A Higher Education Perspective

The Importance of belonging: A Higher Education Perspective

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Supervised by Dr Adrian Danks and Professor Laurene Vaughan

Rachel Wilson Master of arts (La Trobe University) Bachelor of education (Deakin University)

School of Media and Communication College of Design and Social Context RMIT University

November 2016

Declaration

I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award; the content of the dissertation is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged; and ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.

Rachel Wilson,

November 2016

A Guide to the Submitted Material

The recommended pathway through the material presented for examination is to start with the overview document The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 2011 – 2015. The Belonging Project was a multi-phase project which grew in complexity each year. This particular document has been written for an uninitiated audience and is designed to provide a guide to the project phases from a position of hindsight. It introduces the reader to the project’s history, The Belonging Project Narrative Model of Student Engagement, our guiding principles and a small sample of the work conducted during each phase of the project.

Next I would ask the readers to take a look at The Belonging Project website located here:

www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/belonging-project

The website both act’s as a repository of the annual reports and scholarly outcomes and provides additional material of the project’s outcomes from the student perspective. I recommend readers watch the videos, that succinctly capture the student voice, found here:

www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/media-and- communication/research/projects/the-belonging-project/resources/

The annual reports provide greater detail of each phase of the project and the publications and conference papers give a sense of how we have continued to communicate the project’s outcomes to a scholarly audience.

Contents

Part 1 – Overview Report 7 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 2011 – 2015.

Part 2 – Annual Reports 59 a) Report 2011: Phase 1: Planting the Seeds b) Report 2012: Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience c) Report 2013: Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience d) Report 2014: Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global

Part 3 – Peer-Reviewed Articles 335 a) Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, R. (2013). ‘Belonging in Education: Lessons from the Belonging Project’.International*Journal*of*the* First*Year*in*Higher*Education. 4:2. p87 – 96

b) Araújo, N., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Morieson, L., & Wilson, R. (2014). ‘Belonging in the First Year: A creative discipline cohort case study’.*International*Journal* of*the*First*Year*in*Higher*Education. 5:2. p21 – 31 Part 4 – Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers 357 a) Araújo, N., Wilson, R., Clarke, B., & Carney, L. (2014). ‘The Global at Home: At Home in the Global.’ Presented at the 2014 Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia Conference (PESA), University of Waikato, New Zealand. Available at: http://pesa.org.au/images/conference2014/PESA_Conference-2014- Conference-Papers-no-ISBN.pdf

b) Araújo, N., Wilson, R., & Clarke, B. (2015). ‘Student Engagement for Employability: A Belonging Project Case Study.’ In Thomas, T., Levin, E., Dawson, P., Fraser, K., & Hadgraft, R. (Eds.)*Research*and*Development*in* Higher*Education:*Learning*for*life*and*work*in*a*complex*world, 38. pp 1–10. Melbourne, Australia. 6–9 July 2015. Available at: https://pesa.org.au/images/conference2014/PESA_Conference-2014- Conference-Papers-no-ISBN.pdf

c) Araújo, N., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2015). ‘Why Belonging Still Matters: Student success beyond generic employability skills.’ Presented at the 2015 STARS Conference,*Melbourne, Australia. Available at: www.unistars.org/papers/STARS2015/12C.pdf

Part 5 – Links to the Project Website 399 a) www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/media-and- communication/research/projects/the-belonging-project/

PART 1

Overview Report ! ! a) The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 2011 – 2015. ! The Ethos of Belonging A narrative model approach to student engagement 2011-2015 Report Authors Bronwyn Clarke and Rachel Wilson Acknowledgements

The Belonging Project team would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of our colleagues who have helped to advise, shepherd and disseminate information during the four year project.

The Belonging Project Reference Group: We would also like to thank the following groups at RMIT University for their ongoing support and assistance. Sue Bolt Acting Chief of Staf & Director Government Relations School of Media and Communication Ofce of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Student Cohort Experience Reference Group Assoc. Prof. Andrea Chester Ofce of the Dean of Students Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching Student Services Design and Social Context Ofce College of Design and Social Context RMIT Library Fiona Ellis Director, Student Services Special Thanks to Louise Goodman – For her help in ﬁnalizing and Student Services – Directors Ofce editing this report. Ruth Moeller Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching Design and Social Context Ofce Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Deputy Dean School of Media and Communication Pearl Gilles Coordinator iBelong Program RMIT Equity and Diversity Unit Milton Nomikoudis Senior Advisor, Strategic Learning and Teaching Ofce of Dean, Learning and Teaching Saskia Hansen Director International Partnerships and Development International Partnerships and Development Phil Craig Senior Coordinator, Planning Design and Social Context Ofce Diana Stoneﬁeld Senior Manager, Planning and Resources School of Media and Communication Cover Inside Front Flap 209mm (w)

Project Team

Academic Leaders Project Team Members

Bronwyn Clarke Dr. Natalie Araújo, Research Ofcer Bronwyn is Programs Director in the School of Media Natalie has completed a PhD in Social Anthropology, Juris and Communication at RMIT University. Bronwyn’s Doctor in Law, MA in Latin American Cultural Studies, research areas in her PhD are: best practice models and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Latin American of selection and retention, and building students’ Studies. She has ten years of experience in tertiary professional identities from first year. In addition to teaching and curriculum design. Natalie has conducted her role as an Academic Team Leader for The Belonging ethnographic fieldwork in the UK, USA, Colombia, Project, Bronwyn has been an Academic Team Leader Vietnam, and Australia. She has also served as Chair of for the Learning and Teaching Investment Fund project the American Association of University Women’s Student First Things First: Transition and Transformation of Advisory Board. the Student Cohort Experience (2013) and has been an academic member of the OLT project Developing Associate Professor David Carlin Graduate Employability (2014-15). David Carlin is an Associate Professor in the School Bronwyn won a Learning and Teaching Award with The of Media and Communication and co-director of the Belonging Project team members in 2013 and has had her nonfictionLab Research Group. He is a writer, creative teaching with Mr Terry Johal documented as best practice artist, teacher and researcher. David’s recent work as part of RMIT University’s Peer Partnership Program. includes the widely acclaimed memoir Our Father Who Through the educational design consultancy at RMIT Wasn’t There (2010); his creative nonfiction, essays and she has engaged in embedding professionally relevant articles have appeared in Grifth Review, Overland, pedagogy through ‘real world’ projects with industry. She TEXT, Newswrite, Victorian Writer, Continuum and has taught onshore and ofshore for the past fifteen years other journals. within a Creative Industries program at RMIT. David’s current creative and research interests include literary nonfiction forms and genres (essay and memoir), Rachel Wilson memory studies, narrative and digital archives. His Rachel has been teaching within the higher education ongoing projects include the prose memoir/ biography sector for over 20 years, specialising in the Screen The Abyssinian Contortionist (UWA Publishing, 2015), mixed Production discipline. Rachel has a number of teaching media exhibition Vault; the nonstop performing history of awards including a team 2008 ALTC citation. Prior to Circus Oz (premiered at 2014 Melbourne Festival), the undertaking a role as Program Director (Media) 2012-2013 interactive digital archive, Circus Oz Living Archive in the School of Media and Communication, Rachel was and cultural exchange/collaborative residency program, the program’s Selection and Careers Ofcer. WrICE (Writers Immersion and Cultural Exchange).

Rachel’s professional background is as a media Dr. Lucy Morieson practitioner. Her current research includes archiving, memory and representations of trauma. Rachel served Lucy graduated from RMIT in journalism before working as the President and National Secretary of the peak as a researcher and reporter, most notably at online news discipline body Australian Screen Production Education publication Crikey. Inspired by her work in the world of and Research Association (ASPERA) from 2010-2011 and online publishing, she returned to RMIT to complete her 2011-2012 respectively. PhD on the political development of online journalism in Australia. While pursuing her PhD research, she also taught extensively across a range of courses and programs in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. Her role as Research Ofcer with The Belonging Project (2011-2012) provided an opportunity to combine the writing and interviewing experience developed as a journalist and researcher with the insights into the student experience gained through her teaching work. Cover Inside Front 210mm (w)

Project Team Members

Karli Lukas, Academic Services Ofcer School of Media and Communication As both an Academic Services Ofcer and graduate of the School of Media and Communication, Karli bought unique analytical and holistic perspectives to the project. Her extensive knowledge of RMIT staf networks and processes enabled her to contribute to position papers and represent the project lead team on various working parties.

Laetitia Shand Laetitia is a professional manager in communications, arts, design and academia. From a background in commercial product marketing she has since worked extensively in academic research management. From 2011–2013 she was Project Manager for the Circus Oz Living Archive ARC Linkage Project at RMIT University. She has recently co-edited RMIT Design Research Institute’s six-year retrospective publication ‘RMIT Design Research Institute Designs on the Future’ (Melbourne Books 2014).

The Belonging Project Team would also like to acknowledge the substantial and ongoing support of our colleagues in the School of Media and Communication, College of Design and Social Context and the Academic Portfolio. For a full list of individuals please refer to the project’s annual reports. Why Belonging Matters

“Over time and through various experiences, students’ sense of belonging, of personal acceptance, or having a rightful, valued place in a particular social context tends to stabilize and consistently inﬂuence one’s commitments and behaviours” (Strayhorn, 2012). The need to belong is a fundamental human motivation (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and when applied to the higher education sector plays a crucial role in academic outcomes for students. When a sense of belonging and social connectedness at university is explicitly activated it enhances students motivation to achieve and succeed (Walton, Cohen, Cwir & Spence, 2011). Throughout our longitudinal research we have proven that it is possible to embed an ethos of belonging into formal and informal curriculum activities. In doing so, we have built conﬁdence and capacity for students in disciplinary, interdisciplinary and global learning environments across the whole student lifecycle. Using small-scale, low-cost initiatives informed by The Belonging Project’s Narrative Model we encouraged and delivered a range of positive interactions between staf and students to provide real life employability outcomes and establish skills critical for lifelong learning and success. Belonging and student engagement

The need to belong is not only important for the long-term success of vulnerable students. Belonging has clear implications for the social experience of students and plays a critical role in academic outcomes. Australian research into the role of belonging tends to focus on the transition to university and the ﬁrst year experience, noting that these points are often fraught particularly for more diverse cohorts where “the culture of the institution is foreign and at times alienating and uninviting” (Krause et al., 2005, p. 9). The Belonging Project’s research afrms the role belonging plays in the early university experience, however our work extends this understanding and adopts a perspective that is inclusive of the entire student experience. We advocate embedding disciplinary, interdisciplinary and intercultural global learning opportunities throughout the student lifecycle in both the formal and informal curriculum. With increasing numbers of Australians participating in high education as a pathway to employability, graduate outcomes have become a key accountability for education providers. As a result, educators are now charged with the responsibility of developing actively engaged, empathetic global citizens (Nikolic & Gledic, 2013) and producing the “repository of human capital” that “provides the workforce capability that underpins economic growth” in Australia (Universities Australia, 2014). Thus the unifying goal of The Belonging Project is to create a holistic approach to the student experience across all aspects of their interactions within the institution. By adopting a wider ethos of belonging this experience can extend beyond the institutional boundaries and into professional practice and the broader disciplines. We have demonstrated that when the concept of belonging is adopted as an essential feature of the contemporary student experience it positively inﬂuences not just academic achievement and social engagement, but success in the achievement of career and employment goals.

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 1 2 The EthosThe of Ethos Belonging: of Belonging: A narrative A narrative model approach model approach to student to student engagement engagement 2 Contents

Abbreviations, Key Terms and Nomenclature ...... 4

Dissemination, outputs and resources ...... 5

The Belonging Project: Approach ...... 11 The Belonging Project Narrative Model ...... 13 Guiding Principles ...... 14 Methods ...... 14 Overview of the project phases ...... 15

Phase One: Planting the Seeds ...... 17 Student focus group ﬁndings ...... 19

Phase Two: Focus on the First Year Experience (Tier One: Disciplinary) ...... 23 The disciplinary initiatives ...... 24 Discussion ...... 25

Phase Three: Focus on the Interdisciplinary (Tier Two: Interdisciplinary) . 27 The interdisciplinary initiatives ...... 28 Discussion ...... 29 The interdisciplinary: Student perceptions ...... 29 Staf engagements initiatives ...... 30

Phase Four: The Global at Home, At Home in the Global (Tier Three: Global) ... 31 The global initiatives ...... 32 Discussion ...... 33 Harnessing diversity: Recognising and celebrating the students’ existing diversity and strengths . 33 Embedding a global employability framework ...... 33 Developing intercultural competencies through peak global experiences ...... 34

The Belonging Project: Conclusion ...... 35 What worked for us ...... 36 What to be prepared for ...... 37

The future of The Belonging Project ...... 37

Bibliography ...... 39

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 3 Abbreviations and Key Terms Nomenclature

Abbreviations At RMIT there are a number of terms that are institution- speciﬁc and, as such, do not have the same meanings to FYE – First Year Experience external audiences. The following table sets out these HEPPP – Higher Education Participation Partnerships diferences to avoid confusion when reading this document: Program L&T – Learning and teaching Elsewhere RMIT Term

LTIF – Learning and Teaching Investment Fund Subject Course MC2015 – School of Media and Communication’s curriculum renewal plan Course Program

SES – Socio-Economic Status Faculty College Key terms Online learning Blackboard Co-creation: Students actively co-create their university management system experience and should be genuinely engaged in processes and decisions that involve them, by providing feedback, and, where appropriate, creative input in the change processes. Disciplinary: Bounded fields defined by their specific frames or reference, traditional objects of study, theoretical canons, technologies, and methodologies. First year student: A student who is yet to complete 96 credit points of study (equivalent to one full-time year) in their current program at RMIT University. Intercultural: An approach to understanding and working with diverse cultures in ways that: recognises commonalities and diferences; creates connections with others; fosters collaboration, and cultivates mutual respect. Interdisciplinary: L&T practices which develop not just disciplinary knowledge, but also cultural competencies that facilitate the creation of new knowledge, theory, and concepts that extend and transform disciplinary boundaries.

4 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Dissemination, outputs & resources

Scholarly Strategic Projects outputs outcomes

5 Grants = $580,236 5 Grants = $580,236 1 Award Participants in 6 National 5 reports 11 Journal articles & papers Strategic Linkages 11 key findings from students & staff 25 conference, symposium workshop papers & workshops Participants to 29 University 8 initiatives and College projects 1 Website & Resources Participants in 9 School projects

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 5 Dissemination, outputs & resources

Scholarly Outcomes Araújo, N., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (N.D.). Belonging Across Cultures: Piloting More Engaged Study Tours. Intercultural Grants Education. (Under review) Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Lukas, K., & Araújo, N. (2014). Global at Conference papers – Refereed Home: At Home in the Global. A framework for embedding global competencies across the curriculum ‘at home’. Learning and Araujo, N., Wilson, R. & Clarke, B. (2015) Student Teaching Investment Fund, RMIT University ($100,000). Engagement for Employability: A Belonging Project case study. In T. Thomas, E. Levin, P. Dawson, K. Fraser Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Lukas, K., & Araújo, N. & R. Hadgraft (Eds.), Research and Development in Higher (2014). The Belonging Project. Phase 4: Focus on the Global Education: Learning for Life and Work in a Complex World, 38 Experience. Supported by the Academic Portfolio through (pp 1-10). Melbourne, Australia. 6 - 9 July 2015. the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, RMIT University ($50,000). Araújo, N., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2015). Why Belonging Still Matters: Student Success Beyond Generic Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Lukas, K., & Morieson Employability Skills. Presented at the 2015 STARS L. (2013). The Belonging Project. Phase 3: Focus on the Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http:// Interdisciplinary Experience. Supported by the Academic www.unistars.org/papers/STARS2015/12C.pdf Portfolio through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, RMIT University ($160,000). Araújo, N., Wilson, R., Clarke, B., & Carney, L. (2014). The Global at Home, At Home in the Global. Presented at the Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Lukas, K., & Morieson, L., 2014 Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia Conference (2012). The Belonging Project. Phase 2: Focus on the First Year (PESA), University of Waikato, New Zealand. Retrieved Experience. Supported by the Academic Portfolio through from http://pesa.org.au/images/conference2014/PESA_ the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Conference-2014-Conference-Papers-no-ISBN.pdf. Program, RMIT University ($166,000). Araújo, N., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., Morieson, L., & Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2011). The Belonging Wilson R. Belonging in First Year. Paper presented at 17th Project. Phase 1: Planting the Seeds. Supported by the FYHE Conference, Darwin, Australia. Retrieved from https:// Academic Portfolio through the Higher Education fyhejournal.com/article/view/240/247 Participation and Partnerships Program, RMIT University ($104,236). Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., Wilson, R., Peer reviewed journal articles (2013, July 7-10). Belonging in Education: Lessons from the Belonging Project. Presented at the 16th FYHE Conference, Araújo, N., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Morieson, L., Lukas, K., & Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://fyhe. Wilson, R. (2014). ‘Belonging in the ﬁrst year: a creative com.au/past_papers/papers13/fyhe13_proceedings.pdf discipline cohort case study’. International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 5(3). Retrieved from https:// Conference, symposium and workshop papers – Unrefereed fyhejournal.com/article/view/240https://fyhejournal.com/ Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Araújo, N., & Lukas, article/view/240 K. (2013, Dec 4). The Belonging Project. Poster presented at OLT National Senior Teaching Fellowship Symposium, Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. R. (2013). ‘Belonging in Education: Lessons from the Belonging Project’. International Journal of First Year in Araújo, N., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, R. (2013, Nov Higher Education, 4(2). Retrieved from https://fyhejournal. 21). Approaches to Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. com/article/view/173 Presentation at The Interdisciplinary Student Experience Workshop, School of Media and Communication, RMIT Peer reviewed articles – pending University, Melbourne. Morieson, L., Araújo, N., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., & Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, Lukas, K. (N.D.) ‘Belonging in Space: Informal Spaces and R. (2012, Nov 20). Thinking About Interdisciplinarity. the Student Experience’. Journal of Learning Spaces. Presentation of position paper and workshop to School (Under review). of Media and Communication staf, RMIT University, Araújo, N., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., Morieson, L., Melbourne. & Wilson R. (N.D). “Disconnections and Connections in Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2012, May 7-9). Case Study: the First Year Experience: The Case of The Belonging The Belonging Project. Invited paper presented at 2nd Annual Project”. Issues in Educational Research. (Under review) Satisfaction in Higher Education Conference, Sydney, Australia.

6 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Dissemination, outputs & resources (continued)

Morieson, L., Lukas, K., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson The Belonging Project. (2013, Mar). Interdisciplinary Speed R. (2011, Nov). But what do our students (really) want? Dating. Presentation at Inaugural School of Media and Presentation of paper to all staf about student focus Communication Learning and Teaching Forum, RMIT group findings and project update, School of Media and University, Melbourne. Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2012, Dec). The Belonging Project: 2012 Conferences and workshops convened Update. Presentation on key first year initiatives and findings at RMIT School of Media and Communication All The Belonging Project. (2014, Dec). Focus on the Global School Meeting, RMIT University, Melbourne. Student Experience. Workshop with School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2012, Oct). Let’s Talk About First Year: Lessons from The Belonging Project. Presentation at Teachers The Belonging Project. (2014, Mar). 2013 Inaugural School @ Work Staf Development Seminar Series, School of of Media and Communication Learning and Teaching Forum. Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2012, Aug). The Student Cohort Experience Project. Invited co-presented panel discussion The Belonging Project. (2013, Nov 21) The Interdisciplinary at RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo, RMIT University, Student Experience. Workshop with School of Media and Melbourne. Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2012, Aug). The Belonging Project: An The Belonging Project team co-organised and sponsored Overview. Presentation to staf in the College of Design a staf development opportunity: Ben McCann and Social Context, RMIT University, Melbourne. presented his OLT project findings to staf in the Schools of Architecture & Design as well as Media & The Belonging Project. (2011). The Belonging Project. Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne (June, Presentation at RMIT University Business Plan Student 2013). A Collaborative Multi-faceted Approach to Address Cohort Experience Forum, RMIT University, Melbourne. the Gaps Between Student Expectation and Experience at University. www.olt.gov.au/project-gaps-between-student- The Belonging Project. (2011, Nov). But what do our students expectation-and-experience-adelaide-2009 (really) want? Presentation at whole-of-School meeting, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, The Belonging Project. (2012, Nov 20). Thinking About Melbourne. Interdisciplinarity. Workshop with School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. Awards Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Moeller, R., & Lukas, K. (2012, Feb). Ice 2013 RMIT Teaching and Research Award for ‘Programs the Breakers and Transition Teasers for the First Year Experience. Enhance Learning: The First Year Experience’. Citation: School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, For devising a clear, holistic narrative for inclusion and Melbourne. belonging for students and staf within a school at RMIT Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Lukas, K., & Morieson, University. L. (2011, Aug). Project Launch and Staf Workshop. Program Strategic Outcomes Directors’ Retreat, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Kalorama. National significance Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., & McKay, J. (2012). Panels, workshops and presentations Efective Teaching and Support of Students from Low Socio The Belonging Project (2015). The Belonging Project: An Economic Status Backgrounds: Final Report, Ofce of Learning Overview Invited co-presented panel discussion in the and Teaching. Learning and Teaching for Sustainability Stream at RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo, RMIT University, Jollands, M. Smith, J. V., Hamilton, M., Clarke, B., Grando, Melbourne. D., Xenos, G., Carbone, A., Burton, L., Pocknee, C. (2013- 2015). Developing graduate employability through partnerships The Belonging Project. (2014, Oct 29). Invited co-presented with industry and professional associations. Ofce for Learning panel discussion at RMIT University DSC L&T Innovators in and Teaching. Retrieved at http://olt.gov.au/project- Conversation 2014, RMIT University, Melbourne. developing-graduate-employability-through-partnerships- The Belonging Project. (2014, Jul). First Things First. Invited industry-and-professional-association co-presented panel discussion at RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo, RMIT University, Melbourne.

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 7 Dissemination, outputs & resources (continued)

Internal significance Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., McKay, J. (2012). Efective Teaching and Support of Students from Low Socio Nomikoudis, M., & Bolt, S. (2012). Pilot Projects to Define the Economic Status Backgrounds: Final Report, Ofce of Learning Student Cohort Experience: 2012 Final Report. and Teaching. Acknowledged as contributors to the Peterson, F., & Hansen, S. (2012). Media and Communication project’s final report and staf resources in relation to 2015: Program Suite and Delivery for the future. Cited as design and content (Clarke, B. & Wilson, R.). influencing the School’s vision for enhancing the student Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Nagy, J., & Smith, L. (2010- experience and program retention (p. 3). Consequently, 2012). Efective Teaching and Support of Students from Low the project team was invited to contribute to the Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Resources for Australian Higher M&C2015 Review project. Education. RMIT University School of Media and Communication. Brinkworth, R., McCann, B., & McCann, J. (2009-2014). A (2013, Mar). Learning and Teaching Strategy 2013-2015. Cited Collaborative Multi-faceted Approach to Address the Gaps as both a key enabler of and reporting partner for the Between Student Expectation and Experience at University. School, and formally acknowledged as a contributing member of the School Learning and Teaching Leask, B. (2010-2012). Internationalisation of the Curriculum in Committee. (p. 3, 4, 8, 9). Action. University Program Annual Review (PAR) Report. Indirect Nelson, K., & Clarke, J. (2010). Good Practice for Safeguarding acknowledgement: the College of Design and Student Learning Engagement in Higher Education Institutions. Social Context noted that the School of Media and Nelson, K., Joughin, G., Thomas, G., Lodge, J., Clarke, J., Communication was seeking to enhance the student & Stoodley, I. (2011-2014). Establishing a Framework for experience and retention “through improved orientation Transforming Student Engagement, Success and Retention in and transition activities; acting on student feedback and Higher Education Institutions. strengthened student engagement” (p.3). Internal significance – University level RMIT University College of Design and Social Context. (2012). Program Annual Review (PAR) Report. Indirect Bolt S., & Nomikoudis M. (2011-2012). Student Cohort acknowledgement: under key activities to prioritise Experience Project. Academic Portfolio. and support, the College highlights the School’s plans to enhance the student experience and retention Clarke, B., Johal, T., & Quinn, S. (2013-2014). First Things “through improved orientation and transition activities; First: Transition and Transformation of the Student Cohort acting on student feedback and strengthened student Experience in the Creative Disciplines. School of Media and engagement”. Communication. RMIT University School of Media and Communication. Crisp, G., Hughes, O., & Pierce, J. (2013-2014). First Year (2013). Strategic Priorities and Profile 2013: Response to Experience Project. Academic Portfolio. University Strategic Plan. Cited as informing the School’s Nomikoudis M., Harley J., Gopal S., Wallace A., & Porcaro P. strategies for accessing and widening participation (2012-2014). Inclusive Teaching and Assessment Practices through its L&T strategic action plan (p.3). Project. Academic Portfolio. Invited consultations and contributions to Peterson F., et al. (2011-ongoing). MC2015 Program Review committees, working parties and Project. School of Media and Communication. external projects Sharp, K., Clarke, A., & Johal, T. (2011-2013). Equal Local: National significance Future-proofing RMIT’s global reach by promoting equivalence in onshore and ofshore learning. School of Art and School of Jollands, M. Smith, J. V., Hamilton, M., Clarke, B., Grando, Media and Communication. D., Xenos, G., Carbone, A., Burton, L., Pocknee, C. (2014- 2016). Developing graduate employability through partnerships Brown, A. (2011-ongoing). Student Success Program. Student with industry and professional associations. Ofce for Learning Services. and Teaching. Retrieved at http://olt.gov.au/project- Student Services, I Belong Project. (2012 – ongoing). Project developing-graduate-employability-through-partnerships- advisors, project team members and key School industry-and-professional-association liaisons. Responsible for recruitment, design and implementation of discipline-specific workshops for visiting disadvantaged secondary school students.

8 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Dissemination, outputs & resources (continued)

First Year Experience and Transition Project Key Internal Presentations (2013-ongoing). Invited to participate in the project’s (2014 Oct). Business Case for Student Atelier Refurbishment. Reference Group, Systems Working Group and Transition Presentation to Property Services Group, RMIT Principles Working Group. University, Melbourne. Inclusive Teaching Practices Project. (2012-2014). Advisors to (2014 Jun). The Belonging Project: Project Update. Presentation project team and key School liaisons. at RMIT School of Media and Communication Program Equity and Diversity Committee. (2011-ongoing). Invited Directors Retreat, Kalorama. participatory membership (Clarke). (2013 Nov). The Belonging Project: Overview of FYE Initiatives & Education Abroad Student Mobility Photographic Findings. Invited presentation to First Year Experience Competition. (2012-ongoing). Advisors to event organisers and Transition Project Reference Group, RMIT University, and key School liaisons. Melbourne. Property Services, Informal Student Spaces Redevelopment (2013 Jun). The Belonging Project: Overview of FYE Initiatives & Project. (2012-ongoing). Advisors to project team and key Findings. First Year Experience and Transition Project School liaisons. Reference Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. Ofce of the DVC (Academic), Student Cohort Experience (2013, Feb). Creating Lively Informal Student Spaces: Lessons from Project Reference Group. (2011–2013). Invited The Belonging Project. Invited presentation to Property participatory members. Services Group staf, RMIT University, Melbourne. Student Services, Student to Student Video Competition. (2012, Aug). The Belonging Project: An Overview. Presentation (2013). Advisors to competition organisers and key School to the College of Science, Engineering and Health, First liaisons. Year Experience Community of Practice Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. Internal signiﬁcance – College level (2012, Jul). The Belonging Project: Project Overview and Key Student College of Design and Social Context, Retention and Attrition Focus Group Findings. Invited presentation at the RMIT Project. (2012-onging). Invited contributors (Clarke and Lukas). University Communications and Marketing Forum, RMIT College of Design and Social Context, Selection Review University, Melbourne. Project. (2012-ongoing). Invited contributors (Clarke, Wilson (2012, May) Project Update. Presentation at the RMIT School of and Lukas). Media and Communication Program Directors’ Retreat, College of Science, Engineering and Health, First Kalorama. Year Experience Community of Practice Group. Reports and Position Papers (2012-ongoing). Invited participants. Reports Internal signiﬁcance – School level Clarke, B. & Wilson, R, 2014 Report: At Home in the Global School of Media and Communication, Learning and Teaching Committee. (2011-ongoing). Invited participatory Wilson, R., Clarke, B., Carlin, D., Araújo, N., Lukas, K., & membership. Shand, L. 2013 Report: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience School of Media and Communication, MC2015 Review Wilson, R., Clarke, B., Carlin, D., Morieson, L., & Lukas, K. Project. (2011-ongoing). Advisors as participatory 2012 Report: Focus on the First Year Experience members of the steering committee and key School liaisons to program teams. Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Lukas, K., & Morieson, L. 2011 Report: Planting the Seeds School of Media and Communication, Learning and Teaching Investment Fund Round. (2014). Advise School Position papers staf as participatory members of the School’s LTIF Community of Practice Group and advise staf in other Araújo, N., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, R. (2013, Nov schools on request. 21). Approaches to Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. Presentation at The Interdisciplinary Student Experience School of Media and Communication, Transition and Workshop, School of Media and Communication, RMIT Orientation Coordination Team Proposal (2012 Oct). Submitted University, Melbourne. and endorsed by the School Executive and Learning and Teaching Committees. (Lukas, K., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., & Morieson L.)

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 9 Dissemination, outputs & resources (continued)

Lukas, K., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., & Araújo N. (2013, Sep). Know Your Students First: Unlocking the Potential of Diverse Commencing Student Cohorts Using Existing Systems and Data. Position paper submitted and endorsed by the First Year Experience and Transition Reference Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson R., & Lukas K., (2012), Thinking About Interdisciplinarity. Position paper circulated to academic staf within the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne.

10 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement The Belonging Project: Approach

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(Local and international) (Local and international) (Academic and professional) directly participated indirectly participated directly participated

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 11 The Belonging Project: Approach

The Belonging Project is a longitudinal learning and The Belonging Project demonstrates that an ethos of teaching research project seeking to develop and define belonging has vital role to play in this binding narrative, a new approach to enhancing student engagement for a sense of belonging is a human desire common to all and graduate outcomes in the School of Media and stakeholders involved in the educational landscape. Our Communications RMIT University. The project, bound research proves that an ethos of belonging is indeed valued by the theoretical concept of belonging, grew from and wanted by all project participants, staf and students collaborative work undertaken within the School to develop alike. This raises the question of ‘how do we work to embed and document a common pedagogical approach and create practices and resources which can make this a a unified learning and teaching narrative. Importantly, the universal reality?’ project was aligned with the whole of undergraduate degree structure in order to achieve findings with transferability to We have discovered that an institution-led and embedded other schools and higher education institutions. commitment to such a binding narrative is important, however it is not always available. We have also learnt that The project sits within the context of the continually much can be done with the supports and resources that are evolving nature of the higher education sector which available, namely the commitment and enthusiasm of the presents numerous practical opportunities and challenges, staf and students with whom we work. not least of which is the changing role of higher education in civil society more broadly. Contemporary universities are In reading this final report, we encourage you to view our both educational institution and broker between diverse work as but one example of the application of an ethos stakeholders with complex and, at times, competing of belonging. We ofer both an overview summary of our interests: secondary institutions, students who increasingly four-year research journey, and also present what we learnt exercise their authority as knowledge consumers, which we hope may inspire the work of others. We do not and industries. prescribe or advocate absolute answers or solutions, for our work afrms that higher education is essentially a creative Thus, The Belonging Project is perhaps more than a and dynamic space requiring flexibility, adaptability research project. It is a demonstration of the value of a and imagination. binding narrative, a shared vision for an organisation which looks to the future with an optimistic pragmatism. This document ofers an overview and summary of the four This view accepts and embraces change, and celebrates phases of The Belonging Project (Page 9). Full reports on our collective and individual capacity to adapt and bend as each phase of the project (2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014) can be needed in order to co-construct a student experience, both downloaded from The Belonging Project webpage: educational and social, which is capable of meeting the www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/media- evolving needs of the higher education student cohort. and-communication/research/projects/the-belonging-project/

The Belonging Project aims:

1. To develop strategies to support the participation and integration of all students, especially students from diverse circumstances, cultures and backgrounds.

2. To enhance student satisfaction and retention rates.

3. To increase opportunities within program structures for students to choose from a variety of interdisciplinary, international and/or industry/community-based learning experiences.

4. To help develop and make known a distinctive RMIT student experience, setting this university apart from other institutions in the sector.

12 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement The Belonging Project Narrative Model

The Belonging Project developed and tested The Belonging structures or forms of belonging, but ofers a ﬂexible Project Narrative Model of Student Engagement and transferable way of working in higher education (Diagram 1). environments that can be reimagined and reinterpreted in diferent institutional and disciplinary settings. This model aims to foster student engagement and employability, and is designed to be ﬂexible, adaptable In line with the project model, The Belonging Project and transferable. It embeds the acquisition of disciplinary, approach acknowledges that universities are spaces interdisciplinary and global competencies through a three- where value is co-created by consumers within complex tiered approach to the student experience. This approach, frameworks of actors and resources (Karpen, Hall, which is underpinned by an ethos of belonging and mapped Katsoulidis & Cam, 2011). Students are positioned as co- to the student lifecycle, views each student’s sense of creators of their university experience, and are actively identity and belonging as developing incrementally across engaged in change as a means to empower their experience. the course of their undergraduate degree program

This approach proposes that students initially identify Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Graduation & Beyond most strongly with their program cohort, thus research within the first tier focuses on building connections (within year and across-year groups) supporting the development of disciplinary and professional identity. In the second tier, as students begin to make sense of their discipline in relation to other disciplines, research focuses on creating collaborative interventions within a rich interdisciplinary environment. In the final tier, students start to think of themselves as future professionals within a global and intercultural context, thus research focuses on facilitating global intercultural experiences. In combination, this three- tiered approach ofers a flexible means to support students to develop their identity as professional, employable and ethical global citizens. Disciplinary (Program Environment) Interdisciplinary (School Environment) The Belonging Project Narrative Model does not approach each tier as rigidly successive and locked to a particular Intercultural (Global Environment) year. Rather, elements of all tiers are present across the Diagram 1: The Belonging Project Narrative Model three year undergraduate student experience, but with a of Student Engagement. shifting emphasis. The model does not prescribe specific

Sense of identity and belonging is built incrementally through:

Tier One: Disciplinary Students establish a strong disciplinary and professional base within a diverse disciplinary cohort.

Tier Two: Building on the disciplinary base, students become more aware of the interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary community of the wider school and university.

Tier Three: Global Students test their disciplinary and interdisciplinary identity and knowledge through working in a wider world of intercultural and global links and experiences and identify as professional, employable and ethical global citizens.

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 13 Guiding principles

The Belonging Project research interactions and interventions have been informed by a set of guiding principles evolved through the four phases of the project:

The Belonging Project’s Guiding Principles

Co-created To utilise co-creation techniques wherever possible and to promote staff ownership by identifying and supporting ‘champions’.

Capacity To aim towards capacity strengthening through the incremental building of cultural capital and strengthening capacity over time.

Embedded To be embedded within the formal and informal curriculum.

Grassroots To develop and support numerous low cost grassroots initiatives recognising that in order to develop trust and long-term success, initiatives must be driven from the ground-up.

Holistic To be holistic in order to successfully encompass the entire student lifecycle

Inclusive To be inclusive of both the formal and informal curriculum, and of staff (academic and professional) and students. Each is central to the development, implementation and sustainability of the project.

Iterative To be iterative, integrating cycles of reflection and evaluation into every stage of the research, as guided by an action research methodology.

Low cost To aim to be low cost in order to ensure sustainability.

Student centred To adopt a student centred approach in order to mirror contemporary practice and encourage active knowledge creation and deep learning.

Sustainable To be sustainable in order to ensure ongoing viability.

Methods

In order to test The Belonging Project Model, approach and Full details of the research methods utilised in the four guiding principles, The Belonging Project utilised a range of phases of The Belonging Project (2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014) are research methods and tools, each selected according to the contained in the reports available on The Belonging Project speciﬁc research stage and the initiatives involved. webpage: www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/ media-and-communication/research/projects/the-belonging-project/ • Qualitative feedback via focus groups, workshops and interviews • Small ethnographic video’s demonstrating change • Quantitative feedback • Narrative research • Co-creation and inclusive collaborative techniques • Identiﬁcation of and use of project champions

14 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Overview of the project phases

Phase Tier What we did

Phase One: Foundation Literature review, sector best practice mapping and application to Planting the Seeds school, testing of The Belonging Project Model, and development of first year experience initiatives.

Phase Two: Tier One: Disciplinary Implementation and testing of the first year experience initiatives: Focus on the Coordinated Orientation Week Activities; Cohort Day Out; Student Interdisciplinary Informal Spaces; Academic Transition Initiatives, and End of Year Experience Festival of Events and Exhibition.

Phase Three: Tier Two: Inter-disciplinary Development of a model of interdisciplinary practice and continued Focus on the evaluation of the first year experience initiatives. Interdisciplinary Experience

Phase Four: Tier Three: Global Development of a three-stage approach to test the development The Global At of global competencies through case study initiatives, and Home: At Home in continued maintenance of academic output of the disciplinary and the Global interdisciplinary tiers.

Students hard at work in the Atelier Space

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 15 16 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Phase One: Planting the Seeds

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 17 Phase One: Planting the Seeds

Phase One: What we learnt

1. It is essential to foster a sense of belonging for staff if it is also to become a part of the student experience.

2. To have a commitment to sustained and continued engagement with staff at a grassroots level is essential if organisational cultural change is to be achieved.

3. Students require help with informal and formal interventions to improve their experience.

The first phase of the project, Planting the Seeds, tested The The data that emerged from the student focus groups Belonging Narrative Model. We first undertook a literature proved to be much richer and more detailed than review to ensure that our work was benchmarked against anticipated, casting light on areas far broader than our international best practice and responded to identified gaps project’s immediate scope. In the first instance the data in student engagement initiatives globally. The knowledge informed the selection and development of the series of we gained through this exploration informed our pilot initiatives for Phase 2 of the project but overall it has collaborative workshops with academic and professional provided the baseline evidence for the project from the staf and focus groups with students and recent Alumni to students perspective. We have consistently returned to test and develop the model. these findings throughout the project in the development of each phase’s initiatives. Through this work, we validated the model’s logic and afrmed that for students, while a sense of belonging is initially localised—professional, disciplinary, or program based—it is also an experience they desire across and beyond disciplinary boundaries and within the dynamic environment of the School and University.

Aligned with the project’s guiding principles, we adopted a narrative approach to draw together the diverse interactions that constitute the student experience which helped us to understand the range of concerns facing students at key points of their transition before, during and after their undergraduate experience.

Our work revealed that the tacit knowledge of staf is an essential tool in understanding the student experience within the School, and that interrogating and understanding the staf experience can assist to enhance the student experience. Perhaps not surprisingly, we learnt that a sense of belonging matters to staf, and their perceptions of the experience can positively afect student sense of belonging.

We also discovered that sustained and continued engagement with staf at a grassroots level is essential if organisational cultural change is to be achieved. This critical insight has proved common to all phases of our research, and afrms the recurring theme of the importance of harnessing the knowledge, expertise and resources of academic and professional staf, addressing their professional development needs and, importantly, providing the support required to sustain their commitment and participation. Student focus group sample

18 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Student Focus Group Findings

Expectations about university and RMIT

1. Attending university is a ‘common sense’ decision for most participants.

2. The decision is usually driven by employment goals, or encouragement from family, high school educators and peers.

3. Participants have clear reasons for selecting RMIT – largely, strong program reputations and RMIT’s image as creative, innovative and industry focused.

Orientation needs and expectations

1. A gap exists between informal university orientation and information-driven program-run sessions.

2. Further assistance is needed to make early social connections with cohort peers.

3. Orientation sessions that mix social activities with workshop-style collaborative academic tasks are needed.

4. Early information, feedback and advice from program peers in second and third years is wanted.

5. Orientation camp is a polarising idea – some love it, some hate it.

Social expectations and issues

1. Reports of cliques and competition among program cohorts.

2. Emphasis on importance of social ties to their university experience, especially from second and third years.

3. Perceived barrier between domestic and international students with both groups needing assistance to work through cultural differences.

Academic expectations and issues

1. High levels of anxiety over academic achievement overall, and particularly among first year cohorts.

2. First year students also struggle with transition to a different learning environment.

3. First year students in studio-based programs demonstrate anxiety around skills, and a lack of understanding about the difference between a skills-based course and conceptual learning.

4. Specific transition issues for international students facing a radically different learning style, even for those who have completed foundation studies at RMIT or elsewhere in Australia.

Industry and professional identity

1. A lack of awareness and/or confidence around professional identity for most participants.

2. A desire for more practical ‘how to’ information on industries and pathways, as well as basic information on approaching and getting started in the workplace.

3. A desire for internships in all programs, and for those students who are offered them, support with finding and/or attending internships.

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 19 Cross-year connections

1. At present, cross-year connection is limited. More junior students feel intimidated by or isolated from their senior peers. Others simply had no cross-year interaction.

2. First years are keen for a mentor to allay anxieties about university assessment and standards, and provide guidance on what to expect from the later stages of their program.

3. Students in programs that offer a number of possible course pathways are keen for connections with senior students to advise their choice.

4. Students agree that any sort of attempt to set up a mentoring system need to be at least partly formalised to ensure its sustainability.

Interdisciplinary connections

1. Strong support for more or improved interdisciplinary connections as part of the student experience.

2. Strong awareness of the future professional value of interdisciplinary links.

3. Desire for a broader perspective of their School, University, and the wider world.

4. Activities suggested include speed-dating nights, ‘lecture swaps’ and sample classes.

5. Evidence that improved interdisciplinary connections could help break down strong cohort stereotypes and rivalries.

6. Need to be formally facilitated and mutually beneficial to the programs involved to ensure sustainability.

Student spaces and resources

1. Existing spaces are under-utilised and/or poorly designed/resourced.

2. Student hot-spots include Pearson & Murphy’s Café, ‘the fake grass’, the Myer-Melbourne Central walkway (off-campus).

3. Some disappointment around access to resources.

Student communication

1. Facebook, Facebook, Facebook! For academic and social purposes - the new study group.

2. Prefer student-run for peer-to-peer advice and feedback.

3. Acknowledge challenges - legal and privacy.

4. Blackboard (RMIT’s online learning management system) insufficient and unreliable.

5. Email seen as ‘old school’ or for professional use.

20 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Internationalisation and global links

1. Hidden or real costs prohibitive for some.

2. Needs to be a ‘value add’ for local students.

3. International students already position themselves as global citizens.

4. Linked to future aspiration; further study or ‘plan b’.

5. Seen as additional or post-university, not part of the undergraduate experience.

Alumni perceptions

1. No clear vision of future role for RMIT in their lives.

2. Connection to RMIT and alumni dependent on future success.

3. Early and growing awareness of peers as future professional networks.

4. International students particularly keen to teach or guest lecture.

Student focus group sample

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 21 22 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Phase Two: Focus on the First Year Experience (Tier One: Disciplinary)

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 23 Phase Two: Focus on the First Year Experience (Tier One: Disciplinary)

Phase Two: What we learnt

1. Well-designed disciplinary practices need to be embedded.

2. Embedding such practices is hard work.

3. Achieving embedded disciplinary practices is worth it.

From the perspective of the student experience, disciplinary assistance of teaching staf to make social connections with knowledge is often perceived as the building block of their cohort peers. Given the professional orientation of the the university experience and professional competency. programs in RMIT and our School, many students reported Disciplines create their own sub-cultures, replete with their beginning university with a highly instrumental approach own theories, discourses, and languages. Fluency in this to their study, soon realising that social connections are disciplinary language and practice is assumed to be the central to success. baseline from which students should commence their learning. I just wanted to come here and get it done, to be honest. I didn’t realize how much I actually cared about having friends until I The second phase of The Belonging Project, Focus on was here and I didn’t have any. the First Year Experience, aimed to carry out a series Students represented to us the transition challenges of pilot initiatives that would improve and support the associated with key academic literacies that are often student transition to university life through a focus on rendered invisible as ‘common sense’ to teaching staf. the disciplinary perspective. This aim reflected existing Students in programs that required the acquisition of literature revealing first year transition as the most technical skills, alongside conceptual development, challenging stage for students, and the most crucial for expressed particular anxiety about diferences in universities wishing to improve student retention proficiency among the cohort: and success. I came to this course and was just so intimidated by the Our work with student focus groups afrmed that the technical skill of everyone, I was like, how am I supposed to transition to university represents an academic and social catch up? ...I think it creates a lot of unhappiness actually. shift for students “on a journey to becoming self-managing or self-directed learners” (Kift, Nelson & Clarke, 2010, p. I later learnt that uni is not about technical training, it’s about 3). Students, often much to their surprise, require the learning to think in a certain way.

The disciplinary initiatives: In response to the knowledge gained through this second phase of research, we developed and piloted five initiatives aimed at enhancing the first year experience:

Coordinated Orientation Week Activities

Cohort Day Out

Student Informal Space

Academic Transition Initiatives

End of Year Festival and Exhibition

24 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement The Student Atelier Space – The hub of student transition activities: Mid-year School Welcome (2012)

Discussion

Our research reveals that each of these five initiatives Having a space that’s not the library, that we can come to played a valuable role in enhancing the first year experience and be as loud as we like and do our group work is really for participating students. The Coordinated Orientation important. Week Activities have proved largely successful over the It feels like it’s the students’, like we own this place. years of the project and continue within the institution. Participating students indicated that they find their The Academic Transition Initiative has proved a means teachers welcoming, and enjoy making new friends with to broker relationships between School (academic and common interests. professional) staf and Student Services staf in order to break down barriers, facilitate relationships and improve I got to meet a lot of people who were interested in the same student engagement across all stakeholders and on-campus thing I was. services. Finally, the End of Year Festival of Exhibitions The Cohort Day Out has proved a simple, low-cost and Events represents an example of the value of activity and successful way to develop stronger connections embedding inclusive and co-created cross-program capstone amongst program cohorts and significantly improve events, shared across the University, as a means to mark students’ sense of belonging. It also assists students to key points of student transition and as rich opportunities to develop key academic literacies, especially when part of foster engagement for both current and a larger suite of well-timed formal and informal cohort prospective students. building activities throughout their first year. These five initiatives clearly afrm the value of The Student Informal Space continues as an on- interventions aimed at enhancing the first year experience campus space, the Student Atelier, designed to foster an from a disciplinary experience, however they also reinforce interdisciplinary environment where students can mix an ethos of belonging which acknowledges that the with peers from other programs and disciplines within the spectrum of student needs are not tied exclusively to key school and undertake a range of other activities including stages or years in their academic and personal journey, quiet study, group work and social activities. Throughout but are organic and fluid, and therefore must be addressed the life of The Belonging Project, this student co-created through a flexible, adaptive and tailored approach. space has been a busy and popular hub of student activity that fills a gap between the formality of the library and the informality of public space.

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 25 Interventions aimed at embedding disciplinary practices can be developed and delivered at all levels of universities. Some ideas include:

Transition leadership positions responsible for transition and the first year experience.

Professional development modules focused on first year higher education pedagogy delivered to all program managers and interested academic staff.

Budget templates for formal and informal student engagement initiatives provided to program directors and school managers as part of budget planning.

School-based student informal spaces that are suitably funded and resourced.

Staff positions supporting end of year activities that are suitably resourced to support and foster unique opportunities for transition and marketing.

De-identified enrolled student data-packs provided to program managers to support staff to create meaningful and engaging program content.

School of Media and Communication students: ‘Big O-Day’ (2012)

26 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Phase Three: Focus on the Interdisciplinary (Tier Two: Interdisciplinary)

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 27 Phase Three: Focus on the Interdisciplinary (Tier Two: Interdisciplinary)

Phase Three: What we learnt Interventions aimed at fostering interdisciplinary practices can be developed and delivered at all levels of universities. Some ideas include:

Platforms for skills and interest exchange between staff and faculty across all schools and disciplines.

Flagship interdisciplinary courses or studio programs.

Cross-course interdisciplinary frameworks.

Opportunities for student skills exchange.

The contemporary climate demands that professional required of work-ready graduates in the current practitioners possess a “synthesising mind” (Gardner, professional environment. 2007, p.3) with the creative capacity to efectively engage in the translation and synthesis of knowledge both within Our work focused on interdisciplinary student experiences and outside of disciplinary boundaries acquired through that extended beyond the immediate cohort encounter, interdisciplinary learning. supporting students to solidify their understanding of disciplinary knowledge and expand upon it to develop the The third phase of The Belonging Project, Focus on the higher-level communication, project, and group work skills Interdisciplinary, approached interdisciplinary learning as required in their future professional ‘real world’ settings. an essential exercise in refining and putting into practice The interventions emphasised connections between disciplinary knowledge and identity. Interdisciplinary and across disciplines, making the most of the existing learning is a crucial aspect in developing competent interdisciplinary learning environment of our School and competitive graduates and a core experience for the supported by engagement with both students and staf development of efective communication practices, conflict through focus groups, workshops and consultation. management skills, and project management proficiencies

Interdisciplinary (Tier Two) aims were:

1. To research and develop a working definition of interdisciplinary activity that is appropriate to the specific context and practices of the School of Media and Communication.

2. To investigate and explore the range of opportunities currently available in the School in order to develop a typology of interdisciplinary literacies that can be mobilised in strategic discussions around L&T and in the development of new program and course models for MC2015.

3. To map a range of relevant existing case studies to inform the renewal process as well as broader L&T debates within the School, across the University and the wider tertiary education sector.

4. To research, capture and disseminate recommendations to capitalize upon existing informal interdisciplinary activities and foster new opportunities that bridge the formal and informal curriculums.

28 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement The interdisciplinary initiatives

In this interdisciplinary phase, our work focused on support interdisciplinary practices within the School of mapping and explicitly embedding interdisciplinary Media and Communications, and employed a feedback initiatives within the student lifecycle as a means of loop to investigate, document, and disseminate models of increasing students’ social and cultural capital and thereby interdisciplinary practice within the school. supporting positive long-term outcomes. We developed staf and student engagement initiatives and resources to

Interdisciplinary student groups in the Atelier Space Discussion

Many positive insights and findings arose from this phase suggesting that shifts in staf attitudes and both practical of The Belonging Project. Our identification of the need for and definitional understandings about interdisciplinary program alignment within program structures has led to teaching, rather than student skills or engagement, might a major revamp of the undergraduate program structures be a key to the creation of vibrant interdisciplinary cultures for the School of Media and Communication and the within the university. introduction of integrated curriculum and studio teaching The interdisciplinary: Student perceptions practice in order to make interdisciplinary teaching more feasible. From the early stages of undergraduate studies, students anticipated a flexible workplace and the diverse roles and Overall students and staf shared positive perceptions positions required of a ‘portfolio career’ in the creative about interdisciplinary teaching and learning, however industries. They recognised that in this professional we found that staf tended to focus on the significant and landscape, flexibility is essential, and interdisciplinary complex barriers inherent in this style of teaching. These learning, thinking and collaboration is what will equip perceptions were underpinned by concerns about their them with the necessary skills to respond nimbly. capacity to deliver efective interdisciplinary experiences,

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 29 Students also identified the equally important role Staf also expressed concern about the time and resources of interdisciplinary experience in social development required to manage student expectations and support them and wellbeing as a means of broadening horizons and to efectively embrace collaboration and the objectives facilitating critical reflection, self-reflection, self-esteem, of the learning experience. This staf perception of the and perceptions of empowerment. Through the complex challenges of the interdisciplinary learning experiences negotiations of diference it requires, interdisciplinary versus the ‘traditional oferings’ argues an acute need learning ofers the kind of transformative experience for improved support services for staf teaching in an that may facilitate a student’s sense of a belonging within interdisciplinary environment. diverse educational and professional contexts. Even with greater resource allocation and academic Staf engagement initiatives support, there may be unique challenges associated with interdisciplinary practices within creative disciplines Staf identified gaps in existing approaches and beyond the necessary conditions required for efective opportunities to develop sounder interdisciplinary collaboration. Programs in fields that are still working to pedagogy, and highlighted challenges associated with establish themselves as disciplines and negotiate their own interdisciplinary teaching and learning which highlight theoretical boundaries are concerned that interdisciplinary areas for future research, the most pressing of which is collaboration might be a barrier to disciplinary legitimacy. structural alignment within programs. Meanwhile, established creative programs are wary of Staf highlighted the need for careful thought and interdisciplinary collaboration that might limit their planning in the timing and design of interdisciplinary participation as a ‘service discipline’ or ‘pack horses’ for activities within the curriculum and expressed a wariness other people’s ideas. associated with ‘retro-fitting’ the curriculum. Current interdisciplinary opportunities in the School of Media and Communication were revealed as typically industry-driven, not only in their outputs but also in their design. While these opportunities may lead to important networking opportunities for student employability, they may also lead to ‘rushed’ and imbalanced curriculum design and the positioning of universities as service providers for industry.

30 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Phase Four: The Global at Home, At Home in the Global (Tier Three: Global)

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 31 Phase Four: The Global at Home, At Home in the Global (Tier Three: Global)

Phase Four: What we learnt Interventions aimed at fostering global competencies can be developed and delivered at all levels of universities. Some ideas include:

Intercultural competencies professional development for staff focused on internationalising the curriculum to support the development of intercultural competencies in disciplinary contexts across all year levels ‘at home’.

Platforms for internationalised learning and teaching practices exchange between staff and faculty across all schools and disciplines.

Global learning and teaching communities of practice established within schools.

University-wide alignment of learning and teaching strategies and policies to support sustainable integration of the diverse academic cultures.

Increase equity to global learning experiences to facilitate sustained intercultural engagement for those unable to participate in long-term study abroad, supporting the development of more equitable relationships between participants in global experiences, and developing reciprocal travel opportunities for international university partners involved in study tours.

Holding that concepts of internationalisation and student into three stages each of which reﬂected a key point of employability are fundamentally linked in increasingly emphasis. We aimed to develop an integrated model for global employment markets, in this ﬁnal phase of The targeted interventions in curriculum design and pedagogy. Belonging Project, The Global at Home: At Home in the These interventions, in the form of case studies, were Global, we drew on global and internationalised curriculum designed to support students to develop intercultural models as proposed by innovators such as Betty Leask and skills, knowledge and awareness through a series of staged Michelle Barker. This perspective is founded on the growing experiences situated ‘at home’ in local contexts. The evidence that globalising the curriculum works best for research and interventions were predominantly carried out the student cohort as a whole when it is embedded across within the School of Media and Communication utilising the formal, the informal, and the “hidden curriculum” existing University infrastructure. (Leask & Bridge, 2013, p. 81). While the concept of an internationalised or global curriculum is not new, staf continue to be confused about how to create meaningful classroom experiences for a global cohort and thus study tours and exchange programs remain the peak global experience for a limited number of students.

Meanwhile, like many universities throughout the sector, RMIT prioritises global connections and promises graduates that they will be ready for the contemporary international workplace.

While many student may be thinking internationally and positioning themselves as future global professionals, many may not consider this part of their student experience and even fewer are able to take advantage of existing exchange or study abroad opportunities.

