Academic Advising : the Re-emergence of Tutoring at SHU

Lynne Crowe D & SLynne Booth SBSAndy Hirst ACESCathy Malone QESS

Historical Context • Feature of elite education • Tutoring offering high degree staff student contact always been characteristic of exclusive elite education(Trow 1974 in Myers 2008)• Academics don’t tutor• Massification HE, pastoral function removed from academics, concurrent growth student services. • Concerns staff student contact time• Student Engagement research reveals persistent concern staff student contact time and quality and responsibility for academic support (Thomas 2010, 2012, 2015, Kandiko & Mawer 2013, Kuh 2009, NUS 2010) • National resurgence interest tutoring• Professional initiatives (CRA 2015) & UK branch of NACADA (US National Advising Association 2015)• Link with retention – financial case(Hixenbaugh & Thomas 2006, & Thomas 2010).

Some tensions & questions

“Mass education renders the informal relationships between staff and students ......... less reliable and potentially inequitable”.(Myers 2008)

“Personal contact is seen as an important means by which students will be retained in higher education, and the gold standard of personal contact is with an academic“ (Marr & Aynsley-Smith 2006).

Our mass education system with its commitments to inclusivity offers HE to previously excluded groups. Can we adapt tutoring for a mass educational context? How do we create an academic system of support that is;

• personal ?• professional and consistent?• rooted in the discipline?

Overview of the session: Tutoring in a mass system

• This workshop will examine how three different subject areas have met the challenge of embedding academic advice over three years

• This workshop will present three case studies followed by a panel discussion;

1. Academic Advising for Geography, Environment, Planning and Housing : Lynn Crowe

2. Academic Advising in SBS : Lynne Booth

3. Academic Advising in Business and ICT: Andy Hirst

4. Panel Discussion

Personal and Professional Development Programme

• Lynn Crowe

• Department of the Natural and Built Environment

Geography, Environment, Planning and Housing Programme

• Undergraduate programme with four courses - 180 students at each level - 40 staff

• PPD Programme developed to provide students with both academic and pastoral support, following revalidation in 2011.

• Students are allocated to a PPD tutor, who remains their tutor throughout their time at SHU, in small groups of around 7-9 students.

• Group tutorials are timetabled through both semesters, as well as one 1:1 session each year to reflect on individual academic and personal development (and of course, tutors and their students may meet informally as well).

• Since the programme was developed, the Faculty has developed a new `academic support` tutor role, and in the GEPH programme, this role is now delivered via the PPD process.

PPD Programme Guidance

• Students and staff are provided with a PPD Guide, and additional supporting resources via Blackboard, to provide a framework for a cohesive programme of tutorials.

• The PPD guides contain a tutorial programme, with links to a range of resources, group exercises, and other information. The main focus is the development of academic study skills, and placement support and career planning.

– At level 4, the focus is on transitional study skills and university life, rights and responsibilities.

– At level 5, there is greater focus on personal development, employability (for their placement opportunities), and research skills.

– At level 6, the above continues, but with increasing focus on personal action planning, careers and life after University.

• PPD tutors will often write references for their tutees after they graduate.

PPD Programme - Positive Feedback

• Welcomed by students - and a good selling point for prospective students.

• The majority of staff enjoy the PPD tutor role , particularly the opportunity to get to know and support a group of students individually

• `Employability` support - covers personal action planning, placement and work experience, and our Careers and Employability services.

 • Support for transitional study skills and independent learning.

• Very first assignment supported, marked and feedback provided via PPD tutorials.

• Student experience issues explored and resolved before they become really serious, and in more of an informal setting.

PPD Programme - Developments

• Reinforcing the need for PPD tutors to point students at appropriate services (Student Support, Student Counselling, etc.) where needed.

• Tutors contact the Student Support team as soon as any student is `absent` from tutorials for more than three sessions.

 • We have increased the involvement of our Employability Advisor in the

delivery of the programme. This has also enhanced staff understanding of the careers service.

 • We have agreed an `informal` system for dealing with student experience

and teaching delivery issues where these were related to staff performance.

 • Staff encouraged to contribute to the `supporting resources` part of the

PPD Blackboard site - shares and develops best practice in PPD, and develops a sense of `ownership` of the programme across the team.

PPD Programme - Continuing Challenges

• Consistency of student experience provided by over 30 staff.

• Different experiences can result in lack of engagement by students.

