Otago Summer School
Guidelines
for
Participating Departments
Summer School Office April 2012
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This document has been compiled for Heads of Department and Course Coordinators involved in (or considering involvement in) the Otago Summer School. It addresses the organisational and administrative aspects in which the Summer School Office has a role. Beyond these, there will be a range of other matters for Heads of Department and Course Coordinators to consider specific to their paper: its resourcing, discipline, pedagogy and target audience.
Course Coordinators whose papers involve other teaching staff or contractors are encouraged to share the ‘During Summer School’ section with their teaching team.
Only brief information is provided on the offering of Continuing Education non-credit courses in Summer School, as detailed guidance relating to these is available in Short Course Guidelines on www.otago.ac.nz/courses/continuingeducation/otago002138.html
Feedback on the document’s overall usefulness and any suggestions for improvement are invited. (Please email [email protected])
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Contents
Table 1 Checklist of key tasks 6 Preparatory 6 Information for Heads of Department 7 During School 7
Funding arrangements 8 Short course income 8 Credit paper income 8 Budget planning process 8 What Departments do with their income 9 Publicity and marketing 9 Space occupancy 9 Academic and student services 9
Getting involved 10 Call for papers and short courses 10 Approval processes 10 Short courses 10 Credit papers 10 Workload planning 11 Students 11 Staff 12
Getting ready 12 Designating the teaching team 12 The Course Coordinator 12 Teachers 13 Course approval and advising 13 Performance standards 13 Enrolment limits 13 Timetabling 14 Some schedule considerations 14 Space allocation 14 Departmental office staffing 15 HOD authority 15 Reporting 15 Social 16
3 Information for Course Coordinators 16
Getting ready 16 Overall role 16 Promoting your paper 16 Posters 16 Departmental web site 16 Articles 17 Radio and television interviews 17 Countdown and enrolment tracking 17 Blackboard 17 Equipment 18 Library services 18 Other resources and Fee Maxima 18 Textbook orders 18 First-day classes 19 Streaming lists 19 Departmental office staffing 19
During Summer School 19 In-School 20 Advising the teaching team 20 Class lists 20 Communicating with students 20 Summer School Noticeboard 20 Summer School student database and Noticeboard 20 Departmental processes 21 Assessment policies 21 Class Representative System 22 Equipment or other technical faults 22 Examinations 22 Timetable 22 Scripts 23 Workload consideration 23 Space usage 23 Student support services 24 Waitangi Day 24 Evaluation 24 Overall 24 Paper-specific 24 Staff 24
After School 25 Social 25 Fridays 25 Closing event 25 Reporting 25
4 Appendices I Background and development of Summer School 26 II Report on Summer School 2001-2010 31 III Publicity and marketing 43 IV Form 7 (Summer School Form) 46 V Comments from staff survey 48 VI Timeline 52
5 Table 1: CHECKLISTS OF KEY TASKS This checklist is devised to support Heads of Department and Course Coordinators in their preparation for Summer School. As task allocation may vary across Departments, the Table columns have been left blank for Departments to complete (for their own internal purposes).
Preparatory Tasks HOD CourseCoord Other (specify) Complete Respond to Call for papers - Call 1 or Call 2 Traverse approval process - Divisional Traverse approval process - BUGS or BOGS (where applicable) Submit Summer School Form to SS&CE Board Designate Course Coordinator and advise SS Office Recruit contractors and execute contracts (where necessary) Provide or confirm text for SS Prospectus and website Budget estimated EFTS in consultation with Financial Services and Director, SS Respond to Call for likely enrolment ‘pairings’ Confirm or amend teaching timetable Respond to draft space allocation Provide image for paper’s poster Update departmental website Promote your paper Respond to Call for equipment requirements Register for Blackboard delivery/support Respond to Library’s Call for close reserve titles Order textbooks at UBS Provide course approval guidelines to Divisional administration Respond to invitation for streaming lists Advise SS Office on need (or not) for preliminary classes
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Pre-test equipment with actual tapes or software to be used Arrange departmental staff coverage Advise HOD/Acting HOD authority Diarise ‘launch of SS’ social
INFORMATION FOR HEADS OF DEPARTMENT
During School Tasks HOD CourseCoord Other (specify) Complete Arrange for Class Lists - Week One - Week Three Advise teaching team (and relay any relevant In-School messages ) Identify Class Representatives and advise SS Office Arrange for guest presenters to pre-test equipment with actual tapes or software to be used Report any equipment faults that occur in-session Pre-advise Timetables of any room changes or non-usage Follow up on issues fed back from Class Rep meetings Receive draft Examination Timetable and advise of any errors Submit examination script (If arranging own examination) provide written advice of details to every student Arrange paper-specific evaluation instrument with HEDC Administer Summer School Questionnaire Meet Examination Office’s deadlines for provisional and final results Diarise ‘Close of SS’ social
More detailed background to the School is provided in Appendix I and a comprehensive report on Summer School 2001- 2010 may be found in Appendix II. A timeline is provided in Appendix VI.
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FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS
Short course income (continuing education)
In March 2003, Council approved a financial policy for the University’s non-credit teaching. The policy, which is not specific to the Summer School period: established an Activity Centre (N) for distributing EFTS and fees income directly to teaching Departments for these N activities, set a central overhead of 15 percent on income affirmed a nil central overhead on the Vote Education income for one-off short courses where no tuition fee is charged (K activities) delegated authority to set fees to Divisional level (where an auditable trail of academic approval exists).
The policy document ‘Short Course Guidelines’ that outlines the requirements and processes for mounting a continuing education short course is available at www.otago.ac.nz/courses/continuingeducation/ The relevant forms (A and B) for claiming the Vote Education subsidy are embedded in this,.
Credit paper income
From the outset, special financial arrangements were in place to encourage Departments to support the Otago Summer School’s development. These comprise: not processing Summer School-generated income through the University’s standard funding model returning at least 80 per cent of all income (fees and Vote Education funding) to each Summer School teaching Department, based on the actual number of EFTS achieved by its paper(s) contributing five per cent of all income to Central Overheads from the remainder, meeting the direct and common costs of servicing the Summer School.
In 2004, Otago’s Summer School funding model received international commendation from the Association of Commonwealth University Management Benchmarking Programme. The review of the model in 2006 reaffirmed the 80 percent return to teaching Departments: i.e. keeping the School outside the University’s standard funding model. The next review of the School’s funding arrangements is scheduled for 2013.1
Budget planning process In consultation with Departments during July, Planning and Funding and Summer School & Continuing Education estimate Summer School EFTS per paper in the budget-planning round. In late July, the Summer School Director advises Heads of Department what 80 percent of total income is in relation to those predictions.
All tuition fee and Vote Education income initially accrues to the Summer School budget. Prior to the April - May budget review, Heads of Department are advised of
1 This will be included in the terms of reference for the scheduled standard review of the Otago Summer School. 8 the precise income that their papers have generated for the Department. In late April, Departments receive their Summer School earnings. As the Summer School operates a zero-based budget, Departments may receive a further allocation of funds in mid- December.
What Departments do with their income from Summer School Reports indicate that Departments use the funding variously for fundamental, developmental or common-good purposes. In addition to providing funds for general running costs, covering salaries for Summer School contract teachers or clearing departmental deficits, other purposes include: defraying expenses of introducing new delivery models purchasing equipment for teaching (development and delivery) purchasing equipment for research (data collection and analysis) funding visiting lecturers and other visitors providing scholarships for Masters and PhD students and awards for post- doctoral Fellows supporting development initiatives for administrative staff and academic staff (including conference and research-related opportunities) providing summer income for graduate students employed as tutors, demonstrators and assistants and for Teaching Fellows providing salaries for non-tenured staff in Semesters One and Two enabling the release of academic staff in-semester to undertake full-time research.
Publicity and marketing
Accountability for publicising the School rests with Summer School & Continuing Education. All promotional initiatives relating to Summer School must adhere to the Marketing and Communications protocols for the University’s corporate style.
Annually, Summer School & Continuing Education negotiates a budget for generally advertising the School in a range of media. The costs of some paper-specific advertising are also met from this budget. A summary of Summer School marketing and publicity is available in Appendix III.
To assist potential Summer School students with forward planning, a list of likely papers and short courses is maintained on the School website from early April. Course descriptors are gradually added as they become available. By mid-June, all papers should be fully profiled on the School website.
Space occupancy
The Summer School budget meets the occupancy costs for all pool theatre rooms and laboratories required for Summer School teaching. It is unable, however, to reimburse Departments choosing to use their own (non-pool) space.
Academic and student services
All standard services are available to Summer School students, albeit on a smaller scale. Where the School’s requirements generate a quantifiable additional workload
9 for academic and support services, the Summer School budget meets the related costs. Examples of areas where Summer School purchases services are the Library, Admissions and Enrolment, Examinations, Financial Services, Timetables and University Union.