The global initiatives In response to our perspective on global and internationalised curriculum, this phase was divided Case study GRAP2199

32 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Initiatives for Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global

Stage one: Identify and acknowledge existing global diver- Case Study: Data-packs and professional development sity in the classroom (‘feeling global’) workshop

Stage two: Fostering global perspectives (‘doing global’) Case Study: GRAP2199 (Communication Design History and Theory A) Case Study: GRAP2200 (Communication Design History and Theory B)

Stage three: An ‘at home’ global peak experience (‘being Case Study: COMM2324 (Interdisciplinary Communication global’) Project - RMIT Melbourne) Case Study: COMM2386 (Interdisciplinary Communication Project - RMIT Vietnam)

Discussion

Harnessing diversity: Recognising and celebrating the interconnected, globalised world demonstrate the benefits students’ existing diversity and strengths associated with such interventions. In addition, we ran two This phase of the project presented an opportunity to surveys issued to all academic staf in the School of Media partner with RMIT’s Ofce of Business Intelligence and and Communication inviting comment on professional the College Senior Advisors Learning and Teaching on the development needs within the concept of ‘The Global development of de-identified enrolled student data-packs at Home’. and professional development workshops. Findings reveal that early exposure to employers help The dissemination of these de-identified data-packs prior students to clarify professional goals as well as build to the commencement of the teaching period, supported confidence in their pre-existing skills. Such early by staf workshops, resulted in more responsive and interventions promote a deeper sense of belonging to relevant curriculum planning. Additionally, the workshops professional discipline, increase enthusiasm for the we designed and presented ofered a valuable platform discipline and cement commitment to improve generic for collaboration and sharing of knowledge and skills. In and specialist skills for future employment anywhere in bringing programs together with this information and the world. The opportunity to receive direct feedback support, staf at all levels were able to respond to existing at various stages in the completion of the task ofers cohort diversity and make meaningful plans for the the opportunity to engage in a genuine dialogue with changing diversity of cohorts at multiple transition points participating employers and reinforces a sense of within programs. belonging to the profession and early professional identity. Importantly, working directly with international ‘real-life’ Our findings suggest that accurate and accessible clients tests student’s capacity to adhere to professional information concerning cohort diversity may also facilitate standards, and expands their foundational skills and more adaptive, responsive and innovative approaches cultural understanding to develop internationally relevant to assessment and other indicators of student success. communications and creative solutions. In addition, equipping staf with this information early and throughout the cohort lifecycle enables educators From the perspective of staf, our results uncover a strong and higher education institutions to mediate student and demand for resources, training and support to embed global employer expectations. competencies within curriculum:

Embedding a global employability framework The university needs to invest in these resources and in staf training which would identify what the particular cultural Expanding existing best practice models of employer group has experienced in previous education. This is actually embedded curriculum and assessment design, our more critical than blanket cultural sensitivity training, and work within the ﬁrst year core Bachelor of Design might help staf deal with the learning style of individual (Communication Design) course to create assessment students and their particular backgrounds. tasks that supported students in developing aspects of their professional identity within the context of the I have both international experience and contacts. I know how to embed these in my programs and courses. What I do

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 33 not have at RMIT is any supporting infrastructure (systems, the development of basic tools for capacity building. Given processes and technological support) to enable these to be taken that the acquisition of these capacities occurs in stops and to an appropriate level. Having to apply for external funding to starts alongside each individual’s growing awareness of ‘internationalise’ is rather sad for a university that purports to inequities and intercultural awareness, the project allowed have a global outlook. RMIT’s systems are antithetical to good for intercultural relationships to develop as organically practice in this regard. as possible.

Our findings afrm the shared benefits associated with Despite these positive results, full reciprocity and equitable directly connecting students, educators, employers intercultural engagement remain ongoing issues, and and clients to encourage a sustained dialogue from the highlight that study tours are not a one-stop answer to beginning of the higher education experience. As one the development of global citizens. The challenge for student noted in a focus group, this allowed students educational institutions and educators is to recognize to develop their professional identity “organically and that “study abroad in and of itself does not lead to [that] naturally” while simultaneously building core disciplinary development” (Lutterman-Aguilar & Gingerich, 2002, p.43). skills. Importantly, employer-embedded assessment is Meaningful intercultural learning requires purposeful proven to efect an increase in equity and professional design that shapes spaces not only of encounter but also of connections for all members of the cohort by facilitating sustained reflection. Reflecting on the teaching experience, relationships between employers and students who might course coordinators asserted that time-shifting and not otherwise participate these types of global project prolonged engagement resulted in overall better student experiences in first year. experiences. However, like students, they noted that prolonging cross-cultural interactions did not completely Developing intercultural competencies through peak global experiences negate the ethnocentric behaviours that had characterised earlier iterations of the subject. The Interdisciplinary Communication Project at home study tour provided positive results, particular for students from diverse backgrounds who were ofered opportunities for sustained work-integrated intercultural engagement and

Case study At Home Study Tour

34 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement The Belonging Project: Conclusion

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 35 The Belonging Project: Conclusion

Students learn best when they are connected and conﬁdent, Thus, a key to our success has been the advocacy, passion and it is the obligation of universities to assist each and determination of all the project champions embedded individual to gain the skills and knowledge to achieve their throughout the university who share the objective of professional and personal goals. A sense of belonging is making the RMIT student experience one which meets essential to this objective. the needs of the diverse contemporary Australian student population. This cohort consists of our research team, the Our work has proven the value of The Belonging Project staf and students who participated in the research, and the Narrative Model. This model was designed for delivery wider community of individuals who have supported and in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT contributed to the project. University and informed by contemporary literature and research. Its design has been tailored to the characteristics and features of our university and, thus, the model is not presented for the purpose of direct application to other higher educational settings. Instead, it ofers a rigorously researched reference for other institutions in the development of transferrable approaches to enhance the student experience. Within the unique context of our institution, we learnt that: 1. The Belonging Project Narrative Model works when applied to a holistic, co-curricula environment. 2. Belonging as an ethos also works, particularly when embraced and embedded across programs, schools and the university. 3. It’s hard but worth it for everyone! Our research, recommendations and disseminations have made valuable contributions to our school and wider institution despite the inevitable changes—internal and external—which are characteristic of contemporary higher institutions globally. Like our students, we have adapted and approached our work with the ﬂexibility required to navigate this vibrant and challenging terrain. Students hard at work in the Atelier Space

What worked for us

1. Start small and sustainable! Develop low-cost, flexible initiatives aligned to program, school and university strategic goals which can start small and build over time.

2. Work with what you have got! Use action-based research models supported by short-term, initiative-based funding opportunities to maximise meaningful research outputs.

3. Go grassroots! Harness support and engagement from key staff (academic, professional and service) and identify champions who will advocate and support your work.

4. Connect with your sector! Get outside your institutional walls and engage with the sector and industry.

5. Get your research out there! Disseminate and talk about your findings through a range of avenues, both within your institution and externally.

6. Embrace diversity! Acknowledge the diversity (local and international) throughout your institution.

7. Celebrate learning and teaching! A strong L&T culture is required and can be promoted by the project.

36 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement What to be prepared for

1. Institutional change and the associated issues, including staff change fatigue and academic time constraints.

2. Research team pressures associated with undertaking a longitudinal, multi-dimensional research project based on multiple interconnected and simultaneous phases and tiers.

3. Changing research funding models and government priorities which impact upon project delivery, including staff and funding.

4. Challenges associated with advocating for the incorporation of research findings into institutional practice in order to generate sectoral change.

5. Challenges of embedding recommendations arising from a grassroots student-focused versus top down strategy- lead project.

The future of The Belonging Project

The success of the project can be measured through the alignment if real and ongoing beneﬁts of such research are ongoing life of initiatives. The data- pack initiative has to be achieved. been embraced by the University and is likely to become a valuable part in creating an enhanced ﬁrst year experience The enthusiasm of project participants has sustained The for students entering at any point of a program. Cohort Belonging Project. Staf afrm the value the model and Days Out continue to be embraced by programs as a low- value the support and sense of belonging the project has cost, easy to deliver model of building a sense of belonging brought within a context of constant change. Students feel within program cohorts, and the initiatives piloted in the more valued and committed to RMIT and their disciplines, School of Media and Communication stand as examples of and willingly advocate on behalf of the project. ways to successfully adapt existing program components in The Belonging Project will continue to live through order to create global intercultural experiences. The Belonging Project Narrative Model, the work of staf Yet, each initiative remains vulnerable in the absence champions who believe in an ethos of belonging, the of top-down, whole of university approach to an ethos positive experiences of students who participated in the of belonging. The Student Informal Space (The Atelier) is project and the ongoing research by lead members of the an example of the fragility of such initiatives. Despite its project team, Bronwyn Clarke and Rachel Wilson. Watch acknowledged value and importance in the construction this space! of an engaged and positive student experience, in 2015 the We are happy to be contacted to discuss the Belonging integrity of the space was threatened by the legitimate Project in greater detail: needs for space for other uses of the building. The issues surrounding this initiative alone demonstrates the need for Bronwyn Clarke: [email protected] ‘whole of university’ commitment to ensure that projects Rachel Wilson: [email protected] of this nature are supported by institutional and structural

Mapping the first year experience

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 37 38 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Bibliography

The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement 39 Bibliography

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46 The Ethos of Belonging: A narrative model approach to student engagement Cover Inside Back 210mm (w) Report Published: May 2016 © School of Media and Communication RMIT University PART 2

Annual Reports ! ! a) Report 2011: Phase 1: Planting the Seeds b) Report 2012: Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience c) Report 2013: Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience d) Report 2014: Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the

Global

! Report 2011 Phase 1: Planting the Seeds

Report Authors David Carlin, Bronwyn Clarke, Rachel Wilson, Karli Lukas and Lucy Morieson

Phase 1: Planting the seeds A Report Published: May 2012 © School of Media and Communication RMIT University

The Team Academic Leaders

Associate Professor David Carlin School of Media and Communication

Bronwyn Clarke Director, Special Projects (Communication Design) School of Media and Communication

Rachel Wilson Program Director (Media) School of Media and Communication Project Team

Karli Lukas Project Ofﬁ cer

Dr Lucy Morieson Research Ofﬁ cer Contents

Acknowledgements 4 Attracting and Retaining Low SES Students 15 Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) 15 Executive summary 5 RMIT University Context 15 The Belonging Project Proposition 6 RMIT University: Global, Urban and Planting the Seeds 6 Connected 15 RMIT’s Student Cohort Experience Project 16 The team 7 A Changing School Environment 16 The Scholarly Context 17 Academic Leaders 8 Literature Review 17 Associate Professor David Carlin 8 International Benchmarks 19 Bronwyn Clarke, Director of Special Projects, Communication Design 8 Rachel Wilson, Program Director, Phase 1: Approach and Media 8 methods 23 Karli Lukas, Project Ofﬁ cer 8 Dr Lucy Morieson, Research Ofﬁ cer 8 Overview 24 Approach 25 Project Reference Group 8 Methodology 25 School of Media and Communication colleagues: 9 Phase 1: The Process 25 External colleagues: 9 Developing the Model 25 Staff Engagement (Stage 1): Testing the Model 26 The project concept 10 Student Engagement: Aims 11 Focus Groups and Data Analysis 29 Proposition: The Belonging Staff Engagement (Stage 2): Sharing Narrative Model 11 Student Feedback and Focus on the FYE 33 Project Plan 12 Dissemination 34 Phase 1: Planting the Seeds 13 Outcomes 36 Background 14 Recommendations 37 General Recommendations from Student The Australian Higher Education Focus Group Research 37 Context 15 The Bradley Review 15 Recommendations for Pilot Initiatives in 2012 38 Implications and Discussion 38 Phase 1: Summary of Aims and Outcomes 40 Executive

Conclusion 42 summary Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience (2012) 43

Bibliography 45

Appendices 49 Appendix 1 Program Directors Retreat Report 50 Appendix 2 Student Focus Group Guide 56 Appendix 3 Student Focus Groups: Analysis of Key Themes 58 Appendix 4 Staff Workshop 3: Mapping the First Year Experience 68 List of Diagrams and Figures

Diagrams Diagram 1: The Belonging Project’s Model of the Undergraduate Student Experience – ‘The Trumpet’ 6 Diagram 2: Early Belonging Project Model – ‘The Telephone Receiver’ 25 Diagram 3: The Three Year Experience Overlay 51

Figures Figure 1: Birth of the Belonging Project Model – First sketch of ‘The Trumpet’ 25 Figure 2: Mapping the Three-Year Undergraduate Experience 25 Figure 3: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Brainstorming 26 Figure 4: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Themes 26 Figure 5: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Mapping the Model 27 Figure 6: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Mapping the FYE 27 Figure 7: Student Focus Group Sample 1 – Student Expectations 30 Figure 8: Student Focus Group Sample – Map of Student’s Pathway through University 31 Figure 9: Student Focus Group Sample – ‘Emerging from the Shell’ 32 Figure 10: Student Focus Group Sample – Challenges to a Student’s Experience 32 Figure 11: Staff Workshop 3 – Mapping the First Year Experience 33 Figure 12: Staff Workshop 3 Snapshot – Mapping a Coordinated Orientation Schedule 34

Nomenclature

At RMIT there are a number of terms that are institution-speciﬁ c and as such, do not have the same meanings to external audiences. The following table sets out these differences to avoid confusion when reading this document:

Elsewhere RMIT Term

Subject Course

Course Program

Faculty College

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 3 Acknowledgements

The Belonging Project team Romy Kelly Alex Syndikas would like to acknowledge the Academic Services Offi cer Lecturer, Photography contributions of our colleagues Jennifer Lade Allan James Thomas who helped advise, shepherd and Senior Lecturer, Games Lecturer, Media and Communication disseminate information about Wendy Little the project during our fi rst year. Communications Offi cer Alex Wake Lecturer, Journalism Mark Lycette From the School of Media and Program Director, Animation and Sandy Watson Communication: Interactive Media Lecturer, Public Relations Pauline Anastasiou Christian McCrea Dr Jessica Wilkinson Lecturer, Photography Lecturer, Games Lecturer, Creative Writing David Beesley David McDowell Jeremy Yuille Technical Services Manager Lecturer, Animation and Lecturer Communication Design Interactive Media Bruce Berryman Susie Zezula Program Director, Professional Bernadette Mazzarella Program Director, Communication Academic Services Manager Communication Design Julie Bilby Adrian Miles From elsewhere in the Lecturer, Advertising Program Director, Bachelor of Communication (Honours) University: Philippa Brear Program Director, Public Relations Dr Ed Montano Sue Bolt Lecturer, Music Industry Project Director, Cohort Helen Dickson Experience Project. Offi ce of Acting Program Director, Dr Mandy Oakham the Deputy Vice Chancellor Animation and Interactive Media Senior Lecturer, Journalism (Academic) Kieran Doolan Joy Ooi Associate Professor Andrea Chester Teacher, Interactive Digital Media Program Administrative Offi cer Deputy Head, Learning and Teaching. School of Health Marius Foley Associate Professor Fiona Peterson Sciences Lecturer, Communication Design Deputy Dean, Learning and Teaching David Fouvy Fiona Ellis Director, Student Services Program Director, Advertising Gordon Pickard Lecturer, Photography Mark Galer Jody Fenn Senior Coordinator, Production Program Director, Photography Dr Francesca Rendle-Short and Graphic Design. Educational Program Director, Creative Dr Stefan Greuter Technology Advancement Group Writing Associate Dean, Games and Professor Owen Hughes Animation Paul Ritchard Dean of Students Lecturer, Media Saskia Hansen Rob J. Miller Senior Manager, Planning and Dr Marianne Sison Equity and Diversity – Student Resources Deputy Dean, International and Services Development Professor Peter Horsfi eld Ruth Moeller Associate Dean, Writing and Lucinda Strahan Senior Advisor, Learning and Communication Lecturer, Professional Teaching, Design and Social Communication Context Offi ce

4 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Executive summary

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 5 The Belonging Project Planting the Seeds Proposition ‘Planting the Seeds’ was Phase 1 of the Belonging Project. During this fi rst phase, which took The Belonging Project is a four-year pilot project to place across six months from July to December investigate, design and trial an integrated program 2011, we tested and refi ned the model through and school-based approach to enhancing the RMIT a sequence of formal and informal interactions undergraduate cohort experience. with staff and students in the School of Media and The Belonging Project was initiated by academic Communication. Through this process, we progressed staff in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. from a theoretical model to concrete plans for its Arising from the context of the School’s formation implementation. The fi rst phase of the project after a merger of two smaller schools in 2009, culminated in the announcement of a number of pilot the project aims to develop a model for an activities for an improved ‘fi rst year experience’ (FYE) improved cohort experience aligned to the three- to be trialed in the School in 2012. year undergraduate degree structure, which can Our model and its pilot initiatives respond to the be applicable more broadly in other schools and demands of a changing national higher education institutions. environment. The 2008 Bradley Review signaled In the Belonging Project narrative model (the that increasing numbers of students, particularly model), each student’s sense of identity and belonging those from low Socio Economic Status (SES) and is built incrementally across the three years of their international backgrounds, will be taking part in undergraduate degree program. In fi rst year students degree programs to reach government tertiary establish a strong disciplinary and professional education participation targets. Our model aims base within their program cohort. In second year, to help equip all students, regardless of their students build on this disciplinary base, becoming background, with the necessary cultural capital for more aware of their place within an interdisciplinary their future careers. While we cannot ensure that community (a wider school cohort). In third year, every student has a successful university experience, they are supported to test their disciplinary and it is possible to create an environment that is better interdisciplinary identity and knowledge by working equipped to deal with student transition, so that in a wider world of intercultural and global links and all students have the opportunity to make the experiences. most of the existing interdisciplinary, industry and Graduation global links offered by the School. This inclusive Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 and beyond approach means that all students will benefi t from our initiatives, but they are particularly designed to enhance the experience of students from low SES backgrounds, or those who have relocated (from overseas, interstate or rural areas) to attend RMIT. Through piloting and reviewing initiatives for the FYE in 2012 (Recommendations for Pilot Initiatives in 2012, p. 38) and the development of subsequent initiatives for the second and third year cohorts in 2013–14, we aim to develop an approach to understanding and shaping a student cohort experience that can be applied beyond our School and College at RMIT. Disciplinary (Program Environment) Interdisiplinary (School Environment) Intercultural (Global Environment)

Diagram 1: The Belonging Project’s Model of the Undergraduate Student Experience – ‘The Trumpet’

6 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 The team

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 7 Academic Leaders Rachel has been teaching within the Higher Education sector for 18 years, specialising in the Screen Production discipline. Rachel is currently Associate Professor David Carlin teaching media production and applied research in David is an Associate Professor in the School of the School of Media and Communication. Media and Communication. David was Program Rachel’s current research includes archiving, Director, Media from 2009–10 and is now a researcher, memory and representations of trauma. Rachel served creative practitioner and teacher working in the as the President of the peak discipline body ASPERA fi elds of creative writing, media and interdisciplinary (Australian Screen Production Education and Research communication research projects. Association) from 2010–2011, and currently holds the David’s professional background is as a writer, position of National Secretary. director and producer in fi lm, theatre and circus. David currently teaches an undergraduate course in Literary Non-fi ction, and a lab in the School of Media and Communication’s Honours program. Project Support Team

Bronwyn Clarke Karli Lukas, Project Offi cer Bronwyn is the Director of Special Projects, After graduating from the RMIT Media Program, Karli (Communication Design) in the School of Media worked in various capacities in the fi lm, television and Communication. Bronwyn is researching and and screen culture industries before re-entering the reviewing best practice models of selection and tertiary education sector as an Academic Services retention of students in line with her study and Offi cer. Her extensive experience both as a student and experience as a Program Director and Selection professional staff member within the School of Media Offi cer in the College of Design and Social Context. and Communication brings a unique perspective to the Bronwyn has also been involved with RMIT’s Equity project. Database Implementation as an advisor and database tester. Dr Lucy Morieson, Research Offi cer Bronwyn’s professional background is as a Lucy graduated from RMIT’s Journalism Program graphic designer, where she sat on the ADGA before working as a researcher and reporter, most (Australian Graphic Design Association) council as notably at online news publication Crikey. Inspired the Communications Manager. by her work in the world of online publishing, she Bronwyn has been involved in offshore teaching returned to RMIT to complete her PhD on the political for over 11 years, most currently with the delivery of development of online journalism in Australia. the Communication Design Program in Singapore, While pursuing her PhD research, she also taught delivered in partnership with the Singapore Institute extensively across a range of courses and programs of Management (SIM). Bronwyn is also an advisor on in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. Her the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority current role provides an opportunity to combine review of Year 13 programs and assessment models the writing and interviewing experience developed and how this experience transitions into Higher as a journalist and researcher with the insights into Education. the student experience gained through her teaching work. Rachel Wilson Rachel is the Program Director of the Media Program in the School of Media and Communication. Prior to undertaking a role as Program Director, Rachel was the Media Program’s Selection Offi cer and Careers Offi cer. Rachel has also received a number of teaching awards. Rachel’s professional background is as a media practitioner.

8 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Project Reference Group External colleagues: Sue Bolt Director, Student Cohort Experience Project, The role of this group was as follows: Ofﬁ ce of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) 1. To provide support, ideas and critical feedback to the Academic Lead Team in line with the Associate Professor Andrea Chester project’s goals. Deputy Head of Learning and Teaching, School of Health Sciences 2. To help open and maintain two-way lines of communication between the Project Team and Fiona Ellis all levels of staff and students within the School, Director, Student Services as well as with relevant stakeholders beyond Ruth Moeller the School. Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching, The Belonging Team met monthly with the Design and Social Context Ofﬁ ce following group of internal and external RMIT colleagues:

School of Media and Communication colleagues: Bruce Berryman Program Director, Professional Communication

Philippa Brear Program Director, Public Relations

Helen Dickson Program Director, Animation and Interactive Media

Kieran Doolan Teacher, Interactive Digital Media

Mark Galer Program Director, Photography

Saskia Hansen Senior Manager, Planning & Resources

Mark Lycette Program Director, Animation and Interactive Media

Associate Professor Fiona Peterson Deputy Dean, Learning and Teaching

Allan James Thomas Lecturer, Media and Communication

Lucinda Strahan Lecturer, Professional Communication

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 9 Project concept

10 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Aims Tier 2 Within an interdisciplinary learning environment (at RMIT, this is largely but not solely, The Belonging Project has the following overall aims at the School level), and within a higher education context: Tier 3 A wider world of global intercultural 1 To develop strategies to support the networks participation and integration of students from diverse backgrounds, circumstances and cultures, including in particular students The Three-Year Structure those from low Socio Economic Status (SES) The three-tiered narrative of student belonging backgrounds is designed to overlay across the three-year 2 To enhance student satisfaction and retention undergraduate degree structure. rates In fi rst year, students most strongly identify 3 To help develop and make known a distinctive with their program cohort (‘I am a Journalism student’). RMIT student experience. Therefore the fi rst tier of the model focuses on building connections within that cohort (initially within their own year-group, but then also across year-groups). Crucially, this sense of internal connections within the cohort develops within the Proposition: The Belonging context of starting to build a sense of disciplinary Narrative Model and professional identity (‘As a Journalism student, I am starting to get an understanding of what it is like, and will be like, to be a Journalist’). Background Interventions towards this fi rst tier would build The Belonging narrative model (the model) grew upon existing best practice for Orientation and initially from a ‘brainstorming’ collaboration between Transition activities, extending beyond O-Week to Media Program academics Rachel Wilson and David include ideas such as camps and other off-campus Carlin at a strategic planning meeting in RMIT’s cohort activities linked to the fi rst year curriculum. School of Media and Communication in late 2010, Cross-year mentoring and events to introduce where program directors were asked to concretise students to industry leaders and recent graduates the University’s strategic plan in an attempt to build might also be facilitated. a unique RMIT student experience. The model built on previous work undertaken by staff within the In second year, the aim is to broaden the student Media Program over a number of years to develop experience, building upon the strong program, and document a common pedagogical approach, disciplinary and professional identity established in and create a unifi ed learning and teaching narrative fi rst year. In this tier of the model, students begin for staff and students of the Program. In early to make sense of their discipline in relation to other 2011, Bronwyn Clarke, then Program Director of disciplines; their languages, processes and outcomes Communication Design, whose current research is (‘I can see that being a journalist involves being able to work investigating questions of student transition and with and understand the perspectives of designers, media- inclusion, joined the team in further elaborating makers, strategic communications people, etc.’). This enables the model. students to benefi t from the rich interdisciplinary environment presented by schools such as Media The model proposes a three-tiered narrative, and Communication, with its eleven undergraduate in which students are able to develop a sense of programs representing a range of disciplines (the belonging: eleven programs are: Advertising, Animation and Interactive Media, Communication Design, Creative Tier 1 To a disciplinary/professional cohort Writing, Games, Journalism, Media, Music Industry, (at RMIT this is the ‘program’ level) Photography, Professional Communication, and Public Relations). It also opens possibilities for collaborations with disciplines across school boundaries within the University.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 11 Interventions to achieve this interdisciplinary experience within our School, since our classrooms are experience might include activities within and global and intercultural by virtue of the nature of our outside the formal curriculum, such as; development student cohorts). of interdisciplinary course electives, shared projects across discipline-specifi c courses, fostering of shared informal student spaces on campus, shared exhibitions and presentations of student work. There Project Plan are a number of formal and informal activities that could allow students to explore connections within The Belonging Project was conceived as a four-year the interdisciplinary environment of our diverse enterprise, from 2011 to 2014. The initial project School, across the university, and to a broad range plan, subject to ongoing elaboration and review, is as of industry connections. follows: Towards third year, students are beginning to think of themselves as future professionals working 2011 Phase 1: Planting the Seeds in a wider world that extends beyond their university Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience connections. We aim to support and enhance this 2012 existing transition by centering the third tier of 2013 Phase 3: Focus on the interdisciplinary the model on global and intercultural contexts: environment on students developing their sense of disciplinary 2014 Phase 4: Focus on global initiatives identity through immersion in the wider world. We seek to enable students to build their confi dence and The objective is to test and refi ne the model by understanding of how to practice their disciplines rolling out a number of activities and interventions, across cultures and within ‘real-world’ industries and both formal and informal, across the three years of communities. undergraduate study and understand their impacts on The aim of the third tier is to ensure that all the student experience. The initial proposition is that students will have a global experience of some kind; we will offer programs a suite of suggested activities – whether it is, for example, an international project from, for example, a camp, to study support sessions collaboration using technologies across distance, and an end of year School festival – along with the a collaboration or interaction with RMIT’s offshore necessary guidance and support for achieving them. campuses, a study tour, an international exchange Individual programs are able to adopt and tailor these or other form of study abroad. activities depending on their specifi c needs. Taken in combination, these three levels The model is intended to be fl exible and agile. culminate to build a sense of cohort that begins The aim of piloting these activities and interventions with a strong, disciplinary base, and broadens out to is that it may prove the model’s use of measurable encompass interdisciplinary and global connections. benefi t across the School, beyond the School, and It works by making transparent the existing across the University and the tertiary sector more transitions and key stressor points where students generally. have indicated that the university could be doing more to support and improve the student experience. The ‘trumpet model’ diagram (refer to Executive Summary, p. 6) is an attempt to visualise the three tiers of our model – disciplinary, interdisciplinary and global – against the three-year structure of the undergraduate degree. It shows that the tiers are best thought of as a shifting focus across the three years, gradually broadening the student experience as it extends the student’s sense of disciplinary and professional identity. The three tiers do not follow one upon the other in a strict linear sequence, but operate to some extent simultaneously across the entire undergraduate experience (for example, the global and intercultural tier emerges from the very beginning of the student

12 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Phase 1: Planting the Seeds

Aims:

1. Develop a model of student ‘belonging’, and test and reﬁ ne through consultation with staff and students in the School of Media and Communication.

2. Promote a sense of belonging among staff from every program across the School, by engaging them in the project at a grassroots level.

3. Map current practices and activities across the School — formal and informal — that relate to student engagement.

4. Gather and analyse student perspectives on the current undergraduate student experience within programs, the School and the University.

5. Situate the project model and methodology within the latest literature and alongside existing practices.

6. Establish baseline data for the evaluation of pilot initiatives throughout subsequent phases of the project.

7. Develop a plan for piloting key initiatives in 2012 and beyond.

8. Develop networks of communication and disseminate project ﬁ ndings across the School and University.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 13 Background

14 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 career relevance of higher education and may be The Australian Higher more likely to experience alienation from the cultures Education Context of universities.” (p. 3) Student engagement efforts, like this project, must target these specifi c anxieties. The Bradley Review The Australian Government’s Bradley Review Higher Education Participation & into Higher Education (2008) outlined a number Partnerships Program (HEPPP) of recommendations to dramatically increase the The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships percentage of the Australian population with tertiary Program (HEPPP) exists to support the federal qualifi cations – and in particular, participation rates government’s aim for 20% participation by students of students from low SES backgrounds – by 2020. from low SES backgrounds by 2020. Specifi cally, Specifi cally the Bradley Review recommended HEPPP’s purpose is to generate activities and the following: strategies across Australian universities to improve • a national target of at least 40% of 25 to 34-year- access, engagement, retention and success for people olds having attained a qualifi cation at bachelor from low SES backgrounds in degree-level study. level or higher by 2020 This project sits within the participation arm of • a national target of 20% of Higher Education HEPPP, and is one of 3% of learning and teaching enrolments at undergraduate level are people projects funded by HEPPP nationally. One of from low SES backgrounds by 2020 HEPPP’s aims is to undertake and support research into activities that improve the participation of These recommendations are driven by the students from low SES backgrounds. As all programs government’s desire to increase overall participation and universities – not only nationally, but also in the Higher Education system in order to build internationally – prepare to accept a larger and more Australia’s skilled workforce, its research and diverse student cohort, there will be a growing need innovation system, and ability to compete in the for strategies to ensure their success of this new global economy (Bradley Review, p. xi). cohort. The Belonging Project aims to respond to this However, to increase the rates of participation need: to offer a practical, fl exible and transferable across the population as a whole, it is necessary to model for engaging all students, regardless of broaden access to the groups of people currently less background. likely to participate, including: Indigenous people, people with low Socio Economic Status (SES), and those from regional and remote areas (p. xi). RMIT University Context Attracting and Retaining Low SES Students Currently, a student from a high SES background is RMIT University: about three times more likely to attend university Global, Urban, Connected than a student from a low SES background (Bradley Within the fast-changing Australian Higher Review, p. 7). Students from low SES backgrounds Education environment, RMIT has developed a are particularly poorly represented in programs that strategic plan, mapping its goals to 2015. The plan typify RMIT’s School of Media and Communication includes a commitment to building “a diverse – creative arts and professional fi elds of study with student population, reaching out to those who competitive entry (ibid). are disadvantaged, creating pathways through But overall, low SES participation is an issue of our programs, and providing opportunities for access rather than success once enrolled (Universities our students in employment and entrepreneurial Australia p. 4). Overall, low SES students perform endeavor” (RMIT, 2011). RMIT’s three key strategic highly, achieving 97% of the pass rates of their goals are to be global, urban and connected. The model medium and high SES peers (Bradley Review, p. 7). translates these goals into concrete plans, activities The challenge then begins long before university, as and achievements – for our School, and, into the people from low SES backgrounds are “more likely future, for the University as a whole. to have lower perceptions of the attainability of a university place, less confi dence in the personal and

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 15 The project connects closely with the University’s cohort experience at RMIT. The Belonging Project is broad vision, and intersects with its strategic goals in one of these pilots, alongside initiatives in the School the following speciﬁ c ways: of Education, the Business College and the School of • Global – The third tier of the model, with its Engineering (TAFE). focus on the global experience, actively develops strategies to enact RMIT’s commitment to A Changing School Environment internationally relevant curricula, incorporating The Belonging Project was initially envisaged as a cross-cultural learning. way to foster engagement and cohesion in a large, • Urban – RMIT is committed to building “a diverse diverse and relatively new school. The School of student population, reaching out to those who Media and Communication, the largest school at RMIT are disadvantaged, creating pathways through University with approximately 215 fulltime staff, our programs, and providing opportunities for was born in 2009 out of the merger of the Schools our students in employment and entrepreneurial of Applied Communication and Creative Media. The endeavor” (RMIT, 2011, p. 12). Through a focus on new School’s size, combined with its geographically building an inclusive environment that supports dispersed campus, presented challenges to achieving all students – including those from disadvantaged any sense of cohesion among staff and students across backgrounds – the model aims to create a sense the various programs and disciplinary areas. The of cohort and a student experience that will make Belonging Project was in part an attempt to respond pathways through our programs easier for those to this new environment by fostering a sense of disadvantaged. community and encouraging better use of the latent • Connected – First, through building a sense of interdisciplinary environment. cohort through student work: “collaboration and team work is encouraged and a sense of belonging for students and staff is supported” (RMIT, 2011, p. 7). Second, through active partnerships with networks of professions and industries aligned with our programs. The model builds on the ﬁ rst mode of connection – within the cohort – to create a strong foundation upon which students can build connections with the professional communities outside the University in which they hope to work.

RMIT’s Student Cohort Experience Project At RMIT, the Belonging Project sits within a broader university-wide initiative, the Student Cohort Experience Project, which aims to defi ne the RMIT cohort experience. Operating out of the University’s Academic Portfolio, the Student Cohort Experience Project brings together a number of efforts across the university working, in both sectors (TAFE and HE) and in a range of diverse ways, to improve the student cohort experience. The project is borne out of the University’s Strategic Plan goal to enhance the student experience by building students’ affi liations with their peers and future professions, and to create a sense of student belonging and commitment to the University. The Student Cohort Experience Project identifi ed a number of pilot projects for 2012 to enhance and develop current practices, and to help defi ne the key characteristics of a successful and distinctive student

16 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 We have included a table of International The Scholarly Context Benchmarks (refer p. 19) that better visualises other projects and initiatives from around the world that Literature Review intersect with our topic and aims. To date we are a During Phase 1 of the project, a wide-ranging and yet to identify another project that approaches the extensive literature review was conducted around a student experience in the holistic manner that our number of areas identiﬁ ed as central to our research. proposed model does. There are, however, many exemplary projects that we have drawn upon to Literature Review Key themes inform our practice, and the work of Sally Kift and • Student engagement Karen Nelson has been particularly inﬂ uential.

• Narrative methodology It is important to note that “institutions [are] struggling to achieve cross-institutional integration, • Capacity building coordination and coherence of FYE policy and • Formal and informal curriculum development practice” (Kift, Nelson and Clarke, 2010, p.1). Our • The fi rst year experience (FYE) project sits within the context of RMIT University’s own current work to understand and defi ne the • Low Socio Economic Status (SES) participation unique RMIT student experience. • Belonging In their work on the FYE and transition, Nelson, • Cultural capital and capacity building Smith and Clarke (2011) outline Vincent Tinto’s (2005) infl uential scholarship on student retention. Tinto • The broader context of the shifting role of tertiary outlines a model of institutional action, comprising education internationally. of fi ve conditions that can enhance student retention: “institutional commitment; institutional expectations; The collection and review of the literature was support; feedback; and involvement (Tinto in Nelson, guided by three key aims: Smith and Clarke, p. 2). Nelson, Smith and Clarke’s 1. To build upon already established best practice so work at QUT is instructive given its “whole-of- as not to ‘re-invent the wheel’ through our model institution” approach. Kift (2008) also acknowledges and pilot initiatives. and responds to the challenge of enacting a “holistic, 2. To benchmark our project aims against systematically-managed, vision for the FYE that is truly international best practice. student-focussed and is indeed greater than the sum 3. To identify existing gaps in relation to student of its many parts” (p. 2). In response, Kift suggests that engagement initiatives both locally and institutions need to position the FYE as an institutional internationally. priority by making it “both in rhetoric and reality, ‘everybody’s business’” (p. 3) – an approach that QUT As outlined, the project’s three-tier narrative has evidenced a strong cultural shift across various model emerged after synthesising the fi ndings of levels of the university. Similarly, the three-tiered the 2008 Review of Australian Higher Education nature of our narrative model requires that transition lead by Denise Bradley (known as the Bradley becomes ‘everybody’s business’, as part of the three- Review) and RMIT’s 2010 strategic plan. We believe year undergraduate experience across all years and all that the ‘meta narrative’ of the Belonging Project programs. is a meaningful way to make ‘real’ and ‘concrete’ the changes in expectations of academic staff and Nelson, Smith and Clarke (2011, p. 5) present their students that accompany these new developments. model, ‘Individual and Institutional Characteristics Many of the changes are predicated on shifts in how Infl uencing Student Retention and Engagement’ we understand the way people learn and the changing (IICISRE), for scoping existing infl uences on the cultural and economic role of the university in more student experience as well as measuring outcomes. general terms. Particular to the Australian context is The IICISRE model takes into account: student the growing expectation that universities will become factors, institutional context, and teacher factors as proactive agents in both attracting students from low part of the range of ‘input’ factors on the student SES backgrounds and, of special importance to this experience, as well as the academic, social and project, in retaining them. institutional factors that can have a transformative effect on the student experience; and then fi nally, the ‘output’ factors, such as the knowledge, skills

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 17 and attitudes that students hope to gain at university. of a group (p. 499). When applied to the Higher This comprehensive model has shaped the team’s Education sector it could be said that it is socially and approach to scoping, mapping, implementing and professionally threatening not to belong, particularly mapping new and existing student-centred initiatives. within the post-university context. Similarly, there is First introduced in the 1970’s, Pierre Bourdieu’s evidence that interpersonal concerns affect cognitive sociological concept of ‘cultural capital’ is now well processing and that “both actual and potential bonds established within literature around social mobility exert substantial effects on how people think” (p. and has become a key part of approaching of low 505). SES inclusion within Higher Education. Whilst the Walton, Cohen, Cwir and Spencer in Running framework does have its limitations – as discussed Ahead: Mere Belonging (2011) outline the relationship by Rachelle Winkle-Wagner in her book, From between social connectedness and IQ performance Cultural Capital: The Promises and Pitfalls in Educational (p 3). Referencing Aronson (2004), the writers also Research (2010) – it continues to provide a compelling note that, “research on cooperative learning fi nds framework to explain the way cultural status signals that structuring school assignments so that it is in are privileged in Higher Educational settings: students’ interest to cooperate rather than compete The idea of cultural capital does shift thinking in can increase cooperation and improve school education toward structural notions of acquisition outcomes” (p 17). Developing robust discipline and and perpetuation of privilege and inequality. Cultural professional social connections whilst at university capital can be helpful in identifying the “currency” are vital life skills that contemporary universities are that some students have and other students do not well positioned to help develop. possess in educational settings. (Winkle-Wagner, It is worth noting that we are also working to 2010, p. 111) ensure the model is refl ective of quality frameworks It is this defi nition that has informed the for Higher Education and curriculum reform structural shifts required within RMIT and the as outlined with the Australian Qualifi cations School to mitigate the absence of particular forms Framework (AQF) and the newly formed Tertiary of ‘cultural capital’ that might limit students from Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). In low SES backgrounds from fully accessing the range addition we are working with the many areas of the of activities on offer – particularly those relating to University who deal with statistical data in order to international exchange programs. better embed the transition experience and develop long term reporting systems that will inform the This notion of ‘cultural capital’ has also informed University’s understanding of student engagement the work of Dr Patricia McLean from Melbourne and the importance of individual school cohort University in her 2004 report Investing in Cultural belonging within the larger organisational structure. Capital: A Partnership Enhancing Transition for Equity In this way we aim to support low SES, international, Students. Drawing on the work of Levine and Nideffer and indeed all students – transitioning, engaging and (1996), McLean reiterates the importance of early fi nishing their studies – and beyond as alumni and interactions with other students in helping shape or professionals. re-shape students’ conceptions of what is possible and to build a sense of belonging. In relation to theoretical notions of ‘belonging’ much of the literature resides within the domain of psychology (more specifi cally social psychology) and within the literature of inclusion and exclusion. Dr Roy Baumeister of the Faculty of Social Psychology at Florida University has written extensively on notions of identity, self-esteem, interpersonal processes and belonging. As Baumeister and Leary (1995, p. 497) point out, the need to belong is a fundamental human motivation and takes precedence over self-esteem and self-actualisation. In relation to the ‘belonging narrative’, Baumeister and Leary argue that individuals working alone face a “severe competitive disadvantage” compared to those working as part

18 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 http://www.fyhe.qut.edu. au/transitionpedagogy/ http://www.fye.qut.edu.au/ al. et Creagh, T. K., Nelson, (2010). http://services.unimelb. edu.au/transition/staff/uni/ resources http://www.newcastle.edu. au/students/my-journey/ about-the-guide.html ect on their curriculum rst year rst year. rst year. rst year experience at QUT, QUT, at experience rst year QUT and a wealth at curriculum rst year rst year curriculum should mediate and support and transition; mediate should curriculum rst year rst-year learning experience in Australian Higher Education (HE), Education Higher in Australian experience learning rst-year collaboration and teacher-student interaction; interaction; teacher-student and collaboration assessment; HE to the fi principles: six around organized 1. The fi 2. supported; and Diversity recognised be should 3. relevant; and explicit student-focused, be should Curriculum 4. peer-to-peer through promoted be should communities Learning 5. transition successful a making around designed be should Assessment 6. curriculum. the in embedded be should monitoring and Evaluation fi the to approach comprehensive A of bundle A pedagogy. transition a and retention encompassing the as (such place in are that strategies and resources to linked principles, works. it ensure to Program) Success Student the fi of the principles Outlines fi own their design to teachers enabling resources, of practical of number a includes Also in-line principles. (FYC) these with FYE, the in course the including involved people various for resources tutors. and writers, unit coordinator, transition overarching cohorts, and larger a and teachers different for Supporting student Curriculum: First the in Year ‘Transition document, study’. and university to transition life refl and map them help to FYE. tools their through has It fi their during journey academic and social personal, Transition PedagogyTransition enhance and scaffold to pedagogy transition a project This articulates Online Portal Good A Handbook: Policy for Practice Guide Practice Firstand the in Experience Year OLT (formerly ALTC)/QUT ALTC)/QUT (formerly OLT (Sally Kift) QUTQUT Experience First Year Pedagogy Transition University Newcastle of website My Journey support to the University Newcastle at them portal of A web students for Area First Year Experience/ Transition Institution Initiative/Document Details University Melbourne of Resources Transition Reference kits targeted including staff, for portal online An resources transition of International Benchmarks

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 19 th.edu.au/ rst-year- g http://www.arts.auckland. ac.nz/uoa/home/about/ ourfaculty_1/fi experience-programme_1/ recent-fye-events_1 http://www.rmit.edu.au/ seh/studenttransition (2009). R. Pickford, http://www.utexas.edu/ ugs/fi http://www.newstudent. wisc.edu/conference/ http://fye.indiana.edu http://staff.mq.edu.au/ teaching/curriculum_ development/engagement/ http://www.griffi gihe/resources-support/ good-practice-guides rst years. rst years students. rst year rst year students, including orientation, orientation, including students, rst year rst-year conference. conference. rst-year rst year assessment to increase retention and and retention increase to assessment rst year rst year issues such as forming friendships and building building and friendships forming as such issues rst year rst year students to workshop a major assignment. assignment. major a workshop to students rst year c strategies to enact them. Macquarie also has a transition program program transition a has also Macquarie them. enact to strategies c A mentoring space for students working on assignments, bringing bringing assignments, on working students for space mentoring A tutors, and FYE in a staff, mentors Learning Student librarians, together fi for session university’s the by governed FYE collectionA of resources, transition and active challenge; active learning; principles: transition student six opportunities for environment; learning vibrant and engaging relevant work environment; supportive and learning inclusive enrichment; opportunities. development career and experience fi designing for guide A Tackles belonging. of sense a instill to assessment designing and success relationship its as well as design, practical the assessment of both side fi broader the with self-belief. sense a building together, classes two four take who 25 to to up of Groups and cohort university. within a very consistency large of training including portal online An students, and staff FYE for of resources fi annual an and options fi for program comprehensive A fi for trips offering program IUBEginnings the week, welcome fi by written blog started, year get they freshman a and before student for principles broad university’s the outlinines seven website This no but – important of references number a to links and engagement specifi fi for program mentoring a including Ten wide-ranging, generally practice good other portal a on of range a hosts found that engagement, practical strategiesguides. for enhancing student rst year ce of First Year First of Year ce Sessions fi and Transition experience FirstDesigning Year and Assessment for Guide A Feedback: University Staff Groups Interest First Year (FIGs) the First for Year Center Experience the Offi Programs) Experience Students First the in Engagement for Strategies 10 Year: Success th University Student Enhancing University of Auckland University Auckland of Learning FYE Targeted College RMIT University, Engineering Science, of and Health Metropolitan Leeds University at University Texas of Austin University Wisconsin- of Madison UniversityIndiana (via Experience UniversityMacquarie First Year Supporting and Engaging Griffi Area First Year Experience/ Transition Institution Initiative/Document DetailsStudent Engagement Reference

20 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 http://www.deakin.edu.au/ herg/student-engagement/ index.php http://www.rmit.edu.au/ teaching/inclusive http://www.aei.gov.au/ Research/Publications/ Documents/Good_Practice. pdf http://www.cshe.unimelb. edu.au/resources_teach/ teaching_in_practice/ http://www.ashe.ws/ http://www.herdsa.org.au/ http://www.heri.ucla.edu/ c various and ts rst year experience, diverse learning learning diverse experience, rst year An online bank of resources around student engagement, with specifi with engagement, student around resources of bank online An casual academics, including groups, different at targeted documents students. and leaders staff staff, general academics, a on based policy, teaching inclusive RMIT’s outlines website This benefi the outlining paper discussion internal lengthier diverse a engage best to teaching inclusive of strategies and modes body. student student international of benchmarks national of compilation A between learning collaborative areas: key four into broken engagement wider the with engagement students, domestic and international and students, international for and information orientation community, activities. exchange cultural practical and collection a of tools as well as students international following the in experience, student their improving for recommendations plagiarism, work, group small lectures accessible, making areas: key critical thinking, expectations. repository a as and conferences annual organisation’s the for contact of and reports, essays relevant other as well as publications, related for resources. professional its on details papers, conference past journal, associated its including scheme. links scholars and fellowship surveys annual the CIRP’s impressive home to is primarily its website the fi university– of freshmen, of range a and blog a as well as – seniors college of and environments, publications. scholarly other resources resources Teaching practice good of Examples international in assisting with integrate to students and students Australian community wider the ASHE website websiteHERDSA point long-running the of US-based ASHE acts central a as website The resources, member organisation’s the hosts HERDSA of homepage The websiteHERI and (CIRP) Program Research Institutional Cooperative the hosts HERI Deakin UniversityDeakin RMIT University Engagement Student Inclusive Guide to Government Australian of (Department Employment Education, Relations) Workplace and University Melbourne of University Melbourne of facing outlining the staff particular challenges teaching for A handbook Study the for Association Education Higher of (ASHE) and Research Society of Development (HERDSA) Australasia of School Graduate UCLA Information and Education Education Higher - Studies (HERI) Institute Research AreaStudent Engagement Institution Initiative/Document Details Higher Education & Research Policy Groups Education Higher The Reference

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 21 http://www.deakin.edu.au/ herg/ http://www.acer.edu.au/ http://www.oecd.org/site/ 0,3407, en_21571361_499 95565_1_1_1_1_1,00.html to support university staff in the development of their teaching and and teaching their of supportto university development the in staff to only accessible resources of range a including capabilities, research members. primary (from vocational to education through school of every level at survey education the higher their about information including learning), associated as well as Engagement), Survey Student of (Australasian AUSSE conferences. reports research and annual areas: key four in innovation on focus 1. progress social and Education 2. systems education complex Governing 3. environments learning Innovative 4. training and education for strategy Innovation 5. learning. effective for teaching Innovative other and conferences CERI about information hosts also site The activities. HERG websiteHERG websiteACER publications practical of range a scholarly and includes website HERG The research of body substantial organisation’s the hosts website ACER The websiteCERI reports, a with research of range extensive an to home is website CERI The Deakin University Deakin Higher Group Research Education (HERG) for Council Australian Research Education (ACER) for Centre OECD and Research Educational (CERI) Innovation

Area Higher Education & Research InstitutionPolicy Groups Initiative/Document Details Reference

22 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Phase 1: Approach and methods

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 23 unhelpful or harmful narratives and seek to replace Overview them with new, more constructive stories in order to effect organisational change. Narrative can be used Approach to inspire organisational change, share knowledge The Belonging Project team has articulated a three- across groups, and build identity (Mitchell and Egudo, pronged research philosophy, aiming for a process 2003). This research has involved identifying existing that is ‘connected to the grassroots’, inclusive and narratives and attempts to shape new narratives with iterative. two groups of people – staff and students. With staff, narrative was a powerful tool in our Grassroots Grassroots, because for long-term efforts to inspire grassroots change and to give success, initiatives must be driven from meaning to the broad, long-term cultural changes we the ground-up. were suggesting. With students, we fi rst identifi ed Inclusive Inclusive of staff, academic and existing narratives through the use of focus groups, professional, and of students: each before drawing on this feedback to refi ne a proposed so central to the development, new narrative that more clearly traces the contours implementation and sustainability of the of the three-year student experience in our School. project. However, while we hoped to ‘plant the seed’ of our Iterative Iterative, integrating cycles of refl ection narrative with both groups – staff and students – this and evaluation into every stage of the is not something we can control. We hope that over research, as guided by an action research the duration of this project and through our planned methodology. activities, a narrative of belonging will emerge from the shared language and experiences of the staff and students who make up the School community. Methodology Action Research Action research is “a form of research carried out by practitioners into their own practices” (Kemmis, 2007, p. 167). In the fi eld of education, this means the ‘object’ of action research – educational practices – is positioned not as independent phenomena for investigation and testing, but rather as praxis – that is, the embodiment of theory in action. We adopted an action research methodology in order to investigate practices of student engagement within our own School. Action research provided us with a template to study, capture and analyse existing practices, and work alongside those we were studying – the staff and students in our School – as collaborators (Greenwood, Whyte, Harkavy, 1993). As a method, action research involves a “self-refl ective spiral of cycles of planning, acting, observing, and refl ecting” (Kemmis, 2007, p. 168). This cycle became an inherent part of our research and shaped our process, as we outline below.

Narrative Methodology During the research process, we adopted a narrative methodology in order to conceptualise and convey our proposed narrative for undergraduate belonging in our School. Research suggests that narrative is a powerful tool for organising and making sense of shared experiences, and therefore central to learning (Abma, 2000; Bruner, 1990; Gola, 2009). As a methodology, narrative research can identify existing,

24 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Following the fi rst staff workshop, and in Phase 1: The Process preparation for the RMIT Student Cohort Forum, the team met to work on developing the model further, Phase 1 of the Belonging Project was condensed both conceptually and visually. Drawing on the into a six-month process of developing the narrative range of suggested activities that emerged from the model, staff consultations and workshops, gathering workshop, specifi cally the interdisciplinary nature of and analysing data from students, and preliminary the School’s programs, we realised that each tier of dissemination: belonging would be made up of a mix of formal and informal ‘interventions’ across the year. Through the 1. Developing the Model focus of these activities on the program, school and global spheres respectively, we came up with a vision of the three years coexisting but growing in emphasis 2. Staff Engagement (Stage 1): depending on the student’s year level. Thus, the fi rst Testing the Model ‘trumpet’ model was born (see Figure 1). It was at this stage in the research process that we 3. Student Engagement: fi rst articulated the way the project intertwined the Focus Groups and Data Analysis three tiers of belonging that are often already present in a program structure, but in a clearer and more explicit way. This was conceptualised as: 4. Staff Engagement (Stage 2): Sharing Student Feedback, and Focus on the ‘A disciplinary and professional focus First Year Experience within an inter-disciplinary environment (uni/school/campus/local/regional), in a 5. Dissemination global/international context (the world)’

Early on in our process we noted that we were juggling three strands of engagement. The fi rst Developing the Model two were obvious: staff and students. But the third During preparation for the fi rst staff workshop we became increasingly apparent through the course of realised we needed a way to visually represent our our research: strategic communication. That is, while imagined three-tiered model of belonging. The fi rst consulting with staff and students directly about drawing of the model was very simple, with the three our proposed model, we found ourselves in frequent ‘spheres’ of belonging nestled inside each other with consultation about our operational and strategic smaller circles within the central sphere denoting direction with key staff in our School (such as the separate programs (the diagram became affectionately Academic Services Manager and Senior Manager, known as ‘the telephone receiver’ model): Planning & Resources), as well as at the College and University level (for example; with Survey Services

The World Outside

Schools

Programs

Diagram 2: Early Belonging Project Model – Figure 1: Birth of the Belonging Project Model – ‘The Telephone Receiver’ ‘The Trumpet’

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 25 Centre, the Academic Portfolio, and Student Services, workshop, representing eight undergraduate programs including Equity and Diversity). in the School, as well as TAFE programs, professional, executive, and College of Design and Social Context learning and teaching specialist staff. Staff Engagement (Stage 1): Testing the Model The aim of this Workshop was to explore concepts of student ‘belonging’ with School staff and to test Staff Workshop 1 and augment the model. The fi rst Staff Workshop was held at RMIT on 12 July 2011. A total of 20 staff attended the day-long At the Workshop, all participants were fi rst asked to share a one-minute anecdote about an experience of belonging – or not belonging – in an educational context. This was a very effective technique, and we went on to use it again at the Program Directors Retreat and at the beginning of each of the student focus groups, as an icebreaker and focusing exercise. Next, participants brainstormed responses to the following question: “Why might a sense of ‘belonging’ be important to a student?” Answers were jotted on post-it notes, which were then pinned to the wall for all to see. Workshop participants, as a group, then identifi ed the emergent common themes from the Figure 2: Mapping the Three-Year Undergraduate brainstorming session from the ‘post-it wall’ (see Experience Figure 3). These themes served to underpin subsequent discussions, conducted in a ‘World Café’ format (see Brown and Isaacs, 2005) in which participants rotated through three tables. Each table was the venue for workshopping the basis of one of the tiers of the model, confi gured as follows:

Three Spheres of Belonging:

1. Disciplinary

2. Multi-disciplinary

3. The wider world

Figure 3: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Brainstorming Discussion of the fi rst two tiers (the disciplinary and the interdisciplinary) teased out the values and strengths of ‘what makes us different’ — the specifi c disciplinary identities that are very much part of the RMIT ‘industry-ready’ learning and teaching philosophy — as well as ‘what we share’: where links across programs can benefi t both students and staff. Discussion of the third tier drew the links between the global and the intercultural, ensuring we recognise that the ‘global’ is already enacted, implicitly, through the diverse international make-up of our cohorts. Finally, the Workshop moved to concrete ideas for implementation across the three-year undergraduate structure, as well as a discussion of the challenges and potential ‘blockers’ to such action. Figure 4: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Themes

26 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Many specifi c ideas emerged from the Workshop, More importantly, the Workshop affi rmed the some of which have been adopted, and are being piloted usefulness of the model as a means of strengthening as a result of Phase 1 – for instance, the end of year student outcomes and participation, and encouraging festival, and the idea that second and third year students and supporting innovation in curriculum and take a more active role at orientation for commencing program structures. There was a clear sense of students. Other more ambitious ideas were put on the enthusiasm and energy about the suggested changes agenda for later phases, such as the interdisciplinary among the group. It was also evident that elements ‘something week’ (a week of no scheduled classes of the proposed model are already in operation in allowing students to run and attend cross-disciplinary many programs, but could be made more cohesive workshops and/or intensive courses based on themes and better communicated to staff and students and projects rather than specifi c programs). through Belonging Project initiatives. In particular, the Workshop identifi ed that further work is needed at managing existing points of transition. Feedback and refl ection from the fi rst workshop paved the way for us to present our vision and model outside the School at the RMIT Student Cohort Forum (see Dissemination, p. 34), and for a second workshop conducted as part of the School’s annual Program Directors Retreat, held in August.

