Learning and Teaching Research Group

The successful first year student: enhancing academic & social integration in a supportive learning environmentDr Corriene Reed

Learning and Teaching Research Group Alan Porter Carol Pearson Paula Hixenbaugh Hazel Dewart Sanjay Jobanputra

The University of Westminster • Large urban university in Central London • Commuter University Student Profile • Living at home • Part-time work • High Proportion of Non-traditional students • Mature students (37% are 22+) • Part-time students • Family commitments • First generation to attend University

Background • Our aim is to increase student diversity, - widening participation - non traditional entry - Government aim of 50% 18-30 yr olds in University by 2010 • BUT there is a challenge ..….

Social and Academic Integration • Lack of social contact between students • Lack social contact between staff and students • Research on student retention and attrition (Tinto 2002) stresses the importance of academic and social integration

Previous attempts …… • End of term parties • Annual pub style quiz pitting staff against students • Low level of attendance • Academic seminars by outside speakers

The Psychology Quiz and Study Group Projects • The Psychology Quiz Project focussed on encouraging social integration and indirectly enhancing academic integration • The Study Group Project aimed to enhance academic and social integration

1. The Psychology Quiz Project • A voluntary, extra-curricular activity aimed at increasing student interaction. • Linked to learning outcomes • Delivered using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) - Blackboard • Face to face interaction not necessary • Available in the student own time • Ubiquitous use of e-mail/chat rooms etc • Pub Quiz without the pub.

Why a quiz format? • Attractive to students “Sugaring the pill” • “not serious, light hearted” • Quiz culture • Medical education • “Can medical education be fun as well as educational?” • Howarth-Hockey and Stride (2002) • Imagination, creativity • Games and debates • But it is still assessment!

Use of group work • Perform an “ice breaking” function • Increases communication between students • Also useful in stimulating academic integration leading to the creation of learning

Pedagogical Issues I • Group or individual entries? • Allocation of students to groups • Self-allocation • Time consuming • Divisiveness? • Lecturer allocation • Integration • Disintegration • Division of labour/fairness/unfairness • No involvement in internal workings of groups

Pedagogical Issues II • Prizes and assessment • If questions are too easy how do we allocate prizes?– ceiling effect, lottery? • If questions are too difficult then students might give up. • Formative assessment • Linking assessment to learning outcomes • Feedback to regulate own learning • Are prizes appropriate? • Can questions be used again?

Design • History and Philosophy of Psychology Module (90 students, 3 seminar groups) • Seminar followed by lecture • Quiz made available after lecture • Closed 1 week later before seminar • Prizes awarded at the start of lecture. • 5 Prize questions, 10 non prize questions linked to particular lectures

Example Questions • What was the real name of Freud’s small patient who grew up to be a famous opera director? Herbert Graf (Freud’s small patient was “Little Hans”. Little Hans was Herbert Graf). • Who was the pioneer psychologist who classified women as “attractive, indifferent or repellent” and used the data he collected to map female attractiveness in the UK? Sir Francis Galton (If you don’t believe it read this excerpt from his autobiography: http://www.mugu.com/galton/books/memories/chapter-XXI.html

And some more……. • Who was the famous psychologist nicknamed “Klex” who went on to design a famous psychological test? Herman Rorschach • Who was the student who put the “t” in the t-test? William Gosset • Who was the American student of Wundt who wrote in his diary “Am very drunk. Lectures-laboratory practice gymnasium. Drank fifteen glasses of beer or thereabouts-then three whiskies” and “This evening I took a large amount of hasheesh- I did not weigh it but it must have been over 75 grms…..I imagine I had better let it alone hereafter.” James McKeen Cattell

Evaluation of Psychology Quiz • Overall use of Blackboard • Subjective impressions – module feedback form • Formal feedback questionnaire in final seminar

Figure 1: Access to Blackboard Areabefore the Quiz the discussion boards were not used

Figure 2: Access by time of dayBefore Quiz 12:00 pm, after Quiz 8:00 pm

Figure 3: Access by day of weekBefore Quiz Tuesday, after Quiz Thursday

Student Evaluation

Conclusions • Changed patterns of access • Students want it to continue • It is affecting social and academic integration • But there are problems of timing, it is expensive and some students could see it as an assessment burden

2. The Study Groups Project • Develop academic as well as social connections • Creation of PsychComm group on Blackboard • All first year BSc Psychology students enrolled

Student Handout for study groups • Where are you now? Survived 1st semester, Results looming, How do I improve? • What we know about students who develop learning communities • How can a study group help? It deepens your learning. It provides feedback. It prepares you for the working world, with its emphasis on teamwork. It provides a "support group." It helps you overcome shyness about discussing issues in class. It helps you become motivated to study. • How can we help you to help yourselves? Provide rooms to meet on a regular basis. Provide Blackboard discussion groups so that you don’t have to meet face to face. Provide chat tools so that you can talk to each other on-line. Provide chat tools so you can talk to us on-line.

Student Handout II • Practical Issues: details of rooms & time slots, with a lecturer that study groups could consult • Help provided: emphasis on student’s independent learning • Discussion board: PsychComm would be monitored

Evaluating the Quiz & Study Group Project • Technical issues – Blackboard and on-line chat problems • Group formation – about 50% formed study groups ( 70% of these joined a group themselves, 30% asked to be placed in a group).

Focus Group Evaluation • ‘allows me more contact with staff and other students’ • ‘I can be anonymous & ask questions that I couldn’t in person’ • ‘can get a response from someone quite quickly even when I’m at home’

Concerns over use of ICT • ‘prefer face to face – technology too anonymous’ • ‘feeling ‘fobbed off’ by technology replacing human contact’ • ‘just used to fill-in the gaps between staff & students’

Comments sent via the Discussion Board • ‘its a brilliant idea!!! loving it!’ • ‘think it is a fantastic idea.....u lot really smacked it this time (did well). Thank you sooooo much in advance cuz i think it's gonna be a real success. My only concern is u guys getting bombarded with msn messages, but im sure u can find a way around that....this whole concept sounds really good, thank u sooo much, look forward to its beginning!!!!’’THANKS!!!!’

Unintended consequences: Changing expectations • The “safety net” issue – students who didn’t use the chat facility complained when it didn’t work • The “burden” issue – student’s perception of ICT as replacement rather than supplement to face-to face interaction • Challenges – in terms of time, enthusiasts and evaluation

What is next? • PsychComm will continue • A short version of the Quiz will be rolled out at the start of the semester • Monitor 2nd year use of study groups

References • Howarth-Hockey, G & Stride,P. (2002) Can medical education be fun as well as educational? British Medical Journal Volume 325 , :1453-1454 ( 21 December ) • Tinto, V. (1987) Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. • Tinto, V. (2002) The Impact of learning Communities on Student Success. NY: Higher Education program, Syracuse University

Learning and Teaching Research Group