AUA Update
21 January 2010
(Left to right) Andrea Ellans, Bev Matthews, Sue Morrison, Richard Tarplee and Jean Mutton
Online Learning on the Agenda for the AUA Conference and Exhibition 2010.
Papers submitted by SFPL and SSIS have been accepted for presentation at the forthcoming Association of University Administrators (AUA) Conference and Exhibition.
One of the papers led by SFPL will be presented by Julie Stone (Business Manager) and Tee Holden (Operations Manager) about the success of the Online Distance Learning programme within the University. The three key features of the paper which will be presented are:
- understanding the motivation and drivers of learners studying at a distance
- having an appreciation of tools and technologies available to support distance learner students
- benefits of a community of practice amongst academic and other professional staff to enhance their student experience.
"Our session supports the inclusion of potential students who fall outside the "traditional" perception of a university student." says Julie Stone.
Attendance Monitoring
Our centralised, holistic approach to encouraging students to re-engage with modules is something that we're pleased to share as excellent practice with our colleagues across the HE sector. Monitoring student attendance is an important part of our Student Experience and retention strategies.
A change in the patterns of student attendance is an excellent indicator of the risk of withdrawal from the University and research shows that student participation in timetabled sessions increases achievement. This is especially important in the current climate where modular funding comes from student engagement with assessment.
At our workshop sessions at both the AUA (Association of University Administrators) conference, and the SROC (Student Records Officers Conference) in April, Bev Matthews, Richard Tarplee and Pete Ashford will explain how Derby has developed its holistic approach to student attendance monitoring:
- how we're introducing electronic bar code reader systems to help record student attendance
- how we use attendance information as an early warning indicator,
- how we make students and staff aware of the impact of non-attendance on achievement and completion rates
- how we provide key benchmark and KPI information about our activities.
Student Enrolment
Student Enrolment In July 2009, Derby received a JISC award to conduct research into the student experience of enrolment. The project, which concludes at the end of April 2010, has taken a holistic view of student enrolment. Given that the processes, which could affect the efficiency and effectiveness of enrolment, will begin months before any students even enrol on a programme, there are a lot of potential banana skins. However, we started from the perspective that relationships are all about the student, not the system.
Key aspects of the session are that participants will:-
- Hear about key messages and outcomes arising from the project
- Understand how service process design techniques informed the project
- Find out about the Derby experience of the JISC bidding process.
This session, to be presented at AUA by Sue Morrison and Jean Mutton, will reflect on our review, the process behind making a JISC bid as well as disseminating outcomes from the project, such as the process map of the service. The session will also be presented at the Student Records Officers Conference in April.
Furthering the involvement of disabled students in HEI policy and practice - developing mechanisms to actively involve disabled students
This session will report on the outcomes of Equality Challenge Unit and the HE Academy's project to Further the Involvement of Disabled Students into HE policy and practice. The project involved seven HEIs from England and Wales developing a range of involvement activities to further the involvement of disabled students at their respective institution.
The session will provide delegates with the legal context for involvement and provide insight as to how they went about piloting a range of involvement strategies to improve the involvement of disabled students in institutional practice.
Participants will hear about:
- The legal and equality context for involvement
- What to consider when setting up involvement strategies: the benefits and risks of student involvement and the pre-requisite conditions required for student involvement to occur
- A variety of involvement strategies transferable to a range of institutional contexts and how to ensure their sustainability.
The session will be led by Amy Bryant of the Equality Challenge Unit and Jean Mutton, project manager. Derby will also be hosting a sector-wide conference in June where the partners in the project will be disseminating outcomes from the project.
For further information on joining the AUA, please contact Andrea Ellans, Branch Co-ordinator:
E: a.ellans@derby.ac.uk T: 01332 591279 W: www.aua.ac.uk
