersonalCoaching. Use existing expertise in coaching (e.g. via the CoachingCentre in LSE) to assist

Implement where appropriate the HEA review of CELT to create a firstclass environment for nurturing excellence in learning and teachingthrough a more effective hub and spoke model focused on buildingdiscipline based communities of practice (and local leadership) andsolving learning and teaching problems in local contexts, throughexcellent credited and unaccredited staff development, and highquality support for new and established lecturers and forprofessional services staff

Continue to make explicit the links between research/professionalexpertise and teaching in the curriculum through design of courses,and to celebrate research informed teaching within the ELTA awards

Embed Assessment for Learning and Pedagogy for Employabilitywithin the Curriculum Design Guide for new courses and withinvalidation/review documentation

Align processes for recruiting academic staff to test their potential forexcellence in these pedagogies; for example by runningactive/simulation based learning for students as part of recruitmentprocesses.Model career progression of staff in learning and teaching,through internal routes (e.g. to professor) and external routes (e.g. toNTF), and bring these into developmental conversations in the DPR.

Develop the University’s Learning Systems to better manage theassessment journey and to ensure that it fully supports theAssessment for Learning Policy including monitoring assessmentsubmission, return and the quality of feedback

Measurable Outcome

Renewed programme

Implementation plan produced

Revised Curriculum Design Guide andELTA programme

Assessment Dialogue and ApprovalEvents scheduled, Curriculum DesignGuide revised

Clear protocols for academic staffrecruitment agreed andimplemented, mapping of careerprogression agreed

Policy requirements met

By

June 2016 for delivery,September 2017 for arevalidated programme

December 2016

Ongoing

September 2016

Ongoing

Ongoing

Lead Responsibility

PVC and Director of CELT

Director of CELT

CELT

CELT, HLTSES and theCareers and Employabilityteam

HR and Faculties

CELT and ICT

We also continue to offer learning in a variety of contexts. Full-time campus based, part-time and online/distance and block delivery. As aconsequence we value flexibility and the ability to deliver content and inspiring teaching in a range of modes, locations and through variousmeans. Flexibility also assists inclusivity, bringing people to us who ordinarily may find it challenging to participate. The principles of ourpedagogy remain, but we will build literacy and capacity in flexible delivery modes through:

By

Review compliance through2016/17 with minimumrequirements met in allcourses by September 2017

Ongoing

Programme available during2016/17

Ongoing

Objective 2 actions to achieve enhanced retention:




To create those communities a few dimensions are critical:

• Effective and passionate Course Leaders who work with colleagues on creating a highly interactive and supportive course environment, and on setting ambition and aspiration.

• Professional support must be course focused as well as offering high quality standard/consistent provision. The course team should be conceived of as a collection of all people who can make a difference at the course level – the academics, ICT, HR, estates, learning services, student administration, SU etc. Working must be routinely partnership focused and boundaries between teams should be permeable. Course Leaders should aim to build a broad church of support, including in the design of learning. Support staff must be visible and accessible to course teams.

• The learning environment should be a clear visible and virtual expression of that community (look and feel) and encourage habits of dialogue, group working, discussion, and problem solving together, including good social learning spaces. A learning environment that encourages high degrees of interaction between learners and tutors within and outside of the classrooms should be our aim. Where possible, office space should be clustered with or near teaching space. An ‘open door’ approach to student access to tutors should be encouraged.

• Enrichment activities should be located around the course. In addition to the excellent provision of sports clubs and societies generally, societies and extracurricular/social activity should also be encouraged within course cohorts, as should the offer around employability. We should work hard to create teams and cohorts pre-induction, during induction and throughout a course of study. Field tips and immersive learning activities lend themselves to doing so.

Success Objective 3: Better Together – Creating Communities of Learning

Engagement community formationA combination of good academic and social engagement createsthe context for belonging and success. On the academic side, thisinvolves staff who know their students, who are interested in themand actively monitor their progress, who clearly value teaching, whoare available to them and value/seek interaction, and who welcometheir input, accept criticism but also set boundaries and challengearound student behaviour and expectations (What Works, HEA2012). In short, good professional and human behaviours. The locusof that identity and those relationships is the course, in which peerrelationships and meaningful interactions with academic staffdevelop most intensively.

