Many students claim to be struggling in silence. Recent feedback reveals they feel they’re not getting enough student support from their universities and, as such, not getting value for money from their studies. The result is a heightened risk to progression and non-continuation.
We’ve begun the new year in yet another lockdown, meaning many students are unlikely to be back on campus until the spring term. Therefore, a better understanding of data is critical to student success in this virtual environment. The right data, correctly understood, is needed to identify risks and offer personal, relevant student support delivered at the right time.
Naturally, you’re aware of the effect of the current crisis on student experiences at your university. Yet it’s almost impossible to target the support you give if you’re unable to see when, and how, your students are struggling, especially at scale.
For some students, a degree of support is available. Many universities are creating support networks, adapting and investing in their student support services. However, it’s not necessarily proactive, nor is it personal to students’ individual needs. With many universities expecting students to approach them with their concerns rather than reaching out, students are finding they don’t know where to turn and are struggling alone. Coupled with the limited interaction with tutors, universities are placing a huge expectation on those who may feel isolated and lonely to come forward.
It’s wrong to jump to conclusions about students’ feelings without fully engaging with them to understand their thoughts first. Yet by gathering and understanding data, you’ll have the information you need for the right conversations with the right students at, most critically, the right time. Like any relationship, it’s more effective to use the data two-way. Allowing students to see the data for themselves will provide a valuable focal point for students to see how they’re doing, what your expectations are, and reduce anxiety by making it clear where they can go to ask for your help.
We took a deeper dive into this topic and the StREAM platform during the event: (Replay) ‘Are your students struggling in silence? How do you show that you’re there?’. During the session, we heard from Ed Foster, Head of Student Engagement at Nottingham Trent University about how they’ve pivoted their approach to support using data to better reach disengaged students.
The lack of visibility of student engagement is a big problem in the current climate. Many students claim to be struggling in silence. Recent feedback reveals they feel they’re not getting enough student support from their universities and, as such, not getting value for money from their studies. The result is a heightened risk to […]
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