Abstract:

Within the New Zealand tertiary sector, most studies of the effectiveness of student guidance and support have investigated larger tertiary organisations such as universities and polytechnics which have specialised support staff and units. This study was conducted with 16 small private training establishments, most of whom were providing support to students without the assistance of specialist staff. The aims were to gather information about successful strategies for supporting and guiding students and the effectiveness of these supports from a student perspective, and to share good practice. Focus groups were held with 209 students from 16 private training establishments. Each of the 16 organisations wrote a case study recording the kinds of student feedback they collect, and how they use this evidence to ensure that students receive effective guidance and support. Information from both focus groups and case studies was analysed to identify common themes and examples of good practice. Organisations that provided effective guidance and support fostered relationships between tutors and students and amongst students and provided a wide range of academic supports tailored to students’ needs. They were flexible and adaptable organisations capable of responding well to diverse students and provided practical programmes tailored to industry needs. Good practice included robust mechanisms for obtaining feedback from a range of stakeholders. Successful organisations were values-based and provided a caring family-like environment that was highly valued by students. Findings demonstrate that the most successful organisations were those with an institutional culture that welcomed diverse students and were flexible and willing to adapt to their needs.

Keywords:

Student support.