NUS (2012) research on the student experience shows us that it is alearner’s own motivation coupled with the quality of teaching andtheir interaction with their tutors (including personaltutors/coaches) that are most important to them. The sense ofbeing an individual but within a team of people working towardscommon goals is important. In this, the course is paramount as it ishere that they identify most. Within this community of practicelearners internalise standards by working with peers, develop ashared narrative about the wider picture of skills development andgraduate-ness, and develop the cooperative team working skillsthat will help them get there as well as facilitating necessary peerchallenge.

A rich experience on a course is a pre-requisite of student success,engagement and retention. So the course is the most importantthing to nourish.

In much of the discussion about student experience, the themes of identity, community and belongingemerge. Doing a degree is an emotional as well as cognitive journey, forged by relationships inside andoutside the classroom, through academic and social activity.

SO3.1

SO3.2

SO3.3

SO3.4

SO3.5

SO3.6

Measurable Outcome

High quality annual monitoring,excellent course evaluations, NSSscores

Improved first experience surveyresults, course evaluations and NSS

A full programme of courseenhancement conversations in eachfaculty, to inform planning for thenext year and to agree priorities

A renewed course ‘dashboard’ withagreed metrics in place to informportfolio planning

Stage 2 complete

Programme designed and ready forimplementation

By

Ongoing

September 2016

Conversations completedby August 2016

2016/17

September 2016

September 2016

Lead Responsibility

AQS and Faculties

Deans

Deputy Deans tocoordinate with Directors of Professional Services

Student Administration Services with PVC and DVC

ICT, CELT and Faculties

HR

Objective

Continue to embed the focus on the course as the key unit of review,including student evaluation. Develop the course evaluation processto provide effective data for academics and managers to improvecourse and module quality

Faculties to review budget allocations to allow some discretionaryfunding for courses to undertake enhancement activity andtransformational learning opportunities close to the course

Develop annual course enhancement conversations in the Springterm to bring senior leaders from professional services – estates, ICT,HR, Campus and Student Services – into rich conversations withcourse leaders about course enhancement

Develop the course digest to allow for high quality, timely data toreview the ‘health’ of courses and modules

Develop the course organisations on blackboard (phase 2 of theproject) and the course handbook to ensure excellent course focusedinformation, and course level views (e.g. of assessment schedules)for students

Develop and run a focused development programme for all courseleaders, with peer support through action learning sets

Objective 3 actions to create communities of learning:




Success Objective 4: Inspiring Practitioners

Staff should become fluent in the principles and practices ofpedagogy that we are trying to apply. It is essential that they aresubject experts, able to inform that pedagogy from a position ofnational or international best practice (through research or othermeasures) or by reference to it. They must be able to provokethought and create stimulating learning experiences, demonstratecurrency and aspiration through personal success/achievementsand connections to others, create environments for collaboration,have skills of personal coaching and support, show passion andenthusiasm and have a capacity for team working andcollaboration. Different staff will have different profiles, but theseare the factors that our students tell us are important.

In our workshops with students, and also present in the NUSresearch on learning and teaching, the personal qualities of staff areseen as vitally important. As well as being experts, and importantly

The Academic Blueprint outlines the framework for our courses to operate in, such that the Academic Plan isdelivered. These will not be rehearsed here, but there are aspects of the curricula – particularly the qualities ofstaff delivering it, that are important.