Staff Workshop 2: Program Directors Retreat 2011 The Belonging Project lead team facilitated a half-day Workshop at the School of Media and

Figure 5: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Mapping the Model

Figure 6: Staff Workshop 1 Snapshot – Mapping the FYE

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 27 Communication’s Program Directors Retreat. The This was particularly problematic for staff members 2011 Retreat was themed: ‘(Re)imagining media who teach into the humanities based courses taught and communication programs for the tertiary across multiple programs in the School. Further, space: building identity, internationalisation and examples of cross-program engagement can already innovation’. The aim of the retreat was to bring be found in existing course and program structures. together leaders in the School to work towards This underlines that different types of engagement implementing a new fi ve-year vision and plan. are required across the School. The Belonging Project Workshop situated the Following the highly focused work and discussion project as part of the broader vision for the School, elicited by the worksheets, the fi nal exercise at the with a view to discussing how some of our shared Program Directors’ Retreat was a more imaginative aims might be achieved. We ran two generative group activity. activities among the staff in order to gather data on Participants formed groups, guided by their current activities within the School, as well as to interest in three potential key interventions in the push our concept by further interrogating potential (formal or informal) curriculum that had emerged blockers and enablers of its practical implementation from the Staff Workshop 1 in July: in the School. • Orientation/Transition – The orientation Again, we began our session with our ‘belonging workgroup suggested that the School could offer narrative’ exercise, asking staff to speak for one something fun and social around transition. By to two minutes about an experience, personal or removing the activity from the ‘orientation’ tag, observed, of belonging (or not belonging) in an it did not need to occur at the very start of the educational context. Again, this exercise worked well semester, but rather, sometime in the fi rst half of to put the theme of ‘belonging’ on the table and mark the year, before the end of fi rst semester. this out as the focus of the session. Some staff spoke • End of Year Festival – The end of year festival of their desire to ‘not belong’ to things, which opened team imagined that the proposed festival could up discussions as to the need to allow for, and indeed consist of a series of independently curated, celebrate, the impulse to be maverick, to be separate: program or course specifi c micro events, brought even those who do not want to ‘belong’ should, together through a cohesive festival program. paradoxically, be allowed to! Students would be involved at all levels of the All staff present, including Program Directors from event, whether through showcasing their work, HE and TAFE programs, were asked to complete a designing the program and posters, or planning mapping worksheet we designed, structured around the key events. the proposed Model and its three-tiered structure, the • A ‘Something Week’ – Two groups of staff exercise invited staff to indicate: worked on developing this idea. The fi rst group • Activities they were already undertaking, or had envisaged it as a way to embed volunteer previously undertaken in their programs, that opportunities for students within the formal and correspond with the proposed model; informal curriculum. The second group proposed • Which proposed new activities they would be keen a student-run event modeled on the idea of an to undertake to support the model: to rank these ‘unconference’. That is; a participant-driven event, according to their most and least favoured options, in which staff would provide the infrastructure and to indicate what resources would be needed. (time off, space, equipment, and guidelines), and students would be in charge of planning, The worksheet operated as a data-gathering proposing and voting for their desired content. tool, but second, and perhaps more importantly, a catalyst for broad discussions around the narrative Overall, the session at the Program Directors and proposed activities following the worksheets Retreat was a success. The Belonging Team shared exercise. These discussions elicited a number of our vision and Model, encouraged buy-in and salient observations in the form of both existing participation, and identifi ed potential challenges opportunities and perceived problems with the to its implementation. One participant who was model and proposed ‘interventions’/activities. initially skeptical ended the session talking about Some challenges posed to the model were also the “great possibility of The Belonging Project”. Most raised, with some participants questioning the participants were visibly enthused following the apparent program-focused structure of the project. brainstorming sessions. One participant remarked

28 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 on how excited they were about the prospect of the adopted as tuning-in activities and additional ways to ‘Something Week’, and a number of people have collect data from the students. indicated they are keen to remain involved with We recruited students by presenting an initial call planning at a big picture or specifi c level. for interest to our School’s Staff Student Consultative At the end of the Retreat, data gathered from Committees, before inviting students to sign up in- the session was collated, analysed and incorporated class and via email. To ensure there was no ethical into the project planning processes. Working with confl icts of interest involving teaching staff in power a clearer idea of some potential activities to trial in relations to students, this process was led by the 2012, and more details of how they might operate, we Research Offi cer (Lucy Morieson), assisted by the were able to present some of these ideas to students Project Offi cer (Karli Lukas). for their feedback during the focus group process (see below). Also refer to Appendix 1 for full discussion of Aims the workshop and its outcomes (p. 50). The focus group research was guided by three broad aims: Champions’ Lunches • To gather information on the various cohorts Driven by the aim to inspire grassroots cultural types within the School – according to program, change and uptake, we identifi ed project ‘champions’ year level, international and domestic, and other from every program in our School to support and factors. Both demographic and qualitative data inform our project. We held a series of inexpensive was sought to paint a full picture of the range of champions’ lunches (Yum Cha, off campus) with cohorts and their characteristics. no formal agenda. It was remarkable how effective • To test our proposed three-tier Model and possible these lunches were in enabling informal discussion activities for further development. This was to around the project, demonstrating appreciation for happen through broad discussion of the student the advocacy of our champions, opening up new experience as well as direct probes about specifi c dialogues and networks, and building a sense of activities and the timing of student needs and camaraderie among the group. They were particularly expectations. effective in both helping to achieve a broader sense • Finally, while gathering data that relates directly of staff belonging, and to break down some of the to the student experience in the School of Media communication challenges that come with a large, and Communication, we also wanted to collect relatively new, and geographically dispersed school. ‘big picture’ data on the broader university We found that the simple act of bringing people experience of our students, in order to capture together in an informal environment as a show of the wider role of university in contemporary life, good faith (and for very little money!) achieved a and the way it sits alongside other expectations surprising amount of what we aimed to do with staff. and demands, whether they be social, economic, aspirational or routine. Student Engagement: Focus Groups and Data Analysis Question Guide Student Focus Groups A question guide was drafted and refi ned (see Following the initial staff engagement process, it was Appendix 2, p. 56). Following advice from expert well and truly time to talk to students. We embarked staff in the School, it began broadly and worked upon a series of focus groups with undergraduate and through to the specifi c. The guide was structured honours students in our School. The fi ndings from according to the model. It began with questions these focus groups were used to test our proposed around broad expectations of university and RMIT, three-tier Model and to develop some preliminary before asking students to refl ect more specifi cally on recommendations, to be further developed into the their experience within their program, considering selected initiatives to pilot in 2012. social and academic factors. It ended with more Focus groups were selected as the most directed discussions about cross-year connections, appropriate method for gathering student attitudes interdisciplinary links, and industry and professional and opinion after some preliminary research and engagement. consultation with key staff and the reference group. In order to provide a ‘tuning-in’ exercise, as well We also received advice on a number of techniques as to gather some basic demographic detail about used in collaborative workshops, some of which were the participants, students were asked to record,

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 29 using large pieces of butchers paper and textas, Analytical Approach relevant personal details, and initial thoughts and The focus groups provided two forms of data – audio observations, before the group discussion (refer to transcripts and the informal ‘worksheets’. To identify Figures 7–10 for samples of student responses). the themes evident from the two sets of data, we were guided by Massey’s (2010) analytical framework. The Groups Massey argues that there are three levels to focus Students were assigned to groups of mixed program group data – articulated, attributional and emergent. but single year level. Separate groups were also These different types of data are, respectively: run for international students – of mixed program • The data that explicitly answers the questions and year level. The decision to keep international posed in the focus group (articulated data); students separate was made to ensure that they could • The data that doesn’t necessarily answer the contribute freely, overcoming cultural and language questions but does allow for the testing of the barriers. pre-existing hypotheses guiding the research Participants by year level (attributional data);

First Year 32 • And ﬁ nally, the often unspoken data that emerges through the discussion that connect the broader Second Year 20 themes guiding the research (emergent data). Third Year 9

Honours 13 Themes The key themes that emerged from analysis of Exchange 1 the transcripts and worksheets are outlined over. For a full discussion and analysis of themes, see Participants by cohort Appendix 3 (p. 58).

Local 64

International 10

Exchange 1

Participants by Program

Advertising 11

Animation 1

Communication Design 16

Creative Writing 8

Exchange 1

Games 8

Journalism 2

Media 9

Music Industry 2

Photography 6

Professional Communication 9

Public Relations 2

Figure 7: Student Focus Group Sample – Student Expectations

30 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Figure 8: Student Focus Group Sample – Map of Student’s Pathway through University

University and RMIT Social Expectations and Issues

• Attending university was a ‘common sense’ decision • Reports of cliques and competition among program for most participants. cohorts.

• The decision is usually driven by employment goals, • Emphasis on importance of social ties to their or encouragement from family, high school educators university experience, especially from second and third and peers. years.

• Participants had clear reasons for selecting RMIT – • Perceived barrier between domestic and international largely, strong program reputations and RMIT’s image students with both groups needing assistance to work as creative, innovative and industry focused. through cultural differences.

Orientation Needs and Expectations Academic Expectations and Issues

• We identifi ed a gap between informal university • High levels of anxiety over academic achievement orientation and information-driven program-run overall, and particularly among fi rst year cohorts. sessions. • First year students were also struggling with transition • Students need further assistance making early social to a different learning environment. connections with their cohort peers. • First year students in studio-based programs • Desire for orientation sessions that mix social activities demonstrated anxiety around skills, and a lack of with workshop-style collaborative academic tasks. understanding about the difference between a skills- based course and conceptual learning. • Desire for early information, feedback and advice from program peers in second and third years. • Specifi c transition issues for international students facing a radically different learning style, even for • Orientation camp was a polarising idea – some loved those who have completed foundation studies at RMIT it, some hated it. or elsewhere in Australia.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 31 Cross-Year Connections

• At present, cross-year connection is limited. More junior students feel intimidated of or isolated from their senior peers. Others simply had no cross-year interaction.

• First years were keen for a mentor to allay anxieties about university assessment and standards, and provide guidance on what to expect from the later stages of their program.

• Students in programs that offer a number of possible course pathways were keen for connections with senior students to advise their choice.

• Students agreed that any sort of attempt to set up a mentoring system needed to be at least partly formalised to ensure its sustainability.

Interdisciplinary Connections Figure 9: Student Focus Group Sample – ‘Emerging from • Strong support for more or improved interdisciplinary the Shell’ connections as part of the student experience.

• Strong awareness of the future professional value of interdisciplinary links.

• Desire for a broader perspective of their School, university, and the wider world.

• Activities suggested included speed-dating nights, ‘lecture swaps’ and sample classes.

• Evidence that improved interdisciplinary connections could help break down strong cohort stereotypes and rivalries.

• Need to be formally facilitated and mutually beneﬁ cial to the programs involved to ensure sustainability.

Student Spaces and Resources

Figure 10: Student Focus Group Sample – Challenges to a • Existing spaces under-utilised and/or poorly designed/ Student’s Experience resourced. • Student hot spots – Pearson & Murphy’s Café, ‘the fake grass’, the Myer-Melbourne Central walkway (off- Industry and Professional Identity campus).

• A lack of awareness and/or conﬁ dence around • Some disappointment around access to resources. professional identity for most participants.

• A desire for more practical ‘how to’ information on Student Communication industries and pathways, as well as basic information • Facebook, Facebook, Facebook! For academic and on approaching and getting started in the workplace. social purposes – the new study group. • A desire for internships in all programs, and for those • Prefer student-run for peer-to-peer advice and students who are offered them, support with ﬁ nding feedback. and/or attending internships. • Acknowledge challenges – legal and privacy.

• Blackboard insufﬁ cient and unreliable.

• Email seen as ‘old school’ or for professional use.

32 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 It provides a qualitative baseline as we trial these Internationalisation and Global Links initiatives for the ﬁ rst time. It will also be used for • Hidden or real costs prohibitive for some. future scholarly presentations and publications. • Needs to be a ‘value add’ for local students.

• International students already position themselves as Staff Engagement (Stage 2): Sharing Student global citizens. Feedback and Focus on the FYE • Linked to future aspiration; further study or ‘plan b’. School Staff Forum: ‘But what do our students • Seen as additional or post-university, not part of the (really) want?’ undergraduate experience. This event, held in early November 2011, attracted 50 staff from across the School and Student Services to Alumni Perceptions hear Lucy Morieson and Karli Lukas present data and initial fi ndings from the student focus groups process. • No clear vision of future role for RMIT in their lives. A great deal of interest and discussion was generated, • Connection to RMIT and alumni dependent on future driving participation in the fi nal staff workshop for success. the year. • Early and growing awareness of peers as future professional networks. Staff Workshop 3 The third staff workshop, held in October 2011, • International students particularly keen to teach or focused on activities to be piloted in the School in guest lecture. 2012 that would centre on the fi rst tier of the model and the FYE. In attendance were representatives from every Conclusion undergraduate program in the School, along with The data that emerged from the student focus groups other key representatives from the School, College was far richer and more detailed than anticipated, of Design and Social Context and the University. casting light on areas far broader than our project’s The Workshop was split into two sections. The immediate scope. In the fi rst instance, the data aim of the fi rst half was to attempt to map across has informed the selection and development of the timeline of a calendar year, the FYE in the pilot initiatives for Phase 2 of the project in 2012. School. Such mapping was then used as a reference

Figure 11: Staff Workshop 3 – Mapping the First Year Experience

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 33 Figure 12: Staff Workshop 3 Snapshot – Mapping a Coordinated Orientation Schedule for analysing how best to time proposed pilot The other point for focused brainstorming was interventions to improve the fi rst year experience the proposed end of year School-wide festival. This by building a sense of student cohort belonging and was a signifi cant point of discussion given that nearly individual disciplinary identity. all programs represented at the workshop already Workshop participants worked collaboratively to offered some sort of end of year screening, showcase, chart the fl ow of interactions with students: from fi rst or event. Program Information Sessions to end-of-year Showcase The Workshop was successful in generating events, and major formal milestones (enrolment a great deal of energy around the proposed pilot deadlines, assignment workload hot-points); as well as initiatives, as well as identifying key staff to involve the informed perceptions of staff as to the subjective in their development. ebbs and fl ows (and crisis points!) of the student It paved the way for further work to refi ne the list experience. Using a large physical timeline, drawn of initiatives to implement in 2012, with a number on butcher’s paper on the walls of the room (see of suggested activities being kept on hold for future Figure 11), the group worked through the entire FYE, development. from the fi rst formal interaction to the fi nal point of The workshop generated a way to conceptualise contact for that year (see Appendix 4 for these key the current FYE, and highlighted key points for moments and milestones, p. 68). potential interventions. It also provided evidence Next, the group brainstormed a range of activities for how existing resources and staff interests can be that could enhance the FYE as part of both formal best mobilised to envisage and plan an improved FYE and informal curricula, timed to coincide with key across the School. moments in the calendar. In particular, since Orientation-week occurs Dissemination so early in the new year, attention was devoted The federally funded Offi ce of Learning and Teaching to a micro-mapping of a holistic orientation week (OLT), formerly known as the Australian Learning and schedule, founded at the level of the program/ Teaching Council (ALTC), provides a dissemination disciplinary student cohort and integrated with framework based on two modes of dissemination: School and University activities.

34 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 engaged dissemination and information provision RMIT Student Cohort Experience Forum dissemination (ALTC, 2008). The ALTC framework In July 2011, The Belonging Project was invited to privileges the former, arguing for an ‘engaged-focused present at the University’s Student Cohort Forum, approach to dissemination, involving consultation, which was run by the Academic Portfolio. This was collaboration and support for ongoing dissemination an opportunity to introduce our project to a large both during the project and after the project is and diverse audience, including other Student Cohort completed’. Experience Project teams, student representatives and Most of the dissemination during Phase 1 of other key stakeholders from across the University. the project falls under the category of engaged Launch of Pilot Initiatives dissemination. We anticipate working further on the In December 2011, at a function at the Pearson and information provision branch of our dissemination Murphy’s Café on campus, the project team ofﬁ cially strategies during the second phase of the project launched the pilot initiatives to be trialed during onwards. Phase 2 of the project in 2012. The launch was an Engaged Dissemination – within the School of opportunity to report on progress during Phase 1 to Media and Communication our community of stakeholders – both within the The project’s engaged dissemination strategies were School and across the University. largely situated within the School, to maintain staff The University’s newly appointed Dean of engagement and to encourage grassroots uptake. Students, Professor Owen Hughes, formally They included: launched the project to an audience including: the • Three staff workshops Vice Chancellor and President, Margaret Gardner AO; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and Vice- • Regular reporting to the School Executive President, Professor Gill Palmer; the Dean, Learning • Regular reporting to the Learning and Teaching and Teaching, Professor Geoffrey Crisp; and staff from Committee Student Services, each RMIT College, as well as staff • Belonging Project School Forum from our own School. A number of students who had participated in the student focus groups also attended • Regular items in the School newsletter the launch. • Informal presentations and meetings with key groups of staff Information Provision Dissemination This report makes up the major form of ‘information Engaged Dissemination – beyond the School provision’ dissemination undertaken during Phase 1. At the same time, we had a number of more formal As the project continues into Phase 2, we plan to strategies for disseminating the research beyond the produce further research outputs: scholarly articles School: and conferences presentations. • Strategic meetings with key stakeholders (including representatives of: the University’s Academic Portfolio, Ofﬁ ce of the Dean of Students, Survey Services Centre, Student Services, and Learning and Teaching staff within the College of Design and Social Context) • Presentation at the RMIT Student Cohort Experience Forum

• Attendance at the RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo

• Launch of our Pilot Initiatives

• Monthly meetings of the Belonging Project Reference Group

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 35 Outcomes

36 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 commencing students with their academic transition Recommendations throughout their fi rst year – and beyond. We recommend that specifi c activities – in the formal or informal curriculum – be introduced to tackle General Recommendations from Student this transition. Our benchmark references provide Focus Group Research a number of possible examples of how this might The following recommendations emerged from take place, such as the University of Auckland’s ‘FYE analysis of the student focus group transcripts. The Targeted Learning sessions’, where fi rst year students recommendations are organised here according to workshop a major assignment with librarians, the three tiers of the Belonging Project narrative Student Learning staff, tutors, and FYE mentors. model, with emergent data and observations grouped We recommend that the School consider a similar afterwards: initiative. There is great potential to work with Student Services in developing activities in this area. Tier 1: The First Year Experience – Disciplinary/ Program Focus Tier 2: The Second Year Experience – Interdisciplinary Focus Improved Orientation To assist with problems that fi rst year students Cross-Year Connections in particular encountered during their transition Students are keen for cross-year connections but need to university, we recommend that the School and help establishing and maintaining them. However, programs work together to develop an improved, given the challenges with nomenclature, buy-in and coordinated, holistic approach to orientation, in sustainability, as well as evidence from past models consultation with key University services. adopted in the School, a traditional mentoring system is not necessarily the best solution. We recommend We also recommend more work with staff around that staff begin incorporating cross-year links (no transition and orientation, to outline in more detail matter how minor) into their courses and programs the range of issues that students have during this where possible, and that the project team continue period. There is a need for further discussion with, researching and mapping existing efforts as we work and education and training of program directors, towards developing a better model. fi rst year coordinators, academic advisors and all staff teaching fi rst years (including sessional staff) Broader Approach To Work Integrated Learning about the concept of transition as a process, rather While students are generally satisfi ed with the than orientation as a one-off cure-all. This training level of industry connection within their program, could work to embed the transition to a university they want more practical ‘how to’ information to environment and learning style within the formal supplement existing opportunities and examples. We curriculum, as well as providing suggested ways recommend a broader approach to WIL that is less students could be supported through informal program-driven, and more focused on generic skills activities. that students could use to make autonomous industry connections, consider a wider range of industry pathways, and develop their professional literacy and Continued Assistance To Form Social identity. Connections Students clearly articulated their need for assistance Interdisciplinary Facilitation to make social connections during fi rst year. While We recommend that the project team continue it is envisaged that some of this assistance will be investigating ways to facilitate broader and/or facilitated as part of an improved orientation and improved interdisciplinary communication within transition pedagogy, there is also scope for work and beyond the School. This involves exploring around formal and informal activities to support this suggestions that have arisen from the student focus need. groups, as well as from the three staff workshops – for example, we could look further at a student-run Further Assistance With Academic Transition website, consider installing an all-School photo board Again, while this is something that will be touched in the Student Atelier space, create an all-School on in orientation, as well as during fi rst year Facebook page, assist in producing a networking courses, there is scope for more work on supporting event, or support the facilitation of cross-program

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 37 links at the course-level. The process should include pressing need for further education and guidance on the continued mapping of existing links, which could the use of Facebook – whether social or linked to class be further extended or integrated. work. However, we are aware that we need to work within and alongside University policy on this matter. Better Reﬂ ection On Transferable Skills We recommend that the project team continue to More work is needed to identify and articulate closely monitor this situation – from both the student transferable skills developed in all programs. This and University perspective. If possible within existing may be facilitated through the establishment of more policy guidelines, we recommend that the School or improved interdisciplinary links, but could also be facilitate education and training for staff and students built through generic skills or careers workshops. in this area.

Tier 3: The Third Year Experience – Intercultural/Global Focus Recommendations for Pilot Initiatives in 2012 Enhancing Internationalisation In The Classroom Our analysis suggests that further work is required The First Year Experience to improve connections between domestic and ‘In keeping with our three-tiered model of student international students, as well as to improve the engagement, and its alignment with the three-year global experience of all students on campus. As a structure of the undergraduate degree program, we strategy to improve both, we recommend that ways recommend that the focus of 2012 is the FYE and be found to more fully recognise and incorporate transition to university life. With this focus in mind, existing intercultural resources within the classroom, we propose to pilot and evaluate a series of key and as part of the School’s existing global networks. initiatives (refer to more detailed information in the This could take the form of, ﬁ rst, further research Conclusion of this report, on p. 42): and mapping in this area, and also, the development of a focused workshop with key staff. This would Key Pilot Initiatives for 2012: also improve the global experience of those students 1 A ‘Cohort Big Day Out’ who do not choose to take a global study option for a Coordinated Orientation Week Activities range of reasons. 2 3 End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions Emergent Data and Observations 4 Student Informal Spaces Initiatives Refurbishment of the School’s 5 Academic Transition Student Informal Spaces We recommend that immediate work be undertaken 6 Curriculum-based Initiatives to improve the Student Atelier space so that it responds to student needs. This would provide a Other activities to be explored and evaluated: fast and visible way to show our commitment to 7 Week 10 engagement activities improving the student experience in our School. 8 Informal staff/student skill workshops Early Graduate Outreach 9 Cross School skills workshops A number of students expressed confusion around 10 Student-led initiatives pathways into industry. In light of the previous comments about transferable skills, we recommend that the project team, programs and School consider implementing some sort of early graduate outreach, perhaps in the way of an ‘exit interview’ with Implications and Discussion graduating/graduated students. This would allow students to reﬂ ect on their skills, strengths, and Alongside the recommendations above, several possible career choice at the end of their degree, broader implications of the research can be noted. and receive guidance on the range of options and pathways available to them. Research Methods The positive results achieved thus far, through Clearer Guidance on Facebook Usage engagement with the project’s various stakeholders, Our analysis clearly suggests that there is a strong and

38 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 have reaffi rmed that an action research methodology well as clarity in the complex relationship between and a ‘soft’ approach to engagement suited our the responsibilities of School administration staff and aims well. While this is of clear relevance to our those of University administration. continued research plans, it is also, arguably, of wider signifi cance for this fi eld of research in general. As Academic Staff Development: Learning & the Belonging Project continues to develop a narrative Teaching model aiming to be relevant for a range of contexts, There is scope for more targeted training of academic its contribution might extend to the methods for staff that repositions student engagement and student researching and implementation of such a model transition from ‘on top of the workload’ to being an within a large and complex institution, along with the embedded part of the curriculum. Working through philosophy, initiatives and activities that constitute its new and existing forums (for example, the new elements. seminar series in our School, Teachers @ Work), we aim for student engagement to be recognised as a Aspiration & HEPPP Recruitment legitimate and potentially rich area of scholarship and In line with the focus of the HEPPP, we began research outputs. investigating our School’s engagement with students from a low SES background. Because of a Sustainable Student Engagement Practices lack of detailed available data, this was a far more There is a need for continued mapping and reporting complicated process than we anticipated. We were of student engagement practices to ensure they surprised to learn that few – if any – of our students become sustainable. This reporting would ideally be meet the HEPPP guidelines for low SES status. It is embedded in the existing Program Annual Review clear that further work is needed – both within the (PAR) process undertaken by academic staff in our School and with our colleagues in the Equity and School (with potential for further/improved assistance Diversity area of Student Services– to investigate by professional staff). More work is needed to identify some of the possible reasons for this situation. the best methods to gather and analyse this data in an We know, for instance, that Victoria has a small effi cient and useful way. pool of low SES students in comparison to other states around the nation. However, through our student focus groups, we also found that our School attracts highly aspirational students from a range of backgrounds. This suggests that further work into how to better capture aspirational students from low SES backgrounds should become a key aim of our ongoing research.

The Belonging Project and Program/Course Renewal The School of Media and Communication is currently involved in a process of large-scale undergraduate program renewal. This process has been informed by the work of the Belonging Project, and presents a signiﬁ cant opportunity for our model to be embedded on a larger scale.

Engagement of Professional Staff Work during Phase 1 has reinforced the important role professional staff play in student engagement. Professional staff are often on the front line of contact with students and it is necessary to consider how these interactions impact on the student experience. Also important is clarity in the division and sharing of responsibilities between professional and academic staff in relation to student engagement activities: as

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 39 c orientation model, the of rst tier ned model of student belonging in keeping with our our with keeping in belonging student of model ned ndings to a large School audience. School large a to ndings ed key contacts for orientation and other student engagement activities in each activities each in engagement student other and orientation for contacts key ed initial three-tier model after testing with staff and students. students. and staff with testing after model three-tier initial FYE the on School. our in focused Forum). School the at 40 than more and 2, Workshop pilot). one least at for up signed care. activities. program. international. and local School, the in program University. and University College levels. School, • • refi more and clearer a Developed • part fi the as 2012 in of activities pilots to of number a Selected • Staff at 21 improved an 1, Workshop activities in Staff at (15 engaged numbers Staff • University. and School the of levels strategic higher the at up Project taken • staff. from feedback Unsolicited • School. the within renewal program and course in model the of Incorporation • programs 11 of (Nine 2012 in initiatives pilot for up signing programs of Breadth • pastoral and engagement student around staff School in changes attitudinal Observed • more specifi as well activities as and informal formal of a map Developed • Identifi • program. each in networks staff these with communication Established/improved • every from students, 75 groups, 16 – groups focus in participation student Strong • and School programs, in experience student the on data detailed and rich Yielded • preliminary fi Disseminated the at processes • strategic various into data this incorporating for potential the Flagged model developed and ned through an action research process. action an through research staff). services technical stakeholders. Directors Retreat. School. in program exercises. mapping the in captured not practices part. status. or international domestic model. the tested explicitly that questions as well as RMIT, at stakeholders and our project Reference Group. project our and Reference stakeholders • workshops Three staff staff, • professional to (e.g. presentations informal Various • Forum. Staff Project School Belonging The • key with consultations and meetings smaller of number A • Program the at practices engagement student Gathered • every to document mapping orientation an Distributed • 3. FYE the Workshop Mapped Staff at • present and past about staff key of number a with Consulted • groups. focus student of Undertook series a • take to level year and every program from students Invited • and level year to according groups focus Organised • university broad experience their about participants Asked • two at with staff workshops. staff the model Tested • groups. focus through students with model the Tested • with external through consultation the model Tested • refi feedback: Incorporated ne Promote a sense of of sense a Promote among belonging from every staff the across program and Media of School by Communication, the in them engaging grassroots a project at level. practices current Map the activitiesand across and — formal School relate — that informal engagement. student to analyse and Gather perspectives student on the current student undergraduate within experience School the programs, and the University. Aim of a model Develop ‘belonging’, student refi and test and through model the with staff consultation students. and Actions Outcomes Phase 1: Summary of Aims and Outcomes

40 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 ts within an existing theoretical students. School’s our of le ce of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (Academic) Deputy the of Vice-Chancellor ce ed key areas to track in the University the in track to surveys, particularly orientation. around areas key ed for 2012. for value. framework. framework. Transition. and Diversity, and collaboration. continued in 2012. early complete due to space Atelier Student Cohort Experience Forum, the RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo, and the the and Expo, Teaching and Learning RMIT the Forum, Cohort Experience Student 2012). (Sydney, Conference Education Satisfaction Higher in Student system, Education Higher the Australian and University, our School including: contexts, economy. global competitive increasingly an and all levels. at • University Context, in the project’s and Social Design of College Buy-in from School, • Services. Student with links closer Developed • the 2011 Project at Launch. attendance and staff University Executive • • Equity University-wide groups: working following the of members are Project leaders • Identifi • Equity and Diversity & Survey with Established links for Centre valuable Services • themes. project’s our around central review literature Conducted extensive an • profi demographic precise more a Formed 2011. • December in launch our at announced were 2012 for initiatives Pilot • the Student refurbish to underway with work is already Initiative Spaces The Student • Activities. Week Orientation Co-ordinated underway for already are Plans • 2012. action for plan comprehensive a Developed • Offi the through funding HEPPP Received • Invitations to speak/attend various conferences and forums, including: the RMIT RMIT the including: forums, and • conferences various speak/attend to Invitations • of number a to relation in project our situated is how articulated precisely More • stakeholders our project our for for rationale persuasive more and clearer a Developed • project our fi how understanding of clearer a Developed eld (international and local). (international eld cally, the implementation of our pilot initiatives in 2012. 2012. in initiatives pilot our of implementation the cally, & Diversity, Student Services, the Academic Portfolio, the the Portfolio, Academic the Services, Student Diversity, & Survey Context, Services and Social Design of College Centre. SES, CEQ and AGS data. AGS and SES, CEQ university equity data. Policy and & Planning & Research Survey Centre, Services units. Reporting School. the within School. our in students are plans our ensure to School the in staff strategic other structures existing to and alongside work and sustainable processes. specifi our research project. research our our research. to context international practice fi our in best • Equity areas: key in the following with staff meetings Held • • existing undertook and of preliminary analysis Gathered • existing undertook and of preliminary analysis Gathered staff Diversity and Equity University’s the with • Consulted • the University: of areas key with the following Consulted • practices/activities engagement student existing Mapped • and students. staff with School in consultation pilots Selected • FYE the across of pilots possible of number a Mapped and • representatives program interested with closely Worked • project: the of 2 Phase for funding continuation Sought • • surrounding literature the reviewed Surveyed critically and • and national university, School, the Investigated • existing of benchmarks a range of Surveyed and evaluated the across ndings Develop networks of Develop and communication project disseminate fi and University. School Establish baseline data data Establish baseline evaluation the for initiatives pilot of the throughout the of phases following project. for a plan Develop in initiatives key piloting beyond. and 2012 Aim the Situate and project model within methodology literature latest the existing alongside and practices. Actions Outcomes

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 41 Conclusion

42 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 At the end of Phase 1 we have gained many valuable process, and working on a communication strategy insights into the management of a large-scale long- to engage our various stakeholders has been an term project. A central lesson concerns the necessity unexpectedly large part of Phase 1. We anticipate it of ensuring sustained and continued engagement will continue to remain central for the duration of the with staff around cultural change. A large part of our project. role, through this project, is to help staff to translate The three-tiered Belonging Narrative model and make real the University’s strategic direction. As connecting the inclusive student cohort experience part of this process we have gained an insight into the to developing students’ disciplinary and professional necessity of involving both academic and professional identity has proved, thus far, to be a useful, generative staff, acknowledging their existing knowledge and proposition. It provides a coherent framework within resources, recognising needs for further professional which previously atomised interventions to improve development and providing the necessary support the student experience can be coordinated. It has the to ensure the sustainability of our initiatives. This potential to assist staff, and students too, to develop a has supported our belief that the aims of the project new understanding of the unique benefi ts a university cannot be achieved only from the top down; there is a experience can, and needs to, offer in the changing need to listen to and incorporate grassroots expertise, ‘knowledge economy’ of the twenty fi rst century. practices, observations, and feedback. Phase 1 of the Belonging Project has succeeded in One of our most signifi cant insights has been the ‘planting the seeds’, establishing a new dialogue within realisation that little things can make a big difference, a large and complex School on the nature of the and this has encouraged us to continue in our efforts cohort experience and conducting valuable baseline to inspire cultural change and grassroots uptake of research with staff and students. It has opened the our project’s aspirations – within and beyond our way for the pilot activities of 2012 and beyond, and School. We have found that when working towards cast light on the opportunities and challenges ahead these goals, personal interactions are generally the in seeking to ensure that as many students as possible most powerful, and can also be the simplest – but not can get the most from their university experience always the most obvious – route to action. However, developing the necessary relationships can be a long

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience (2012)

2012 Pilot Initiative 1 A ‘Cohort Big Day Out’ This key curriculum intervention will take place early in each semester and allow programs to link assessment outcomes to transition and orientation activities. Designed to take the students ‘out of the classroom’ and into unfamiliar situations where teamwork will be encouraged.

2 Coordinated Orientation Building on the already successful orientation activities offered by programs, the Week Activities School and RMIT Student Services, we will trial a ‘passport’ system to encourage all students to access the variety of activities and services offered throughout the orientation period.

3 End of Year Festival of Many of the programs in the School have end-of-year events but traditionally these Events and Exhibitions are not publicised beyond the small cohort of students involved. We will begin a process to encourage links across year groups and program cohorts, including a ‘School wide’ brochure and web presence.

4 Student Informal Spaces A project to furnish and rebrand the School’s various Student Informal Spaces, Initiatives including the new Student Atelier space in Building 9, will encourage students to feel ownership of these currently under utilised spaces. We will track formal and informal usage and begin to program a series of events in this space.

5 Academic Transition We will work closely with RMIT’s Student Services to deliver ‘just in time’ advice, support, skills etc.

6 Curriculum-based The development of partnerships with one or more programs in the School that run Initiatives project-based courses for advanced level students in which ﬁ rst year and transition issues can serve as ‘real-world’ problems for design and communication solutions.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 43 Other activities to be explored and evaluated: 7 Week 10 engagement activities 8 Informal staff/student skill workshops 9 Cross School skills workshops 10 Student-led initiatives

44 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Bibliography

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Phase 1: Planting the seeds 47 Student Engagement Principles. (2009). Sydney: Macquarie University Learning and Teaching Centre. Tinto, V. (2005). Refl ections on retention and persistence: Institutional actions on behalf of student persistence. Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development, 2(3), 89–97. Top Universities Slam Bradley Review. (February 18, 2009). AAP General News Wire. Retrieved from http://search. proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/docview/4484716 82?accountid=13552 Topsfi eld, J. (November 14, 2011). National curriculum means lack of state competition. The Age. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/ national-curriculum-means-lack-of-state-competition- 20111113-1nduj.html Valadez, J. (1993). Cultural capital and its impact on the aspirations of nontraditional commnity college students. Community College Review, 21(3), 30–43. Varghese, M., & Brett, K. (2011). International Student Barometer Project 2010. Canberra: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Retrieved from http://www.universitiesaustralia.edu. au/isb. Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: race, social fi t, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82–96. Walton, G. M., Cohen, G. L., Cwir, D., & Spencer, S. J. (2011). Mere belonging: the power of social connections. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(3), 513–532. Winkle-Wagner, R. (2010). Cultural capital: the promises and pitfalls in educational research. Hoboken N.J: John Wiley & Sons. Your Transition: putting the pieces together. (no date). Melbourne: The University of Melbourne Services for Students Retrieved from http://services.unimelb.edu.au/ transition/.

48 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 working at a remote and distributed university where Appendix 1 orientation and transition activities engendered a strong sense of group identity and bonding. Similarly, a staff member whose course delivery is primarily The Belonging Project online, emphasised that this can also engender a Program Directors Retreat strong sense of cohort belonging despite the activities Workshop Report taking place in ‘virtual’ spaces. For another staff member, developing a shared sense of belonging with students was about sharing a physical space, Report Authors: David Carlin, Bronwyn Clarke, by moving their offi ce to the students’ studio space. Rachel Wilson, Karli Lukas and Lucy Morieson Still other staff members were keen to point out Published: September 2011 that not everyone wants to belong, and that ‘the outsider’ perspective can be desirable and creatively Introduction productive for some. One suggested that there is a On Thursday 18 August 2011, the Belonging Project danger in belonging too much because it can stifl e team ran a workshop session for a group of Program diversity, while another pointed out that belonging by Directors and other key management staff within the nature is always defi ned in opposition to those who School of Media and Communication. The session do not belong. was two and a half hours long, allowing the team to present their progress to date, and to run two The Presentation generative group activities among the School’s staff. The aim of the presentation was to inform and update This report serves two purposes. First, it refl ects an audience that was largely unfamiliar with details on the progress made at the Retreat, outlining of the project. Thus, the presentation began by the activities used to direct the session, and their introducing the project objectives, before outlining reception. Second, it outlines the result of these in some detail the proposed three-level model and activities and provides some preliminary analysis of associated narrative, explaining how this could be the material gathered. It describes the key trends and mapped across different year levels of the (formal notable comments garnered in response to a number and informal) curriculum. These were communicated of prompts offered during the session, including a visually through the ‘Trumpet’ model diagram worksheet activity. (Diagram 1) and the Three Year Experience Overlay The report concludes by briefl y refl ecting on the (Diagram 3). event as a whole and the next steps in the research process.

Graduation Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 and beyond Shared Narratives The session began with nearly all participants (some were limited due to time) sharing a short one minute narrative about their experience of belonging – whether at university or elsewhere. Many staff shared strong and poignant anecdotes of belonging – whether their own, their students’, or their children’s, in the case of some parents in the group. Equally resonant from the narratives though was the experience of not belonging. This emerged from staff members who have been through recent transitions, or who feel like they don’t belong within the School intellectually or due to institutional Disciplinary (Program Environment) structures. Those who had been through situations Interdisiplinary (School Environment) that challenged the mechanisms of belonging Intercultural (Global Environment) emphasised how important belonging was. For instance, one staff member shared an experience of Diagram 1: The Trumpet

50 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Semester 1 Semester 2

Year 1 Generic Tertiary Skill courses

Camp M&C Generic Skill courses Cross Year mentoring Year Cross

Year 2 Interdisciplinary/courses/assessment Interdisplinary Something Week Something Festival/Exhibition

Year 3

Global Global Experience

Sharing Global Experiences Mentoring (Program Environment) Industry Engagement Interdisciplinary (School Environment)

Diagram 3: The Three Year Experience Overlay

Exercise One: Activities Worksheet Responses to the Activities Worksheet After presenting the project’s vision and hypothesis 24 staff were asked to rate each activity on a scale of in the form of the three-tiered narrative model, staff 1 (love it) to 5 (hate it). Percentage responses were members were directed to work in small groups on a then analysed. worksheet provided by the team. The worksheet fulﬁ lled a number of aims: Discussion: Response to the Activities • It reiterated the proposed narrative and its Worksheet three-tiered structure; A number of notable points emerged from discussion • It required staff to indicate activities they were around the worksheets. Many of these were existing already undertaking, or had undertaken in initiatives that could be extended with the right their programs, that work within the proposed support. Others were concerns with the proposed narrative; narrative and existing structures.

• And fi nally, it required staff to indicate which The key initiatives, problems and points of activities they would be keen to undertake: to discussion are summarised below: rank these according to their most and least • Vertical studios – Some staff members shared favoured options and to indicate what resources their experiences with vertical studios, and there would be needed if they were to undertake these. was signifi cant interest from the group about this as an initiative that could be extended across The outcome from this worksheet was twofold. other programs in order to facilitate cross-year First, it enabled us to compile an overview of staff mentoring. interest in the specifi ed activities and identify the resourcing issues associated with their • In the example shared with the group, students implementation. Second, broad discussions around from various year levels attend the same studios so the narrative and proposed activities elicited a students across different year levels can mingle. number of salient observations in the form of both This allows for student-lead mentoring, can be existing opportunities and perceived problems with related to assessment, and can also be fed into the model. These are summarised in the results research projects. The point was made that if section. this style of learning is successful, it eliminates

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 51 the need for entirely sequential learning after extended. a certain point. That is, with a pool of shared One instance of this is the Professional knowledge, students can learn the basics and then Communication Program. Currently offered at two learn collaboratively according to need, rather campuses, (and almost three, when it is extended than sequence. to SIM), Professional Communication is already • Shared skills courses (e.g. creative coding) – In interdisciplinary, taking its core courses from three a discussion around generic and shared skills different programs in the fi rst year. courses that could be run across the School as a This was raised as a problem because the idea whole, creative coding was given as an example of ‘disciplinary gangs’ does not fi t with the existing of a skill that could be taught to equip students Professional Communication structure. However, with skills and to connect across disciplines. It it also demonstrates the way in which students are was suggested that a constructive way to think already working across disciplines. The challenge about these matters was in terms of literacies – is how students can experience belonging within so, to consider which literacies are common to a uniquely structured program like Professional all students across the School, compared to the Communication, while still making the most of the literacies that are discipline or program specifi c. cross-disciplinary experiences inherent in such a • Online as a space to share experiences – Staff Program. members shared their experiences of online This unique cross-disciplinary structure also delivery, and particularly, their success in offers opportunities in terms of triangulating facilitating shared student knowledge and the learning experience. A case in point is the experiences online. Professional Writing course, currently delivered in three locations, onshore and offshore. This course It was suggested that, even for those classes using offers opportunities to triangulate the learning physical delivery of content, the online space could at all three locations, through blended learning be harnessed before the commencement of classes and teaching techniques, for instance, facilitating to help establish connections and build a sense of assessment that allows students to work together community. on a publication across the three campuses, making • Industry partnerships – The success of industry editorial/curatorial decisions collectively, to foster partnerships, when they are well executed, was belonging to the program across the three different noted. A particular example was The Germinate spaces. Project, involving collaboration across schools and Another example is COMM2384 Client colleges, and between students and industry. Management (Advertising) or COMM2137 Client • Camps – The idea of a camp was suggested Relationships (Public Relations). In the case of the as a way to build a sense of belonging and to Advertising Program, Client Management is currently orient students to university life during a short, delivered in Vietnam and Melbourne, and will soon intensive period. It was suggested that this would be offered at SIM in Singapore. Very similar content be particularly good for forming relationships is taught in the Public Relations iteration, Client between domestic and international students. Relationships. These two courses offer an opportunity However, it was recognised that this would be and present a challenge to staff to think about ways most successful if the outcome was directly linked to teach creatively across spaces and cultures in a way to course work, for instance, culminating in a that fosters a shared sense of belonging among the fi nished project at the end of the camp. diverse cohorts. • Existing opportunities – some staff reminded the Finally, the comment was made that programs group that there are already a number of existing are already laden with a range of ‘intercultural cross-disciplinary and intercultural activities experiences’, but these need to be made more visible occurring within the School. The existence of and explicit to students. these activities were interpreted in a number of ways: as a structural problem for the staff working Problems in these areas, due to their anomalous nature; as a challenge to the proposed three-level narrative of While in the point above the discussion around the The Belonging Project; or as existing opportunities limitations of disciplinary structures was raised as that could be better acknowledged and potentially an opportunity, other participants found a problem

52 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 with the apparent program-focused structure of the Exercise Two: Imagining Three Key project. ‘Interventions’ This was particularly problematic for Following the highly focused work and discussion staff members who teach into the Bachelor required and elicited by the worksheets, the second of Communication majors, which are taught exercise was a more imaginative activity. across multiple programs within the Bachelor of Participants were instructed to form groups, Communication. For these staff, belonging is a guided by their interest in three potential problematic concept, particularly when it is linked interventions in the (formal or informal) curriculum: to a program base, given the ‘fl oating’ nature of their courses. Further, a transdisciplinary approach can 1. Orientation/transition be found in a number of successful models within the School (most notably Honours), but also the 2. The student festival, and Interdisciplinary Communication Project course, as 3. The ‘Something Week’ well as Professional Communication, and broadly, the Bachelor of Communication itself. These three activities had emerged from the More general concerns included that activities earlier staff workshop, with orientation/transition would continue to happen in disparate areas of the activities and a student festival (positioned at the School, without the intended connection between end-of-year to showcase student work) representing staff and students, as well as concerns about the achievable extensions to existing initiatives in the challenges posed by timetabling. Another question School, and ‘Something Week’ – a proposed week in was raised about how the project could be extended the curriculum when no classes are timetabled so to include postgraduate cohorts in future. students can undertake a range of interdisciplinary • Collaboration – Given the project’s focus on activities – representing something more radical. collaborative activities in the second layer of the Participants independently formed four groups: narrative, there was discussion about the best one focusing on orientation/transition, one focusing way to approach collaboration as a graduate on the festival, and two thinking around the outcome and method of learning and teaching. ‘Something Week’. The ideas that emerged from It was suggested that this was best thought each table’s ‘blue-sky’ workshopping are summarised of as a literacy that needs to be developed below. through a range of activities that work towards successful collaboration as the fi nal point, rather Group 1: Orientation/Transition than assuming students already know how to Six staff: 1 x Deputy Dean, 1 x Assoc. Dean, 3 x HE Program collaborate successfully. Collaboration needs to be Directors, 1 x TAFE Program Manager recognised as an intellectual process, which means This group saw transition activities fulfi lling a very working in good faith and being invested in the specifi c role. They emphasised that these activities project, and there was some discussion about how should be clearly differentiated from University- to best equip students with this recognition. wide orientation activities and Program-specifi c • Long-term induction process – While there was Information Sessions. Instead, the group suggested enthusiasm for many of the proposed orientation that the School could offer something fun and social activities, it was strongly recommended that around transition. By removing the activity from the Orientation be repositioned as transition – a ‘orientation’ tag, it did not need to occur at the very long-term process, embedded and built upon start of the semester, but rather, sometime at the throughout the entire university lifecycle. beginning of year, before the end of the fi rst semester. • Low SES students – There were questions about The suggested activities were organised around the project’s aims in this area: specifi cally, food, as a social focus – but alcohol-free, to refl ect whether this group represented students from cultural understanding – and fi lms, allowing for inner-city Melbourne, or rural students relocating intercultural engagement. Importantly, students for university, or both. There was a suggestion would need to be involved in the implementation of that targeting high school students – possibly these activities to ensure their success. While staff those studying a university subject in their fi nal could provide the resources, students could work on school year – could be a fi rst step in the belonging delivering the details, such as planning, curating and process. promoting the events.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 53 As there are approximately 4,000 onshore students ‘Something Week’ activities, but they could opt-in to in the School, these initiatives would begin as small more. events and build from there. Group 4: Something week (2) Group 2: Festival Five staff: 5 x Program Directors Eight staff: 2 x Assoc. Deans, 4 x HE Program Directors, This group also worked with the idea of the 1 x TAFE Program Manager, 1 x HDR Director ‘Something Week’. This version of ‘Something Week’ This team imagined that the festival could consist of would be a student-run event that would become a a series of independently curated, program or course- legacy project made for future cohorts. specifi c micro-events, brought together through a This event would take place in second year, cohesive festival program. Students would be involved responding to the ‘second year slump’ syndrome at all levels of the event, whether through showcasing and lack of identity commonly associated with their work, designing the program and posters, or that phase of university life. The event would be planning the key events. modeled on the idea of an ‘unconference’ – that is, a One of these events would be the launch night, participant-driven event, in which staff would provide which could also encompass a showcase of excellence, the infrastructure (time off, space, equipment, and followed by an opening party, to which alumni and guidelines), and students would be in charge of industry would be invited. In order to bookend the planning, proposing and voting for their desired festival with key events, the program could culminate content. All students would be involved on some level in an awards night where the best student work was – if not presenting, then in the planning, production recognised. and recording of the event. The documentation and The group identifi ed some initial challenges to publication of the end product would be an important implementation: the key one being the availability element to make the effort a legacy project, requiring of resources – particularly time – as well as the reciprocity from future years. possibility of industry fatigue in relation to these The event would be interdisciplinary in nature events. not only because students would work across cohorts, but also in the freedom they would be given to be Group 3: Something Week (1) involved in any capacity they choose, regardless of Six staff: 5 x HE Program Directors (2 x offshore), their disciplinary identity. 1 x L&T Offi cer In order to encourage participation by all students, This group suggested that the proposed ‘Something the event would be linked to assessment. But it would Week’ could be a way to embed volunteer also be made valuable by the investment made by opportunities for students within the formal and staff, alumni and industry, who would be invited to informal curriculum. So, refl ecting the narrative attend, as well as the legacy value of the fi nal product. model and building from local to global, fi rst year could involve volunteer projects at local primary Conclusion schools, while second year might be a national The Belonging Project Workshop at the School of volunteer project, and third year could be an Media and Communication’s Program Directors opportunity to volunteer globally. In addition to Retreat was successful on a number of fronts. One enriching the university curriculum, this would also of the objectives was to share the project’s narrative provide an opportunity to build connections with with the program directors and identify potential lower SES students at local schools. champions in the School, and the team was satisfi ed It was recognised that in order for students that this was achieved. For instance, one participant to participate, these initiatives would have to who was initially skeptical ended the session talking be tied to a tangible outcome, possibly through about the “great possibility of The Belonging Project”. developing a leadership module around these Most participants were visibly enthused following the activities. Alternatively, it could be an assessable brainstorming sessions. One participant remarked part of the curriculum, requiring only a pass grade, on how excited they were about the prospect of the with preparatory and refl ective activities built into ‘Something Week’, and a number of people have the surrounding curriculum. All students would indicated they are keen to remain involved with the be required to undertake at least one of these planning at a big picture or specifi c level.

54 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 With the momentum gained from the Retreat workshop, the team will move on to a number of smaller staff workshops and consultations around key areas of focus and speciﬁ c activities. The next step however is to hold a series of student focus groups. The qualitative data gained from these sessions will be vital for triangulating results from staff workshops and the literature and existing benchmarks. This is an important point in the research process at which to pause to gather feedback from a range of sources, adjust the hypothesis accordingly, and continue shaping the proposed model and seeking further feedback.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 55 Appendix 2

The Belonging Project Student Focus Group Guide 2011

Guide Authors: Dr Lucy Morieson and Karli Lukas

1. Welcome and Housekeeping: • What sorts of things make you happy? • Welcome and thanks • What sorts of things don’t you like? • Food and drink • How would you describe the sense of community in the ______program? (& School & Uni) • Timing • How do you communicate with each other outside • Reminder about ethics of class? Email? Facebook? Text message? What • Thank-you pack else? 2. Ground Rules: • What things, including activities, have helped you to develop friendships with other students at uni? • Listen respectfully • No ‘right’ answer 6. Activity Three: Road Map (Future) • No ‘dobbing’! • Draw yourself as a professional working in your • Our role as researchers chosen industry • Anything we’ve missed? • Think about the skills you’ll need at that stage of you life: 3. Activity One: Belonging Anecdotes – Which of them do you have? • One minute per person – Which of them don’t you have? 4. Activity One: Road Map (Beginning) – Which are the things that you’re stressing about getting in time? • Note on sheet: name, age, gender, international/ local, school leaver/mature age/articulating [Refer to list of activities – especially cross-year mentoring, collaboration with different programs, • Now, draw a path across the entire page … it doesn’t matter how it looks industry and alumni events, and global experiences] • Think back to when you received your letter of offer • What role, if any, do you see for RMIT in your life and the expectations you had… after you leave uni? • Draw yourself as you were when you began … 7. Wrap-up Activity: Wish List and Reﬂ ections • Consider your expectations… • Each participant names one thing they would put on • From RMIT as a University? the ‘wish list’ to improve their RMIT experience • From RMIT staff? • Would you still apply to RMIT/your course, given the • From other students? chance? Why/why not? • From the academic experience? • Is there anything you want to say before we wrap up? • Discuss these drawings and expectations as a group 8. Conclusion: 5. Activity Two: Road Map (Now) • Thank-you • Think about where you are along that path now … • Reminder of outcomes • How did your expectations compare to the reality? • Collect ethics forms, worksheets • What did you get? • Distribute thank you packs • What didn’t you get? • Reﬂ ect on your progress since you started … • How have you changed? • What do you wish you knew then?

