Contents
- Academic Advising in Academic Year 2020/21
- Supporting Student Transition and Belonging
- Identifying Students in Need
- One to One Meetings
- Pass and Progress Meetings for L0 and L4 students from Academic Year 2019/20
Academic Advising in Academic Year 2020/21
Staff and students are facing challenging and unusual circumstances due to Covid-19, and it is noted that all students have experienced a disrupted period of time during the lockdown. A-Level and BTEC students joining level 0 or level 4 are likely to have missed a considerable amount of teaching, many having not sat exams as planned, and students we would have expected to perform well in L4 Semester Two summative assessments may have disengaged. For this reason, it is important that we provide additional guidance and support for all students settling back into study.
As we move into delivery for Academic Year 2020/21 we need to consider how best to provide this support. Additional work planning allowance for Academic Advisers for academic year 2020/21 has been published and is a 20% increase to TRD time meaning for each student Academic Advisers will get 1hr STD and 1.2hrs TRD to support students with their transition into university and back into the study so we need to consider how we can best utilise the time in the most effective and efficient way.
On this basis it would be useful if Departments/Courses can think about their Academic Advising delivery in line with the principles identified below and courses are likely to need to flex their Academic Advising model to front-load meetings and support. Support for adapting Academic Advising Models and Advising Online Training is available for course teams; to find out more please contact Melissa Jacobi (Head of Academic Advising) using Melissa.Jacobi@shu.ac.uk.
Underpinning Principles for Academic Advising in Academic Year 2020/21
Supporting Student Transition and Belonging
- Ensuring there are opportunities for students to engage with their Academic Advisers as early as possible in the Academic Year to support the transition back into study. Ideally, AAs would contact their students before Welcome Week to re-engage with them.
- Using early group meetings to bring students and staff together to meet their peers and develop a sense of belonging. Particularly important for level 0 and level 4 students. Utilising icebreaker type activities (e.g. ‘Where are you from?’ Padlet – shown in Advising Online training) as well as introductions to Hallam and your course to facilitate Extend Induction.
Identifying Students in Need
- Using early conversations with students to identify those who would benefit from more support from Hallam. A support document for Academic Advisers to facilitate ‘COVID Conversations’* will be available to support AA’s that will identify appropriate signposting and support for students should it be required.
One to One Meetings
- If more group meetings are utilised to support students back into study, it is important that they still have at least one individual meeting per year to discuss their Academic Progression, Personal Development and Professional Development.
- Pass and Progress students from L0 and 4 who were invited to a Progression Meeting with their SSA should discuss the Action Plan which they will have been provided with their AA as soon as possible at the start of the year (see ** information below).
It is vital that Academic Advising is promoted as an added value (rather than a deficit) model and is visible throughout the year (referred to in a timely way, either through Course Leaders or staff teaching core modules so students understand what they are being asked to attend meetings).
** Pass and Progress Meetings for L0 and L4 students from Academic Year 2019/20
Foundation Year and Level 4 students have the right to Pass and Progress into the next level of study. There are some students now progressing that we might not have expected to have completed their semester two summative assessment(s).
Students in this category have been contacted to ask them to book a Progression Meeting with a Student Support Adviser based upon their attendance and/or semester one assessments. During these meetings concerns around their previous engagement and/or performance, and the potential financial implications of progressing will be discussed and students are being asked to consider whether they wish to accept the automatic progression to L4 or L5. Academic Advisers and Course Leaders have been sent a copy of the documentation from these meetings. The spreadsheets used to identify students at risk will be updated (original link will still work) so Course Leaders will be able to see the situation with regard to individual students.
Students who were identified as requiring a Progression Meeting but did not make an appointment will have been provided with the information they would have received in the meeting in written format.
All ‘at-risk students’ who re-enrol will have been provided with a generic Action Plan which Academic Advisers are asked to discuss and tailor with their students. This is likely to need to be an individual conversation with students to help them identify actions that will help them successfully progress through Academic Year 2020/21.