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Bowkis, Michael; Gardner, Christine and Lansbury, Alexis
(2023).
URL: https://www5.open.ac.uk/scholarship-and-innovation...
Abstract
Students on IT/computing named degrees must complete a compulsory project at the end of their studies (TM470). Some students face challenges completing the project due to difficulty with independent work and little direct teaching content. Studies have shown that additional tutor support and feedback can help improve student retention (Sharp, Wray and Maxwell, 2020) and such support is particularly important for student retention in distance learning (Arhin and Ekow Laryea, 2020). The prompt for this study was students’ poor performance on TM470 if restarting the module, to potentially improve retention among this cohort and thereby improve the overall completion/ pass rate. A specific issue identified was that students often have concerns regarding returning to study after a break (Robson, 2020).
This is particularly relevant for TM470, as it is a different kind of module to many at undergraduate level, with more emphasis on self-directed study. However, self-directed study is different to unsupported study. By providing direct tutor support before module start it is hoped that students feel more confident about successfully completing their project and, ultimately, their degree. A concern was that students might not have time to commit to the early start project. Therefore, each potential student was contacted to ensure that they could commit spending time on refining ideas before module start. A further project aim was to explore whether the students successfully engage in TM470 project preparation work, and whether they felt that the time was well spent.
A small TM470 20B early start pilot was conducted examining viability of the intervention approach and to determine opportunities for scalability. Candidates were identified using an inclusive selection mechanism that considered: multiple prior registrations, breaks in study, not studying another module, and only requiring TM470 to complete their degree. Each candidate was deemed capable of passing TM470. From November through to module start, students explored project ideas with a chance to reflect on feedback. The pilot provided opportunity to accelerate into TM470 at module start and to continue with the same tutor through to completion.
The main eSTEeM research project commenced in 2021 with initial analysis of students’ performance, comparing pass rates for those on early start and those who were not. Feedback was gathered from tutors who engaged in the early start program, regarding their support for students facing difficulties through a project’s early phases. The research was extended in 2022 and 2023 to gather student feedback, via interviews, providing greater insight into the effectiveness of the early start activities. Further comparisons were made of pass rates for those on the programme with those who were identified as potential candidates but either declined the opportunity or could not be offered due to place constraints. Pass rate comparisons have also been made with the main cohort of students. By evaluating a specific Level 3 module in the School of Computing and Communications it is hoped that this will inform module teams in helping students achieve their degree.
References:
Arhin, V. and Laryea, J.E. (2020) Tutoring support as a predictor of student retention in distance learning: The case of a University in Ghana. Available online at: https://search.informit.org/doi/pdf/10.3316/informit.620291631811930 (Accessed 30 January 2022)
Sharp, E., Wray, R.J. and Maxwell, R. (2020). Improving student retention through enhanced academic and pastoral support: A Case Study. Available online at: http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/196 (Accessed 30 January 2022)
Robson, L. (2020). Part-Time Distance Learners’ Experiences Of Study Breaks. In: INTED2020 Proceedings, article no. 393. Available online at: Part-Time Distance Learners’ Experiences Of Study Breaks - Open Research Online (Accessed 3 March 2022)
Plain Language Summary
Students on IT/computing degrees at the Open University (OU) complete a compulsory project at the end of their studies (TM470), yet some students face challenges completing the project due to difficulties with independent work. The prompt for this study was students’ poor performance on TM470 if restarting the module, and to potentially improve retention among this cohort.
Previous studies have shown that early tutor support and feedback can help improve student retention. A TM470 early start pilot was conducted examining viability of an early intervention approach and to determine opportunities for scalability. Candidates were identified using an inclusive selection mechanism that considered: multiple prior registrations, breaks in study, and requiring just TM470 to complete their degree.
The research project commenced in 2021 with initial analysis of students’ performance, comparing pass rates for those on early start and those who were not. Feedback was gathered from tutors who engaged in the project, regarding their support for students facing difficulties during their project’s early phases. The research was extended in 2022 and 2023 to also gather student feedback, via interviews, providing greater insight into the effectiveness of the early start activities. Further comparisons were made of pass rates for those on the programme with those who were identified as potential candidates but either declined the opportunity or were not offered a place due to number limitations. By evaluating this final year module in the School of Computing and Communications it is hoped this will inform others in helping students achieve their degree.
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