56 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Possible activities to prompt • Hearing from students returning from global student discussion: experiences (exchange, study abroad, study tour) Orientation: • Communal spaces • Welcome events – e.g. BBQs, pub nights, ‘speed dating’, etc. Global Experience: • Improved O-day • Student exchange • Library tours • Study abroad • Study tours • Research skills modules • Orientation camps • Urban camps • Return to uni events for 2nd and 3rd years

Social Events, Community Building: • Social events – BBQs, movie nights, etc. • Field trips • New forms of communication – social media, a better student website, a program/school/building zine • Industry and/or alumni events • Improved/more communal spaces • Camps

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: • Cross disciplinary projects • Generic skills courses – electives or intensives – e.g. creative coding, how to give a presentation • Student-led collaborative projects – e.g. a zine, website, etc. • School festival – exhibition/sharing of end of year work • Cross-program social events • Cross-program courses • Cross-program projects • Improved/more communal spaces

Cross-Year Mentoring: • Cross-year mentoring projects (e.g. third years preparing materials for ﬁ rst years as part of assessment) • Vertical studios • Improved PIS – including senior students speaking to lower year level students, sharing what they wish they knew at that stage

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 57 of students stated that RMIT had been the only Appendix 3 option they were considering: “I was quite uncertain about my course choice, but RMIT was never really questioned. I just always kind of assumed I’d be at The Belonging Project RMIT.” Student Focus Groups 2011: Part of the pull for RMIT is its image. It is seen to Analysis of Key Themes be more innovative and industry-focused than other universities, particularly the University of Melbourne, which was often brought up by participants as a Report Authors: Dr Lucy Morieson and Karli Lukas comparison: “I always thought that RMIT was the Report Date: October 2011 coolest uni. I felt the other ones were so stuffy and boring, just theory based. So that’s why I liked RMIT, University and RMIT you actually get out there and do stuff. Aside from the reputation of the university, We began by asking students the broad question students are often drawn more specifi cally to a of ‘why university?’ For most students, it was just particular program. They often cited the reputation, assumed that university was the next step after high strong industry focus, and hands-on practical nature school. They saw it as necessary to be employable and of their chosen program as what attracted them to to get ahead in their future workplace: “I feel like in their choice. Most said that they specifi cally wanted a this day and age you really need to have university focused program and university experience after the in your resume to get anywhere because it’s so hard ‘broad’ experience of high school. In particular, they to get a good job and get money if you don’t”. Many wanted to learn a set of practical skills, rather than cited school as a major infl uence in encouraging a a broad knowledge base that they might get under university as the ‘next step’ in their education. Their the Melbourne Model offered at the University of parents’ level of education was also a factor – that is, Melbourne, for instance: if they were university educated, they often expected their children to be too; if they weren’t, there could I’d choose a Bachelor of Communication at RMIT be extra pressure on the child to get what they didn’t. any day, because I know at the end of the day, “I think your parents educational experience does it’s so much more focused, and you actually know have a big impact. Neither of my parents went to uni what you are doing, rather than “Do you want so they were really keen for me to go. Now they are really keen for my sister to go as well. She’s turning fries with that?” at the end of your degree. 11 at the moment.” For this ‘fi rst in family’ student, it was a My friends are doing arts at Melbourne and they combination of home life and school that encouraged don’t have anything specifi c, they all don’t really them to consider university: know what they are going to do and that’s the same with the ones that are doing science … There wasn’t really much focus on uni because I want to learn what I’m going to do in real life. not many of us end up going to uni from our This image of RMIT as innovative and industry school (…) even at home, my Dad, his brothers focused often seemed to come from careers and his Dad, they are all tradies and stuff so they counselors and their high school peers: “when I are like when you fi nish school, come to us, we’ll was in Year 12 heaps of girls were like you know take you on the worksite. I’m like; “I can build Melbourne, Monash but the more interesting, creative stuff, I can build chairs and tables and whatever types were like all RMIT”. but I don’t want to do that sort of thing”. So Another factor was the inner-city location of RMIT I thought like why not uni? So that was my (we only interviewed students at the city campus, inspiration. where our school is located). It is seen to be more We asked students for their broad expectations urban and cosmopolitan than universities with and impressions of RMIT and their answers revealed suburban or rural campuses, and convenience is a a strong emergent theme about the distinctiveness factor. of the RMIT experience. Most students who chose RMIT had very specifi c reasons for doing so. A number

58 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Others participants we questioned were not sure Students were clear that they generally benefi t where this reputation came from, so there is potential from encouragement or incentives to attend, and for future work to be done on the impact of recent suggested that the best way to achieve this was by branding efforts. changing the nature of the orientation activities, and positioning these as vital to proceeding successfully in their program: Orientation Needs and Expectations Orientation was an articulated theme in our focus Yeah, if they make it like you have to come to this groups, as we asked students directly about their before your course starts, it’s really vital that you experiences at orientation, in order to gather come to this: I think it would be really benefi cial, feedback on how it impacts on the overall student and you sort of start familiarising yourself with experience. Overall, we found evidence of a number the faces of people on your course that you’re of problems with the approach to orientation, both at going to be with for the next two or three years a program, school and university level. as well. A number of participants were not comfortable with the current university-wide approach to There was also evidence to suggest that if told orientation and its associated drinking culture: of the importance of such events by more senior students, new students would be more inclined to Most orientations are really cheesy like everyone attend. running around getting drunk, pub crawls, like From our groups with international students not my thing and I think that uni culture, that we found specifi c expectations as well as particular let’s get trashed, I don’t like that, that needs to challenges around their successful orientation be changed. I felt that all the things that were – they arrive at unpredictable times, often after organised involved drinking and partying. formal orientation activities, and are provided with inadequate resources. Sometimes, international This poses a challenge not only for those students students require particular information that is not who are not interested in that style of university covered by traditional orientation: culture, but also for those who enter their fi rst year aged 17 and under the legal drinking age. I did think there’s something missing in the For those who see their degree as a form of orientations especially for international students professional training and a time to make professional about the actual city, stuff like our rights and… networks with their peers, “It’s not the best way to know basic information about Australia. For example your peers, people that you might actually be working with in I’ve had a lot of friends, they’ve had fi nes from the industry one day”. ticket inspectors, because they really have no Some participants discussed a number of idea… orientation activities that they had experienced or would have liked offered at a program-level. For With the discussion of orientation, the topic instance, one talked about a speed dating activity of a camp was often raised. Camp was a polarising that worked well in their program; another described idea. Some loved it, while others were horrifi ed a hypothetical orientation scenario they would like at the thought of being trapped in the forest with to have experienced, based on a more professionally people they do not know. Of those who loved and program-oriented workshop format, with built-in the idea, often camp was one thing they felt they team-building and social activities. missed out that friends at other, more ‘traditional’ universities got to experience. The expectation of When prompted, most participants responded that a camp for international students often captured there was no need for full re-orientation sessions in their desire to attend a traditional Western-style second and third year, replicating the activities of the university, and given that they often narrowly chose fi rst year orientation. But they did suggest that some to come to Australia rather than the United States, sort of ‘refresher’ session would be useful. It was felt was something they felt they were missing out on, that it would be useful to identify new students who especially compared to their friends – whether at enter at different points of the year, whether through home or abroad. transfer or articulation, in order to integrate them into their cohort.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 59 Social Expectations and Issues I just wanted to come here to get it done, to be We asked students about their broad expectations and honest. I just wanted to get the degree done. I experiences of the social side of university life and didn’t realise how much I actually cared about discovered a strong emergent theme about cliques having friends here until I was here and didn’t and competition within program cohorts. But we also have any. found that many students, particularly by second year, have a growing appreciation of the centrality It’s been a massive difference actually, sort of of social support in their success. having heaps of friends at uni now: makes it Some students reported a sense of competition more motivating to go to class if you know you’re within their program year-level cohort around work going to have fun and that sort of thing. You and standards, and a lack of desire to share work catch up before and afterwards. Like, we often among their peers. Those who spoke about cliques in just sit on the grass now and hang out, that sort their program cohorts commented that they formed of thing. very quickly, before they were able to make any strong social connections: I’ve learnt probably as much from the other I found in the course I was in, everyone kind of people I’m studying with as I have in the actual formed these cliques really quickly and I’m kind course itself. of slow to make friends. So when I felt after the Another strong emergent theme was the existence fi rst week I’d missed out on joining these cliques, of a divide between international and local students. I’m like, “great I don’t have any friends.” Local students perceive a barrier between their local and international peers, one that they reportedly lack Others found that they could only get to know the skills and literacies to overcome. Some remarked their peers in a superfi cial way, and found it diffi cult on this, and the homogeneity of their program cohort to break across established groups. in general, as something of a disappointment: “I sort Mature age students in particular were less of thought I’d meet people from different walks of concerned with making social connections and more life [but] there is sort of like a segregation between focused on work or making professional contacts internationals and the local students”. rather than friendships. The gap is observed by international students too: However, students in studio-based courses “There is quite a gap, like whenever you walk into a generally commented that group work was effective classroom most of the time you see like Asians at one at breaking down any early cliques: table and then like other races at different tables.” However, for international students, the divide is The whole doing group work straight off was more striated, as they observe numerous divisions really good because you’re surrounded with like- between every cultural group, rather than just a minded people, you don’t really fi nd people that gap between ‘locals’ and ‘internationals’: “the way you dislike, because it’s such a small group and I see it there isn’t really a barrier between local and because everyone has kind of similar interests. international it’s more of a culture one, you always Those who did make friends within their program see Chinese with Chinese, the Thais with the Thais, cohort reveled in the chance to meet people with the Indians with Indians”. shared interests, something they had not experienced Some international students lamented at high school, and a defi nite benefi t of the university the perceived division, as well as their fellow experience. international students who failed to make an effort Overall, second and third year participants were to bridge the gap. Many of the international students more able to see the value of making social connections who participated in our focus groups said that they at university. For some, it was about a growing were making a conscious effort to get to know their awareness of the need for social connections in their Australian peers, and to improve their English and approaching professional lives, but for a number of cultural knowledge in the process. However, this others it was about realising that friendships and social may well be a refl ection of the sort of students who connections were able to enhance their university were interested and confi dent enough to volunteer experience in previously unanticipated ways: and take part in our groups. And even those who reported forming connections with students in class

60 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 commented that they found it diffi cult to sustain By second and certainly third year, this is less of these connections outside of the classroom. This an issue and students demonstrate an understanding was partly because the cultural barrier remained a of the value of a conceptual rather than technical challenge, or because they found local students too education: “when I was starting the uni course, I was hard to pin down, and less interested in spending expecting some form of technical training and I later time at university after classes: learnt that uni is not about technical training; it’s about learning to think in a certain way”. I still have a lot of anxieties; like I can group There is evidence that students need assistance with people, I can communicate with them about with other transition issues. For instance, a number the project and stuff, but the thing is after uni of participants reported that it’s “easy to slip” when you don’t have much common topic to talk about. attendance is not mandatory, and that they struggled That is a really big deal for me, like I’m trying to to adapt to less contact with lecturers and peers. This fi gure out why it’s like that all the time. was a particular issue for second years, perhaps linked to the ‘sophomore slump’. International participants They go in a class, they’re done and they also refl ected on this issue, saying that in comparison disappear, literally. It’s like they, it’s not to their previous education experiences, “it’s easier everyone, but it feels like they don’t have time for people to make excuses with our Uni system for anything. because it’s more relaxed here”. Despite existing orientation and transition From this emergent theme it is evident that both programs and activities, fi rst years still demonstrated local and international students require further diffi culties with the transition to a university learning assistance to break down existing barriers, including environment, commenting on the fewer contact cultural differences, cliques and competition, and to hours, less time with teaching staff and less feedback develop social ties that will support them throughout from teachers, fewer ‘drafts’, and uncertainty around their degrees and into their professional lives. assessment. The view that “we’re trying to please the teachers rather than trying to have our own work” Academic Expectations and Issues was not uncommon. We directly asked students about their academic A large part of this fi rst-year anxiety seems to experience and found that for fi rst years in particular, stem from the experience of VCE, which nearly all this is still an area associated with much anxiety and local participants referenced in some way, often uncertainty, and requiring improved communication describing it as the “hardest year of your life”. Upon from staff around key points of transition. beginning university, they assume that the academic For students in creative or studio-based programs, expectations will be just as demanding: this anxiety was often focused on the attainment and I assumed it would be even harder than VCE. It’s possession of technical skills, often related to specifi c not that it’s easy but it’s nicer than VCE because software. As one fi rst year student explained: you are doing something you actually want to do I think that would have been really helpful if and you feel like you are controlling it instead of they were like; ‘look everyone’s coming from it’s controlling you. different levels, different places. Connect with However, what they fi nd is that it is not that and understand that before you enter necessarily as hard, but rather, requires a different this course.’ Because I think it creates a lot of style of learning and approach to assessment: unhappiness actually. I heard uni was an absolute bludge and that it This expectation was also refl ected in our was awesome, it was going to be great but we’d discussions with international students, who see skills get heaps of work… but it’s more the out of class training as an essential part of the cost of attending work that builds up, so a lot of stuff that has to university, and are surprised when they are directed to YouTube videos or online forums to learn the be done that we don’t get time for in class. skills required to complete conceptual assignments By second and third year, students seem to be – suggesting that there needs to be more scaffolding more relaxed with the university workload and around the need for this sort of self-directed learning. learning style, but increasingly unsatisfi ed with the

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 61 level of engagement among their peer group, which want more support from university when they form can be a disappointment and impediment to deeper links themselves, or need better explanations of why engagement with the academic experience. connections need to be offi cially sanctioned. For many international students the transition to First years are also very anxious about selling the academic experience is even more challenging themselves to employers in a competitive market. because the learning style is radically different This is mostly about confi dence, and is much less an to what they are accustomed to. While many had issue for second and third years, suggesting that it completed a Foundation Studies program, this had is perhaps an unavoidable part of their professional not completely prepared them for the university development over the course of their three-year experience because the learning style is still undergraduate experience. Nonetheless, some more classroom based. signposting of what is to come, perhaps through For many, the lecture and tutorial system interaction with their second and third year peers, represents huge shift in thinking, learning and could help allay some of their fears. participating, particularly when it is at odds with Like fi rst years, second years still want the the cultural norms of their home country: practical information about how to get where they want to go. While they like guest lectures In most Asian countries they don’t really – not for the career options they demonstrate, there is encourage – but they don’t really promote asking also a need for more practical information to why. It’s like this is your textbook, you do this back this up: and you just like learn that! And if you don’t pass your exam or get an ‘A’, you suck! There is not nearly enough focus in my course on ‘these are the industries and pathways you can While many staff may assume that students are choose’, ‘this is how you get a job in the industry’. prepared for this transition through foundation It’s all very much people in the past have worked studies or orientation, this is not necessarily the in this industry and been very successful and case and it can be extremely challenging for some enjoyed themselves. It’s not anything to do with international students to accept the new norms and how you get there. standards of the Australian education system: “[my teacher] is all like ‘it’s okay, you are on your fi rst year, Third years, while more confi dent than the you can make mistakes’. But for Asians, like if you fi rst and second years in general, in retrospect still make a mistake, you are going to die!” expressed a wish for more practical advice and Industry and Professional Identity experience built across the three years of the degree – “like I wish it was the third year back in the fi rst year This was an articulated question; we directly asked if that makes sense”. students to think about their professional lives and what they felt they needed to equip them for working We gathered a range of feedback about the in their chosen industry. We found that not many industry experience of teaching staff. Some students participants could answer this question in much were very satisfi ed with the strong connection detail, and those who could were mostly third years. their teachers had with the industry – for example, a number of participants were impressed that For fi rst years, uncertainties about their future they were given real life briefs to work on in class. profession are less about forming connections and But others were disappointed, not only with the gaining experience and more about the basic practical limited experience of their teachers, but also with information to prepare them for those later stages. the attitude that they perceived in their teaching They want to know what skills they will need along staff that what they were studying would be a with ‘how to’ guides on some of the basic stages of ‘hobby’ rather than a profession. But on the whole, getting experience. participants were quite realistic about their options Part of this will necessarily be learnt along the way, after university, accepting that they will have to work which participants were generally aware of. But there their way up, and keen to gain the skills to do that. does exist some misunderstanding of the extent to which they need to seek practical experience on their own and how much support the university should Cross-Year Connections provide. While some were realistic, acknowledging, We found that currently cross-year links are limited “… there’s only so much the Uni can do,” others but with pockets of success. There was strong support

62 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 for extending these further. Students saw the value Practically, mentoring could operate as an in mentoring as a way to equip them for what was to elective or through specifi c cross-year projects (as it come, as well as to build confi dence and a sense of already does in some programs), but feedback from belonging. For instance, some students described a students suggests that it needs to be facilitated. Our sense of disconnection from other year levels, or even participants told us that if it is completely informal a sense of intimidation. and student-run, it will not be sustainable in the long We asked students what they would consider the term. role of a mentor, and they said, “someone who can give Students who had studied Communication Design you guidance about what paths you can take” someone in its former building talked about its success in you can bounce ideas off. Students suggested that facilitating cross-year links: an informal mentor or buddy would be particularly helpful during transition periods: You got to see what everyone was doing and that was really interesting, you used to go check Student 1: “You need like that guy in Legally out the third year stuff all the time, second year Blonde that comes out and tells you which teacher stuff all the time, and you established a really expects you to sit in the fi rst row.” good connection through that without it actually getting quite personal. Student 2: “Yeah!” However, cross-year links need to be balanced Student 3: “We all need a Luke Wilson.” with advice from teachers, as students reported that they were wary of “hearsay” from students and There are some existing connections that speak of wanted advice to be confi rmed by teaching staff. A the value of encouraging these sorts of connections mentoring system also has to be mutually benefi cial. through both the formal and informal curriculum. More advanced students are unlikely to sign up to be For example: a second year Animation and Interactive a mentor unless it offers a benefi t for them – whether Media student had had the opportunity to speak to that is personal or linked to their assessment. A fi nal a fi rst year class; there was mention of the success of challenge is selecting the right nomenclature – the vertical studios; we are aware of a cross-year project word mentoring sounds overly serious and could be used in Communication Design. There has also been the off-putting to both mentors and mentees. The term recent student-led establishment of the Public Relations ‘buddy’ was preferred, but further research could Society, which aims to facilitate cross-year links. produce better options. Mentoring seems especially necessary for students who need to choose major pathways through their Trans-Disciplinary Connections course: We asked students about existing trans-disciplinary I guess in my case … I can either go down a few connections within their programs, and tested the different pathways and … I thought that could possibility of extending these connections in future have been discussed a bit more because it’s kind as part of our model. Overwhelmingly, students demonstrated a strong desire for interdisciplinary of like determining your career for your life and connections and an awareness of their future it wasn’t really discussed and now I’m sort of in professional value: a creative sort of area, hate it and I just want to get out of it and I wish I knew this last year I feel like we don’t get enough opportunities to before I picked which area I wanted to go into. meet other people which could help us potentially For fi rst years, mentoring is also about establishing in our jobs later on in life, like to work as work standards. Given the general anxiety among partners which a lot of courses in media and fi rst year cohorts about assessments, standards and communication need anyway. pleasing teachers, mentoring could help guide these These sorts of connections were seen to be of students through this stressful period by providing particular benefi t to students in creative disciplines, examples as well as by talking about the broader who anticipate working in a studio setting in the purposes of assessment as part of their overall future, or who feel isolated within the School and learning experience. crave a broader sense of belonging:

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 63 I think there would be a lot of people in One suggested way to facilitate these links was Photography and Digital Art and Media and through speed dating evenings, where students could stuff that we’d get on really well with because speak about their work, and give short pitches to we are all in the same kind of artistic, creative students in other courses. scheme of things: but we just haven’t had any Other students were interested in a less strategic exposure to anyone else. form of trans-disciplinary work, in order to gain a better understanding of the breadth of the School, We found strong support for formally facilitated and a broader worldview. These students suggested trans-disciplinary connections, as students felt they activities like ‘lecture swaps’ and the option to take needed encouragement and support in this area. sample classes from other programs, disciplines and They also recognised that any links formed need to majors in order to get a taster of these different areas be mutually benefi cial in order to be successful and in the school, and a better understanding of their sustainable. Through our questions, we discovered fellow students. This was partly driven by a desire that a third year student had already designed a to have a better professional understanding of what website (not yet operational) to facilitate connections their fellow students would be doing when they were because of an existing need. The website was designed colleagues in the industry (e.g. Journalism students to enable students in creative disciplines to identify working alongside Public Relations students), as well possible collaborators in other programs at RMIT – for as to broaden their University experience. instance, an Advertising student might work with a This sort of less formal or strategic connection Communication Design student on a advertising brief, could also help break down strong stereotypes of creating a design that could be used in each of their program cohorts. Some existing collaborative projects folios. (such as the student union magazine Catalyst, which There are some existing successful points of is often edited by a group of journalism students) tend connection within our School and beyond, for to be dominated by these strong ‘types’ or sense of example, between Photography and Fashion Design elitism. students, Journalism and Photography students, and However, the challenge of maintaining these Games and Sound Design students. sorts of links is that these connections are not always Other existing examples include student-run sustainable: activities such as the Communication Ball/The Mingle, which have been formally embedded in the I ended up making good friends with people in curriculum of the third year course, Interdisciplinary my cinema tute but then you change classes for Communication Project. Other instances of the next semester and … you kind of feel like interdisciplinary interaction currently occur in everyone’s already made their friends, you kind courses across the Majors and Communications of just feel on your own for the next semester. courses offered to all Bachelor of Communication students (Journalism, Public Relations, Professional Communication, Media, Advertising) and the Bachelor You get close working with people and stuff from of Design (Communication Design) students. whatever discipline or faculty when you are doing these projects, but then at the end of the Students in our groups also identifi ed many term that’s it and it’s hard to develop, even if potential areas of connection, such as between: you had a good relationship with people, because • Advertising and Communication Design, or it’s so quick like one semester then it’s over. Advertising and Photography, to prepare and design advertising briefs and campaign mock-ups When developing activities to try and create or • Public Relations and Journalism, on mock press enhance trans-disciplinary links, it will be essential releases to consider their sustainability, as well as ways to support it. • Creative Writing and Media, on screenplays and production Student Spaces and Resources • Creative Writing and Communication Design, on the design of the Creative Writing students’ fi nal This was another articulated theme as we asked manuscript. students directly about their use of various spaces. This sometimes led to amusing responses, for

64 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 instance when we asked a group of students, “Do you This seemed to be a communication problem more ever use the Atelier space down on level two?” the than anything else, with students feeling frustrated response was, “The what?” Overall, we found that that they couldn’t access resources reserved for more students don’t fully utilise those spaces available to senior students. It appears further explanation is them. Many students didn’t know about the Student required around the need for specialized training with Atelier space in Building 9 (a common area for all particular tools and devices from early on in fi rst year. students in the School, with lockers, a sink and microwave, and space for quiet study), were unsure Student Communication whether they were allowed to use it, and those that Student communication was an articulated theme did use it, described it as “cold”, “sterile” and “a waste from the focus groups. Students were asked directly of space”. about how they kept in touch with their cohort. Many students said they would appreciate a However, we did not anticipate such a strong more inviting space that they could feel a sense response, particularly about their use of Facebook. We of ownership over; the Games student lounge in found that students overwhelming rely on Facebook Building 14 was often cited as an example of a for both group work and to develop a sense of successful student space. Students said they would use community within their program year level. As one the Atelier space more often “if it was a good lounge student commented on the use of Facebook during with actual couches and not just geometric boxes”. the orientation period: Another reason for the underuse of space is timetabling. When student have a long break between The Facebook group really helped, because I got classes, they often return home or use the library for to Uni and I was really lost, like I didn’t know quiet study: “it’s such a big gap I either turn around where to register or where to go for my classes, and go back home or I work in the library”. It seems I just didn’t understand anything, and I didn’t the library fulfi lls the need for a quiet workspace, a feel comfortable going up to these people who re-imagined Student Atelier space could be a place for were essentially strangers that I only saw for one group work, or just to hang between classes. hour every week just briefl y in class. So doing it There are some existing spaces that students online I felt like less of an idiot asking, so that report using and enjoying, including the Pearson really helped. and Murphy’s Café on campus, ‘the fake grass’ in the courtyard next to the café, the alumni courtyard Most program year levels have student-run (though the ball games played there are seen as an Facebook groups which they prefer to the staff-run annoyance), empty classrooms in Building 9, and ones, which they described as “lame” or which go the pop-up space in the Myer-Melbourne Central missing in their feeds and become “invisible” because walkway off-campus. However some students did say of a lack of posts. that university was not about ‘hanging out’ outside of The reported benefi ts of Facebook for students are classes: “I’m pretty much here just to get my degree both academic and social. They use it as a place to ask and get out: I know that sounds really harsh”. questions and seek guidance - “Facebook is always Some Communication Design students who had our fi rst port of call for if you have a problem or a worked in the program’s former open-plan building question, you just immediately go to Facebook group lamented the lack of community with the move to and someone’s usually able to answer” – as well as to building 9. For these students, their disappointment share work by tagging their peers in images, and for was not with their new spaces – which they organising social gatherings. acknowledged was ‘nicer’ than their old space, which However, students acknowledge that Facebook had previously been a fl oor of an offi ce building – but is not without its challenges. Not all program year with the loss of a shared experience through a shared levels have a Facebook group, and because most year space. In the old building they were able to keep up levels start a new group, it restricts cross-year links. with the progress of their peers across all three years, It can also entrench divisions. For instance, some through the ability to observe lectures and tutorials as Professional Communication students reported that well as through the display of work on the walls. they tried to join the Public Relations Facebook group Finally, some fi rst and second year students felt (because they take a large number of Public Relations they did not have the access to spaces and resources courses) but were rejected by the students who run they expected, desired, or had seen at Open Day. the group.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 65 Students also talked about challenges to do with who already see themselves as global citizens, with privacy and uncertainty around personal and legal travel as an inevitable part of their future: risks online – whether around ‘friending’ someone they would not usually add to their social network, I plan to go on exchange to Canada next year or whether they still owned the rights to any work and when I fi nish my degree. My Mum is making they posted online. But more seriously, a number of me go to China for one semester to do a refresher students talked about incidents in which their cohort course in Chinese and then after than maybe peers posted negative comments about teaching staff travel and then get a job: but I don’t think I’ll or fellow students on the group’s Facebook page, go back [to Singapore]. I want to go to different and the resultant divide between those students who countries and sort of work in different places. thought the behavior was acceptable, and those who were seriously troubled by it. In comparison, local students see overseas as a second option if they cannot fi nd a job locally, or an Facebook was not the only communication tool option to explore later in their careers. that was discussed. Email was also raised, but that was seen as a more professional medium, and not We asked participants about whether they took something for student-to-student contact. Facebook or considered an international exchange as part of was preferred to Google Docs because of the record of their degree, and many referenced the barriers to this interaction it left and the ability to see if classmates option, including fi nancial and structural/institutional were online: “If someone in your group is lounging challenges: around doing nothing, usually they’re on Facebook I had to fi ght tooth and nail to get approval and you can just hop on and be like, “Are you doing to go on an exchange program… In the end I your work?”. had to apply in second year and had to soak up Some students did say they would prefer the every single elective that I had on offer just to go functions of Facebook on the university’s Blackboard for a single semester and I had to then delay a platform, as it would circumvent the problems semester when I came back. that arise around personal privacy and negative comments. However, they acknowledged that at Another more surprising reason students were present, Blackboard is too limited in its functionality reticent to go on exchange, was the uncertainty of the to be considered a real alternative to Facebook, so benefi ts and anxiety about academic standards in the the social networking site is expected to continue to exchange institutions: dominate in the short term at least. … It would be dependent on the benefi ts of what Internationalisation and Global Links I would be learning over there or what I would be achieving academically. I don’t know. I think The topic of global links came up in some groups, I would rather work and live overseas than study but not all. For most local students, developing global overseas. connections through travel, work and future study is something that comes in addition to, or after their Ultimately, because of this perception, global undergraduate degree, and not as a part of it. connections remain something that domestic As a topic and future consideration, it was students perceive as being about ‘after uni’ rather more prevalent among second and third years than than ‘at uni’. fi rst years. For some of the creative programs, and particularly games students, working overseas was a Alumni Perceptions major consideration: This was an articulated question, asked in light The big ambition is to move over to America and of RMIT’s recent efforts to improve links with its work on television cartoons… I can expect at the existing alumni. However, we found that many most six months of unemployment and running students are unsure or unclear about the role RMIT around Burbank California to various studios could play in their lives post-graduation. trying to get my portfolio and foot in the door… There was some awareness of the way alumni networks might be useful in a future professional However, there was a clear difference between the context: attitudes of local students and international students,

66 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 I would probably be more likely to hire somebody that’s gone to the same uni as me as well. In that connection just because I know exactly how they’ve done things. Hope they haven’t changed things much. In that sense there’s a kind of connection.

When students did respond to questions about future connections to RMIT, this was often dependent on success. As one student puts it:

It would be nice to come back just to meet all the classmates just one more time again, after you graduate… That’s if you get a job. Because if you don’t get a job and you come and see everyone’s got a job and I don’t have a job…

Asked about any sort of future connections they could imagine having to RMIT, a number of students mentioned they were considering postgraduate studies and would prefer to stay at RMIT because of their familiarity with the institution. International students were particularly keen to teach or guest lecture after graduating. But asked about what sorts of activities they would like to take part in with their alumni network, students lacked a clear idea: “That’s a good question. Ask me in ﬁ ve years”.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 67 Appendix 4 February 20–24 Interaction: Orientation activities.

The Belonging Project Focus: Orientation to the program, school and Staﬀ Workshop 3: Mapping the university.

First Year Experience O Week It has been established that there are a range of Report Author: Dr Lucy Morieson orientation activities and levels of interaction Report Date: November 2011 represented by the various programs in the school – and this variation is anticipated to remain. However, Participants at the third Belonging Project staff it was agreed that there should be a minimum level workshop worked together to map a holistic plan for of orientation for all Media and Communication an improved ﬁ rst year experience within the School students and that programs could tailor and of Media and Communication. supplement their orientation offerings as they see ﬁ t. The following document outlines chronologically Interactions during O Week are about orientation the existing key points of interaction between the to the program, school and university. Students need School and students, as well as the anticipated to know about student services, and answers to basic possible activities that could respond to these survival questions, such as: moments. As a whole, it presents a more detailed map of what an improved FYE could look like in the • Who is everybody? School of Media and Communication. • Where is everything? • What do I need?

Semester 1 • How does this uni thing work?

January Overall there was agreement that there would be an all-school activity, a program activity, and Interaction: First formal interaction with students at information about the availability of university the Program Information Session (PIS). activities offered by Student Services. It was suggested Focus: Successfully enrolling the new student cohort. that students could be provided with a ‘passport’ at the commencement of orientation and required to Program Information Session (PIS) collect stamps for the various activities they complete. It was agreed that the ﬁ rst formal interaction students The presentation of a full passport would lead to a have with the school and program – aside from those reward – such as food at their program BBQ, or entry who attended open day – is the PIS. into a draw for a larger prize such as an iPad. Staff agreed that the central aim of the PIS is to Further, while school and program orientation ensure students are successfully enrolled. Therefore, usually focuses on practical information, it emerged information is focused on how to enroll, introduction to from the focus groups that students are keen for IT services, and the Student Timetabling System (STS). some early assistance in forming social connections Participants agreed on the need to develop a better with their new cohort, so any activities to encourage PIS Pack, including a welcome letter, key contacts, this are welcome. In order to orient students to their and information ﬂ agging upcoming O Week activities. surroundings and introduce them to their spaces, it was suggested that orientation take place in the There was also discussion about whether the PIS Atelier, with each program allotted their time in session should include a social element, or whether the space. This could be extended to include social with the focus on enrolment, social activities are activities, or cross-program ‘meet and greet’ sessions, reserved for the orientation period. This was of where every program runs a fun session in the space particular concern given that the cohort would not be for other programs. complete at this stage, with later intakes still to come. Some participants discussed strategies that they However it was agreed that the PIS should be held have successfully adopted in the past, with some in a room that students would later use, such as a interpretation of a ‘speed dating’ scenario being the classroom or the Student Atelier space, in order to most popular amongst the group. familiarise them with their space.

68 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Another idea with broad purchase among the Focus: Breaking up cliques, establishing a sense of group was the development and extension of a cohort, assisting with social connections. version of the mobile location game (similar to a treasure hunt) used in the orientation to the games Cohort Day Out (around Week 3) program. Given the enthusiasm for the idea and By the third week of semester, students are done its evident potential for extension to other areas, with basic orientation and starting – or struggling – Jen Lade and Christian McCrea of games suggested to form friendship groups. Thus it was decided that that their students could design a template during this would be a good time to encourage more social 2012 for all students in the school to use during interaction across the fi rst year program cohort and orientation in 2013. Its success would then be tracked to break up any cliques that may be forming. and evaluated by the Belonging team, using student A suggested way to achieve this was the ‘Cohort feedback groups. Day Out’. This was envisaged as an excursion – whether primarily ‘fun’ (e.g. a trip to Healesville February 27 Sanctuary), industry-relevant (a fi eld trip to a work Semester 1 begins. place), or an urban adventure, the aim was to bring students together outside of the classroom. Week 1 It was agreed that to ensure success – both in Interaction: First week of semester, formal terms of attendance, as well as making the most of curriculum commences. the available teaching time – the event would need to be tied to the formal curriculum. Those who Focus: Orientation to the new academic want a more extended experience could develop environment. the idea into a camp (which is already on the cards for photography) but everyone present agreed that First Week a Cohort Day Out would benefi t their program and The fi rst week of semester is also about orientation, could be easily and usefully built into the curriculum. but in comparison to O Week, the focus us on Programs interested in further work around academic orientation. Thus, the sorts of questions the ‘Cohort Day Out’: Journalism, Photography, students are anxious to have answered at this stage Communication Design, Professional Communication, include: Media and Advertising. • Where’s the photocopier, computers, classroom, etc.? Communication Strategies • What do you do in a lecture? A number of suggestions fell into the broad category of an improved communication strategy with and • What do you do in a tute? among students. • What is there to do between classes? These included: • How do I do well? • Installing a notice board in the Student Atelier This sort of academic orientation usually takes space and communicating to students that they place on a course-level, and it was suggested that it are free to use it for their own purposes. was the role of fi rst year coordinator to ensure that • Establishing a student council that is less formal this was happening. than the Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC), providing a platform for cross-program Week 2 links and planning for all-school student-run events. March 9 Last day to add classes for Semester 1 • The development of a communication pack for students made available at the school’s student Week 3 online portal or at each program’s Facebook group. While these suggestions all represent discreet Interaction: Students beginning to form friendship activities, they were all made in the spirit of improved groups and/or cliques, and may need assistance student communication, both staff-student and making connections with the wider year-level cohort. student-student.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 69 Staff interested in further work around Week 6 ‘Communication Strategies’: Alex Syndikas, Jen Interaction: Avalanche of assessment - a possible Lade, Romy Kelly, Rachel Wilson, Karli Lukas. crisis point.

Week 4 Focus: Providing information about extensions, special consideration, counseling services. Interaction: First assessment(s) approaching. Students require support as they encounter university-level assessment for the fi rst time. Skills Workshops/Skills Labs Staff in a number of programs agreed that their Focus: This is the time for guidance and assistance students would benefi t from the existence of a with resources and building academic literacies. number of informal, extracurricular skills labs/ workshops. First Assessment (around Week 4) These would be organised around software At week four of fi rst semester, most students are common to a number of programs, such as Photoshop facing their fi rst assessment. This is the time for and InDesign, which students admit to struggling guidance and assistance with academic literacy and with if they have no prior training in such programs. integrity. Students want to know: These workshops could be cross-year and staff or • How do I do this? student run, the latter allowing for the generation of • Where are the resources? further cross-year links and mentoring. • What sort of learning support is available? Programs interested in further work around ‘Skills Workshops/Skills Labs’: Advertising, Two types of activities to implement to tackle Communication Design, Professional Communication this challenge were informal study groups, and a and Photography buddy system. Indeed, they could work together. The informal study group was something that would be Week 7 established around broad course areas, with some staff assistance, but then left to be self-run. Given Interaction: Students are starting to get work back that they would be around study area and not year- and so the new challenge becomes feedback – how level, they would be made up of all year levels, and to get it and how to respond to it. thus facilitate cross-year connections and informal Focus: Re-orientation around academic standards ‘buddying’. and expectations, and assistance with the transition Staff interested in further work on ‘First to a new learning (and assessment) environment. Assessments’: Adrian Miles and Lucinda Strahan. Week 8 Week 5 Interaction: First week of semester, formal March 3 curriculum commences. Census Date (Semester 1) Focus: Orientation to the new academic Confusion about Easter break environment.

Assessment Crisis Point (around Week 6) At this time in semester there is an avalanche of Winter approaching – drop in attendance due to assessment and it feels as though, after an initial colder weather and illness lull, all assignments are due at once. In light of this, Week 10 students need to know about extensions, special consideration and counseling services – information Interaction: Late-semester slump, students are they have probably already received but not paid exhausted and hanging out for end of semester. attention to earlier on in the semester, when it was Focus: A cohort activity to reward those students still smooth sailing. who are still around to help get over the slump.

70 The Belonging Project: Report 2011 Drop-in Sessions or Industry Panel July 9 (around week 10) Results published Those students who are still turning up and making an effort need a late semester booster to keep them engaged and give them a reward. One suggestion to July 19 counter this late-semester slump was to run drop-in Semester 2 timetable opens sessions at the Student Atelier space (or other spaces). These could be study sessions where one or two teaching staff would be present to answer questions Semester 2 about assessment, but also just to ‘hang out’ – the session would also be social, and pizza could be July 16 provided. Semester 2 begins Another suggestion was an industry panel, also run in the evening in the Student Atelier space, Week 1 followed by a networking session with food and Interaction: Mid-year intake cohort begins. drinks provided. Focus: Orienting these students to ensure transition Staff interested in further work around and integration with existing cohort. Perhaps the ‘Drop-In Sessions/Industry Panels’: Adrian Miles, social element could be covered by the cohort Rachel Wilson and Lucinda Strahan. experience outlined in Week 3 below. Week 12 End of semester deadline stress! Week 2

Week 12 –13 27 July Last day to add courses for Semester 2 Interaction: Last point of contact with students for the semester as they fi nish classes and submit fi nal Week 3 assessments. Interaction: Re-orientation around academic and Focus: Cohort activities to provide a sense of ending social expectations and celebration. Focus: Encouraging further sense of cohort (building on the cohort experience of fi rst semester), providing Celebration and Relaxation (around weeks social orientation for mid-year intake students, and 12 and 13) building a sense of program cohort (both academic By the end of week 12 or 13 there is a sense of and social) beyond the year-level by involving senior ending and celebration for most students, so this is students. a good point at which to once again gather for social activities. Week 4–5 One suggested way of facilitating this was through so-called ‘R Week’ (Relaxation Week) workshops. Interaction: Open Day. These were imagined as fun, informal workshops that Focus: Identifying students to assist on the day, a students could choose according to interest, rather chance to present the program to the public. than program. For instance, they could be workshops on graphic novels, creative writing or life drawing, Week 6 and open to all interested students. They would be Mid semester break cross-year and cross-program, and staff might even be involved. If students wanted to run these themselves 31 August in future, they could apply for a RUSU student Census Date (Semester 2) initiative grant to do so. Programs interested in further work around this: Games (Jen Lade), Communication Design, Advertising, Photography and Music Industry.

Phase 1: Planting the seeds 71 Week 7

Interaction: By this stage of ﬁ rst year, students have a growing sense of their future professional identity and are keen for industry input, particularly in the way of practical advice.

Focus: An industry event (tailored to the program).

Week 8–9 The sun is out – start losing students again

Week 10 VTAC close for change of preference

Week 12–14

Interaction: First year is ending; students are about to leave First Year behind.

Focus: Celebration of ending and progression; celebration of achievement, for example, exhibitions and screenings.

End of Year Festival Nearly all programs in the School already run some sort of end of year exhibition or screening of their student’s work. There was discussion around the challenges of combining all of these events given their diverse nature and immediate relevance to a speciﬁ c program cohort and industry. However there was agreement that a positive step to take would be to present the various separate events as part of a single program, thus maintaining the autonomy of each. The next step could be to consider a single opening and/or closing event. Following this discussing nearly all programs were on-board, with Journalism signaling their willingness to operate a press ofﬁ ce for the event, and Professional Communication to consider running an industry panel. However for Public Relations the event poses a challenge, given the diverse range of roles their students are equipped for and the problem of typecasting them as ‘event managers’. Programs interested in further work around the ‘End of Year Festival’: Advertising, Professional Communication, Journalism, Photography, Games, Creative Writing, Music Industry, Media, Communication Design.

72 The Belonging Project: Report 2011

Report 2012 Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience

Report Authors Rachel Wilson, Bronwyn Clarke, David Carlin, Lucy Morieson and Karli Lukas Report Published: June 2013 © School of Media and Communication RMIT University

The Team Academic Leaders

Associate Professor David Carlin School of Media and Communication

Bronwyn Clarke Director, Special Projects (Communication Design) School of Media and Communication

Rachel Wilson Program Director (Media) School of Media and Communication

Project Team

Karli Lukas Project Ofﬁ cer

Dr Lucy Morieson Research Ofﬁ cer Contents

Glossary – Abbreviations and Key Terms ...... 3

Nomenclature ...... 3

The project team and acknowledgements ...... 5

Academic Leaders ...... 6

Project Team ...... 6

Acknowledgements ...... 7

Executive summary: ﬁ ndings and recommendations 9

Introduction ...... 10

Summary of Findings by Pilot Initiative ...... 11

Overall Findings ...... 14

Overall Recommendations ...... 15

Plans for Phase 3 (2013) ...... 16

Background, context and approach ...... 17

Background: The Belonging Project Narrative Model ...... 18

Context ...... 19

Approach ...... 21

Pilot initiatives: detail and analysis ...... 22

Initiative 1: Coordinated Orientation Week Activities ...... 23

Background and Aims ...... 23

Process ...... 24

Results and Analysis ...... 26

Initiative 2: Cohort Day Out ...... 30

Background and Aims ...... 30

Case Study 1: Photography ...... 30

Case Study 2: Creative Writing ...... 32

Overall Results and Analysis: Cohort Day Out ...... 34

Initiative 3: Student Informal Spaces ...... 35

Background and Aims ...... 35

Process ...... 35

Results and Analysis ...... 35 Initiative 4: Academic Transition Initiatives ...... 38

Background and Aims ...... 38

Process ...... 38

Results and Analysis ...... 39

Initiative 5: End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions ...... 40

Background and Aims ...... 40

Process ...... 41

Results and Analysis ...... 41

Discussion ...... 43

Dissemination and outputs ...... 47

Summary of Activities and Achievements: 2012 ...... 49

Conclusion ...... 53

Bibliography ...... 55

Appendices ...... 57

Appendix 1: Transition and Orientation Coordination Team Proposal ...... 58

Appendix 2: Project Methodology Overview – Phase 2 (2012) ...... 59

Appendix 3: Coordinated Orientation Week Initiative – 2012 Case Study Report ...... 62

Appendix 4: School Learning and Teaching Forum Proposal ...... 71

Appendix 5: End of Year Festival Initiative – 2012 Case Study Report ...... 73

List of Diagrams, Figures and Photographs ...... 76 Glossary – Abbreviations Nomenclature and Key Terms At RMIT there are a number of terms that are institution-speciﬁ c and as such, do not have the Abbreviations same meanings to external audiences. ESL – English as a Second Language The following table sets out these differences FYE – First Year Experience to avoid confusion when reading this document: HEPPP – Higher Education Participation Partnerships Program Elsewhere RMIT Term

L&T – Learning and teaching Subject Course LSES – Low Socioeconomic Status Course Program M&C – Media and Communication Faculty College SISI – Student Informal Spaces Initiative SSCCs – Student-Staff Consultative Committees WAM – Workload Allocation Model WASSLL – What a School Should Look Like

Key terms Co-creation: Recognises that students actively co-create their university experience and should be genuinely engaged in processes and decisions that involve them, by providing feedback, and, where appropriate, creative input in the change processes. First year student: A student who is yet to complete 96 credit points of study (equivalent to one full-time year) in their current program at RMIT University. Transition pedagogy: A holistic approach to the FYE developed primarily in the work of Sally Kift’s Australian Learning and Teaching Council Fellowship, involving the integration of curriculum principles (Transition, Diversity, Design, Engagement, Assessment, and Evaluation and Monitoring) and strategies to engage and support students, as well as to foster a sense of belonging and develop sustainable academic-professional partnerships. Importantly, a transition pedagogy requires a whole of institution approach and the “seamless involvement” of academic and professional staff. (See Kift, Nelson and Clarke, 2010).

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 3 4 The Belonging Project Report 2012 The project team and acknowledgements

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 5 Academic Leaders Project Team

Rachel Wilson Dr Lucy Morieson, Research Offi cer Prior to undertaking a role as Program Director Lucy graduated from RMIT’s Journalism program (Media) in the School of Media and Communication, before working as a researcher and reporter, most Rachel was program’s Selection and Careers notably at online news publication Crikey. Inspired Offi cers. Rachel has also received a number of by her work in the world of online publishing, she teaching awards. Rachel has been teaching within returned to RMIT to complete her PhD on the political Higher Education sector for 19 years, specialising in development of online journalism in Australia. the Screen Production discipline. Rachel is currently While pursuing her PhD research, she also taught teaching media production and applied research in extensively across a range of courses and programs the School. in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. Her Rachel’s professional background is as a media current role provides an opportunity to combine practitioner. Rachel’s current research includes the writing and interviewing experience developed archiving, memory and representations of trauma. as a journalist and researcher with the insights into Rachel served as the President and National Secretary the student experience gained through her teaching of the peak discipline body ASPERA (Australian Screen work. Production Education and Research Association) from 2010–11 and 2011–12 respectively. Karli Lukas, Project Offi cer

Bronwyn Clarke After graduating from the RMIT Media program, arli worked in various capacities in the fi lm, As Director of Programs in the School of Media and television and screen culture industries before Communication, Bronwyn researches and reviews re-entering the tertiary education sector as an best practice models of selection and retention for Academic Services Offi cer. Her extensive experience Creative based programs in line with her study and as a student, graduate and professional staff member experience as a Program Director and Selection of the School of Media and Communication brings a Offi cer in the Communication Design program. unique perspective to the project. She is currently involved in a Learning and Teaching Project looking at embedding academic literacies with discipline specifi c skills and knowledge, to better assist creative arts students’ transition into higher educations. She has also been involved in offshore teaching for over 11 years, for the Communication Design Program in Singapore. Bronwyn’s professional background is as a graphic designer and has held positions on the AGDA (Australia Graphic Design Association) Committee.

Associate Professor David Carlin David is an Associate Professor in the School of Media and Communication. David was Program Director, Media from 2009–2010 and is now a researcher, creative practitioner and teacher working in the fi elds of creative writing, media and interdisciplinary communication research projects. He has won awards for both teaching and research. David currently teaches an undergraduate course in Literary Non-fi ction, and a lab in the School of Media and Communication’s Honours program. David’s professional background is as a writer, director and producer in fi lm, theatre and circus.

6 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Acknowledgements

The Belonging Project team Offi ce of the Dean School Colleagues: would like to acknowledge the of Students: (Media and Communication) support and contributions of our Dean of Students Staff colleagues who helped advise, Professor Owen Hughes Bruce Berryman shepherd and disseminate Fiona Ellis Julie Bilby Kerin Brearley information about the project Jenny Brasch Janeene Payne Dr. Shelley Brunt during our second year. Kate Cawley Student Services: Jannette Chantry The Belonging Project Careers and Employment David Cutter Reference Group: Sally Brooks Dr. Adrian Danks Sue Bolt Dr. Philip Dearman Communications Director, Planning and Resources Helen Dickson James Hannan Offi ce of the Deputy Kieran Doolan Equity and Diversity Vice-Chancellor (Academic) David Fouvy Milly Fels Assoc. Prof. Andrea Chester Mark Galer Deputy Head, L&T. RMIT Link: Arts & Culture Dr. Catherine Gomes School of Health Sciences Melissa Delaney Assoc. Prof. Cathy Greenfi eld Fiona Ellis Study and Learning Centre Saskia Hansen Director, Student Services Alison Brown Dr. Kipps Horn Ruth Moeller Teresa De Fazio Suzana Janko Senior Advisor, L&T, Offi ce Barbara Morgan Terry Johal of Design and Social Context Antonina Petrolito Brianne Johnstone Carolyn Rundell School of Media and Romy Kelly Communication Wellbeing Dr. Danielle Kirby Dr. Adrian Danks Dr. Kitty Vivekananda Wendy Little Saskia Hansen Andrew Brown Dr. Brigid Magner Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Clare Ong Dr. Adrian Miles Lucinda Strahan David Towl Dr. Ed Montano Dr. Brian Morris Student Cohort Experience College of Design and Dr. Mandy Oakham Reference Group: Social Context: Dr. Jeremy Parker Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Sue Bolt Professor Kerry London Assoc. Prof. Francesca Rendle-Short Manager, Student Cohort Acting Deputy Pro Experience Project Vice-Chancellor, L&T Paul Ritchard Dr. Jenny Robinson Offi ce of the Deputy Kristy Ellery Dr. Marianne Sison Vice-Chancellor (Academic) College Admissions Manager Lucinda Strahan Milton Nomikoudis Learning and Teaching Alex Syndikas Senior Advisor, Strategic L&T. Ruth Moeller Karen Trist Learning and Teaching Andrea Wallace Caroline Van de Pol Paul Beaumont College Marketing Dr. Jessica Wilkinson Andrew Brown Kelly Bosman Kim Wright Lisa Farrance Roberta Mascitti Dr. Rebecca Young Cathy Hall Planning Suzie Zezula Cratis Hippocrates Philip Craig Bernie Holland School ESL tutors Andrew Dun Tass Katsoulidis Don Blackwood Lila Kelmo Web Services David Browning Patricia McLaughlin Amanda Penrose Clare Ryan Jennifer Newport Yolanda Rios Finance staff Nicole Pepperell Vanessa Tu Rick Ryan RMIT Library School Andi Christian Mashood Shah Liaison Offi cers: An Nguyen Jennifer Sinclair Gary Pearce Lyn Wilkosz Helen Smith Grazyna Rosinska Cherrie Zhao Tim Smith Amy Saunders

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 7 Students: Student Atelier and Orientation Passport Design Team Hyo Jin Bae Lars Klavenes Wonchan Lee Hyo Jin Bae Lars Klavenes End of Year Festival Design Team Hyo Jin Bae Dante Ceccon Marc Delahave Joseph Dunstan Vanessa Goh Lars Klavenes Jessica May Jessica Pitts Yolanda Redrup Cassandra Scott Tom Steel David Swann Rafael Ward Emelia Wong School Welcome Student Volunteers: Graduates Jeremy Bowtell Kim Jensen

Other RMIT staff Matt Alexander Assoc. Prof. Anthony Bedford Tim Brennan Caron Byrne Raphael Kilpatrick Jenny Lim-Gomes

8 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Executive summary: ﬁ ndings and recommendations

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 9 Introduction

The Belonging Project is a four-year project to design and pilot an improved student experience in the School of Media and Communication. The second phase of the Belonging Project, Focus on the First Year Experience, consolidates and builds upon the work of our fi rst phase (2011), Planting the Seeds. During this initial phase, we worked to develop our Belonging Narrative Model of student engagement, which proposes a three-tier student experience, beginning with a strong grounding in a diverse disciplinary cohort (Tier One), broadening out to encompass the Enjoying the ‘Big O-Day’ at RMIT University. interdisciplinary community of the school (Tier Two), and grounded in a sense of belonging as an ethical global Project Aims: Phase 2 citizen (Tier Three). The Belonging Project’s specifi c aims for Phase 2: Focus The Belonging Project, a grassroots and inclusive on the First Year Experience were to carry out a series of project to improve the student experience in the pilot initiatives that would improve and support the School of Media and Communication, has the student transition to university life. following overall aims within an undergraduate Throughout 2012, the Belonging Project trialled Higher Education context to: and evaluated fi ve pilot initiatives to improve and 1. Develop strategies to support the participation and support student engagement as part of a holistic integration of students from diverse backgrounds, fi rst year experience (FYE). These initiatives emerged circumstances and cultures, including in particular from our Phase One research, which found extensive students those from low Socio Economic Status literature to support the importance of the FYE (SES) backgrounds to student retention and success, something that 2. Enhance student satisfaction and retention rates was further confi rmed by our qualitative research with staff and students in the School of Media and 3. Help develop and make known a distinctive RMIT Communication. The details of these initiatives are student experience. outlined below along with the key fi ndings and recommendations that emerged from the pilots.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Graduation and beyond

Disciplinary (Program Environment) Interdisciplinary (Program Environment) Intercultural (Global Environment)

Diagram 1: The Belonging Project Narrative Model of Student Engagement.

10 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Summary of Findings by Pilot Initiative

Initiative 1: Coordinated Orientation Week Activities

Principle To create a positive, welcoming foundation experience whereby all new students, regardless of their background, can begin to engage with their program cohort, within a broader school and university.

Properties A suite of activities tailored to the program cohort including: • A Program Orientation Session timed prior to any larger school or University events to enable students to form initial social connections within their cohort group; • A student-led school welcome session showcasing the range of formal, informal and interdisciplinary activities available to students; and • Carefully timed and well-framed introductions to key student spaces (i.e. by hosting program orientation activities there), as well as to the university campus and Student Services.

Findings Our research indicates that a more coordinated approach to orientation improves students’ sense of conﬁ dence and social connectedness during their transition to university. Our ﬁ ndings also suggest that Orientation Week activities should focus primarily on students’ social transition, with the introduction of academic literacies carefully timed so as to avoid information overload and provide ‘just-in-time’ support. Our suite of initiatives were, in the main, embraced by staff, as demonstrated through responsiveness to our suggested changes in process as well as by attendance at a professional development offering. However, pockets of resistance suggest that orientation is something that requires a clear, coordinated vision and strategy at the school level and higher.

Recommendations

1. (School level) That schools deﬁ ne and create fractional allocations of leadership to existing staff positions as a team of dedicated Orientation and Transition Coordinators. (See Recommendation 6.3 and Appendix 1 for more detail.)

Initiative 2: A Cohort Day Out

Principle Continue to build a strong program ﬁ rst year cohort through a collaborative curricular activity conducted outside normal classes.

Properties An off-campus activity made available for the program cohort through a core course that links the formal and informal curriculum. Can take the form of a fun activity designed to build social connections and embed academic literacies. Ideally tied to an assessment task to encourage maximum student engagement.

Finding Off-campus cohort building activities linked to the formal curriculum can be simple and low-cost. They can signiﬁ cantly improve students’ sense of connectedness to their program cohort, and can assist to develop key academic literacies, especially when part of a larger suite of well-timed formal and informal cohort building activities throughout their ﬁ rst year.

Recommendations

2.1 (Program level) That program and course design for ﬁ rst year core program courses should embed formal and informal cohort building activities, such as a Cohort Day Out within the ﬁ rst three weeks of a semester, and that it is critical that these be tracked and evaluated through the Program Annual Review (PAR).

2.2 (Program level) That Program Directors, First Year Academic Advisors and ﬁ rst year teaching staff consider, design and implement the ‘Cohort Day Out’ as part of a sequence of activities, beginning with orientation, and continuing across all semesters as part of transition and a whole-of-program ﬁ rst year pedagogy.

2.3 (College level) That support, in the form of targeted professional development and budget allocation is provided to program staff to better develop and embed these sorts of initiatives into the curriculum. This process should involve the recommended new Orientation and Transition Coordination team. (See Appendix 1).

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 11 Initiative 3: Student Informal Spaces Initiative

Principle To foster informal collaborative spaces which support a sense of belonging across the School’s student cohorts.

Properties A space belonging to students for the range of informal activities they engage in on campus, including: private study, group work, socialising, preparing meals and running a range of cohort events. The space should be the cultural hub of the school, a place where students can connect with staff and other university services, rather than a ‘rumpus room’ solely for student use. Students should be engaged in the refurbishment processes as co-creators, providing feedback and recommendations, and, where appropriate, assist with the redesign. The room’s fi ttings should be ‘rough and ready’, so students feel they have ownership over the fi nishing touches and can evolve the space to their needs. Essential amenities include: lighting, a kitchenette (microwave, sink, hot water tap), vending machines, lockers and adequate power points for laptops. Tables and chairs should be comfortable, light, and in confi gurations adaptable to a range of needs. Multiple ‘zones’ allow for a range of uses, while some larger tables encourage informal social interactions.

Finding Refurbishing an existing but underused student space in the school, through a process of co-creation with students, was a low-cost but highly visible way to immediately improve the overall student experience. It can facilitate cross-program and cross-year connections.

Recommendations

3.1(University/ That the physical environment of a school should include informal student spaces to encourage a School level) sense of belonging, as well as interdisciplinary and cross-year collaborations.

3.2 (School level) That the design and refurbishment of student spaces is undertaken using a process of co-creation; making use of student feedback, and engaging students in the redesign where possible.

3.3 (School/ That a strategy is developed for engaging students in these spaces that promotes the purposeful use Program level) of the space for key transition and cohort activities.

Initiative 4: Academic Transition Initiatives

Principle To work closely with Student Services to deliver ‘just in time’ advice, support, skills, etc. for both staff and students.

Properties Informal, low-cost, face-to-face meetings with key Student Services staff that are open to all School staff.

Finding Brokering relationships between School (academic and professional) staff and Student Services staff broke down barriers between university stakeholders, challenged staff assumptions about key services, and helped form new links that could be generative of changes in the classroom and the student experience.

Recommendations

4. (School level) That schools provide simple, low-cost opportunities for face-to-face connections between staff to facilitate relationship building and improve engagement with Student Services. That this engagement strategy become realised through staff position descriptions, staff workplans and professional development.

12 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Initiative 5: End of Year Festival of Exhibitions and Events

Principle To foster a student-focused celebration of achievement and diversity across programs within the School, engaging industry and the wider community.

Properties A coordinated set of end of year activities that serve the purposes of programs representing diverse disciplines, which can be promoted together to staff, students, industry and the community through a range of marketing collateral, including posters, programs, stickers and digital media, etc.

Findings Coordinating a whole-of-school festival is a large task requiring initial small steps. In 2012, we worked towards developing an umbrella name and brand for all of the School’s end of year events, and a related set of marketing collateral. While these ﬁ rst steps were welcomed by staff, further work is required to gather the student perspective. Initial ﬁ ndings suggest that these events are more successful when they are embedded in the formal curriculum, and that the festival needs to be inclusive of the range of events adopted by different programs, including exhibitions, screenings, celebrations, etc. Regardless of their form, these events mark a key point of transition, whether from year to year, or from student to graduate. Further, existing end of year events represent a rich bank of materials relating to the student experience which could be better leveraged by staff at all levels of the university to inform marketing to prospective students.

Recommendations

5.1 (University That further research and pilot projects be conducted across the university to ascertain the added level) value to the student experience of coordinated end of year capstone events, linked to their transition: from year to year; from student to graduate; from alumni to member of the industry.

5.2 (School level) That a ‘whole-of-school’ as well as ‘whole-of-program’ approach is taken to the end of year festival, so that events do not become the sole responsibility of program staff but become ‘everybody’s business’: a concern shared by all staff, academic and professional, as part of a school’s core business.

5.3 (School/ That end of year festival activities inform program renewal to ensure that they: are embedded in Program level) curriculum; engage students in a process of co-creation; and foster engagement across student cohorts from ﬁ rst to third year.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 13 Overall Findings

Finding 1: It’s worth it – for students the First Year Transition and Retention Project, the The evidence gathered from our pilots suggests that Inclusive Teaching and Assessment Practices Project a more holistic approach to transition and the FYE and the What a School Should Look Like (WASSL) can have a genuine and lasting impact on student Project. cohorts. Through tracking and evaluating the initiatives piloted during 2012, we gathered a range Finding 4: It works better when it’s of evidence that suggests that the student experience embedded is qualitatively improved when transition becomes a To ensure sustainability, transition initiatives need central concern at a course, program and school level. to be embedded: in programs, in pedagogy, in position descriptions, in professional development Finding 2: It’s worth it – for staff and in induction processes across the university. This While Phase Two of the project placed students at the ensures that core work around transition and the centre of our efforts, our research found that a more student experience does not become something ‘on clearly articulated approach to student transition top of’ or an ‘additional extra’ to the existing student also enhances the staff experience. A number of staff experience, but rather becomes adopted as core involved in our pilot initiatives reported an improved business for all staff. relationship with their student cohorts as a direct result of new and/or improved transition initiatives. For the bulk of the staff, engagement with the project was through discussion of the results of our work and the development of new ideas. Attendance at presentations and workshops, requests for presentation of our work to various staff communities across the university, and a willingness in our school and at the university level to look to our project for guidance around key transition issues suggest that staff are interested in improving the transition experience for themselves and their students.

