Session Outline

Kickstart - preparing applicants for study

Kat Munn (University of Leeds)

The transition into higher education is commonly identified as a key challenge (Tinto, 1988; O’Donnell et al., 2016) particularly for students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education (Hussey and Smith, 2010; Leese, 2010). Kickstart is a hybrid package run by the Lifelong Learning Centre at the University of Leeds, designed to help prepare applicants for higher education through developing study skills and academic literacy and a sense of student identity and community. This lightening talk will outline the structure and content of Kickstart, and consider recent successes and challenges, particularly referring to the intake of 2020. The talk will highlight the role of contact with and feedback from staff, and ways to build confidence and identity of prospective students, with the aim of developing their abilities to become successful independent learners.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

Helen L Holder (Birmingham City University)

This short presentation will discuss a current research project investigating the professional relationship of nurse academic and student nurse tutee and re-imagining of the role of the Personal Tutor in Undergraduate Nurse Education. Particular attention will be paid to the contentious notion of professional love as it relates to the rhythms of kindness, caring, and compassion within professional relationships and the potential for (re)modelling of the Personal Tutor role. A flexible approach to methods of data collection is examined based on the theoretical and philosophical concepts underpinning this study, including self -interview and/or walking interview to allow participants optimum space and time to provoke memory/thoughts of the professional relationship and reflection of their experiences in the midst of a global pandemic.

Learning Outcomes for this presentation include;

• An understanding of what is meant by professional love
• An insight into the research underpinning this notion
• An understanding of the tension between the pressures to meet educational targets and metrics imposed on personal tutoring versus building relationships within personal tutoring and the notion of professional love as a resistance to these neoliberal forces.

Developing an Extra-Curricular Activities Scheme to Enhance a Students’ Academic and Personal Journey

Helen Tidy (Teesside University)

Within the School of Science and Engineering at Teesside University an Extra-Curricular Scheme was launched in September 2017 as a means to encourage students to engage with the campus and build meaningful relationships with their peers. In addition, it encouraged students to try new experiences while providing support mechanisms for them within their academic and professional journey. The underlying ethos of the Scheme was to improve retention through enhancing study skills and the student experience. The scheme also provides support for Personal Tutors by providing a clearly signposted set of resources to refer their students to.

Activities are divided into three key areas and mirrored closely to those of Teesside Universities Personal Tutoring Code of Practice:

• Wellbeing (pastoral)
• Academic
• Professional

Academic activities revolved around enhancing the students abilities to succeed in their studies and include presentation, exam and digital skills sessions. These areas had been previously highlighted by students as being particular areas of concern.

In 2020, the Extra-Curricular Scheme was rolled out to 4 of the 5 Schools within the University with a focus on developing autonomous learners through academic and professional support. To quote one student who attended a Sketnoting for Study Skills session “seriously .... drawing flags, boats and hippopotamus' has changed my life !!!!”