1. Engaging students who are at risk of academic failure: Frameworks and Strategies Professor Keithia Wilson GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY ALTC National Fellow for the FYE (2010-2012) 2007 ALTC Australian University Teacher of the Year Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

2. Acknowledgment to Country In the Spirit of Reconciliation Following on from Sorry Day I would like to acknowledge & honour the Traditional Custodians of the land we are meeting on today, Turrbal and the Jagera People, and pay respect to their Elders past, present & emerging And acknowledge the contribution of our First Nation People to Higher Education & Learning Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

3. Overview What is our focus? 1.A Decision-Making Framework Understanding the markers or predictors of commencing student potential difficulty in academic adjustment, engagement or success. 2.A Strategic Intervention Framework Understanding how to design an effective strategy for proportionally supporting the success of a diverse student population. 3.A Practice Framework Understanding the culture and capabilities for optimally engaging a diverse student population. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

4. Overview What is our focus? 1.A Decision-Making Framework Understanding the markers or predictors of commencing student potential difficulty in academic adjustment, engagement or success. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

5. Understanding the complex nature of student risk Risk is not an inherent quality of individual students, as in the term “at-risk student” Risk is a function of the interaction between a student and their university Honesty in Conception A fuller understanding of “student risk” requires us to consider how the design and conduct of our learning environments and assessment practices may inadvertently increase students’ risk of non- engagement or academic failure Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

6. An educational system designed to support success? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

7. Student beliefs or behaviours designed to support success? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

8. Multiple Sources of student risk Students misjudge or assume expectations & requirements (Inform, educate & contract with students) ) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

9. Multiple Sources of student risk Students misjudge or assume expectations & requirements (Inform, educate & contract with students) Staff misjudge or assume student capabilities (design transition supportive courses & programs) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

10. Multiple Sources of student risk Students misjudge or assume expectations & requirements (Inform, educate & contract with students) Staff misjudge or assume student capabilities (design transition supportive courses & programs) Students experience personal or systems blocks to help-seeking (Scaffold student help & outreach) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

11. Risk across the lifecycle Not all risks are created equal! Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

12. Risk and Success across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Distal What students bring with them Proximal Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

13. Risk and Success across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Distal What students bring with them Proximal Proximal What students actually do Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

14. Risk and Success across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Where you come from Proximal What you do Where you end up! Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

15. Risk and Success across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Distal What students bring with them Proximal Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

16. Distal or Pre-entry Factors What do our students bring to university? Our students’ backgrounds and life circumstances: Have relevance to the extent that they name or resonate with predictive validity for performance at university Otherwise their use is an exercise in student labelling Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

17. What resources and capital do our students bring to university? Motivational Capital Personal Academic Capital Family Academic Capital Social Capital Life Experience Capital Time and Energy Capital Financial Capital Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

18. Identifying Distal Factors Characteristics: Who am I? Age, gender, cultural identity History: Where have I come from? Family academic capital, social capital, prior educational experiences and achievement, life experience capital (personal & cultural resources) Context: What are my circumstances? Socio-economic standing, social capital (family support, support networks), time & energy capital (family roles & responsibilities), financial capital (economic circumstances) Expectations: What are my beliefs? Family academic capital (grasp of uni expectations), motivational capital (aspirations, preferences) personal academic capital (academic efficacy & belief in success) Capabilities: What are my knowledge, skills & attitudes? Academic skills & Academic capital Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

19. Understanding Student Diversity Traditional Students (TS) medium-high SES second generation higher entry levels full time on-campus elite model of HE Non-Traditional Students (NTS) low SES first-in-family lower entry levels full-time & working on-campus less Indigenous International NESB (including refugees) disability home care responsibilities from rural & remote settings mass model of HE Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

20. Effects of Distal/Pre-entry Factors Different strokes for different folks Distal factors have different impacts on students’: Aspirations and motivation Sense of inclusion and belonging Early engagement with study Performance on particular tasks Persistence with study Thus, each of these dimensions may be influenced or moderated by different distal factors Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