Finding 3: It’s hard While we have had success at the course, program and School level, our greatest challenge has been moving towards sustainable change to embed student transition as part of core business. Such a project requires a new approach to the student experience based on designing and implementing greater vertical integration between pedagogy in the classroom, program design, school management and planning processes, and university services. Overall what we are describing is a project of long-term whole of institution cultural change. At a school level, it requires targeted professional development for staff, and a review of position descriptions to better account for key responsibilities. For these reasons, the project team are pleased to note the university’s commitment to improving the student experience by funding the following additional key projects to facilitate such generational pedagogical change:

14 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Overall Recommendations

Recommendation 6: (School Level) Ideally this information will be provided in such That each school review/develop a transition a way that programs can easily get a picture of the pedagogy and holistic approach to the FYE that is: overall cohort, each commencing semester’s cohort and at the individual course level. • Refl ective of the school’s various program selection approaches and tailored to the specifi c cohort; Strategic Linkages: RMIT Equity and Diversity Plan; Inclusive Teaching Practices Project; FYE and Retention • Embedded in the formal and informal curriculum; Project; Student Cohort Experience Project. • Supported in the school through the formalisation of Transition Coordination Team positions (refer to Appendix 1 and Recommendation 1. above), Recommendation 8: (School Level) resourcing, and professional development; That schools defi ne and create fractional allocations • Led by and evidenced in the school’s L&T of leadership to existing staff positions as dedicated Committee and strategic plan, School Plan, staff Transition Coordinators. This collaborative team workplans and budget planning (both academic of professional and academic staff are to oversee, and professional); and implement, evaluate and document the School’s transition and orientation strategy to achieve an • Refl ective of the University’s Transition Principles. integrated approach (see Appendix 1 for sample RMIT Strategic Linkages: RMIT Academic Plan; RMIT position description and recruitment methodology). Equity and Diversity Plan; RMIT Statement on the Student Strategic Linkages: RMIT Transition Principles; Student Experience; RMIT Transition Principles; FYE and Retention Success Program; FYE and Retention Project; WASSL Project. Project; Inclusive Teaching Practices Project; RMIT Assessment Policy; RMIT Selection and Admission Policy. Recommendation 9: (School/University Level) That the importance of orientation and transition be Recommendation 7: (University Level) acknowledged and made visible in: School Strategic In order for staff to create meaningful formal and Plans, academic and professional staff workplans, informal inclusive learning opportunities, and PARs and the School L&T calendar. in order to allow for better tracking of transition Strategic Linkages: RMIT Strategic Plan; RMIT Academic initiatives throughout the student lifecycle, we Plan; FYE and Retention Project; WASSL Project; Closing the recommend that RMIT Statistics and Reporting Loop: Strengthening and supporting PAR Action Plans on the develop a data package. This would be accessible to Ground Project. key program staff (both academic and professional) via a password protected database that provides the information required to better understand the Recommendation 10: (University Level) diversity of their cohorts. That the Transition and Orientation Committee be This information should include de-identifi ed reinstated to connect school transition teams between information such as: schools and across the university, so as to develop a resource network for the University. • number of low SES students; Strategic Linkages: RMIT Statement of the Student Experience; • number of SNAP and other equity students; RMIT Transition Principles; FYE and Retention Project. • geographic data (where they are from); • information as to their English as Second Recommendation 11: (University Level) Language status; That the university develop a suite of professional • fi rst in family; development modules around selection, transition • age of students; and the FYE focussed on pedagogical frameworks • educational backgrounds (e.g. are they and the student experience, made available to articulating and from where) professional and academic staff through developMe. This information should be made available to Strategic Linkages: RMIT Academic Plan; RMIT Equity and programs no later that two weeks prior to each Diversity Plan; FYE and Retention Project; Inclusive Teaching semester’s commencement dates. and Assessment Practices Project.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 15 Plans for Phase 3 (2013)

Recommendation 12: (School Level) Having trialled and evaluated fi ve pilot initiatives That schools develop an annual L&T Forum to: to improve transition and the FYE in the School of aid academic staff induction and professional Media and Communications in Phase Two (2012), development aligned to the school Plan and outcomes during Phase Three (2013) we will focus on the of its previous PAR Reports; showcase best-practice interdisciplinary student experience (aligning with teaching and research on teaching. the Tier Two of The Belonging Project Narrative Model — see Diagram 1 (page 10) The ‘interdisciplinary’ Strategic Linkages: School Plan; School L&T Plan; is central to the cumulative, capacity building logic School Program Annual Review Report. of our model. Having formed bonds and confi dence within their disciplinary/program cohort in Tier One, Recommendation 13: (School Level) students need to be given opportunities to broaden That schools, working with the Academic Portfolio their experience to encompass the interdisciplinary and their College Offi ce, develop an L&T calendar of environment of the school (or equivalent community), events to encourage staff development around the so as to develop capacities required in their future scholarship of learning and teaching via LTIFs, OLT, professional ‘real-world’ settings. teaching awards, and other resources currently in Our focus for Phase Three will be to investigate development. and explore this range of opportunities in order to Strategic Linkages: RMIT Academic Plan; RMIT develop a typology of interdisciplinary literacies that Academic Expectations. can be mobilised in strategic discussions around L&T and the development of new school, program and course models. This typology, and associated case studies, will be our primary outcome of Phase Three, and we aim to mobilise it as part of the School of Media and Communications’ ‘MC2015’ renewal process as well as in broader L&T debates and development within the School, across the University and the wider tertiary education sector. While developing Phase Three, we will continue to observe and contribute to reiterations of earlier initiatives, such as the School Welcome and the EOYF, with the aim of ensuring their sustainability. We will also scope initial plans for Phase Four (2014), with its focus on Tier Three of The Belonging Project Narrative Model – the global student experience. By ensuring that these tiers are developed concurrently, we aim to further progress the successful implementation of The Belonging Project Narrative Model’s holistic narrative in the School of Media and Communication, as an ongoing test case for its broader application across the University.

16 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Background, context and approach

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 17 Background: The Belonging Project Narrative Model

The broad principles and strategies of The Belonging academically. For instance, Baumeister and Leary Project Narrative Model, as outlined previously (1995) argue that belonging is a powerful infl uence (page 10) are designed to be transferable to other on human thinking and “both actual and potential schools and universities. Furthermore, these bonds exert substantial effects on how people think” strategies are designed to be inclusive of all (p. 505), while Baumeister, Twenge, and Nuss (2002) students, including those from international and low outline the positive relationship between social socioeconomic status (LSES) backgrounds. These more connectedness and cognitive performance. Walton, diverse cohorts are a by-product of the Australian Cohen, Cwir and Spencer (2011) argue that “the mere government’s stated focus on attracting and retaining sense of social connectedness” enhances students’ students from a range of backgrounds who have not motivation to achieve, as they respond to and quickly traditionally undertaken Higher Education, most adopt the goals of others as their own within a group clearly articulated in the Bradley Review’s targets environment (p. 529). Referencing Aronson (2004), (2008). These include, for instance, a national target the writers also note that, “research on cooperative of at least 40% of 25 to 34-year-olds having attained learning fi nds that structuring school assignments so a qualifi cation at bachelor level or higher by 2020, that it is in students’ interest to cooperate rather than and a national target of 20% of Higher Education compete can increase cooperation and improve school enrolments at undergraduate level from LSES outcomes” (p. 515). backgrounds by 2020 (Bradley Review 2008, p. xiv). The Bradley Review targets, and the more diverse cohorts they will attract to universities, bring with them new challenges. For all students, the transition to university can be fraught, but even more so for students from LSES or international backgrounds. Research has found that for these students, “engagement with the university experience is like engaging in a battle, a confl ict. These are students for whom the culture of the institution is foreign and at times alienating and uninviting” (Krause, 2005, p. 9). Further, students from LSES backgrounds “have less confi dence in the personal and career relevance of higher education” and have been found to “experience alienation from the cultures of universities” (James et al., 2008, p. 3). For students like these, a sense of belonging can be vital in ensuring they persist and succeed at university (James, 2001). As Baumeister and Leary (1995) outline, the need to belong is a fundamental human motivation and takes precedence over self-esteem and self- actualisation. The authors argue that individuals working alone face a “severe competitive disadvantage” compared to those working as part of a group (p. 499). When applied to the higher education sector it could be said that it is socially and professionally threatening not to belong, particularly within the post-university context. While belonging has clear implications for the social experience of students, it also plays a crucial role

18 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Context

The Co-creation Context 2012). While in some fi elds this means the need for The Belonging Project Narrative Model positions specialist production knowledge is stronger than students not as passive consumers but rather as co- ever before, in others, it is important to have broader creators of their university experience, recognising knowledge and skills, particularly in those areas where the way in which universities are being reimagined as traditional disciplinary boundaries have changed and service providers, spaces where value is co-created by continue to do so. Our model aims to prepare students consumers within complex frameworks of actors and for this sort of landscape, by beginning with a strong resources (Karpen, Hall, Katsoulidis, and Cam, 2011). disciplinary grounding, ensuring students understand In this environment, producers are reconfi guring their the borders and terrain of their discipline, before relations with consumers, away from the traditional looking at the disciplines that share these borders, and industrial consumer-production relationship: “We are beyond them, to the broader fi eld in which they are no longer simply designing products for users. We situated. Further, despite a wealth of scholarship on are designing for the future experiences of people, transition and the FYE, there is little that addresses this communities and cultures who are now connected work with specifi c reference to the domain of media and informed in ways that were unimaginable 10 and communication; our research hopes to fi ll this gap. years ago” (Sanders & Stappers, 2012, p.10). Engaging students in change empowers them as co-creators and The Belonging Project Narrative Model: ensures more sustainable solutions. Phase 1 Context During Phase One (2011) of the Belonging Project, The Media and Communications we developed a model and tested it with staff and Industry Context students in a specifi c school through a series of The Belonging Project Narrative Model refl ects and focus groups and workshops. We also undertook aims to prepare students for an industry in which preliminary external scoping – for example with the collaborative work is the norm. To take our own First Year Transition Community of Practice Group disciplinary context as an example: future media and from the College of Science, Engineering and Health – communication workers will enter an industry shifting to test the model’s transferability, at least in principle. towards a new operational model, the “collaborative Our research during this fi rst phase confi rmed our digital enterprise” (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2011), hypothesis that we should begin by focusing on the which requires staff who are prepared to “work FYE. The majority of the students who participated with others in transient team projects, adapt to in focus groups were fi rst years, and they confi rmed new problems and situations, create digital content, what a large body of literature has found (Kift, Nelson and repurpose and customise content for multiple and Clarke, 2010; Kift, 2008; Devlin et al., 2012) – complementary platforms” (Peterson and Hansen, that transition into fi rst year is the most challenging for students and the most crucial for universities, to ensure retention and success in the long term. Our focus groups confi rmed that the transition to university represents both an academic and social shift for students ‘on a journey to becoming self- managing or self-directed learners’ (Kift, Nelson and Clarke, 2010, p. 3). We found that our students, often much to their own surprise, require the assistance of teaching staff to make social connections with their cohort peers. Another challenging transition was the introduction to a new academic environment. A number of participants expressed the need for assistance with transition to the academic environment of the university, particularly around Figure 1: Student Focus Group Sample 1 (2011) – Challenges key academic literacies that are often taken for to a student’s transition to university. granted by teaching staff.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 19 The RMIT Context implement a renewed undergraduate program Our decision to focus on the fi rst year undergraduate structure across the School by 2015. The project experience was further supported by a number aims to streamline the 12 programs in the school to of concurrent developments that occurred within simplify and streamline program delivery. To this the broader context of our university. For instance end, while considering the range of possible program in November 2011, Professor Owen Hughes was structures, the project is focusing on the possibility appointed to a new role at RMIT as Dean of Students, for more shared courses and cross-discipline links: part of the university’s Academic Portfolio. Among Future graduates in Media and Communication Hughes’s list of aims, chief of which was to provide will need to be connected across disciplines high-level leadership of the diverse Student Services area, was the aspiration to “strengthen all students’ and borders; specialised in a particular sense of belonging to RMIT and their student cohort disciplinary area and well versed in working groups” (Palmer, 2011). Shortly after his arrival it was across disciplines; and able to make and do announced that Hughes would lead a university-wide things, as refl ective critical thinkers. Overall, ‘First Year Experience and Retention Plan’, which aims graduates need to be agile and change to implement the retention targets set by the University minded. The report recommends the move to in the Strategic Plan of 5% above the national average. streamlined program maps to enable continued Alongside this target, the broad aims of the project are specialisation, enhanced interdisciplinarity and to: increase student retention in the fi rst year of tertiary internationalisation, greater use of capstone study; increase student satisfaction; and improve the projects, and a diverse offering of Media and fi nancial circumstances of academic schools. Communication courses available for students across programs. (Peterson & Hansen, 2012, p. 3)

The School of Media and There are clear synergies between the Belonging Communication Context Project and MC2015. Both are concerned with the Providing one of the more prominent backdrops undergraduate student experience and the timing to our work was MC2015 Review project (MC2015), and structure of key points of transition. We have a large-scale School of Media and Communication used MC2015 as an opportunity to try and embed renewal project. The aim of MC2015 is to map and some of our research ﬁ ndings into the development of the new program structure and remain engaged in ongoing planning, as members of the Project Steering Committee. This report documents and evaluates the key Life long initiatives we undertook during 2012: learning 1. Coordinated Orientation Week Activities 2. Cohort Day Out Specialisation Convergence 3. Student Informal Spaces Initiative (SISI) 4. Academic Transition Initiatives Belonging 5. End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions (EOYF).

Industry Mobility It concludes with a series of recommendations, as engagement High quality well as some general observations and reﬂ ections. curriculum

Diagram 2: MC2015 Review Project Model – ‘Belonging’ becomes central to an improved student experience through intentional curriculum design.

20 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Approach

As educators as well as researchers, we have adopted an action research methodology, informed by Design Kemmis (2007) and Greenwood, Whyte, and Harkavy (1993), allowing us to reﬂ exively research our own Transition institutional setting. We have also adopted a narrative Engagement approach, recognising that “stories are powerful tools in learning, because they are one of the most Diversity partnerships fundamental ways to order experiences and events” belonging of and life support life and

(Abma, 2000, p. 226). The contemporary university in learning students

Assessment engages that Curriculum

experience is increasingly fragmented, with students sense a fostering Intentionally Curriculum principles (FYCPs) principles Curriculum Sustainable academic professional academic Sustainable

– particularly those from LSES backgrounds – Evaluation learning to access and timely Positive spending less time on campus as they juggle a large number of responsibilities, among which their study is only one. In this environment, narrative becomes Key strategies particularly valuable as a way to connect the range of disparate interactions students have with a university, Diagram 3: Third generation model of FYE policy and and to give them a broader meaning: practice (Kift, Nelson & Clarke; 2010).

“stories are ways of organising experience, This process allowed us to establish baseline data for interpreting the events and creating meaning, our initiatives, so that we will be able to measure while maintaining a sense of continuity” (Gola, their impacts on the School’s student cohorts over 2009, p. 337). time. Secondly, following Kift, Nelson and Clarke’s third generation approach to the FYE (2010), we However, there is another, more simple reason wanted to understand what adverse impacts (if that made narrative methodology an obvious any) these ‘interventions’ had on the fi rst year choice for us, given our disciplinary location and student experience, and to establish potential background: the telling of stories is grounded in our risks – particularly preventable risks. When risks everyday practice as media practitioners and teachers. were identifi ed, we then tested the validity of these It also connects to students’ training as professional fi ndings by talking to staff. ‘story tellers’ and enables them to contextualise their own experience as part of a broader narrative We plan to continue such analysis into Phase framework. 3 of our research, which will help us understand how to enhance the student experience of program Continuing with the approach that had worked completion and graduation. well in Phase One, we adopted a range of qualitative methods to evaluate our initiatives that included Please see Appendix 2 for more details on focus groups, interviews, observation and the use of evaluation methods used for each initiative. existing de-identifi ed data1. We chose to photograph and videorecord the School Welcome Events and refurbishment of the Student Atelier as part of our evaluation methods. We thought that an edited video compilation of student reactions to these initiatives would be the most meaningful proof that co-creating interventions to improve the student cohort experience was powerful and therefore worth it – especially to our School’s staff and students. We decided to analyse the fi rst year student 1 For instance; admissions and enrolment conversion rate data; retention and attrition data; public versions of Course lifecycle by reviewing existing data resulting from Evaluation and Student Experience survey data; as well as key academic and student administrative tasks committee proceedings. from the School’s undergraduate Student-Staff Committee Meetings and Student Progress associated to the School’s undergraduate lifecycle. Committee Meetings.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 21 Pilot initiatives: detail and analysis

22 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Initiative 1: Coordinated Orientation Week Activities

Background and Aims the data from our student focus groups and staff Students in the focus groups reported a number of workshops in 2011. transition issues, both academic and social, including A key recommendation arising from analysis of competition among their cohort, cliques, and a lack our 2011 research was that: ‘the School and programs of social engagement with their peers. International work together to develop an improved, coordinated, students in particular struggled to connect with holistic approach to orientation, in consultation with their peers outside of the classroom. Asked about key University services.’ orientation, students reported that they would be The aim was to create a positive, welcoming more likely to attend if told of its importance by foundation experience whereby all new students, senior students in their program, who themselves regardless of their background, could begin to engage were more likely to recognise the importance of with their program cohort, within a broader School social connection and belonging to their success. and University environment. One student remarked: In order to achieve this, we aimed to replace existing ad-hoc efforts with a better-coordinated whole- “yeah, if they make it like ‘you have to come to this of-school approach, in which best practice models were before your course starts, it’s really vital that you understood and recognised, and the processes necessary come to this’, I think it would be really benefi cial to achieve them became part of core business. and you start familiarising yourself with the We adopted four initiatives that together made up faces of people in your course that you’re going our overall coordinated approach to orientation: to be with for the next two or three years”. 1. Program Orientation Sessions (revised existing Given our Narrative Model’s focus on key points initiative) of transition, orientation was identifi ed early on 2. School Welcome Events (revised existing initiative) as central to our efforts to improve the fi rst year 3. Orientation Passport (new initiative) experience, something that was confi rmed by 4. Student Informal Spaces Initiative (new initiative)

Figure 2: Student Focus Group Sample 2 (2011) – Too cool for school: challenges to a student’s social transition to university.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 23 We aimed to implement these Coordinated We encouraged all programs to hold a Program Orientation Week Activities for both Semesters 1 and Orientation Session, as a number had not regularly 2 of the Higher Education academic calendar year, as done so in the past, and to hold these events early an important fi nding from our 2011 research was that in O-Week, in order to allow students to make some students entering programs mid-year (Semester 2) social connections at the program cohort level before did not feel welcomed to the School and would have the School Welcome event and the University’s ‘Big strongly benefi ted from some kind of orientation O-Day’. We also asked staff to encourage students activity. This corroborated evidence from our years to attend the School Welcome, which we helped of experience as academics and administrators: redesign, as outlined below. Importantly, we also that students entering mid-year were more likely to discussed with staff the purpose of the Program experience transition issues and be academically ‘at Orientation Session: both in relation to the other risk’ than cohort peers who commenced at the start events that combine to make up the student of the year. transition experience, and why it is of central importance to student transition as the fi rst chance for students to make social connections within the Process program cohort they will be working with for the Program Orientation Sessions next three years. In order to foster a more coordinated, school-wide In order to help staff to conceive of this event approach to orientation, we began by focusing on differently, we sought the assistance of Ruth Moeller Program Orientation Sessions. Ideally, each program (Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching from the holds an orientation session for commencing students College of Design and Social Context), to work with during the University’s Orientation Week.2 While this us on the design and delivery of a training package is best practice, in reality there exists a huge variation for all undergraduate Program Directors, First Year between different Program Orientation Sessions, as Academic Advisors and Course Coordinators, as well as an overall lack of information shared around well as Orientation Coordinators in the School. The what individual programs do in their sessions. training package was designed to demonstrate a range of ‘ice breaker and transition teaser’ strategies 2 Program Orientation Sessions serve a different purpose that staff could implement at orientation or during to the enrolment information sessions held earlier in the year; the latter are about course selection.

Figure 3: Staff Workshop 3 Sample 1 (2011) – Student transition trigger points tracked against key university dates.

24 The Belonging Project Report 2012 the fi rst few weeks of each semester in core courses – with these challenges. Given the extra-curricular either formally or informally. We demonstrated how nature of these services, many are not promoted in to help students (and their program staff) make better classes or by program teaching and professional staff connections to other cohort peers through the shared – or, if they are, the message is not well timed and so activity of telling stories to break down differences is often missed by students. and assumptions, as well as to assist students project In order to tackle these challenges, we developed outward confi dence and listening, and to begin the the concept of an orientation ‘passport’ consisting of process of internationalisation in the classroom by a number of challenge questions relating to Student foregrounding the diversity of cohorts. Services and the RMIT Libraries. We worked with a team of fi nal year students in the Communication School Welcome Event(s) Design program to design the passport artwork. Alongside the Program Orientation Session, we also We also worked with staff from within the School, promoted the importance of the School Welcome Student Services and RMIT Libraries to design Event to staff and students, by presenting it as a challenge questions. The Orientation Passport was separate, yet equally central event in the student distributed to students at their program orientation transition experience. We aimed to reinvigorate the sessions, completed over the following days – existing School Welcome Event by making it more hopefully with a new friend from their program dynamic and relevant for both commencing students – and returned at the School Welcome event, where and the staff supporting their transition to university. entrants were eligible for prizes including an iPad. Based on our 2011 research with staff and students, we changed the Semester 1 School Welcome from Student Informal Spaces Initiative (SISI) a formal staff-led occasion (with staff dressed in The refurbishment of a key informal student space, resplendent academic gowns) to a more personable, the Student Atelier, was another stand-alone initiative inspiring yet informative student-led event. We also for 2012, described in more detail as Initiative 3 introduced a similar if smaller Semester 2 School (page 35). Welcome with a focus on articulating students. To ensure that the refurbished Student Atelier Aside from a brief welcome from the Dean, space was introduced to commencing students as and the coordinating efforts of the School part of orientation, we encouraged staff to hold Communications Offi cer (supported by our team), the orientation events or include a tour of the Student events were entirely student-led. A student MC hosted Atelier as part of their Program Orientation Sessions. each event, introducing student speakers who shared We also paid for a coffee cart to set up in the space their experiences of a range of curricular and extra- on four days across the fi rst two weeks of semester. curricular activities including: the School’s ESL tutors; Coffee vouchers were attached to the Orientation opportunities to get involved in student radio, TV Passport, and extra vouchers were left at reception for and magazine production; study abroad options; and students who had missed out. Table tops made from opportunities through the student union. plywood were accompanied by prompts encouraging The events started with a promotional video of students to draw on the tables as they wish and make student work, which aimed to: inspire students; to the space their own. communicate the range of disciplines in the school and the sorts of work they produce; and to plant the seeds of future interdisciplinary connections in students’ minds. We worked with a graduate of the Media program to develop the video, which has since been re-used in subsequent iterations of the event.

Orientation Passport and Competition We learnt from our student focus groups that commencing students lack conﬁ dence around key academic skills and face a range of personal and social challenges upon the transition to university (refer to our previous report, 2011 Report. Phase 1: Planting the Seeds. However, they reported a lack of awareness about which university services could assist them The Student Atelier space before refurbishment (2011).

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 25 Results and Analysis began was a valuable transition experience, given that they will be spending a lot of time with them over the Program Orientation Sessions coming three years. Our attempt to change the approach to Program In a one-on-one interview about orientation and Orientation Sessions within our School by introducing transition, one Program Director we spoke to outlined a more coordinated approach was successful. In their Program’s Orientation Session, and the way in Semester 1, every single program conducted a which orientation activities are embedded into class Program Orientation Session – an increase of two time in order to “assist in making [students] feel programs from the previous year – and ten of the welcome, making them feel at ease, making them eleven undergraduate programs scheduled orientation understand that the people who are going to guide sessions before the School Welcome Event. them know exactly how they feel”. We interviewed students at the School Welcome However, we did face a number of continuing and at the University’s ‘Big O-Day’ event, to ask them blockers that limited our ability to implement this about their Orientation Week experiences, including initiative, as well as to adequately track and evaluate their Program Orientation Sessions, and gauge their its success. Despite our best efforts to communicate confi dence levels. The feedback was overwhelmingly the importance of orientation, we were limited in positive, with most students commenting on the our capacity to access basic information from staff social benefi ts of attending their session. Students about their past and present orientation practices. reported that they found their teachers welcoming, For instance, it was not always easy or possible to fi nd and enjoyed making new friends with common out who the orientation coordinators were in each interests. For instance, one student remarked: “I got program, what happened during Program Orientation to meet a lot of people who were interested in the Sessions (and why), whether any changes had been same thing I was”. Another student commented that made to the format of sessions of over time, and getting the time to meet their cohort before classes details of the budget allocation for orientation in each program. Overall, we observed staff resistance to: locking in the timing for the events and sharing their format and content, as well as to the idea of using orientation activities to anticipate and address broader transition issues. Under time pressure, staff often defaulted to previous practice and last minute planning. In an attempt to address these issues we propose the introduction of a number of new leadership roles within the School through the establishment of an Orientation and Transition Coordination Team (see Recommendation 1 on page x, and Appendix 1). We are hoping that by adopting this approach we will start to embed the principle identifi ed by Sally Kift as a key to sustainability in this area:

Building on this ground-up approach, a model for institutional action may then be promoted, which can focus commitment to an enduring FYE culture as an institutional priority that is, both in rhetoric and reality, “everybody’s business”. (Kift, 2008, p. 2)

We experienced similar success in our staff development efforts. We invited staff from all eleven undergraduate programs to participate in an ‘Icebreakers and Transition Teasers Workshop’, which was delivered in the week prior to Orientation Week School of Media and Communication students: ‘Big O-Day’ of Semester 1, 2012: 20 staff participated from nine (2012).

26 The Belonging Project Report 2012 programs. Evidence from staff and students indicates the session. In brief interviews, they reported feeling that this intervention was well timed and pitched, more at ease and ready to begin their studies after the with many programs subsequently implementing session, with one saying: “I feel a lot more settled… ice breakers and transition teasers in the Program it makes it real. It’s happening and I’m excited”. Orientation Sessions. Another student commented that the session made Less successful, however, were efforts to encourage her feel more comfortable: “I’m so much more staff to embed these strategies either formally or prepared…I was feeling really nervous, now I’m informally into their curriculum. We were aware super comfortable, super ready”. The student MC of only two programs initiating strategies they had was well received, and students were inspired and learned into the core fi rst year courses or in Cohort motivated by the range of activities on offer to them: Day Out activities in Week 3 of semester. Our College’s “I thought it was so informative, I’m so excited about 3 Senior Advisor, L&T (SALT) reported that no staff SYN and Catalyst and everything!” One student took up her offer of help to embed any activities noted with enthusiasm the diverse range of fi elds within their courses during the online course guide represented in the Media and Communication video, update periods. We are also not aware of any course demonstrating that the message about the benefi ts of amendments arising as a direct result of this initiative. 3 SYN (Student Youth Network) is a community radio station School Welcome for young people (its members must be aged 12–25). It has a long history with RMIT and so many students Around 370 students (out of a commencing become involved, particularly those working in media undergraduate cohort of approximately 1,030) disciplines within our School. Similarly, Catalyst is the attended the welcome event. Students were RMIT student publication, operated by the student union, but often edited by students from the School of Media and overwhelmingly positive in their feedback about Communication.

Students mingle at the School Welcome Session Free food: a great social facilitator at the School Welcome (March, 2012). events.

Senior student discussion panel – An informal approach. The Student Atelier space – The hub of student transition Mid-Year Welcome Session (August, 2012). activities: Mid-year School Welcome (2012).

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 27 the interdisciplinary nature of the School was clearly However, others believed that the School brings communicated and well received. together students with a wider cohort that shares Subsequently, we conducted a focus group with common experiences. As this participant noted, while nine members of staff – academic and professional, students do identify primarily with their program including program directors, fi rst year coordinators identity and cohort, the school provides a form of and the school academic services coordinator – to broader affi liation that resonates with previous discuss their approach to orientation and to gather educational experiences: feedback on the changes implemented through our initiatives. We also conducted a number of one-on-one I think it’s very true that students identify with interviews with key staff whom were unable to attend their programs. The thing about the School as the focus group session. The data gathered from these well is – because a lot of them have just come interviews demonstrated not only the strengths of our from [high] school, especially at the start of the initiatives, but also the continuing challenges faced in year – so being together in a big auditorium is a the change management process. familiar experience. So even if they don’t identify Staff agreed that the less formal School Welcome with what we call a ‘school’, I think they do have was an improvement on the previous event. As one a sense of being together with a whole bunch participant commented, “I think that that shift to of different cohorts because that’s really where actually making it student led was really, really key”. they’ve come from. So I think that’s a pretty Another remarked that “it’s a really strong idea, important orientating activity. [it’s] of benefi t and it’s worthwhile pursuing and While reinforcing the proposed new approach to continuing”. Participants also pointed out some of the orientation and transition for the most part, our focus fl aws in implementation that still need to be ironed group research uncovered some of the attitudes held out in future iterations. For instance, one indicated by staff wary of or resistant to such change. To seek that the delivery by the student speakers was not to address these issues, it became clear that we would always clear and targeted, indicating that better need to begin to work strategically with the School’s briefi ng is required. Another suggested that despite Learning and Teaching Committee. the challenges students might face when speaking at such a large event, it is a valuable opportunity for Orientation Passports those who are asked to challenge themselves. Of the 1,000 Orientation Passports printed and Other staff suggested that the program of speakers 600 distributed, 4.3% passports were returned at was ‘information overload’ at an early stage in the the School Welcome Event and 2.4% were eligible student experience: “what they hear is blah, blah, for the competition draw. These numbers indicate blah, University, blah, blah, blah, get involved, blah, problems in the design and communication of blah, blah”. However it was mostly agreed that: “little the passport concept. For instance, while students things will stick” so that students will remember at responded well to the ‘look’ of the passport, there was least one key message that is relevant to them. confusion around competition rules and eligibility This broad discussion elicited an interesting requirements, which could be partly attributed to the debate about the need for an orientation event that passport layout as well as to a lack of program staff brings students together as part of a wider school confi dence or ‘buy-in’ when explaining the passport community, or whether students only need to concept to students. Similarly, only 7.2% students connect to their program cohorts at this early stage in redeemed free drinks from our coffee cart trial in the their student experience. One participant argued that Student Atelier during fi rst three weeks of Semester the school is an organisational body that matters only One, with many not even realising that there was a to staff, and not students: coffee voucher attached to their passport. Whether because of design, communication or The school is the school. It’s about RMIT. It’s both, students did not engage with the passport as about pooling resources. I don’t think it matters had been hoped. This was confi rmed both by student to students and I think it’s sort of an uphill and interviews and the fact that no discernible increase not necessarily that useful battle to get students in contact with RMIT libraries or Student Services feeling they belong to the school to be honest, we was reported throughout Orientation Week. Given would be much better concentrating our efforts the range of activities on offer during O-Week, the at the program level. passport was not a key priority for students at that

28 The Belonging Project Report 2012 time, reinforcing that what students really need is ‘just in time’ information, support and access to services. In other words, students are less likely to learn about something until they need it. The passport was not used again in semester two, 2012, although there has been ongoing discussion within the School and at the university level about developing an application for mobile devices that would serve a similar function.

Student Informal Space Initiative (SISI) The refurbishment of the Student Atelier space was a great success – overall, as well as for student transition. We observed a signiﬁ cant increase in numbers of students using the space throughout 2012, in part due to a similarly signiﬁ cant increase in numbers of students being introduced to the space as a result of their Program Orientation Session. We also observed a marked increase in students across all year levels making cross-program connections in their use of the space. These results are outlined in more detail in the discussion of the SISI initiative further on (refer to page X [Initiative 3]).

Further Information: Appendix 3: Coordinated Orientation Week Initiative – 2012 Case Study Report Online Video Evaluation Packages: • ‘School Orientation 2012’ • ‘School Welcome Promotional Video’ • ‘Student Atelier Refurbishment’ www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/belonging-project/ outcomes

Recommendations Arising

Recommendation 1 (School level) That schools deﬁ ne and create fractional allocations of leadership to existing staff positions as a team of dedicated Orientation and Transition Coordinators. (See Recommendation 6.3 and Appendix 1 for more detail.)

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 29 Initiative 2: Cohort Day Out

Background and Aims Most students in our focus groups wanted transition activities that blended course work with the social aspects. A number of students, particularly internationals, craved an off campus experience to cement social bonds among their cohort. Students in studio-based courses generally commented that group work was effective at breaking down any early cliques:

“doing group work straight off was really good because you’re surrounded with like-minded people, you don’t really ﬁ nd people that you dislike, because it’s such a small group and because everyone has kind of similar interests”.

The concept of the ‘Cohort Day Out’ emerged through workshops we conducted with undergraduate program staff in the School of Media and Communication in 2011.

From the fi rst workshop, staff expressed a strong Figure 4: Student Focus Group Sample 3 (2011) – Challenges desire to implement intensive student cohort building to a student’s academic transition to university. activities across the School’s programs. They also in Singapore: see http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/index.php/ believed that these activities should occur early on in learning/week-seven.html). Finally, the concept of the a student’s transition to university life. Staff felt that Cohort Day Out emerged as an achievable fi rst step such cohort activities would better harness diversity towards such formally structured off-campus cohort in the classroom, but also facilitate the development activities. of: Thereafter, we aimed to work with key programs • “A sense of belonging that changes over time as to trial an off-campus activity made available for the assumptions are challenged” program cohort through a core course that linked • Professional identity which is tied to reputation the formal and informal curriculum. This could take and kudos the form of a fun activity designed to build social • Peer-to-peer critiquing skills connections and embed academic literacies. Ideally, • Collaboration skills these activities would be tied to an assessment task to • Shared cohort aspirations encourage maximum student engagement. • Student engagement with staff and industry In 2012, we piloted the Cohort Day Out with two undergraduate programs, Photography and Creative Workshop participants raised ideas for various Writing. activities across the academic year. These ranged from one-day intensives around project work, to industry days and off-campus ‘camps’ with assessable Case Study 1: Photography outcomes. Participants came up with a ‘blue sky’ Process ideal: an un-timetabled week of activities early First year students from the program participated in in the fi rst year experience (ideally around Week a ‘Cohort Day Out’ activity at Hanging Rock as part 3 or 4), where basic skills and literacies could be of their coursework for Digital Imaging (COSC2372), developed through a series of events involving a core fi rst year course. As the program was trialling staff and students of the School. (A similar concept a student mentoring initiative, second year student –‘Week Seven: Learning Across Boundaries’ – has mentors were also invited to attend. now been implemented on the new Yale/NUS campus

30 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Figure 5: Staff Workshop 3 Sample 2 (2011) – Mapping the Cohort Day Out against the academic calendar to enhance student transition.

The BA Photography program offers specialisations in three areas: portraiture, landscape and commercial photography. Hanging Rock was chosen as an iconic Victorian tourist destination, renowned for its inspirational landscape. The activity was held in Week 3, replacing scheduled on-campus lectures and workshops. The day operated in part as a series of open-air tutorials, which also allowed students extended time to both interact with staff and go off on their own either in pairs or as part of a larger group. They were encouraged to apply demonstrated portraiture and landscape photography techniques in situ. Students also had extended time to relate to each other as well as staff on a social level, notably during a barbecue lunch, bushwalk (more photo opportunities) and on the return train trip.

Results and Analysis Of the 90 students enrolled in the course, 50 attended the Cohort Day Out, a proportion of the cohort that might have been higher if the activity had been more thoroughly embedded in the course and its assessment tasks. On the train trip to Macedon, students seemed very excited. Most said that they did not have any The Photography Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – The expectations about the day but were mainly looking open-air tutorial experience.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 31 forward to going somewhere they hadn’t been before Case Study 2: Creative Writing with their classmates, spending more time getting to know their teachers, getting tips for their assignment Process and taking photos with others. A few students said First year undergraduate Creative Writing students that their program director’s enthusiasm for the participated in a Cohort Day Out as part of their day was motivational, while for many, the technical curriculum for the Telling Stories (COMM2389) course, demonstration of a large format camera was the in Week 3 of fi rst semester. The self-paced 1–2 hour draw card. Interestingly when asked why they chose outing, replacing a lecture, led students off campus to apply to the Photography program, most students and to the nearby Queen Victoria Market. spoke about “the need to develop confi dence and The activity had multiple aims, chief among which skills to share and talk about my own work”, but was to build stronger cohort bonds and to limit the none made the explicit connection between this possibility of cliques forming, which according to simple pre-enrolment ambition and their reason for teaching staff have had a negative impact on senior attending the day’s activity. cohorts in the program. The teaching staff also hoped Overall, staff and students seemed very friendly, the activity would encourage students: to develop jocular and engaged. Students were observed to confi dence and the ability to share and critique have formed distinct friendship groupings since work; to develop strategies to generate ideas; and to Orientation Week. The international students improve individual and collaborative problem-solving congregated in two groupings according to gender skills. Above all, it was meant to be a fun activity for (many arrived in Week 1, after formal orientation both students and staff during what can be a stressful activities). time of semester. We interviewed both a Co-Program Director and On the day of the activity, students met at a the Course Coordinator about the results of the central point on-campus where they were briefed Cohort Day Out and they reported that they were about the aims and logistics of the activity. They happy with the way the day ran. Specifi cally, they formed groups of 3–4 mixing Melbourne locals felt that the objectives of encouraging students “to and students who had relocated from the country, be relaxed and have fun, mingle and bond” and to interstate or overseas. Each group was given $5 petty improve relationships between staff and students cash (funded by the Belonging Project in this instance) had been achieved. The program is planning to run another event next year; indeed would like to see it happen each semester. Ideally, staff would like the event to be extended to a three day camp, but staffi ng and the timetable for second and third year students makes this logistically diffi cult, requiring the support of all program staff. Staff interviewed also commented that they would like to build on the success of the fi rst year event to develop a cross-program event in second year (aligning with The Belonging Project Narrative Model). This Cohort Day Out was declared a success by program staff and provided students with a fun off- campus activity and opportunities to improve social connections with their program peers and staff. However, our interview data suggests that more work could be done to more explicitly embed such a cohort activity within the curriculum.

The Creative Writing Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – An urban experience.

32 The Belonging Project Report 2012 The Photography Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – Problem solving at the Queen Victoria Market. before heading to the market in order to purchase embedded into the curriculum. Staff identifi ed that objects responding to three briefs. Students were early in the fi rst semester of fi rst year was a key time asked to use the money provided to purchase an item to catch students before cliques formed, as well as to that “whispers a story”, or could choose to pool their introduce clear expectations and practices around work resources and buy a more expensive item as a group. sharing and critique. As one academic commented: These items were then to be brought back to class to be displayed, and creative responses written and That’s why I’m trying so hard with these fi rst shared with classmates. year, fi rst semester students, because when I The Cohort Day Out worked alongside a number taught the second semester students [last year], of other activities to encourage practices around work it was almost like the moment had passed sharing, critique and workshopping, as well as to for them to get over their nerves about [work assist students make social connections. For instance, sharing and critique], because they said that in the fi rst week of class, the lecturer set an activity […] in the classes, they hadn’t been doing any requiring students to document their work space and workshopping […]or if they were, it was to discuss their work in class. The next week, she picked mixed results. the best three and showed them to the class in the On the micro-level, one problem with the lecture. The lecturer reported that when students organisation of the Cohort Day Out was the way the realised that the best work was being showed in class, groups were assigned. While the careful grouping more and more students started doing the extra tasks of students from a mix of backgrounds encouraged even though they were non-assessed. The lecturer students to make new connections, they also cut capitalised on this by asking students to respond to across tutorial groups, so that students weren’t the two entries after their entry and write a critique working with their group mates after the initial that involved one positive comment about what exercise. And while groups could be organised around they liked, and one suggestion of how to improve tutorial groups in future, this would eliminate some it. Students were very respectful in their critique, of the possibilities for broader cohort connections, so demonstrating that early work on embedding it was agreed that this requires further consideration. expectations around critique had been successful. It is indicative of the success of this Cohort Results and Analysis Day Out that in second semester students began The Creative Writing program offered an example demanding their next excursion. The program staff of how a suite of cohort building activities could accepted the challenge and decided to plan another be embedded to extend the transition principles of event, albeit not an excursion. This time, the event orientation across the fi rst academic year, so as to was an after-hours, on-campus social event based develop and reinforce a sense of community among around work done in class called Creative Readings – students. What was most successful was the way essentially an ‘open mic’ night for all students in the in which the activity worked as one of a number Creative Writing Program. of continuing cohort building initiatives that were

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 33 The second semester Creative Readings event Recommendations Arising helped build a sense of community among the Recommendation 2.1 (Program Level) program cohort, particularly among the fi rst years That program and course design for fi rst year core who had already participated in the Cohort Day Out. program courses should embed formal and informal When interviewed about the impact of the various cohort building activities, such as a Cohort Day Out cohort activities, the creative writing First Year within the fi rst three weeks of a semester, and that it Coordinator commented on the benefi ts of the sense is critical that these be tracked and evaluated through of community they helped to build for the students: the Program Annual Review (PAR). this idea of the community and developing a cohort Recommendation 2.2 (Program Level) community, or a program community […] helps to That Program Directors, First Year Academic Advisors kind of liven up the atmosphere. […] I feel a lot of and fi rst year teaching staff consider, design and the students […] they have a lot of problems and implement the Cohort Day Out as part of a sequence personal issues and they feel quite disconnected of activities, beginning with orientation, and from the community. Or personal life takes over. continuing across the year as part of transition Because they can just prioritise certain things like and a whole-of-program fi rst year pedagogy. assessment and […] just not come in at all. Recommendation 2.3 (School/College Level) The First Year Coordinator further commented That support, in the form of targeted professional that the various activities had introduced students development and budget allocation is provided to to the important idea that their classmates are the program staff to better develop and embed Cohort fi rst professional connections they will make, and Day Out initiatives (or similar) into the curriculum. that working with them is a key step to building This process should involve the recommended new up their sense of professional confi dence. The First Orientation and Transition Coordination team (refer Year Coordinator also emphasised that the events to Appendix 1). are about fostering a sense of engagement through having fun, so that the students know “that there are other things, other than just assessment that they can think about, and engage in and have fun with. Its kind of another outlet, outside of the classroom to engage the students”.

Overall Results and Analysis: Cohort Day Out Analysis of these case studies suggests that Cohort Day Out activities can have a signifi cant impact on building a sense of cohort in a program, with the added benefi t of being cost effective and easy to organise. For instance, while the First Year Coordinator in Creative Writing wondered out loud about the possibility of doing a camp, or a larger- Small, unsupervised group interactions – Proof of early scale excursion, ultimately she was confi dent that a cliques. series of cheaper, more regular events would be just as effective: “Creative Writing has no money …[but] $200 goes a long way. A bus trip and a camp – it might not necessarily do as much as a series of events throughout the year”. Staff also commented on the way in which Cohort Day Out activities contributed to building up a sense of disciplinary identity for the students, which is particularly relevant in a creative arts discipline such as creative writing or photography.

34 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Initiative 3: Student Informal Spaces

ready’, so students feel they have ownership over the ﬁ nishing touches and can evolve the space to their needs. Essential amenities include a kitchenette (microwave, sink, hot water tap), vending machines, lockers and adequate power points for laptops. Tables and chairs should be comfortable, light, and in conﬁ gurations adaptable to a range of needs. Multiple ‘zones’ allow for a range of uses, while some larger tables encourage informal social interactions.

Process In January 2012 we began refurbishments, using a process of co-creation with former and current RMIT The Student Atelier space before refurbishment (2011). students. We employed a graduate of RMIT’s Interior Design program, to come up with a ‘temporary’4 design for the interior that would respond to feedback Background and Aims from students, but at low cost and within a tight time frame. We also employed three fi nal year We asked students in the focus groups, “Do you Communication Design students to design a visual ever use the Atelier space down on level two?” The identity and branding for the space, as well as to add response was: “The what?” Students who were aware some design fi nishes to walls and table tops. We were of the space reported that it was underutilised and very pleased to have provided such a meaningful and unwelcoming, while others weren’t aware of its rich work-integrated learning opportunity to these existence, and many were uncertain who ‘owned’ undergraduates, and gratefully received their generous, the space and whether they were allowed to use it. honest feedback about this and other 2012 initiatives. Those that did use it described it as “cold”, “sterile”, and “a waste of space”. Many students said they would appreciate a more inviting space that they Results and Analysis could feel a sense of ownership over, one that fi lls Completion of the refurbishment took longer than the gap between the library (used for private study) anticipated. The drawn-out process of gaining and nearby public spaces such as cafés and shopping the necessary approvals from Property Services centres (used for group work and socialising). highlighted the need for increased dialogue and We aimed to refurbish an existing but under- cultural understanding about supporting the student utilised student space on campus, the Student Atelier experience holistically across the university. space on Level 2 of RMIT’s Building 9, creating a Notwithstanding this, the student response to space belonging to students for the range of informal the refurbishment of the space was overwhelmingly activities they engage in on campus including: private positive. We fi rst spoke to students about the Student study, group work, socialising, preparing meals and Atelier redesign during Orientation Week in March running a range of cohort events, including student- 2012 – through informal one-on-one and small led exhibitions and industry events. We intended that group interviews to camera in the space – about the space would become a cultural hub of the School, midway through refurbishments. Despite the space a place where students could connect with staff and still carrying vestiges of its original, stark white other university services, rather than a ‘rumpus room’ design, students were positive about the fi rst steps solely for student use. Students would be engaged in towards refurbishment, as this students’ feedback the refurbishment processes as co-creators, providing feedback and recommendations, and, where 4 One constraint on the project was that any refurbishments appropriate, assisting with the redesign. The room’s needed to be ‘temporary’ and removable so as to work fi ttings should ideally be ‘temporary’ and ‘rough and within requirements not to damage or change the architecture.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 35 thoughts on it, and whether they had any suggestions for improvement or general feedback. A number of students reported fi nding out about the space at orientation: others through word of mouth from friends and fellow-students. “It is fairly spoken about” one student told us, while many international students told us that they were introduced to the space through student peers. Students liked the DIY feel of the fi nishes, and the fact that they could write on the table tops as they pleased: “What drew me towards it was just that people could write all over the tables, just a small little thing like that drew me to it.” One student refl ected that this made the room feel more lived in than it had previously: “it’s a bit more homely when things have graffi ti on them. I love the fact that we can draw on these things”. Students also suggested that the room was fulfi lling its aim of encouraging cross-disciplinary links: “everyone just talks to each other and everyone’s just got the same kind of interests – it’s a lot more vibrant”. Engaging students across the range of degrees represented in the School and geographically dispersed across the many buildings of the city campus remains a challenge. On the one hand, evidence from Student Staff Consultative Committees Enlisting students as co-creators was crucial to the success (SSCC) minutes suggested that Media program of the Student Atelier space refurbishment. students love the space but feel like external students indicates: “I think it’s transformed amazingly. It’s a are using it and making it too busy. On the other, huge improvement on what it used to be”. Another students in the Animation program (based in an student commented: “there’s a lot more life to it adjoining building) said that they are still not using – it was just this big white quiet room before, and the space because they are either unaware of it or now, I don’t know, there’s a lot more possibilities”. feel intimidated to do so. However they did express However, students recognised that there was more a desire to meet other students in the School, to be done with the space. They wanted more colour, which points to the challenges of communicating graphics and wall decorations: “I think it’ll look cool with the large and diverse student cohort within when everyone starts adding their own touch to it, this multi-sited school. It also confi rms the logic that’ll make it look a bit more full. It’s a bit bare at in The Belonging Project Narrative Model, as some the moment”. They also wanted more tables and students remain too shy to go beyond their program chairs and urged caution in allowing the design to boundaries, demonstrating the need for further overwhelm the purpose of the space, suggesting that activities embedded in courses and programs that we “don’t go overboard” decorating the space with support ‘safe’ interdisciplinary collaborations. plants (which were placed on tables and hanging Student comments suggest that the Student from a net divider in the room), and always keep it Atelier now fi lls a gap between the formality of the primarily as a functional workspace. library and the informality of public space: “having a The Belonging Project team returned to the space that’s not the library, that we can come to and Student Atelier space again in September 2012, once be as loud as we like and do our group work is really the refurbishment was complete, to further evaluate important and integral to us succeeding”. this initiative. Again, we approached students who The co-creation process of the refurbishment were using the space at the time for informal one-on- was also successful, with one student reporting that: one or small group interviews, asking them how they “coming in here is quite communal, it feels like it’s found out about the space, how they used it, their the students’, like we own this place.” But students

36 The Belonging Project Report 2012 still want more tables and chairs, more lockers, Recommendation 3.2 (School Level) and commented that space is often at a premium, That the design and refurbishment of student spaces particularly for group work scenarios. This feedback, is undertaken using a process of co-creation; making along with the continuing challenges of engaging a use of student feedback, and engaging students in the dispersed student body in a very large school, suggests redesign where possible. that another informal student space is needed. However, with many program cohorts also expressing Recommendation 3.3 (School/Program Level) the desire through SSCCs for a space of ‘their own’ (a That a strategy is developed for engaging students in desire which might not be feasible for the university these spaces that promotes the purposeful use of the to resource), another challenge remains the need space for key transition and cohort activities. to communicate with students about the existence and purpose of shared spaces in the School, ideally by embedding their use in transition and curricular activities.

Further Information: Online video evaluation package ‘Student Atelier Refurbishment’ www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/belonging-project/ outcomes

Recommendations Arising

Recommendation 3.1 (University/School Level) That the physical environment of a school should include informal student spaces to encourage a sense of belonging, as well as interdisciplinary and cross- year collaborations.

The Student Atelier space (2012) – From bare white box to 24/7 hub of activity.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 37 Initiative 4: Academic Transition Initiatives

Background and Aims language resources. The SLC also consults with Despite existing orientation and transition programs academic staff in the development of academic and activities, fi rst year students in our focus groups literacies in programs. still demonstrated diffi culties with the transition We initially met with representatives from the to a university learning environment, commenting SLC to assess their interest in working more closely on the contrast with their high school experiences: with our School. They reported that while students fewer contact hours, less time with teaching staff are good at self-initiating contact, particularly with and less feedback from teachers, fewer ‘drafts’, and the highly popular drop-in learning centre, many staff uncertainty around assessment. The view that: “we’re members are unaware that they too can make use trying to please the teachers rather than trying to of SLC resources. SLC staff were keen to collaborate have our own work” was not uncommon, particularly with teaching staff on key academic literacies or among international cohorts. First year students also subject areas to develop course resources that could reported diffi culty managing their expectations of the be implemented through online modules, or through workload and self-directed approach to learning: the development of specifi c strategies around course work and assessment. “I heard uni was an absolute bludge and that it In order to connect School staff with the SLC, we was awesome, it was going to be great but we’d facilitated a simple and informal face-to-face meeting. get heaps of work […] but it’s more the out of We organised one morning and one afternoon tea class work that builds up so a lot of stuff that has for School staff to meet with SLC staff: the fi rst was to be done that we don’t get time for in class”. conducted in the SLC offi ces, and the second in the School building. The morning and afternoon teas Preliminary work with staff in our School attracted a small but engaged group of staff. Many indicated that many were unaware of the range of staff were interested in the range of ways that the University Student Services and resources available SLC could support their efforts in the classroom (for to assist staff – not just students – with their teaching instance, around student Blackboard use, writing and learning, particularly strategies and skills around skills and formats, and groupwork). However, while supporting academic transition to university. staff could see the benefi t of working with the SLC – The aim of the Academic Transition Initiative for themselves and their students – they still tended was to engage the range of university services and to view it as something ‘on top of’ their existing to connect with staff and students in our School to workload, rather than something that could be improve the delivery of ‘just in time’ advice, support, embedded in processes of course development and and resources. We worked with the University’s review. Study and Learning Centre (SLC), the Coordinator of These workshops improved our understanding the Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) program, our of how the SLC could support School staff to embed School Library Liaison Offi cers, and our School ESL academic literacies within the fi rst year curriculum tutors. in line with the University’s and Australian Quality Framework transition principles. They also helped Process us to develop closer working relationships with key We developed strategies to foster informal, low- staff at SLC and we now involve them as part of our cost, face-to-face meetings with key areas of Student School’s approach to orientation. Services that were open to all School staff. We will continue working with the SLC to develop ways of strategically involving them in School L&T The Student Learning Centre (SLC) developments, planning and discussions. The fi rst The SLC is a University-wide resource for both step in this process is to invite them to facilitate a teaching staff and students. For students, it offers: number of sessions at our School L&T Forum (refer a free drop-in learning centre; targeted academic to Appendix 4). We also plan to involve them in the skills workshops; and a substantial online learning development of our Phase Three research, with its lab, including program-specifi c modules and English focus on interdisciplinarity.

38 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Other Academic Services their work with students. The tutors confi rmed what we had learnt from students: that in practice their Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) role extends beyond academic support — assisting The Belonging Project investigated the potential with English language and providing essential for courses offered by the School of Media and cultural context when tackling assessment tasks — Communication to participate in the peer-to-peer to providing key social support, occupying a quasi- mentoring program, PASS. PASS is a voluntary parental role for many students who are removed attendance academic assistance program that utilises from family networks. peer-led group study to help students succeed in As a result of this information sharing, we agreed traditionally diffi cult courses – those with high that we would continue to work with the ESL tutors, unsuccessful completion rates or those that are in the fi rst instance to better promote their services perceived as diffi cult by students over time. This to students, by incorporating them in orientation. prospect emerged from the RMIT L&T Expo in August In fi rst semester, we invited an international 2012, where four existing models of peer-to-peer student who had used the tutors’ services to share academic mentoring programs were presented at a their experience with commencing students at session to the wider RMIT community. the School Welcome. We invited Don, Clare and Following the Expo, the Belonging Project team David themselves to speak to students at the second discussed the potential effi cacy of piloting the semester School Welcome, which was predominantly initiative within the fi rst two courses of the School’s aimed at international students. undergraduate ‘Communication Strand’ (major). These courses meet the PASS program’s selection criteria, as they are compulsory courses with a large Results and Analysis number of students and a reliance on sessional Overall, the Academic Transition Initiative resulted in teaching staff. Several meetings were brokered a small change in staff culture in the School around between the SLC PASS Coordinator and key School the perception and use of University services. staff to assess suitability and commitment to trial a pilot initiative in 2013. However, due to a range of Recommendations Arising factors, a decision was made not to proceed with the Recommendation 4 (School Level) initiative in the Communication Strand courses in That schools provide simple, low-cost opportunities 2013. for face-to-face connections between its staff and Student Services to facilitate relationship building and RMIT Library School Liaison Offi cers improve engagement. That this engagement strategy In response to an announcement by the library that become realised through staff position descriptions, they were trialling a new approach to orientation, staff workplans and professional development. we brokered a meeting with the School’s Library Liaison Offi cers to discuss the way their services could be better communicated to staff and embedded in transition processes.

School ESL Tutors During our 2011 student focus groups the School’s ESL tutors, Don Blackwood, Clare Ryan and David Browning were cited as a key transition resource – both academic and social – for international students in our School. However, we also became aware that they were not as widely known as they could be. We met with the ESL tutors to discuss possible connections between our project, particularly our focus group ﬁ ndings around transition issues, and

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 39 Initiative 5: End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions

Background and Aims We proposed a coordinated set of end of year Students in focus groups reported a sense of activities (Festival herein referred to as EOYF), serving competition among cohorts as well as anxiety around the purposes of programs representing diverse work sharing and standards. They also craved deeper disciplines, which could be promoted together to engagement with their peer group as they progress staff, students, industry and the community through through their degree. One student commented on her a range of marketing collateral, including posters, desire for more interaction with the work of students event programs, stickers, etc. in other (particularly creative) disciplines: The aims of the initiative were multiple (refer to Appendix 5). For students we envisaged that the “I think there would be a lot of people in EOYF would encourage more cross-year and cross- photography and digital art and media and stuff program interactions, inspiring students as they that we’d get on really well with because we are transitioned from year to year, as well as attracting all in the same kind of artistic, creative scheme of prospective students. It was also proposed that things but we just haven’t had any exposure to students would develop professional skills in the anyone else”. creation and promotion of their work. For staff, the aim was partly to streamline existing workloads and A series of workshops with School of Media and reduce duplication of efforts around the organisation Communication staff in 2011 conﬁ rmed that nearly and promotion of events, as well as the collection of all programs in the School had run or intended to student work for Open Day and ‘external’ marketing. run some sort of end of year event (e.g. exhibition, It was also envisaged that working together, School screening or industry night, prize giving, etc.). However, these events were discrete and mostly staff-driven rather than student-driven. Workshop participants at both the School Program Directors Retreat (August 2011), and the third Belonging Project Staff Workshop (November 2011) raised the idea of a School-wide End of Year Festival, which could: • Consist of a series of independently curated program or course-speciﬁ c micro-events, brought together through a cohesive festival program; • Involve students at all levels of the event, whether through showcasing their work, designing the program and posters, or planning the key events; • Have a book-end approach to events: opening with a launch night, which could also encompass a showcase of excellence; followed by an opening party to which alumni and industry would be invited; and closing with an awards night where the student work was more formally recognised.

The staff workshops conﬁ rmed that end of year academic activities were seen as a key point of academic transition for students, both academically and socially. We decided to work with staff in 2012 to clarify the purpose of these activities and to develop some School-wide umbrella branding that would promote these activities as part of a week-long ‘festival’ of events. Junction ’12 artwork – A result of a co-creation with ﬁ nal-year design students.