GETTING INVOLVED
Call for papers and short courses
On behalf of the Board, Summer School & Continuing Education issues the annual Call for Papers, usually in late February. This relates to both “continuing papers” and new papers. Departments are also invited to offer continuing education Short Courses within the School.2
Where feedback from the students via the Summer School Questionnaire has indicated strong demand for particular papers, this accompanies the letters sent to the respective Heads of Department, Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellors.
Summer School credit papers and non-credit short courses may be offered at other University of Otago sites. Law papers enjoy strong support from students in Auckland and Wellington, and the Public Health Summer School (usually around 30 short courses) offered by the Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences is now its 16th successful year.
Approval processes
Short courses Policy and processes for non-credit, short courses in Summer School are the same as those applying during the year.
By Senate and Council delegation, authority for both academic approval and the setting of fees rests with the course’s most relevant Division and its Pro-Vice- Chancellor.
Credit papers Summer School papers are subject to the same approval requirements as those offered in semesters. All relevant policy documents and forms can be downloaded from www.otago.ac.nz/acadcomm/proformas.html A summary document is reproduced here:
Process for Approval of Papers being offered in Summer School
1. New Papers being offered for the first time (during the normal Semester and Summer School or only during Summer School) Process a) Form 3, Proposal for a New Paper, together with Summer School Form submitted to relevant Divisional Board
2 Examples of short courses in Summer School are the recurring Bridging Chemistry, JumpStart Physics, Dunedin Rare Book School, Scottish Summer School, and, in Wellington, the Public Health Summer School. 10 b) Once approved by Divisional Board Form 3 then submitted to the Board of Undergraduate Studies c) Form 7 (Summer School Form) submitted to the Summer School and Continuing Education Board.3
2. Existing Semester Paper being converted to a Summer School Paper or Summer School Paper being converted to Semester Process a) Form 6, proposal to Convert a Paper from Semester to Summer School, to relevant Divisional Board4 b) Once approved by Divisional Board, Form 6 then submitted to the Board of Undergraduate [or Graduate] Studies c) Form 7 submitted to Summer School and Continuing Education Board (this step unnecessary for Summer School Paper being converted to Semester)
3. Existing Special Topic being offered for Summer School (including generic Special Topic with new subject focus). Process a) Form 7 submitted to Divisional Board b) Form 7 submitted to Summer School and Continuing Education Board
(NOTE: that a Special Topic Paper should be converted to a New Paper after two years.)
4. New Special Topic for Summer School Process a) Form 3ST, New Special Topic, submitted to Divisional Board b) Form 3ST, New Special Topic, submitted to the Board of Undergraduate Studies c) Form 7 submitted to Divisional Board d) Form 7 submitted to Summer School and Continuing Education Board.
Workload planning
Summer School papers have comparable curricula, learning outcomes and fees as semesterised occurrences: that is, the only substantial difference should be the length of the tuition period (and the workload intensity both for staff and students).
Students A student’s enrolment in a single paper (usually 18-points) carries the expectation of 180 hours of learning over the period, equating with a 0.025 EFTS value per week. Alternatively expressed, taking one 18-point paper over six weeks is a full-time workload in terms of the University’s Points System (and StudyLink’s assessment of eligibility for Loans & Allowances).
3 Form 7 can be found in Appendix IV. 4 The updated official title of this form is “Proposal to change the teaching period or teaching mode of a paper”. 11 The University recommends that a student enrol in no more than 36 points in Summer School. Only very able students should be approved for enrolment in two 18 point papers, given that it equates to 360 hours of learning over six weeks. A student may not enrol in more than 36 points without express permission from the appropriate Pro- Vice Chancellor (Calendar 2012, p182).5
Many students report that they enjoy studying intensively in Summer School, the speed at which they can complete a paper, and the opportunity to focus on just one paper or a topic they would not be able otherwise to “fit in”.
Staff Academic staff report that although their Summer School experience is rewarding, it is also very tiring. Assignment turnaround times are highly compressed; teaching interaction with students is more pressured, and student motivation runs high.
The Summer School and Continuing Education Board strongly urges Heads of Department to bear in mind that Summer School examination marking and results processing overlap with course advising for Semester One. Staff teaching in Summer School find it very difficult to be involved in both processes.
GETTING READY
Designating the teaching team
The Course Coordinator As soon as a paper has academic approval for Summer School offering, Summer School & Continuing Education begins liaising on preparatory tasks with its Course Coordinator. Coordinators are designated by Heads of Department in accordance with their Division’s guidelines or policies. No Division permits an external short- term contractor to be a coordinator, regardless of eminence.
Some Coordinators manage a teaching team but are not involved personally in teaching. In other papers, the Coordinator might undertake some modular teaching. Many Coordinators, however, are also their paper’s lead or solo teacher.
Coordinators are responsible to the Head of Department for their paper’s academic management, including: all practical arrangements to ensure the paper’s readiness for delivery the paper’s smooth running throughout Summer School, including coordination of and liaison with any tutors, assistants and contract or guest teachers, and appropriately addressing any student issues relating to the paper overall academic standards and the paper’s ultimate performance.
Persons designated as Course Coordinators: must be available for contact throughout the Summer School period
5 Summer School students may also be approved to take papers for Final Examination Only. Any such additional papers are not taken into account in any consideration of a student’s status a full-time or part-time student or eligibility for Government student loans or allowances. A Summer School student who enrols for any paper for Final Examination Only may not subsequently convert to substantive enrolment for such a paper if that would create a total workload of more than 36 points. 12 are normally University staff members or experienced former staff members familiar with the University’s policies and procedures.
Teachers Many Summer School papers are taught by University of Otago staff. Others are taught by adjunct academic staff, Professors Emeriti or appropriately qualified others.
The external contracting of academics to teach is also very common. Sometimes the availability of a visiting overseas academic is actually the rationale for offering a particular paper. In this serendipitous arrangement, students have the opportunity to study Special Topics not normally offered by the University, and Departments have the opportunity to foster new collegial and research relationships. In many instances, visiting academics are re-invited to teach in a subsequent School.6
Course approval and advising
For Summer School, course approval and study advice are mainly handled by the Divisional Offices, not by Departments. This applies throughout the August - December registration period as well as Opening Day and Week One of the School. In some instances, a Department might indicate that it wishes to be involved.
Based on the date of receipt of their completed registration by Admissions and Enrolment, students are usually course approved on a first-come-first-served basis until the maximum enrolment limit is reached. If a paper has no prerequisites or if registrants clearly have already met the prerequisites, this procedure is straightforward.
Heads of Department may wish to provide some guidelines to their Divisional Administration where these issues are more complicated.
Performance standards Under the University’s regulations, Advisors of Studies have authority to decline a student’s admission “on academic grounds”. Heads of Department wishing to have input into such decisions should advise their Divisional Administration. It is important to the overall academic performance of Summer School that overtly long- term dysfunctional or “historically-absent” students are not enrolled.
Enrolment limits
Limits are set for each Summer School paper through consultation with the Head of Department and Divisional Office, and every effort is made to adhere to these. However, the overall objective of maximising EFTS will take precedence. If a Head of Department wishes to raise the enrolment limit, this will only be done if the domestic EFTS cap for the Division and for Summer School as a whole is not compromised.
6 Some have returned to teach five or six times. 13
Timetabling
Departments continuing to offer their programme advise the Timetable Administrator of their teaching schedule preferences via the University’s standard timetabling procedures. Other Departments will be contacted by Summer School & Continuing Education for their timetable preferences once their intention to participate in the School has been notified.
Before the School programme is confirmed in June (and before the timetable for lectures, tutorials, laboratories and fieldwork is struck), Heads of Department are asked for advice on likely enrolment “pairings”: that is, the papers most likely to attract concurrent enrolment. Given the intensive teaching schedule, however, many clashes are unavoidable.
Some schedule considerations: Teaching for many courses starts on the first day (Opening Day).
Classes cannot be scheduled for 6 February, Waitangi Day.
In the past students gave very negative feedback on three and four-hour lectures, finding it hard to stay focussed for that long. Long lectures are to be avoided and even in two hour lectures, a short break after the first hour is recommended.
The Summer School Prospectus is published in July for the start of the enrolment period on 1 August and is widely circulated. Changing the lecture schedule after the Prospectus has been printed is very problematic as students register for two papers on the basis of the published schedule. They do not continually check the University website to see if the lecture times of their papers have changed and now clash. Unless circumstances are clearly exceptional, lecture times will not be changed.
Space allocation
During September – October, Course Coordinators are asked to identify any special room and equipment requirements. Where a Coordinator has not yet been designated, that request goes to the Head of Department. All efforts are made to accommodate special needs (for example, non-tiered seating or a departmental location).
The confirmed list of allocated teaching rooms is posted on the Summer School website and sent to all students and staff in mid-December. Updates are posted on the website up until the middle of Week Two of Summer School (by which time all information is accessible on Business Objects and PIMS). Once teaching has commenced, if you find that the room(s) allocated to your class are unsatisfactory, please do let the Summer School office know. An alternative will be found.
