1. Perspectives on the student experience: Key points for 21st Century Tutoring Models and Methods for 21 st Century Tutoring University of Aston 28 January 2015 Dr Camille B. Kandiko Howson @cbkandiko King’s College London

2. The Project Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)-funded research project explored the views of students in higher education across the UK in 2012-13, to investigate their perceptions and expectations of the quality of their learning experience and the academic standards of their chosen programmes of study 2

3. Methodology Concept-map mediated interviews and focus groups were used to elicit students’ expectations and perceptions of quality, standards and the student learning experience Interviews and focus groups were conducted with over 150 students in 16 settings, across 4 general institutional types (research-intensive, teaching- intensive, regional-focused and special interest) 3

4. Findings How students frame higher education Ideology Practices Purpose Students and their course Students and the institution 4

5. Framing of ideology Consumerist ethos: Student perceptions of value 5

6. 6

7. Transition academically intellectually socially physically Traditional versus mature students 7

8. On tutors: “1: Yes, they’re just to guide you, yes. Nobody’s going to spoon-feed you and I don’t want to be spoon-fed.” “2: That’s the whole point of university.” 8

9. 9

10. “The thing I found different was the access course said you will not get any help whatsoever when you go to uni, but that is a totally different case. We get a lot of support, a lot of help, but my college actually frightened me off saying you don’t get any.” 10

11. 11

12. Advice and guidance I Different from School, but how? Information overload What to prioritise and when Blurring of academic and pastoral roles Non-standardised processes within institutions 12

13. “when I first had my personal tutor, and he said, okay, right, let’s go to the pub. That’s our meeting. I’ll see you... well, actually, no, I won’t see you ever again. You’ll get a different personal tutor next year, and you’ll see somebody in about 12 months. Bye.” 13

14. Advice and guidance II More realistic information about a course, what students should expect and what was expected of them (process over outcomes) Opportunities for internships, placements and work experience Importance of direct interventions in students’ transitional experiences, not only general provision of services: proactivity From remedial to developmental roles 14

15. Community Extra-curricular activities Co-curricular support 15

16. ED1 16

17. Individual engagement Learning and experience at course- level Support sought at course-level 17

18. 18

19. Belonging Balance Extended induction and transition periods 19

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21. “I’ve got support and all the different sort of supports, so sort of issues that students face, especially… sort of, live… I’ve got… for example, like living in London – puts extra pressure on students apart from the usual amount of pressure and things that they have to deal with. They also have to deal with costs and higher living and things.” 21

22. Students’ Union Representational role; not necessarily representational Gaps and confusion between SU and institutional responsibility 22

23. The students’ union was a bit different to expect. I kind of expected it to be more like everybody was involved, but the students’ union for me is kind of... it’s a select group of people who are more interested in kind of student union-y things, as opposed to just normal students, kind of thing. So you do have this huge diversity of people, and you have the societies in the students’ union, but the societies are their own... they’re in their own worlds, as opposed to being in the students’ union kind of world, if you see what I mean. (Aerospace engineering, male, research-intensive) 23

24. For institutions Tutoring roles: Going beyond academic staff Recognition and reward for staff roles Use of technology Holistic engagement with students Work from the student perspective, not the institutional one (sensu Bernstein) Engage with Students Union 24

25. I just feel that the admin and the staff here, like, really, really do care. Because I feel like I’ll have a... I’ll email one of the teachers, like, on a Sunday, and he’ll email me back straight away. And I feel, wow, you know, that’s really, really... that’s really good, that’s really... there’s a lot of dedication there. 25

26. Business case Preventative care Students as individuals, not customers Be strategic about support Work from the student perspective, not the institutional one 26

27. Lessons from abroad Student affairs field ‘Challenge and support’ ethos Push students; ‘learning opportunities’ Student development/student support Link co/extra and formal curriculum 27

28. “It wasn’t until I actually got to my final year where I had one tutor who really was very inspiring that actually got me to, one, like law, two, want to go into practice, and three, actually decide practice was not for me and go into teaching. Because of that one person who spent eight months... and he was pretty brutal, but he just said, you’ve got a talent for this... I’m going to push you as hard as I can. And I’ve got to be honest, it was a rollercoaster. There were some days I just went [unclear], I don’t know what he’s asking. Literally, it was quite scary. But at the end I felt that it was a really good experience – for changing how you think, as well.” 28

29. Engage Students! Challenge students Support students Inform students Seek, ask and report on feedback Provide opportunities for students Hold students responsible Work WITH not FOR students 29

30. 30 References Kuh, G. D. (2009). What student affairs professionals need to know about student engagement. Journal of College Student Development, 50(6), 683– 706. Quality Assurance Agency (2012). UK Quality Code for Higher Education. Part B: Ensuring and Enhancing Academy. Chapter B5: Student Engagement. Gloucester: QAA.

31. 31 Dr Camille B. Kandiko Howson King’s College London camille.kandiko_howson@kcl.ac.uk @cbkandiko Thank you! Research Assistant: Dr Matthew Mawer Questions?