Kerri-Lee Krause (PhD)

1. Dimensions of student engagement in the first year Kerri-Lee Krause (PhD) Director, Griffith Institute for Higher Education Griffith University, Australia k.krause@griffith.edu.au Griffith Institute for Higher Education: http://www.griffith.edu.au/centre/gihe

2. Overview • Engagement in context • Three questions about engagement in 1st year • Extending our view of engagement • 10 principles for enhancing student engagement

3. Question: Have we stretched engagement as far as it should go?

4. Engagement in Context • Engagement . . . Engaged . . . • What does the term mean to you?

5. Engagement in Context • Engagement: time, energy and resources students devote to activities designed to enhance learning at university • Engagement: involvement in educationally purposeful activities (Kuh, Tinto, Pascarella & Terenzini)

6. Engagement in Context • Engage . . . • To occupy the attention, efforts • To attract and hold fast • To bind as by pledge, promise, contract • Make liable • Engagement . . . • Appointment (noun) • In battle, in conflict

7. 3 Engagement Questions 1. Do we have evidence that first year students are engaged? 2. Should we be concerned that inertia has set in? 3. Are other occupations threatening engagement in the first year? Source: The First Year Experience in Australian Universities: Findings from a decade of national studies. (2005). Krause, Hartley, James & McInnis.

8. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging . . . • Through class contact and study • Online • With the university • With peers • With academic staff

9. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging through class contact and study • 16 hours per week in class • 11 hours per week study

10. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging online • 4.2 hours per week online for study and research • 2/3 use web frequently for study • 95% use web-based course materials

11. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging with the university

12. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging with peers

13. 1. Evidence that first year students are engaged • Engaging with academic staff

14. 2. Has inertia set in? • Inertia: tendency of matter to retain its state of rest or of uniform motion in a straight line

15. 2. Signs of inertia? • Failure to participate in learning community activities • Almost 10% frequently come to class unprepared • 23%: you can miss a lot of classes because notes are on the web • 28%: seriously considering dropping out • Emotional health (52%) • Want to change courses (42%) • Financial reasons (39%)

16. 3. Are they otherwise occupied? • In paid employment • 1999: 51% 2004: 55% • Hours of work per week • 1999: 12.6 2004: 12.5 • 57% of earner learners said paid work interfered at least moderately with academic work

17. 3. Are they otherwise occupied? • Extra-curricular activities: interest in • 1994: 44% 2004: 37% • Extra-curricular activities: sport & recreation time on an average uni day • 1994: 2.9 hrs/day 2004: 2.6 hrs/day

18. Extending our view of engagement • Engagement . . . as positive connection • Engagement . . . as appointment • Engagement . . . as battle, conflict

19. Extending our view of engagement • Engagement in battle: • at the expense of identity • conflict of values, cultures, ways of knowing and doing • students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds • indigenous students • students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds

20. Comprehending and Coping Scale • I find it hard to keep up with the volume of work • I feel overwhelmed by all I have to do • My course workload is too heavy • I had difficulty comprehending my course material • I had difficulty adjusting to the university style of teaching (items reversed to develop scale)

21. Comprehending and Coping Scale

23. 10 Principles for Enhancing Student Engagement • Create and maintain a stimulating intellectual environment • Value academic work and high standards • Monitor and respond to subgroup differences • Ensure expectations are explicit and responsive • Foster social connections • Acknowledge the challenges • Provide targeted self-management strategies • Use curricular structures, assessment and feedback to shape student experience and promote engagement • Manage online learning experiences with care • Recognise the complexity of engagement in policy and practice

24. Thank you! Questions and Discussion Contact: k.krause@griffith.edu.au