The NAME Four Factor Model for engaging students in academic support services

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 35: Connections in Higher Education

July, 2012, 373 pages
Published by
N. Brown, S.M. Jones, & A. Adam
ISBN
0 908557 89 2
Abstract 

This paper describes the first student experience survey of a newly established academic and support service, delivered by an “Academic Enabling and Support Centre” (AESC) at The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle campus. The purpose of the study was to identify the key factors that would be likely to increase student access and participation rates, and accordingly enhance student outcomes. There was an overt institutional focus on the needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, driven, in part, by the national agenda to increase student diversity and participation in the tertiary sector. The survey demonstrated that several operational aspects related to the Centre’s programs needed to be reviewed, and that changes needed to occur to respond to the feedback provided. The results, and the staff dialogue that followed, have led to the articulation of a ‘Four Factor Model’ for increasing student engagement with support services. Known by the acronym NAME (Normalisation, Access, Marketing and Engagement) the model became a way to describe the salient features necessary to have students engage with academic support.

Keywords: Academic support, Marketing.