14 Departmental office staffing
As many administrative staff take leave in the first two weeks of January, it is important that, prior to the Christmas break, clear and adequate arrangements are made for basic services to Summer School students, teachers and internal units. Apart from general enquiries and support, matters that arise during this two-week period (one third of the tuition time) include: the vitally important production of class lists posting Streaming Lists liaison on the Examination Timetable queries from Admissions and Enrolment, contract staff and students
When administrative support is not possible, Heads of Department are asked to ensure that messages advising that “the Department is closed” also provide advice on where else in the Division a student, staff member or service unit may go for assistance. That some Departments teaching in the School are obviously closed for the first week or two is particularly concerning for visiting contract staff and students who have come to Otago from other universities and countries. The course coordinator’s role is particularly important in these situations.
HOD authority
Prior to Summer School, Summer School & Continuing Education requests advice on Head of Department or acting arrangements for the six-week period. In many instances, given the time of year, serial arrangements apply. In the absence of the HOD or any advice on who is acting as Head, the Director, Summer School, will assume authority in emergency circumstances.
Reporting
The Summer School Report is produced annually and presented to the Summer School and Continuing Education Board. The Report is presented to both Senate and ultimately to Council. The most recent Summer School Report is posted on www.otago.ac.nz/courses/summerschool/otago017729.pdf covering matters such as: planning and publicity accommodation (teaching and residential) delivery schedule programme of papers enrolment numbers per paper and Division ratios of continuing, reappearing and transfer-credit students percentages of Māori, Pacific Island and international students students’ declared motivation for Summer School enrolment pass rates (papers and Divisions) student services and support communication (including Class Representative System) evaluation: analysis of survey results financial outcomes.
15 Social
Heads of Departments, Course Coordinators, Summer School teaching teams, managers of support and services units, Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Summer School and Continuing Education Board members are invited to a post-School celebration in March to thank everyone for their involvement during Summer School.
INFORMATION FOR COURSE COORDINATORS
GETTING READY
Overall Role
Course Coordinators are responsible to the Head of Department for their paper’s academic management, including: all practical arrangements to ensure the paper’s readiness for delivery keeping a close eye on the paper throughout Summer School to ensure its smooth running, including coordination of any tutors, assistants and contract or guest lecturers, and appropriately addressing any student issues relating to the paper overall academic standards and the paper’s ultimate performance
Some Course Coordinators: fulfil the above and contribute as the lead or solo teacher fulfil the above and undertake some modular teaching coordinate a team but are not at all involved in any teaching.
It is very useful for Summer School & Continuing Education to know who is teaching each paper and over which time span. Advice on this is sought continually. Some Coordinators convey key items of pre-School and in-School information to other members of their team, while others do not (expecting or preferring team members to receive it directly). For efficient communication, it is important for the office to know which applies.
Promoting your paper
Posters During April-July, Departments are asked to provide an image for a poster specific to their papers. These are paid for by the Summer School budget and usually incorporate the photographic or graphic image provided by the Course Coordinator. A standard poster template is used by Marketing and Communications so that, across the range of papers, a common “look” and standard are maintained. About 45 posters are produced per paper. Images must be copyright clear or have permission negotiated.
Summer School & Continuing Education arranges collective poster displays in key places (for instance, the ISB Link and the Wellington and Auckland Centres). It is the Course Coordinator’s responsibility, however, to arrange distribution of the bulk of the posters in places deemed most effective. These usually include lifts, stairwells, departmental noticeboards, museums, libraries, and profession or discipline-related associations.
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Departmental websites Departmental websites are a very cost-effective way of promoting Summer School papers. Please liaise with the relevant staff members in your area to keep your local site current.
From mid-August, all papers appearing on the Summer School website become hyperlinked to departmental websites. Prospective students become quite concerned if the paper they have seen on the Summer School site and intend studying either is not listed departmentally or carries last year’s details.
Articles A very effective way of promoting individual papers is through feature articles in local and national newspapers. Efforts by Course Coordinators in this regard are always much appreciated. Marketing and Communications is happy to assist with presentation and placement.
Radio and television interviews Offers from Course Coordinators to promote their papers in other media (such as radio and television interviews) are also much appreciated and receive practical support from Marketing and Communications on request.7
Countdown and enrolment tracking
This weekly newsletter for Course Coordinators is sent out by Summer School & Continuing Education in the weeks leading up to the School. Its main purpose is to provide regular updates on enrolment numbers per paper. It also conveys practical messages, reminders or requests. Countdown is distributed also to Heads of Department, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) and the Summer School and Continuing Education Board.
Blackboard
If you intend to use Blackboard, Information Technology Services (ITS) needs to be notified well in advance. Contact details for this are: ITS HelpDesk, Extension 8888 or 0800 479 888. The relevant forms for registering a paper for Blackboard and granting staff access are available for downloading on the ITS HelpDesk website. A total of 56 out of 72 papers were active users of Blackboard in 2012.
Each year a few Class Representatives raise concerns about the skillset of some staff using Blackboard. HEDC and ITS specialists are very willing to provide Blackboard advice and training before or during the School. If you are coordinating a paper that has externally contracted lecturers, please do ensure that they have opportunity to become familiar with and competent in Blackboard applications.
7 A summary of overall Summer School marketing and publicity is available in Appendix III. 17
Equipment
During September-October, Summer School & Continuing Education requests Course Coordinators to specify any special or extra equipment or program needed to support their paper’s delivery.
If we know what you need we can work with ITS to ensure that everything is available and that teaching staff have ample time for a test run-through beforehand (if desired).
If your lecturer is a visiting academic from overseas (and possibly not arriving until just before the School begins), please be sure to ascertain his/her expectations of our equipment and operating systems.
Library services
In September, the Curriculum Services Librarian asks Course Coordinators to state which texts are to be placed on Close and E-Reserve. Even if your paper’s requirements are the same as those for semester teaching, the Library will not presume this to be so. Close Reserve texts are kept in their constituent home library. Many Departments place material on E-Reserve.
Students sometimes complain that too few titles or too few copies were placed on Reserve in relation to their class size, and within such a short tuition period this can be a real problem.
Libraries are open for Summer School, and students are welcome to use any of the 7 libraries on campus, including the Hocken Library, for exam preparation study space.
Students can also book a Group Study Room in Central, Dental, Law, Medical, Robertson and Science Libraries, for up to 2 hours per day. Bookings for up to one week ahead can be made at http://marvin.otago.ac.nz/group_rooms/day.php
Other resources and Fee Maxima
Many Departments produce Readers or other ancillary material that students may purchase – usually from The UniPrint Shop or from the Department.
Please note that Fee Maxima legislation does not allow the University to charge students for any material that is a required component unless copies are also freely available elsewhere (for example, on Close Reserve, E-Reserve or Blackboard). Likewise, non-Library items (for example, t-shirts, aprons, boots) may not be sold to students unless they are also available for purchase from a non-University vendor.
Textbook orders
The University Book Shop deadline for Summer School textbook orders is always 1 August. While best efforts are made to accommodate later orders, it is especially important to meet this date if texts need to come from overseas.
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Given the very short tuition period, the late arrival of required texts for Summer School can seriously jeopardise students’ chances of success. It also generates high attrition during the first two weeks of the School; students are sensibly quick to withdraw from Summer School papers if they cannot access the text.
If you change your mind about having a textbook or decide to add or delete a title after the Prospectus has been published, please let Summer School & Continuing Education know. The updated information can be placed, highlighted, on the School website and also notified to students in the mid-December mailout. In these ways, some unwelcome costly surprises for students may be avoided.
First-day classes
In 2012, 40 of the 60 Dunedin-based papers had classes on Opening Day. Students with First-day classes are informed the times and rooms via the website as well as in a mid-December mass mail-out.
Streaming lists
Immediately prior to the Christmas break, Systems Management produces tutorial streaming lists for papers whose Coordinators have responded to the call for interest in this service. If Coordinators do not respond, streaming lists are not produced or rooms allocated. Please do not be cautious in asking for streaming arrangements, as they are easier to cancel than arrange at the eleventh hour. Lists are also available on Business Objects in the Uni Staff Public section. Please note that they are frozen in Week Two of the School. Students can be added manually.
Departmental office staffing
Given the time of year, many departmental offices are not fully (or even) staffed for the first two weeks of Summer School. Particularly if you are coordinating external contractors, visiting lecturers or guest presenters, it is important that they know who to contact with queries or for basic administrative support.
In the section Information for Heads of Department, the point was also made that Departments teaching in Summer School should provide basic services for their staff and students.
DURING SUMMER SCHOOL
Summer School usually begins on the first Monday of the year after the statutory holidays, and classes cease on the Friday of Week Six. Any teaching outside of that period of six calendar weeks will jeopardise your paper’s eligibility for Student Loans and Allowances. It is worth noting however that it is possible to condense the teaching period, provided that the contact hours, work load, and standards remain unchanged. This flexibility in teaching delivery allows for one or more short intensive periods followed by independent study, assignments and perhaps internal assessment, with the paper completing at the same time as other papers. Intensives are not recommended at 100 level and are clearly not appropriate in some subject areas. 19
InSchool
This is the weekly newsletter for Course Coordinators sent out electronically by Summer School & Continuing Education. It conveys important messages or requests. InSchool is also copied to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) and key administration staff in the Divisions. It is sent to also to teaching staff whose names and email addresses are known.
