Enhancing Academic Development, Confidence and Belonging through Personal Tutoring at Level 4

Jenny van Hooff & Adam Westall

September 2015

Executive Summary

Contents

Executive Summary ...... 2

Introduction ......

Background Literature......

Methodology ......

Data Collection ...... 12 Online survey...... 13

Focus groups ...... 14

Ethical considerations ...... 16

...... 18

...... 19

Introduction

The purpose of this project was to examine and develop the role of personal tutoring as a strategy to ease Level 4 students’ transition into HE, develop their academic confidence and sense of belonging to their course and institution. The personal tutoring system used is based on the Route to Success Personal Development System, which adheres to QAA PDP principles and involves five highly structured group and individual meetings throughout the year.

One of the challenges facing the successful introduction of the Route to Success tutoring model has been in fully engaging students. For example, issues that have arisen include difficulties encouraging students to complete the structured exercises and attend meetings on a regular basis.

The project aims were to produce and disseminate findings on the following:

  1. To develop a personal tutoring model that supports students to develop their academic skills and confidence and to become reflective learners, in line with Principle 4 of MMU’s LTA strategy.
  2. To generate evidence-based and research-informed outcomes which will make a contribution to our understanding of the student experience of personal tutoring.
  3. To develop the role of personal tutoring in integrating students into the wider university experience, thereby enhancing their sense of belonging to their course and institution.
  4. To utilise an action research methodology which places a priority on collaboration and student participation. [Principle 5.3 of MMU’s LTA strategy]
  5. To provide further guidance for academic staff in their roles as academic tutors. [Principle 6 of MMU’s LTA strategy]

This project is timely as the Sociology Department has recently completed the first year of a pilot of the Route to Success personal tutoring model and evaluation of the student experience of the system and subsequent improvement works are appropriate, and more generally the findings can contribute to our understanding of the role of personal tutoring as a vehicle for enhancing belonging and transition in the first year.

Personal tutoring is identified as a key factor in nurturing belonging and academic confidence, and for these reasons is particularly crucial for Level 4 students to support their transition into HE (Thomas, 2012). However while research such as NUS’ Student Experience Research 2012; Part 1: Teaching & Learning found that 41.9% of respondents would like more contact time with their personal tutors there appears to be a gap between such reports and students’ actual engagement with personal tutoring systems. Within the Sociology Department attendance to personal tutor meetings peaked at around 40% in 2014/15; one of the aims of the research will be to explore how we can improve student engagement with the system. Effective personal tutoring is also a key strategy in student retention and success; a survey of early leavers undertaken across four HEIs found that for 43% ‘not being given helpful academic support by my department’ was a contributing factor in their decision to withdraw (Thomas, 2012:42). The research focuses on student experiences of personal tutoring at Level 4, when issues of non-continuation, transition into higher education and academic integration and belonging are particularly pertinent (Yorke and Longden, 2004).

Background Literature

In the UK 8% students leave HE during their first year of study, however extensive research carried out across four institutions found that between 33% and 42% of students think about withdrawing (Thomas, 2012:4). A highly structured, proactive personal tutoring system that supports students’ academic development is essential in easing the transition into HE, developing students’ academic confidence and sense of belonging to the institution, which in turn reduces their chances of early withdrawal (Thomas, 2012:42-44). This is particularly important for stay-at-home students, who may struggle to develop a sense of belonging, which is reflected in higher withdrawal rates (HESA figures show non-continuation rates for 3.5% of stay-at-home students in 2012-13 compared to 2.3% of other UK students). Building a sense of belonging in students has been promoted as a strategy for institutions to enhance student engagement (Krause, 2007), and this project attempts to develop personal tutoring as one method of achieving this.

A suitable starting point when looking at student transition is to consider the issue of belonging. The ‘what works’ project highlights that the importance of students achieving a sense of belonging should not be under estimated. Recent research offers a range of reasons including academic issues, feelings of loneliness and isolation and not fitting in as to why a student may not feel they belong (Thomas, 2012). The changing landscape of higher education proposes that student success is equally as important as student diversity and access (Thomas, 2002) and aims to place students at the ‘centre of the system’ (Thomas, 2012).

Whilst emerging as a ‘key idea’, belonging has been closely linked to the concepts surrounding academic and social engagement (Thomas, 2012) and can be equated to the successful integration of individuals into the overall environment (Kember et al, 2001). Within the context of first year student transition, the need for the individual to achieve affiliation with his or her class, group, department and overall institution (Kember et al, 2001), is stated as a significant factor that is needed for students to feel they belong.

In defining belonging it is argued that in order to belong a “sense of ease with oneself and ones surroundings” needs to be achieved (May, 2011:368). This is essential to ‘being human’ as well as satisfying the need to form and maintain at least one significant “lasting, positive and interpersonal relationship” (Osterman, 2000:326). Belonging applies to all people, works in a range of different settings and environments and can affect both cognitive and emotional patterns within the individual (Osterman, 2000). Considering the transition phase of a first year student, belonging is argued as an important issue in terms of creating a sense of identity with an individual’s social and material surroundings (May, 2011).

