START Program of Research Archive

Online Mathematics and Statistics Learning Support

Online university mathematics and statistics learning support in the COVID-19 era. This study will draw on the insights and recommendations of a broad range of studies at the intersection of retention, transition, progression, online study, and mathematics and statistics learning support to canvas issues emerging in the COVID-19 era that affect both students and teachers at two sites, Western Sydney University and University College Dublin.

Both of these articles are open access:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0020739X.2021.1962555

https://academic.oup.com/teamat/advance-article/doi/10.1093/teamat/hrab014/6374683

Exploring Nursing Students' Engagement with Academic Learning Activities (ENGAGE)

The aim of this project is to explore how students are engaging in academic learning activities in their undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing (Adv) programs Bachelor of Nursing (Graduate Entry). In addition, this project aims to examine the differences in academic engagement behaviour and experience across different students groups (across years, high medium and low vUWS hits and attendance) and how this relates to academic performance.

Examining Resilience and Grit among Students in Midwifery & Nursing Programs (ERGATE)

The aim of this project is to explore the level of resilience and grit amongst undergraduate first year midwifery and nursing students, including Bachelor of Midwifery, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced), and Graduate Entry Bachelor of Nursing. In addition, this project aims to determine how individual student challenges and barriers impact on their ability to adapt to the student role in first semester of their undergraduate year.

Impact of Professional Communications Academic Literacy Support in the Nursing and Midwifery Programs (IMPACT)

This study aims to evaluate the impact of Professional Communications Academic Literacy (PCAL) and other embedded academic support strategies on undergraduate students in the School of Nursing & Midwifery.

Interactive computer-based case studies, preparing nursing students for first clinical placement (INCEPT)

This project aims to explore student self-efficacy, academic and clinical performance, English language usage (ELUS-11 scale), and the relevance (Task Value) of the on-line interactive case studies in preparing nursing students for their first clinical placement.

Literacy in Nursing Program for Student Transition, Retention & Success (LIPSTaRS)

LIPSTaRS aims to examine the relationship of the four language components and academic performance among nursing students at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. In particular, the project aims to test the sensitivity of this expanded scale in detecting and discriminating levels of academic performance across the different levels of English language usage among these students.

Promoting Positive Transitional Experience of Commencing Nursing Students with Advanced Standing for Student Transition Retention and Success (PRO TEXAS STaRS)

This study aims to further explore the experiences of commencing nursing student with advanced standing and to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted support initiatives for students with advanced standing who are transitioning into higher education. It also aims to explore further new initiatives which have the potential to support this target student group.

Student engagement using Multiple Attempt `weekly participation task' Quizzes (SMAQ)

This project reports on the implementation of formative weekly assessed `Weekly Participation Task' (WPT) quizzes that aimed to address student preparation for weekly tutorials in a core unit in the Bachelor of Nursing. To complete each task students answered questions about video case studies and policy documents, with multiple attempts of quiz questions until the due date in order to encourage fuller comprehension of the provided materials. Students' best attempt at each task was recorded for the assessment grade. Quiz questions were designed to practice four key reading comprehension skills - finding the main idea, identifying cause and effect, finding specific details, and understanding key vocabulary. Therefore, the assessment design aimed to address both the level of student preparedness for tutorial participation, as well as directing students to the most significant content areas of the curriculum.

Student's Experience of Repeating Units In Nursing Studies (SERIES STaRS)

The aim of this study is to explore first year student nurses' experience of repeating one or more units and implement strategies to retain student nurses following failure of nursing units.

Studying and Working Among Nursing Students-Australasian Nursing STARS Collaboration (SWAN-ANSAC)

The ANSAC Research Group was formed as a result of a Special Interest Group meeting as part of the STARS 2016 Conference program in Perth, recognising that nursing schools in Australasia encounter similar issues and concerns in relation to nursing and midwifery students.

Aiming to examine working while studying and its relationship to academic performance across diverse student groups, and across various higher education institutions in Australasia, the study seeks to explore how individual students juggle competing commitments while studying. The study also aims to explore the potential benefits of working while studying, and how this work experience enriches students' preparedness for graduate practice.

Student's self efficacY in Numeracy And skill Performance in firSt yEar (SYNAPSE)

This study will contribute to existing literature with the exploration of the interrelationships among self-efficacy, students' characteristics and performance in both numeracy test and clinical skill performance. The study will achieve this by examining student's self-efficacy compared to student's actual performance with two assessment tasks conducted on undergraduate students enrolled in the School of Nursing and Midwifery unit, Professional Practice Experience 2.

Transition Experiences of Commencing Nursing Students with Advance Standing (TEXAS)

The aim of this project is to examine the retention, success and experiences of students who enter their first year of university education with advanced standing. This study has continued with the PRO TEXAS sub-project.

The CUSTOM Project

Commencing University StudenTs’ experiences with nOn-first language as the Medium of instruction. Language acquisition plays a pivotal role in the successful transition and academic progression of international students as this is the language of instruction. As language is the vehicle for communicating information, supporting international students to apply discipline-specific information into their writing, oral presentations, informal day-to-day communication needs to be ‘everybody’s business’ in the university, including academic and professional staff. To effectively support language acquisition of international students, there is a need to better understand and learn from the experiences of these students, particularly the early stages of language acquisition, the challenges encountered and strategies used to overcome these difficulties.

The SPOT-ON Study

The Student and staff Preferences On Types Of assessmeNt feedback in an undergraduate nursing course (SPOT-ON) study aims to explore the experiences and preferences for assessment feedback modes of undergraduate nursing students and lecturers.