SO4.1

SO4.2

SO4.3

SO4.4

SO4.5

SO4.6

SO4.7

Measurable Outcome

Showcasing of work at annualLearning and Teaching Conference

Review completed

Peer review embedded

A clear CPD offer to all Faculties inplace for 2016

Delivery of an annual learning andteaching conference, volume of casestudies on TEACH and I-Tunes U,development of a proposal to host anexternal conference based on aspectsof the SEP

Population of repository, volume andquality of resource on TEACH andmetrics on its usage

Take up and measurable impact offunds

By

Ongoing, first showcase atJune 2016 conference

February 2017

Schools to agree peerreview programmeSeptember 2016

Ongoing through 2016/17

2016/17

2016/17

Ongoing

Lead Responsibility

Heads of School

Director of CELT with HR

Faculties and HR

Director of CELT and HRand Research and BusinessEngagement

CELT

CELT with the Researchoffice and LearningServices

CELT

Objective

Schools to drive enhancement aligned to these principles to ensurereach to all academic staff, including dissemination of best practicewhere appropriate

Celebrate the achievements of staff demonstrating these traitsthrough promotion opportunities and the ELTA awards, and reviewthe effectiveness of these in raising the profile of learning andteaching

Ensure effective peer sharing and review in Schools, that allows fordeeper and timely review of highly performing and underperformingareas against key CPIs

Ensure that our CPD offer continues to be closely aligned to theUKPSF, including through the PgCDPPHE programme. CELT to offer aprogramme of excellent personal or team support for staff aiming forcategories of fellowship to the HEA, NTFs or similar. RBE staff tocollaborate on the role of innovation, engagement and research inenhancing teaching.

Celebrate our achievements in learning and teaching widely, loudlyand proudly to develop reputation and profile, including by hostingexternal conferences/events on themes related to our pedagogy

Continue to promote scholarship and research in learning through anopen source repository of staff published work in pedagogy, andproviding ways of sharing practice digitally via TEACH

Continue to fund small scale learning and teaching innovationprojects through CELT, supporting initiatives aligned to this plan, anddisseminate learning from them

Objective 4 actions to inspire practitioners.

people who challenge learners, staff who interact with students notjust in the classroom (who know their name, who are friendly andshow care, who talk to them in the corridor), who demonstrate aninterest in them as people, who break up learning with activitiesand who respond to individual learner styles and approaches, arevalued.

Importantly, staff who are passionate about their subject and theteaching of it and have a style of delivery that generates pleasure inlearning are regarded highly by learners. These were also seen asvital attributes in workshops run with staff. So we should not forgetthat teaching is as much about the quality of interaction and has anaffective quality (getting learners to feel good about learning) aswell as an effective one (getting learners to understand subjects).Many of these elements are aligned to the ongoing work of thePeople Plan, and this should be seen as a continuum from that work.




Building aspiration and successUSW is located in a region of low participation in higher education.Some of our own data shows that our students have lowerexpectations of graduate salaries and do not see themselves asbeing as socially mobile as other UK students (eg, workingnationally or internationally). The moral imperative of buildingaspiration and success is therefore taken as axiomatic; financialbenefits will ensue as we keep more students, allowing us to furtherinvest in their success. We aim for an inclusive educationalenvironment that allows access at a variety of levels to ourprogrammes and through our approach to pedagogy. But we willalso set students challenges and introduce stretch into learning.

One of the key aspects of effective retention is building a sense ofbelonging. This is covered in Objective 3 on page 8, and is a vitalcomponent of retention.

Success Objective 5: Retention and Achievement

However, while our retention profile is improving year on year, wecurrently perform below our 80 percent target. This is even moremarked for British BME students, who have a continuation rate 8-10percent lower than White British students. We need to know muchmore about why this is the case starting with better use of good,granular data, to understand different patterns of engagementacross different social groups and act on it.

Research insightsThe University participated in the ‘What Works?’ researchprogramme run by the HEA (2012) on effective retention, so wehave some sound conceptual knowledge of effective approaches.We need to put that knowledge into practice at a greater pace andconsistently. In the academic domain, the ‘What Works?’ Reportidentifies key forces that drive effective learning, and aid retention.These include, high levels of interaction between staff and students,speed of feedback, active learning, time on task, having highexpectations, and learner cooperation (Chickering and Gamson,1987). Alignment to these forces runs throughout this plan. Highexpectations alongside effective support and great teachingimproves retention. But we also need to have effective and joined-up processes for intervention. We must know when students are atrisk and use our data proactively. Its function must be to allow for usto have good early conversations with learners showing signs ofwithdrawing from University life. Early engagement is key and weshould begin that at the start of the learner journey.