40 The Belonging Project Report 2012 staff could strengthen relationships with College Results and Analysis and University marketing, and leverage existing and The main outcome of the EOYF initiative was the new connections with industry by making events development of a name and interactive branding more visible and easier to attend (so that instead of identity for the EOYF, which has the potential to be attending three different show-cases for example, developed in future years, as well as the production certain industry representatives could attend one). It and distribution of the related marketing collateral was also thought that the EOYF could assist marketing advertising the School-wide program of events. staff at both the College and University level to Ten out of 11 undergraduate programs and all better understand the range and diversity of events TAFE program areas in the School of Media and and outputs produced by the various program areas Communication engaged in this initiative. Of special in the School, and to streamline connections with note was: the School around promotion of events and student success stories. • The emergence of collaborative relationships between programs, most noticeably between the Games, Media and Animation & Interactive Media Process programs who decided to pool resources and take In order to realise the aims of this initiative, The over ACMI at Federation Square for one night. Belonging Project formed an End of Year Festival Smaller project-based collaborations occurred Working Party to liaise with relevant School staff between students in Creative Writing and (both academic and professional), about the purpose Communication Design to produce the Creative and timing of their program’s events and to develop Writing Anthology publication. a communications and resourcing strategy that best • Four programs each ran multiple events as part supported all programs. We also invited members of of the EOYF initiative: these were either year- the College of Design and Social Context’s Marketing level specifi c or prize nights (many prize nights team to these meetings. were run in lieu of a formal School Award Event). Our efforts to initiate an EOYF ran alongside However, there were also a number of student- a University Marketing end of year marketing led year-level events that were not attached to project called Creative Festival. We supported the course curricula, making coordination of publicity Creative Festival via our School and College Marketing diffi cult. representatives to ensure the School’s event Early feedback from School staff and students information had a University-wide online presence. at the end of 2012 indicates that the branding The Belonging Project team worked with the ‘Junction: between the lines’ and the overall design of School’s staff and students (the team of fi nal year the marketing collateral were highly regarded: it Communication Design students) to identify and co- was considered creative and inclusive in approach create a School-level festival brand. Our aim was to and look, and appropriately marked the event as co-create a festival brand, design and communications a meaningful transition period for those students strategy that resonated with students from their own leaving RMIT into the ‘real world’. perspective and that would support future iterations. However, the marketing material was distributed The name chosen for the EOYF, suggested by our very late (after formal classes had ended) and it student design team, and agreed upon by the staff was therefore diffi cult to gauge the effectiveness of working party, was: JUNCTION 12: between the lines. the campaign in relation to attracting audiences to The design team produced and distributed a range of the events (reliable data as to audience numbers at materials, including posters, programs, and stickers. A individual events was not available). poster and guerrilla sticker campaign was thought to best support the branding launch: running alongside Also, it is clear that further discussion is required an event catalogue that mapped all School events as a between staff at College and School levels to stylised pocket-sized calendar. determine how best to brand and market School and College-wide end of year festival activities in a cohesive and integrated way.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 41 Further Information: Refer to Appendix 5 (page 72)

Recommendations Arising

Recommendation 5.1 (University Level) That further research and pilot projects be conducted across the University to ascertain the added value to the student experience of coordinated end of year capstone events, linked to student transition: from year to year; from student to graduate; from alumni to member of the industry.

Recommendation 5.2 (School Level) That a ‘whole-of-school’ as well as a ‘whole-of- program’ approach is taken to the end of the year festival, so that events do not become the sole responsibility of program staff but become ‘everybody’s business’: a concern shared by all staff, academic and professional, as part of a school’s core business.

Recommendation 5.3 (School/Program Level) That end of year festival activities inform program renewal to ensure that they: are embedded in curriculum; engage students in a process of co- creation; and foster engagement across student cohorts from ﬁ rst to third year.

42 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Discussion

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 43 The attempt to enact and evaluate a range of practical have also learnt that achieving lasting change is school-based initiatives to support a holistic approach the most challenging part of our project. While we to the FYE consistent with The Belonging Project successfully piloted and modelled our coordinated Narrative Model was both ambitious and challenging for school and program approach to orientation in a project with very limited resources. Because of these 2012, by the time orientation week approached in limitations, some initiatives worked better than others. 2013, we observed many staff members reverting We were most successful where we could work to old ways of doing things. Anecdotal evidence directly with small cohorts or teams of staff and suggests that in the face of a range of new changes students. For instance, our work was enriched by and challenges – most signifi cantly the continuing our collaboration with the Coordinator of fi rst year work of the MC2015 project, which requires for courses in Creative Writing, and we were pleased to some, a substantial re-conceptualisation of program observe a number of successes for this staff member structures and pedagogies – a relatively new approach and the cohort. To us, this series of simple, small, to orientation was too much to add to the load. quickly and low-cost organised initiatives (including Therefore, many staff looked to The Belonging Project a CBD excursion and an on-campus reading night) team for leadership around orientation processes and best demonstrate some of the ways that staff can use practices, despite the short-term nature of our role simple strategies to implement signifi cant changes for within the School. Our experiences demonstrated their students, as well as for themselves, when they the need to embed leadership around this and other place student transition and belonging as central to transition issues through our proposed Transition their curriculum design and development. Coordination team. Similarly, our work with students to refurbish Similarly, we recorded a qualifi ed success with the Student Atelier space was low-cost and quick our Academic Transition Initiative. While a number – notwithstanding the inevitable delays that occur of staff were keen to learn more about the University within a large institution such as RMIT – and has services available to them and their students, this is made a signifi cant impact on the sense of belonging only the fi rst step towards better embedding these for students in our School. By beginning and ending services within the curriculum in courses across the the refurbishment process with student feedback, we School. This highlighted the importance of forming ensured that our process was always one of genuine genuine links with key services such as the Study co-creation with the student cohort. This process and Learning Centre (SLC). We know that through of co-creation was most successfully realised by continued simple and informal engagement strategies employing three Communication Design students that foster personal connections, such as on-campus to work on the design fi nishes in the space: an morning teas, School staff will become increasingly experience that they reported was a validating and aware of these services on offer and feel more important instance of Work Integrated Learning confi dent in approaching SLC staff for assistance. (WIL), preparing them for client relationships and Further, now these connections have been brokered, the resource limitations of professional life. We SLC staff demonstrated their interest in being also ensured that students were informed about the involved in ongoing School discussions around L&T. changes taking place, and that they were student-led, For instance, they were invited to facilitate a number by asking the student design team to speak about the of workshops at the School’s inaugural Learning and project at both 2012 School Welcome sessions. Teaching Forum in 2013, and will help inform our research around interdisciplinarity, as we develop our Feedback from students and observation of the Phase Three research and continue to contribute to Student Atelier space since the refurbishment, tell MC2015 Review project. us that: the space is more lively and central to the life of the School than it was before; and that it Finally, we discovered through our pilot that offers students the opportunity for a real campus our plans for an End of Year Festival (EOYF) were experience, including the chance to mingle with too ambitious to fully realise in the fi rst iteration, students in other years and disciplines – something and will require another year of development to that is distinctly absent from the online student adequately test its success and future potential. experience that is increasingly touted as a likely Despite taking only fi rst steps towards achieving the future for Higher Education delivery. proposed EOYF, we have recorded evidence of staff enthusiasm and goodwill towards the concept, as Although our work to improve the approach to well as to the initial branding and promotion. Our orientation across our School was successful, we

44 The Belonging Project Report 2012 research has also confi rmed that when planning Coordinator. But it also extended to include a range of the festival, diversity must be adopted as a central new connections, including: principle. This means diversity of the range of student • The College of Science, Engineering and Health (SEH) experiences, disciplinary backgrounds and outputs, as Transition Community of Practice Group who invited us well as of the various needs that the event fulfi ls for to attend their meeting as guest presenters; different program’s students, including: celebrating • The University Marketing and Communications Forum achievements, showcasing student work, or marking who invited us to present our 2011 fi ndings; a transition from one year to the next. As we further • The DSC Retention/Attrition Project who invited us to develop the EOYF in 2013, we aim to supplement our contribute our insights on School student cohort existing staff feedback with student data to ensure selection and admissions trends, and factors that our plans meet this range of student needs. infl uencing conversions to offer; While we recorded varying levels of success • Leaders in our scholarly fi eld, Marcia Devlin and Karen across our fi ve initiatives, we nonetheless noted Nelson who invited us to attend the launch of signifi cant impacts upon our School’s L&T agenda. Devlin, Kift, Nelson Smith and McKay’s OLT After the overwhelmingly positive reception to our funded project and who acknowledged our project Phase One (2011) research report, as well as the in their report. prominence gained through our FYE pilot initiatives, The Belonging Project Narrative Model has become Having successfully formed these links the project central to many discussions around the future is well placed to leverage and build on these to L&T direction of the School. We have been invited connect our efforts with others across the University to formally participate in the MC2015 process, and the sector as we continue into Phase Three. both as members of the steering group, as well as Overall, our work during Phase Two made clear contributing to discussions around key topics, such as that many of the issues we have sought to address are interdisciplinarity, by providing scholarly materials far more complex than they at fi rst appear. The best and evidence from our project. example of this is orientation. Changing the culture The Belonging Project team also supported around orientation involves complex networks of innovation in L&T within the School of Media and staff across the professional and academic areas, and Communication through the operation of one of from a broad range of disciplines, each representing our key principles – brokering relationships and different histories and ways of doing things. promoting best practice. We have consistently Attempting to implement such wide-scale change worked to scope and recognise best practice in order highlights the challenge of vertical integration: to commission colleagues to design and deliver between grassroots staff who are at the ‘chalkface’ in professional development to others within the the classroom, and often consumed by the continual School, and to nominate and promote colleagues demands of the academic calendar; university services for awards. This range of engagements with L&T who are at the frontline of student transition issues; has earned our project the committed support of and the various staff members at School, College our Deputy Dean (Learning and Teaching) and the and University level who are ensuring that processes School L&T Committee, and has seen our project and policies around admission, selection, enrolment become a central part of the School’s L&T Strategy and academic progress are followed correctly. It also 2013–2015. Phase Two of our research also enabled demonstrates that, adopting Kift, Nelson and Clarke’s us to understand how varied the program experience generational approach to developing a whole-of- can be across such a large and diverse school. In this institution transition pedagogy (2010), our work is environment, transparency and consistency in role still at a fi rst generation level (Refer to Diagram 3 on tasks and responsibilities are vital if staff within a page 21). This means we are the stage of introducing school are to work together to achieve change. effi cacious but still siloed co-curricular activities. As The release of our Phase One report and our Kift, Nelson and Clarke outline, a well-developed and continuing work to broker links also brought success coordinated transition pedagogy requires a whole-of- in forming productive connections with a range of institutional approach in order to produce: stakeholders both within and beyond RMIT. These included groups involved in our initiatives, such an environment which provides the potential for as staff from the SLC, our School Library Liaison commencing students to achieve engagement, Offi cers, the School ESL tutors, and the PASS Program timely access to support and the development

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 45 of a strong sense of belonging. This is made engagement strategies within the discipline of media possible by the bringing together of co-curricular and communication. and curricular strategies into an intentionally (Refer to page 14–16 in the Executive Summary for designed and broadly conceptualised curriculum; overall ﬁ ndings and recommendations from Phase 2 one which is implemented through the shared of the Belonging Project.) knowledge and skills of partnered academic and professional staff in an institutional environment that is committed to an optimal ﬁ rst year experience both at the policy and practice levels. (Kift, Nelson and Clarke, 2010, p. 10)

This supports our fi nding that efforts to spark widespread cultural change require a holistic and sustained approach that targets both the grassroots as well as the strategic levels of the university. These efforts aim to produce a distinctive RMIT experience based on The Belonging Project Narrative Model – one that begins for each student with a strong grounding in a diverse disciplinary cohort, broadens out to encompass the interdisciplinary community of the school, and fi nally grows to include a sense of belonging as an ethical global citizen. By adopting the concept of belonging as a central focus, our project produces a clear and distinctive narrative model that responds to the range of political, economic and social changes occurring within the Australian tertiary sector which have led to the current renewed focus on the student experience. As Australia, along with many other developed nations, continues to affi rm its belief in the value of building a ‘knowledge’ or ‘innovation’ economy (Australian Government, 2009), the necessity of training a broad base of future knowledge workers becomes a practical reality. Responding to this challenge, universities fi nd themselves welcoming larger and more diverse cohorts in order to meet this demand. Set against these wide-ranging social changes, the concept of belonging works as a rhetorical device to draw together and narrativize the range of practical strategies we are developing to improve the student experience in our School. The concept of belonging has proved particularly meaningful given our desire to ensure a grassroots approach to change that is inclusive of diverse cohorts, including students from LSES backgrounds. Our project has worked to defi ne belonging as a theoretical concept and idealised psycho-social state, and to develop a range of transferrable curricular and extra-curricular initiatives to achieve its application in practice. In this way, our project demonstrates the currency and value of the concept of belonging in the area of education, and in the development of student

46 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Dissemination and outputs

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 47 Our project follows the dissemination framework set out by the Ofﬁ ce of Learning and Teaching (OLT), formerly known as the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC). As outlined below, we have grown our information provision dissemination, while privileging engaged dissemination – an “engaged-focused approach to dissemination, involving consultation, collaboration and support for ongoing dissemination both during the project and after the project is complete.” (ALTC, 2008) We established a project website to maximise our research impacts, and house our legacy resources: www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/belonging- project Digital copies of our project ﬁ ndings such as Final Reports and video evaluations can be downloaded from this site at: www.rmit.edu.au/ mediacommunication/belonging-project/outcomes A comprehensive overview of our 2012 activities and achievements is set out below.

48 The Belonging Project Report 2012 nior L&T staff nior L&T staff for meetings ng design Orientation Passport. Designed Designed Passport. Orientation design rst half of O-Week, and go to the School Welcome on the the on Welcome School the to go and O-Week, of rst half nal-year Communication Design students to students Design Communication nal-year Consulted with Student Services and other Schools for exemplars of Orientation activities, Orientation of exemplars for Schools Services and other with Student Consulted particularly ‘passports’. treasure a establish to Services Student in staff key and staff program undergraduate with Worked make to students encouraged game The Passport. School-wide a Orientation for component hunt fi the during Services Student with links O-Day. Big of morning fi Commissioned to make student engagement with university services and infrastructure a social, fun and interesting interesting and fun university with social, a infrastructure and services engagement student make to activity. to activities transition how outlining practical on and module advice development Professional by Facilitated informal/formally). (either activities in the classroom ice-breaker/transition implement university with shared session, at hand-outs Disseminated Advisor). L&T Senior (DSC Moeller Ruth TOM’ TOM ‘Teaching Blog L&T DSC via colleagues the on Session Welcome School student-led a in participate to speakers student Commissioned briefi conducted staff: professional for morning tea Hosted Big O-Day. morning of staff. academic program key motivational upbeat, an in School the across students from work exemplary Video showcased products its what and School the in programs of overview an with staff and students Provided way. Events. Welcome School all at Shown producing. of capable are students evaluation. video Orientation the by evidenced as success overwhelming an Session Welcome School of design – very successful not were O-Pho and initiatives Passport competition Orientation The the highlights – disappointing were returns but students, and staff by received well was collateral services. and information of delivery time’ in importance ‘just of (OUA, Devlin Marcia Professor with collaborate and participate to Invited universities. of range a from SES low students. teaching for resources develop to Deakin) formally our about Directors/Managers Program and Executive School’s updated Report, 2011 our Launched UGRD all of review parties working informing School in participate to Invited activities date. 2012 to party working School’s join to retention. on invited School; the in programs ngs for staff and senior students (School of of (School students senior and staff for ngs Commissioned and designed Orientation Passport. Orientation and designed Commissioned O-Pho and Passport Established Competitions. Orientation (Sydney). Satisfaction Conference HE in Student Se Chancellors, Vice included Delegates delivered. workshop and paper Conference Media and Communication). and Media Briefi Orientation Communication). and Media program staff. to Passports Orientation Distributed presentation. video Welcome School a Produced and draw competition Passport Orientation including O-Pho competition. photographic Atelier Student of evaluations video Commenced refurbishment. initiatives. Orientation of evaluations Commenced Out initiatives. Cohort School Day and evaluated Attended and Media of (School DirectorsProgram Retreat Communication). Date Date January Activity Space. Atelier Student of refurbishment Commenced Activity Outcomes and Purpose 2012 May 7–8 February of (School Workshop Teasers Transition and Breakers Ice March Theatre) (Capitol Session Welcome Conducted School June 31 May–1 2012 Summary of Activities and Achievements: 2012 Summary of Activities and Achievements:

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 49 rrent and future initiatives, and how these may may these how and initiatives, future and rrent useful. nd uencing conversions to offer. to conversions uencing nal-year students to design festival collateral. festival design to students nal-year ndings and understandings with key stakeholders from the M&C 2015 Review. 2015 M&C the from stakeholders key with understandings and ndings t into our model of student engagement. student of model our into t Distributed 2011 Report to key university stakeholders as well as Karen Nelson and her team. team. and her Nelson Karen as well as university stakeholders key to 2011 Report Distributed Outcomes: • report her launch to invited and Report 2012 Devlin’s in Referenced • Forum and Communications University at Marketing speak to Invited • Community Practice Forum of Transition SEH the at speak to Invited DSC as well as School, the within staff professional and academic with two meetings Held planning fi Commissioned Marketing. entry: also mid-year with programs all for data offers of conversion and admissions Gathered talk about to room one in staff professional key and programs all Got data. pathways all gathered inaugural an hold to agreed before): done cohorts (never needs and commencing mid-year their Breakers/Transition Ice our recirculate and students enrolling late capture to 3 Week in welcome materials. Teasers fi research our Shared Belonging using innovation support might we curricular fund how to to staff as insights us Gave outcomes. research staff. for provide they initiatives and what staff, SLC introduce to Designed research of validation gained experience’: ‘RMIT the market Marketing how into insights Gained model. engagement student and outcomes ground’ the ‘on obtained Selection: about staff School with interviews and Conducted analysis Information offers. to conversions and process selection/admissions mid-year new about snapshots around blockers into insights party. gave Also working WAM School’s/DSC’s inform to used fi may staff resources and orientation/transition cohort selection and student on College with understandings and insights our Shared DSC: With factors and infl trends, admissions video compiling Commenced recorded. students with footage interview and observational Final package. evaluation insights useful Gained outcomes. research of sharing/benchmarking and model of testing Further in contacts other useful made initiatives; current/future matched that university initiatives into departments. cu opportunityProvided School’s into insights gain to fi and the University at Marketing ndings Experience Model (RMIT). Model Experience and internal external key to Report Distributed stakeholders. staff. School with planning Festival Year of End Commenced Orientation. Mid-Year for planning Commenced (via Review 2015 M&C in participation Commenced partyworking representation). managing grant and preparation budget LTIF Attended (RMIT). workshop orientation re staff with interviews Conducted follow-up transition. and staff. initiatives. with ArtsMet re orientation/transition & Culture Welcome School Mid-Year for speakers student Briefed Session. Forum. Communications Project. completed. refurbishment Atelier Student L&T RMIT the at panellists as participated and Attended Expo. Mobility School’s Showcase Attended Date Date June Activity QUT on Student Nelson lecture public Karen by Attended July Activity Outcomes and Purpose School for Workshop Centre and Learning 2 x Study Hosted July11 August fi 2011 Presented Retention/Attrition the DSC to contributing Commenced

50 The Belonging Project Report 2012 cations, cations, School’s our of rst year to other sectors of the School – has has – sectors School the of other to ’s 2012 Report (OLT funded). (OLT ’s 2012 Report – requested 2 x dedicated staff to oversee continuation of of continuation oversee to staff dedicated x 2 requested – – requested that the School establish this as a regular event in its its in event regular a as this establish School the that requested – ndings from our research this year, and invited champions from programs to speak speak to programs from champions invited and year, this research our from ndings – requested formal adoption of a peer-to-peer mentoring scheme within the FYE the within the scheme of mentoring peer-to-peer a of adoption formal requested – ected on progress to-date, conducted strategic planning for remainder of 2012 – 2013, 2013, – 2012 of remainder for planning strategic conducted to-date, ected progress on Tested model and shared research outcomes with staff from different disciplines who are leaders in in leaders are who disciplines different from staff with outcomes research shared and model Tested RMIT. at transition student student the about speak to Services Student from staff key and speakers student Commissioned attend. to invited also Postgraduates evening. the in nibbles and drinks by Followed experience. conducting 2013. in are we Forum L&T School the for ideas get and contacts make To potential to ensure effective, transparent team management and compliance re staff qualifi staff re compliance and management team transparent effective, ensure to potential cycle. life student the around planning event and workloads, and Rundell Carolyn SLC’s with meetings numerous had we Expo, L&T RMIT the from on Following fi the within model mentoring suitability the about staff School PASS the of programs. undergraduate consolidated our work around interdisciplinarity (Tier 2). (Tier interdisciplinarity around work our consolidated Orientation and Transition Proposal implementation. 2013 for activities established: we orientation/transition coordinated PASS Proposal implementation. 2014 for scoped be this that programs: undergraduate School’s School L&T Forum Proposal in Project team Belonging The by organised be to First iteration calendar. development professional 4). Appendix to (refer 2013 about the successes of their curricular cohort initiatives. curricular their of about the successes Practice Group. Practice Students. New for Welcome Mid-Year School inaugural Held the Curriculum Internationalising School’s Attended Workshop. reporting and 2012 activities for research Continued initiatives. L&T Forum. Health’s Commenced feasibility study of PASS initiative within the initiative PASS study of feasibility Commenced FYSchool’s courses. Retreat.Team Refl EOYF collateral designs locked off and distributed. and off locked designs collateral EOYF Date Date August1 Activity Community of Transition SEH the to presented Guest September event. tell’ and ‘show tea morning staff professional Hosted resource management new a showcase to staff TAFE asked We Activity Outcomes and Purpose 24 October November 2 and 3 initiatives. Tier for planning Continued 19 November and Engineering Science, of the RMIT College Attended 14 September invitation. her at Project launch Devlin’s September18 Marcia Attended Cohort Event. Writing Creative of iteration 18–19 second Evaluated Kift, al in Devlin, et Nelson and referenced Acknowledged September October Committee. L&T School’s to proposals x 3 Submitted October18 FYE. the on presentation Work @ Teachers School fi key Presented

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 51 To make contacts and get ideas for the School L&T Forum we are conducting in 2013. To test our our test To conducting 2013. in are we Forum L&T School the for ideas get and contacts make To identify ‘sleeper’ to School: the within others of thoughts the hear and interdisciplinarity on ideas area. this in linkages and champions staff. reporting and 2012 activities for research Continue initiatives. School Year of End the at project a update Presented packages. evaluation video our launched and Meeting, Meetings Group Project Reference Belonging Committee L&T Communication and Media of School University Equity and Diversity Committee Date Date 20 November with School on Interdisciplinarity Conducted a workshop Activity December 2 and 3 initiatives. Tier for planning Continued Activities Regular Monthly Meetings Group Reference Cohort Experience Student Weekly hocAd Activity Outcomes and Purpose Meetings Project Team Belonging Services Student and staff School key with meetings planning Regular

52 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Conclusion

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 53 In Phase One of the project (2011) we worked to For students in the more practice-based disciplines, develop The Belonging Project Narrative Model, based interdisciplinarity was also seen as a way to curb on close research with staff and students in the School creative isolation and connect across various studio of Media and Communication at RMIT University. practices. As one student commented: In Phase Two (2012), we drew on this model to “I think there would be a lot of people in introduce a new approach to transition and the FYE Photography and Digital Art and Media that in the School through fi ve pilot initiatives focused we’d get along really well with because we are on orientation, transition, cohort building, student spaces and academic skills and literacies. all in the same kind of artistic, creative scheme of things, but we just haven’t had any exposure to Our Phase Two research confi rmed what we had anyone else”. learnt through our work with staff and students in Phase One: that students in their fi rst year of study However, our participants also indicated that are facing a range of anxieties around the social this sort of interdisciplinary connection needs to be and academic transition to university. But we also facilitated in a way that balances students’ need to confi rmed that these anxieties can be tackled, often belong to a localised cohort before they are able to with little expenditure of time and resources, and extend themselves to interact productively on an with signifi cant impact. interdisciplinary level. It should also be noted that not Throughout this pilot period, we have been all programs and industries represented in our School developing and revising our model, triangulating refl ect trends towards interdisciplinarity: in a number it against staff and student data, and feeding our of professional fi elds, specialisation is the trend, and observations into strategic projects such as MC2015 so interdisciplinary activities need to be tailored to Review project (MC2015). From this work, the next disciplinary contexts. phase of our project (2013) has taken shape as Phase In Phase Three (2013) we aim to map these and Three: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience. other issues as they apply to programs within our The interdisciplinary has always been central to School, along with exemplars of best practice to the cumulative, capacity building logic of our model. develop a working typology of interdisciplinary Having formed bonds and confi dence within their student experiences. This typology will be our disciplinary/program cohort in Tier One, students primary outcome of Phase Three, and we aim to are prepared to broaden their experience out to mobilise it as part of the MC2015 renewal process encompass the interdisciplinary environment of the as well as in broader L&T debates and development school (or equivalent community) in Tier Two. within School and across the University and sector. This logic was confi rmed by our focus group Work to develop this typology will fall into two research. Most students expressed a desire to develop categories: fi rstly, gathering data, through literature a broader sense of belonging not just to their program review and case studies on the existing theory and peers, but also to the interdisciplinary community practice of interdisciplinarity; and secondly – through of the School. Many were keen to meet students in a close study of an interdisciplinary course (COMM2324 other disciplines, who they considered their ‘future Interdisciplinary Communication Project), and through co-workers’. As one student lamented: “we don’t get work with School staff to develop and articulate a enough opportunities to meet other people [who] working approach to interdisciplinarity – through could help us in our jobs later on in life”. processes of whole-of-school program renewal. Not all their interdisciplinary aspirations were While undertaking Phase Three of our research, we instrumental however, with many expressing a desire will continue to observe and contribute to reiterations of to experience a broader university experience as earlier initiatives, such as the School Welcome and the part of their personal – rather than professional – EOYF, with the aim of ensuring their sustainability. We development. For a number of students we spoke to, will also scope initial plans for Phase Four (2014), with this was about broadening their horizons and their its focus on the global student experience. By ensuring knowledge of the world, and knowing where they that these tiers are developed concurrently, we aim to fi t within the wider academic fi eld. Many expressed further progress the successful implementation of The a desire for ‘tasters’ of other disciplines/programs, Belonging Project Narrative Model’s holistic narrative in through ideas such as lecture swaps to get a better the School of Media and Communication, and draw out understanding of their fellow students as well as its potential for wider application across the University to clarify the boundaries of their own discipline. and the tertiary education sector.

54 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Bibliography

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 55 Abma, T.A. (2000): Fostering learning-in-organizing Kirk, J. (2011). What a School Should Look Like Project: through narration: Questioning myths and stimulating Review of School Governance and Management. Final multiplicity in two performing art schools, European Report. Melbourne: RMIT University. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 9:2, Krause, K.-L., Hartley, R., James, R., & McInnis, C. (2005). 211-231 The fi rst year experience in Australian Universities: ALTC. (2008). ALTC Dissemination Framework. Sydney; fi ndings from a decade of national studies. Retrieved Australian Government Department of Education, from http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/higher_education/ Employment and Workplace Relations. publications_resources/profi les/fi rst_year_experience. Australian Government, Department of Industry, htm Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Palmer, G. (2011). Dean of Students Appointment. (2009). Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Retrieved from http://www.rmit.edu.au/ Century. http://www.innovation.gov.au/Innovation/ browse;ID=9af44zgu05nt Policy/Documents/PoweringIdeas.pdf Peterson, F. and Hansen, S. (2012). Media and Bradley, D., Noonan, P., Nugent, H., & Scales, B. (2008). Communication: Program Suite and Delivery for the Review of Australian Higher Education Final Report. Future. RMIT University. Canberra: Department of Education, Employment and PricewaterhouseCoopers (2011). Global Entertainment and Workplace Relations Retrieved from Media Outlook: 2011 – 2015. http://www.deewr.gov.au/he_review_fi nalreport. Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L. and McKay, J. (2012). Effective Teaching and Support of Students from Low Socioeconomic Status Backgrounds: Resources for Higher Education. Australian Government Offi ce for Learning and Teaching. Greenwood, D. J., Whyte, W. F., & Harkavy, I. (1993). Participatory action research as a process and as a goal. Human Relations, 46(2), 175-192. Gola, G. (2009). Informal learning of social workers: a method of narrative inquiry. Journal of Workplace Learing, 21(4), 334-346. James, R., Anderson, M., Bexley, E., Devlin, M., Garnett, R., Marginson, S., and Maxwell, L. (2008). Participation and equity: A review of the participation in higher education of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous people, Universities Australia, Canberra, March. James, R. (2001). Student’s changing expectations of higher education and the consequences of mismatches with the reality. Paper for OECD-IMHE conference Management responses to changing student expectations, QUT, Sep.2001. Karpen, I., Hall, C., Katsoulidis, T. and Cam, M. (2011). Co- Creating the Student Experience: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Exploration from an S-D logic perspective. Learning and Teaching Investment Fund (LTIF), RMIT University Kemmis, S. (2007). Action Research. In M. Hammersley (Ed.), Educational Research and Evidence-based Practice (pp. 167–180). Milton Keynes and London: The Open Univeristy and SAGE Publications. Kift, S. (2008) The next, great fi rst year challenge: Sustaining, coordinating and embedding coherent institution–wide approaches to enact the FYE as “everybody’s business”. In 11th International Pacifi c Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference, An Apple for the Learner: Celebrating the First Year Experience, 30 June–2 July 2008, Hobart. Kift, S., Nelson, K. and Clarke, J. (2010). Transition pedagogy: a third generation approach to the FYE: a case study of policy and practice for the higher education sector. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 1(1), pp. 1-20.

56 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Appendices

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 57 Appendix 1: Transition and Orientation Coordination Team Proposal

This document was submitted and endorsed by the School of Learning and Teaching Committee in the School of Media and Communication in 2012.

Proposal: School Orientation and Transition Coordination Team

Draft Position The appointed School of M&C Orientation and Transition Coordinators would be assigned the Description following responsibilities: • Implement School-wide planning days in relation to orientation and transition; • Ensure program areas are provided with useful/strategic data about their commencing student cohorts; • Coordinate two School-wide Student Welcome Events annually; • Oversee and advise School staff on best practice in relation to program level orientation events; • Identify, develop and communicate professional development opportunities around orientation/transition for academic and professional staff; • Ensure each Program’s Orientation Coordinator and Year Level Advisors/Coordinators are listed on the School Programs Contacts List and program information materials; • Work with the following external staff to facilitate the embedding of transition experiences across the School’s curriculum: – Barbara Morgan and Alison Brown (Student Services – Study and Learning Centre) – Ruth Moeller (DSC – Senior Advisor, L&T) – Clare Ryan and Don Blackwood (School tutors) – Carolyn Rundell (Student Services – Senior Coordinator, PASS) – Janeene Payne (Student Services – University Orientation Coordinator) – Tim Smith (Director, RMIT Link) • Submit bi-yearly reports and recommendations to the School L&T committee after each admissions period.

Draft Process of The School of M&C Orientation and Transition Coordinators would be recruited via the following Appointment methods: • Recruited internally through a call for expressions of interest, followed by an interview; • Appointed for a term of two years; • Appointment process is complete by the end of October to early November at the latest to ensure efﬁ cacy; • The workload for each team member be weighted as 10-15% of their workload (or as analysed by WAM Committee); • The team works closely with the School Communications Ofﬁ cer and reports to Deputy Dean, Learning and Teaching.

58 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Appendix 2: Project Methodology Overview – Phase 2 (2012)

Short-term Evaluation Approach Initiative Evaluation Objective Evaluation Method Coordinated Increased attendance at the • Number of programs implementing orientation events Orientation Week School’s orientation events. • Observation and number of students and staff at (staff and students) orientation events • Observations of School Welcome Events by commissioned ‘mystery shoppers’ • Interviews/focus group sessions with staff and students • Number of orientation passports returned • Number of orientation passports completed and the quality of responses submitted • Observation and number of students using the Student Atelier over the 2012 academic year • Number of drinks vouchers returned via Student Atelier coffee cart trial • Unsolicited feedback

Improved quality of engagement • Observations of students and staff in orientation activities. • Interviews/focus group sessions (staff and students) • Interviews with staff from external departments • Unsolicited feedback

Improved understanding of what • Entries submitted to the O-Pho competition services and activities students • Numbers of passports returned engage with during Orientation Week. (staff) • Analysis of responses on Orientation Passports returned • Number of free drinks voucher redemptions (part of Orientation Passport initiative) • Solicited feedback from Student Services (SLC) and RMIT Library staff • Interviews/focus group sessions with students • Unsolicited feedback

Improved usage of the School’s • Observation student informal space (the • Interviews/focus group sessions with students Student Atelier) by undergraduate commencing cohorts – as a • Number of entries in the O-Pho Competition direct result of our Coordinated • Feedback submitted via Student Atelier feedback box Orientation Week Initiatives.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 59 Short-term Evaluation Approach Initiative Evaluation Objective Evaluation Method Cohort Day Out Formation of new friendships and • Observation student groupings within year • Staff and student interviews cohorts. • Attrition/retention statistics

Improved quality of student • Observation relationships to staff in their • Staff and student interviews home program. • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting minutes

Improved staff understandings of • Observation student cohort transition needs. • Staff and student interviews (social and academic) • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting minutes

Improved skill development • Observation amongst commencing student • Staff interviews cohorts. (peer critiquing, critical reﬂ ection, interpersonal networking • Course Evaluation Survey results skills) • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting minutes

Decreased program attrition • Admission/enrolment statistics in the ﬁ rst year, ﬁ rst semester • Attrition/retention statistics of the School’s undergraduate programs. • Student Progress Committee deliberations and ‘student at risk’ outcomes • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting minutes • Staff and student interviews

Student Informal Improved usage of the School’s • Observation Spaces Initiative student informal spaces by its • Interviews/focus group sessions with students students, particularly ﬁ rst year undergraduate student cohorts. • Number of entries in the O-Pho Competition • Feedback submitted via Student Atelier feedback box • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting minutes

Academic Transition Improved understanding • Observation Initiatives amongst School staff about • Staff focus groups/interviews the services offered by the University’s Student Services. • Solicited feedback

Increased ‘just in time’ transition • Observation interventions implemented by • Staff interviews staff in undergraduate programs, extending from orientation week • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting into key ﬁ rst year courses. deliberations • Student Progress Committee meeting deliberations; student ‘at risk’ outcomes • Solicited feedback from external staff

60 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Short-term Evaluation Approach Initiative Evaluation Objective Evaluation Method End of Year Festival of Produce new School-level EOYF • Staff and student interviews/focus groups Events and Exhibitions branded marketing collateral that • Student Staff Consultative Committee meeting reﬂ ects the diverse culture of the deliberations School. • Observation • Solicited feedback from external staff • Number of EOYF catalogues taken

Increased attendances at the • Staff interviews School’s EOYF events. • Observation • Number of EOYF catalogues taken

Increased trafﬁ c on the School’s • Google analytics results on Creative Festival website EOYF event websites/social media pages pages. • Staff and student feedback Increased coverage of the • Observation School’s EOYF events within RMIT and external media outlets.

Long-term Evaluation Approaches Evaluation Objective Evaluation Method

Less undergraduate students reported as experiencing • SES results preventable transition issues during their ﬁ rst semester of • PAR data study within the School. • Student Staff Consultative Committee feedback from Improved staff engagement in orientation and transition the School’s undergraduate programs initiative planning and implementation, which is also holistic in • Analysis of School admissions offer versus conversion approach. to enrolment data Improved undergraduate student engagement in orientation • Analysis of School attrition and retention data and transition initiative planning and implementation (across all year levels). • Analysis of School Student Progress Committee deliberations and ‘student at risk’ process outcomes Increased strategic collaboration between academic and • Post-Orientation interviews with commencing professional staff within the School in matters supporting the FYE. students • Post-Orientation interviews and focus groups with staff involved with the ﬁ rst year undergraduate experience

Increased and improved quality of intentional curriculum • CES results renewal supporting the FYE by staff teaching into • SES results undergraduate programs within the School. • Analysis of program and course amendments • Program Annual Review reports • Staff interviews/focus groups • Student interviews/focus groups • Observation

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 61 Appendix 3: Coordinated Orientation Week Initiative – 2012 Case Study Report (School of Media and Communication)

Aim To create a positive, welcoming foundation experience whereby all new students, regardless of their background, can begin to engage with their program cohort, within a broader School and University.

Objectives

Target Audience Provide opportunities to:

Students • Develop relationships to their program’s year cohort • Develop relationships to their program’s academic and professional staff • Provide students a realistic snap-shot of university life and have academic expectations clariﬁ ed • To be introduced to senior student cohorts both from within their own program and other programs within the School • Be introduced to interdisciplinary activities within the School and University • Gain conﬁ dence to self-access University resources • Resolve student and academic administrative issues by Week 1

School staff • Reframe ‘Orientation’ and ‘O-Week’ as an experience valued as a vital foundation for student engagement in the classroom • Establish new ways of working collaboratively and efﬁ ciently to achieve University ‘best- practice’ initiatives in student cohort engagement and transition at RMIT • Develop relationships to the School’s new student cohorts • Develop connections with Student Services to ensure the potential of University resources are maximised.

University staff • Gain reciprocal feedback on school-speciﬁ c needs around Orientation • Contribute to development of activities and services to better resource school-speciﬁ c needs • Contribute to development of activities and services to better resource all student needs

Implementation Strategies: Overview To create the desired staff and student engagement opportunities listed previously, we conducted a series of broader interventions which were embedded within the four key student engagement strategies (outlined below) across the School’s eleven undergraduate programs.

Implementation Goals Strategies

Program Orientation • Encourage all undergraduate programs to hold and resource Program Orientation Sessions Sessions • Encourage all staff and students to see these events as the ﬁ rst step onto the ‘transitioning to (renewed existing university path’ (‘I belong to a program’) initiative)

School Welcome • Reinvigorate the School Welcome event by encouraging students to derive and deliver content Sessions • Encourage staff and students to value this event as a necessary second step along the (renewed existing ‘transitioning to university path’ (‘I belong to a school’) initiative)

Orientation Passport • Encourage staff and students to value engaging with the university’s services and campuses as (new initiative) a necessary third step along the ‘transitioning to university path’ (‘I belong to a university’)

Student Informal • Encourage staff and students to value and utilise these spaces for informal interactions and Spaces Initiative cohort bonding activities (new initiative)

62 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Program Orientation Sessions From our 2011 research, we identifi ed that Program Orientation Sessions were crucial to the successful development of a student’s sense of belonging, particularly to their program, in the fi rst instance. Interventions undertaken to support this strategy included: • Meetings with academic and professional staff from all eleven undergraduate programs in the School, and encouraged each of them to hold and resource their orientation sessions early in Orientation Week. We encouraged programs to make these sessions fun, engaging and informative, and to involve key academic and professional staff to attend. • Asking staff to encourage students to attend our repackaged School Welcome Session which book-ended the School’s Orientation Week program. • Encouraging staff to approach the planning and advertising of their Program Orientation events as being more distinct in purpose from Enrolment Information Sessions. We did this by asking staff not just provide information to students, but to engage them in simple social interventions to encourage bonding amongst the student cohort. • Supporting staff to achieve the previous goal, by developing and delivering a training package for all undergraduate Program Directors, First Year Student Advisors and Course Coordinators, as well as Orientation Coordinators in the School. Designed to demonstrate a range of ‘ice breaker and transition teaser’ strategies that staff could implement at orientation or during the fi rst few weeks of each semester in core courses – either formally or informally – we demonstrated how to help students (and their program staff) to make better connections to other cohort peers through the shared activity of telling stories. • Encouraging all programs to provide opportunities for commencing students to meet senior students from their program at their Program Orientation Sessions (e.g. inviting second or third year peers to relate their ‘one piece of advice’ to new students). • Asking all programs to design a unique orientation activity specifi c to their program’s core discipline for the Orientation Passport, and embedding this activity within their Program Orientation Session (more information is provided under the passport initiative section). • Asking all programs to distribute Orientation Passports at their Program Orientation Sessions, and brief students about the passport’s purpose and usage. • Encouraging all programs to introduce their students to the refurbished Student Atelier as part of their Program Orientation Session. (The Student Atelier refurbishment was an part of our Student Informal Spaces Initiative, which is outlined separately).

School Welcome Events We aimed to reinvigorate the existing School Welcome Event by making it more dynamic and relevant for both commencing students and the staff supporting their transition to university. Based on our 2011 research with staff and students, we changed both the Semester 1 and Semester 2 events from a formal staff-led event (with staff dressed in resplendent academic gowns) to more personable, inspiring yet informative student-led events. In order to implement these changes, we: • Worked with School staff to determine the best timing for the event and how to best advertise it to students. We also worked with this group of staff to determine resourcing and communications needs for the events.1

1 In Semester 1, the School Welcome Event was held on the Thursday of Orientation Week, so as to coincide with the university’s Big O-Day. It was a huge event attracting approximately 370 students and an increased staff presence from across the School, including professional staff representatives. In Semester 2, the event was much smaller and more intimate due to reduced commencing student numbers. We held this iteration in Week 3 to ensure that students who arrived to study late into the semester (commonly the case) were more likely to have experienced a welcomed by the School and their program staff. Traditionally, neither programs nor the School had run any orientation events for this undergraduate student cohort. We worked with the School’s staff to advertise the event to students in both semester iterations via: ﬂ yers in Enrolment Information Packs, at School Reception and on the School website; by staff coordinating or supporting Enrolment Information Sessions, and in each program’s Enrolment Program Summary.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 63 • Invited the School’s senior students to host and deliver the welcome program. • Asked program staff to reframe their opinions of the School Welcome Event and the way they advertised the event to students as an ‘essential’ orientation event that book-ended a program of activities across the School and university. • Asked program staff to advertise the School Welcome Event in conjunction with their own Program Orientation Session (i.e. by piggy-backing School Welcome Event marketing into their own sessions’ marketing collateral, and by speaking about the event to students attending Program Orientation Sessions). • Refi ned the topics covered in the event’s program and ensure that only the most relevant topics to the fi rst year student experience were addressed, preferably by the School’s own students (these refi nements were based on our previous year’s research with students and staff). • Recruited and briefed student speakers to ensure their stories about their own student experiences were engaging, relevant and genuine. • Commissioned a School graduate to produce a promotional video for the School that was an inspirational, short, sharp and funky presentation of outstanding student work. Designed to be played at both the School’s future Welcome and Open Day events, our aim was to provide audiences with an overview of the School’s professional disciplines, along with the types of skills and projects commencing students could aspire to achieve. • Invited all School staff to attend the Welcome Event.

Orientation Passport and Competition This strategy aimed to encourage staff and students to value and self-initiate early engagement with the University’s services and city campus. Conceptualised as a treasure hunt, an orientation passport was not of itself a new initiative. As with other iterations we had researched, we hoped our iteration would inject more fun into the School’s orientation and transition program. What was unique to our iteration however, particularly at RMIT, was the aim of testing whether commencing students could be encouraged to self-initiate contact with key University staff and services early in their transition period (or student lifecycle). We hoped that our Passport would time this contact early, by asking students to engage with the activity during the Orientation Week period. The passport was designed to get students to undertake a series of unique but relatively simple question and answer scenarios or ‘challenges’. We hoped that more students would take their fi rst steps towards a meaningful engagement with the key University service providers we identifi ed as part of our 2011 research, as being crucial to supporting academic success.2 To further encourage participation in our Orientation Passport initiative, we also gave students the opportunity to opt into the passport competition with the lure of winning an iPad. The competition required students to physically verify participation in each challenge either by writing answers or having their passport stamped by staff. Students were asked to correctly respond to a minimum of fi ve out of six of challenges, and to return their passport at the School Welcome Event to enter the competition. Students were also required to be in attendance at the end of the School Welcome to remain eligible for the prize draw. We did this because we thought the passport competition would encourage better attendance at the School Welcome Event, as it book- ended the School’s week-long orientation event program. Passports were distributed to students primarily at their Program Orientation Sessions, where program staff embedded their fi rst passport ‘challenge’ or activity. A limited number were also made available at School Reception in Building 9 for equity reasons. Program staff were asked to design a unique program cohort challenge and answer that necessitated attendance at their sessions. The specifi city of each challenge and answer was designed to also assist us with our evaluations of this initiative. The activities we undertook to implement the Orientation Passport and competition are listed below: • Liaising with areas of RMIT who had run previous iterations of scavenger hunts or passport type activities during Orientation;

2 These services were: RMIT Libraries, the School’s ESL Tutors, as well as the Study and Learning Centre, Hubs, RMIT Link: Sports and Recreation, and Arts and Culture departments, Student Housing, International Student Information and Support (ISIS), and Careers and Employment.

64 The Belonging Project Report 2012 • Developing and designing the Orientation Passport and competition in liaison with the School’s undergraduate program and staff from Student Services and RMIT Libraries; • Employing three fi nal-year students from the Communication Design undergraduate program to design the passport; • Meeting with School staff to develop and implement a range of communication strategies to ensure passports were distributed correctly and that its rules of use, together with the competition rules were understood by staff and students; • Obtaining legal advice about running the passport competition, both from sources within and external to RMIT; • Providing staff briefi ng sessions and take-away resources about how to distribute passports and explain their rules of use to students (this activity was combined with delivery of our Ice Breakers and Transition Teasers staff development module mentioned in the previously); • Providing program staff with briefi ngs about our ethics provisions, and how to assist us with gaining ethics clearances from students at Program Orientation Sessions; • Providing support to program staff where needed, by distributing passports and briefi ng students about this initiative at Program Orientation Sessions; • Providing support to program staff where needed, to obtain ethics clearances from both staff and students at Program Orientation Sessions; • Meetings with key university services and their staff to further our own knowledge of their staff and services. We involved key staff from these areas in the designing of passport activities and offi ciating passport validation. We also invited them to help us evaluate impacts of these initiatives; and • Validating Orientation Passport competition entries at the School’s Welcome Session, and performing the prize draw.

Student Informal Spaces Initiative We wanted to encourage the School’s staff and students to value and better utilise its existing student spaces, for both informal interactions and cohort bonding activities. We envisaged these interactions and activities could take the form of, but not be limited to: study group meetings, casual lunches, student-led exhibitions, industry events, etc. Following student focus group feedback in 2011, we identifi ed the refurbishment of the Student Atelier space as being a key initiative for 2012. We thought that this action had the potential to greatly improve the student experience in the School for all programs, in a cost effective and highly visible way. The aim of the refurbishment was to create a visually dynamic, comfortable and fun space that aesthetically refl ected the diverse talents and personalities of students in the School. Equally important was ensuring the space catered to a variety of uses, and could be pulled down and/or replaced with a new look if required. We decided that the best approach towards refurbishment was through a series of temporary installations. To test the impacts the refurbishment had as part of our suite of four key Coordinated Orientation Week initiatives, we aimed to ensure all commencing students became familiar with the Student Atelier. We did this by: • Employing and briefi ng a team of four designers to respond to and carry out our brief; • Coordinating the implementation of the Student Atelier refurbishment, in collaboration with School Management and Property Services; • Encouraging the School’s commencing students to visit the Student Atelier during the fi rst three weeks of semester (including Orientation Week) by: – Asking program staff to host catered events or at the least, include a tour of the space as part of their Program Orientation Session proceedings; – Offering limited opportunities for all of the School’s staff and students to receive for free drinks from a coffee cart we sponsored in the space, for limited times (four days staggered over two weeks); – Asking students to submit written feedback about the space via a feedback box located in the space;

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 65 – Inviting students to comment on the space by commissioning our student design team to make provocative drawings and comments on tables in the Student Atelier, and daring students to respond;

–Asking students to participate in an low-ﬁ photography competition (aka the ‘O-Pho Competition’). We asked students to take pictures of themselves with their new friends throughout Orientation Week, and submit two copies of their favourite photograph of their experience: one via a feedback box mentioned above; the other displayed as a hard copy on the walls of the Student Atelier space. This competition was advertised online via the School website and by the student hosting the School Welcome Event.

Evaluation Methods The Belonging Project is a four-year project designed to trial pilot initiatives into the RMIT student experience. We sought to measure the success of our interventions on the success and quality of the School’s orientation programs in both the short and longer term. In 2012, we conducted the following short-term evaluations in both Semester 1 and Semester 2 of the 2012 academic year. As outlined below, we then aimed to evaluate our implementation strategies to check if we had achieved our goals of a more coordinated, ‘whole of school approach’ to student orientation through staff and student buy-in at a grass roots level.

Evaluation Objectives and Methods Objective Method

Increased attendance • Number of programs implementing orientation events at/participation in • Observation and number of students and staff at orientation events orientation events. (staff and students) • Observations of School Welcome Events by commissioned ‘mystery shoppers’ • Interviews/focus group sessions with staff and students • Number of orientation passports returned • Number of orientation passports completed and the quality of responses submitted • Observation and number of students using the Student Atelier over the 2012 academic year • Number of drinks vouchers returned via Student Atelier coffee cart trial • Unsolicited feedback

Improved quality • Observations of students and staff of engagement in • Interviews/focus group sessions orientation activities. (staff and student) • Interviews with staff from external departments • Unsolicited feedback

Improved • Entries submitted to the O-Pho competition understanding of what • Numbers of passports returned services and activities students engaged with • Analysis of responses on Orientation Passports returned during Orientation • Numbers of students redeeming free drinks (part of Orientation Passport initiative) Week. • Solicited feedback from Student Services and RMIT Library staff • Interviews/focus group sessions with students • Unsolicited feedback

Improved usage of • Observations: increased student attendance the School’s student • Observations: types of usage, which programs us the space informal space by its undergraduate • Interviews/focus group sessions with students students as a direct • Number of entries in the O-Pho Competition result of staff • Amount of notes submitted via Student Atelier feedback box interventions in Orientation Week.

66 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Results

Initiative Results Program Orientation Sessions • 11/11 undergraduate programs conducted sessions in Semester 1: an increase of 2 x programs (solicited event collateral, observations, interviews). • No sessions conducted in Semester 2 (School event favored by programs with mid-year intake due to low commencing student numbers and resourcing issues). • Students responded best to sessions where staff tried the new approaches we suggested. • Example 1 – Student recall proved that stories related by staff and senior students were the most memorable and therefore more inﬂ uential on their transition experience (e.g. stories about staff/student career paths, ‘traps for new players’ and common ﬁ rst-year issues) (commissioned and internal observations, interviews, focus groups, unsolicited feedback, SSCC feedback). • Example 2 – Staff and student feedback provided evidence of program staff implementing interventions we suggested to encouraged social connections between cohort peers (e.g. through ice-breaker activities, catered ‘down times’ during sessions, curricular-based student cohort activities supporting the Passport initiative and in Cohort Day Outs later in semester) (observations, interviews, focus groups, unsolicited feedback). • Video evaluation and Cohort Day Out evaluations corroborated evidence of programs attempting to implement social interventions within course curriculum as either formal or informal activities (observations, interviews, focus groups, unsolicited feedback). • Increase in awareness and potentially number of student-led activities occurring within the School (this needs further investigation); increase in stories being told about these activities within and between program cohorts (interviews, focus groups, unsolicited feedback, SSCC feedback).

School Welcome Event • 10 /11 undergraduate programs scheduled Program orientation sessions before the School Welcome (solicited event collateral, solicited and unsolicited feedback). • Staff and students responded well to the new student-led approach; gave realistic impressions of the student community and diversity of student cohort and the opportunities available to them to enhance their program experience (interviews, observations, unsolicited feedback, SSCC feedback). • School promotional DVD well received by staff and students and provided clear evidence corroborating the need for a more coordinated, holistic approach the orientation within the School (interviews, focus groups, observations, unsolicited feedback). • Staff who attended better understood: (a) how the event was different in scope and purpose to their Program Orientation Session, and (b) the event as an additional ‘essential’ component of transition. Evidence of program staff conducting reﬂ ections and reassessing timeliness and relevance of topics/speakers to student experience, encouraged outreach opportunities from senior program cohort (interviews, focus groups, observations, unsolicited feedback). • Iterations implemented for both semesters: Semester 2 iteration was a ﬁ rst in the School’s history since its formation in 2009.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 67 Initiative Results Orientation Passport • 1,000 passports printed; 600 passports distributed • 4.3% passports returned at School Welcome Event • 2.4% passports eligible for competition draw • 7.2% students redeemed free drinks from our coffee cart trial in the Student Atelier during fi rst three weeks of Semester 1 (voucher component of the Orientation Passport). • No discernible increase in contact with RMIT Libraries or Student Services (passport returns, interviews and solicited feedback). • No discernible increases in student attendance at the School Welcome based on this initiative alone (passport returns, interviews, observations). • Staff and students responded well to the ‘look’ of the passport, but not to the overall concept, and defi nitely not to its implementation (interviews, focus groups, observations, passport returns, drinks voucher returns). • Confusion around competition rules and eligibility requirements (interviews, focus groups, observations, unsolicited feedback). • Activity not repeated in Semester 2 due to lack of student engagement and resourcing costs associated to fi rst iteration.

Student Informal Spaces • Signifi cant increase in numbers of students using the space throughout 2012 Initiative (refurbishment of (observations, interviews, unsolicited feedback). Student Atelier space) • Signifi cant increase in numbers of students being introduced to the space as a result of their Program Orientation Session. • 7.2% of students redeemed free drinks during the coffee cart trial (part of the Orientation Passport initiative – Semester 1 only). (Orientation Passport free drink voucher returns, interviews with students). • No student entries submitted to the O-Pho Competition. • Signifi cant increase in numbers of students across all year levels making cross-program connections/friendships as a result of using the space (observations, interviews, unsolicited feedback). • Students need staff intervention and support so as to further evolve this and other student informal spaces to refl ect the School’s student cohort, and to better service their needs (observations, interviews, unsolicited feedback). • Students need assistance from staff to understand how to engage with student informal spaces encouraging self-expression in the décor (observations, interviews, unsolicited feedback).

68 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Outputs

Staff Development Module: Ice Breakers and Transition Teasers We sought the external assistance of Ruth Moeller (Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching from the College of Design and Social Context), to work with us on the design and delivery of this professional development module. Take-away resources developed for this training session, were also used to guide staff in future event iterations. This resource has since been circulated beyond the School via the University’s learning and teaching blog, the teaching tom tom (http://theteachingtomtom.wordpress.com). This blog was named by the UK Guardian Online in 2012 as third in the top ten of Australian social media inﬂ uencers in Higher Education. We invited staff from all eleven undergraduate programs to participate in the workshop, which was delivered in the week prior to Orientation Week. Evidence from staff and students indicates that intervention was well timed and pitched, with many programs implementing ice breakers and transition teasers in the Program Orientation Sessions. Less successful however, were our goals of getting staff to embed these strategies either formally or informally into their curriculum. We were aware of only two programs initiating strategies they’d learned into the core ﬁ rst year courses or in Cohort Day Out activities in Week 3 of semester. Ruth reported that no staff took up her offer of help to embed any activities within their courses during the online course guide update periods. We are also not aware of any course amendments in play as a direct result of this initiative.

Video Evaluation Packages The most powerful evidence gathered as part of our pilot evaluations was our video footage of students undertaking orientation activities and using the refurbished Student Atelier space. This evidence was edited into two video packages, to demonstrate the consistency of student reactions to our orientation initiatives in the students’ own words.3 The consistency of this evidence strongly corroborated our narrative model of student engagement for the most part, as well as the overall success of our Coordinated Orientation Initiatives.

Orientation and Transition Planning Tool The ‘Orientation and Transition Tool’ was an unplanned initiative that arose as a result of our refl ections about the previous semester’s Program Orientation and School Welcome initiative iterations. Development of this initiative was only possible due to the previous experience of the project team, and the diminished scale of programs and students involved in the intake period. The tool enabled us to test how we might best build legacy resources in future – in terms of form, design and content – to affect improved understandings of commencing student cohorts amongst the School’s staff. We fi rstly collated all staff involved with the undergraduate student experience into a School-wide document, which included Program Directors, Selection Offi cers, professional staff contacts, and for the fi rst time in the School’s history – relevant Year Level Advisors and Orientation Coordinators. We then collated and triangulated each program’s mid-year selection process, articulation pathways and admissions data together with enrolled student demographics into a series of accompanying worksheets in the same document. In the process of developing the tool, we realised we had achieved the unanticipated outcome of providing new comparative and holistic insights into selection offi cer workloads across programs, as well as a preliminary baseline analysis of the School’s undergraduate admissions, selection, enrolment and retention trends. For instance, we were able to understand how the Direct Admissions processes impacted application to enrolment conversion rates (as opposed to offer to enrolment rates). Similarly, we were also able to understand the corresponding impacts on Selection Offi cer workloads: at a time when most program colleagues were on leave, the staff carrying out selection were also expected to carry out other signifi cant program management tasks (e.g. manage student progress, enrolments). This realisation lead us to conclude that often there is little fi nancial return on time invested by Selection Offi cers at program level, which often impacted student transition experiences overall for commencing mid-year cohorts. This exercise also allowed us to gain further insights into other more intangible organisational barriers that impact on both the School’s resources and the FYE.

