Good Practice Case Study

Opportunity Program - Faculty of Engineering

Contributed by: Associate Professor Ian Porter

Abstract:

The Faculty offers an alternative entry program for undergraduate students who fail to meet the UAI cut-off or haven`t studied all of the assumed knowledge HSC subjects for the course. This program includes mentoring and other assistance to help students succeed in their crucial first year of study.

Aims:

To identify people who have the aptitude to become engineers or physicists, and give them the opportunity to succeed.

Context:

In 2005, there were around 300 students admitted to undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Engineering, of whom around 90 were admitted under the Opportunity Program.

Outcomes:

• Pass rates for first-year students who were not adequately prepared for engineering increased from 30% to 80%.
• A number of students entering the Faculty through the Program have graduated with First Class Honours.
• Senior students are given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by becoming mentors in the program.

What was done?

Marketing the program

The Faculty encourages applications through:

• careers advisers in schools
• information on the Faculty web site
• attending careers markets
• individual phone calls to selected students who applied for admission but whose UAIs were just below the cut off. If their university course preferences show a strong Engineering/Physics flavour and their marks were within a certain range, those students are invited to submit an application.
• an early entry program, where students with an interest in the course are encouraged to apply before they sit the HSC. All applicants are interviewed and assessed for either a guaranteed offer of a place (high-achieving students), conditional entry or for Opportunity Program admission.

There is no closing date for applications to the Opportunity Program.

Interviewing applicants

At the interview, potential students are assessed on their academic performance, aptitude and attitude towards areas of study. The interview is critical, and the main way that the Faculty identifies those who are likely to succeed. In carrying out the interviews:

• Interview panels usually have one man and one woman, one of whom is from the discipline area of the application
• All interviewers are given a standard set of questions and forms
• Interviewers try to create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere
• Questions are asked both on engineering or physics, and on general areas such as student hobbies and interests, life experience etc
• Students are asked to talk about projects they have worked on - how they repaired cars or bikes, set up solar panels, etc
• Barriers to their HSC success, such as health issues, can be raised and taken into account.

The interviewers make recommendations to the Program Coordinator, who makes the final decision on who will receive offers. Around 200 students were interviewed for early entry admission in 2005, of whom 90 were accepted into the Program.

Admission

After the HSC results are released, those applicants who didn`t achieve the required UAI but who are eligible under the Opportunity Program are contacted by telephone and by letter. Faculty staff explain that they will receive an offer of a place, and that this place is as an Opportunity Program student. They explain the requirements students will need to meet in their first year.

Clear expectations

All Opportunity Program students are briefed as a group early in session. The program coordinator explains their obligations under the program, answers student questions and discusses common concerns. During this session, the coordinator:

• describes the Opportunity Program and its aims
• discusses how they will work with a student mentor during their first year
• explains that other students don`t know their mode of entry, and that there is no stigma attached to this form of entry
• emphasises that students in this admission group are very successful and have included high achievers such as first class honours graduates
• encourages students to approach him any time they need help or have questions or concerns
• introduces SOLS and SOLS mail.

All Opportunity Program students are then asked to sign a learning `contract`. This sets out their obligations to:

• attend all meetings called by the Program Coordinator
• attend all meetings held with their student mentor
• attend all Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), tutorials and lectures that are available for their subjects
• complete all assessment tasks
• avoid excessive hours of external commitments such as paid employment

Peer mentoring

• Throughout their first year, Opportunity Program students meet once or twice a week with their student mentor, as part of a group of four students
• Student mentors are high-achieving senior students with good marks and leadership qualities
• Student mentors are briefed on their role by the program coordinator, and receive a detailed information kit to prepare them
• At their regular meetings with their groups of four students, the role of the mentors is to inspire and encourage. They might discuss a range of topics - from what it means to be a physicist or engineer through to study skills and issues with tutorials
• One of the main roles of mentors is to develop the students` time management skills. Frequently, students admitted under the program have the ability to succeed but have poor study habits. Mentors monitor how students are going with their assessment tasks, share study tips, and emphasise the need to work steadily and start assignments early
• The other focus of mentors is to be enthusiastic and encouraging about student achievements, and to help them concentrate on the big picture when they suffer small set backs such as a poor mark in one assignment
• Mentors are asked not to act as tutors, but to provide leadership, encouragement and advice to help students succeed in their first year of study
• All mentors are urged to identify problems early and discuss these with the program coordinator - eg if a student in their group fails to attend mentoring sessions
• Mentors usually meet as a group with the program coordinator at the beginning of each session.
• Mentors submit a report on each student at the end of session, covering issues such as attendance at mentoring sessions.

Other support

• A `Maths Enabling` subject is offered for those students who have completed only basic mathematics in the HSC
• Bridging courses to help students who have not previously studied particular areas, such as physics and chemistry
• Several first year subjects offer additional tutorials, through the Peer Assisted Study Sessions program
• If a student has been diligent in attending mentoring sessions and classes but is still not succeeding academically, the program coordinator will meet with them to identify what issues are affecting their progress, and work with them to resolve these
• If a student fails to attend their mentoring sessions, the program coordinator sends a formal letter to the student and invites them to meet with him to discuss how they can meet their obligations
• Usually by the end of the exams period the Opportunity Program students are doing extremely well. The program coordinator sends out an enthusiastic email congratulating the group on their overall results.

Key dates:

The program was started in 1997 and is ongoing. The original program was developed by Professor Brendon Parker and Associate Professor Denis Montgomery, then Dean and Sub-Dean respectively.

Critical success factors:

• The interview is the most critical part of the program, and the focus must be on identifying those students who have the interest and motivation to succeed
• The interview process requires a lot of effort, and needs to be well-scheduled and supported
• Recommendations of interviewers must be documented and justified
• Mentors must have the personal qualities to enthuse and encourage students, not merely good marks
• It`s important to respond quickly if students don`t participate. Sometimes students may not understand their obligations, or there may be other issues that need to be identified early.

Review and improvement:

• The Program Coordinator closely monitors the exam and assessment results of participants. The average mark of students in the Opportunity Program are equivalent to those in the lower two thirds of standard UAI admissions
• Without the Program, pass rates for those who were below the standard entry-level UAI were around 26%. With the Program, pass rates for these students are around 80%.
• All participants and mentors are encouraged to talk to the Program Coordinator any time they need advice. This allows problems with a particular student or mentor to be identified and addressed
• The administration of the interview process has been improved by using standard set of questions and response forms
• In 2005, a formal learning `contract` was introduced in response to an emerging issue whereby some students said they weren`t aware they were admitted under the Program or weren`t aware of their obligations.

Future plans:

Next year, the Program will be further improved by advertising for mentors much earlier - preferably towards the end of the previous session through an invitation on SOLS mail. The aim is to start the peer mentoring sessions in Week 1, when students may need the most help making the transition to university, rather than in Weeks 3 or 4.