Student engagement in quality: an introduction for staff

Session objectives By the end of this section you will be able to: describe student engagement; recognise and describe what student engagement looks like in a college; explain why student engagement is important to students, staff, and the College identify ways you can help improve your students’ engagement.

Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland Mission Students are able to make a positive difference to the educational experience in Scotland’s colleges and universities and benefit from this, helping shape the nature of learning and contributing to the success of Scotland’s tertiary education sector.

About sparqs sparqs (Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland) was created in 2003 and is funded by the Scottish Funding Council. We work with: All colleges and HE institutions throughout Scotland Students’ Associations Individual students Other sector agencies

What sparqs does Training and support for student reps institutionally and nationally. Support for individual institutions to enable them to develop effective structures and support. Work with sector agencies to involve students and to support students at this level. Input into the development of student engagement through policy development and sharing practice Training and support for student reps – Associate Trainers and Institutional Associate Trainers trained over 4300 reps in colleges and universities across Scotland Support for individual institutions – SFC funded work to develop the capacity of students and students’ associations; development of student partnership agreements between students’ associations and colleges/universities, creating effective structures within colleges and universities for the student voice to be heard both formally and informally Working with sector agencies – working with CDN – supporting leadership programmes, supporting college Board members; working with Education Scotland – enhancing the role of students in the external review process; working with the SFC and Scottish Government on setting the agenda for student engagement Helping the develop student engagement nationally and internationally – sparqs conference; input to national discussions around Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey, the future of the Education Scotland external review process; international work – Kosovo, Armenia, Ireland, Iceland

www.sparqs.ac.uk Our website is rich source of information and holds the majority of our resources – accessible and available to

The student engagement and quality landscape Scottish Funding Council 2014 Learner engagement is a key principle which underpins quality assurance and enhancement in Scottish further and higher education. It means students actively participating in learning in ways which help them achieve their full potential, and playing a full part in college life, including activities like student representation. Let’s look at the student engagement landscape from a number of the key “players” across the sector.

The student engagement and quality landscape Education Scotland 2012 Learner engagement is one of the three key principles on which the quality arrangements are based. Across the sector, colleges in Scotland are devising ways and implementing ways of involving learners in decision-making processes and programme and college levels. Guidance for External Reviews 2012

The student engagement and quality landscape Education Scotland 2012   Learners provide feedback on how well learning and teaching approaches, programmes and college services meet their needs. Colleges are using feedback from learners to make improvements to programmes and services. Staff are involving learners in working together to enhance and enrich the learning experience and the work and life of the college. Managers are involving learners in decision-making processes at college level, through meaningful involvement of learners in cross-college groups, sub-committees of the governing body and the full Board. Guidance for External Reviews - 2012

The student engagement and quality landscape QAAS (Quality Assurance Agency Scotland) oversee the Quality Enhancement Framework which applies to HE. Institution-led reviews over a six year cycle; Enhancement-led institutional review (ELIR): external reviews over a four-year cycle; improved forms of public information about quality; student engagement in quality processes a national programme of Enhancement Themes Support for students engaging in the ELIR process and recent work with RGU on Institution Led Subject Review (ILSR)

Academic literature Student engagement “the time and efforts students devote to activities that are empirically linked to desired outcomes of the college and what institutions do to induce students to participate in these activities” Kuh, 2009a Since 1984 “virtually every report …emphasised to varying degrees the important link between student engagement and the desired outcomes of the college” Kuh, 2009a George Kuh, a leading figure in US education – written and spoken extensively on student engagement and impact on successful student outcomes. Since the publication in 1984 of the (US) National Institute of Education’s Involvement in Learning Report, according to Kuh in 2009 – see above quotation.

Success factors for engagement Expecting student engagement to happen of its own accord has been described as “magical thinking.” Chang, Chang and Ledesma 2005 Students – clear focus of student engagement Staff – have a vital role to play in student engagement. “Our findings suggest that staff do matter. The educational context created by staff behaviours and attitudes has a dramatic effect on student learning and engagement.” Umbach and Wawrzynsky, 2005 “The most important institutional factors are thought to be the policies and practices adopted by institutions to increase student engagement” Pike and Kuh, 2005 Student engagement is clearly a key success factor – “students must invest time and effort into academic activities and practices…that correlate positively with positive outcomes”, Bensimon, 2009

A Student Engagement Framework for Scotland There are five key elements: Students feeling part of a supportive institution. Students engaging in their own learning. Students working with their institution in shaping the direction of learning. Formal mechanisms for quality and governance. Influencing the student experience at national level. The use of the term ‘learning’ throughout the framework can apply to learning, teaching and assessment.

A Student Engagement Framework for Scotland There are six features of effective student engagement: A culture of engagement. Students as partners. Responding to diversity. Valuing the student contribution. Focus on enhancement and change. Appropriate resources and support. No “magical thinking” - it doesn’t just happen!

Published and launched by Scottish Government – June 2015 Students’ associations act as co-creators and co-decision makers and have input into every decision which impacts on the student experience. The students’ association acts as a co-creator in the review and development of the curriculum and learning and teaching. Skilled, engaged class reps contribute to a smooth flow of information…enabling the development of a college-wide evidenced student voice.

Student Learning Experience

Ladder of participation Arnstein, 1969

Student Learning Experience

Support within the College Students’ Association. Course reps. Student Liaison Officer. Quality Manager/Director.

National agencies

References Chang, M.J., Chang, J.C., Ledesma, M.C. (2005) Beyond magical thinking: doing the real work of diversifying our institutions. About Campus. 10 (2), pp. 9-16 Kuh, G.D. (2009a) What student affairs professionals need to know about student engagement. Journal of College Student Development. 50 (6), pp. 683-706 Pike, G.R., and Kuh, G.D. (2005) A typology of student engagement. Research in Higher Education. 44 (2), pp. 185-209 Umbach, P.D., and Wawrzynski, M.R. (2005) Faculty do matter: the role of college faculty in student learning and engagement. Research in Higher Education. 46 (2), pp. 153-184

Session objectives By the end of this section you will be able to: describe student engagement; recognise and describe what student engagement looks like in a college; explain why student engagement is important to students, staff, and the College identify ways you can help improve your students’ engagement.

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