Engaging students through partnership

Colin Bryson, Ruth Furlonger, Olivia Petie, Fae Rinaldo-Langridge and Katie Doddscolin.bryson@ncl.ac.uk ruth.furlonger@ncl.ac.uk

The Challenge Combined Honours at Newcastle

Diverse and complex – apparently incoherent and so individual

Missing sense of identity, inclusion and belonging

Dissatisfied and disengagedBut few resources and so difficult to influence

the curriculumSo how to address?

The nature of student engagementHolistic and socially constructed Every student is an individual and different (Haggis, 2004)

Engagement is a concept which encompasses the perceptions, expectations and experience of being a student and the construction of being a student in HE (Bryson and Hand, 2007).

Engagement underpins learning and is the glue that binds it together – both located in being and becoming. (Fromm, 1977)

SE is dynamic and fluid – fragile and resilient SE is multidimensional, includes student’s whole lives Includes the past and the future

Key influences on engagement1. Student expectations and perceptions – match to the ‘personal

project’ and interest in subject 2. Sufficient challenge and appropriate workload3. Degrees of choice, autonomy, risk, and opportunities for growth

and enjoyment4. Trust relationships 5. Communication and discourse6. A sense of belonging and community7. Supportive social networks8. Opportunities for, and participation in activities and roles – to

enable ownership, self-assurance and self-efficacyBut also negatives – alienating forces (Mann, 2001), sense of exclusion (Hockings, 2010)

Holistic student engagement strategy

Follow the principles of SE Work with the students Crucial that the students co-owned the

problems, solutions and changes made…

Partnership Diverse origins – both pedagogic and political Such virtuous principles – democratic,

ethical, model of citizenship Antithesis of consumer model The right ethos, values and beliefs –

mutuality and community Linked concepts

Arnstein (1969) - Ladder of participation Pateman (1969) Continuum of Industrial Democracy

Initiatives on partnership

Student as producer (Neary and Winn, 2009) Students at L&T champions/change agents/consultants

(e.g. Exeter, Birmingham City) Co-designers of the curriculum (Bovill, 2013) QAA Chapter on SE (2012) University policies and practices (Van der Velden, 2012) Partnership agreements in Scotland

Student Representation Evolving to empower student reps

Student-led, staff support (student-staff committee).

Engine room for ideas. Working groups – student chosen

agendas. Constituency format – consistency.

SSC Success stories: CH week Co-design of modules Mentoring

Mentoring Building a community

Social integration – lead role in induction. Group dynamics – time with fellow CH

students. Linking to other schemes – PASS and SSC

links. Mentors as partners

Student designed and staff support – fortnightly feedback meetings.

Opportunity to recruit and train future intake of mentors.

! Attention ! Combined Honours Students

1st and 2nd stage students! Make a difference...

As a mentor for 2013-14 you will:

Be a role model… share your expertise with other Combined students

Support the transition and development of fellow students on your degree

Enhance their student experience (and your own!)

Have the opportunity to develop your graduate skills through a Combined module

Appropriate training and support will be provided! To apply (only open to CH students), or for further information email:

colin.bryson@ncl.ac.uk (apply by Friday Feb 1st 2013)

Combined Honours Society Important role in building our CH community.

No staff involvement, committee of students. Links up with other schemes and staff on CH Awards –

rewarding outstanding contributions to CH.

PASS (Peer Assisted Study Support) Our Scheme:

Informal drop-in sessions in the Combined Honours common room.

6 PASS advisors trained in academic writing. Student Coordinator.

Successes: Relieves pressure for mentors to give

academic advice. Increased CH identity- more roles for student

engagement. Benefits to PASS advisors themselves.

Graduate Development Modules Opportunity for academic credit:

About 50% of people in roles are on the modules.

Frees up time to dedicate to role and allows them to take on ambitious projects: (i.e. curriculum design – create a new interdisciplinary module).

Other projects have included redesigning Post-application Open Day and organising the Combined Honours Conference.

Reflections on the CH Strategy Virtuous outcomes:

Individual benefits – improves graduateness and confidence.

Better student experience – and more attractive to incoming students due to community feel.

Achievement – academic grades have continued to climb alongside scheme successes.

Any questions?

Activity – over to you…What opportunities could you introduce in the area you work that would promote engagement and partnership? How are you going to put these into practice?

You should aim to include as many students as possible…

Challenges and issues Getting past pseudo-participation (measuring and

evaluating that it is really happening) The role of the student union (and levels where this

works) Can we create opportunities for all students (and are

attractive to all?) Ensuring participation as it cannot be obligatory How does the staff role change? This approach creates an unpredictable and unknown

future - the nature of co-creation

To meet regularly to discuss SE.   To involve and work with students in partnership An early goal was to develop a concept map and set of principles

that underpin the promotion of SE To establish an annual conference drawing together leading edge

work on SE - and to feed into publication through journals and books. (Next conference– Sept 2014, Manchester)

To gain funding to support these events and activities. To create a bank of useful resources for us to share. To facilitate communication between us (web, email network etc)

http://raise-network.ning.com/