Influence of new transition and retention strategies at Western Sydney University

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperConference Paperpeer-review

Abstract

![CDATA[CONTEXT Student progression and retention are the major concerns facing higher education (HE) institutions. Lack of progression and high drop-out rates lead to the perception that educational institutions may be failing to provide adequate supports and resources to the students to help them with their studies. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation as many students feel isolated and disconnected from their peers and teachers. There is a danger that there are not enough activities that could benefit the students' connectedness and help them overcome the adverse impacts of COVID-19. PURPOSE OR GOAL Since COVID-19 reduces the inflow of international students significantly in Australian Universities, the importance of student retention is more crucial than ever before. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of several strategies that have been implemented in the first-year learning and teaching activities at Western Sydney University by the Engineering discipline, within the School of Engineering, Design and built Environment, to improve student retention, leading to a smooth transition to the second semester. APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS A first-year advisory team has been formed to contact students who are irregular in participating in teaching activities. This is to confirm that the students are using all the available resources that have been put in place by the university. The advisory team also run additional drop-in sessions (two onehour sessions every week) where students can pop in and discuss their issues or concerns. The team has established student focus groups, which are run regularly and bring students from different disciplines to connect with their peers and discuss their problems. The suggestions are noted and provided to the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching with suggestions for potential changes to programs or subjects. Moreover, the advisory team publishes student newsletters every second week, which include important information about the university's educational resources and services to support student learning. The advisory team also facilitates peer review sessions in some of the offered units in the first year. ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES The investigation will help to understand which of the retention and transition strategies are working effectively. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY It can be concluded that with proper strategies in place, the dropout rate can be reduced significantly.]]
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE2022): Future of Engineering Education, 4-7 December 2022, Sydney, Australia
PublisherAustralasian Association for Engineering Education
Pages407-414
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)9781925627756
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
EventAustralasian Association for Engineering Education. Conference -
Duration: 4 Dec 2022 → …

Conference

ConferenceAustralasian Association for Engineering Education. Conference
Period4/12/22 → …

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Influence of new transition and retention strategies at Western Sydney University'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this