Date of Submission

8-7-2022

Document Type

DiP

Degree

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

Keywords

higher education, student success, academic skills and competencies, integrated supports, nontraditional students, equitable student experience

Abstract

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores student academic support delivery in Burns College (a pseudonym), a large postsecondary institution in Central Canada. The Problem of Practice (PoP) addresses a gap in the consistent and equitable delivery of academic supports, and the increasing need to meet students within the classroom in their first year. The problem responds to nontraditional student needs, but the solution is meant to be beneficial for all students. Nontraditional students are the majority in higher education today, with competing responsibilities that impact their ability to access academic supports outside of the traditionally structured classroom. By integrating skills and competency resources into the first-year classroom, aligned to course outcomes, evaluation plans and transferrable skills, Burns College can better support the student experience by helping students to succeed within and beyond the classroom. Transformational and relational leadership approaches are selected to effectively lead the change process. Transformational leadership helps to provide the framework for creating a purposeful, ethical vision, while relational leadership helps to speak to authentic experiences in building new approaches to integrating supports, experiencing problems directly with others, and solving problems collaboratively. A straightforward model that aligns to the Burns College context is selected for guiding the implementation of the change plan. Communications are framed through the lens of student success and meeting the needs of all students. Finally, an assessment monitoring and evaluation tool is selected to support quick wins, assessment, evaluation, and continuous improvement in the change effort.

Keywords: higher education, student success, academic skills and competencies, integrated supports, nontraditional students, equitable student experience

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