Advising the teaching team
Course Coordinators who are not the sole teacher of their paper are responsible for ensuring that their team members receive all notices relevant to the planning and delivery of their paper. Most Coordinators advise the Summer School office of who their team members are so that direct communication with them can occur. The biennial survey of teachers indicates, however, that more than a few go through the whole process of preparing for and teaching in Summer School without receiving communication from any quarter.
Class Lists
As in standard semesters, the production of Class Lists is the responsibility of Departmental administrative staff. It is advisable that they be asked to produce these at least twice: for the start of Week One and again after the seven days allowed for students to delete, add or change papers.
Please note that by the end of Week Two, Summer School Class Lists will disappear from Business Objects as the system is rolled over in preparation for Semester One.
During Week One, you may find that you seem to have more students than are on your list. The most common reason tends to be that the extras are debtors or students with outstanding documentation requirements, and so have not yet been loaded on to the database. Admissions and Enrolment staff will be liaising with them on this. Please get in touch with Summer School office if you have any queries or concerns.
Communicating with students
Summer School Noticeboard Notices are posted opposite the Summer School desk in the Link. There is also a free- standing display board erected in the Commerce Building, Level 2. Course Coordinators are welcome to use these for posting notices for their students.
Summer School student database and Noticeboard During Week One, a database is established of all students who have course confirmed in Summer School. It is used for emailing information of general relevance (for example, that the Examination Timetable is available; that it is the last day to delete or add papers or that the Library is open on Waitangi Day).
20 Noticeboard is the electronic weekly newsletter sent to all confirmed Summer School students. It includes encouragement, reminders of important information, and any special notices for students from: Summer School & Continuing Education, Course Coordinators and teaching staff student support units (such as Disability Information, the Māori and Pacific Islands Centres and Student Learning Centre OUSA.
Noticeboard is emailed to students each Monday. It is helpful for the Summer School Administrative Assistant to receive any items for inclusion by Friday.
Departmental processes As in standard semesters, teaching staff communicate in class time or outside classes, via Department noticeboards, Blackboard (or other platform), email and, for distance papers, also via audioconferencing.
For privacy and security reasons, University policy prohibits any public display of students’ names in conjunction with their ID Numbers. Although infrequent, the breach of policy usually occurs in tutorial streaming lists on departmental noticeboards.
Assessment policies
If a paper’s assessment regime needs refining or modifying from what was published in the Summer School Prospectus, students should know of the change as soon as possible. Effective ways to do this prior to the School, are for the change to be highlighted in your paper’s entry on the Summer School website and for the change to be publicised in our pre-School mass mailout. Please advise Summer School & Continuing Education of all changes so that we can advise students quickly and to keep our information up to date.
Please note also that once the assessment regime is confirmed with students in Week One, University policy does not permit any changes except with the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. It is especially important for Course Coordinators to inform any external contractors of this policy.
Section 5.4 of the Senate Policy on Assessment of Student Performance: Principles and Guidelines states that:
In papers which have a final examination, all internally assessed tasks should be marked and available to students before the day of the final examination in the paper. If the internal assessment task is at all relevant to preparation for the final examination, feedback should be provided at least a week before the final examination.8
In the Summer School’s very compressed timeframe, adherence to the second guideline may be impracticable in some instances. Please bear the policy in mind, however, when setting the assessment schedule dates for your papers.
8 Italics are added because of strong student feedback on this matter. 21
Students each year provide negative feedback on being given interim “homework” for papers that have two sessions on the one day. Please bear in mind that students taking more than one paper may not have any free time between your two sessions.
Class Representative system
All credit papers should have at least one Class Representative (Senate Policy, 26 March 2003 applies). Papers with high enrolments usually have more. In 2012 there were 96 Reps.
Perhaps because of the constrained teaching period, Summer School students take the Representative system very seriously. Representatives expect to see prompt addressing of the issues that they raise.
Course Coordinators and Week One teachers play a key role in facilitating the appointment of Class Reps. At the first lecture or class meeting please set aside five minutes and display the OUSA’s material about the Class Rep role and calling for volunteers. Summer School & Continuing Education provides each Coordinator with the OUSA material, a form on which to record the Representative’s name and contact details, and an addressed return envelope. The office forwards the completed forms to OUSA at the end of Week Two.
OUSA convenes two meetings of Representatives during the School, and also welcomes informal feedback at any time during the school.
Equipment or other technical faults
If any equipment difficulty is encountered during a teaching session, please log the fault in the onsite Register. It is important also to use the phone (one in every lecture room) and call the Hotline. A technician will come immediately. Class Reps often report equipment faults that have not been logged for ITS correction.
Any problems with your room’s cooling or heating systems are also important to report in-session. As these systems are sensor-regulated or computer-scheduled, reporting them after the warm bodies have departed or the lecture time has elapsed makes identifying the source of the fault more difficult for the technicians.
Examinations
Timetable The timetable for examinations is published at the end of Week Two of the School (after the seven days in which students may delete or add a paper).
In 2012 only 7 students had two exams on the same day, out of a total 1,831 exam sittings. There were no clashes for any student. Every year in Summer School there are students who, during semester, are taking Health Sciences programmes. These students usually have their first week of classes as well as examinations during Orientation Week. The Summer School Director can negotiate on their behalf with the relevant Dean or Programme Director for them to be excused from class. 22
As classes finish on Friday and examinations begin on Saturday, there are no official Study Days in Summer School.
StudyLink policy on Loans & Allowances for full-time study over a six-week period and the University’s continuing commitment to a 13-week semester determine that, in most years, Summer School exams occur during course approval for Semester One and Orientation Week festivities. This is less than ideal and a solution is being sought.
Scripts These are usually required by the Examinations Office on the working day closest to 1 February.
Final results are required in electronic form five days after the last examination and confirmed results are due the next day. The 2012 schedule was: scripts due: 27 January examination period: 18 – 23 February electronic provisional results: 2 March by 5 pm confirmed results: 3 February by 12 noon official results available to students 3 March
Departments running their own examinations must follow the same procedures as the Examinations Office. In the meantime, this still includes written advice to every student of the paper code, date, time, location and any special conditions.
The 2012 Summer School Examination Timetable had no clashes for any student although ~22 per cent were taking two papers. 94.26% passed their exams.
Workload consideration Course Coordinators are reminded that Summer School exam marking and results processing overlap with course advising for Semester One. It can be difficult or even impossible to be involved in both processes concurrently. After the intensive period of teaching, moreover, those who have been solo lecturers are usually very weary. (This point is also noted in the Information for HODs section.)
Space usage
The Summer School budget meets the space occupancy costs for most Summer School teaching. Therefore: please do not book additional rooms without also advising Summer School & Continuing Education, which will be invoiced for the space; if, for some reason, you do not need an allocated room for a particular session, please pre-advise Summer School office and the Timetables Administrator – otherwise the space will still be charged.
It is also not a good idea to shift rooms informally. Only officially booked rooms will be accessible and have light, heating, vital teaching equipment and technician servicing.
23 In addition, only officially booked rooms will have Door Sheets and be listed on PIMS for the information of students. The Summer School budget cannot reimburse Departments that choose to use their own non-Pool rooms.
Student support services
Students should be encouraged to make full use of University support services, as all services available during semesters are available in Summer School. Information on the range of student support services (including OUSA) and contact details are provided on www.otago.ac.nz/services/index.html
Waitangi Day
There is a public holiday every year on 6 February. The University Council has determined that there can be “no timetabled teaching activities on public holidays” (11 March 2003).
The Libraries are open, however, for students wishing to use it as a study day. Please be sure that your students know.
Evaluation
Overall Two kind of evaluation usually occur. The first is the Summer School Questionnaire, organised by Summer School & Continuing Education through the Higher Education Development Centre (HEDC). It deals only with the School overall, not with particular papers or teaching performance. The results of this survey are reported to the Summer School and Continuing Education Board, Senate and Council.
Course Coordinators are asked to administer the questionnaire during the final or penultimate teaching session. (If you are not teaching the paper in the last week, please ensure that the package is forwarded to the relevant member of the team.) In distance learning papers, questionnaires are sent by Summer School & Continuing Education to individual students with a pre-paid return envelop provided (domestic postage only) and in some cases, web based surveys are conducted.
Paper-specific The other is the one that you or your Department might wish to arrange specific to your paper. HEDC provides a range of services in this regard. It is advisable to consult the Centre about your needs and the survey’s particular focus reasonably well in advance of its administration date. The address for HEDC assistance is www.hedc.otago.ac.nz/evaluation/index.asp Results of paper-specific surveys are confidential to Departments and Course Coordinators.
Please consider your timing carefully when conducting surveys, so that all surveys can be completed without overloading students.
