Student Success and Wellbeing

Helping Online Students SucceedDr Cathy Stone, Director, Student Success

Eleonora Morelli, Academic Pathways and Transitions CoordinatorOpen Universities Australia

The OUA Community

Our studentsare a very diverse

bunch!

Students by state

 

NSW

QLD

VIC SA

WA

ACTTASNT

VIC, NSW, QLD dominate, but all

states and territories represented

How and what do our students study?• Wide range of units and courses:

• Arts & humanities• Business• Education• Health• Information Technology (IT)• Law & justice• Science & engineering

• Most common study pattern– Students enrol in individual undergraduate units and can track towards a

full qualification. • FEE-Help

– Commonwealth scheme which allows deferred payment of fees.– Over 70% of OUA students use FEE-HELP

• Relatively few come straight from school to study with OUA• Mostly mature-age (>21), in paid employment and/or with

parenting responsibilities• Around half of OUA students are first in family to come to

university

OUA students have multiple responsibilities, often with little prior educational experience, combined with lack of time, money or both….

OUA students “non-traditional”

• Academic skills• Online tutorial support• Personal counselling• Career guidance• OUA Connect library program• Student Success Hub• Equity scholarships & subsidies

Student Success and Wellbeing

Academic skills

PREP01 – Preparing for University Learning [10 weeks]PREP02 – Start for Success [self-paced, 26 weeks and Free]PREP03 – Preparing for University Learning [Intensive, 3 weeks]PREP04 – Preparing for Academic Writing [6 weeks]

PREP 03 and 04 are FREE with OUA Pathways

School leavers

Mature-age students or returning students

First-generation tertiary students

Students who need to refresh their academic skills.

Who are they

for

Preparing for Study - PREP units

Four units focussed on academic skills to help students in their transition to tertiary studies

Impact of PREP units

Start with a preparatory unit

Start with an undergraduate unit

F i n d i n g s : Analysis of data has demonstrated that studying a PREP unit prior to or concurrently with an undergrad unit has a positive impact on students’ success, engagement and grades.

Student success: Students starting with a PEP unit 1.43 times more likely to pass their first undergrad unit

Student engagement: High level of engagement with LMS in PREP correlates with higher academic performance in subsequent undergrad unit

Impact of PREP units

C. Student grades: students starting with a PREP unit achieved significantly higher proportion of Ds and HDs in both their first and second unit after PREP

GPAEquivalent Grade

0N (Fail)

1P/CP (Pass, Conceded pass)

2C (Credit)

3D (Distinction)

4HD (High distinction)

Online tutorial support through Smarthinking

• 24/7 online tutoring – 4 hours free support per unit studied

• Essay assistance - students submit a draft of their writing (assignment) for feedback on structure

• Submit a question: Students post a question for e-structors to respond to within 24 hours

• Live tutoring in a wide range of subject areas, both in live chat or through a pre-scheduled session

Single sign-on to user-friendly site

1. Tabs for easy access to account management

2. Breadcrumbs for easy navigation through the available services from any individual webpage

3. Section buttons to easily recognise the services on offer

Impact of online tutorial support (SMT)Since 2010 to the present time, data consistently shows significantly positive effect on student academic outcomes.

Pass rates are strikingly higher for SMT users in ALL study periods, with higher grades also being achieved.

SP2 2012 SP3 2012 SP4 2012 SP1 2013

Pass Rate Comparison

Did not use SMT Used SMT

Fail P C D HD

Grade DistributionSP2 2012 to SP1 2013

Did not use SMT Used SMT

Personal Counselling & Career Guidance

• Appointment of full-time in-house Senior Wellbeing Counsellor in 2012; providing telephone and Skype counselling

• Online Career & Employment web site – resume writing, interview skills, job seeking, self assessment tools

OUA Connect Library Program• Developing partnerships with local libraries• Piloted in NSW, now extended into Victoria

Promoting to students resources/services that each library is offering. e.g. one-off information sessions; weekly drop-in sessions; computer classes etc.Targeted communication to students within the postcode

regions of participating librariesOUA provides information/resources, training and ongoing

contact for each library involved18 libraries in 10 local council regions now involved – and

growing

OUA Connect FeedbackAs a new online student I had found the research aspect of learning very overwhelming. My session today helped me understand how to look up and navigate around for my required articles and journals.I have found this helpful and

encouraging especially the advisors and other students helps to keep you focus and aware there are other online students experiencing the same issues or have found ways to overcome these issues. Love the communication.

