ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum 2014 Bali, Indonesia Student Success in Distance and E- Learning Alan Tait Professor of Distance Education and Development Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Student Success: what is it? Ask your students! Gaining of education and training Of credit and qualification In order to gain Enhancement of livelihood and earnings Personal development and self-esteem Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Context: from élite to mass Higher Education systems Growth of higher education over last 40 years in developed and developing countries In UK from 6% to 42% participation of school leavers Need to increase provision globally from 300m to 410m by 2030 Wider opportunity increases risk of student drop-out In UK drop-out in full time sector ranges from 3%-40% drop out Part-time and DE drop out is higher In USA 55% overall average graduation rate Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Drop out: combination of mission and risk University of Cambridge 3% drop out University of Bolton 40% drop out Open University: in first year 45% drop out and subsequently 35-40% drop out Computing part-time graduation rates? Implications of open entry Full time/part time divide Distance and E learning subset of part-time Drop out function of mission, risk and DE system, not mode Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Challenges to mass Higher Education systems Risk with students with less cultural and social capital Who pays? Student? Family? Government? Pay with self esteem as well as money Risk to student; institution; government Abuse by private for profit institutions Challenges to massification of Higher Education systems Where does cost outweigh return for individuals and government? Have we sufficiently rethought HE for mass system? Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

How well are we doing? In systems terms two points of leverage: Who do we seek to admit to study? What do we do in our teaching, support and logistics strategies? Minority of students in most DE programmes achieve formal study goal Causes of non-success combination of risk in educational ambition with busy adult students And Effectiveness of our DE systems But not mode of DE study in itself Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Current practice of distance teaching institutions? ICDE Student Success survey 2014 Wide range of student support practices and intervention strategies Digital affordances not yet fully realised Learning analytics not yet widely embedded and practised Research in student support not influencing policy Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Managing for Student Success: summary Qualifications with credibility and respect Transparent academic standards Curriculum that is compelling and relevant Student support that is personal and individual; frequent; interactive and engaging Strategies for intervention with students Assessment that supports learning and standards Analytics that support student intervention and course improvement Transparency re student success and risk Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali

Conclusion Open door or revolving door? Strategies for student success must be explicit and strategised Evidence based and evaluated Alan Tait ICDE-UNESCO Policy Forum Bali