21. Effects of Distal/Pre-entry Factors Different strokes for different folks Moderate academic performance: In the domains of assumed knowledge early in the lifecycle (Academic Skills & Academic Capital) In the development/negotiation of new identities (university student, professional) At points of stress or high performance expectations, especially with assessment tasks (e.g., efficacy beliefs, social support, available buffers, resources) In the development of higher order meta-cognitive /self-regulatory capabilities (critical thinking, independent learning) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

22. What do we know about the effects of Distal Factors on early student achievement? Lizzio & Wilson (2010) study at Griffith: 2006 cohort (n = 2,587) of commencing students tracked for 3 years (2006-2008) examined the effects of distal & proximal factors on semester 1 student performance & year 1 retention Starting@Griffith survey (weeks 6-8) and feedback process Findings robust for age, gender, discipline & domestic/International student status Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

23. What distal factors predict commencing students’ first semester academic outcomes? Semester 1 academic achievement Academic Capital Low SES First in Family English as a Second Language Competing Demands Time in employment Time as carer Prior Academic Achievement Entry Level Scores (OPs) Enhances Reduces Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

24. What is the influence of Distal Factors across the student lifecycle? Non-Traditional students with low academic capital – Do less well academically in their first year than Traditional students (Lizzio & Wilson, 2010) By year 2 they evidence the same pass rates as Traditional students (Lizzio & Wilson, 2010) They graduate at the same rate as Traditional students (Bradley et al., 2008) NT students from low SES backgrounds graduate at 97% compared to TS (Bradley et al., 2008) With high levels of support, NT students out-perform their medium & high SES peers (Monash, UWA, UniSA) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

25. Risk and Success across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Distal What students bring with them Proximal Proximal What students actually do Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

26. Identifying Proximal Factors What is happening for our students now? Proximal factors things that students do & feel in the university context which predict academic success, & retention and are amenable to influence & development Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

27. Understanding Student Transition: The ‘Five-Senses’ of Student Success (Lizzio, 2006) Sense of Student Identity Sense of Connectedness Sense of Capability Sense of Purpose Sense of Resourcefulness Keithia Wilson GU - May 2012

28. What do we know from research about proximal predictors of success in first year? Students are more likely to succeed at university if they: Sense of Capability Invest time on task  time spent studying each week is the strongest predictor Regularly attend lectures & tutorials  increased learning opportunities also a strong predictor Have some sense of academic self-confidence  predicts success (self-efficacy & an expectation of success (hope) are foundational to success for Non-Traditional students) Sense of Connection Develop a social network at uni  knowing one student & staff name is a protective factor against dropping out Sense of Purpose Have a clear goal or purpose for attending uni (sense of vocational direction & degree alignment especially)  a strong predictor of academic success & retention into year 2 Sense of Resourcefulness Engage with the online environment  moderates success at university Balance work-life-study commitments (working on average not more than 15 hours a week in paid employment)  making appropriate time for study predicts success Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

29. What do we know from research about proximal risk factors in first year? Students are more likely to drop-out and/or fail if they: Sense of Capability Don’t study & invest time on task Don’t regularly attend lectures & tutorials (with the exception of a small group of young, very intellectually bright males) Don’t believe that they can be successful (hope) Sense of Connection Don’t develop a (small) social network at university Sense of Purpose Don’t have a sense of purpose (esp vocational purpose) in their degree Sense of Resourcefulness Don’t have access to or engage with the online environment Do work more than 25 hours per week while studying full time Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

30. Relative importance of distal & proximal factors to student engagement & success Research findings indicate consistently that: Proximal factors (viz. what students do at university) are more controllable, empowering & predictive of student success than are distal factors (viz. what students bring to university) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

31. What distal & proximal factors predict commencing students’ first semester academic outcomes? Semester 1 academic achievement Academic Capital Low SES First in Family ESL Competing Demands Time in employment Time as carer Prior Academic Achievement Entry Level Scores to HEd Task Engagement @ Uni Attendance at Orientation Time on task/study Strongly Enhances Enhances Reduces Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