Staff Summer School & Continuing Education conducts a survey of Teaching Staff and Contractors to receive feedback on their Summer School experience. This very useful
24 exercise occurs biennially. The most recent was in 2011. (See Appendix V for a snapshot of comments.)
AFTER SCHOOL
Social
Fridays The Staff Club re-opens in January from the start of Summer School. Arrangements are put in place for a teaching staff Happy Hour from 4.00pm on Fridays.
Closing event In March the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) hosts a post- School “thank you” function for Heads of Departments involved in Summer School, all Course Coordinators (with other team members whom you choose to invite), Pro- Vice-Chancellors, managers of key contributing support and services units, and the Summer School and Continuing Education Board.
The Summer School Report is produced annually and presented to the Summer School and Continuing Education Board. Once adopted, the Report is forwarded, for noting, to Senate and ultimately to Council.
An electronic version of the most recent Summer School Report is posted on the website at www.otago.ac.nz/courses/summerschool/index.html (under the heading Summer School 2012 Annual Report).
25
Appendix 1
Background and development of Summer School
26 BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT
Introduction
The Otago Summer School was introduced in 2001 to: 1. respond to the demand from students 2. protect the EFTS base and loss of EFTS to other universities 3. enhance the services provided to students 4. provide for more flexible study options than those currently offered 5. offer a broader range of options to the wider community including continuing education, professional development and specialist courses.
The School achieved these foundation purposes within a competitive national market. As other Universities’ Schools continued to grow, the relatively small Otago School successfully met an annual challenge to maintain both its size and market share. Student uptake continues to be steady for the School’s eclectic mix of core, special topic and Summer School-only papers. Since 2011 domestic enrolment caps have restrained student numbers significantly.
year papers students enrolments EFTS 2001 23 701 1062 154.0 2002 36 963 1329 195.1 2003 37 1123 1555 227.2 2004 38 1267 1707 250.25 2005 49 1554 2089 303.02 2006 65 1669 2199 319.15 2007 68 1617 2161 313.57 2008 76 1680 2166 313.0 2009 77 1821 2364 343.15 2010 80 2043 2629 372.65 2011 68 1689 2098 298.8 2012 72 1762 2257 294.12
At the end of its twelfth year, the Summer School’s achievements include a running total of 689 papers, 17,889 students and 23,616 enrolments.
Commissioned from Planning and Funding, a comprehensive analysis of the Summer School’s first decade is provided in Appendix I.9
Planning for the future The Summer School was reviewed in November 2007 within the standard Review Cycle. The Review Report recommended reappraisal of the five Founding Purposes and development of a strategic direction for the School. As a result, two key recommendations on Summer School were approved by Senate (May 2009) and Council (June 2009).
The first Recommendation established the following as the University of Otago Summer School’s strategic framework within which the academic Divisions should plan their contributions to the School.
9 Bathgate, M., Summer School 2001–2010, University of Otago, June 2010. 27
Strategic Framework The University of Otago Summer School is a distinctive opportunity for research-informed quality teaching and learning.
Through its flexible formats, the Summer School will provide:
Special opportunities for students e.g. - fast-start, fast-finish, catch-up - special teachers, including international specialists - broader education, including topics of current interest - internships relevant to disciplinary and professional learning - study in other centres
Special opportunities for teaching staff e.g. - innovative teaching and learning practices - innovative course content, including interdisciplinary approaches - planning of teaching and research time for maximum effect - collaboration with visiting international researchers/teachers
Special opportunities for the community, including Otago alumni e.g. - professional up-skilling: for example, for teaching and health professionals - intellectual exercise and development - social awareness.
Also approved, the equally important second Recommendation affirmed the role and status of Summer School in the life of the University “as an integral, albeit special, part of the University of Otago’s academic teaching and learning programme.” Points adhering to the Senate approval affirmed that Summer School is included in the Teaching and Learning Plan of the University; the academic teaching year officially begins when Summer School begins; every effort is made to provide sufficient time for examinations between the end of Summer School and the start of Semester 1; support services are provided for Summer School just as they are provided for the traditional semesters.
The Otago model
In planning the “Summer School Experiment” (2001–2002), the University evaluated a range of models, nationally and internationally, and consulted its own academic and student community. The Otago model subsequently adopted has two key features: it is a “summer school” as distinct from a third standard semester. As such, it commences annually in the New Year, and the programme is intensively delivered within a defined six-week period; it comprises two types of course: those that carry credit points towards a formal University of Otago award (e.g. a BCom) and non-credit short courses (e.g. for bridging into undergraduate programmes, for continuing professional development or community interest). 28
Senate’s decision that the Otago summer programme would not be a third semester was not just a simple decision to compress the course-delivery timeframe. Rather, it reflected a holistic consideration of institutional exigencies, including the need to: optimise the schedule of annual leave entitlement across whole units as well as for individual staff sustain the environment for departmental research outputs avoid the cost inefficiencies of blanket-service provision for a relatively small student body.
Governance
The Summer School’s immediate governing body is the Summer School and Continuing Education Board, which reports to Senate. The Board’s Terms of Reference are: to advise the Senate on policy and procedures relating to the Summer School to assist the Director to ensure that the Summer School operates in accordance with policy and to provide guidance for the ongoing development of the Summer School to provide a forum for institutional consideration of matters relating to Continuing Education to advise Senate on policy matters concerning Continuing Education and to provide guidance for the ongoing development of Continuing Education to provide a mechanism for the coordination and exchange of information regarding Continuing Education across the Divisions and Departments of the University to monitor quality assurance processes for Summer School and Continuing Education.
Composition: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) - Convenor Director, Summer School & Continuing Education Representatives of the Academic Divisions as nominated by the Pro- Vice-Chancellors Nominee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, International Nominee of OUSA Director, Student Services Director, Marketing and Communications, or nominee Director, Academic Services, or nominee Head of Northern Centres An academic administrator from one of the Divisions, appointed by the Convenor in consultation with the Pro-Vice-Chancellors With power to co-opt
Serviced by: Administrative Assistant Summer School & Continuing Education
29
Management and administration
The Otago Summer School is administered by the office of Summer School & Continuing Education, a unit reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) within the Academic Division. Its contact details are:
Telephone: (03) 479 9181 – Office and Administrative Assistant (03) 479 5191 - Director Fax: (03) 479 4075 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.otago.ac.nz/summerschool www.otago.ac.nz/courses/continuing education Location: Rooms GW4 and GW4a, Information Services Building (ISB).
Overall accountability for programme development, organisation and administration resides with the Director, Summer School & Continuing Education. In practice, however, the School’s smooth running is effected only through teamwork involving many staff and units in all of the University’s Divisions.
30
Appendix 1I
Report on Summer School 2001 – 2010
(M Bathgate, June 2010)
31
Summer School 2001 – 2010
Introduction
The University of Otago Summer School was introduced in 2001. The following excerpt from the strategic framework for the school outlines what if offers for students:
The University of Otago Summer School is a distinctive opportunity for research-informed quality teaching and learning. Through its flexible formats, the Summer School will provide: Special opportunities for students e.g. - fast-start, fast-finish, catch-up - special teachers, including international specialists - broader education, including topics of current interest - internships relevant to disciplinary and professional learning - study in other centres
This paper examines summer school enrolments over the decade that it has been in operation, to analyse the extent to which some of these opportunities have been taken up by students. Four areas in particular are examined: overall summer school enrolments, including year of study multiple programme enrolments interest only and certificate of proficiency enrolments repeated papers and fast-finishers
The paper supplements statistical data contained in the Summer School Annual Report 2010. Non-formal enrolments in bridging courses and adult community education courses are excluded from this analysis.
Overall Enrolments
From offering 23 papers in its inaugural year, the summer school has grown to the point where 80 papers were offered in 2010 (Figure 1). In 2001, all of the summer school papers were also available to students during the first or second semesters. By 2006, 24 out of the 65 summer school papers (37%) were only available via summer
32 school. In 2010, this had grown to the point where 50 out of 80 papers (63%) were summer school-only papers.
The summer school has seen steady growth in student numbers since its inception in 2001. The number of students attending summer school has grown from 693 to 2,018 over this period (Figure 1). This represents a 191% increase over the decade, or an average annual increase of 21%. Growth has been consistent, with the exception of a decline in numbers in 2007 and a below-average increase in 2008.
The number of enrolments has grown with the number of students attending summer school. From 1,057 enrolments in 2001 the number of papers taken has grown to 2,583 in 2010. This represents an increase of 144%, or an average annual increase of 16%. Again, there was a dip in this trend in the years 2007 and 2008. Of all enrolments in 2010, 56% were in papers offered only at summer school.
A greater proportion of the growth has come from female than male students. In 2001, females comprised 45% of summer school students and took 44% of papers. By 2010, females made up 54% of students and took 55% of papers at summer school.
33
Students may take either one or two papers at summer school. The number of students taking two papers has increased over the past decade (Figure 2). In 2001, there were 361 students taking two summer school papers. By 2010, this figure had increased to 565 students. The trend in double-enrolments broadly mirrors the overall trend for enrolments and student numbers. A period of vigorous early growth was followed by a static period and even decline (in 2008), then solid growth again at the end of the decade.
