Modelling throughput at Unisa: The key to the
successful implementation of ODL
Strategic Discussion Forum
2 April 2009
Prof George Subotzky
Executive Director:
Information & Strategic Analysis
Distinctive Features of SDF
• It focuses on current institution-wide strategic matters
• It provides for institution-wide participation
• It consists of presentations by internal and external experts,
respondents’ reflections on these, followed by open debate
• Wherever possible, discussion documents will be prepared
and disseminated beforehand
• The purpose of this is to encourage rigourous, robust, critical
and evidence-based engagement on key issues of current
strategic importance to Unisa
• The overall aim is to contribute to the IOP objective of
building common conceptual understanding of strategic
issues, with critical space for the airing and debating of
different perspectives.
Background: The Throughput Forum
• Strong external and internal imperative to improve success &
throughput, especially in ODL context
• Co-ordinated and integrated effort to improve success &
throughput
• Approach adopted: to achieve the comprehensive understanding of
all factors shaping success and throughput through modelling
initiative
• Purpose of modelling initiative: to provide a systematic, evidencebased, contextually-relevant foundation to inform and guide
initiatives to improve success & throughput
• This work undertaken by modeling Task Team, comprising:
– Prof George Subotzky, DISA
– Prof Chris Swanepoel, Decision Sciences
– Dr Paul Prinsloo, DCLD
– Dr At van Schoor, BCCAD
– Ms Hanneri Botha, ICT
• The hard work of the Task Team is acknowledged
A 2-fold framework for enhancing
throughput & success
1. Comprehensive modelling initiative
– Literature review (conducted by Doctor Paul Prinsloo)
– Drawing from this, the conceptual/hypothetical modelling
of the positive and risk factors shaping the student
experience, success & throughput in the ODL context of
Unisa (Modelling Task Team)
– Together, the literature review and conceptual model to be
released as a Strategic Discussion Forum discussion
document during April for comprehensive engagement &
feedback and then to STLSC & Senate
– Regarding the model, determining what is knowable,
measurable, (is/may be) available and actionable
– Utilising model to shape student tracking system, to gather
relevant and available quantitative and comprehensive
complementary qualitative data (some ideas elaborated
below)
– Statistical and analytic modelling to determine factors
shaping success in the Unisa context, and readjusting the
model as necessary
A 2-fold framework for enhancing
throughput & success
2. Transforming institutional identity, attributes &
practices
–
Utilising consolidated findings (as actionable
intelligence) to inform and guide existing and new
Learner Support Framework and initiatives and
academic practices and operational improvements in
order to improve success, throughput and the
student experience;
– Monitoring and evaluating these initiatives over time
as part of continuous reflection and improvement
and ongoing QA
MANAGEMENT OF STUDENT EXPERIENCE, SUCCESS, THROUGHPUT & GRADUATENESS
Shaped by modeling process
Conceptual
Modeling
M&E
Learner
Support
Interventions
and other
academic &
administrative
changes
Identifying
what is
relevant,
measurable,
available &
actionable
Tracking
System
Statistical &
Analytic
Modelling
producing
Actionable
Intelligence
SHAPING CONDITIONS: (predictable as well as uncertain)
• Social structure, macro & meso shifts: globalisation, political economy, policy; National/local culture & climate
• Personal /biographical micro shifts
STUDENT
IDENTITY & ATTRIBUTES:
• Situated agent: SES, demographics
• Capital: cultural, intellectual, emotional,
attitudinal
• Habitus: perceptions, dispositions,
discourse, expectations
THE STUDENT WALK:
Multiple, mutually constitutive
interactions between student, institution
& networks
• Managing complexity/ uncertainty/
unpredictability/risks/opportunities
• Institutional requirements known &
mastered by student
• Student known by institution through
tracking, profiling & prediction
INSTITUTIONAL
IDENTITY & ATTRIBUTES:
• Situated organisation: history, location,
strategic identity, culture, demographics
• Capital: cultural, intellectual, attitudinal
• Habitus: perceptions, dispositions,
discourse, expectations
TRANSFORMED STUDENT IDENTITY & ATTRIBUTES:
Processes:
• Informed responsibility & ‘choice’
• Ontological/epistemological dev.
