LSDA Research Findings
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RPM426dRF1 March 2003 Learner guidance and support: Key findings the models used and how staff Staff at all levels have a strong commitment view their effects on retention to learner guidance and support and express the importance of being student Project Number: RPM 426d centred in its provision. Project leader: Philip Barker Staff frequently experience a tension Date of publication: March 2003 between being student centred and achieving retention targets. Staff are aware of the potential conflict between tutoring to Summary achieve retention targets and the right of choice of individual students. In September 2001, the West Country Staff awareness of college policies relating Learning and Skills Research Network to learner guidance and support varies (LSRN) began a project that aimed to according to their position within their identify the models of learner guidance and organisation, with senior managers being support used in colleges, and to identify most aware. staff views on how far this provision affects retention rates. With the exception of senior managers, there was little awareness amongst staff of The research drew a number of specific targets for retention conclusions. Staff views on learner guidance and support are a relatively unexplored area Staff see the needs of 16 – 19 year old of research. There are variations in the students and adult students as being models of learner guidance and support different. There appears to be less support both between and within learning providers. for adults. Staff refer to a fine balance There is wide belief amongst staff that between "proactive" support and learner guidance and support has a positive "interference" in the context of supporting impact on retention, although there is little adult learners. evidence to substantiate this. Further The provision guidance and support for research is needed which describes the students is not universal. Part-time students models of support and tests out the and adults often receive less than full-time effectiveness of specific strategies to students. supporting students. Some organisations have set up specific Methodology administrative units to address retention. The research took place in five general These have a “monitoring role” rather than a colleges of further education and one “supporting role”, although they may refer University. A project leader was identified in students on to guidance and support each organisations, and they then formed a services. project planning group. A literature review Some organisations target support at summarised the findings of existing work specific groups of students or programmes concerned with different models of learner in order to increase their retention rates. guidance and support, staff views on support, the relationship between retention Staff consider their own development is an and support, and the relationship between important issue in the context of learner achievement and support. support. Staff find that informal networks and communication are an important source Each project leader prepared a short of support for their own work. description of the model of learner guidance and support that operated in their own Part-time staff receive less support in their organisation. This, and the findings of the role as tutors than full-time staff. They literature review, then informed the experience barriers to support that include construction of a semi-structured interview lack of payment for attending support proforma for use with staff in each of the sessions as well as inconvenient hours. organisations. The interview proforma included the following themes: Policy for learner support, Targets, Monitoring of Key recommendations targets and learner progress, Staff support, and Models of support. There is a need for further research that describes the different models of learner The staff interviewed included at least one support. senior manager, one middle manager, and one lecturer or teacher in each organisation. Further research is needed to explore the 23 staff were interviewed across all relationship between learner support and organisations. Interviews were conducted by retention. members of the project planning group or Access to learner support for part-time their colleagues. None of them interviewed learners and some adults should be staff in their own organisation. increased to the equivalent provided for full- Following the completion of the interviews time students. the project planning group met twice to Part-time staff should receive greater conduct a content analysis and draw up the access to the support available to full-time findings and recommendations of the staff by removing the barriers they project. experience. In providing support for staff, use should be made of existing informal networks and communications that are already in operation. Background information The West Country LSRN (formerly West of England LSRN) is an active group of researchers supported by the LSDA. The researchers come from organisations who provide or support learning and training in Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, the City of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Somerset and Wiltshire. The group meets every four months and holds an annual conference in the region together with the South West LSRN. This project was set up following a consultation process with network members and their organisations in order to identify a research topic which was of common concern and which supported local and national priorities. The project also had the aim of supporting network members in the development of their own research skills. Full Report A full report of this project may be obtained from the LSDA website at http://www.lsda.org.uk/files/pdf/1437.pdf. Contact details Please contact Pam Melling at the LSDA ([email protected]) for a hard copy of Ann-Marie Warrender the report. Regional Director, South West Learning and Skills Development Agency Bishops Hull House Researchers Bishops Hull Road West Country LSRN Taunton Somerset TA1 5EP Janet Brewer – City of Bristol College Tel 01823 345950 Marion Cartwright – Open University Fax 01823 254414 Jim Crawley – Bath Spa University College [email protected] Peter Davies – LSDA Neil Gaskin – Somerset College of Arts & Philip Barker Technology Regional Convenor Caroline Harvey – Norton Radstock College West Country LSRN Ann-Marie Warrender – LSDA City of Bristol College Vincent Williams – Yeovil College The Create Centre Smeaton Road Bristol BS1 6XN Tel 0117 927 9483 Fax 0117 927 3912 [email protected] .