While following the same broad patterns, this growth in double-enrolments has not matched the overall summer school growth, however. As a consequence, the proportion of students taking a second summer school paper has declined throughout the decade. In 2001, just over 50% of students were taking two papers. By 2010, this proportion had declined to 28%. This trend may well reflect a growing realisation about the intensity of the workload involved in taking summer school papers.
Year of Study
Around one quarter of students attending summer school were in their third year of study at any university, a higher number than any other study year (Table 1). This was also the study year that had seen the greatest increase in numbers since 2001. However, there have been large increases across all study years.
34 Table 1: Summer School Students by Year of Study
2001- 2001 2010 2010 Change Study Year 2001 % 2010 % Change % 1 25 3.6% 85 4.2% 60 240.0% 2 119 17.2% 367 18.2% 248 208.4% 3 155 22.4% 515 25.5% 360 232.3% 4 158 22.8% 425 21.1% 267 169.0% 5 123 17.7% 314 15.6% 191 155.3% 6 53 7.6% 146 7.2% 93 175.5% 7 or more 60 8.7% 166 8.2% 106 176.7% Total Students 693 100.0% 2,018 100.0% 1,325 191.2%
There has been a proportionately large increase in students taking summer school papers in their first year of study. Some of these students (5 in 2001 and 21 in 2010) were carrying credits from non-university tertiary institutions.
The increases in summer school enrolments at earlier study years may result in part from the economic recession, with students unable to secure holiday employment seeking to instead get a ‘fast-start’ on their university studies.
Figure 3 shows how the study year profile of summer school students has changed slightly from 2001 to 2010, with students in study years 1 to 3 now comprising a higher proportion. Half of the overall growth in summer school has come in these study years.
35 Multiple Programme Enrolments10
Each year around 20% of students at summer school are enrolled in more than one programme of study (Table 2). No students were enrolled in more than two programmes of study in the three years examined.
The proportion of dual enrolments has declined slightly over the ten years that summer school has been operating. However, it is still nearly double that of the University as a whole, where 10.4% of all students are enrolled in more than one programme in 2010.
Table 2: Summer School Students taking More than One Programme
Programmes 2001 2006 2010 Two degrees 132 338 358 Degree plus diploma or certificate 29 54 26 Two diplomas or diploma and certificate 1 2 5 Total Students 162 394 389 % of all Summer School Students 23.1% 23.8% 19.3% Note: Degree includes Bachelor, Bachelor with Honours, Master and Doctoral programmes. Certificate does not include Certificate of Proficiency or Certificate in University Preparation.
Students taking two programmes of study were more likely to be taking two papers at summer school then students enrolled in one programme (Table 3).
Table 3: Dual Programme Students taking Two Papers
2001 2006 2010 Dual programme students taking two summer school papers 117 200 171 % of all dual programme students 72.2% 50.8% 44.0% % of all summer school students taking two papers 51.5% 31.8% 28.0%
This proportion of dual programme students taking two papers has tracked down over the ten-year period, mirroring the overall decreased proportion of summer school students taking two papers.
Interest Only Enrolments
There have not been a great number of enrolments for interest only, with 3 enrolments in 2001, 7 in 2006 and 20 enrolments in 2010 (Table 4). Most students were also doing papers in the same year to be credited towards a formal qualification. No students were enrolled in more than one paper for interest only at summer school.
Table 4: Interest Only Enrolments
10 For this analysis, the following are not counted as programmes of study: Certificate of Proficiency, Certificate in University Preparation, Interest Only, Foundation Year, OTDBP. 36
Programme Status 2001 2006 2010 Sole enrolment, no formal programme 1 2 8 Sole summer school enrolment, also doing 2 3 7 papers towards a programme during semester 1 and/or 2 Also doing another summer school paper 2 5 plus semester 1 and/or 2 papers attributed towards a programme Total Students 3 7 20
No papers were particularly common as interest only papers, although in 2010 three students enrolled for interest only in BTNY111 What Plant is That?
Of the 30 students enrolled in interest only summer school papers in these three years, only three had never enrolled at university before.
Certificate of Proficiency Enrolments
Certificate of Proficiency (COP) enrolments comprise about 10% of summer school enrolments, both in terms of number of students and number of papers. This is double the proportion of students enrolled for COP across the entire University in 2010.
Table 5: Summer School COP Enrolments by Gender, 2006 and 2010
Number of Number of Students Students Change Change 2006 2010 % Fema le 72 54.1% 117 59.1% 45 62.5% Male 61 45.9% 81 40.9% 20 32.8% Total Students 133 100.0% 198 100.0% 65 48.9%
Number of Papers Number of Papers Change Change 2006 2010 % Female 85 50.6% 146 58.2% 61 71.8% Male 83 49.4% 105 41.8% 22 26.5% Total Enrolments 168 100.0% 251 100.0% 83 49.4% There are more female students doing COP papers than male (Table 5). COP enrolments at summer school have increased by half over the last five years, with most of this growth driven by increased enrolments by female students.
COP enrolments at summer school are more likely to be in Humanities papers than papers from any other division (Table 6). Arts papers make up around half of all COP enrolments.
Table 6: Summer School COP Enrolments by Division, 2006 and 2010
37 2006 2010 Division 2006 % 2010 % Humanities Arts 97 57.7% 122 48.6% Law 4 2.4% 14 5.6% Theology 1 0.6% Commerce 30 17.9% 55 21.9% Science 36 21.4% 59 23.5% Health Sciences Medicine 1 0.4% 1 0.4% Total Enrolments 168 100.0% 251 100.0%
The two most popular COP papers at summer school in 2010 were papers offered only at summer school (Table 7). These were the New Zealand Studies paper NZST101 Aotearoa: The Making of New Zealand and FORB201 Special Topic in Forensic Biology.
Table 7: Most Popular COP Enrolments, 2010
Summer Paper School Only Code Paper Name Paper? Total NZST101 Aotearoa: The Making of New Zealand Yes 20 FORB201 Special Topic in Forensic Biology Yes 15 MAOR110 Introduction to Conversational Maori 14 ANTH209 Special Topic: The Anthropology of Sex Yes 12 ENGL127 Effective Writing 11
In 2010, 62% of all summer school enrolments for COP purposes were in papers offered only at summer school. This represented an increase from 39% in 2006.
Of those students doing summer school COP papers, around three-quarters were only enrolled in papers towards a Certificate of Proficiency (Table 8). The remaining students were also doing papers towards a formal qualification.
Table 8: Programme Status of COP Students, 2006 and 2010 2006 2010 2006 % 2010 % COP only 99 74.4% 144 72.7% COP/other qualification 34 25.6% 54 27.3% Total Students 133 100.0% 198 100.0%
Of the students taking COP as well as formal qualifications, the COP enrolment was most commonly in an area not related to their programme of study (Table 9).
Table 9: COP Paper and Programme of Study, 2006 and 2010
COP Paper 2006 2010 Non-related topic area, mid-programme 25 36
38 Related topic area, mid-programme 5 12 Non-related topic area, pre-programme 1 3 Related topic area, pre-programme 1 2 Related topic area, post-programme, prior to new programme 2 1 Total Students 34 54
Repeated Papers
Summer school can provide students with an opportunity to repeat a paper that has been failed previously, whether or not it is a requisite paper for their programme of study. Table 10 shows that this has never been a large component of total summer school enrolments.
Table 10: Summer School Repeated Papers11
2001 2006 2010 Repeated Papers 119 158 298 Total Papers 1,057 2,174 2,583 Repeated Papers (%) 11.3% 7.3% 11.5%
Table 11 shows the summer school papers in 2010 that had the largest number of students repeating the paper. Two of these papers at summer school are intended specifically for students that have failed aspects of these papers previously, namely CHEM191 and PHSI191. Note that one teacher trainee was sitting CHEM191 in 2010 without having sat the paper before.
Table 11: Most Frequent Repeat Papers, 2010
Repeat Paper Repeat Total Enrolments Code Long Name Enrolments Enrolments % PHSI191 Biological Physics 30 30 100.0% CHEM191 The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health 68 69 98.6% BSNS101 Accounting and Financial Information 46 93 49.5% COMP160 General Programming 16 35 45.7% BSNS102 Quantitative Analysis for Business 30 73 41.1% BSNS104 Principles of Economics 1 40 103 38.8% EDUC102 Human Development 12 40 30.0% BSNS103 Marketing and Consumption 9 67 13.4% MART202 Product and Brand Management 5 38 13.2% ENGL127 Effective Writing 7 60 11.7% BSNS105 Management and Organisations 6 54 11.1% ECON112 Principles of Economics 2 5 53 9.4%
11 The figures in Table 8 are only for where papers have been failed in the previous two years, e.g. failed in 2008 or 2009 for 2010 enrolments. 39 A number of other papers had high proportions of students repeating the paper, namely the Business Studies papers BSNS101, BSNS102, BSNS104, the Computer and Information Science paper COMP160 and the Education Studies paper EDUC102.