32. What distal & proximal factors predict commencing students’ retention into Year 2? Semester 1 GPA Academic Capital - Competing Demands - Prior Academic Achievement + Task Engagement @ Uni + Sense of Purpose + + + Student Satisfaction + Student Retention Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

33. Greater importance of proximal factors to student engagement & success Research findings indicate consistently over the last 9 years that – Low SES students graduate at 97% the success rates of their medium to high SES peers (Bradley et al, 2008:30) Provided they receive appropriate types of support at university (financial assistance & greater academic support, mentoring & counselling services) (Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System, Commonwealth of Australia, 2009:14) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

34. Risk across the lifecycle Not all factors are created equal! Distal Factors Can influence, but can also be managed Proximal Factors Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

35. Implications for effective intervention What might this mean? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

36. Implications for effective intervention What might this mean? Strategy should emphasise factors which are within both our own and our student’s control & are thus optimally amenable to development & influence Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

37. Posting ‘warning signs’ is not enough to effectively help students Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

38. False independence The ‘you have been told’ approach Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

39. Zone of Optimal Influence and Investment Factors which students can control Factors which we can control Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

40. A quick break to gather our thoughts and chat Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

41. Overview What is our focus? 1.A Decision-Making Framework Understanding the markers or predictors of commencing student potential difficulty in academic adjustment, engagement or success. 2.A Strategic Intervention Framework Understanding how to design an effective strategy for proportionally supporting the success of a diverse student population. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

42. Framing our strategy The meta-goal of early university education is purposefully “scaffolding students’ capacity for independence & self-regulation” Help-rich learning environments do not necessarily “create dependence” & high levels of student help-seeking may equally indicate badly designed curriculum & assessment as much as limitations in student ability or motivation Our strategy for supporting at-risk students is therefore necessarily multi-layered Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

43. Levels of Prevention & Intervention with student risk (Adapted from Caplan, 1964) Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Secondary Prevention What do we do for at risk students? Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention What do we do for specific groups of students? General/ Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

44. Prevention is better than cure! Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

45. Levels of Prevention & Intervention with student risk (Adapted from Caplan, 1964) Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Secondary Prevention What do we do for at risk students? Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention What do we do for specific groups of students? General/ Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

46. General/Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Strategies which are designed to benefit all of our students, and are thus foundational and universal and function to reduce the types of risk that result from a mismatch or misappraisal of study demands and student resources. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

47. General/Primary Prevention Strategies Examples include curricular & co-curricular strategies Universal curriculum design Scaffolding self-help Programmed help Peer help Staff developmental help Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

48. General/Primary Prevention Strategies 1. Universal Curriculum Design The design of FY courses & related assessment practices to enable successful transition to university study Well judged, well-paced, well aligned curriculum Making assumed entry level knowledge explicit Programs & courses that strengthen students’ sense of purpose & build sense of connection Design of early, formative, low stakes assessment tasks to build skill & confidence Active scaffolding of student engagement with assessment tasks & provision of resources Developing program level mechanisms for increasing consistency between first year courses Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

49. General/Primary Prevention Strategies 2. Scaffolding Self-Help Supporting students to self-manage in the early stages of their academic life to develop the meta-goal of self-regulation Providing timely information about forthcoming choices and decisions (e.g., key dates). Providing ‘attention getting’ cues and prompts for timely completion of tasks (e.g., Have you done....? By now you should have....if you haven’t we encourage you to.....) Offering task/time relevant or appropriate help (e.g., If you would like to talk to someone about........then....) Legitimating and normalising concerns and giving permission to seek help (e.g., It’s common around this time for students to be feeling......) Building self-efficacy by offering assurance, encouragement and hope Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