Engagement should focus on the academic sphere as learners valueacademics who take an active interest in their progress on theirwhole course of study. Personal Coaching (see actions opposite)should be proactive, integrated, structured and should buildrelationships between staff and learners. Students should not haveto rely on having to access tutors themselves. It should be based ona ‘mentoring’ approach and embedded into their academicprogramme. It must be mainstreamed. Engagement of learners,including attendance, should be expected and this expectation setearly. Learners should know that there will be follow up if theydisengage, with support to re-engage.

There should be a seamless link to student services, Students’ Union,careers service, or mentoring schemes to provide sources of adviceto help. The tone of this activity should be based on helping themsucceed and understanding their individual circumstances. It shouldnot be punitive. In that way we create the right balance betweensupport and challenge.

Everyone has a role to play in student retention. Student experiences don’t stop in the classroom, but livethrough interactions with professional services, advice teams, and estates staff and through the daily acts ofkindness and service that are undertaken based on our values. How people are treated in all these domainsadds up to an overall view of life at USW, and aids retention.

SO5.1

SO5.2

SO5.3

SO5.4

SO5.5

SO5.6

Measurable Outcome

Improved comprehensive andintegrated induction offer, improvedsatisfaction scores in first experiencesurvey, improved retention

Pre arrival and pre-induction plansscoped and agreed alongsidetransition (between year)interventions

Personal coaching framework agreed

Learning Analytics SolutionDelivered, tested and running andethical issues explored withappropriate frameworks/policiesdelivered

Quantitative reports demonstratingfull compliance from Faculties tabledat student Experience Group

Frontline Service in place

By

Ongoing continuousimprovement

2016/17

June 2016

September 2017

Ongoing

Ongoing

Lead Responsibility

Executive Director Campusand Student Services withFaculties

Executive Director Campusand Student Services andFaculties

PVC, HLTSES and StudentServices

PVC and ICT

Deans and PVC

Executive Director (Campusand Student Service) andPVC

Objective

Continually improve our approach to first year student induction withthe aim of building successful learning communities on courses,developing group and individual belonging, and starting the journeyof the individual using the ‘My Future Success’ tool

Develop course focused approaches to pre-induction to buildcommunity pre-arrival and develop effective interventions duringperiods of transition – Level to Level – and including plans for re-induction or engagement activities during holidays. Focus effort onhigh risk groups through targeted induction and transition activityand give faculties comprehensive and timely retention data tomonitor impact of interventions

Scope and introduce a common approach across Faculties to ‘PersonalCoaching/Tutoring’ by September 2017, focused on reviewing learnersuccess within a course (expressed by marks, grades and feedback onmodules across a programme) and outside of it (expressed by widerengagement, e.g. with Grad Edge), with support provided by keyacademics who have a role to follow the learner through theirjourney. The aim will be to tie rich conversations about the academicjourney with the employability/co-curricular journey as a holisticreview of progress and engagement. This will require close workingwith the careers and employability team and Student AdminstrationServices. Ensure that the Personal Coaching system developed alignswith the principles of the ‘What Works?’ report (2012)

Scope and invest in a Learning Analytics tool to provide effectivevisual dashboards based on data that demonstrably impacts onlearner engagement/success (e.g. VLE usage, library usage,attendance monitoring). This will be used by Personal Coaches toundertake early intervention for students either at risk ofwithdrawing through low levels of engagement, or who can beencouraged to succeed at a higher level. This will also assist inmeeting our duties under the Strategic Equality Plan.

Ensure compliance with the 20 day feedback requirement througheffective data reporting, and benchmark how USW compares in thisrespect to other competitor HEI’s.