In establishing a sense of identity, it is argued that we also construct a sense of belonging to places and objects through familiarity (May, 2011). Belonging is a process that an individual needs to go through in order to create an identity within the space in which they exist. This is usually achieved through feelings such as feeling at home, adaption and transfer of the existing roles and norms and the transferring of routines that a person is used to and bring them to the new existence (May, 2011). This suggests that in the transitioning phase within higher education, the environment and interactions that a new student makes, need to be made sense of before a connection could be made (Leach, 2002). A lack of identification with a place or unsuitable relationship may cause feelings of estrangement, homesickness, disorientation, anxiety or even depression. Therefore the importance of a meaningful connection during a student’s transition could prove to be the foundations that are needed for student success.

Focusing on the everyday life interactions of higher education students needs to involve looking at the institutional habitus (May, 2011 and Thomas, 2002). In considering the practices and norms that are common with first year students it would be relevant to note that at the transition stage the individual will be exposed to a range of on-going and constantly re-structuring changes (Thomas, 2002). Arriving at a new environment, meeting new people, undertaking unfamiliar procedures and processes, along with experiencing a mixed range of emotions could have a significant impact on the ability of an individual to establish a sense of identity. Added to this is the aspect of the diverse student population to include ‘non-traditional’ students. This suggests that in the process of integration, non-traditional students namely commuters, mature students or part-time students, usually fair less well in the initial integration processes (Bean and Metzner, 1985). In this situation belonging is achieved through participation in the institutional norms, values and customs through social and professional interactions (May, 2011). However, for both traditional and non-traditional students, actively partaking in activities that improve the transition process, namely the engagement and active participation of the student with the university, department, course, peers and staff, is a choice left to the individual (Bean and Metzner, 1985).

The suggestion that as humans we are fundamentally motivated by the desire to belong through the seeking of positive interactions and relationships (Baumeister and Leary, 1995), leads onto thinking about the higher education environment and the possible opportunities for successful engagement and participation. Being part of a network that is both supportive and encouraging can have positive effects for students in terms of stress reduction and anxiety (Osterman, 2000). One way this could be achieved is through the building of meaningful and engaging networks and relations. Thomas, (2012) suggests that there are two types of engagement that both encourage and develop ‘connectedness’. These are social engagement in terms of the university social spaces, clubs, societies and professional engagement, namely the participation in academic, pastoral and professional development services. The importance of professional engagement is something which this research aims to discuss, by considering the use of personal academic tutoring as a means to improve the first year transition and ultimately retention rates.

Before moving to consider the role of personal academic tutoring it is worth noting the importance of connectedness with particular relevance to well-being. Evidence suggests that psychological stress within the international student population has increased, with UK students being particularly more pressurised than those from Europe (Bewick et al, 2010). Of particular relevance to this study is the period of transition at the beginning of the academic year for new students. This not only provides a context for this research, but also highlights that in terms of developing connectedness within the new student population, the start of the year is a key moment in the student life-cycle, with students needing support and guidance (Bewick et al, 2010).

Previous research suggests that students are more likely to persist with their studies if they are socially and academically integrated into the environment and as a result, offers a number of areas to focus on as indicators of belonging (Kember et al, 2001). Firstly, being involved with a peer group provides a number of opportunities for meaning full interaction and allows for the build-up of mutual understanding. Secondly, there is the role of teaching staff and their desire to promote and deliver an inclusive and interesting learning environment, which allows for staff to take an active role in encouraging students to engage and enjoy. Thirdly, the individual department and its ability to promote and allow contact with key services and members of staff before finally looking towards the institution as a whole, namely the university. Here is it suggested that “a sense of belonging grows out of the development of a relationship with a small number of staff or fellow students” (Kember, et al, 2001). The focus of this research paper will steer towards the process of academic tutoring in order to enhance transition and belonging. This is based on the suggestion that suitable and effective academic tutoring, where staff are familiar with students on first name terms (Thomas, 2002), show interest in the students’ work and life, and treat them as equals in a professional capacity has a significant effect on the promotion of a healthy student life.

Thomas, (2006) argues that personal tutoring fulfils a number of roles for students within the higher education environment, which can include offering an overview of educational processes and procedures, providing feedback and support and helping to develop a relationship with the institution through the creation of a sense of belonging. Furthermore the pastoral side of higher education is argued as the feature that helps to promote and aid student development, retention and success (Grant, 2006). The personal tutoring process is suggested by Stephen et al, (2008) as having the responsibility of integrating the student into academic life, promoting and helping achieve well-being and socialisation, and acting as the ‘gateway’ to specialist knowledge and advice. Whilst traditionally being part of the university education, personal tutoring is also suggested as a “core part of an academics moral career” (Watts, 2011).

