1. Impact on retention through e- Learning in a Consortium Jebar Ahmed University of Huddersfield

2. Aims of the Research Reasons for withdrawal Reasons for withdrawal in the CPCET The link between e-Learning and Retention (loyalty) Recommendations Conclusions

3. The Consortium The Consortium for Post Compulsory Education and Training (CPCET) 30+ centres delivering courses MLE Project Retention context

4. Reasons for withdrawal Choice of course –Lack of information –Selection process Part-time students –The demands of employment/workload through studies –Needs of dependants –Financial problems –Programme organisation –Inadequate staff support outside timetable –Timetabling did not suit –Teaching did not suit me/ lacking quality –Lack of personal support from staff –Personal health problems –Stress related to the programme (Yorke and Longden, 2004)

5. Reasons for withdrawal (2) in e-learning Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors Lack of time IT skills Relevance of initial teacher training

6. Recommendations Subject specifics Academic and Occupational relevance Communication regularised Key skills Engaging students using technologies (staying in touch) Institutional changes

7. Methodology A review of existing research on retention with particular attention to the relative area Analysis of existing Consortium data relating to retention and withdrawal Analysis of VLE/e-learning usage across the centres Focus group discussions with students Semi structured interviews with Centre managers focusing on ‘how’ retention could be improved One to one interviews with selected students on the use of e-learning Questionnaire/surveys with withdrawn students Students were interviewed from one centre that made good use of e-learning and one centre that did not use any form of e-learning.

8. Figure 1:Reasons for Suspension (Noel, 2004) Figure 2: Reasons for withdrawal (Noel, 2004)

9. Factors Key factors which cause students to consider course withdrawal, are: Employment workloads and pressure (84% experiencing some pressure, 67% to a significant extent) Domestic or family (62% experiencing some issues, 44% to a significant extent) Academic difficulty with the course (47% experiencing some difficulty, 15% to a significant extent)

10. Figure 3: Percentages of students within specific categories who have considered withdrawal (Noel, 2004)

11. Recommendations Flexibility of the programme Support for the programme to bridge gaps E-recommendations –“Already using VLE…most effective support mechanism” –“Make more use of the VLE”

12. The e-ingredients 4 Centres selected: –2 used VLE (blended) –2 used F2F Good Use of VLE includes: - –Support materials are made available in the VLE regularly –Centre tutors regularly accessing the VLE –Students regularly accessing the VLE –Regular contributions made to the VLE discussion forums –Tutors moderate the discussions.

13. Retention in selected Centres Centres 1 & 2 made use of e-Learning Centres 3 & 4 made no use of e-Learning

15. Student Feedback Centre 3 “no.. cant get in to it” “It’s not organised at all…. I couldn’t find anything” “we’ve had problems with students trying to get in to it”

16. Student Feedback Centre 2 “peer support was the best thing about the VLE” “We used the VLE due to the lack of contact with other students … I don’t know how I would have survived without it” “Everything was where we wanted it to be and it was clearly titled”

17. Recommendations Early induction process and feed students into the VLE Provide reasonable short descriptions for content added to the VLE Organise content in an accessible format Use the VLE to ‘add value’ and monitor students Pedagogical relationship Make effective use of the communication tools available in the VLE for peer-to-peer and tutor-to-peer communication Allocate responsibility to students for extracting materials from the VLE and making contributions to the VLE (e.g. Discussions) Institutional Responsibilities

18. Conclusion Factors beyond control - Caution Positive ‘e’ffect on Retention in a Blended model? Which factors were affected Monitoring is important Must be pedagogically suitable for students Early robust adoption/integration/feed Further research required

19. References Competition Commission, (2000) Background information on loyalty cards [online] http://www.competition- commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/fulltext/446a7.3.pdfhttp://www.competition- commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/fulltext/446a7.3.pdf Consortium for Post Compulsory Education and Training (2004) [online] http://consortium.hud.ac.uk/php/showpage.php?pageid=129 Croft, N. B. (2001) Bachelor’s or Masters’ Degree The intelligent way to attend class, The New Corporate University, Virginia: University of Phoenix Curtis, P. (2005), Guardian: education becoming a business [online] http://education.guardian.co.uk/businessofresearch/story/0,,1408421,00.html Department for Education and Skills (2005) Recruitment and Retention in the Post-16 Learning and Skills Sector, Sheffield: DfES FENTO (2000) A Functional Analysis of the Part-Time Lecturing Staff in Further Education Colleges in England and Wales, London: Further Education National Training Organisation Hemsley-Brown, J. (2002) Managing Retention under the New Skills Agenda Research in Post-Compulsory Education Volume 7, number 3 Higher Education Funding Council for England, (2001) House of Commons Sub-Committee Inquiry into Higher Education, Submission of additional evidence from the HEFCE, [online] http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2001/commons.htmhttp://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2001/commons.htm Higher Education Funding Council for England, (2003) Supporting Higher Education in Further Education Colleges, HEFCE [online] http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2003/03_15/03_15a.doc, P80-85 http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2003/03_15/03_15a.doc Joint Information Systems Committee (2004a) When Worlds Collide: Changing Cultures in 21st Century Education, Northumbria: JISC Joint Information Systems Committee (2004b) Effective Practice with E-Learning: A good practice guide in designing for learning, Bristol: JISC Leach, L. and Zepke, N. (2005) Integration and adaptation: Approaches to the student achievement puzzle, Active Learning in Higher Education Volume 6 (1) P46-59 Murray, L. (2002) A Research-led Approach to the Evaluation of Certificate Education (post 16) Programmes Research in Post-Compulsory Education Volume 7, number 2 Noel, P. (2004) Retention and Achievement in CPCET Programmes, PCET Consortium, University of Huddersfield Unpublished Packham, G. Jones, P. Miller, C and Thomas B (2004) E-learning and retention: key factors influencing student withdrawal Education + Training, Volume 46, number 6/7, P335-342 Robbins, V. (1998) The Development on Information Technology Skills in Trainee Teachers for the Further Education Sector Scott P. (2000) Higher Education Re-formed, London: Falmer Press Select Committee on Education & Employment (2001), “Education and Employment - Sixth Report”, SCEE [online] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmeduemp.htm. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmeduemp.htm Shattock M. (2003) Managing Successful Universities, Maidenhead: Open University Press Simpson, O. (2003) Student retention in Online, Open and Distance Learning, London: Kogan Page Yorke, M. and Longden, B (2004) Retention and Student Success in Higher Education, Maidenhead: Open University Press