Teachers shape the classroom environment, and so play a pivotal role in driving their students’ success or failure in the first year and beyond. But without real-time data, educators may struggle to respond to class progress in a timely manner. Our experience has taught us that putting tools and resources on class progress directly into the hands of teaching staff paves the way to action that can improve student success.
Crunching the numbers to drive up student engagement
Early-warning systems can pick up students who are not engaging with their courses so that proactive outreach can occur. The Analytics for Course Engagement (ACE) platform at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), for example, uses machine-learning algorithms to provide both teachers and students with an enhanced, real-time view of online engagement with course materials and learning systems. An automated assessment of low student engagement generates a text message in the first instance, and we find that most disengaged students return to their studies, saving valuable time and assisting students to get back on track.
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Having clear, evidence-based insights into student progress can also empower teaching staff, particularly where dynamic teaching is preferred. A teacher-facing platform in ACE allows academics to see whether their students are engaged with resources assigned as part of the learning. Real-time data offers a more accurate picture of how students are interacting with their learning materials, ensuring timely modifications to teaching.
In addition, providing access to real-time data enables staff to disaggregate by at-risk cohorts and assess their progress and potential barriers – down to fine detail on individual assessments and activities – in comparison with the rest of the class. This deeper understanding enables academics to tailor teaching strategies more effectively, fostering a more engaging and supportive learning environment for all students.
Deploying peer-to-peer resources
In time-poor teaching environments, activating peer-to-peer support programmes can also be useful in driving positive outcomes for teachers and students alike.
At UC, our Student Success Programme (Kia Angitu) includes peer-assisted learning support (PALS) that brings students together in regular group study sessions that are aligned with a first-year course. These sessions are facilitated by successful past students of that course. PALS sessions help students to develop effective study skills, as well as connecting them with classmates, which supports students in their transition to university. Giving first-year students an opportunity to learn from others who have already succeeded in the same course helps to ease feelings of uncertainty and builds confidence.
The peer-to-peer programme also provides teachers with a valuable feedback loop on their students’ progress, and of any emerging gaps in learning. PALS leaders gather information in real time from students about what is and isn’t working and then feed this back to the lecturers via a centralised coordinator. Having this feedback allows teachers to respond and adapt while courses are still running. It opens up avenues for intervention that simply do not exist if the only feedback mechanism is at the end of a course, in the form of a student evaluation of teaching.
An added benefit of the peer-to-peer support programme is that it lightens the overall load on academic staff, as they no longer have to respond to so many routine course-related questions and issues from first-year students. Instead, peer supporters answer many of those queries.
Sparking change from the ground up
Collectively lifting student success needs to be inclusive and evidence-based. Students need to understand their role in their own success and have the tools and support to become more effective learners. Alongside this, when teaching staff have access to real-time data and feedback, they can more proactively offer support, adjust teaching materials and focus their efforts where it makes the biggest difference. This approach promotes inclusion by helping identify and support students who might otherwise be missed, and it empowers staff at all levels to lead change from the ground up.
Kaylene Sampson is the programme director of learner success at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.
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