Originally the aims of personal tutoring were to provide personal guidance and support (Watts, 2011). However, in the changing higher education environment, personal tutoring can now be seen to adopt a more holistic approach. (Thomas, 2006 and Watts, 2011). In beginning to look at the significance of personal tutoring to aid belonging and ease transition, it is evident that a number of key arguments exist. Taking the starting point that the institution is responsible for providing an environment which makes learning possible (Krause and Coates, 2008), the role of the student and the tutor need both to be considered.

Upon arrival into the higher education environment, students are expected to shift from their previous experience of education, which is usually planned, pre-organised and monitored, to that of the higher education environment where independent learning is required. This shift in both culture and norms and the lack of familiarity and preparedness that students have towards higher education (Wilcox el at, 2005 and Stephen et al, 2008), results in students being required to manage their own learning. For this a structured set of transitional activities may help to promote a successful transition period (Wingate, 2007). Research around personal tutoring suggests that “proactive, structured personal tutoring may enable students to progress” (Watts, 2011).

Research conducted on social support systems in the first year of higher education suggests that students experienced problems, which led to withdrawal; such as finding independent study problematic, the university life was not as expected, unhappy with the choice of course / subject and a failure to connect with their personal tutor (Wilcox et al, 2005). From a thematic perspective, this suggests that social support and independent learning and culture adaptation, amongst others, are common problems that students encounter. It may be argued that the role of the personal tutor alongside other support systems in the university can be a way of intervening to ensure students are less likely to withdraw.

In looking at the relationship between student and tutor a range of features have been identified. As a starting point it is suggested that the development of a mutual rapport, trust, engagement and respect are essential as a foundation (Braine and Parnell, 2011). Personal tutors and students who engage time and effort to establish a meaningful and mutual relationship, which offers a mix of personal and academic support from the outset, leads to a more proactive working agreement (Stephen et al, 2008). Failure to establish the basics, such as a lack of availability, disengagement with the process, approachability and a failure to listen can lead to what Wilcox et al, (2005) suggest as apprehension and ultimately withdrawal.

A meaningful student and tutor relationship should be established as a way of helping students to succeed in the transitional phase in higher education and progress (Watts, 2011 and Thomas 2002). Features of the relationship have been noted and their importance stressed through the significant amount of literature that exists in this area. It is at this point that it is relevant to look at this process within the context of mass higher education and some of the limitations that may present. With particular relevance to the transitional stage of first year students the process becomes even more significant. Research points to a number of factors that students suggest as important in establishing a working relationship, some of which have been previously discussed. However one common theme that is relevant to this piece of work is the timing of the process. Wilcox et al (2005:716) states “students relationships with academic staff are an important part of their integration”. Studies suggest that early introduction, positive first contact, remaining with the same personal tutor and regular contact both formal and informal with their tutor have a positive effect upon the relationship (Stephen et al, 2008, Wilcox el al, 2005 and Braine and Parnell, 2011). With relevance to the transition process it may be argued that the early engagement of the personal tutoring process, which is consistent and well managed, can help deliver some of the potential mechanisms that will avoid academic underachievement (Vinson et al, 2010).

A final area of consideration is that of the role of the personal tutor. In enabling and embedding positive relationships, the role of the tutor is significant. Despite the personal tutoring system not flourishing in UK higher education institutions ( Vinson et al, 2010) many institutions adopt the system as a way of providing support and guidance to students, despite the unwillingness by some staff to actively participate (Wingate, 2007). The view that pastoral work and student retention issues are not part of the academic role alongside the need for academic staff to establish a balance between research, teaching and administration (Wilcox et al, 2005 and Wingate, 2007) on what is an already increased and unmanageable workload. In translation to how this is perceived by students, their relationships with personal tutors will include a lack of willingness or interest from tutors, a perception that tutors are too busy to engage as well as a feeling of guilt for taking up their time (Stephen et al, 2008). In summary in order for personal tutoring to be successful, particularly in helping to establish belonging in the transition stage for first year students, attitudes towards the development of student learning and support needs to be holistic (Wingate, 2007) with a commitment from the institution, academics and students alike.

Methodology

Action research was selected as the most appropriate methodological approach for this study. Action research has become established as a popular technique in educational research as it bridges the gap between academic research and more practical applications (Nolen and Vander Putten, 2007: 403). Action research is designed to enable the practitioner to bring about an improvement in their own practice, with research findings feeding directly into improvements in teaching and learning. By undertaking participatory action research I can begin to establish myself as a ‘reflective practitioner’ who can contribute to improvements in learning and teaching (Suter, 2006), and I can uphold Principle 5 of MMU’s Strategy for Learning, Teaching and Assessment which insists on a culture of partnership in which the student voice is integral. The process for initiating change will take a partnership approach engaging students to collaborate with staff and contribute to the development of new practice.