Abstracts
What Does Student-Centred Mean for Us?
Tuesday 5 May 2009, 1600 - 1630
Presenter: Jon Peacocke
University of Melbourne, VIC
Presenter Biography
Jon Peacocke is currently Program Manager for Learning Environments at the University of Melbourne, with responsibility for the development of both physical and virtual learning environments.
Abstract
This paper explores some of the more significant policy, management, and leadership issues around achieving more cost-effective and efficient delivery of very expensive IT facilities that are primarily provided for undergraduates, sustained by an appropriate “student centred” support model, which ensures equitable access to resources, meets student expectations of convenience, and enables student learning.
It is proposed that our understandings about the current undergraduate IT experience must be more rigorously developed given rapid evolution on both technology and practice. However, it is noted that until very recently, in the absence of an evidence-base derived from local research, there has been an uncritical tendency to infer an understanding of local needs and expectations from more detailed US studies, sometimes without qualification given the very different institutional contexts.
The paper notes that the current policy emphasis upon “cost-effectiveness” and “efficiency” has occurred at a time of intense institutional cost consciousness given the gap between flattening revenue and rising costs. There is a clear policy imperative to optimize supply of resources so the institution can meet rising student demand. The concern with equitable access to resources has a broader policy context within an increasing sector-wide focus on managing and maximizing retention of students and their successful completion of course programs. The policy imperatives are to deliver the best possible return on government investment, to maintain the standing of the institution, and to meet student expectations of fulfilling and engaging study experience that will enhance their cultural and social capital and lead to the benefits associated with rewarding employment within a knowledge economy.
The paper proposes that the concern with “student centred” IT services reflects the degree to which universities have conceptualised the student as client or informed consumer, and seek to be more responsive to both “traditional” and non-traditional” students, with an emphasis on measuring student satisfaction levels. Within this context, the emphasis upon convenience for students is recognition that undergraduates lead busy lives, juggling study, sport, social activities, and the imperative to work for income to pay for course and living costs. Universities are increasingly focusing on IT as a means to support student learning, which recognizes the inter-connectedness of “student IT” with course delivery, possibly even dependency created by increasing reliance on online delivery.
It is argued that these policy implications have two key management implications for the sector. Firstly, how institutions might progress towards more unified provision and management of undergraduate computing facilities that will deliver more costeffective economy of scale while addressing issues around convenient and equitable access to facilities. Secondly, how might the institution develop a support model that is more enabling of undergraduate learning and less focused on “just the IT”.
The paper explores possible models for the management of undergraduate computing facilities and then argues that the pedagogy of peer support could inform an emerging model of students supporting students. This model would involve recruiting, inducting, training and mentoring “student interns” with an intimate knowledge of student IT needs from their own experiences, who could provide front-line support services more attuned to the needs of students, for both current and emerging technologies.
Presentation Slides and Podcast
