This article explains the central services that utilise learning analytics data to monitor student engagement.
Student Success and Engagement
Sheffield Hallam uses learning analytics data to identify and proactively support students where necessary. This work is led by Student Success and Engagement Team, who work closely with Student Support Advisers.
How are students that need additional support identified?
Throughout each semester, Student Success and Engagement Team (SSET) receive weekly updates on student’s overall engagement based on their VLE use, attendance, and formative submissions in VLE environment; an overall summary for each student is aggregated in Jisc’s learning analytics system. Student’s engagement is calculated, based on these metrics of engagement, using a ‘RAG’ (Red, Amber, Green) indicator. Student’s with ‘red’ overall engagement indicator for extended periods of time will be picked up through SSET’s reporting and contacted.
Should students be worried about being contacted?
We understand that there are genuine reasons as to why a student may be struggling with their engagement. As such the interventions are designed to support and encourage the student to improve. All SSET are trained to handle calls in a sensitive and supportive manner and our communications replicate the same sentiment. This process is not punitive and SSET has received great feedback from students in previous trials regarding this approach.
For specific dates and processes for each level of study, please see SSET SharePoint site (please note this site is only accessible for Sheffield Hallam staff).
UKVI Compliance
The UKVI Compliance Team is a specialist team with direct responsibility for ensuring that the university follows guidance for sponsoring our student visas outlined by the Home Office. One of their core business areas is monitoring engagement of all student visa holders (including central monitoring of online registers for attendance, coursework submission, and engagement with dissertation supervision and placement).
To maintain our sponsor licence for student visas, the university is required to meet certain requirements in relation to record keeping, course structure and delivery. This includes having robust arrangements in place that help us monitor the attendance and engagement of our student visa holders.
How is attendance at taught sessions monitored?
From September 2023, staff are mandated to use Jisc learning analytics for all taught sessions. This will allow students to check themselves in at each session they attend via Study Goal.
It is important that JISC learning analytics is used for every session and that additional registers are not created to ensure that the attendance records are accurate. This will mean we are only contacting students who have genuinely not attended.
Should my teaching be face to face?
UKVI attendance requirements mean that a significant majority of teaching must be face to face.
What if a student is unable to attend for an exceptional reason?
If a student visa holder is going to be absent for more than 3 days due to exceptional circumstances, they need to request an authorised absence. An exceptional circumstance is something sudden, unexpected and beyond the student’s control. Guidance for students is available or students can contact Hallam Help for further advice.
If the student is going to be absent for more than 2 weeks, they will require confirmation from the Course Team that the length of the absence will not have a detrimental impact on their learning and that relevant support can be provided.
I am a Dissertation or Major Project Supervisor, what do I need to do?
You will need to hold an in-person supervision meeting at least once a month and confirm if the student attended or not via a non-module register on Jisc learning analytics system. You should refer to our guides on Taking Attendance.
What if I have concerns about the engagement of a student visa holder?
We run our engagement monitoring either fortnightly or monthly, depending on the monitoring type, to identity students who have had engagement issues. If you have any immediate concerns, report these to the UKVI Compliance Team via studentimmigrationcompliance@shu.ac.uk.