3 These videos are available online from the project website, and have already gained much acclaim from senior levels of the university in late 2012. Go to: www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/belonging-project/outcomes

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 69 School Welcome Session Event Collateral Two iterations of this initiative allowed us to develop a suite of working documents and templates that have proven they greatly assist School staff to administer these events into the future. The most effective administrative resource developed out of our 2012 experience, was a strategic communications plan for the School’s orientation events across an academic year. Our evidence strongly points to this communications plan working well. With minor reﬁ nement in its 2013 implementation, the strategic communication plan could possibly be cited as best-practice at RMIT. A much more visible outcome of our Coordinated Orientation Week Initiative for staff and students was the production of a promotional video for the School. We worked with a recent School graduate from the Media program to produce this collateral, which was designed to frame the School Welcome Events by: • showcasing student work across a variety of professional disciplines • increasing student awareness of the range of programs offered by the School • increasing student awareness of interdisciplinary connections and opportunities through curricular and extra-curricular projects.

Based on our evidence this year, both of these resources will certainly help to embed our best practice FYE objectives into the future. However, time will tell how our legacy is impacted by factors beyond our project’s scope.

70 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Appendix 4: School Learning and Teaching Forum Proposal

This proposal was submitted and endorsed to the Learning and Teaching Committee in the School of Media and Communication in November 2012.

Proposal: The aim of the forum is to support the University, College and School’s strategic directions in Learning and Teaching to enable staff in the School of Media and Communication to engage in a focused conversation about Learning and Teaching ideas and practices in a discipline-speciﬁ c environment. To this end, we propose a two- day, school-wide event, incorporating a keynote lecture, a range of practical workshops, research sessions, and a showcase of best practice (such as LTIF projects and Teaching Award recipients).

Aims: 1. To position L&T issues at the forefront of minds of teaching staff as they develop curriculum for the year ahead and 2015; 2. To create an environment of sharing and support around innovative L&T practice with outcomes and actions; 3. To provide opportunities and discussion on cross-discipline and inclusive interactions with aims and outcomes; 4. For the messages around L&T to be delivered in a timely and constructive manner; 5. To develop the School’s L&T culture to ensure there are events throughout the year that support and meet staff needs for ongoing PD, and collaboration opportunities.

We know that many L&T activities are offered across the university in a variety of ways, but evidence suggests that very few staff are regularly accessing these services. We believe that if it is packaged in a cohesive, approachable and relevant manner within the context of our school’s particular issues then we will have a greater level of staff engagement.

Proposed Forum Theme: “Student Engagement through L&T”.

Proposed Keynote Speaker: To be announced.

Session Types: • Key-note speaker • Presentations (from other areas at RMIT e.g. Student Services) • Workshops (in house/outcome orientated)

Possible sub-topics for sessions: • [workshop] Inclusive teaching: What is it and how • [workshop] Internationalizing the curriculum • [workshop] Interdisciplinarity • [workshop] Applying for L&T awards/funding (e.g. teaching awards, OLT grants, LTF’s) • Cross University staff presenting examples of [presentation] Staff presenting examples of their scholarship of teaching • [presentation] University staff presenting examples of relevant LTIF’s

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 71 • [presentation] from the Student Learning Center • [panel discussion] Key principals for Renewing the curriculum • [panel discussion] 1st semester transition and engagement (where ever it occurs in student lifecycles)

Sessions will be titled as catchy questions, for example: How can I get publications, money, and brownie points for my teaching? (This would cover L&T awards/funding, OLT and LITF’s) We suggest that the day conclude with the ﬁ rst School meeting for the year, followed by ﬁ rst welcome/social event (e.g. a School BBQ).

Submitted by: Bronwyn Clarke, David Carlin, Rachel Wilson, Karli Lukas and Lucy Morieson. November, 2012.

72 The Belonging Project Report 2012 Appendix 5: End of Year Festival Initiative – 2012 Case Study Report

Aim To foster a student-focused celebration of achievement and diversity across the School, that engages industry and the wider community.

Objectives

Target Audience Provide opportunities to:

Students • Meet and inspire fi rst and second year students from within their own disciplinary fi eld through their own work. • Meet other year-level peers from across the School • Meet graduating students within and beyond their own professional fi eld • Develop professional skills in the creation and promotion of their work and/or their peers work • Develop cross-disciplinary and internationalized skills in the creation and promotion of their work and/or their peers work. • Have a ‘global and connected’ experience in the creation, promotion and fi nal end-user experience of collected student work. • Benchmark their skills against cohort peers and industry, both within and beyond their own discipline. • Inspire prospective students

School staff • Streamline efforts to reduce workloads for staff • Strengthen relationships with College (DSC) and RMIT Marketing, etc. • Streamline coordination efforts to source student work for other marketing purposes (e.g. Open Day and Orientation). • Leverage the School’s industry connections across all programs • Leverage potential for curriculum-based interdisciplinary student projects between programs across the School. • Leverage potential for future projects involving industry partners, partner providers, School- based researchers, etc. • Attract prospective students to the School (especially low SES applicants)

Marketing staff • Better understand the diversity of events, and to adopt a more inclusive approach to marketing these. • Streamline coordination efforts to source student work for other marketing purposes (e.g. Open Day and Orientation). • More readily source and produce feature stories about students, staff, projects, etc. • Work with staff to review discipline-speciﬁ c marketing avenues to ensure the School’s programs, staff and students are more effectively marketed to the wider RMIT community, prospective students and industry.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 73 Implementation Strategies 1. Establish and facilitate of a School-wide working party; 2. Coordinate a pilot initiative that maps and publicises the School’s end of year events and exhibitions under an overarching cohesive, uniﬁ ed brand (e.g. a School-wide brochure, poster campaign, website); and 3. Measure impact of the pilot initiative.

Evaluation Methods We measured what success and impacts our interventions had on the development of the School’s EOYF initiative as follows:

Evaluation Objective Evaluation Method

Produce impactful EOYF branded marketing collateral for • Staff feedback the School’s staff and students • Student feedback • Observation

Increased attendance at School EOYF events • Staff feedback • Student feedback • Observation • Number of EOYF catalogues taken

Increase trafﬁ c on School’s EOYF event websites • Google analytics results on College Festival website

Increase trafﬁ c on School’s EOYF event social media pages • Staff and student feedback • Observation Increase in coverage of School’s EOYF events

Results All results for this initiative have been outlined in the body of the 2012 Final Report.

Outputs

School EOYF Working Party This group was established in April 2012, and a total of four meetings were held over the 2012 academic year. All undergraduate and TAFE programs were invited to attend. We also invited the School Communications Ofﬁ cer and DSC Marketing staff to attend and contribute. These meetings were instrumental in developing shared understandings about what activities programs undertook, as well as why, how and when. They also allowed us to gain early insight into the barriers that continually impede successful implementation of end of year program events. The act of bringing together this diverse staff group also provided opportunities for new collaborations between programs (mostly in terms of resources) – this was the ﬁ rst time this had occurred since the School’s formation in 2009. For all of these reasons, it is hoped that the working party continues to meet into the future, if at least to foster collegial interdisciplinary initiatives across the School’s programs.

School EOYF Branding and Event Collateral The working party, which included industry experts in Advertising and Design, established that the School-level umbrella branding developed was high standard and likely to be effective. A poster and guerilla sticker campaign was thought to best support the branding launch, running alongside an event catalogue that mapped all School events as a stylised pocket-sized calendar. Given the short turn-around time and resources made available to this aspect of the initiative, this outcome was a major achievement.

74 The Belonging Project Report 2012 As the collateral was distributed around the School much later than we had anticipated, further interviews with staff and students is highly recommended if we are to gain deeper insights into this outcome’s success and impact. This recommendation also comes in the wake of feedback obtained from the College of Design and Social Context’s 2012 Creative Festival Report, which claims our pilot had a negative impact on this wider university initiative to collate and publicise end of year student events.

Online Collateral We decided not to develop a web or social media communications campaign due to limited time and resources and staff support within the School. Early discussions with DSC Marketing about the Creative Festival campaign was also a factor in this decision as we realised that our attempts would be a duplication of wider university-level efforts by Marketing staff. To support the Creative Festival campaign, we asked staff and students not to include our Junction branding on any website collateral to facilitate clean evaluations of both EOYF initiatives.

Phase 2: Focus on the First Year Experience 75 List of Diagrams, Figures and Photographs

Diagrams Diagram 1: The Belonging Project Narrative Model of Student Engagement 10 Diagram 2: MC2015 Review Project Model – ‘Belonging’ becomes central to an improved student experience through intentional curriculum design 20 Diagram 3: Third generation model of FYE policy and practice (Kift, Nelson & Clarke; 2010) 21

Figures Figure 1: Student Focus Group Sample 1 (2011) – Challenges to a student’s transition to university 19 Figure 2: Student Focus Group Sample 2 (2011) – Too cool for school: challenges to a student’s social transition to university 23 Figure 3: Staff Workshop 3 Sample 1 (2011) – Student transition trigger points tracked against key university dates 24 Figure 4: Student Focus Group Sample 3 (2011) – Challenges to a student’s academic transition to university 30 Figure 5: Staff Workshop 3 Sample 2 (2011) – Mapping the Cohort Day Out against the academic calendar to enhance student transition 31

Photographs Enjoying the ‘Big O-Day’ at RMIT University 10 The Student Atelier space before refurbishment (2011) 25 School of Media and Communication students: ‘Big O-Day’ (2012) 26 Students mingle at the School Welcome Session (March, 2012) 27 Senior student discussion panel – An informal approach. Mid-Year Welcome Session (August, 2012) 27 Free food: a great social facilitator at the School Welcome events 27 The Student Atelier space – The hub of student transition activities: Mid-Year School Welcome (August, 2012) 27 The Photography Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – The open-air tutorial experience 31 The Creative Writing Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – An urban experience 32 The Creative Writing Program Cohort Day Out (2012) – Problem solving at the Queen Victoria Market 33 Small, unsupervised group interactions – Proof of early cliques 34 The Student Atelier space before refurbishment (2011) 35 Enlisting students as co-creators was crucial to the success of the Student Atelier space refurbishment 36 The Student Atelier space – From empty white cube to 24/7 hub of student activity 37 Junction ’12 artwork – A result of a co-creation with ﬁ nal-year design students 40

76 The Belonging Project Report 2012

Report 2013 Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience Report Authors Rachel Wilson, Bronwyn Clarke, David Carlin, Natalie Araújo, Karli Lukas and Laetitia Shand Acknowledgements

The Belonging Project team would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of our colleagues who helped advise, shepherd and disseminate information about the project during our third year.

The Belonging Project Reference Group: We would also like to thank the following groups at RMIT University for their ongoing support and assistance. Sue Bolt Acknowledgement of individuals from these groups can Chief of Staf & Director Government Relations be found in Appendix 4. Ofce of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Assoc. Prof. Andrea Chester School of Media and Communication Deputy PVC, Learning and Teaching Student Cohort Experience Reference Group Design & Social Context Ofce Ofce of the Dean of Students Student Services Fiona Ellis College of Design & Social Context Director, Student Services RMIT Library Student Services – Directors Ofce Ruth Moeller Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching Design & Social Context Ofce Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Deputy Dean School of Media and Communication Milly Fels Senior Advisor, Quality and Regulation Global Quality Regulation and Compliance Milton Nomikoudis Senior Advisor, Strategic Learning and Teaching Ofce of Dean, Learning and Teaching Saskia Hansen Director International Partnerships & Development International and Development Phil Craig Senior Coordinator, Planning Design and Social Context Ofce Monica Englehard Assistant Director, Marketing and Business Development Design and Social Context Ofce Rick Ryan Senior Coordinator, Learning and Teaching College of Science, Engineering and Health Diana Stoneﬁeld Senior Manager, Planning and Resources School of Media and Communication Cover Inside Front Flap 209mm (w)

Project Team

Academic Leaders Project Team

Rachel Wilson Dr. Natalie Araújo, Research Ofcer Prior to undertaking a role as Program Director (Media) Natalie has completed a PhD in Social Anthropology, Juris 2012-2013 in the School of Media and Communication, Doctor in Law, MA in Latin American Cultural Studies, Rachel was program’s Selection and Careers and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Latin American Ofcers. Rachel has been teaching within Higher Studies. She has ten years of experience in tertiary Education sector for 19 years, specialising in the Screen teaching and curriculum design. Natalie has conducted Production discipline. Rachel has a number of teaching ethnographic fieldwork in the UK, USA, Colombia, awards including a team 2008 ALTC citation. Vietnam, and Australia. She has also served as Chair of the American Association of University Women’s Student Rachel’s professional background is as a media Advisory Board. practitioner. Rachel’s current research includes archiving, memory and representations of trauma. Rachel served Karli Lukas, Project Ofcer as the President and National Secretary of the peak discipline body ASPERA (Australian Screen Production Karli’s current role enables her to combine the research, Education and Research Association) from 2010-2011 and writing, interviewing, project management and video 2011-2012 respectively. production skills she developed in the film and television industries with her extensive higher Bronwyn Clarke education experience. Bronwyn is Programs Director in the School of Media and As both an Academic Services Ofcer and graduate of Communication at RMIT University. Bronwyn’s research the School of Media and Communication, Karli brings areas in her PhD are: best practice models of selection unique analytical and holistic perspectives to the project. for rural and LSES applicants, and building students’ Her extensive knowledge of RMIT staf networks and professional identities from first year. In addition to processes further enables her to contribute to position her role as an Academic Team Leader for the Belonging papers and represent the project lead team on various Project, Bronwyn has been an Academic Team Leader working parties. for the LTIF project for First things First: Transition and Transformation of the student cohort experience (2013) and is a currently an academic member of the OLT project Developing Graduate Employability (2014-15). Bronwyn won a Learning and Teaching Award with the Belonging Project team members in 2013 and has had her teaching with Mr Terry Johal documented as best practice as part of RMIT University’s Peer Partnership Program. Through the educational design consultancy at RMIT she has engaged in embedding professionally relevant pedagogy through “real world” projects with industry. She has taught onshore and ofshore for the past fifteen years within a Creative Industries program at RMIT. Cover Inside Front 210mm (w)

Consultants

Associate Professor David Carlin David Carlin is an Associate Professor in the School of Media and Communication and co-director of the nonfictionLab Research Group. He is a writer, creative artist, teacher and researcher. David’s recent work includes the widely acclaimed memoir Our father who wasn’t there (2010); his creative nonfiction, essays and articles have appeared inGrifth Review, Overland, TEXT, Newswrite, Victorian Writer, Continuum and other journals. David’s current creative and research interests include literary nonfiction forms and genres (essay and memoir), memory studies, narrative and digital archives. His ongoing projects include the prose memoir/ biography The Abyssinian Contortionist (UWA Publishing, 2015), mixed media exhibition Vault; the Nonstop Performing History of Circus Oz (premiered at 2014 Melbourne Festival), the interactive digital archive, Circus Oz Living Archive and cultural exchange/collaborative residency program, WrICE (Writers Immersion and Cultural Exchange).

Dr. Lucy Morieson Lucy graduated from RMIT’s Journalism program before working as a researcher and reporter, most notably at online news publication Crikey. Inspired by her work in the world of online publishing, she returned to RMIT to complete her PhD on the political development of online journalism in Australia. While pursuing her PhD research, she also taught extensively across a range of courses and programs in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. Her role as Research Ofcer with The Belonging Project (2011-2012) provided an opportunity to combine the writing and interviewing experience developed as a journalist and researcher with the insights into the student experience gained through her teaching work.

Laetitia Shand Laetitia is a professional manager in communications, arts, design and academia. From a background in commercial product marketing she has since worked extensively in academic research management. From 2011 – 2013 she was Project Manager for the Circus Oz Living Archive ARC Linkage Project at RMIT University. She has recently co-edited RMIT Design Research Institute’s six-year retrospective publication ‘RMIT Design Research Institute Designs on the Future’ (Melbourne Books 2014). Cover Inside Back 210mm (w)

Additional Acknowledgements

Student Cohort Experience Reference Group: International Recruitment and Mobility: Sue Bolt Bri Johnstone Milton Nomikoudis School of Media & Communication: Paul Beaumont Andrew Brown Staf: Lisa Farrance Bruce Berryman Cathy Hall Julie Bilby Cratis Hippocrates Don Blackwood Bernie Holland Kerin Brearley Tass Katsoulidis David Browning Lila Kelmo Dr. Shelley Brunt Patricia McLaughlin Kate Cawley Jennifer Newport Jannette Chantry Nicole Pepperell Andi Christian Rick Ryan David Cutter Jennifer Sinclair Dr. Adrian Danks Helen Smith Dr. Philip Dearman Tim Smith Helen Dickson Kieran Doolan Students Group: David Fouvy Professor Owen Hughes Mark Galer Fiona Ellis Dr. Catherine Gomes Pearl Gilles Assoc. Prof. Cathy Greenﬁeld Jenny Brasch Dr. Kipps Horn Dr. Kitty Vivekananda Suzana Janko James Hannan Terry Johal Melissa Delaney Romy Kelly Sally Brooks Dr. Danielle Kirby Alison Brown Wendy Little Barbara Morgan Dr. Brigid Magner Carolyn Rundell Dr. Adrian Miles Andrew Brown Dr. Ed Montano Clare Ong Dr. Brian Morris College of Design and Social Context: An Nguyen Dr. Mandy Oakham Associate Professor Andrea Chester Jeremy Parker Kristy Ellery Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Kelly Bosman Paul Ritchard Roberta Mascitti Assoc. Prof. Francesca Rendle-Short Philip Craig Dr. Jenny Robinson Andrew Dun Clare Ryan Amanda Penrose Dr. Marianne Sison Yolanda Rios Lucinda Strahan RMIT Library: Alex Syndikas Amy Saunders Karen Trist Vanessa Tu Cover Inside Back Flap 209mm (w)

Caroline Van de Pol Dr. Jessica Wilkinson Lyn Wilkosz Kim Wright Dr. Rebecca Young Jeremy Yuille Suzie Zezula Cherrie Zhao

Graduates: Jeremy Bowtell Nico Leonard Alifeleti Tuapasi Toki Janeene Payne Why Belonging Matters

The need to belong is not only important for the long-term success of vulnerable students; it is a fundamental human motivation (Baumeister and Leary, 1995). Belonging has clear implications for the social experience of students and plays a critical role in academic outcomes. As Walton, Cohen, Cwir and Spencer (2011, p. 529) argue, a sense of belonging or social connectedness enhances students’ motivation to achieve.

Our research into the first year experience indicates that the transition to university can be fraught. This is especially true for the more diverse cohorts that have resulted from The Bradley Review targets. For these students, “the culture of the institution is foreign and at times alienating and uninviting” (Krause et al, 2005, p. 9). Students from LSES or nontraditional educational pathways may “have less confidence in the personal and career relevance of higher education” and may experience isolation or conflict in assimilating to the cultures of universities. (James et al., 2008, p. 3). A sense of belonging can be vital in ensuring they persist and succeed at university (James, 2001).

Small-scale initiatives that support peer-to-peer relations and encourage positive interactions between staf and students engender a sense of social belonging. When integrated with curricular and co-curricular endeavours they can form the basis for disciplinary belonging (identity) and work to build the competencies and conﬁdence of participants.

The Belonging Project has continued to argue for the importance of establishing a sense of belonging beyond a student’s ﬁrst year. We argue that a student’s interdisciplinary and intercultural opportunities and interests need to be supported throughout the whole student lifecycle and extended within their social, academic and career environments.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 1 2 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Contents

Abbreviations, Key Terms and Nomenclature ...... 5

The Belonging Project: Introduction ...... 7 About the Project ...... 8 Scope ...... 8 The Belonging Project Model ...... 8 Overview of Project Phases ...... 9

2013 Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience ...... 11 A Note About Interdisciplinarity ...... 13 Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience: Recommendations from 2013 ...... 13 Broader Context for the Interdisciplinary Experience Relevant to a School ...... 14

Approach, Methods and Process ...... 17

Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience: Detail & Analysis ...... 19 Stage One: Developing a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice ...... 20 Stage Two: Staf Engagement / Testing the Model ...... 22 Stage Three: Reﬁning a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice in a School ...... 23 Stage Four: Student Engagement via Focus Groups and Data Analysis ...... 24 Stage Five: Academic Support Staf Engagment / Testing the Model ...... 25 Stage Six: Academic Staf Engagement / Re-testing the Model ...... 25 Stage Seven: Mapping Practice Case Studies ...... 26 Stage Eight: Dissemination of Resources ...... 27

Development and Evaluation of the Focus on the First Year Experience Initiatives ...... 29 Initiative 1: Coordinated Orientation Week Activities ...... 30 Initiative 2: Cohort Day Out ...... 32 Initiative 3: Student Informal Spaces ...... 34 Initiative 4: Academic Transition Initiatives ...... 35 Initiative 5: End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions ...... 36

Bibliography ...... 37

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 3 Appendicies ...... 41 Appendix 1: Summary of Activities by Month in 2013 ...... 42 Appendix 2: Interdisciplinary Case Study Interview Questions ...... 43 Appendix 3: Approaches and Strategies Charts for Interdisciplinary L&T ...... 45

4 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Abbreviations and Key Terms Nomenclature

Abbreviations At RMIT there are a number of terms that are institution- speciﬁc and as such, do not have the same meanings to AQF – Australian Qualiﬁcations Framework external audiences. The following table sets out these ESL – English as a Second Language diferences to avoid confusion when reading this document: FYE – First Year Experience Elsewhere RMIT Term HEPPP – Higher Education Participation Partnerships Program L&T – Learning and teaching Subject Course LSES – Low Socioeconomic Status Course Program MC2015 – School of Media and Communication’s curriculum renewal plan SISI – Student Informal Spaces Faculty College Initiative SLC – Study and Learning Centre SSCCs – Student-Staf Consultative Committees

Key terms Co-creation: Recognises that students actively co-create their university experience and should be genuinely engaged in processes and decisions that involve them, by providing feedback, and, where appropriate, creative input in the change processes. First year student: A student who is yet to complete 96 credit points of study (equivalent to one full-time year) in their current program at RMIT University. Transition pedagogy: A holistic approach to the FYE developed primarily in the work of Sally Kift’s Australian Learning and Teaching Council Fellowship, involving the integration of curriculum principles (Transition, Diversity, Design, Engagement, Assessment, and Evaluation & Monitoring) and strategies to engage and support students, as well as to foster a sense of belonging and develop sustainable academic-professional partnerships. Importantly, a transition pedagogy requires a whole of institution approach and the “seamless involvement” of academic and professional staf. (See Kift, Nelson and Clarke, 2010).

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 5 6 The Belonging Project Report 2013 The Belonging Project: Introduction

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 7 About the Project

The Belonging Project is a four-year project to design and The Belonging Project involves around 3000 pilot an improved student experience in the School of undergraduate students and 200 staf. It impacts one of Media and Communication. RMIT University’s largest Schools of approximately 6500 VE, undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Belonging Project has been working since 2011 within an undergraduate Higher Education context to: 1. Develop strategies to support the participation and integration of students from diverse backgrounds, circumstances and cultures, including in particular students those from low Socio Economic Status (SES) backgrounds 2. Enhance student satisfaction and retention rates 3. Help develop and make known a distinctive RMIT student experience

Scope The Belonging Project has a broad deﬁnition of student experience including personal, social and academic experiences. The student experience is considered in relation to not only the program and the University but also to the global employability environment. The Belonging Project is simultaneously: 1. A co-created, networked, action-based academic The Belonging Project Model research project The Belonging Project is structured around the Belonging 2. A longitudinal ethnographic study using qualitative Narrative Model of student engagement. This model research techniques supplemented by quantitative data proposes a three-tier student experience, beginning with 3. A change and advocacy initiative seeking to understand, a strong grounding in a diverse disciplinary cohort (Tier re-design and modify processes, services and behaviours One), broadening out to encompass the interdisciplinary within the University in order to improve the community of the school (Tier Two), and grounded in a student experience sense of belonging to a profession as an employable and ethical global citizen (Tier Three).

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Graduation & Beyond

Disciplinary (Program Environment) Interdisciplinary (School Environment) Intercultural (Global Environment)

Diagram 1: The Belonging Project Narrative Model of Student Engagement.

8 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Overview of Project Phases

Phases One and Two: Planting the Seeds (2011) researched and promoted in previous phases of the project. and Focus on the First Year Experience (2012) It will seek to develop an integrated model for targeted interventions in curriculum design and pedagogy that can: The ﬁrst two phases of the Belonging Project, Planting the (a) recognise and celebrate our ‘already global’ student and Seeds (2011) and Focus on the First Year Experience (2012), staf cohorts; (b) scafold the further development of global focused on students’ experience in their literacies throughout the experience of an RMIT program; disciplinary environment. and (c) provide peak ‘global’ experiences based from the A comprehensive report on each of these phases can be student’s home campus as an alternative or adjunct to found on the RMIT Belonging Website at: overseas exchange and study tours options. rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/media-and- The project will build upon the established best practice communication/research/projects/the-belonging-project of the global/internationalised curriculum to produce Phase Three: Focus on the Interdisciplinary a framework, test initiatives, and develop a series of Experience (2013) resources for staf delivering courses in the creative disciplines. The interventions are designed to help In this report detailing Phase Three Focus on the students to develop the intercultural skills, knowledge and Interdisciplinary Experience (2013) we discuss the rationale awareness through a series of phased experiences situated for interdisciplinary learning within the broader context, ‘At Home’ in local contexts. how we have mapped and modelled interdisciplinary practice within the School of Media and Communication This phase of the project will be divided into three stages, and propose a range of strategies and recommendations for each of which reﬂects a key point of emphasis: embedding interdisciplinarity within student lifecycles. 1. Recognising and celebrating the ‘already global’ cohort (‘feeling global’); Phase Four: Global at Home: At Home in the Global (2014) 2. Scafolding the further development of global literacies (‘doing global’); and In 2014, the The Belonging Project will work on Phase 3. Mapping and developing alternative peak ‘global’ Four: Global at Home: At Home in the Global. This phase experiences (‘being global’). will build on the initiatives, transitions, and competencies

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 9 10 The Belonging Project Report 2013 2013 Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 11 2013 Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience

In 2013 as part of Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience The Belonging Project has:

1. Researched and developed a working definition of interdisciplinary activity that is appropriate to the specific context and practices of the School of Media and Communication and its current disciplinary and interdisciplinary practices.

2. Investigated and explored the range of opportunities currently available in the School in order to develop a typology of interdisciplinary literacies that can be mobilised in strategic discussions around L&T and in the development of new program and course models for ‘MC2015’.

3. Mapped a range of relevant existing case studies to inform the renewal process as well as in broader L&T debates within the School, across the University, and the wider tertiary education sector.

4. Researched, captured, and disseminated recommendations to capitalize upon existing informal interdisciplinary activities. Fostered new opportunities that bridge the formal and informal curricula to build employability capacities in discipline-relevant ways.

In 2013 we also continued to evaluate and adapt the five Interdisciplinary learning and teaching approaches are Focus on the First Year Experience pilot initiatives and to increasingly recognized as efective strategies for generating advocate for the recommendations presented in our the skills that students need to address these complex work 2012 report. environments and real world problems (Woods, 2007). One of our aims had been to develop a resource pack Extending work on transition and disciplinary identity including an interdisciplinary artefact, case studies, carried out in 2012, The Belonging Project argues for assessment templates, and course design resources. embedding a range of interdisciplinary experiences During the course of our initial research into the third within the student lifecycle. Interdisciplinarity is a means tier of The Belonging Project Model, Focus on the Global of increasing students’ ‘social and cultural capital’ and Experience, we identified overlap between resources for the supporting professional development and interdisciplinary and global tiers. For this reason we have employability objectives. decided to create a single resource pack to be released For these reasons, in the third phase of its research, in 2015. Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience, The Belonging Why Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience? Project examines existing interdisciplinary practice within the School of Media and Communication and The adaptive and ever changing nature of the creative proposes strategies and recommendations for embedding industries requires flexible graduates who can work across a interdisciplinarity within student lifecycles. range business of contexts (Wright, Davis, and Bucolo, 2013; McHanon, 2012; Creigh-Tyte and Thomas, 2001).

Our research finds that interdisciplinary learning is vital for students to:

Develop the complex skills required for changing professional contexts by providing students the opportunity to expand upon core disciplinary competencies and develop the higher-level communication, problem-solving project, and group work skills that are required in their future professional ‘real world’ settings.

Develop connections and belonging to broader groups. Interdisciplinary learning is essential to the welfare and sense of identity and belonging of students as members of a school environment, university culture, and of a professional community.

Develop engaged global citizenship. This works towards broader societal goals, to become actively engaged, empathetic global citizens (Nikolic and Gledic, 2013; Green, 2012).

Enhance personal perceptions of self. As identified by RMIT students in our focus groups, interdisciplinary studies are important in social development and wellbeing as a means of broadening horizons and facilitating critical reflection, self- reflection, self-esteem, and perceptions of empowerment.

12 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience: Recommendations from 2013

In 2013 as part of Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience The Belonging Project recommends:

1. Create a database or platform for skills / interest exchange between staff members: Interdisciplinary learning and teaching requires meaningful interactions between staff. As such staff have recommended the development of a platform for informal and formal connections and collaborations.

2. Investigate the feasibility of developing a School flagship interdisciplinary course or studio: As we move into deployment of MC2015 many staff have indicated interest in a School based flagship course open to all students. This course will be focused on meaningful interdisciplinary engagement and encourage structured and scaffolded industry collaboration.

3. Test interdisciplinary frameworks / rubrics from the forthcoming resource kit over several courses within a program

4. Investigate opportunities for the student skills exchange: The students have continuously indicated throughout the project that they require help identifying and contacting like-minded collaborators from other programs. They have also expressed a strong desire for informal interdisciplinary experiences e.g. TED talk style student presentations in the Atelier Space. Another suggestion was the development of a platform similar to the one proposed for staff in order to develop and interact on projects.

A Note About Interdisciplinarity It is important to note that interdisciplinary academic work is one point on a spectrum of intellectual and practical student experiences. The existing literature identiﬁes no fewer than six approaches, each with its own objectives, methodologies, and pedagogy. Those explored by The Belonging Project include: disciplinary, multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, participatory, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary approaches. While distinctions between these approaches are pedagogically important, here we use the terms “interdisciplinary” and “interdisciplinarity” broadly to refer to the spectrum.

g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g ù ûg g g g g g

g g g g g 40 staff interviews

50 student interviews

900 student participants

Diagram: Over 900 students participated direcly in our initiatives in 2013. We conducted focus groups and individual and group interviews with approximately 40 staff and nearly 50 students.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 13 Broader Context for the Interdisciplinary Experience Relevant to a School

The Creative Industries Context al. 2008, p. 88). The government has adopted strategies to ensure a greater number of Australians become university The creative industries are facing two trends with wide- educated. These included national targets of 20% of higher ranging implications for creative disciplines students in education enrolments at undergraduate level from LSES tertiary education: backgrounds by 2020 (Ibid, p. xiv). As a means of facilitating 1. The large studio model is no longer the primary target attainment, in 2012 the then federal government business model for industry practice. removed existing caps on the number of federally 2. The tertiary sector is producing more graduates in funded places. specific disciplines than individual creative industries The School of Media and Communication can support (Wright, Davis, and Bucolo, 2013). Context These developments require innovative approaches from As a result of these broader developments, the School of the tertiary sector in order to meet the needs of an evolving Media and Communication is participating in program industry climate and employability expectations reconfiguration and renewal. This is reflected in the of students. School’s curriculum renewal plan, MC2015, and influences Creative industries are increasingly reverting to a small strategic planning and policy documents such the School fluid start-up model in which companies are run with of Media and Communication, L&T Strategy 2013. These minimal staf. For this reason, while specialist skills policies have wide-ranging implications for the students and remain critically important to employability, “there is staf. Importantly, they have created a specific mandate “to a need for multi-skilled employers and employees due foster the development of graduates as critical and creative to the ‘micro’ nature of business” (McHanon, 2012, p. thinkers, multi-skilled and collaborative practitioners, and 7). These developments highlight the emerging role of responsible leaders with a global perspective” (Peterson & interdisciplinary practice and learning as a quasi-generic Hansen, 2012). skill. Employers are increasingly seeking individuals with The School’s Workplan clearly implies a role for flexible, innovative and entrepreneurial qualities. interdisciplinary learning in its imperative to educate Moreover, as Ward (2004) argues, individuals in the “multi-skilled and collaborative practitioners”. There are creative industries must not only develop myriad technical opportunities within MC2015 to create sustainable spaces competencies, but also must possess the “emotional for these experiences. This may include adopting structured competencies” to navigate complex real world collaborative recommendations for interdisciplinary classroom practice experiences. These emotional capacities can be fostered within discrete programs and/or seizing upon the proposed through engagement with “communities of practice” that studio model to create specifically interdisciplinary space extend beyond disciplinary boundaries. Communities across curricula. of practice introduce the practical and interpersonal While they present important opportunities, MC2015 and challenges and opportunities of real world collaborations. associated strategic initiatives also make it is necessary to These collaborative communities of practice can generate pause to assess what interdisciplinarity means in our School multi-skilled practitioners and new interdisciplinary context. The academic literature establishes importance knowledge. When embedded with the curriculum, they of interdisciplinary experiences for employability, the may also improve the tertiary sector’s efectiveness in development of higher-level communication skills, communicating the realities of employment success innovation, and the refinement of generic and discipline- to students. Students engaged in interdisciplinary based skills. communities of practice are more likely to understand that Creative disciplines such as those in our School face “more than ‘seeking employment’ in one specific discipline special challenges in designing interdisciplinary curriculum. [… they] can cross disciplines and boundaries” (Wright, First and foremost, professional programs within the Davis, and Bucolo, 2013). School are not tightly bound by disciplinary convention. In RMIT and the Changing University Sector addition, existing interdisciplinary opportunities within the School have tended to be industry-driven rather than built Australian higher education institutions have been out of the particular pedagogical needs of the School. Both attracting more diverse cohorts following developments of these issues contribute to the potential for less than fully in the local sector. In 2008, the Bradley Review sought efective experiences of interdisciplinary learning. to address the changing global economic environment, specifically an increasingly knowledge-based economy, by Unless constructed to draw attention to both disciplinary prioritizing access to education arrangements (Bradley et convention and the transcendence of disciplinary

14 The Belonging Project Report 2013 boundaries, interdisciplinary opportunities may give It is with our Belonging Project Narrative Model and these students an experience of collaborative project work, but contexts in mind that we have approached our work on leave them without the ability to efective communicate the the interdisciplinary experience. In our research, we have unique skills generated from such experiences. endeavoured to highlight the role of interdisciplinarity as a transition experience that expands disciplinary knowledge Despite the challenges of interdisciplinary curriculum and extends students’ belonging beyond their immediate design, the demands of the contemporary job market make cohort. In doing so, we have worked to investigate, it clear that there is a place for this type of learning within document, disseminate, and reﬁne existing practice within the school, and indeed the University. Of 465 respondents the School. to 2013 School Student Experience Survey (HE), 58% felt they did not have enough contact with students in other programs. This corresponds to existing data from students interviewed by the Belonging Project in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In our research, students reported desire for increased formal opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and structural support in the form of informal spaces, timetabling, and events for informal collaborations.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 15 16 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Approach, Methods and Process

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 17 Approach, Methods and Process

Approach practice before engaging in a second round of interviews, workshops, focus groups with staf and students. The Belonging Project team has articulated a three-pronged research philosophy that reflects our belief that the project Process should encourage processes that are ‘connected to the grassroots’, inclusive and iterative. In line with this, we In 2013 The Belonging Project began to research and have explicitly refrained from proposing a prescriptive develop a series of resources for Phase Three: Focus on the model of the interdisciplinary experience. Instead, we have Interdisciplinary Experience. We examined the existing facilitated the involvement of key University stakeholders— literature on interdisciplinary learning; mapped existing students, academic staf, and professional staf—in the practice with the School of Media and Communication; process of investigation and co-creation of resources. and worked with staf and students to develop models of interdisciplinary learning and teaching that are appropriate We acknowledge that universities are spaces where value to our School context. We took into consideration student is co-created by consumers within complex frameworks of desires, the rapidly changing industry and tertiary sectors, actors and resources (Karpen, Hall, Katsoulidis, and Cam, and the challenges facing staf who may already be 2011). We position students not as passive consumers but sufering from change fatigue. rather as co-creators of their university experience. We recognise the importance of engaging students in change In 2013 we also continued to evaluate and adapt the five and believe that this empowers them as co-creators. Focus on the First Year Experience pilot initiatives (see 2012 Belonging Project Report) and to advocate for the recommendations relating to these initiatives. Grassroots Grassroots, because for long-term success, initiatives must be driven from In contrast to Tier One: Focus on the First Year Experience, the ground-up. which was largely pilot-driven, The Belonging Project’s Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience has focused Inclusive Inclusive of staff, academic and primarily on mapping and modelling of interdisciplinary professional, and of students: each practice within the School and developing resources to is central to the development, support interdisciplinarity. We have employed a feedback implementation and sustainability of the loop to investigate, document, and disseminate models of project. interdisciplinary practice within the School: Iterative Iterative, integrating cycles of reflection 1. Developing a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice and evaluation into every stage of the 1 research, as guided by an action research (October 2012) methodology. 2. Staff Engagement: Testing Assumptions / Methodology and Methods Mapping Practices (November 2012- February 2013) As with previous tiers of The Belonging Project, we drew on narrative methodology (see e.g. Abma, 2000; Bruner, 1990; 3. Refining a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice Gola, 2009) and action research (see e.g. Kemmis, 2007; (early 2013) Greenwood, Whyte, Harkavy, 1993) to capture and share knowledge. These approaches are the foundation of The 4. Student Engagement: Focus Groups and Belonging Narrative Model. They have allowed us to work Data Analysis as collaborators with stakeholders. This emphasis on co- (September-November 2013) creation is central to our approach to change within the School. 5. Professional Staff Engagement: Testing the Model While action research and narrative methodology guided (September-October 2013) the overall design of this tier of The Belonging Project, in our daily practice, the team used a range of allied 6. Academic Staff Engagement: Re-testing the Model qualitative methods to engage stakeholders. In the initial (November 2013) stages of the tier in late 2012, we conducted a literature review to situate the School of Media and Communication 7. Case Studies: Mapping Practice context within a broader framework of interdisciplinary (November 2013-February 2014) learning. We then utilized workshops, focus groups, and interviews to capture staf experiences and perceptions 8. Development and Dissemination of Resources of interdisciplinarity and map these against our literature review. In 2013, we refined our models of interdisciplinary (November 2013-present)

18 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience: Detail & Analysis

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 19 Stage One: Developing a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice

In the initial stages of The Belonging Project’s transition line with Messer (2012) that rather than detracting from from Tier One: Focus on the First Year Experience to Tier the forms of expertise generated in disciplinary practice- Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience (ICP), the led models, interdisciplinary learning can foreground team conducted a literature review in order to discover process and methods. This can to lead to richer disciplinary how other institutions have approached interdisciplinary knowledge, creative innovation and improved curriculum design and the potential challenges likely to employment outcomes. arise in our context. This literature also served as the basis for a summary report disseminated within the School, Problems with interdisciplinarity from Thinking About Interdisciplinarity (Morieson, 2012). This report the literature was intended to facilitate a meaningful conversation about The summary report was careful to note that perceptions and practices of interdisciplinarity. interdisciplinarity is not without its challenges. In this initial stage of research and dissemination, The Belonging Defining interdisciplinary practice Project team focused on three categories of obstacles: those The report began by noting that a discussion of focused on definition, structure, and perception. interdisciplinarity must necessarily begin with a clear 1. Definition understanding of disciplinary structures (Krishnan, 2009). It then used Cronin’s (2008, p. 4) typology to define and Staf (and/or students) may struggle to understand situate interdisciplinarity within a spectrum of collaborative precisely what interdisciplinary learning entails. This practices including: multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, may result in inefective communication of learning transdisciplinary, and integrative approaches. Using a objectives or pedagogical slippages between forms range of written and visually representative examples, The of collaboration (e.g. multidisciplinary learning and Belonging Project team attempted to highlight the ways interdisciplinary learning). in which these approaches might be pedagogically and A separate but related issue may arise when students experientially distinct. do not have a clear enough idea of disciplinarity, let alone inter-disciplinarity. With careful scafolding interdisciplinary collaboration may be introduced into the curriculum. That said, students struggling to understand the methods and conceptual frameworks of their own discipline, may not have a clear enough understanding of the boundaries and expectations of their discipline to efectively participate in interdisciplinary learning. 2. Structure For staf planning or supporting interdisciplinary Figure: An example of the ways in which collaborative practices may be curriculum development, interdisciplinary teaching distinguished (US National Academy of Sciences, 2004, p. 29) and learning may pose practical challenges. In its initial stages, interdisciplinary curriculum development may Making the case for interdisciplinarity be more time-intensive than its disciplinary counter- part. It takes time to do it properly – and teachers The summary report then set out to “make the case” for are time-poor. interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The team argued Throughout the curriculum development and delivery that while disciplinary identification and specialization is period, interdisciplinarity on the increase (Becher and Trowler, p. 14) interdisciplinary can be a conflict-ridden Staf must work to balance disciplinary learning and teaching “counters narrow specialization process. needs, individual egos, and student anxieties with the and fragmented curricula [and] can be a unifying and collaborative process. Interdisciplinary curriculum integrating force” (Grossman, Wineburg and Scott, design may require efective communication and 2000, p. 2). explicit confrontation of problems as they arise. Moreover, as Grossman, Wineburg and Scott (2000, p. 3. Perception 2) note, “the world does not come neatly packaged in bundles.” In encouraging students to engage with complex One of the most considerable challenges to issues that challenge the boundaries of their disciplinary interdisciplinary learning and teaching is the skill sets, interdisciplinary practice reflects real world scepticism it may engender. Disciplinary allegiances problems and their solutions. For this reason in the and structures run deep. Individual staf members summary report, The Belonging Project team argued in or students may resist interdisciplinary research or

20 The Belonging Project Report 2013 collaboration for fear that it will somehow diminish or With careful planning, interdisciplinarity can be encroach upon their disciplinary work. introduced to the student experience in a range of Others may believe that there is not enough evidence ways from simple activities in the classroom to radical to support a role for interdisciplinarity in a formal reconceptualization of the student timetable and mode of curriculum already under pressure to deliver an learning. Examples that are relevant to the School include: increasing level of specialist skills within the three-year • Interdisciplinary courses – purposefully bringing undergraduate life. Even those who see a space for together students from two or more diferent disciplines indisciplinary learning and teaching in the curriculum, to work on shared problems/projects for the duration of a may perceive it as just ‘the next big thing’. semester. Practical strategies / examples of best practice • Interdisciplinary class projects – bringing together students from a range of diferent programs and For those interested in developing interdisciplinary disciplinary backgrounds to work in a group on a common opportunities, but unclear about where to start, The problem for an assessment task. Belonging Project’s summary report ofers a number of practical strategies from the literature. Golding (2009) • Interdisciplinary capstone collaboration – coordinating outlines basic techniques that are recommended for or providing opportunities for collaboration on a more interdisciplinary teaching: substantial assessment task or capstone project. • Opportunities for student-led collaboration – 1. Choose a team of expert academic teachers and providing a time and space for students from a range of interdisciplinarians, disciplines to meet and develop productive collaborative 2. Coordinate perspectives and approaches, relationships, e.g. speed dating, networking nights. 3. Ensure tutors and tutorials are of the highest standard, • Informal skills workshops – these are intentionally 4. Coordinate administrative details, designed to be broad, to cut across disciplines and cohorts, 5. Address and manage expectations, and allow students to embed new or traditionally “outside of the discipline” skills within disciplinary practice. 6. Plan the subject in explicit detail.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 21 Stage Two: Staff Engagement / Testing the Model

In November 2012, The Belonging Project team invited 2. Structure: considerations and barriers members of staf to a workshop to explore questions raised • Staf highlighted the need for careful thought and in the summary report and assess a path forward. Twenty planning the timing of interdisciplinary activities academic and professional staf members representing within the curriculum. They expressed a wariness of thirteen distinct program or professional areas in the retrofitting the curriculum. VE, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate sectors attended • Course structures difer between programs. the workshop. The Belonging Project Research Ofcer Interdisciplinarity might require diferent assessment facilitated a critically reflective discussion of key questions tasks for students from each program. related to the program needs: • Some staf members pondered whether there might Key questions asked of staf be a need to structure interdisciplinary experiences so as to make sure to bring the experience “back to 1. What does interdisciplinarity mean for your course/ safe disciplinary space”. program/discipline? • Creative programs – for example the Animation 2. What challenges does interdisciplinarity present? What program – don’t want to be involved in collaboration opportunities? in a way that sets them up as ‘service disciplines’ or 3. In what guises is it already present (in your course/ the ‘pack horses’ for other people’s ideas. program/discipline)? 3. School Perceptions 4. If it isn’t present, how could you envisage incorporating it? • Some programs in the School are part of fields that are still trying to establish themselves as disciplines 5. Or, if it is present, how could current eforts be and establish their own theoretical boundaries. extended? These fields were concerned that interdisciplinary 6. What form of support could we ofer you to – guidance, collaboration might be a barrier to disciplinary training, assistance making links, or financial – to legitimacy. initiate, improve or extend an interdisciplinary • There was apprehension that good will and experience for your students? communication would not be sufcient to ensure an Individual program/area staf member responses were efective collaboration. recorded in order to map and thematically analyse the • There was also concern that even in small specificity of the School context in greater detail. multidisciplinary groups with the potential for self- What our staf identified as concerns nominated interdisciplinary projects students would simply ‘stick together’. 1. Definitional issues: What do these mean to In response to the concerns and suggestions raised in the school staf first staf workshop, The Belonging Project team engaged • “Interdisciplinary” was seen as a relative term that in further research to refine our interdisciplinary artefact was often used imprecisely. in preparation for further dialogue with staf and students. • Because the School is already very In addition, in early 2013 we facilitated “interdisciplinary “multidisciplinary”, there was some confusion about speed-dating” events to support collaboration and dialogue the value added by interdisciplinary oferings. within and across the School. • There was a general lack of clarity over where existing opportunities fell on the multi/inter/trans spectrum. • The set-up of interdisciplinary activities is important and needs to be well-briefed at an early stage so students can get used to the idea and understand the objectives of interdisciplinary learning. • There was a query over whether there was a spectrum of interdisciplinarity that could be embedded within programs. • Some staf members posited whether collaborative is a more appropriate term than “interdisciplinary”.

22 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Stage Three: Refining a Model of Interdisciplinary Practice in a School

In 2013, in light of our analysis of the narrative data from 4. Participatory, expands on the types and sources the November 2012 staf workshop, The Belonging Project of expertise drawn upon by extending its circle of team worked on a new “interdisciplinary artefact” to define engagement outside of the academic arena to industry and represent the range of experiences that occur within partners, but does not seek to create new knowledge the School of Media and Communication. In mid-2013, The (Weaver and Cousins, 2007). (See page 25). Belonging Project produced a brief that further defined 5. Interdisciplinary, requires not only disciplinary the categories of interdisciplinary learning represented in knowledge, but also the development of cultural the School and situated these within a broader scholarly competencies that facilitate the creation of new context. A summary of the categories outlined in the 2013 knowledge, theory, and concepts that extend and brief is: transform disciplinary boundaries (Wood, 2007). What we think it looks like in our School 6. Transdisciplinary, draws on both academic and non-academic expertise by involving stakeholders 1. Disciplinary, bounded fields defined by their specific in disciplines and industry to create new ways of frames of reference, traditional objects of study, framing knowledge, innovative practices, and the theoretical canons, technologies, and methodologies novel theories and discourses (OECD, 1998). (Cronin, 2008: 3). In addition to defining types of practice, the 2013 brief 2. Multidisciplinary, “experts” from each area included an easily digestible framework that outlined communicate and work alongside those from other strengths and challenges of each respective category and areas, but they work within their disciplinary area simple strategies for maximizing the efectiveness of each (see e.g. Rutherford, 2005). approach (See Appendix 3). 3. Cross-disciplinary, brings together discrete disciplines for the purpose of addressing an issue or Like the 2012 summary report, this was disseminated to area of mutual interest each discipline attempts to staf within the School of Media and Communication. Staf frame the common issue within the language and members were invited to comment on the brief and ofer discourses of the other (Hulme and Toye, 2006; Grigg, suggestions for its revision. Perhaps in part due to change 1999). fatigue around MC2015 and the SLC restructure, circulation of the document yielded a very low response rate.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 23 Stage Four: Student Engagement via Focus Groups and Data Analysis

While The Belonging Project team worked to gain traction As a third year Professional Communication student for interdisciplinary experiences with the School of Media highlighted with respect to interdisciplinary learning in the and Communication staf, we also began to document classroom setting: student perceptions of interdisciplinarity in the School. In “Sometimes it will create debate but often it will create the first instance, we approached students enrolled in the strength, and stronger ideas and outcomes because you have School’s Interdisciplinary Communication Project (ICP) diferent people leading into it. I think that collaboration is key.” course ofering. Students were invited to one-hour long focus groups. To students these experiences reflect “how real life works” as well as how “people work with diferent people in jobs Though the initial response rate for the focus groups and in industry” and “even just in general life”. exceeded 40% of the enrolment, a significantly lower number of students actually participated in the focus The benefits of interdisciplinary approaches identified groups. When asked why they had not attended the focus by students in the School correspond to those identified in groups in which they enrolled, students, like staf, reported extensive research conducted elsewhere. For instance, in his a degree of change and survey fatigue. This is consistent survey of program directors in the United States, William with the experiences of staf conducting research on other Newell (1990: 70) found that students who participated in projects. It represents a genuine challenge for interdisciplinary courses and programs, showed: co-creation processes. 1. More sensitivity to ethical issues 2. Ability to synthesise or integrate information Student perceptions: what our students said 3. Enlarged perspectives and greater awareness of The students who participated in the ICP focus groups, and communal issues later in discussions while being interviewed during the 4. More creative, original, and unconventional thinking End of Year Festival of Events, were able to articulate their perceptions of interdisciplinary opportunities in the School. 5. More humility and listening skills Students within the School of Media and Communication 6. Greater sensitivity to bias identified the value of these opportunities to the Belonging These skills and characteristics may enhance and improve team. From their perspective, the coming together of the student’s experience within the cohort, within the individuals of diferent backgrounds, diferent disciplines, classroom, and as a member of diverse global community. and diferent perspectives results in a creative environment The benefits are not limited to the interdisciplinary in which “the ideas are going to be more comprehensive”. experience but feedback to the disciplinary core and extend Such environments may also be “more honest” in that beyond the University to graduates’ professional lives. individual and disciplinary limitations and strengths may become more apparent to students and allow for greater self-reflection.

24 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Stage Five: Academic Support Staff Engagement / Testing the Model

In addition to approaching students, The Belonging Project their understanding that an evolving tertiary sector climate team invited Library Liaisons, Study and Learning Centre suggested an increasing need for universities to engage with (SLC) Advisors, and College Senior Advisor Learning & broad interdisciplinary approaches in order to Teaching (SALT) representatives to strategize an approach remain competitive. to interdisciplinary experiences within the School. Six This workshop yielded specific suggestions for further representatives of these areas joined The Belonging Project development of Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary team for a workshop. We presented our evolving model of Experience, that have since been incorporated into The interdisciplinary practice and existing data to Belonging Project’s approach to interdisciplinarity. These the participants. suggestions included a request to explore “non-traditional” opportunities for interdisciplinary engagement with the Impact of Australian Qualifications Framework informal curriculum. For example, it was that library needs verses student experience training sessions might be used by clusters as spaces Workshop participants initially expressed concerns over the for interdisciplinary opportunities. In addition, it was place of interdisciplinary experience vis a vis generic skills recommended that a further exploration of the distinctions given the Australian Qualifications Framework’s increasing between group work and project work might help focus on literacy and numeracy. However, they expressed approaches to the interdisciplinary practice. Stage Six: Academic Staff Engagement / Re-testing the Model

The second academic staf workshop was held in November lifecycle. Instead, some staf members present argued that 2013. It was attended by thirteen staf representing ten interdisciplinary learning might more comfortably fit programs in VE, UG, PG. Eight staf members who had within the Honours framework and that transdisciplinary attended the November 2012 workshop were present. engagement was more likely to occur with higher- level postgraduate oferings. Other staf members, The half-day workshop was split into two sections. In the however, expressed concerns over unnecessarily limiting first half, The Belonging Project team reported back on our undergraduate experiences. Two members of staf in revised model of interdisciplinary practice, data collected particular were adamant that advanced undergraduate about existing interdisciplinary collaborations within the students should have the opportunity to “opt in” to truly School, and student and professional staf perceptions and interdisciplinary opportunities. recommendations. In the second half of the workshop, staf members were invited to critique The Belonging Project’s What our staf needs to support revised model and to ofer critical reflections on their interdisciplinary experiences program’s engagement with, and plans for, interdisciplinary learning under the MC2015 curriculum redevelopment. In terms of resources for the facilitation of interdisciplinary They were also asked to propose resources that could be experiences, staf made two primary requests: developed to facilitate their engagement 1. Resources for the facilitation of staf ‘interdisciplinary with interdisciplinarity. match-making’ Working in groups of three or four, staf members first 2. Case studies or vignettes that the captured assessed the revised artefact. Almost universally, staf the experiences of those already engaged in present rejected the inclusion of the “participatory” interdisciplinary teaching category. It was argued that virtually all courses, and and learning certainly all programs within the School, are to some extent These recommendations reflected a belief that “participatory” as they strongly embed industry partners interdisciplinarity required a focus on staf perceptions and perceptions within their design. The other categories in rather than on student skills or engagement. As one staf the artefact were seen as valuable and more member noted, “Students are only here for three years, the clearly diferentiated. longevity of these opportunities requires a focus on staf In reflecting on the place of each approach with culture”. the student lifecycle, staf questioned whether interdisciplinarity was a universally achievable opportunity within the limitations of the three-year undergraduate

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 25 Stage Seven: Mapping Practice Case Studies

Seizing on the recommendation for case studies raised in Themes identified by staf the November 2013 academic staf workshop, The Belonging The key themes that emerged from analysis of the case Project team investigated options for capturing in richer study interviews are outlined below: detail the experiences of those engaged in interdisciplinary teaching. We explored the possibility of developing a form 1. Curriculum Design for self-documentation that could be shared via an existing • While literature emphasizes the role of team weblink (e.g. The Belonging Project website). Given our teaching and dynamics therein, only one of the case previous experiences with “survey fatigue” and the time study courses involved team teaching sensitive nature of curriculum re-development in light of • Most opportunities are driven by industry / MC2015, we decided against this approach. outside partners We also mooted the possibility of collecting and sharing • Staf often serve “as brokers to industry” individual course vignettes. However, early indications from staf present at the workshop indicated an unease with • In part because of the needs of outside partners, most revealing “warts and all” experiences, if such experiences opportunities had very short development periods could be readily identified. “Rose-tinted” case studies would • Time intensive nature due to short time lines have been of questionable value to a staf cohort interested 2. Curriculum Delivery in real world experiences of interdisciplinary practice. Ultimately, we decided to interview key interdisciplinary • Assessment was often reflective and/or role defined champions about their experiences and compile these into • Most experiences involved students from VE, UG, and a single “uber case study”. It was believed that this could PG and included students from outside of the School capture the lived experience of interdisciplinarity without (and outside of creative disciplines) revealing the identities of the participants. • Need for “extra” resources primarily in the form of equipment and specialist workshops Interdisciplinary champions’ knowledge in the School • First year students were often successful participants We approached staf members in seven programs 3. Curriculum Evaluation and conducted in-depth interviews with staf from • Most projects were “passion projects” but were five programs. The programs were drawn from VE, generally as rewarding for staf as for students Undergraduate, and Postgraduate. Four of the programs • Very few opportunities are regularly repeated in the ran project focused, industry driven courses as their same format or with the same structure “interdisciplinary opportunities”. The same questions were • While students were given opportunities to reflect asked of all staf members interviewed (see Appendix 2). during course, there was little capturing of reflection The data has been compiled and subsequently mapped or follow up against student interview data from The Belonging Project’s student focus groups in 2011, 2012, and 2013. 4. Requests The interview questions centred on three stages of • Need for increased funding to support special needs curriculum development and delivery that were roughly of interdisciplinary subjects divided into: • Request for greater flexibility for short design periods 1. Development (Before) or recognition of informal opportunities 2. Delivery (During) 3. Evaluation (After) These categories structure the “uber case study” that will be disseminated as part of The Belonging Project’s package of interdisciplinary resources.