• The support , timely marking and feedback, and moderation of the first assignment (for a generic, programme wide module) at level 4, reinforces some of the above challenges. Sensitive negotiation of an effective but reasonable `light touch` moderation process needed. 

• We remain under intense scrutiny over the resourcing of the PPD Programme. The resourcing is actually similar to an academic advisors' programme of two 1:1 meetings per year per student.

The Academic and Professional Advisor Role in SBS

SBS Academic / Professional Advisor role 2014-15 aims

• Support the personal action planning of students with respect to the development of their academic and employability skills;

• Support transition into level 4 and bring to the attention of students resources to support academic and employability skills development;

• Motivate and support students in their endeavours to secure a placement at level 5 (slight variation for nutrition courses;

SBS Academic / Professional Advisor role - aims

• Facilitate awareness, understanding and planning for the future in the context of students’ career aspirations at level 6;

• Communicate with relevant Course Leaders concerning any issues affecting the academic and personal development of students and identify those students ‘at risk’;

• Act as a personal referee for students when requested and support students in the development and completion of a high quality CV.

Some continuing issues based on experience from the last few years:

• Students can be unsure as to purpose and relevance of APA role

• APAs not always clear about 'what they had to do'

• Feedback from students on meetings is varied

• Flexibility of timing for students is a key issue

What we need to continue to do

• Communicate the role to students more powerfully

• Encourage stronger relations between APAs and students e.g. by aligning seminar tutors with APA role

• Enhance connectivity between APAs and other roles (placement officers, course leaders)

The Scheme in Practice 2014-15

Before the meeting students complete the 'My Agenda' template and bring to the meeting

Level 4 - focus - academic development

Level 5 - focus - academic development and placement support (additional forms for tutor to complete during meeting); sign post to Employment Advisers (where appropriate)

Level 6 - focus - academic development and springboard into work; encourage students to book one-to-one meeting with Employment Adviser

The Scheme in Practice 2015-16

Following the revalidation of the Business Studies and Business "and" courses, a spine of specialist course modules at Levels 4, 5 and 6 for each course will include employability and Academic and Professional Advising activities.

Therefore 2015/16 will be a transition year as we roll out a new Level 4 course, a modified Level 5 and manage out the Level 6 in the old style.

24 hours (two groups) 2x 12 hours per group

Speculating on 44 hours - 2 x 22 class sizeLevel 4 HR:The profession

Week No

Week Lecture Hrs Seminar Employability APA/Skills

10 1 Introduction/induction/ assessment (1 individual page interlinked to each other) (CT)

1 Module overview; Getting to know; Assessment;

Team working and integration - how personality makes a difference

11 2 Research and referencing for beginners

12 3 History - toward SHRM (CT) 1 The context for HR: ipads 13 4 Coaching and learning sets -

feedback

14 5 CIPD accreditation and CPD (LB) 1 History - past, present, future with case studies

15 6 CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition - 4-5 November 2015, Manchester

16 7 Behaviour, policy, implementation (CT)

1 CIPD, CPD in a firm - talent and career planning (LB to do both)

CIPD profession map; entry level opportunities; mapping yourself; areas of skill gap

17 8 critical and evaluative thinking18 9 MI (MB) 1 Behaviour, policy, implementation

(CT both)How to develop your skills

19 10 Project and time management20 11 Learning and development (MB) 1 Learning how to learn through

formative Assessment feedback sessions MB both)

21 12 Impacts Session & XMAS drinks

24 hours (two groups) 2x 12 hours per group

Speculating on 44 hours - 2 x 22 class sizeLevel 4 HR:The profession

Week No

Week Lecture Hrs Seminar Employability APA/Skills

26 13 Performance management and reward plus discipline (LB)

1 Giving feedback, Managing performance: Assessment feedback sessions

27 14 Website design (1)

28 15 Resourcing/recruiting (MB) 1 MI (relate to the resourcing topic - eg HR planning

Experience, CV/Linkedin/Blog

29 16 Website design (2)30 17 ER and legislation - grievance

disputes (CT)1 Resourcing/recruiting Articulating your value in

Interviews / CVs/presenting

31 18 coaching and learning sets

32 19 Ethical/reflective practitioner (LB)

1 ER and legislation - grievance disputes

Formative Assessment feedback sessions

33 20

34 21 Assessment Catch up 1 Ethical/reflective practitioner (LB) Career Planning and internships & CV review

