This document summarizes a scholarship project analyzing retention strategies for a new module called B205. It found completion rates for B205 were similar to comparator modules but made some recommendations to improve student preparation and support progression from level 1 to 2. Suggestions included adding reflective activities to help students see how skills develop over time and relate concepts to real-world applications. Interventions aimed at concurrent study and student background did not significantly impact retention.

1. RETENTION STRATEGIES ON A NEW,
INNOVATIVE MODULE: A SCHOLARSHIP
PROJECT
Presentation by Carol Sherriff, September 2018
Based on research and scholarship by Katharine Jewitt, Carolin Decker-
Lange and Carol Sherriff

2. B205
● New module in Entrepreneurship and Innovation pathway
● Takes an entrepreneurial learning approach (Rae, 2005)
combining the study of entrepreneurship and innovation with
learning approaches that foster entrepreneurial learning and
action.
● Negotiation exercise, new venture challenge as collaborative
exercises
● Assessment includes a visual essay using Open Studio,
reflections on the negotiation exercise and new venture
challenge (and a case study). There is a final exam.
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3. Examples of activities
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4. Overview
● Small-scale (6 days) scholarship project carried out in May
2018 using an AL with a research background
● Data analysis - in depth comparison of OU central data on
retention for 16J and 17J
● Qualitative discussion group with B205 ALs (we paid for their
time)
● Qualitative discussion with the wider HE sector
● Desktop Research
● Review changes and interventions to boost student retention
on the 17J presentation of B205
● Findings and recommendations
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5. Student Completion and Pass Rates
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B201 is used as a comparator as it is a core option in the standard UG pathway and also a compulsory
module in a pathway similar to B205. B203 is included as it is one of the modules that students who study
two or more modules concurrently choose. Although the student numbers are much lower, the percentage
completion rates are very similar and the pass rate higher.
B205 is a relatively small course and therefore one student can significantly alter the statistical results. The
course team, however, are not complacent and want to improve completion rates.
Module Year Nos. Starting Nos.
Completing
Completion
rates (as % of
no. at start)
Pass rates (as
% numbers
completing
module
Module under
review
B205
2016J 61 39 68% 94.9%
Comparator
module
B201
2016J 470 279 63% 88.5%
Comparator
module
B203
2016J 1449 897 66% 84%

6. Students studying concurrent
modules
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 27 out of 71 students are studying ONLY B205 in
17J with no other concurrent or overlapping study
currently planned
 1 student is studying 4 modules, however this is
inclusive of 2 at 17J and 2 overlapping modules
either from 17B/D or 18 B/D
 7 students are studying 3 modules, but only 2 plan
all their study concurrently in 17J
 14 students intend to study B205 concurrently
with B207 in 17J

7. Retention issue not problem
Two interventions before module start made through
the SST. These interventions were designed as a result
of a review into the retention and submission rates in
16J:
●(1) students registering for concurrent study of two or more 60
credit modules (typically, B205 and a core module) - in 16J, this
was 23 out of a total of 61 students (38%);
●(2) a sub-group of Open degree students with few or no previous
experience in studying business and management subjects at
degree level – in 16J over half the student cohort.
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8. Overall effect of the interventions
●The interventions and changes made to B205 appear to
have little impact on reducing withdrawals.
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9. Timeline
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Plotting the data on a timeline portrays some significant peaks and
troughs for B205 across 2016J and 2017J

10. Some observations from the data
● Patterns are pretty consistent between 16J and 17J but at present this
is a small but increasing cohort of students
●Following TMA03, student numbers become consistent and students
complete to the end (and the pass rate and satisfaction rates are high).
●TMA scores and submissions are higher in 2017J than 16J. Scores are
relatively consistent from TMA01-04 with a slight dip for TMA03, the
case study
●For 17J, there seems to be a trend after TMA01, that there is a peak in
VLE usage just before each TMA is due. Students are not consistently
using the VLE week on week.
●17J VLE activity is quiet at the start of the course and there is a dip in
the middle of the course during the case study section.
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11. Profile of Withdrawals
Students with a disability are more likely to withdraw.
Interesting new students have not withdrawn
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12. 12
Student Experience on a Module (SEaM) survey
Year 2016 Year 2016 Year 2016
KPIS plus any other module survey
questions with particularly high/low
ratings
B205
47 surveyed
10 responses
21.3%
response rate
B201
326 surveyed
77 responded
23.6%
response rate
B203
198 responded
18.4% response
rate
1. Overall I am satisfied with the quality
of this module.
80% 78% 73.7%
2. Overall I am satisfied with my study
experience.
88.9% 77.7% 74%
3. The module provided good value for
money.
70% 61.6% 64.7%
4. Overall, I was satisfied with the
teaching materials provided on this
module.
70% 76.3% 74.8%
5. Overall, I was able to keep up with
the workload on this module.
70% 70.2% 48.4%
6. The learning outcomes of the module
were clearly stated.
90% 89.6% 85.2%
7. I would recommend this module to
other students.
80% 72.8% 64.6%
8. The module met my expectations. 70% 69.7% 69.1%
9. I enjoyed studying this module. 70% 69.7% 64.2%
10. I was satisfied with the support
provided by my tutor on this module.
90% 73.3% 74.7%
any other module survey questions
with particularly high/low ratings
My tutor encouraged me in my studies
(Q19)
100% 74.7% 74.2%
I was able to find clear information
about what to study and when (Q1)
100% 87.1% 90.2%
Feedback
from
students is
comparable
or better
than the
comparator
modules.