• Managing risks/opportunities/
uncertainty: Integration, adaptation,
socialisation & negotiation
F
I
T
F
I
T
Domains:
• Intrapersonal
• Interpersonal
Modalities:
• Attribution
• Locus of
control
• Selfefficacy
F
I
T
F
I
T
FIT
F
I
T
Retention/Progression/Positive experience
Choice,
Admission
Learning
activities
Course
success
Graduation
Employment/
citizenship
F
I
T
F
I
T
F
I
T
F
I
T
F
I
T
TRANSFORMED INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY & ATTRIBUTES:
Processes:
• Informed responsibility & choice
• Managing risks/opportunities:
Transformation, change
management, org. learning,
integration & adaptation
Domains:
• Academic
• Operational
• Social
Modalities:
• Attribution
• Locus of
control
• Selfefficacy
SHAPING CONDITIONS: (predictable as well as he uncertain)
• Social structure, macro & meso shifts: globalisation, internationalisation, political economy, technology, social demand
• HE/ODL trends, policy
• Institutional biography & shifts; Strategy, business model & architecture, culture & climate, politics & power relations
Success
FIT
Proposition 1
Student success is broadly interpreted and indicated by
retention, progression through the main phases of the
student walk, and ultimately successful graduation and
effective entry into the labour market and/or citizenship.
Success also incorporates a positive student experience as
a result of student-centred service excellence and efficient
operations provided by the institution.
Measuring Success
Sources:
• Annual Student Satisfaction Survey
• Student Evaluation
• Employer Satisfaction Survey
• Employee Satisfaction Survey
Indicators:
• Survey indices
• In particular, graduate attributes
Proposition 2
Student success and positive experience is the outcome of
sufficient fit between the identity and attributes of the
student and the institution through all phases of student
walk.
Student Identity & Attributes
• Understanding student identity, agency, being, experience, life
circumstances, assumptions and expectations constitutes one
key element of the model
• This implies that we need construct detailed profiles of our
students in terms of their:
• Demographic and biographic identities
• The conduciveness of their past and current socio-economic
and cultural background and circumstances, and
• Their individual academic potential and the individual
attributes
• Put differently, we need to know not only what students need to
know in order to enter, progress and graduate (epistemological
dimension) but also what kind of entering and enrolled students
are likely to be persistent and successful (ontological dimension)
• Profiling the Unisa student complement in relevant categories,
informed by these details is particularly important, given the
heterogeneity of the Unisa student profile
Proposition 3
Fit arises when elements of the student and institutional
identity and attributes (capital and habitus) are optimally
aligned at each successive stage of the student walk. Fit at
these various points is the outcome of the specific
individual student and institutional preconditions
Student Identity & Attributes
•
The student enjoys a conducive past and current social and economic status and
circumstances in order to successfully undertake higher learning. This is
indicated by:
– Sufficient freedom, time, space and opportunity in relation to current
domestic, financial and employment status, conditions and responsibilities in
order to allow effective study and interactions.
• Interactions occur between student and institution, other students and
significant networks.
• Actual and virtual networks consist of immediate and extended family,
actual and virtual peers, role models, local communities, and
occupational, cultural, faith-based, social and recreational organisations.
– Adequate and timely interactive access to and effective utilisation of
academic and operational institutional services, including study materials,
library and information sources, academic and pastoral learner support and
counselling in order to enhance individual capital.
– Adequate access to effective interaction with other students and the
community of scholars in order to enhance individual capital.
– Sufficient individual health, safety and well-being among the student, and
his/her immediate and extended family, communities and networks.
Drivers and Predictors
• SES: family income, employment & educational
background and status
• Demographics: race, gender, age, location, marital status,
etc. socio-economic status
• Attitudes to life issues: identity formation, sex, alcohol,
drugs, and so on and in particular the role and meaning
of higher education within this
• Extent of positive or negative influence, support,
expectations and encouragement in significant networks,
especially role models.