37 22

38 23 Guest speaker 1 Coaching and learning sets

Our Course Universe

Modules

Dr Andy Hirst – Teaching Fellow in Work Based Learning

Academic tutoring pilot -Department of Computing

StructureLectures Tutorials

Intro to the Module (AH) Intro to the Blog (all students)

Intro to professional bodies (IET) - Jake Godfrey a - Making the most of Uni (AH)

Intro to Student Support (Anita Whitworth) b - Making the most of Uni (AH)

SLS (Bea Turpin) a - Using resources effectively (JB)

Guest Lecture (Paul) b - Using resources effectively (JB)

Intro to Employability (AH) a - Understanding Assignments (SC)

Schools Task Launch (AH/VM) b - Understanding Assignments (SC)

1. 28th November – Designing an app.2. 1st December - Designing a tourism initiative.3. 2nd December- Setting up a mini enterprise 4. 3rd December - Setting up a mini enterprise

8.30 am - 2.30 pm

Meet your Academic Tutor (check timetable)

Meet your Academic Tutor (check timetable)

a - Developing CV STARS (AH)

b -Developing CV STARS (AH)

Poster Presentation (all day)

–Professional bodies –Student support–Student Learning Services–Employability–Guest lectures on entrepreneurship

– Bi-weekly tutorials• Subjects covered

– Making the most of university - motivation and commitment

– Using resources effectively– Understanding assignments– Meet the tutor– Employability

– Standalone employability exercise– Poster session– Online learning blog - Weekly entries

read by the tutors

Results and Feedback

• High attendance >80%• Great student feedback (blog)

– Enjoyable sessions– Useful guidance – Variety and interest– Blog useful– Timetable needs to show alternate sessions– Meet the tutor sessions need to be earlier

Pixlbot case study

What next?

• Level 5 support for employability• Level 6 support for achievement

Level 5 Academic Tutoring Iceberg (including employability support)

Application Support CV check and approval Review ongoing applications

Unpicking Job descriptions Choosing jobs Provide reference

Emotional Support Confidence Rejections Motivate

Sign Post (triage) Careers website Careers advisors

Highlight jobs opportunities

One to one

One to Many

Using AT4

Benefits of a placement experience

Understanding the application process

Understanding employability

Expressing skills and experiences

Understanding job descriptions

Choosing the structure for a CV

Constructing letters

Answering Interview questions

Managing assessment centres

Presentation skills

Peer Support

Course team support

Module Support

(Essential activity)

Academic Advising For more information on how

academic advising is being implemented please go to Academic Advising section of Teaching Essentials.

The site is under construction but due online from August 2015Teaching Essentials. Academic Advising•Case Studies •Practical resources and ideas for sessions,

Academic DevelopmentSocial DevelopmentProfessional Development.

•Student Engagement bibliography •Relevant research•Links to external sites and tutoring resources for staff.

Contribute to the site If you have a case study or great idea that has worked well in your academic advice sessions that you’d like to share, please send it to c.malone@shu.ac.uk.

Resources are also being developed to support staff to explore different aspects of their own academic advice. These are designed to contribute to Peer supported Review and FHEA applications. If you’d be interested in piloting these with a colleague please contact c.malone@shu.ac.uk

Selected Student Engagement Bibliography

Kandiko C. & Mawer M 2013 Student Expectations and Perceptions of Higher Education QAA

Project Report

Kuh G.D. (2009) What student affairs professionals need to know about Student Engagement

Journal of College Student Development 50 (6) pp 683-706.

Marr L. & Aynsley-Smith, S. (2006) Putting students first: Developing accessible and integrated

support. In Personal Tutoring in Higher Education Thomas L. & Hixenbaugh 73-82 Stoke on Trent,

UK: Trentham books

Myers J. (2008) Is personal tutoring sustainable? Comparing the trajectory of the personal tutor with

that of the residential warden. Teaching in Higher Education Vol 13 Issue 5 p607-611

Thomas L .,(2010 ) Can you afford not to have a personal tutoring system? Available at

www.nusconnect.org.uk

Thomas L., (2012) Building Student Engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of

change: final report for What Works? Student Retention and Success programme. HEFCE HEA PHF

Thomas L., 2015 (forthcoming) Independent Student Learning

Thomas L. & Hixenbaugh P. (eds)(2006) Personal Tutoring in Higher Education Stoke on Trent, UK:

Trentham books

Trow M. (1974) Problems in transition from elite to mass higher education cited in Myers, J. (2008)