Faster Finishers
For the purposes of the following analysis, a ‘faster finisher’ is defined as a student whose summer school enrolment contributes the last points credited towards a qualification. In other words, these students are defined as finalists for that qualification when they enrol in summer school. These students must also have been enrolled on a full-time basis through each year of their qualification. This definition will provide a slight overcount of faster finishers as it may include some students who take longer-than-average on a full-time basis to finish a qualification – for example, five years to complete a Bachelors degree.
In general, however, there will be an undercount of the total number of students who finish programmes faster owing to their summer school enrolments. Students who enrol in summer school in earlier (non-finalist) years of their programmes may also finish faster due to this enrolment, particularly where they have previously lost points through failed papers. However, it is difficult to make this judgement without directly interviewing students. The difficulty arises as hypothetically students can always load extra points into their qualification during the first and second semesters each year (few students take points to maximum workload thresholds).
Using this methodology, 90 students were identified as faster finishers in 2010, and were enrolled in 118 summer school papers. This represents only 4.5% of all summer school students. Very few ‘faster finish’ enrolments were repeats of previously-failed papers, or enrolments in requisite papers for that programme. Of the 118 papers, 85 or 72% of enrolments were in papers offered only at summer school.
The most common summer school papers taken that led to a faster finish are listed in Table 12. Tourism papers at 100 and 200 levels were the most common option for students to complete their programmes faster through summer school enrolment.
Table 12: Most Common Papers Contributing to Faster Finish, 2010
Summer Total School Enrol Faster Paper Only ment Faster Finish Code Long Name Paper? s Finish % Principles and Business of TOUX101 Tourism Management Yes 57 12 21.1% TOUX102 Global Tourism Yes 52 10 19.2% TOUR214 Introduction to Wine Yes 59 Business 8 13.6% FINC204 Personal Finance Yes 42 5 11.9% ANTH209 Special Topic: The Yes 59 Anthropology of Sex 4 6.8% BTNY111 What Plant Is That? Yes 24 4 16.7% LAWS474 Special Topic 5 Yes 61 4 6.6% 40 LAWS486 Special Topic 15: Forensic Yes 91 Law 4 4.4% MAOR110 Introduction to No 70 Conversational Maori 4 5.7% MART205 Marketing the Professional No 29 Practice 4 13.8%
Bachelors degrees in Commerce, Arts and Science were the programmes most frequently completed faster through summer school enrolments in 2010 (Table 13).
Table 13: Programme Completions Resulting from Faster Finish, 2010
Programme Number of Students Bachelor of Commerce 25 Bachelor of Arts 24 Bachelor of Science 19 Bachelor of Laws 9 Bachelor of Physical Education 8 Bachelor of Consumer and Applied Sciences 4 Diploma for Graduates 3 Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences 1 Bachelor of Education (Teaching) 1 Bachelor of Music with Honours 1 Total Programmes 95
Conclusion
Rather than replicating data in the summer school annual report on student characteristics and papers taken, this paper has taken a closer look at certain facets of summer school participation to try and understand some of the motivations for enrolment. The key findings can be summarised as follows:
On average, summer school enrolments have increased by 16% each year of the school’s 10 year life. Over this time, there has been a decrease in the proportion of students taking two papers at summer school. Much of the increase in summer school enrolments has come from students in their earlier years of study. The proportion of summer school students doing more than one programme of study was nearly twice that of students enrolled across the entire University. Interest only enrolments at summer school are not very common. However, the 10% of students that are enrolled for Certificate of Proficiency (COP) purposes is twice the rate of all university students. Around three quarters of COP students were not doing any other papers attributed to a programme of study. Of the students who were, the COP papers were likely not to be directly related to their main area of study.
41 Repeat papers are not a large component of overall summer school enrolments at around 10%. They form a significant component of enrolments in certain papers, however. Very few (4.5%) students could be defined as ‘faster finishers’ as a result of summer school enrolment. However this is likely to be due to methodological difficulties in defining and identifying a ‘faster finisher’.
These findings are interesting when viewed in relation to a few general conceptions of summer school.
Firstly, repeated papers are not a large component of summer school. It may be that some students are taking different papers at summer school to make up for failed points earlier in their programme, but direct repeats at 10% are not a major component of enrolments.
Combined enrolments for interest only or Certificate of Proficiency purposes are also around 10% of all enrolments. Although COP points may be credited at a later stage to a programme of study, when combined with interest only, these enrolments can be viewed as a proxy measure for ‘general interest’ study.12 Again, at 10% these enrolments form a reasonable but not major chunk of all enrolments.
The use of summer school to finish programmes of study more rapidly is difficult to measure, hence on the surface also does not appear to be a major component. However, instead of thinking necessarily in terms of faster-finish, it may be more valid to think of summer school as being used to help spread workload within a programme of study.
This supposition is reinforced when looking at the proportion of summer school students taking more than one programme of study, which at 20% is twice the rate of all university students. These students are also more likely to be taking two summer school papers, which tends to suggest that they are using summer school as a vehicle to speed up the accrual of points.
This notion of spreading the load may also be supported by the increasing number of students taking summer school papers in earlier study years, some even ‘fast-starting’ by taking summer school in their first year of study. Question 4 of the summer school student questionnaire is also of relevance. In 2010, just under 70% of respondents said they would have taken the same or similar papers in semester one or two had they not attended summer school.13
The quantitative analysis in this paper suggests that there are a range of reasons for attending summer school, in line with the range of opportunities suggested by the school’s strategic framework. More definitive information on motivations for enrolment would need to come from a direct survey of students themselves. Either a revision of question 4 in the current summer school survey or addition of a new question could provide a vehicle for this.
Michael Bathgate Planning and Funding Office June 2010
12 Although this does not capture those students who take summer school papers not directly related to their programmes of study that do generate points to be credited. 13 The total number of responses to this question was 1,220 or 96.3% of all students who responded to the questionnaire. The overall response rate for the questionnaire was 62.7%. 42
Appendix III
Publicity and marketing
43
PUBLICITY AND MARKETING Accountability and funding Overall accountability for the publicising of Summer School rests with Summer School & Continuing Education. All promotional initiatives relating to Summer School must adhere to the Marketing & Communications Division’s parameters for the University’s corporate style.
OUSA Banner advertising is purchased in the Association’s Handbook/Diary, the Student Telephone Directory and the Yearplanner. In the later part of the year, advertisements are also placed in Critic. Papers appropriate to the particular medium have also been promoted on Radio One 91 FM and its website. Posters All Departments are offered the opportunity to have a poster specific to each of their papers. Collective poster displays are mounted in key places (for instance, the ISB Link and the Wellington and Auckland Centres). The bulk of the posters, however, are displayed around campus in places deemed most effective (usually lifts, stairwells, departmental or School noticeboards).
An overall Summer School poster, listing all papers on offer, is displayed in key locations around the Dunedin campus and University’s northern Centres. In future, material should also be displayed at the University’s facilities in Southland. Public media Website: www.otago.ac.nz/summerschool Year-round, the Otago Summer School is generally promoted on this website. From early April, Summer School papers for the following year are provisionally posted on the website. In late June the approved List of Papers, course descriptors and details of the designated residential College are posted.
All year round, the website enables prospective students to express their interest in receiving a Registration Pack for the next Summer School. (From 1 August, registration is also available online.) Google AdWords For 2010, for the first time Summer School was publicised through Google AdWords whereby the Otago website comes up first whenever an enquirer enters “summer School” as a search item.
Radio Commissioned advertising on radio (seldom used in the early years) has become increasingly used to include now Radio Works (Edge, Rock, More) and Radio Network (Classic Hits, ZM, Hauraki). Departmental websites Departmental websites are a very cost-effective way of promoting Summer School papers. From early August, all papers appearing on the Summer School website also become linked to departmental websites. Prospectus In association with Marketing & Communications, Summer School & Continuing Education produces the Summer School Prospectus annually over June-July. This is distributed in the standard Registration Pack from early August to the database of
44 external enquirers (as well as to HODs, Course Coordinators, and the full range of other key internal personnel). Open Days Marketing & Communications includes displays of Summer School promotional materials in University Open Days away from the Dunedin Campus. Advertisements Overall programme advertising is the responsibility of Summer School & Continuing Education. This usually includes: mass media outlets such as The NZ Listener, NZ Education Review, NB (DCC Library magazine) local outlets such as the Otago Daily Times, The Star, Taieri Herald, Clutha Leader, Oamaru Mail, Timaru Herald The University of Otago Magazine other Universities’ student newspapers. Flags and banners Leading up to and during the School, banner space is arranged with the Manager of the Student Union. Around 60 large flags also fly around Dunedin city, by arrangement with the City Council. Other Any creative suggestions on how else to market Summer School are always welcome. Please forward these throughout the year to the Director, Summer School, or to [email protected] (in Marketing & Communications).
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Appendix IV
Form 7
(Summer School Form)
Text provided on this form becomes the basis for a paper’s entry in the Summer School Prospectus.