50. General/Primary Prevention Strategies 3. Programmed Help Providing students with scheduled opportunities to access support and information. These types of generic activities can range from – Strategic welcome, orientation & induction process, involving realistic “job appraisal” for the student role preparatory workshops (academic skills) common time processes with just-in-time interventions (lifecycle orientation & transition across the first semester), academic advising These may be offered ‘centrally and generically’ and/or ‘locally and specifically’. Just-in-time activities are generally more widely used and therefore more effective. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

51. General/Primary Prevention Strategies 4. Peer Help Peers represent an underutilized capacity in our schools and programs. Senior students are particularly credible and accessible translators of ‘the university experience’ to commencing students. Peer processes can be – formal (e.g., using peer mentors, and/or peer tutors as per the PASS model) informal (e.g., establishing learning groups), or incidental (e.g., providing opportunities for discussion in class) or community-based (e.g., discussion boards). The focus can be academic (e.g., PASS) and/or social (e.g., peer mentoring) integration. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

52. General/Primary Prevention Strategies 5. Staff Developmental Help Encouraging, predictable and systematic arrangements for staff-student contact are a key aspect of a universal success enabling and problem prevention strategy. Staff help can take many locally appropriate forms: responsive (e.g., consultation sessions), community-based (e.g., moderated discussion boards), systematic (e.g., feedback summaries to whole class), opportunistic (e.g., chatting to students) or just-in-time (e.g., linked to major assessment tasks). The availability of staff is a key protective factor against student withdrawal in the face of difficulty. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

53. General/Primary Prevention What is the role of assessment in student success? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

54. Assessing the explicit and hidden curriculum Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

55. How do our commencing students understand their early assessment? (Wilson & Lizzio, 2012) Assessment Manageability How accessible and clearly explained are our assessment tasks? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

56. How do our commencing students understand their early assessment? Assessment Manageability How accessible and clearly explained are our assessment tasks? Assessment Motivation How engaging are our assessment tasks? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

57. How do our commencing students understand their early assessment? Assessment Manageability How accessible and clearly explained are our assessment tasks? Assessment Motivation How engaging are our assessment tasks? Assessment Purposes What are the useful purposes of our assessment tasks? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

58. How do our commencing students understand their early assessment? Assessment Manageability How accessible and clearly explained are our assessment tasks? Assessment Motivation How engaging are our assessment tasks? Assessment Purposes What are the useful purposes of our assessment tasks? Assessment Efficacy How well do I feel that I can successfully manage our assessment tasks? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

59. How do our commencing students understand their early assessment? Assessment Manageability How accessible and clearly explained are our assessment tasks? Assessment Motivation How engaging are our assessment tasks? Assessment Purposes What are the useful purposes of our assessment tasks? Assessment Learning How effective are our assessment tasks in helping me learn? Assessment Efficacy How well do I feel that I can successfully manage our assessment tasks? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

60. What do our commencing students say about their early assessment? Assessment Manageability Agree 60% Assessment Motivation Agree 67% Assessment Useful Purposes Agree 67% Assessment Learning Agree 75% Assessment Efficacy Agree 65% Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

61. What do our commencing students say about the useful purposes of assessment? Academic Capability Develop my academic skills Academic Confidence Develop my academic confidence Student Role Better understand uni expectations Developmental Feedback Give me early feedback about how I’m going Scaffolding Self Management Help me study regularly and keep up to date Peer Learning Networks Help me to work with other students Discipline Socialisation Help me to appreciate my chosen field Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

62. What do our commencing students say about the useful purposes of assessment? Academic Capability Agree 76% Academic Confidence Agree 57% Student Role Agree 78% Developmental Feedback Agree 46% Scaffolding Self Management Agree 62% Peer Learning Networks Agree 63% Discipline Socialisation Agree 50% Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

63. Take-Away Message A rising tide lifts all boats equally Well-designed and well-managed assessment is a ‘high-return’ primary prevention strategy for all of our students. It dramatically reduces the need for co- curricular support interventions. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

