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“Live Engagement & Attendance Project” (LEAP): HEA funded research project hosted by UCD School of Veterinary Medicine.

LEAP: Introduction

Background

HEIs: Functionality of digital tools

Pervasiveness of “digital mediation”

Value of Student Advisers

Rationale and Mandate

HEA “Innovation and Transformation Fund 2018”

Context

SVM: in-person/online learning

1^st year students (>300)

Student Advisory Services

2021/22 School of Science (>1000)

HEA Innovation and Transformation fund to help Higher Education institutions throughout Ireland

eveloping digital systems to enable more flexible learning, including through online options and simulation training.�Supporting student mental health, student retention, leadership and preparing students for the working world.

The EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027)

Fostering a high-performing digital education ‘ecosystem’.

Enhancing digital skills and competences.

Against this background, the cross-institutional project “Supporting Student Success: A Collaborative Approach to Enhancing Engagement, Employability and Life Skills” between University College Dublin (UCD) and Dublin City University (DCU)

Technological Innovations

Increased integration of digital and analytic tools into higher education institutions (HEIs).

Heightened dependence on “digital mediation” in facilitating student communications following COVID-19.

Student Advisers provide interpersonal services both in-person/digitally.

This increased visibility can enable staff to attain a deeper picture of the student experience than is traditionally available on a module-to-module basis.

Key Questions

How should we understand engagement, conceptually and practically, in the context of the current student HE experience?

Can we interlink digital analytics with in-person student supports to support engagement?

Does invisibility enable SAs to attain a deeper picture of students’ engagement than is available on a module-to-module basis?

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LEAP: Aim and Approaches

Aim

Foster students' transition to higher education - interlinking engagement analytics with digitally-mediated student advisory support.

Approaches

Develop an attendance/engagement monitoring system that provides SAs with real-time programme-level VLE engagement data.

Engagement Model

VLE Engagement Oversight

Student Advisor Intervention

Enhanced Student Supports

Conceptual

Develop a student engagement model, cognizant of challenges and opportunities facing HEIs.

Technical

Assess and optimize VLE engagement experience.
Develop VLE disengagement signposting architecture.

Operational

Undertake feasibility study of VLE engagement monitoring system.
Create scalable analytics framework for UCD-wide implementation.

Support

Supplement student supports with digital/analytic tools, assisting in timely and targeted engagement supports.

Key Questions

Re-evaluate student engagement against the challenges and opportunities currently facing HEIs. How should we understand engagement, conceptually and practically, in the context of the current student HE experience?
helping staff create additional pathways for digitally-mediated student supports, while also achieving a more comprehensive picture of the student experience than would traditionally be available within module-specific engagement silos.

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�The Student Experience: �Key Questions

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What does First Year Engagement Look Like?

Student

Engagement

Cognitive

Behavioural

Affective

Social

Agentic

Engagement Type	How I…
Cognitive	…understand & relate to my course.
Behavioural	…participate & perform in my course.
Affective	…feel about & connect with my course.
Social	…interact with people within my course.
Agentic	…contribute to & shape my course.

‘Participating in educational practices that are strongly associated with high levels of learning and personal development’ (Kuh, 2001).

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What does First Year Engagement Look Like? II�

External

-Logistical �-Organisational �-Cultural

Internal

-Psychosocial Ability

-Competencies

- Motivation

HE Student Transition: Challenges

UCD First Year Experience:

Transition and Engagement Timeline

Source: UCD

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Why Focus on VLEs?

Diversification of the ‘education interface’ (Kahu & Nelson, 2018), due to technological innovations and evolving preferences. However…

Challenges

More virtual content delivery = fewer opportunities for f2f contact.

Plurality of virtual teaching tools = data aggregation challenges.

Analytics infrastructure tailored at module level.

Shift in HE services and supports model?

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What is the Role of Digital Mediation?

Using digital tools and analytics in managing, monitoring and maintaining students’ interactions and engagement.�

Heightened digitization raises questions on digital tools’ capacity to foster transition and integration into HE.

Application beyond pedagogy; serving pastoral needs of SAs who provide engagement advice, support and resources.

Optimizing VLEs as a pathway to student insights and interventions.

Manage

Organisational coherence and connectivity within across VLE modules.

Monitor

Proportionate and timely programme-level reporting.

Maintain

Dynamic psychosocial engagement opportunities.

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LEAP Engagement Analytics: �Outcomes and Insights

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How do we flag students?

1: Student has NOT logged into VLE in 7 days OR 2: Student topic access is <30% of Peer Avg.

CHEM10050 Login Data

Topic Access Data

Weeks

Tps.

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How do we intervene and support?

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Are we identifying disengagement?

N= 13 Programs�N= 62 Modules�N= 1500+ Students� �P= 0.0065 (Program)�P= 0.0004 (Module)

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Is our impact positive?

