Cross modular tracking, academic counselling and retention of students on traditional delivery, technology supported learning, flexible access and other awards

Abstract

The increasing emphasis in recruitment of ‘non traditional’ student cohorts (Year 0, part- time evening only, Flexible Access, additional needs etc) combined with multi-staffed modules and technology supported learning (TSL) delivery is mitigating against the traditional tutor overview of cross-modular student performance and may be hiding student problems until a point of no return when formal summative evidence of failure is validated. In addition the trend towards minimising formal assessment loading can be seen as reducing the numbers of performance benchmarks available to establish learner profiles. The project aims to implement a continuous cross-modular tracking and assessment structure, initially for first year Environmental Science (ES) students, in order to provide such ‘early warning’ of student difficulties as will permit viable counselling and remedial support. It is anticipated that such a strategy will reduce the incidence of ‘under performance’, ‘drop outs’ and ‘resits’ by making support available at the point problems arise and not when formal failure is established.