64. Another quick ‘think and chat’ Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

65. Levels of Prevention & Intervention with student risk (Adapted from Caplan, 1964) Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Secondary Prevention What do we do for at risk students? Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention What do we do for specific groups of students? General/ Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

66. Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention Strategies Targeted primary prevention strategies are population-specific, targeting students identified from university databases using distal factors (e.g., first-in-family, low SES, slow degree preference ranks, high achievers, Indigenous, international students) Intended not a substitute for, but as a complement, to universal strategies Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

67. Griffith students at risk of discontinuation 1/2012 on Distal risk markers (Low entry scores x Low degree preference x LOTE x Low SES) Health Foundation Program (5 Schools) Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Business School of Humanities Bachelor Urban & Env’mental Planning Cohort Size 856703550468127 High risk student numbers 3% (28/856) 6% (40/703) 12% (68/550) 19% (91/468) 24% (31/127) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

68. Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention Strategies Targeted primary prevention strategies Can be relatively informal (e.g., a welcome phone call to Indigenous & country students, early introductions to tutors), or More structured (e.g., dedicated workshops or ongoing contact/support) Include online ‘just-in-time and just-for-me’ support programs which provide messages (information, invitation or outreach) specifically tailored to the likely needs and experiences of particular groups of students who may be potentially at-risk Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

69. Levels of Prevention & Intervention with student risk (Adapted from Caplan, 1964) Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Secondary Prevention What do we do for at risk students? Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention What do we do for specific groups of students? General/ Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

70. Secondary Prevention Secondary Prevention strategies aim to create a safety net for students experiencing difficulties to support their academic recovery utilising proximal data Commencing students face a number of predictable lifecycle tasks and milestones in their first-semester at university which provide us with timely information on students’ early academic engagement and performance, and can thus function as useful early-alert or early-warning ‘risk markers’. Students who trigger these predetermined indicators (e.g., non-attendance, failure of early assessment) may have an increased level of risk of subsequent academic failure. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

71. Secondary Prevention Based on the premise that ‘early engagement is a good predictor of later success’ and the corollary ‘early non-engagement is a good predictor of risk of failure’,....it is proposed that universities ‘front-load’ monitoring and outreach to emphasise the first semester of commencement. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

72. Griffith Risk Markers across first semester lifecycle W 1 Readiness: Attendance at orientation or incompletion of online orientation W2-3 Early engagement: Online engagement & Small class attendance W 2-4 Early performance: Submission of first or early assessment W5-7 Early outcomes: Passing of first or early assessment S/B Cumulative outcomes: Passing of first-semester first year courses Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

73. Operation Student Success Trial: Early Patterns for 1/2012 Risk Marker School of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing Health Foundation Program School of Humanities Bachelor Urban & Env’mental Planning Bachelor of Business Cohort Size 703 856468127550 1 O-Day160 (23%)130 (15%)114 (24%)22 (17%)82 (15%) 2 On- line access 51 (7%)200 (22%) 65 (14%)17 (13%)62 (11%) 3 Class Attend 148 (21%)36 (4%)110 (24%)19 (15%)67 (12%) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

74. Secondary Prevention What do we do for identified at-risk students Use a series of proximal or just-in-time risk markers to identify under- engaged or under-performing students & provide focused outreach Early contact to welcome incoming students who missed Orientation & provision of resources Early contact to encourage on-line access & class attendance Opportunities for late submission of first assessment tasks Limited opportunities to re-submit first semester assessment tasks to achieve a passing grade Advising for academic recovery Diagnostic testing & follow-up supplemental instruction Normalising contacting of students as an expected part of supporting student success Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

75. First-Assessment First-Feedback Academic Recovery Intervention Key Idea: Efficacy building for students who ‘fail’ or ‘marginal pass’ first assessment in a core/threshold course (Wilson & Lizzio, 2008; Lizzio & Wilson, in press) Key Aspects: Students complete a self-directed workbook Individual structured session with tutor leading to an action plan Follow-up phone or email contact 40% uptake Participation results in a 10% increase in submission rates & 20% increase in pass rates for 2 nd assessment item, & 40% increase in passing the course overall Trialled at other Australian universities (USC, UWS, JCU, UTAS) Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