N= 1 Program�N= 6 Modules�N= 600+ Students

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Is our impact positive?

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What do our students think?

Theme	2019/20	2020/21	2021/22
Adviser Importance	“Wouldn’t be here without them”��“Helped my personal growth”	“(Adviser Name) is a great help”��“She is amazing and so helpful”	“They are AMAZING” “(SA) is wonderful, important”
Intervention Endorsement	“Reaching out is nice”� “If it’s not helping everyone but is helping one person, you like that”	“Great to know a readily available Adviser is looking out for you”	“I think this is a great idea”��“Mental health supports are incredibly important for all”
VLE Content Structure	N/A	“There is a lack of organisation of lecture content”��“Bombarded with work”	“Some courses unorganized on BS”��“Too much extra material … difficult to find what’s relevant”

Site: UCD Methodology: Mixed Methods Instruments: End of year survey & focus groups 2019-2022 N: 103 Analysis: Reflexive Thematic

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Summary and Recommendations�

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Summary of Insights

Engagement is multidimensional�
VLE data key for identifying real-time disengagement�
Analytics focused on prog-level engagement can be predictive�
Real-time interventions positively affect the student experience �
Digital mediation infrastructure provides more pathways to support�

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�

References

Ashwin, P., & McVitty, D. (2015). The Meanings of Student Engagement: Implications for Policies and Practices. In A. Curaj, L. Matei, R. Pricopie, J. Salmi, & P. Scott (Eds.), The European Higher Education Area: Between Critical Reflections and Future Policies (pp. 343-359). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Balwant, P. T. (2018). The meaning of student engagement and disengagement in the classroom context: lessons from organisational behaviour. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42(3), 389-401. doi:10.1080/0309877X.2017.1281887
Chipchase, L., Davidson, M., Blackstock, F., & Bye, R. (2017). Conceptualising and Measuring Student Disengagement in Higher Education: A Synthesis of the Literature. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(2), 31-42.
Cole, J. S. (2017). Concluding comments about student transition to higher education. Higher Education, 73(3), 539-551. doi:10.1007/s10734-016-0091-z
Commission, E. (2021). The Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). Retrieved from https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital-education/about/digital-education-action-plan
Denny, E. (2015). Transition from Second Level and Further Education to Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/publication/transition-from-second-level-and-further-education-to-higher-education/
Ecclestone, K., Biesta, G., & Hughes, M. (2009). Transitions in the lifecourse: the role of identity, agency and structure. In K. Ecclestone, G. Biesta, & M. Hughes (Eds.), Transitions and Learning through the Lifecourse (pp. 1-15): Routledge.
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. doi:10.3102/00346543074001059
Kahu, E. R. (2013). Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758-773. doi:10.1080/03075079.2011.598505
Kahu, E. R., & Nelson, K. (2018). Student Engagement in the Educational Interface: Understanding the Mechanisms of Student Success. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 58-71.

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References

11. Kahu, E. R., Stephens, C., Leach, L., & Zepke, N. (2015). Linking academic emotions and student engagement: mature-aged distance students’ transition to university. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 39(4), 481-497. doi:10.1080/0309877X.2014.895305

12. Kinsella, M., Moloney, D., Nestor, N., Wyatt, J., & Connolly, J. (2021, September 2021). Student Engagement in a Digitally-mediated Environment: Attitudes and Experiences of Student Advisers. Paper presented at the The 9th European Conference on Education, Online.

13. Kinsella, M., Wyatt, J., & Nestor, N. (2021). Responding to Acute Changes in Higher-education Engagement: Insights from UCD ‘Live Engagement and Attendance Project’. Paper presented at the Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE 2021), Ireland.

14. Kinsella, M., Wyatt, J., Nestor, N., Rackard, S., & Last, J. (2022). Supporting students’ transition into higher education: Motivation enhancement strategies. ACCESS: Contemporary Issues in Education, 42(1), 3-20. doi:https://doi.org/10.46786/ac22.8193

15. Krause, K. (2006). Transition to and through the first year: Strategies to enhance the student experience. Paper presented at the Inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Colloquium 2006 University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

16. Kuh, G. D. (2001). The National Survey of Student Engagement: Conceptual framework and overview of psychometric properties.

17. Phan, H. P. (2014). Situating Psychosocial and Motivational Factors in Learning Contexts. Education, 4(3), 13. doi:10.5923/j.edu.20140403.01.

18. Trowler, P., & Trowler, V. (2010). Student Engagement Executive Summary. In: The Higher Education Academy.

19. University College Dublin. (2015). Strategy 2015-2020. In: University College Dublin.

20. Valle, A., Nunez, J. C., Cabanach, R. G., & González-Pienda, J. A. (2009). Academic Goals and Learning Quality in Higher Education Students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(1), 96-105.

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