EHelp Learner Support in Higher Education Development and implementation of a support website for st

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E-Help! Learner Support in Higher
EducationDevelopment and implementation of a
support website for students in a School of Art
and Design
Jonathan Rhodes MA Onkar Dhailwal MA
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Centre for Learner Development (CLD),The School
of Art Design (SAD)The University of
Wolverhampton
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CLD Statistics (SAD)

• 2005/6 - 44 students supported
• (before AD1007)
• 2006/2007 - 168 students supported (first year of
  AD1007)
• 2007/2008 - 253 students supported

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CLD Statistics (SAD)

• 94 per cent pass progression rate for individuals
  that attended at least one session in the Centre
  for Learner Development.
• 64 per cent rate for students who have not
  received support.

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Broadband connection Statistics

• Approximately 60 per cent of UK homes have access
  to a broadband connection (Ofcom 2009)
• 94 per cent of students in the School of Art
  Design (SAD) use broadband in their home.
  Marshall et al. (2009 p.417)

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Genesis of Project Idea

• After consultation with fellow CLD staff members
  and the LT Coordinator in SAD, the need for a
  CLD online resource has been highlighted.
• Many issues and queries could be successfully
  resolved by students accessing this resource and
  it would provide a platform for aggregating
  learner support content needed by students
  throughout the school.
• If issues are successfully dealt with at an early
  stage and the student overcomes difficulties they
  have a higher likelihood of progressing in their
  course of study, impacting on retention.

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Liz Norton

• The Student Enabling Centre (SEC)
• Consideration when designing a website for
  students with dyslexia and other learning
  challenges.
• Colour choices - pale yellows and blues
• Text - left justified
• Font Sans Serif
• Formatting lower case
• Images preferred over text

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Tom Hicks

• Harrison Learning Centre, School of Art Design
• Harvard Referencing
• Plagiarism
• Study Skills Advisors
• Assist
• Tom Hicks own Support web pages

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Jean Dyson Dr Jane Cooksey

• Centre for Learner Development (CLD), The School
  of Art Design (SAD)
• Welcome Page
• Time Management
• Student to student mentoring
• One to one academic Support
• Dyslexia and special educational needs support

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Project Justification

• Currently students have to visit the CLD office
  for specific leaflets, handouts and advice
  regarding time-management, dyslexia, essay
  planning, disability issues, etc.
• A website would provide answers to many of these
  questions, accessible any time. Its not
  restricted to traditional office hours or
  geographically limited - for distance learners.
• It will provide support to students during busy
  periods when staff are struggling to assist large
  numbers of students

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Design and Construction

• Initial build using Dreamweaver/Photoshop/Illustra
  tor software. Final elements using
  Dreamweaver/Photoshop/Illustrator/Flash.
• On completion the site would be hosted on the
  University of Wolverhamptons, School of Art
  Design page, accessible via a link in one of the
  navigation bars or quick links menus.

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Conclusion

• 8 of the proposed 30 weeks to work on the project
  still outstanding leaving project uncompleted at
  present date.
• All content and Flash development of a working
  version of the site complete just the final
  construction of the site required. Hopefully this
  could be done in the near future depending on
  financial and time considerations.

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Conclusion

• Hopefully benefits of the site recognized,
  leading to further support and release to student
  body. Possibilities to expand across into other
  schools in the University and further into the
  higher education landscape.
• Institutions need to meet the demands of a
  consumer aware, technologically compliant student
  body. Online support needs to be available to
  those students that would benefit from its
  existence
• Site could be developed as a mobile browser
  friendly web page or app for operating systems
  such as Apple, Android.

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References
Marshall, L., Austin, M Hale, P. (2009)
Enhanced podcasts for enhanced learning in
Houghton, N. (ed.) Enhancing Curricula Using
research and enquiry to inform student learning
in the disciplines. Proceedings of 4th cltad
conference, April 2008, New York, USA. London
cltad, pp. 413-416 OFCOM - Office of
Communications (2009) Ofcom Access and Inclusion
Digital communications for all Online March
2009 last accessed 29th April 2009 Available
from lt http//www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/a
ccess/access/gt
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ContactJonathan Rhodes / Onkar
Dhaliwalj.rhodes2_at_wlv.ac.uk / onkar_at_wlv.ac.uk