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Form 7
Proposal for New Summer School Paper
Name of Division
Name of School/Department
Paper Code and Number
Paper Title Description (This should be consistent with the Calendar prescription, no more than 250 words, and written in a style that is informative and appealing for students.)
Prerequisites
Restrictions
Time commitment (ie lectures, tutorials, workshops, labs, field trips. This must be accurate, as students will be deciding whether or not to take two papers or to continue working while studying.)
Lecturer(s) (List the permanent or fixed-term academic staff who will teach the paper and identify the person who, as Course Coordinator, will have the prime departmental responsibility for it. It is not necessary to list tutors and demonstrators.)
Prescribed Textbook(s)
Assessment
Class limits (Minimum and maximum)
Potential market (To assist the Board in its consideration of the paper for inclusion in the Summer School programme, provide a brief rationale for the paper’s likelihood to reach its minimum ceiling.)
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Appendix V
Sample of comments from academic staff and contract teachers biannual survey
2011
48 For me the best aspect of Summer School was:
Motivated/dedicated/keen/enthusiastic students (× 13) Having satisfied students Teaching such a well motivated, receptive set of students The excellent attendance record (almost 95%) - perhaps an effect of capping numbers The students! This was my second opportunity to lecture in your Summer School program – the first was 200-level, this time 300-level. I found the students excellent both times, but especially so this year. Their friendliness, work ethic, and quality were excellent The students’ attitude to learning. Very motivated and eager Students were engaged; created excellent work The varied backgrounds this group of students bring to their studies Very much enjoyed the international mix of students International cohort of Canadian and Kiwi students – great! Students who are there because most of them genuinely wish to make progress with their academic programme, so are prepared to work hard to be successful Students who are diverse in terms of studying programmes in sciences, humanities in general, social work, and also diverse in terms of ages
Small class size (×8) Lots of interaction between students and students and instructor (× 2) Having a semester’s work condensed into 6 weeks (× 2) Shorter, more focussed teaching environment Able to focus on a single paper Chance to explore a major author with senior students, at length The quick progress that students can reach in this six week system Timing – daily lectures meant more continuity and flow Regular contact with students 2 hour lecture slots Engaging in a different form of teaching
Later start this year Being able to offer the students external staff My other colleagues teaching the class Wonderful facilities A very supportive department Excellent/superb support and teamwork/helpfulness from Summer School office (×5) Good support from Otago staff in Wellington Highly efficient and helpful administration Everything very well organised/excellent management (×2) Politics Dept is great. I love the University of Otago and Dunedin. Great students All administrators I was in contact with over telephone or email were very friendly and helpful Excellent collegiality and interactions with all Otago staff As an external, I am extremely impressed with your summer programme and would be delighted to do it again. Whenever I asked for advice, I always quickly got the information I needed! Thanks for the opportunity to participate! After the invitation to teach, academic (including P/G) support from faculty staff, continuing advice and cooperation from admin staff, responsive students and good teaching facilities
49 The availability of technology for tutorials was especially good, because students could all use Powerpoint for their presentations (oral) – some presentations were very professional Seeing students who’d really struggled (indeed, failed) the paper last year now pass Opportunity to pilot a new and innovative teaching/learning model Chance to teach a subject of interest rather than for the sake of coverage/curriculum
Having a group of students who comprise a relatively small group, with all the characteristics and values of what is known to be a good student-teacher relationship (a teaching environment which permits a proper professional yet personal relationship between students and teacher, such as opportunities to discuss matters inside and outside of class, the teacher knowing student’s names within the first week to facilitate knowing each of them and their programme of study, coming to know their intentions for study and reasons for choosing this paper, etc)
I love Summer School! I thoroughly enjoyed teaching my course. Thanks!! This was my first Summer School for Otago. I was satisfied with it. There are some changes I would make to my own teaching but administratively it went very well I will be offering to do it again! It was an honour to be invited to teach and a privilege to work on the Summer School Overall, a very good experience for all involved! Any glitches are due to calendar contingencies (short time frame) or “growing pains” of hybrid 2-university model. All minor Thanks for another very rewarding spell at Otago
**
The change that I would most like to see in Summer School is:
Longer break between Summer School and the first semester than just one week (× 5) School ended very close to the start of S1 – difficult for staff and students to manage No requirement for student residence change in last days of Summer School Late start great, but consequent rush to mark, course advise and begin S1 was difficult More time to mark before 1st semester begins Not having to do course advising because only staff member around to do it (during January and early February) Starting earlier and finishing before O-week Change to 5 weeks We need one week at least before semester one starts. When I had my prelim, I was still marking the final exam. That was a bit too much…
Capping of numbers was somewhat of a blow. We had plans to expand our Summer School offerings, but were prevented by capping Capping individual papers made for a lot of problems and exposed significant flaws in the system, particularly registrations/admission which was chaotic Remove individual course caps and cap the Summer School as a whole It was a pity students were turned away from some courses. University more interested in fighting Government than helping students? Clearer guidelines as to whom we can accept into this course for 2012 School Unrestricted entry again
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More departmental support/admin support before classes start We must streamline communications and access to IT resources (e.g. Blackboard) for the non-Otago participants A little more advice about Blackboard – perhaps a one-page quick guide about using it effectively, and what students expect. We use Wattle at my university Guidance notes/information packages for newcomers to teaching at Summer School re ID cards, computer access, Libraries, PIMS, contact numbers, FAQs etc (×2) Induction literature immediately on arrival, including information on support services that can be drawn upon. At the moment, this is a burden on a mentor and admin staff Some type of information package – some how to’s A little more guidance on expected student workload (essays, oral presentations, etc). Similarly, some guidance on the preparation of course materials, such as course readers (i.e. what are the “normal” expectations) Clearer advice about enrolment deadline and exam timetables/marking deadlines
I wouldn’t mind having two projectors in the lecture room, but it wasn’t critical New lab/lecture venue. Cannot use West CAL any longer No last-minute changes of lecture venue please! Use a single classroom for a paper Rooms suitable for the hot and stuffy summer months The screen facility in my seminar room was adequate, but offers nothing like a full movie viewing experience This particular paper (XXX) cannot continue to be taught with the computing facilities currently available
Let us monitor (invigilate?) our own exams
Further development of our department’s collaboration with international scholars Teaching in SS to be optional for all permanent staff, even Teaching Fellows I taught 1 course = 8 hours weekly lectures (60 students) and was involved co- teaching another course with 52 students. Needed a fulltime TA
Some social events involving both lecturers/tutors and students together. Something more than just teaching sessions. Still seems rather impersonal
Arrangements are fine as they are/no change needed (× 4) This year, the programming elements all seemed fine and the students genuinely appreciate their courses and opportunity to acquire units The amount of sunshine could have been controlled a little more liberally this summer
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Appendix VI
Timeline
52 For the next Summer School
Late February Call for repeating papers
Mid-March Call for new papers
April Provisional list of Summer School papers posted on website Paper-specific posters – design and production begins
May-June Summer School Prospectus entries confirmed with Departments
Mid-June Summer School and Continuing Education Board consideration of paper proposals
End-June The confirmed List of Papers posted on the website and circulated to Departments for advice on most likely enrolment “pairings’
July Prospectus to print (Week One) EFTS and income per paper estimated for the budget
1 August Textbook orders due at the University Book Shop Registration commences
August Public media advertising begins Registration Pack distribution begins
Late August – early September Course approval processes commence
September Weekly enrolment updates commence (to HODs, Course Coordinators, known teachers, members of the SS and CE Board)
September – October Close and E-Reserve needs advised to the Library Teaching equipment needs advised to ITS – Teaching Facilities
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October Registration for use of Blackboard
10 December Official closing date for Summer School enrolment
December Course Confirmation Forms and Fees invoices mailed to students Mass mailout to students advising them of: Opening Day arrangements; Opening Day lectures classes; teaching room allocations; library hours and tours; Learning Centre workshops; any changes to paper prescriptions or requirements, etc Summer School launch/Christmas function Streaming lists produced
During Summer School
Day One of School Course Confirmation and Advising First classes for many papers
Day 7 from Day One/Opening Day Last day for students to change or add papers Last day for students to delete papers with refund of fees
Day 12 from Opening Day Examination Timetable published Class Representatives’ contact details due with Summer School & Continuing Education (for forwarding to OUSA)
Week Two of School First meeting of Class Representatives If a paper-specific evaluation is wanted, HEDC should be consulted
Late January or first week of February Examination scripts required by the Examinations Office
6 February Waitangi Day (the University is closed but Libraries are open)
Day 28 from Opening Day Last day for students to withdraw from papers (usually in Week One of February)
Week Four of School Second meeting of Class Representatives
Week Six of School Summer School Questionnaire and departmental evaluations administered
54 Week Seven of School No Study Days Examinations held over five days (Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). In 2013, examinations start on 16 February.
Early March End-of-School social function for teaching teams and key support units
April Tuition-based income transferred from the Summer School budget to teaching Departments
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