Liz Thomas

1. W h a t d o e s b e s t p r a c t i c e s a y a b o u t
i m p r o v i n g s t u d e n t r e t e n t i o n a n d
s u c c e s s ?
Professor Liz Thomas
Liz Thomas Associates and Edge Hill University
London, UK | 24 February 2016

2. 1
2
3
What is student success?
Research evidence about student engagement, belonging, retention and success
Using data to enhance student success
Overview

3. What is student success?

4. 1
2
3
Across Europe there are different definitions of study success:
• Retention
• Completion
• Time to degree
• Employment
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE 2013) identified four outcomes of
HE:
• Achieving a degree (retention and completion).
• Achieving a good degree (attainment).
• Achieving a degree and continuing to employment/further study (employability).
• Achieving a degree and continuing to graduate employment or study (graduate
progression).
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) likely to include ‘learning gain’.
Different definitions of study success

5. Research evidence

6. # H U E M E A 1 6
Key messages
• At the heart of student retention and success is a strong sense of
belonging in HE for all students. This is most effectively nurtured
through students’ engagement in mainstream activities that all students
participate in.
• The academic sphere is the most important site for nurturing
engagement which creates a sense of belonging. This puts the curriculum
at the heart of effective student retention and success.

7. # H U E M E A 1 6
Student belonging is an outcome of:
• Supportive peer relations.
• Meaningful interaction between staff and students.
• Developing knowledge, confidence and identity as successful HE
learners.
• An HE experience which is relevant to interests and future goals.

8. # H U E M E A 1 6

9. # H U E M E A 1 6
Characteristics of effective interventions
Drag or drop your photograph here
Belongin
g
Mainstrea
m
Proactive
Relevant
Well timed &
appropriate
media
Collabor-
ative
Monitore
d

10. # H U E M E A 1 6
Drag or drop your photograph here
Implement-ation
(activity)
Engagement and
belonging
(outcomes)
Retention and
success
(impact)
S t r a t e g i c e n a b l e r s

11. # H U E M E A 1 6
Strategic enablers
Drag or drop your photograph here
Success
Commitme
nt Priority for
all staff
Staff
capacity
Student
capacity
Institutional
data
Monitoring
student
behaviour
Partnership
with staff and
students

12. Using data to improve
study success

13. 1
2
3
Learning analytics
• Institutional data to identify which students are most at risk of withdrawing or under-
achieving.
• Targeting additional support at specific groups of students/modules etc.
Student profiles
• Qualitative data collected directly from students about context and learning.
• Used to have more meaningful conversations with students and to understand
how they can best be supported to be successful.
Student behaviour
• Track student behaviour, such as attendance, library and VLE usage,
submission of work and attainment.
• Use information to follow up students at risk of low engagement and
poorer outcomes.
Using data to identify students at risk

14. And finally…

15. 1
2
Engagement and belonging are key to improving student retention and success.
Belonging is in the result of peer relations, interaction with staff, developing the
capacity to be an effective learner and have a relevant HE experience.
Use data to monitor, understand and follow up students to improve
engagement, belonging, retention and success.
Conclusions
4
3 Engagement and belonging are most effectively nurtured through mainstream
academic activities that all students participate in.

16. Questions or comments
Liz Thomas
liz@lizthomasassociates.co.uk