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Supporting student transition through open courses
Andrew Doig and Hannah Watts
with Marica Scevlikova
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Session plan
1.
Background to the current project
2.
The development process
3.
The delivery model
4.
How does this support transition?
5.
Ongoing plans
6.
Q&A
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Who we are
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Andrew Doig
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Instructional Developer
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Supporting academics with the design,
development and delivery of online courses
Hannah Watts
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Graduate Associate
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12 month position to work on development of
the international student Open Online Course
Marica Scevlikova
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Solent University student
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The presenter of the international student
OOC
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Background to the current project
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Born out of a long standing cross-university project
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At ALDinHE 2014, Kate Littlemore, University of Northampton,
‘From learning developer to world domination: how
collaborative working accidentally created a SOOC’
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Recognise duplication of effort in supporting international
student transition
Included lecturers, librarian, international office, student support
and learning technologist
Early decision that an online course would suit
Inspired us with the idea that the MOOC methodology could be
used for targeted student transition groups
2014/15 Graduate Associate recruited
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Background to the current project:
transition for international students
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Background to the current project:
What’s the student need?
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“…explaining the grading and how it differs from other countries…I didn’t get it
at all for the first few months…
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“I was told I was in a lecture but I expected there to be 400-600 people like
there is in Germany, and there was like 10 people, so I was confused as to
whether I was in the right place…
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“…it’s nice to have a basis where you can build your friendships from…it really
helps to be able to find like-minded people when you’re coming to a new
country”.
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“I think it would be really help to get information about societies and sports
clubs before you arrive because you get the information quite late…
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“…general information like where is the cheapest place to shop, where can you
go if you go on a night out…there’s already a lot of established things but it
would be good to have it all in one area.”
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The development process:
student engagement
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Working with:
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The Students Union
The International Society
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Focus groups
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Testing participants
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Supporting research into the international student experience.
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Individual student interviews and case studies
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Recruiting students as ambassadors for the course run
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Identified student as course narrator - Marica
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The development process:
Marica Scevlikova
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The development process:
Marica Scevlikova
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Different universities’ structures = various expectations
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My story…
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Solent International Society is partially helping (not enough)
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Students want to know the real university and the student life
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This might hugely overcome homesickness and cultural shock
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Online Course is going to become very SUCCESSFUL because it
will make great impact on future students
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The delivery model
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xMOOC
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cMOOC
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Structured, expert-led, content delivery (with testing?)
Connectivist – content and learning built by the community
We preferred something that combines the two
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Structured learning opportunities with week ending conditional
activities, plus
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Opportunities to interact with other students (pre- and postarrival – via social media)
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The delivery model
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Open Solent
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Get ready for Southampton Solent:
interactive, engaging and collaborative
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Supporting transition:
student experience videos
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Supporting transition:
graduate experience videos
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Supporting transition:
interviews with support staff
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Supporting transition:
study skills preparation
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Lecture-style videos to provide students with key study skills
information, along with international students talking about
study skills University.
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Supporting transition:
meeting other students / staff
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Meeting other SSU-destination students
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Meeting existing SSU students
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Meeting various support staff
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Supporting transition:
getting to know Southampton
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The SSU campus
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Maps
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Busses
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Finding
accommodation
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Meeting people
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Dining and drinking
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Supporting transition:
three strands of content
On-campus
welcome
week
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Ongoing plans
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The ‘Get Ready for Southampton Solent University’ OOC is a
pilot for Open Solent
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Evaluation in various stages:
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Other transition groups
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Pre-delivery testing
In course and post course student evaluation
Monitoring of progression of participants in destination courses
FE – HE
Mature students
PG Study
Professional short courses
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Any questions