Improving the Online Regional Student Experience: Findings from the Country Universities Centre (CUC) Student Evaluation
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The University of Newcastle
Australia -
Curtin University Australia
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Country Universities Centre Australia
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Country Universities Centre Australia
Abstract
For Australian university students living out of reach of a campus and studying online, the growing presence of Regional University Centres (RUCs) is changing their student experience for the better. People from regional areas of Australia are historically under-represented at university. Those who begin university are at higher risk of not completing their qualifications than students from metropolitan areas. COVID-19 restrictions in the past two years have added to the continued growth in regional students studying their degrees online. A recent survey of students attending a Country Universities Centre (CUC) within their local community shows these centres to be highly effective in supporting regional students. The participants overwhelmingly reported improvements not only in their academic progress and results, but also in their motivation, confidence, and likelihood of completing their qualification.
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Author Biographies
Dr Cathy Stone is an independent consultant and researcher in post-secondary student equity and success and a Conjoint Associate Professor (Social Work) with the University of Newcastle. She worked for many years as a student success practitioner, developing, managing and evaluating higher education support and success programs for both on-campus and online students. She was an inaugural Equity Fellow with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and continues to work on NCSEHE and other research projects related to improving the experience of online, mature-age and regional students.
Nicole Crawford is a researcher and educator in higher education. She was a Senior Research Fellow (2020-2022) at the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and a NCSEHE Equity Fellow (2019-2020). In the Fellowship research, she investigated proactive ways of supporting the mental wellbeing of mature-aged students in regional and remote Australia. Prior to the Fellowship, she was a Lecturer in Pre-degree Programs at the University of Tasmania (UTAS). Her research focuses on equity and inclusion in higher education, enabling education, and student and staff mental wellbeing.
Chris Ronan is the Director of Equity and Engagement with the Country Universities Centre network. He has worked on national research projects with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and the University of South Australia in Regional, Rural and Remote higher education policy, student equity, widening participation and rural student transitions. Chris is on the National Executive team for the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) and is the Director of the National Conference for Regional, Rural, and Remote Education.
Monica Davis is the Chief Executive Officer with the Country Universities Centre. As a Science graduate, with post-graduate qualifications in Geostatistics and TAFE qualifications in Training and Assessment, Monica believes that the future of an aspiring student should not be predetermined by where he or she lives. Monica is a Cooma local, the sixth generation on her family’s property near Murrumbucca NSW, and is very happy to be working within an organisation that is taking practical steps to support regional students.