Institutional Identity & Attributes
• The institution provides high-quality, effective, relevant and efficient
academic and operational services, informed by and aligned to
student profile, identity and attributes. This includes:
– Academic policies and practices: pre-admission counselling and
guidance, admissions (including appropriate assessment of
academic and socio-economic potential and risk), teaching and
learning (curriculum development, study material development,
assessment), proactive academic and non-academic learner
support (library services, access to academics, tutors and peers,
tutorials and counselling)
– Academic offerings: Relevant PQM with differentiation and
articulation opportunities appropriate to a comprehensive
distance learning institution
– Operational policies and practices: especially regarding primary
student support services including marketing, career and
counselling services, admissions, registration, student
administration, study material (production and dispatch),
assessment administration, ICT, communication and interactions
(call centre, academic and administrative departments, myUnisa),
finance, health services and estates
Indicators/Predictors
Institutional success and performance indicators are included in
organisational performance management instruments (including
student evaluation) which are part of ongoing strategic and operational
planning and management.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Drivers, preconditions and predictors include:
Effective leadership and management at all levels
Effective and appropriate business and enterprise architectures
(academic and non-academic HR capacity, systems, policies &
procedures, infrastructure and technology)
In particular, qualifications, research output & experience of teaching
staff
Conducive organisational culture and climate at all levels
Inspired, motivated and sufficiently satisfied academic and support staff
Systematic, ongoing tracking of relevant quantitative and qualitative
student activity
Through this, the identification of risks/opportunities and proactive
interventions
Academic and operational expectations and requirements clearly
communicated to students
Proposition 4
In order for fit to arise at each successive stage of the
student walk, relevant transformative changes in the
identity and attributes of the student and the institution
are required.
Transformation
• Processes
– Crucially dependent on relevant mutual actionable
knowledge
– This is an essential precondition in the management
of risks, uncertainties and opportunities
– Student: understanding institutional expectation &
requirements & executing these
– Institution: tracking, profiling, predicting relevant
activities, risks & opportunities and adapting practices
accordingly
Student Transformation
•
The student has transformed his/her habitus where required and has acquired
sufficient cultural, intellectual, emotional and attitudinal capital to be deemed
prepared for higher education study. This is indicated by:
– Sufficient actual and potential academic literacies and numeracies,
conceptual skills and vocabulary, with potential identified by means of
appropriate instruments
– Language skills
– Adequate understanding and successful adaptation and integration into
academic and operational requirements, expectations and practices
– Consequently, individual habitus aligned to institutional requirements,
expectations and practices
– Positive attitudes: motivation, focus, perceptions, expectations, energy, drive,
self-discipline and persistence
– Study habits and skills: reading patterns, time management, organisation,
concentration
– Self-efficacy: confidence and positive self-construction in relation to
institutional requirements, expectations and practices
Institutional Transformation
• The institution’s obligation is to continually reflect on its
assumptions and practices not only in order to improve
delivery but to eradicate hidden socio-economic and
cultural barriers to equitable student access & success
and thus to achieve the QA criterion of fitness to
purpose
• This captures the transformative approach, failing which
the institution perpetuates the social reproduction of
elites
Proposition 5
The student walk comprises a series of multiple, mutually
constitutive interactions between the situated student and
the situated institution and between the student and
his/her various networks through all points of the walk
(Articulation with ODL model)
Proposition 6
The formation and transformation of student and
institutional identity and attributes is continuously shaped
by overarching conditions at the macro, meso and micro
levels
A word on the tracking system
• Combines tracking, profiling, prediction and risk identification
• Draws from qualitative as well as quantitative data sources
• It is envisaged that, besides conventional qualitative data
sources (surveys, focus groups) that myUnisa can be used to
gather rich relevant ongoing qualitative data on student
habitus, activities and behaviours
• Together, the quantitative and quantitative analyses will
provide indications of the nature and timing of risks. Where
possible, these will be configured into automated alerts to
students and staff in order to take proactive supportive action
& interventions
• A detailed 1-year project plan has been drawn up, which
includes the installation of a pilot tracking system during the
next two weeks. This will integrate fully with the current Portal.
A consultative needs analysis will follow, specs synthesised
(strongly shaped by the model variables) and the tool
assessed and procured. Further piloting will follow.
Conclusion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Unisa: Integrated, comprehensive approach to addressing the imperative of
improving success, throughput & student experience – modelling approach
Literature Review: Rich field of enquiry, with interesting array of theoretical
perspectives
Key constructs and propositions
There is enough evidence to show that non-academic variables and
institutional variables impact equally (if not more) on student success and
throughput than academic (e.g. course materials, curriculum) factors.
The initial indications from the literature and the conceptual model, as well
as the envisiged qualitative and quantitative actionable intelligence should
provide the basis of a much more comprehensive understanding of the
student experience, success & throughput at Unisa.
In turn, this should provide an important basis for fulfilling the objectives of
the ODL model by helping to bridge the various distances between the
student and success, throughput and a positive student experience.
Thank you!