Deliver the integrated frontline services project to provide excellent,accessible first line support and advice for learners and ensure goodintegration between academic advice and guidance, personalcoaching, analytics and the student advice team

Objective 5 actions to achieve enhanced retention:




Success Objective 6: Students as Partners in Change

Success Objective 7: Transformative Learning Environments

Through our campuses and facilities we want people to connect to each other and interact within and across subject communities,facilitating encounters, dialogue and sharing. Out of interaction, innovation and mutual understanding will emerge. As a result classrooms,timetabling and ICT infrastructure must facilitate a Pedagogy for Employability. Objective 7 actions to transform learning environments are:

None of the above will be delivered without providing a learning environment that is conducive to it.

SO6.1

SO6.2

SO6.3

SO6.4

Measurable Outcome

Any necessary amendments to thescheme agreed for 2016

Advertisement of and fillingvacancies for intern opportunities

Review complete

Scheme scoped and delivered

By

June 2016

July 2016

December 2016

Scoping December 2016,delivery 2016/17

Lead Responsibility

PVC and SU

HR and Careers andEmployability Service

PVC, SU and StudentServices

CELT

Objective

Undertake an annual review of the CR and SVR scheme with the SU,to agreed metrics

Continue to develop the graduate internship scheme, aligned tostrategic projects

Review the provision of facilities for those with caring responsibilitiesto ensure they can effectively engage at USW

Develop a Student Teaching Fellow scheme through CELT, to buildpartnership with students on classroom practice, technologyenhanced learning and curriculum design

SO7.1

SO7.2

SO7.3

Measurable Outcome

Development of an operating modelfor classroom developmentcongruent with this planAs aboveEnsure minimum requirements foruse of the VLE are met and areexceeded through evidence of goodpractice in each faculty

By

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Lead Responsibility

CELT and EstatesEstates and LearningServicesCELT and Faculties

Objective

Develop models for classrooms that allow for digitally rich simulationbased activity and that are conducive to team working and dialogue.This will mean moving away from traditional classroomenvironments in many cases. Explore flexibility in time, space andmode of delivery (timetabling) to facilitate ways of working moreconducive to a pedagogy for employability – e.g. block bookings forintensive simulations rather than repetitive patterns of weeklydelivery

Use the principles of the SEP to drive thinking about non-classroomspaces and to provide technology rich social learning spaces on eachcampus so that learning can happen anywhere on or off site

Use TEL to facilitate active and experiential approaches, simulationand immersion at course level, to move pedagogy away fromtransmission of information to dialogue (e.g. through flippedlearning) and to create resilience to staff changes through access toquality online resources

The University has recently approved its approach to student engagement at Academic Board.

This has led to the introduction of a course representative and SVR scheme, and a migration of oversight of the scheme to the SU.Maintaining excellent collaboration with the SU and the wider student population is vital. As a consequence, this plan will focus onmonitoring the effectiveness of these schemes, not adding layers of complexity to them as they are in their infancy. We will thereforeundertake the following actions for Objective 6 are:

A call to action

In some areas we will aim for standardising and creating aconsistency of approach (eg. personal coaching models). In others itwill be right that Schools and Faculties, and professionaldepartments first ask ‘where we are now against the precepts of thisplan, and where are our priorities for development. That will beinformed by current performance levels and thelearning/professional environments in which subjects are currentlylocated etc.

Different Faculties and Schools within the University will be in different places in respect to the principles anddetails of this plan.

As a consequence, we should be able to progress on many of thesefronts now, even as some aspects of the plan require longer terminvestment and development. It should be a ‘call to action’ that canbe incorporated into faculty and departmental annual plans, andempower managers to make progress and continually improve theirservices. The plan will have oversight through the Learning,Teaching and Enhancement Committee, the Student ExperienceGroup and through these to Academic Board

Student Experience Plan - University of Wales, Newport...Student Experience Plan 2016-2020...

Documents

Transcript of Student Experience Plan - University of Wales, Newport...Student Experience Plan 2016-2020...