International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow 9-11 June 2015 Welcome

Elaine Clafferty & Barry Beggs Effective Action Strategies to Improve Retention, Progression and Completion of Transitioning Students Paper 3.2.2

What can the institution do? What can the student do? The Triple C Model has been created and evolved to optimise the retention and performance of students. Some successful techniques are related to institutional responsibilities and behaviours. Some successful techniques are related to student responsibilities and behaviours. This paper is concerned mainly with institutional responsibilities and behaviours.

Problem Analysis Disappointing retention, progression and completion of transitioning students (direct entry to year 2 or 3 from FE college) thought to be an issue. Quantitative and qualitative evidence gathered and studied. Difficulties identified as being mainly in full-time undergraduate programmes. Approximately 400 students in each ‘year cohort’.

Problem Analysis Direct evidence existed of a correlation between class absences and poor academic performance. Evidence clearly showed that transitioning students were doing less well than students progressing from year 1 entry. A high proportion of transitioning students came from ‘widening access’ backgrounds. The literature is not fully consistent with respect to how students from widening access backgrounds perform.

Problem Analysis A small number of modules were identified with large student populations and low pass rates. A significant proportion of each cohort analysed went into second diet assessments. There appeared to be a ‘resit culture’. According to students, assessment workload and timing along with some other issues such as feedback were felt to be contributors to the existence of the resit culture. Underpinning mathematical skills were raised as an issue by some staff during interviews and focus groups.

Action Strategy Design A desire to try and achieve rapid improvements led to an action research approach. A simple numerical technique was adopted to clearly identify modules that were contributing most to lack of success - more than 20 students and more than 20% fail rate. Inspection of module descriptors and assessment schedules provided convincing evidence that some over- assessment was taking place and some assessment deadline clustering was routine practice.

Action Strategy Design Information gathering on pre-requisite mathematics skills requirements was conducted involving Module Leaders, FE college academics and secondary school staff. It was concluded that collaborative work could be done to smooth the transitions from FE college and school to HE modules with mathematics pre-requisites.

Action Strategy Implementation Absence management – including ‘assertive outreach’ emphasising a personal approach. Focus on ‘outlier’ modules with low pass rates. Improving academic feedback to students. Online peer support and student led study groups between first and second diet.

Action Strategy Implementation Mathematics underpinning enhanced. Student assessment workload reviewed. Staff development activity related to the above issues. Classroom assistant staff development.

Improvements Achieved

The Triple C Model A set of techniques and methods for use in learning environments where there is a desire to optimise student retention and performance. Based on: Care Control Consistency Information and resources available at