26 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Stage Eight: Dissemination of Resources

The Belonging Project team has disseminated aspects of During the course of our initial research into the third our research on Tier Two: Focus on the Interdisciplinary tier of The Belonging Project Narrative Model, Focus on Experience as part of an ongoing process of co-creation. the Global Experience, we identiﬁed an overlap between The summary report and brief were circulated to staf in resources for the interdisciplinary and global tiers. For the School of Media and Communication. Likewise, insights this reason, rather than disseminating multiple resource from our focus groups, interviews, and workshops have packs that might give the impression of self-contained tiers, been fed back to relevant stakeholders through workshops operating independently of one another, we have decided to and forums. create a range of resources across the three tiers of the project. Resources for staf One of our speciﬁc aims for this tier was to develop a resource pack including an interdisciplinary artefact, case studies, assessment templates, and course design resources.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 27 28 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Tier One in 2013: Development and Evaluation of the Focus on the First Year Experience Initiatives in 2013

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 29 Tier One in 2013: Development and Evaluation of the Focus on the First Year Experience Initiatives in 2013

In 2013 we continued to evaluate and adapt the ﬁve Focus on Outlined below is the development and evaluation that the First Year Experience pilot initiatives and to advocate for occurred in 2013 that relates to each of these initiatives. the recommendations presented in our 2012 report. For detailed information and background on the initiatives please refer to the 2012 report. These ﬁve key pilot initiatives centred around key areas of social and academic transition in the student life cycle including initial entry, semester transitions, and end of year transitions: 1. Coordinated Orientation Week Activities 2. Cohort Day Out 3. Student Informal Spaces 4. Academic Transition Initiatives 5. End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibition

Initiative 1: Coordinated Orientation Week Activities

Program Orientation School Welcome Program Orientation continues to be a critically important In 2013, over 700 students attended the School Welcome. aspect of the social and academic experience of first year This represents a one hundred per cent increase from 2012. students. In 2013, we noted that all undergraduate programs This marks the School Welcome as a unique opportunity to once again ofered a Program Orientation. This allowed introduce students to the narrative of belonging within the students within a single cohort the opportunity to receive larger community of the School of Media standardized information about the program structure, and Communication. expectations, and internal policies. It was an important In an attempt to capitalize on the enthusiasm expressed social experience allowing students to begin the process by the 2012 cohort and to increase the efectiveness and of mingling with and connecting to classmates in a setting reach of the School Welcome, The Belonging Project team outside of the classroom. Data from the Student Experience worked with staf in the School to implement a series Survey indicates that 91.45% of those who attended a Program of changes. Orientation found the orientation to be useful. New developments However, as with the first iteration, problems with consistency of Program Orientation planning, format, and In 2013, the venue for the School was changed to Storey Hall content persist. Because information is rarely shared across in an attempt to highlight the “heart” of the City campus programs, there is little consistency in the experience of and to make it easier for students to participate in the full Program Orientation within the School. range of orientation activities. While we are not recommending that a rigid “one size fits In this iteration, we also attempted to address the all” structure be imposed upon each program, increased concerns of focus group participants from previous dialogue and knowledge sharing may be needed to ensure years who suggested areas for improvement in the that the pedagogical objectives of Program Orientations implementation of the initiative. For example, in previous are achieved for students within all programs. Moreover, years School Welcome speakers were, if generally inviting increasing openness between Programs might ease some and enthusiastic, not always able to deliver clear and pressures of Program Orientation planning and assist the targeted messages that shaped a holistic narrative of the development of shared Program Orientation resources. School. In response to this, we encouraged a more consistent and thorough briefing of speakers, who are mostly second The Orientation Passport was discontinued in 2013 as and third year undergraduates. Importantly, the School data from the first iteration demonstrated low levels of Welcome also provides an informal opportunity for the engagement and interest in this initiative. School community to reflect on the School’s shared core values.

30 The Belonging Project Report 2013 The speakers: the Mid-Year Welcome has given our team insight into both the considerable challenges to the welcome event and its • Introduced the identity of the school through their enduring importance. energy and Of 311 commencing students (81 UG, 169 PG, 61 VE) in the • Efective communication skills School of Media and Communication’s mid-year intake, • Grounded Students within the School and broadening 18 students attended the Mid-Year Welcome. Of these, the their horizons overwhelming majority of attendees were commencing • Engaged, entertained, and contextualized their own postgraduate students. The majority of attendees indicated student experiences that the timetabling of the Mid-Year Welcome was critical • Increased awareness of academic and co-curricular to their decision to attend; this emphasizes that while many services/opportunities students are open to attending such orientation events, the timing of the events must be practical and convenient. • Communicated key messages of engagement, networking, collaboration, community, and The greatest success of the Mid-Year Welcome was to commitment provide an opportunity for networking among student cohorts and between students and academic transition Improvements for 2014 services. In 2013, the host venue was changed to a venue Overall, the School Welcome was well received, however, which facilitated more informal interactions. During it was not without challenges. There are further changes the informal discussions that followed the more formal needed to improve the consistency and cohesion of the academic services presentation, many students resolved initiative: housing issues, found legal advice, wellbeing support and exchanged industry information. Students who attended • Student speakers need better briefs in order to ensure reported that the event was valuable to both their academic that the key messages of the event are clear and and social transitions. easily understood • The School Welcome should be linked better to Big Improvements for 2014 O Day and other orientation activities within the The single most significant challenge to the Mid-Year University in order to give students a sense of belonging Welcome is to encourage attendance. This issue requires to a larger institutional community both practical and strategic innovation in order to increase • Staf and organizers should ensure that the the reach of the welcome event in future years. From a messages relating to new students are consistent practical perspective, given the complexities of timetabling with the pedagogical transitions needed to establish during the relevant period in the academic calendar, it interdisciplinary collaborations and global aspirations may be necessary to ofer alternative iterations in order to and do not undermine these through overemphasis of connect with a larger number of students. Alternatively, competitiveness between programs the Mid-Year Welcome may need to be connected at the program level to a social event to encourage attendance and Mid-Year Welcome facilitate further social integration of mid-year entrants. For Semester 2 entrants the School Welcome may be For future iterations, organizers will need to carefully the singular opportunity students have for an informal examine the timetable and the strategic objectives of the but structured introduction to the School of Media and event in order to find a time that maximizes both its reach Communication. While all programs now run Program and benefits. Orientations for Semester 1 students, this is not yet the In addition, we need to work with program staf to ensure norm for mid-year entrants. the Mid-Year Welcome is embedded at a program level These students face not only the usual transition and that students are encouraged to attend within their challenges, but also the added pressure of integrating into programs. Embedding the event, however, may require a established cohorts, without the benefit of the kinds of shift in staf culture. Currently few programs are actively coordinated orientation events that were designed to ease promoting the event and staf attendance at the event was the social and academic transitions of first year students. extremely low, especially when compared to the School For this reason, The Belonging Project team has worked to Welcome in Semester 1. Other than presenters, only two ensure the availability of a Mid-Year School Welcome. staf members attended the event in 2013.

New Developments In 2013, we played a central part in the organization of the event. We also sent an evaluator to the event who made observations and conducted informal interviews with participants. The Belonging Project’s role in administering

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 31 Initiative 2: Cohort Day Out

Analysis of case studies from 2012 suggested the Cohort The Cohort Day Out experience was promoted to first year Day Out pilot was very well-received and had a significant students: impact on building a sense of belonging and confidence 1. At the Program Orientation, via a program promotional within the relevant cohorts. Staf reported that the Cohort video, and by the program Day Out was successful in building core competencies and 2. On a Facebook page during the first two weeks of the in contributing to a sense of disciplinary identity. Students semester found the initiative to be beneficial in supporting the ongoing transition they faced. The pilot had the added In week three the students took a day trip to Hanging benefit of being low cost and relatively easy to organize (for Rock with other members of the cohort. Photography’s further discussion see, Report 2012: Phase Two: Focus on approach was heavily focused on social transitions and the First Year Experience and our 2014 article ‘Belonging in pastoral connections. In the words of the Cohort Day Out the first year: a creative discipline cohort case study’ in the coordinator the experience is “an opportunity to bond and International Journal of First Year Education, get comfortable with one another”. (Araújo et al, 2014). In line with its emphasis on cohort building, a unique aspect of the Photography Cohort Day Out was that it also Both of the original participating programs, Creative served as an opportunity to establish inter-generational Writing and Photography, organized a second iteration of cohort links. While the event was designed for first year the Cohort Day Out initiative in 2013. The Belonging Project students, twelve pre-selected second years attended as peer- monitored and evaluated this using a range of methods to-peer mentors. Each mentor was assigned approximately including interviews and student feedback to assess the five first year students from a range of local, interstate, ongoing impact of the initiative. and international backgrounds. These mentoring groups New Developments were then maintained and fostered beyond the excursion through regular cohort barbecues and informal social Case study 1: Creative Writing gatherings. This program-based facilitation of peer-to-peer In 2013, the Cohort Day Out activity in the Creative Writing connection is one of the most notable strengths of the program returned to Queen Victoria Market following program’s approach to the Cohort Day Out and transition. a similar format to the 2012 iteration. Despite the fact Another important highlight of the Photography that the non-required excursion was held on a public program’s approach to Cohort Day Out is that the program holiday, the Cohort Day Out experienced an increase in has been successful in embedding the initiative in its participation rates: 75% of eligible students participated as annual operating budget: opposed to 70% in the first year of the initiative. Staf and “Having that understanding of belonging and The Belonging students attributed this to two factors: Project within the School of Media and Communication means 1. The success of the 2012 initiative had created general that when I put in a generated budget line saying I want so enthusiasm for a fun, of-campus experience. much in the budget for belonging projects, [the administration] 2. The inclusion of a small monetary incentive reportedly understands. I think it’s important because sure we can cut made students “feel valued by the University”. back on so many things, but I don’t see [initiatives aimed at increasing student belonging] as a luxury. I see it as a necessity Indeed, students from Creative Writing reported that for the program and I think it’s important that these kind Cohort Day Out experience had facilitated connections activities are recognized… We should make sure that these with other members of the cohort and allowed individuals things are maintained.” the opportunity to develop both confidence and a sense of academic skills literacy in an organic way. In the words of In the view of the Coordinator, Cohort Day Out and the course coordinator, “This [approach] enabled a mingling similar informal transition activities were essential of students from diferent backgrounds and subgroups to initiatives that enabled students “to feel that they belonged get to know one another and share their experience of the to a program”. city”. What is needed to make the Cohort Day Out Case study 2: Photography work In 2013 first year students in the Photography program Budget and Time were also once again given the opportunity to attend an While the inclusion of Belonging initiatives within the informal, co-curricular Cohort Day Out at Hanging Rock. program budget ensures that support is available for a Like Creative Writing, Photography has seen an increase in sustained approach to transition within the budget year, the attendance rate at its Cohort Day Out, with virtually all time constraints and stafng remain formidable obstacles first year students now participating. to the long-term sustainability of the initiative.

32 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Program Structure to support sustainability • Groups were assigned with sensitivity to timetabling so as to ensure that collaborations begun during the As with Creative Writing, the Photography Cohort Day Cohort Day Out could contribute to in-class activity. Out is largely dependent on a single staf member and is therefore vulnerable. In order for this initiative to achieve The challenges of coordinating a successful Cohort Day long-term sustainability it is necessary for it to become Out are not insignificant, however. While the initiative embedded within the program structure rather than being is efective in part because it is low-cost and relatively the project of any one individual. easy to design, the implementation and sustainability of the initiative face some obstacles. In the case of Scafolded Pedagogy Creative Writing, securing funding for the initiative of From a pedagogical perspective, the Cohort Day Out built approximately $200 per annum remains a challenge. upon academic skills embedded in the formal curriculum Despite the success of the pilot and consistently positive the first weeks of the first year. It drew on these and feedback from students, the program has yet to embed the expanded them beyond the formal curriculum through a Cohort Day Out within its already tight budget. For this fun, city-based activity that introduced collaboration. The reason, funding is dependent on late appeals to Cohort Day Out was, in this way, part of ongoing, iterative School administrators. process of embedding student belonging. Its greatest In addition, there is a genuine burden of coordination in a strength is the way in which it accommodates the multiple climate in which stafng is limited and staf workloads are transitions—social, cultural, academic—and variations in high. The Cohort Day Out has rested almost entirely on the individual experiences and needs by extending the focus on passion and dedication of one or two staf members. Staf transition beyond Orientation Week. fatigue is also a growing concern and may challenge the Conclusions and Challenges long-term sustainability of this initiative. The second iteration of the Cohort Day Out was even more successful than the first in achieving these objectives. What changed: • Minor changes to the format, particularly in the way that groups were assigned allowed the Cohort Day Out activity to be more closely tied to academic/classroom transitions.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 33 Initiative 3: Student Informal Spaces

Since its refurbishment by The Belonging Project and Property Services in 2012, the Student Atelier Space has become a “cultural hub” of the School. The refurbishment was carried out in response to student focus groups in which students identified a desire for a more inviting informal space over which they could feel a sense of ownership. Students have reported that “the transformation was amazing” and that the space “filled a gap” in the public spaces of the University. It has become an important space for collaboration and has been used by students and for cohort activities throughout the year including private study, group work, socialising, preparing meals and student- Suggestions included Student “TED” style talks to facilitate led exhibitions and industry events. knowledge-transfer between student cohorts, project In student interviews conducted between September and initiatives, student-led skills workshops, and informal December 2013, students reported routinely using the space gatherings. for group work and informal meetings and collaborations. In our 2013 evaluation of the Student Informal Spaces It was seen to be important in that: Initiative connections between interdisciplinary learning • This culture of collaboration and interaction was and informal spaces also became evident. For some the central to student perceptions of the space. space was a space to develop an appreciation of the work of students in other degree programs: • Programs increasingly utilized the space in a semi- formal capacity. For example, in 2013 it was used for “The Atelier space is definitely somewhere where you come in a Student Mobility Competition, the Global Exchange contact with people doing the other degrees and you might forum, and Communication Design’s end of year share a bit of work with them just to get a diferent perspective exhibition. or you might get to know them as mates or somewhere you Echoing the sentiment of others, one student noted that, just overhear things of what people are saying and you go “Oh “the Level 2 area is great because people all collaborate that’s interesting”. It’s always a bit fascinating to see other in the same spot”. Yet the student noted that still more people working through their own projects. You’re like “They can be done to maximize the impact of the space, “Maybe know how to do that,” so that’s fun.” more could be done where more student events are run For other students the space has became an important sometimes in Level 2”. space for co-curricular collaboration and testing ground for interdisciplinary connections. It is a space in which students approach others to “get a diferent perspective,” workshop problems, and seek support in developing new skills. During the course of 2013, The Belonging Project further collaborated with Property Services to respond to Atelier data from 2012 and to improve the space. Property Services was able to gather funds for a second phase refurbishment of the space. This work was carried out after the conclusion of Semester 2 and included the addition of secure lockers, additional seating, and tables to the space. The impact this refurbishment will be monitored in 2014.

34 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Initiative 4: Academic Transition Initiatives

The Belonging Project’s research in 2011 and 2012 Cohorts Using Existing Systems and Data (Lukas et al, 2013) was indicated that the academic transition to university was a position paper submitted to the First Year Experience and as challenging as the social transition for many students. Transition Project Steering Committee. With this in mind, the Belonging Project team worked The Belonging Project argued that in order to develop with the University’s Study and Learning Centre (SLC), welcoming face-to-face transition interactions, first year the Coordinator of the Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) staf (both academic and professional) must know specific program, our School Library Liaison Ofcers, and our School information about their commencing student cohorts before ESL tutors to develop an Academic Transition Initiative. This teaching commences. initiative was designed to encourage students and staf to engage the range of University services. The proposed pilot project involved scoping the efcacy of data mining undergraduate student selection and New Developments in 2013 admissions information from the point of ofer. The pilot In 2013, The Belonging Project continued to collaborate would test the efectiveness of this data mining process with various transition and academic services and consult and resulting analysis in facilitating flexible planning of where appropriate. The majority of these collaborations iterative student transition and FY curricular activities centred on interdisciplinary learning and teaching and are within Schools prior to the start of teaching. The Belonging discussed earlier in this report. Project argued that when communicated well and in a timely manner this information could assist FY staf in Our continued research in first year academic transitions achieving generational and lasting change in the FYE indicates that many of the obstacles to the initiative first at RMIT. identified in 2012 persist. Though not unique to Library Services, this is exemplified in feedback from the Library The Data Working Party endorsed the position paper Liaisons. During the course of Semester 1, 2013, the in September 2013 and the proposed pilot has been Belonging Project followed up with Library Liaisons about incorporated into The Belonging Project’s 2014 initiatives. their experience of connecting to students during the critical first weeks of semester. Library staf reported having volunteered to attend Program Orientation sessions, but noted that many School programs were not receptive, and viewed Library Services as auxiliary rather than as essential program information. Though most programs did, in fact, organize Library sessions for first year students, these sessions were not always well integrated into curriculum. Library staf noted that while some programs give briefs that allow integration of Library sessions with curriculum, most ofered little information beyond “make sure it isn’t too long”. This speaks to a broader issue about academic staf’s perception and knowledge of academic support services. One librarian summed up the knowledge gaps: “Many academics are not aware that they might not have an updated knowledge of the library. Some might feel there is no time and possibly no great need for them to get updates on the library.” Ultimately these cultural and knowledge divides do a disservice to all parties-- academic staf, professional staf, and students—as they prevent the most efective use of academic transition services.

New Initiative: Student Selection Data Pilot In 2013, The Belonging Project proposed a new academic transition initiative to be trialled in 2014: the “Student Selection Data Pilot”. The initial proposal Know Your Students First: Unlocking the Potential of Diverse Commencing Student

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 35 Initiative 5: End of Year Festival of Events and Exhibitions

End of year academic activities (EOYF) are seen as key “[It is a] day that you are working towards and something academic and social transition points in the student to polish your work up for and show to [younger peers] and lifecycle. Whereas in 2012 work on the EOYF consisted hopefully break into the industry. It makes your work a bit more primarily of building relationships between internal valuable as well.” institutional stakeholders, in 2013 we worked to document In this way The Belonging Project’s 2013 qualitative evolving practices and student perceptions. In order to research confirms our 2012 findings about the potential of do so, a Belonging Project staf member attended events the EOYF as an important transition for participants and organized by Communication Design, Photography, and an opportunity for intergenerational cohort knowledge Games and Animation and Media as a critical observer. transfer. Students, staf members, and community members in attendance were interviewed informally and formally as In spite of the overwhelming enthusiasm for the EOYF part of a documentation process. In addition, The Belonging activities, the EOYF initiative has not met its full potential. Project produced a video of the existing events. While students who were involved in organising the events acknowledge that they were important leadership Interviews conducted with students in 2013 indicated that opportunities, student co-creation opportunities were students see the EOYF activities primarily as an exciting largely confined to the immediate days before the social and academic celebration of their achievements. exhibition. Students report a need for better coordination That said, many also expressed a belief that the EOYF was and advertising of events. a valuable opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange and cross-disciplinary inspiration. One third year student The development of the EOYF as an exercise for suggested that commencing undergraduates should attend employability is also area for improvement. Very few as many of the events as possible: students who were interviewed (with Games and Animation and Photography students being notable “I highly suggest going around to every single one you can exceptions) recognized EOYF as an important experience because they’re free and they’re great to go to, to for establishing industry connections. Moreover, the get inspiration.” Higher Education sector programs and portfolios / For students with a clear sense of their own disciplinary viewbooks are not capturing and marketing student skills skills set, the EOYF is an opportunity to draw inspiration to external stakeholders as efectively as equivalent VE from other disciplines, laying the groundwork for events. Events are well attended by students and staf, but interdisciplinary collaborations: underrepresented by industry. A critical issue for future enquiry will be to determine ways to attract and foster “It has been valuable because a lot of the game based things industry involvement and participation in these events. are based on photography as well, so it’s good to see the photography work and then translate that to games and vice versa.” Event participants also expressed a view that the EOYF had potential for generating industry connections for exhibiting students, while transmitting knowledge to emerging practitioners:

36 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Bibliography

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 37 Bibliography

Abma, T.A. (2000): Fostering learning-in- organizing ‘When Theory Meets Practice in the World of School’ in through narration: Questioning myths and stimulating Sam Wineburg and Pat Grossman (eds.) Interdisciplinary multiplicity in two performing art schools, European Curriculum: Challenges to Implementation. New York and Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 9:2, London: Teachers College Press. 211-231 Hulme, D., & Toye, J. (2006). The case for cross-disciplinary Araújo, N., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Morieson, L., Lukas, K., social science research on poverty, inequality and well- Wilson, R., (2014). ‘Belonging in the first year: a creative being. The Journal of Development Studies, 42(7), 1085-1107. discipline cohort case study’, International Journal of the James, R., Anderson, M., Bexley, E., Devlin, M., Garnett, R., First Year in Higher Education, Vol. 5, No 2, 2014. Marginson, S., and Maxwell, L. (2008). Participation and Australian Government, Department of Industry, equity: A review of the participation in higher education of people Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous people, (2009). Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Universities Australia, Canberra, March. Century. http://www.innovation.gov.au/Innovation/Policy/ Karpen, I., Hall, C., Katsoulidis, T. and Cam, M. (2011). Co- Documents/PoweringIdeas.pdf Creating the Student Experience: Conceptual Foundations and Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Empirical Exploration from an S-D logic perspective. Learning desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental and Teaching Investment Fund (LTIF), RMIT University human motivation. Psychological bulletin, 117(3), 497. Kemmis, S. (2007). Action Research. In M. Hammersley (Ed.), Becher, T. and Trowler, P. (2001). Academic Tribes and Educational Research and Evidence-based Practice (pp. 167-180). Territories: Intellectual enquiry and the nature of the disciplines Milton Keynes and London: The Open Univeristy and (2nd ed.). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press SAGE Publications. Bradley, D., Noonan, P., Nugent, H., & Scales, B. (2008). Kift, S., Nelson, K. and Clarke, J. (2010). Transition pedagogy: Review of Australian Higher Education Final Report. Canberra: a third generation approach to the FYE: a case study of Department of Education, Employment and Workplace policy and practice for the higher education sector. The Relations Retrieved from http://www.deewr.gov.au/he_ International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 1(1), review_finalreport. pp. 1-20. Bruner, J. S. (1990). Acts of meaning. Harvard University Press. Krause, K.-L., Hartley, R., James, R., & McInnis, C. (2005). The first year experience in Australian Universities: findings Creigh-Tyte, A., & Thomas, B. (2001) Employment. In S. from a decade of national studies. Retrieved from http:// Selwood (Ed.), The UK Cultural Sector: Profile and Policy Issues. www.dest.gov.au/sectors/higher_education/publications_ London: Policy Studies Institute, 250–279. resources/profiles/first_year_experience.htm Cronin, K. (2008). Transdisciplinary research (TDR) and Krishnan, A. (2009). What are Academic Disciplines? Some sustainability: Overview Report Prepared for the Ministry of Observations on the Disciplinarity vs. Interdisciplinarity Debate. Research, Science and Technology. Auckland, NZ: Institute of University of Southampton: ESRC National Centre for Environmental Science and Research Limited. Research Methods. Gola, G. (2009). Informal learning of social workers: a Lukas, K., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., & Araújo N. (2013, Sep). method of narrative inquiry. Journal of Workplace Learning, Know Your Students First: Unlocking the Potential of Diverse 21(4), 334-346. Commencing Student Cohorts Using Existing Systems and Data. Golding, C. (2009). Integrating the disciplines: Successful Position paper submitted and endorsed by the First interdisciplinary subjects. Melbourne: Centre for the Study Year Experience and Transition Reference Group, RMIT of Higher Education, University of Melbourne. University, Melbourne. Green, M. F. (2012). Global citizenship: What are we talking Messer, J. (2012). Practicing Interdisciplinarity. TEXT. about and why does it matter. Trends and Insights for Number 14, October 2012. http://www.textjournal.com.au/ International Education Leaders, 1-3. speciss/issue14/content.htm Greenwood, D. J., Whyte, W. F., & Harkavy, I. (1993). Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, Participatory action research as a process and as a goal. R. (2012, Nov 20). Thinking About Interdisciplinarity. Human Relations, 46(2), 175-192. Presentation of position paper and workshop to School of Media and Communication staf, RMIT University, Grigg, L. (1999). Cross-disciplinary research. Australian Melbourne. Research Council.

Grossman, Pam, Wineburg, Sam, and Beers, Scott. (2000).

38 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Nikolic, J., & Gledic, J. (2013). Going agile: Agile methodologies in the education of global citizens. Going global: Identifying trends and drivers of international education, 119-127. OECD (1998). Science, Technology and Industry Outlook, 1998 edition. Paris: OECD. Peterson, F. and Hansen, S. (2012). Media and Communication: Program Suite and Delivery for the Future. RMIT University. Rutherford, J. W. (2005). An Interdisciplinary Collaborative Experiment in Art Education: Architects Meet Arts Administrators. Art Education, 58(4), 13-19. US National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine. (2004). Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11153.html Walton, G. M., Cohen, G. L., Cwir, D., & Spencer, S. J. (2012). Mere belonging: the power of social connections. Journal of personality and social psychology, 102(3), 513. Ward, A. (2004). Enterprise skills and enterprise learning. foresight, 6(2), 104-109. Weaver, L., & Cousins, J. B. (2007). Unpacking the participatory process. Journal of multidisciplinary evaluation, 1(1), 19-40. Woods, C. (2007). Researching and developing interdisciplinary teaching: Towards a conceptual framework for classroom communication. Higher Education, 54(6), 853-866. Wright, N., Davis, R., & Bucolo, S. (2013, May). The creative citizen: understanding the value of design education programs in the knowledge economy. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference for Design Education Researchers (Volume 4) (Vol. 4, pp. 2230-2248). ABM-media.

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 39 40 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Appendices

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 41 Appendix 1 Summary of Activities by Month in 2013

Month Activity

January

February Orientation Briefings for staff and senior students (School of Media & Communication). Interdisciplinary Staff Workshop ‘Creating Lively Informal Student Spaces: Lessons from The Belonging Project’. Invited presentation to Property Services Group staff Inaugural School of Media and Communication Learning and Teaching Forum

March Conducted School Welcome Session (Story Hall). Commenced evaluations of Orientation initiatives. School Cohort Day Out initiatives.

April

May

June Invited presentation to the First Year Experience and Transition Project Reference Group

July Mid-Year Student Welcome Global Exchange Forum FYHE Conference

August Publication in International Journal of First Year Education Development of Interdisciplinary Artefact

September Interdisciplinary Experience focus group with academic support staff ICP student interviews Position paper, Know Your Students First: Unlocking the Potential of Diverse Commencing Student Cohorts Using Existing Systems and Data, endorsed by First Year Experience and Transition Project Steering Committee

October ICP student interviews Cohort Day Out interviews

November Teaching Award ceremony Interdisciplinary Tier Staff Workshop LTIF awarded EOYF video and interviews Collaboration with iBelong Presentation to Marketing Circulation of interdisciplinary artefact to staff in School of Media and Communication

December Case Study Interviews Belonging Project Reference Group SISI Stage 2 refurbishment

Regular Activities

Monthly Student Cohort Experience Reference Group Meetings School of Media & Communication L&T Committee University Equity & Diversity Committee.

Weekly Belonging Project Team Meetings

Ad Hoc Regular planning meetings with key School staff and Student Services

42 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Appendix 2 Interdisciplinary Case Study Interview Questions

Before (Development & Drivers)

1. Where did the idea for the course come from?

2. How was the course developed from the initial idea to deliverable content?

3. How was the design process structured? a. How long did the process take? b. How was the labor divided?

4. What were the drivers for this experience? (e.g. pedagogy, WIL)

5. Who were the drivers? (e.g. Industry partners?)

6. Who were the participants in the planning stage?

7. What were the aims of the design process?

8. What pedagogical or practical frameworks were in place in the design?

9. Did you have or use any particular resources? In planning? For the students? a. What were the positive aspects of this resource engagement? b. What were the negative aspects of this resource engagement?

10. What were the time allocations for the relevant lecturers/tutors? a. Were these sufficient? b. Were these indicative of real time commitment?

11. Did you receive additional support to run the course? a. What kind of support? b. From whom?

During (Delivery)

1. Who ran the course? If the course was team taught, how was the teaching and administration divided?

2. How was the course structured? a. What was the overall structure? b. What was the week to week design? c. How were classes run within a given session?

3. Approximately how many students participated? a. How were the students recruited? b. What was the disciplinary and/or sector breakdown?

4. What were your assessment tasks? What were the percentage of final marks were allocated for each task? a. How did this align with graduate attributes?

5. What was you process of expectation setting? a. Were expectations revisited throughout the course? b. How did expectations change?

6. What were the student outputs? Were any outputs non-assessed?

7. What did you have to change the course or content design during the course? If so, why and how?

8. Were you or the students able to engage in structured reflection during the course? If so, what observations were made?

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 43 After (Evaluation, Reflection, Reiteration)

1. What were your evaluation frameworks? Why were these chosen?

2. How did you measure success/failure?

3. What, if any, opportunities did the students have to evaluate beyond CES?

4. Did this course scaffold to other professional or academic opportunities?

5. Was the course run again? IF so, what changes were made in the second or subsequent iterations?

6. What do you need or want in order to better run this course?

7. What advice would you give to colleagues interested in designing similar opportunities?

44 The Belonging Project Report 2013 Appendix 3 Approaches and Strategies Charts for Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching before final ratification by school staff (see page 25) Transdisciplinary and non- academic Bring together create to participants academic or theory knowledge new boundaries discipline Transcend gaps knowledge Overcome between collaboration Advance stakeholders diverse and issues Understand complex problems problems world” on “real Focus knowledge of bases new Create innovative and engage methodologies unique Ability make to good common to contributions industry-academicMeaningful collaboration dialogue sustained Encourages transformations and lasting Integrative consensus in achieving Difficult knowledge Privileging academic or industry versa or vice and knowledge resource, Time, be problematic may requirements context in a classroom Interdisciplinary Synthesis of knowledge resulting in resulting knowledge of Synthesis understandings changed discrete or address problems Solve of the scope are beyond that issues disciplinary boundaries coherence Seek and perspectives myriad Integrate approaches understanding a holistic Create and adaptive in responsive Engage communication through knowledge new Create theory of integration common to approach Integrative problem critical disciplinary Fosters awareness multiple of knowledge levels High and practices methodologies and advanced openness Facilitates skills communication structuredBest team through teaching intensive Time and resource disciplinary of challenges to Open ethnocentrism conflict group to Sensitive Participatory Bring together Bring together (student) academic and non-academic (industry) solve to participants problem a given Problem-solving and Targeted exchange informed and knowledge of expertise based Experience learning on problem Focus than solving rather creation knowledge and Collaboration transfer knowledge diverse between actors industry to Exposure world on real Focus issues of Challenges academic managing and non-academic expectations of Possibility barriers” “language Practical challenges bringing together of participants Crossdisciplinary Create dialogue and dialogue Create identify commonalities research of in areas a address to as so or problem common of an issue address interest mutual genuine Facilitate communication mutual fosters that understanding Identify and engage overlap of areas on common Focus between ground disciplines on problem Focus solving and knowledge transfe collaboration Deeper disciplines between specialist of Translation broader for knowledge audiences Ability more address to problems complex of Challenges translation Time-intensive acute Need for other understanding of language, disciplines’ and perspectives tools, in limit uses may settings classroom Multidisciplinary Increase breadth of of breadth Increase through methods dialogue core Maintain disciplinary identities while encouraging collaboration on co-existence Focus and cooperation ability to Demonstrate approaches broaden and methods Communicate disciplinary for clearly knowledge others two or Bring together for more disciplines tasks discrete perspectives Juxtapose on common Focus task/question research is done Work independently Collaboration new to Exposure perspectives and to Exposure with other experience tools Ability address to more complex problems of exchange Limited or knowledge skills of Possibility barriers” “language to Temptation discipline privilegeone the other over Disciplinary Impart an understanding discipline of boundaries, methodologies, and theory tools discipline Use Identify appropriate study objects of questions Frame according discipline to conventions and Intensive sustained within immersion area core concepts core Clear in specific Training methodologies and to Exposure with experience disciplinary tools Bounded approaches Disciplinary ethnocentrism problems Complex to can be difficult from approach single disciplinary perspective world” “real on emphasis sets skill multiple Objectives, Skills and Methods for Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching Learning Interdisciplinary for and Methods Skills Objectives, Skills Methods Strengths Challenges Teaching Teaching Objectives

Phase 3: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience 45 Understanding Disciplinary Internal and External Partner Skills in the Interdisciplinary Context

Discipline Based Skills

Comprehension of discipline, language, tools, methodologies Internal Partner Skills Understanding of history, objectives and distinctiveness Ability to communicate theory, of discipline methdologies, and discipline External Partner Skills Appropriate critical thinking perspectives to other disciplines and re]lection skills Identify and manage roles Ability to navigate interests of Solid grounding in theoretical with sensitivity to individual diverse stakeholders canon and approaches perspectives and expertise Communicate complex Appropriate problem solving Acutely tuned listening and information in targeted and and project management skills reﬂection skills audience appropriate ways Appropriate con]lict Apply knowledge, tools, and management and dispute methologies practically and resolution skills efectively in a real world context Ability to identify key Firm appreciation of various commonalities and respect and forms of expertise mediate diferences Advanced project management skills

46 The Belonging Project Report 2013 The Belonging Project Resources and Outputs

This list reﬂects resources and outputs until December 2013. An up-to-date listing of outputs and links to resources including ﬁnal reports and video evaluations can be found at: rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/academic-schools/media-and-communication/ research/projects/the-belonging-project/ Cover Inside Front 200mm (w)

Dissemination Framework

Our project follows the dissemination framework set out by the Ofce of Learning and Teaching (OLT), formerly known as the Australian Learning and Teaching Coun- cil (ALTC). We have grown our information provision dissemination, while privileging engaged dissemination - an “engaged-focused approach to dissemination, involving consultation, collaboration and support for ongoing dissemination both during the project and after the project is complete.” (ALTC, 2008).

Scholarly Outcomes Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., Grants & Wilson, R. (2012, Nov 20). Thinking About Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Lukas, K., & Morieson Interdisciplinarity. Presentation of position paper and L. (2013). The Belonging Project. Phase 3: Focus on the workshop to School of Media and Communication Interdisciplinary Experience. Supported by the Academic staf, RMIT University, Melbourne. Portfolio through the Higher Education Participation Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2012, May 7-9). Case and Partnerships Program, RMIT University ($160,000). Study: The Belonging Project. Invited paper presented at Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Lukas, K., & 2nd Annual Satisfaction in Higher Education Conference, Morieson, L., (2012). The Belonging Project. Phase 2: Focus Sydney. on the First Year Experience. Supported by the Academic Morieson, L., Lukas, K., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson Portfolio through the Higher Education Participation R. (2011, Nov). But what do our students (really) want? and Partnerships Program, RMIT University ($166,000). Presentation of paper to all staf about student focus Carlin, D., Clarke, B., & Wilson, R. (2011). The Belonging group ﬁndings and project update, School of Media Project. Phase 1: Planting the Seeds. Supported by the and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. Academic Portfolio through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, RMIT Conferences and workshops convened University ($104,236). The Belonging Project. (2013, Nov 21). The Interdisciplinary Student Experience. Workshop Peer reviewed journal articles with School of Media and Communication, RMIT Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & University, Melbourne. Wilson, R. (2013). ‘Belonging in Education: Lessons The Belonging Project. (2013 Feb 5). Inaugural School from the Belonging Project’. International Journal of First of Media and Communication Learning and Teaching Year in Higher Education, 4(2). Retrieved from https:// Forum. School of Media and Communication, RMIT fyhejournal.com/article/view/173 University, Melbourne. Conference papers – refereed Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Moeller, R., & Lukas, K. Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., Wilson, (2012, Feb). Ice Breakers and Transition Teasers R., (2013, July 7- 10). Belonging in Education: Lessons from for the First Year Experience. School of Media and the Belonging Project. Proceedings of the 16th International Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. First Year in Higher Education Conference, Wellington, The Belonging Project. (2012, Nov 20). Thinking About New Zealand. Retrieved from http://fyhe.com.au/past_ Interdisciplinarity. Workshop with School of Media papers/paper s13/fyhe13_proceedings.pdf and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne.

Conference, symposium and workshop papers – Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Lukas, K., & unrefereed Morieson, L. (2011, Aug). Project Launch and Staf Workshop. Program Directors’ Retreat, School Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Araújo, N., & of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Lukas, K. (2013, Dec 4). The Belonging Project. Poster Kalorama. presented at OLT National Senior Teaching Fellowship Symposium, Monash University, Melbourne. Panels, workshops and presentations Araújo, N., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, R. (2013, The Belonging Project. (2013, Mar). Interdisciplinary Nov 21). Approaches to Interdisciplinary Learning and Speed Dating. Presentation at Inaugural School of Teaching. Presentation at The Interdisciplinary Media and Communication Learning and Teaching Student Experience Workshop, School of Media and Forum, RMIT University, Melbourne. Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. Cover Inside Back 200mm (w)

The Belonging Project. (2012, Dec). The Belonging The Belonging Project. (2012, Aug). The Belonging Project: 2012 Update. Presentation on key ﬁrst year Project: An Overview. Presentation to staf in the College initiatives and ﬁndings at RMIT School of Media and of Design and Social Context, RMIT University, Communication All School Meeting, RMIT University, Melbourne. Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2011). The Belonging Project. The Belonging Project. (2012, Oct). Let’s Talk About First Presentation at RMIT University Business Plan Year: Lessons from The Belonging Project. Presentation at Student Cohort Experience Forum, RMIT University, Teachers @ Work Staf Development Seminar Series, Melbourne. School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. The Belonging Project. (2011, Nov). But what do our students (really) want? Presentation at whole-of- School The Belonging Project. (2012, Aug). The Student Cohort meeting, School of Media and Communication, RMIT Experience Project. Invited co-presented panel discussion University, Melbourne. at RMIT Learning and Teaching Expo, RMIT University, Melbourne.

Strategic Outcomes

Citations Internal Significance – University Level National Significance Student Services, I Belong Project. (2012 – ongoing). Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., & McKay, J. Project advisors and key School liaisons. Responsible (2012). Efective Teaching and Support of Students from Low for recruitment, design and implementation Socio Economic Status Backgrounds: Final Report, Ofce of of discipline-specific workshops for visiting Learning and Teaching. disadvantaged secondary school students. Internal Significance First Year Experience and Transition Project. (2013-ongoing). Invited to participate in the project’s Nomikoudis, M., & Bolt, S. (2012). Pilot Projects to Define Reference Group, Systems Working Group and the Student Cohort Experience: 2012 Final Report. Transition Principles Working Group. Peterson, F., & Hansen, S. (2012). Media and Inclusive Teaching Practices Project. (2012-ongoing). Communication 2015: Program Suite and Delivery for the Advisors to project team and key School liaisons. future. (p. 3). Equity and Diversity Committee. (2011-ongoing). RMIT University School of Media and Communication. Invited participatory membership (Clarke). (2013, Mar). Learning and Teaching Strategy 2013-2015. (p. 3, 4, 8, 9). Education Abroad Student Mobility Photographic Competition. (2012- ongoing). Advisors to event RMIT University College of Design and Social Context. organisers and key School liaisons. (2012). Program Annual Review (PAR) Report. Property Services, Informal Student Spaces RMIT University School of Media and Communication. Redevelopment Project. (2012-ongoing). Advisors to (2013). Strategic Priorities and Profile 2013: Response to project team and key School liaisons. University Strategic Plan. (p.3). Ofce of the DVC (Academic), Student Cohort Invited consultations and contributions to Experience Project Reference Group. (2011–2012). committees, working parties and Invited participatory members. external projects Student Services, Student to Student Video National Significance Competition. (2013). Advisors to competition organisers and key School liaisons. Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., McKay, J. (2012). Efective Teaching and Support of Students from Low Internal Significance – College Level Socio Economic Status Backgrounds: Final Report, Ofce of College of Design and Social Context, Retention and Learning and Teaching. Acknowledged as contributors to Attrition Project. (2012-onging). Invited contributors the project’s final report and staf resources in relation (Clarke and Lukas). to design and content (Clarke, B. & Wilson, R.). College of Design and Social Context, Selection Key internal presentations Review Project. (2012-ongoing). Invited contributors (2013 Nov). The Belonging Project: Overview of FYE (Clarke, Wilson and Lukas). Initiatives & Findings. Invited presentation to First Year College of Science, Engineering and Health, First Experience and Transition Project Reference Group, Year Experience Community of Practice Group. (2012- RMIT University, Melbourne. ongoing). Invited participants. (2013 Jun). The Belonging Project: Overview of FYE Initiatives Internal Significance – School Level & Findings. First Year Experience and Transition Project Reference Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. School of Media and Communication, Learning and Teaching Committee. (2011-ongoing). Invited (2013, Feb). Creating Lively Informal Student Spaces: participatory membership. Lessons from The Belonging Project. Invited presentation to Property Services Group staf, RMIT University, School of Media and Communication, MC2015 Review Melbourne. Project. (2011- ongoing). (2012, Aug). The Belonging Project: An Overview. Advisors as participatory members of the steering Presentation to the College of Science, Engineering committee and key School liaisons to program teams. and Health, First Year Experience Community of School of Media and Communication, Learning and Practice Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. Teaching Investment Fund Round. (2014). (2012, Jul). The Belonging Project: Project Overview and Key Advise School staf as participatory members of the Student Focus Group Findings. Invited presentation at School’s LTIF Community of Practice Group and advise the RMIT University Communications and Marketing staf in other schools on request. Forum, RMIT University, Melbourne. School of Media and Communication, Transition (2012, May) Project Update. Presentation at the RMIT and Orientation Coordination Team Proposal (2012 Oct). School of Media and Communication Program Submitted and endorsed by the School Executive and Directors’ Retreat, Kalorama. Learning and Teaching Committees. (Lukas, K., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., & Morieson L.)

Reports and Position Papers

Reports Lukas, K., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., & Araújo N. (2013, Sep). Know Your Students First: Unlocking the Potential of Wilson, R., Clarke, B., Carlin, D., Araújo, N., Lukas, K., Diverse Commencing Student Cohorts Using Existing Systems & Shand, L. 2013 Report: Focus on the Interdisciplinary and Data. Position paper submitted and endorsed by Experience the First Year Experience and Transition Reference Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Carlin, D., Morieson, L., & Lukas, Group, RMIT University, Melbourne. K. 2012 Report: Focus on the First Year Experience Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson R., & Lukas Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Wilson, R., Lukas, K., & K., (2012), Thinking About Interdisciplinarity. Position Morieson, L. 2011 Report: Planting the Seeds paper circulated to academic staf within the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Position Papers Melbourne. Araújo, N., Clarke, B., Lukas, K., & Wilson, R. (2013, Nov 21). Approaches to Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. Presentation at The Interdisciplinary Student Experience Workshop, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne. Report Published: December 2014 © School of Media and Communication RMIT University Report 2014 Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global Report Authors Bronwyn Clarke, Rachel Wilson and Natalie Araújo Cover Inside Front 210mm (w)

Acknowledgements

The Belonging Project team would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of our colleagues who have helped to advise, shepherd and disseminate information about the project during the ﬁnal year of the project.

The Belonging Project Reference Group: We would also like to thank the following groups at RMIT University for their ongoing support and assistance. Sue Bolt Acting Chief of Staf & Director Government Relations School of Media and Communication Ofce of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Student Cohort Experience Reference Group Assoc. Prof. Andrea Chester Ofce of the Dean of Students Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching Student Services Design and Social Context Ofce College of Design and Social Context RMIT Library Fiona Ellis Director, Student Services Special Thanks to Louise Goodman – For her help in Student Services – Directors Ofce ﬁnalizing and editing this report. Ruth Moeller Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching Design and Social Context Ofce Assoc. Prof. Fiona Peterson Deputy Dean School of Media and Communication Pearl Gilles Coordinator iBelong Program RMIT Equity and Diversity Unit Milton Nomikoudis Senior Advisor, Strategic Learning and Teaching Ofce of Dean, Learning and Teaching Saskia Hansen Director International Partnerships and Development International Partnerships and Development Phil Craig Senior Coordinator, Planning Design and Social Context Ofce Diana Stoneﬁeld Senior Manager, Planning and Resources School of Media and Communication Why Belonging Matters

The need to belong is a fundamental human motivation (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and when applied to the higher education sector plays a crucial role in academic outcomes for students. When a sense of belonging and social connectedness at university is explicitly activated it enhances students motivation to achieve and succeed (Walton, Cohen, Cwir & Spence, 2011).

Throughout our longitudinal research we have proven that it is possible to embed an ethos of belonging into formal and informal curriculum activities. In doing so, we have built conﬁdence and capacity for students in disciplinary, interdisciplinary and global learning environments across the whole student lifecycle.

Using small-scale, low-cost initiatives informed by The Belonging Project’s Narrative Model we encouraged and delivered a range of positive interactions between staf and students to provide real life employability outcomes and establish skills critical for lifelong learning and success.

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 1 2 The Belonging Project Report 2014 Contents

Project Team ...... 5 Abbreviations, Key Terms and Nomenclature ...... 7

The Belonging Project: Introduction ...... 9 About the Project ...... 10 The Belonging Project Narrative Model ...... 11 Guiding Principles ...... 12

Tier Three: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global ...... 13 Why focus on the global experience? ...... 14 Improving the student experience ...... 15 Broader Context for the global experience ...... 16

Methodology, methods and process ...... 19 Methodology and methods ...... 20 Process ...... 20 Project participation ...... 21

The Global at Home: At Home in the Global: Detail & Analysis ...... 23 Stage One: Identify and acknowledge existing global diversity in the classroom (‘feeling global’) ... 24 Staf survey initiative ...... 24 Case study: Data-packs and professional development workshop ...... 25 Stage Two: Fostering global perspectives (‘doing global’) ...... 26 Case Study: GRAP2199 (Communication Design History and Theory A) ...... 27 Case Study: GRAP2200 (Communication Design History and Theory B) ...... 28 Stage Three: An ‘at home; global peak experience (‘being global’) ...... 29 Case Study: An ‘at home study tour’ initiative ...... 29

Tiers One and Two in 2014: Reporting on the First Year Experience Initiative and Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience ...... 31 Tier One in 2014: Reporting on the First Year Experience Initiatives ...... 32 Tier Two in 2014: Focus on the Interdisciplinary Experience ...... 33

Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations ...... 35 Conclusion ...... 39 Recommendations ...... 39

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 3 Dissemination and Outputs ...... 41

Bibliography ...... 43

Appendicies ...... 47 Appendix 1: Global at Home: At Home in the Global: Staf survey results ...... 48 Appendix 2: Harnessing the cultural diversity in your classroom in group work: Professional development workshop and resources ...... 54 Appendix 3: The Belonging Project: Evaluation of impact and implications of the 2014 initiatives ...... 58

4 The Belonging Project Report 2014 Project Team

Academic Leaders Project Team

Bronwyn Clarke Dr. Natalie Araújo, Research Ofcer Bronwyn is Programs Director in the School of Media and Natalie has completed a PhD in Social Anthropology, Juris Communication at RMIT University. Bronwyn’s research Doctor in Law, MA in Latin American Cultural Studies, and areas in her PhD are: best practice models of selection and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Latin American Studies. retention, and building students’ professional identities She has ten years of experience in tertiary teaching and from first year. In addition to her role as an Academic curriculum design. Natalie has conducted ethnographic Team Leader for The Belonging Project, Bronwyn has been fieldwork in the UK, USA, Colombia, Vietnam, and an Academic Team Leader for the Learning and Teaching Australia. She has also served as Chair of the American Investment Fund project First Things First: Transition and Association of University Women’s Student Advisory Board. Transformation of the Student Cohort Experience (2013) and has been an academic member of the OLT project Developing Graduate Employability (2014-15). Bronwyn won a Learning and Teaching Award with The Belonging Project team members in 2013 and has had her teaching with Mr Terry Johal documented as best practice as part of RMIT University’s Peer Partnership Program. Through the educational design consultancy at RMIT she has engaged in embedding professionally relevant pedagogy through ‘real world’ projects with industry. She has taught onshore and ofshore for the past fifteen years within a Creative Industries program at RMIT.

Rachel Wilson Rachel has been teaching within the higher education sector for over 20 years, specialising in the Screen Production discipline. Rachel has a number of teaching awards including a team 2008 ALTC citation. Prior to undertaking a role as Program Director (Media) 2012-2013 in the School of Media and Communication, Rachel was the program’s Selection and Careers Ofcer. Rachel’s professional background is as a media practitioner. Her current research includes archiving, memory and representations of trauma. Rachel served as the President and National Secretary of the peak discipline body Australian Screen Production Education and Research Association (ASPERA) from 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 respectively.

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 5 Consultants

Associate Professor David Carlin Laetitia Shand David Carlin is an Associate Professor in the School Laetitia is a professional manager in communications, arts, of Media and Communication and co-director of the design and academia. From a background in commercial nonﬁctionLab Research Group. He is a writer, creative artist, product marketing she has since worked extensively in teacher and researcher. David’s recent work includes the academic research management. From 2011–2013 she widely acclaimed memoir Our Father Who Wasn’t There (2010); was Project Manager for the Circus Oz Living Archive his creative nonﬁction, essays and articles have appeared ARC Linkage Project at RMIT University. She has recently in Grifth Review, Overland, TEXT, Newswrite, Victorian co-edited RMIT Design Research Institute’s six-year Writer, Continuum and retrospective publication ‘RMIT Design Research Institute other journals. Designs on the Future’ (Melbourne Books 2014).

David’s current creative and research interests include Karli Lukas, Academic Services Ofcer School of Media literary nonﬁction forms and genres (essay and memoir), and Communication memory studies, narrative and digital archives. His ongoing projects include the prose memoir/ biography As both an Academic Services Ofcer and graduate of The Abyssinian Contortionist (UWA Publishing, 2015), mixed the School of Media and Communication, Karli bought media exhibition Vault; the nonstop performing history of Circus unique analytical and holistic perspectives to the project. Oz (premiered at 2014 Melbourne Festival), the interactive Her extensive knowledge of RMIT staf networks and digital archive, Circus Oz Living Archive and cultural processes enabled her to contribute to position papers exchange/collaborative residency program, WrICE (Writers and represent the project lead team on various Immersion and Cultural Exchange). working parties.

Dr. Lucy Morieson Lucy graduated from RMIT in journalism before working as a researcher and reporter, most notably at online news publication Crikey. Inspired by her work in the world of online publishing, she returned to RMIT to complete her PhD on the political development of online journalism in Australia. While pursuing her PhD research, she also taught extensively across a range of courses and programs in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication. Her role as Research Ofcer with The Belonging Project (2011-2012) provided an opportunity to combine the writing and interviewing experience developed as a journalist and researcher with the insights into the student experience gained through her teaching work.

Dr. Kath Lynch, Senior Coordinator Learning and Teaching Science Engineering and Health Kath Lynch has worked for over twenty years in the Australian higher education sector in teaching and research focused on migration, international and transnational education. She has a post-graduate degree in cross cultural communication, her Master’s study focused on the academic adjustment of Japanese students to western learning environments, and her Doctoral research examined how Australian universities prepare and support academics who teach transnationally. She is a senior learning and teaching coordinator at RMIT and her current research project is investigating inclusive teaching practices and the learning experiences of diversity groups in the STEM disciplines.

6 The Belonging Project Report 2014 Abbreviations and Key Terms Nomenclature

LTIF – Learning and Teaching Investment Fund Subject Course MC2015 – School of Media and Communication’s curriculum renewal plan Course Program

SLC – Socio-Economic Status Faculty College Key terms Online learning Blackboard Co-creation: Students actively co-create their university ex- management system perience and should be genuinely engaged in processes and decisions that involve them, by providing feedback, and, where appropriate, creative input in the change processes. Disciplinary: Bounded fields defined by their specific frames or reference, traditional objects of study, theoretical canons, technologies, and methodologies. First year student: A student who is yet to complete 96 credit points of study (equivalent to one full-time year) in their current program at RMIT University. Intercultural: An approach to understanding and working with diverse cultures in ways that: recognises commonalities and diferences; creates connections with others; fosters collaboration, and cultivates mutual respect. Interdisciplinary: Learning and teaching practices which develop not just disciplinary knowledge, but also cultural competencies that facilitate the creation of new knowledge, theory, and concepts that extend and transform disciplinary boundaries.

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 7 8 The Belonging Project Report 2014 The Belonging Project: Introduction

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 9 About the Project

The Belonging Project is a four-year (2011-2014) longitudinal The work of The Belonging Project is designed to support learning and teaching research project seeking to develop RMIT’s strategic goals; to be global in reach and impact; to and define a new approach to enhancing student be work-relevant and industry-partnered; to be urban in engagement and graduate outcomes in the School of Media innovation and impact, and to support the participation, and Communications. The project grew from collaborative retention and/or success of low SES higher education work undertaken within the School to develop and students in undergraduate studies. Importantly, the project document a common pedagogical approach and create a is aligned with the three-year undergraduate degree unified learning and teaching narrative. The initial project structure in order to achieve findings with transferability to idea was conceived by School academics Rachel Wilson other schools and higher education institutions. and David Carlin in 2010, with Bronwyn Clarke joining the team in 2011. The Belonging Project uses the concept of belonging as a tactic to engage participating staf and students, and as The project aims are: an ethos applicable to the institution as a whole. Thus, 1. To develop strategies to support the participation and the ethos of belonging appears as a concept embracing integration of students from diverse backgrounds, the results and recommendations of the project, and as a circumstances and cultures, including in particular critical characteristic of learning and teaching practices students from low socio-economic status (SES) supporting positive student engagement and backgrounds. graduate outcomes. 2. To enhance student satisfaction and retention rates. Major sources of project funding have come from Higher 3. To increase opportunities within program structures for Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) students to choose from a variety of interdisciplinary, and RMIT’s Learning and Teaching Investment Fund (LTIF). international and/or industry/community-based HEPP was formed as part of the Australian Government’s learning experiences. social inclusion agenda to broaden the participation of 4. To help develop and make known a distinctive RMIT students from low socio-economic backgrounds who student experience, setting the University apart from possess the ability to study at university but, due to other institutions in the sector. systemic barriers, may not have been aforded the opportunity.

Phase Tier What we did

Diagram 1: The four phases of The Belonging Project

10 The Belonging Project Report 2014 The Belonging Project Narrative Model

The Belonging Project is structured around The Belonging particularities of the RMIT University context in mind, it is Narrative Model of Student Engagement (Diagram 2) also intended to be flexible. The model does not prescribe developed and tested through the four phases of the specific structures or forms of ‘belonging’, but ofers a way project (Diagram 1). of working in our environment that can be reimagined and reinterpreted in diferent institutional and This model aims to foster student engagement and disciplinary settings. employability, and iss designed to be flexible, adaptable and transferable. It embeds the acquisition of disciplinary, In line with the project model, The Belonging Project interdisciplinary and global competencies through a three- approach acknowledges that universities are spaces tiered approach to the student experience. This approach, where value is co-created by consumers within complex which is underpinned by an ethos of belonging and mapped frameworks of actors and resources (Karpen, Hall, to the student lifecycle, views each student’s sense of Katsoulidis & Cam, 2011). Students are positioned as co- identity and belonging as developing incrementally across creators of their university experience, and are actively the course of their undergraduate degree program engaged in change as a means to empower their experience. (Diagram 3).

The approach proposes that students initially identify Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Graduation & Beyond most strongly with their program cohort. Thus research within the first tier focuses on building connections (within year and across-year groups) supporting the development of disciplinary and professional identity. In the second tier, as students begin to make sense of their discipline in relation to other disciplines, research focuses on creating collaborative interventions within a rich interdisciplinary environment. In the final tier, students start to think of themselves as future professionals within a global and intercultural context, with research focuses on facilitating global intercultural experiences. In combination, this three- tiered approach ofers a flexible means to support students to develop their identity as professional, employable and ethical global citizens. Disciplinary (Program Environment) Interdisciplinary (School Environment) The Belonging Project Narrative Model does not approach Intercultural (Global Environment) each tier as rigidly successive and locked to a particular year. Rather, elements of all tiers are present across the Diagram 2: The Belonging Project Narrative Model three year undergraduate student experience, but with a of Student Engagement. shifting emphasis. While the model is designed with the

Sense of identity and belonging is built incrementally through:

Tier One: Disciplinary Students establish a strong disciplinary and professional base within a diverse disciplinary cohort.

Tier Two: Building on the disciplinary base, students become more aware of the interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary community of the wider school and university.

Diagram 3: The three-tiered approach to the student experience

Phase 4: The Global at Home: At Home in the Global 11 Guiding principles

The Belonging Project research interactions and interventions have been informed by a set of guiding principles (Diagram 4) evolved through the four phases of the project:

The Belonging Project's Guiding Principles