Despite pedagogical merits of formative assessment and feedback, factors such as limited time within semester scheduling, quick marking turnaround times, increased research responsibilities and growth of student cohort numbers impact on feedback provided. In attempts to enhance student learning, progression and retention, alternative modes such as audio, podcast, video, screencast, face-to-face, self or peer feedback have been trailed across disciplines over the last decade however limited research exists regarding assessment feedback in undergraduate nursing schools in an Australian context.

The expected outcomes of this study are to develop a greater understanding of student and staff preferences around assessment feedback. The findings will inform how feedback is provided to future students.

First-Year Experiences in Health Science

The aim of this study is to evaluate the introduction of eMarking in two first year first semester health science common units.

Exploring Tertiary Health Science Student Willingness or Resistance to Engaging with Cultural Competency and Safety Pedagogy

Cultural competency is identified as a necessary set of skills needed by health professionals with direct impact on consumer health and wellbeing outcomes. Resistance is of particular interest as research demonstrates that students who experience this reaction to cultural competency teaching are less likely to engage in the content or to enact the principles of cultural competency.

By exploring students’ candid expressions of willingness and resistance via their SFU and SFT feedback we can better understand what characterizes these experiences. This foundational exploration will inform the development of future research with students with a focus on how to support student learning, address resistance and increase student transition and retention.

Exploring the Impact of Online Learning on First Year Students' Sense of Belonging in Entry Level Clinical Health Science Programs: Student and Academic Perspectives

The Covid-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to the University sector. One of the key immediate challenges was the required transition from traditional face to face classes to online teaching in accordance with health and safety guidelines. However, the impact of this transition on the development of the sense of belonging among students enrolled in their first year of higher education clinical health science courses is currently unknown.

The primary aim of the study is to explore the perspectives of both students and academics around how online learning platforms impacted development of the sense of belonging. Secondary aims of the study include i) identifying challenges faced by both academic and student in their ability to foster the sense of belonging through online platforms, ii) formulating strategies to enhance development of the sense of belonging for first year clinical health science students and iii) identifying if the sense of belonging differed across different student populations.

More broadly a better ability to support transition and retention in this regard results in effective engagement in cultural competency training which is inherently designed to promote the development and maintenance of a positive therapeutic alliance between practitioners and their clients

Supporting the Transition into Higher Degree Research using a Bespoke Course. International Student and Academic Perspectives.

This project aims to explore the perspectives of post-graduate student regarding a short (200 hours) bespoke course, to identify student learning and support needs in attending bespoke training, and to explore the perspectives of teaching staff who conducted the course.

It is hoped that the outcome will be an understanding of the post-graduate student experience of bespoke training – the strengths and weaknesses of such training and what was gained from the experience.

The SOFIAH Project

Students’ perceptiOns of proFessional Identity in heAltH professional education.The study aims to identify and compare differences in professional identities of health student cohorts in two university settings, and to examine possible associations with selected student factors. The impact of COVID19 transition to learning experiences on students’ development of professional identity at this early stage of their course is also investigated. Gaining an understanding of these factors and how they contribute to students’ sense of professional identity will help inform student support strategies that build connectedness to the student cohort, course of study and profession, towards transition success and retention of students in their first year.

Retention and Progression in Professional Programs: Insights

This project aims to identify early predictors for students at risk of dropping out and/or failing. In other words, this project aims to identify factors that predict the likelihood of a student dropping out or not progressing in order to provide strategies and support students who drop out or do not meet the requirements for progression. Identifying these predictors could be used to guide and develop strategies to provide support and therefore to reduce the number of students getting into academic difficulties and dropping out of medicine or law.

Digital Learning Resources Case Study

This project is intended to address a current gap in understanding around how the use of digital learning resources contributes to student outcomes at WSU. It will provide a nuanced insight into the broader question around how student cohorts consume online learning materials and whether there are specific reading s<h4>tyles and patterns that facilitate student success better than others. This will lead to the development of predictors of disengagement to determine those students most at risk through understanding how frequently or infrequently a student accesses digital learning materials, the time spent per textbook page, and the model reading behaviours that indicate potential grade outcomes.

Investigating the Achievement Goals and Academic Engagement of First Year Psychology Students

This project aims to firstly investigate the extent to which different achievement goals influence the engagement and motivation for first year psychology students in the four types of courses (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Sciences, Bachelor of Psychology and other), and then secondly to examine the extent to which these achievement goals help or hinder students who achieve outcomes below their self-declared expectations for performance

'Co-Commentating' the Science Classroom

Co-commentating' the Science Classroom - can communication strategies from sports commentating improve engagement with on-line science classes? This study aims to investigate whether a co-teaching model that includes elements from sports commentating can improve student engagement, enjoyment and interest in on-line science classes.

Integrated Planning for Student Transition, Retention & Success (HIPSTaRS)

The HIPSTaRS project aims to align strategies and resources across the University at both the curricular and co-curricular level in order to achieve a holistic, integrated and cohesive student experience to support their transition to university education and optimise learning outcomes.

HIPSTaRS: Academic Literacy

The HIPSTaRS: AL component is an important component of the HIPSTaRS project regarding the support of student academic literacy development. Two core units with explicit responsibility for the development of academic and professional literacies have been identified as part of the HIPSTaRS project and curriculum and assessment in these subjects have undergone revision and development to facilitate the learning and teaching of academic literacy.

Specific strategies include early low-risk assessment allowing for feedback on writing, explicit modeling of language and text types, and the provision of blended learning resources focusing on written and oral academic literacies. Training on teaching and assessing academic literacy will also be provided for staff delivering these units. These strategies aim to make expectations clear to students and enable the more effective learning and teaching of academic literacy.