Great having face-to-face contact and talking with other students about their experiences.

Student Success Hub (SSH) – what & why?

What is the SSH? Outreach ‘student coaching’ service for new students piloted through SP3 & 4 2012 – now expanded to all new

students

Why was the SSH created? help students succeed with their studies reduce drop rate improve pass rates improve retention

SSH – activities & achievements

What does the SSH do?Making outbound calls to first unit students, coaches establish students’ ambitions and goals offer advice and support provide information on appropriate services and tools

What has it achieved to date? reduced drops improved pass rates improved retention high level of student satisfaction

Student Success Hub – 3 levels of support

L e v e l 1 - O u t r e a c h i n gInitial call within first 3 weeks of study period, to see how student is settling in, identify any problem areas or potential barriers and provide information to assist

L e v e l 2 - C o a c h i n gReferral to ‘student coaches’ for mentoring, more detailed information and advice

L e v e l 3 – C o u n s e l l i n gReferral to student counselling for more complex personal issues

Impact of Student Success Hub Pilot 2012

Comparing 500 students who were ‘coached’ with 500 students in the control group, the following results were demonstrated:

• Unit withdrawal rate (before census date) halved

• Proportion of students passing their first unit increased by 18%

• Student retention increased by 11% (returning within two study periods)

SSH outreach expanded to all new students

Contact Centre attempts phone contact with ALL new SP3 students within first 3 weeks

Students not contactable by phone are emailedTeam of 15 Student Advisors making initial L1

calls3 student coaches taking L2 referralsResults continue to demonstrate increases in

pass rates and student retentionMost recent results: 21.6% improvement in

pass rate; retention boosted by 18ppts.

SSH coaching focusing on returning students

Student Coaches contact students who first enrolled in SP1 2013 and have since failed all units

Students enrolled in 2 or more units in the current Study Period are given precedence

3 student coaches help students understand what the underlying issues are and provide useful suggestions on how to make changes in their study pattern

The pilot for this cohort is starting today for the approaching SP4 2013

Feedback from studentsComments provided in the SSH survey

After speaking with the coach today, I felt reassured that I would be able to continue on with my studies and that it is normal to feel some anxiety at the start of online study.

I was very impressed with the way coach listened to my concern and discussed solutions, also following through with an email of our discussion.

Just someone listening makes all the

difference.

If it wasn't for Student Success hub I would have discontinued study.

• ‘Can Do’ Scholarships help students with little or no university experience work towards a place in a Commonwealth-Supported Place (CSP) degree.

• Offer up to 4 u/grad units and 2 PREP units free as pathway into CSP

• Began only for low-income students – from 2014 being expanded across 6 equity groups:– Low socio-economic status– Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander– Disability– Rural and remote– Non English speaking background– Women in Engineering

Equity Scholarships

• Financial assistance for low-income students to assist them to travel to exams and compulsory practica

• Must be travelling up to 100 km or more• Restricted to undergraduate students

Travel subsidies

Student Engagement CycleEnabling units

(preparing for university learning)

Career place(guiding students to the right choice)

Scholarships(assisting students afford education)

New self-service enrolling system

(fully online)

My Study Centre&

Social Media(connecting with peers)

Enabling units(sharpening academic

skills)

Smarthinking(online tutorial support)

Counselling(online and phone

support)

Student Success Hub(student coaching)

OUA Connect Library(help with resources and

feeling connected)

Subsidies(helping students afford

travelling to exams)

Special Circumstances and Resolutions

(assisting students in difficult unforseen circumstances)

Student success does not arise by chance. It is the result of an intentional, structured, and proactive set of strategies that are coherent and systematic in nature and carefully aligned to the same goal.

(Tinto, 2009)

Questions?

The Student Success TeamCathy Stone Director

Eleonora Morell i Academic Pathways and Transitions Coordinator

David Tonkin Senior Wellbeing Counsellor

Karen Brown Student Success Hub Coach

Hailey Tremain Student Success Hub Coach

Rose Hill Student Success Officer

Benjamin McNair Review and Resolutions Coordinator

Angie Fraser-Parle Special Circumstances and Scholarships Coordinator

Duncan Chater Special Circumstances and Scholarships Officer

Claire Stubbs Student Communications Officer