13. Interventions Feedback
● Feedback from a B205 AL stated an example of a student who felt
pressured by the Student support team to sign up for two courses and
apologised to the B205 Tutor that she felt she could not cope with more
than one. It seems the intervention instruction was the reverse of what
was meant to have been communicated. It’s unknown whether this was
across all students or a one-off misunderstanding.
● It’s not just open degree students that may not have a business
background. There is also an arts pathway which has B205 as an
option.
● It was noted by B205 ALs that the mix of students from various
backgrounds, just provide an interesting dimension and a greater scope
for peer-to-peer learning.
● The B205 ALs recommended they create a getting started open course
for B205 to support students moving from level 1, in a similar style to
the openlearn course for students new to study, which one of the B205
ALs wrote: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/becoming-ou- 13

14. B205 and B207
● Students in 17J experienced a lot of confusion around the meaning of
“context”. It meant two different things in B205 and B207. Students
studying both modules may have felt they didn’t need to study the same
concept twice and, therefore, applied the same meaning to both TMAs.
● B205 ALs feel it would be better to have the exam on the compulsory
B207 module, as this is impacting sign up for B205 as some students
work around modules without exams. They felt students should be
picking a pathway they enjoy and want to study rather than picking
those without an exam.
● B205 ALs felt instead of an exam, the production of a business canvas
or business plan would be far more beneficial for the course outcomes.
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15. Support for level 1 to 2 progression
● We know the probability of success of students before they start, through data on
the SST reporting tool. We need to be doing something to address issues before
level 2 sign up.
● As long as students keep up with the calendar for B205, they do well. If students
don’t engage with the negotiation experience, they drop out and so on.
● Students are not prepared for and understand what B205 is about before course
starts. It is very different and it is important to make students aware that TMAs are
different, they will use IT in different ways, they will be involved in group work etc.
The creative approaches to the learning and TMAs are fabulous in my view, but
students do wrestle with it. Some produce very clever ones, some are very basic.
● The registration page says “Are you ready?” but does not say anything that is
unique and important about B205 before students start. ALs advised that the OU
needs to be upfront about what the course involves. If students do not engage with
NEO they drop out.
● With NEO the negotiation exercise, getting students to have confidence to use the
system is a challenge and again with the group work at the end. Students who lack
confidence or have mental health challenges, these are big steps for them. Those
who do engage, the comment at the end of the module and sessions is wow this
has been phenomenal ride and learned so much. They see things from different
perspectives.
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16. Recommendations
● Add into the course an overarching piece that ties skills and learning
outcomes and enables students to reflect on skills as they progress
through the course to help them see the bigger picture.
● Students struggle to know what to pick out to revise. The above could
link with revision at the end of each block. There is a lot in the course
that is practical, students forget the academic content. At the end of
each block, it would be useful to ask students ‘What have you done?’
‘How have you used it?’ and include a reflective activity specifically
tailored to exam type questions to provide a launch pad for revision.
● Students often sign up for B205 because it relates to students setting
up their business. It is key to link skills to academic concepts and
models and show how students can use this in their business. Students
develop a raft of skills for life, whether from contextual content,
negotiation or venture challenges etc. It needs to be highlighted more
that students are not just learning skills to take forward from a career
and academic point of view, but for life.
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17. Recommendations taken
from survey of practice in
other HEIs
●Staggered TMA and EMA deadlines where modules are likely to
be studied concurrently.
●Encourage students to complete SEAM data.
●Guest forums by the course team
●Writing support workshops
●Skills workshops
●Revision distributed from week 1 through use of quizzes etc
●Social networking to widen attention of students e.g. through
podcasts and a blog
●Use more formative assessment
●Encourage involvement of students and the SU in assessment
●Introduce business mentors
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18. Acting on Retention
● Module team can identify significant issues through
available data, AL feedback sessions and student
feedback
● Quite a few ALs have research and scholarship
expertise and it is relatively easy to engage them to
provide additional resource
● Creating a timeline to provide a clear overview of
pressure points gives a different view to the linear
study guide
● More support for students with study skills,
recognising skills they have developed and flagging
the overall journey of the module
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