76. First-Assessment First-Feedback Academic Recovery Intervention At-risk students’ self-reported evaluations of the process were uniformly positive (7-point scale): Academic related learning (5.7) Personal development (5.0) Insight into reasons for under-performance (5.6) Increased efficacy & optimism (5.6) Process rated as non-aversive (5.3) Tutors reported stronger relationships with students, higher attendance at tutorials by those students, & greater student engagement Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

77. Combination of Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention & Secondary Prevention Strategies What do we do for specific risk profiles? Use demographic (distal) & early lifecycle risk markers (proximal) to identify particular groups of students & to provide ongoing targeted support or developmental activities Outreach to highest at-risk student profiles (e.g., low OP x low preference x LOTE x Low SES) Distal data Intrusive academic outreach to offer early, pre- semester, study and assessment planning & support Proximal data Facilitating the academic recovery of those same students (e.g., non-submission/failure on early assessment) throughout the student lifecycle in the first year Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

78. Levels of Prevention & Intervention with student risk (Adapted from Caplan, 1964) Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Secondary Prevention What do we do for at risk students? Targeted/Selective Primary Prevention What do we do for specific groups of students? General/ Primary Prevention What do we do for all students? Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

79. Tertiary Prevention What do we do for failing students? Providing outreach to commencing students who have failed first semester courses/units & involves a smaller group of students usually with challenging circumstances – Contacting students at the end of semester to offer academic recovery planning Helping students to understand reasons for their failure Helping students to develop appropriate actions ranging from minor adjustments (time m’gt, study skills), re- positioning of priorities (shift to part-time enrolment), to more fundamental revisions (change of degree) Contacting first year students on probation to offer academic recovery planning Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

80. Overview What is our focus? 1.A Decision-Making Framework Understanding the markers or predictors of commencing student potential difficulty in academic adjustment, engagement or success. 2.A Strategic Intervention Framework Understanding how to design an effective strategy for proportionally supporting the success of a diverse student population. 3.A Practice Framework Understanding the culture and capabilities for optimally engaging a diverse student population. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

81. 7 Working Principles 1. University wide consistency Adopting a consistent set of risk markers (What will we monitor?) across the university & minimum level of response (How will we help?) in all degree programs 2. Student Partnership Transparently communicating our at-risk strategy to all of our students so they are informed about the factors within their control that lead to success 3. Local relationship focused responses Locally relevant approaches to supporting at-risk students which are consistent with university minimum standards 4. Linkage with current technology Monitoring & communication systems which interface with university information systems Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

82. 7 Working Principles 5. Coordinated Local Responsibility Clarifying and coordinating roles & responsibilities of key staff in the ‘business of student success’ 6. Coordination of local & central contributions Coordinating between school/program and central university services and strategies. 7. Evidence-based effectiveness Continuous monitoring and evaluating both centrally & within programs, within an agreed evaluation framework Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

83. Staff Partnerships Supporting student success and reducing academic risk necessitates that we develop new and creative partnerships between academic, administrative and professional staff. Thus, supporting student success may involve shifts in our traditional strategies, skills and roles, and is genuinely everyone’s business. Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

84. Staff partnerships...helping students succeed is a team sport! Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

85. A final reframe on the importance of help-seeking Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

86. A final reframe on the importance of help-seeking A meta-goal of early university education is purposefully “scaffolding students’ capacity for independence & self-regulation” Facilitating student independence is not incompatible with providing & encouraging students to seek appropriate assistance Students who recognise when they need help or assistance to ‘go to the next level’, and who feel empowered to do so, are more likely to succeed and to feel good about themselves Help-seeking is thus a key element of effective self- regulation & success at university Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012

87. Thus....our contract with each other.... Keithia Wilson FYHE Conference - June 2012