Session Outline

In recent years the pressures on higher education students have changed considerably with many external challenges affecting their studies e.g. COVID-19, the cost of living crisis, moving from traditional learning to online learning and in some cases back again. As we move forward as a sector, statistics are highlighting the outcomes of these pressures, with attainment, progression, good degree outcomes and wellbeing issues being reported.

Personal tutors and academic advisers play a pivotal role in supporting their tutees to navigate this increasingly complex higher education landscape, to develop their personal and professional selves and plan for the future. Part of their responsibility involves helping students to remove any barriers to learning as well as to scaffold students' academic and professional development.

To deliver successful outcomes for all students (OfS Condition B3), universities must enable success at the individual student level, tailoring support for every student that makes effective use of contextual knowledge about the student, their programme and the university in conjunction with student engagement information. Data can play a significant role within this complex educational environment, helping tutors and tutees understand the insights from each student’s digital footprint and operationalize them in conversation with tutees to achieve impactful outcomes.

Following an exploration of how data can support the provision of personal and pastoral care using the StREAM student engagement analytics platform from Solutionpath, attention will focus on how the London Sport Institute at Middlesex University have amended their tutoring provision to be more aware of student needs. This case study will further consider how their comprehensive academic advising pedagogy is using learner analytics to specifically inform new conversations in both group or 1:1 formats and show how their approach to academic advising effortlessly intertwines the student, student data, the advisor and their expert support professionals to create an environment that can adapt to the individual requirements of students.

The StREAM student-centred engagement analytics platform facilitates a lifecycle approach to interventions that balances student agency against a proactive approach to institutional outreach designed to help prevent issues becoming crises that result in withdrawal or underachievement.