The Affective Aspects of Student Attainment: Aspects of Love Debra Cureton The University of Opportunity
Overview • Will consider: – the role that students’ psychological contract plays in learning relationships and student engagement – the role of students’ developing sense of belonging in their success – ideas about how to generate closer learning relationships The University of Opportunity
Background
University of Wolverhampton • West Midlands, Post 1992 University • 180 years old • 18 Schools housed in 4 • Diverse student body faculties • 37% are UK born students • Widening Participation from minority backgrounds University • Range of ethnicities make – 40% part time students up minority groups – 40% mature students • University of Opportunity • Equality in retention of • High proportion of students who success of students key are first in family strategic goal • 90% of students commute from a 25 mile radius
Background • Cousin (2002-13) Draw on the work of three UW • Hockings & colleagues (2009, 2010) programmes • Richardson (2008) • 2010-2012: Disparities in Student • Singh (2008- current) Attainment • Stevenson (2012) • 2012-2015: What Works • Lefever (2012) • 2015 onward: HEA Strategic • Thomas (2002 - current) Enhancement Programme • Yorke (2004; 2014) • ECU Statistical Reports, NUS Reports Underpinned by work on student Institutional work into student success success, retention and BME student and BME student experience: experience: • Dandha (2009) – BME student • Burke (2000- current) experience • Berry & Loke (2011) • Hogan (2008) – Student retention and • Brocke & Nicholls (2006) success
DISA: Disparities in Student Attainment Research Stream 1: Institutional Data Identifying modules with no disparity – highlighting good practice Research Stream 2: Student Data What students say help or impede their achievement Research Stream 3: Action Research with Staff Evaluation of interventions identified by staff to eradicate the gap Research Stream 4: Dissemination Good Degree Guide, Vox Pops, Postcards, Framework, Methodology Funded by
What Works? • • National Change Programme Active learning intervention • • 12 UK HEIs Inclusive assessment processes – Clear assignment briefs • Focus on pedagogic and – Assignment processing strategic change that impact on: – Lecture Capture – Retention – Success • 3 pilot teams – belongingness – Sports • 8% of students leave university – Bio Medical Science in their first year of study – Art and Design • Between 33% and 42% of students consider withdrawing (HESA 2009-10)
Theory bit…. Psychological Contract Definition of Psychological Contract • Work settings – violations lead Psychological contract is the to disengagement, low unconscious expectations of an productivity, decreases in individual that relates to how they satisfaction, lower anticipate they will be treated by the organisational loyalty organisation that they are involved (Rousseau, 1996) with (Rousseau, 1996) in other words • In education – mainly applied the unspoken, emotionally based to HE first year experience. rules of engagement – engagement, satisfaction and (Cureton, 2015) retention (Bryson, et al 2011) – Student relationship with University are not passive and consumerist (O’Toole & Prince, 2014)
Theory bit…. Belonging Definition of belonging • A lot of work carried out in ‘ Students’ sense of being accepted, compulsory education and in the valued, included, and encouraged by US (Hoffman, et al 2002, others (teacher and peers) in the Goodenow 1993) academic classroom setting and of – Recognises belonging on two levels: to feeling oneself to be an important part the classroom and to the organisation of the life and activity of the class. • Sense of belonging in HE More than simple perceived liking or – Wenger (1998) communities of warmth, it also involves support and practice respect for personal autonomy and – investment in academic related for the student as an individual. activities (Martin & Dowson, 2009; (Goodenow, 1993, p.25). Tinto, 2006; 2007 & Lee and Robbins, 2000) – Student success (Thomas, 2012)
The Research The affective aspects of the learning relationship
General Findings Academic Aspect Relationships Cultural and Psychological Social Capital Processes
Relationships • Learning relationships: – The quality of lecture/student relationships. – Facilitative lecturers: • Enthusiastic • Lecturer as • Communicative Interlocutor: • Individuals – One to one • Invitational – In lecture settings
Psycho-social Pedagogy • • Assignment briefs Identity & Belongingness – Success • Assignment unpacking – Engagement • General feedback in class – Retention • Appreciative Pedagogic • Expectations approaches – Pre-expectations of HE • Aspiration Raising Staff • Stereotype threat Inclusive, Students respecting Good student prior relationships experience, Respect recognizing Communicate recognizing individuality . individuality .
Social Capital • Rules of engagement DiSA Videos with Higher Education – Managing Transitions – How to be successful in HE • Understanding degree classifications www.wlv.ac.uk/DiSA – Understanding the ‘Good Degree ’
Student belongingness and student success
Belongingness Thomas (2012) Cousin & Cureton (2012) • belonging is achieved • Sense of belonging: through several factors: – at peer – supportive peer relations, – faculty – meaningful interaction – Institutional level between staff and students, • Cureton (2015) – developing knowledge, – There is an interplay – confidence between developing student – identity as successful HE identity, psychological learners contract and developing – an HE experience relevant sense of belonging. to interests and future goals.
Belongingness • • Differences in the perceptions Preliminary findings: of belongingness between – Greater sense of belonging on students categorised as BME & smaller campuses their white counterparts – Greater sense of belonging where students have a ‘home – Perceptions of their own building’ engagement – Ethnicity differences in – Self reported self confidence belonging are present at levels – Perceptions of their sense of 4, 5 & 6 belonging • Present at: – Level 4 point of entry, – Level 4 before Christmas – Level 4 Easter
Generating closer relationships
Narrowing the gap • Increasing attainment, reducing attainment gaps = narrowing relationship gaps – Non categorisation and stereotype threats – Students at individuals – Articulating expectations of success – Understanding students’ expectations – Pedagogic battlefield
Characteristics of successful assignment briefs: • Language is appropriate • 1 – 1.5 sides of A4 – to a student audience • Clear, succinct, no jargon, – to the subject matter informative • Fit for level • Includes information on: • Logical Structure – Product – Process • Information in all one – Useful examples place – Marking criteria – What markers will give points for/ are looking for
Student led unpacking sessions Three key principles for processing an assessment with students in-class: • Students should discuss and share their understanding of the brief • Students should ask questions about what they do not understand • Lectures discuss what is not understood and rectify misunderstandings
Or……. • What small change could you make to your practice to either: • Increase belongingness? • Encourage facilitative learning relationships? • Better understand your students’ psychological contacts
DiSA Research Team University of Wolverhampton Coventry University • • Prof Glynis Cousin Dr Gurnam Singh Principle Investigator Coventry Project Lead • • Dr Debra Cureton Dr Arinola Adefila Wolverhampton Project Lead Project Manager • • Dr Vinette Cross Prof Lynn Clouder Action Research Cycle Project Advisor • • Pliny Soocoomarnee Dr Christine Broughan Project Worker Project Advisor • Dr Meena Dhanda Project Advisor External Evaluator • Professor Penny Jane Burke Roehampton University
What Works Project Teams • • Core Team Discipline Teams – Debra Cureton – Project Lead – Faculty of the Arts – Alex Hopkins – Dean of Academic • Peter Day Practice • Sharon Watts – Jon Elsmore – Dean of Students • Alice Jones (Graduate Intern) – Ann Gough – SU (CEO) – Faculty of Science and – Hannah Cooper & Zoe Harrison, Engineering SU VPs - Academic • Martin Khechara – Kay Biscomb – Head of the • Sara Smith Institute of Sport • Anthony Hatfield – Crispin Dale – PL Academic – Faculty of Education Health Faculty of the Arts – Chris Williams – PL Academic and Wellbeing Faculty of Science and Engineering • Mark Groves • Nicolas O’Leary
Thank you d.cureton@wlv.ac.uk
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