Community and Partnership Initiatives: Developing a Strategic Approach Using the Student Journey Model Dr Andy Clegg Principal Lecturer Learning and Teaching
Aims
— To explore staff and student perceptions of community
and belonging in Higher Education — Use the Student Journal Model to strategically consider
interventions to nurture student community and belonging — Highlight specific interventions from the University of
Chichester Business School
Student Communities and Belonging
Student Communities and Belonging
“I do not feel like part of the university community and find it hard to do group work with people on my modules’
“My personal tutor has been brilliant in helping me sound things out and understand concepts that naturally are very difficult for me’
[Level 5 Student Survey, 2017]
Student Communities and Belonging
• The project identified that between 33% and 42% of first-year students think about withdrawing from HE (Thomas, 2012) • Significance of ‘belonging’ for a student within an HE environment
Student Communities and Belonging
[Business School – staff and student workshop]
Student Communities and Belonging
[University staff contributions]
Belonging
‘Belonging’ recognises students’ subjective feelings
of relatedness or connectedness to the institution This ‘involves feeling connected (or feeling that
one belongs in a social milieu)’ (Vallerand,1997: 300) It may relate to ‘the extent to which students feel personally
accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the [school] social environment’ (Goodenow,1993:80)
Belonging — Characterised by regular contact and the perception that interpersonal relationships have stability, affective concern, and are ongoing (Baumeister and Leary, 1995) — Thus interpersonal relations are essential for satisfying the need to belong
Framing Student Belonging
Individual Cognition
The Environment
Social Identity
[Source: Dr. Nicholas Bowskill Student Generated Induction – A Social Identity Approach, 2018]
A Social Identity Approach • ‘Identification is a predictor of engagement and increases in identification predict increases in engagement (Reynolds et al, 2011 in Haslam, 2017) • 'Identification with the university is a key predictor of the extent to which students engage with and enjoy university life with significant consequences for continuation’ (Jetten et al, 2007 in Haslam, 2017)
[Source: Dr. Nicholas Bowskill Student Generated Induction – A Social Identity Approach, 2018]
Social Identity Continuum
Identity Continuum [Tajfel] (context-sensitive)
Me
We [Source: Dr. Nicholas Bowskill Student Generated Induction – A Social Identity Approach, 2018]
Framing Belonging [Source: Dr. Nicholas Bowskill Student Generated Induction – A Social Identity Approach, 2018]
• Theory – Retention depends upon integration • Socialisation into the institution • Socialisation into the discipline/course
• Strategy – Learning Communities • Definition / Framing / Implementation
• Outcome – Belonging
Tinto, V. (1995). "Learning communities, collaborative learning and the pedagogy of educational citizenship." AAHE Bulletin 47: 11-13. Tinto, V. (2000). "Learning better together: The impact of learning communities on student access in higher education." Journal of Institutional Research 9(1): 48-53.
Nurturing Belonging
Belonging is achieved through: Supportive peer relations
Meaningful interaction between staff and students
Building engagement and belonging
An HE experience that is relevant to interests and future goals
Nurturing Belonging
Belonging is achieved through: Supportive peer relations
Meaningful interaction between staff and students
Building engagement and belonging
Simple Guiding Principles
An HE experience that is relevant to interests and future goals
Nurturing Belonging What Works? – Model of Student Retention and Success
Students as Partners
Developing A Strategic Approach
Dance map – the empl oyability journey A toolkit and resource for mapping em ployability jou Dance Depa rneys rtment, Unive rsity of Chich prepared for ester, the HEA strate gic enhance Cathy Childs ment progra mme 2015 Project
Lead Principal Lec turer, Head of Dance Dr Andy Clegg Principal Lec turer for Lea rning and Tea ching In partnership
with:
Developing A Strategic Approach
Pre-University
‘Creating the Community Proposition’
Developing A Strategic Approach
During University
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Developing A Strategic Approach
Post-University
‘Capturing the Community Proposition’
Developing A Strategic Approach
Green Pre-University - Activity#1 During University - Activity#2
✔
Amber
Red
‘Capturing the Community Proposition’ ✔
Post-University - Activity#3
✔
Business School Approaches
‘Creating the Community Proposition’
Business in a Box
Business School Approaches
‘Creating the Community Proposition’
Outreach Events
Business School Approaches
Open Days
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Business School Approaches
Marketing Forums
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Business School Approaches
Work and Takeaway Evenings
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Socials
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Pedagogy/Teaching Spaces
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Pedagogy/Teaching Spaces
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Pedagogy/Teaching Spaces
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
[Acorn Consulting, East Sussex]
Pedagogy/Teaching Spaces
‘Truly exceptional!’
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Fieldtrips
Business School Approaches
‘Embedding the Community Proposition’
Volunteering
Shared experiences
Business School Approaches
‘Capturing the Community Proposition’
ab e nting & Financ Accounts Pa–yBA (Hons) Accou 15
Graduated 20
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Alumni Stories
uga Subomi Onlea,nNot on the High Street
Developing Interventions Effective Interventions: Mainstream • Ensuring all students participate and benefit Pro-active • Ensuring engagement Relevant • Activities need to be informative, useful and relevant to students' current interests and future aspirations Well-timed and appropriate media • Some activities will be better over time than simply a one-off Collaborative • Activities should encourage collaboration and engagement between staff and students
Developing Interventions Effective Interventions:
Challenges
Mainstream • Ensuring all students participate and benefit Student Pro-active • Ensuring engagement Relevant
engagement and work commitments
Internationalisation Staff confidence in
• Activities need to be informative, useful and relevant to having conversations students' current interests and future aspirations Well-timed and appropriate media
with students
• Some activities will be better over time than simply a one-off Wider University Collaborative
Time intensive
• Activities should encourage collaboration and engagement between staff and students
support
Impacts ‘The university is a close community. Small classes' means the lecturers know you on a personal level. Lots on contact and available' ‘The staff are very helpful and want students to succeed. The university has a sense of community. Most staff go above and beyond for their students’ ‘The dedication of lecturers to ensure I'm not just on track with good grades and enjoying my time at uni, but they go over and above to make sure I exit uni life 'job ready' and confident’ ‘Staff and students build a relationship which makes staff more approachable’
NSS Q21. I feel part of a community of staff and students 2018
2017
79.45%
72.61%
Impacts ‘The university is a close community. Small classes' means the lecturers know you on a personal level. Lots on contact and available' ‘The staff are very helpful and want students to succeed. The university has a sense of community. Most staff go above and beyond for their students’ ‘The dedication of lecturers to ensure I'm not just on track with good grades and enjoying my time at uni, but they go over and above to make sure I exit uni life 'job ready' and confident’ ‘Staff and students build a relationship which makes staff more approachable’
NSS Q24. Staff value students’ views and opinions about the course. 2018
2017
80.82%
67.61%
Summary
Effective identification and understanding of community is
central to student identity, engagement and retention A point of differentiation for HE institutions – for Chichester
community = ‘hero signature experiences’ Strategic approach required to ensure a holistic and
inclusive overview of community-related interventions Challenge of external pressures on student engagement!
Community and Partnership Initiatives: Developing a Strategic Approach Using the Student Journey Model Dr Andy Clegg Principal Lecturer Learning and Teaching