Limitations of attendance monitoring as a singular tool for motivating students? academic engagement: The case study of one overseas student

Muke M Ferguson () and Fletcher M Phiri ()
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Muke M Ferguson: Glyndwr University, London, UK & Centre for Human Development Studies, UK:
Fletcher M Phiri: Great Lakes Open University (Uganda) & Centre for Human Development Studies, UK

International Journal of Teaching and Education, 2016, vol. 4, issue 1, 16-25

Abstract: Background, aims & objectives: Attendance monitoring is very important in attaining students? academic engagement which in turn improves students? academic performance at university level. Visa tied students face different criteria in terms of attendance monitoring and the level of recorded study contact points or hours. One area of action research that such requirement raises is to investigate whether quantitative attendance translates into quantitative student outcomes in terms attempts to assignment or exam success at study-unit or module level and the final overall classification of academic-degree attained. Methodology: We use the case study approach, where we present a case study of an overseas student who presented with an excellent quantitative attendance record that had not translated into academic engagement or success. The aim is to determine whether and if so what intervention could bridge the gap between quantitative attendance and academic performance.Findings: For the case study subject we found that qualitative consultative management helped to resolve the observed disconnect between quantitative classroom attendance and quantitative student academic outcome. Conclusions and Implications: We conclude that monitoring quantitative engagement, in the form of quantitative class attendance, is singularly unlikely to be a useful tool that can be used to gauge students? academic engagement. For the case studies qualitative interaction with academic staff held the key to the student achieving the required academic engagement that produced noticeable quantitative academic outcomes.The insight gained from this case study may be of interest to institutions that especially serve overseas students who, by virtue of UKVI statutory requirements and institutional regulatory requirement are mandated to present with a minimum quantitative ?class? attendance record whence this does not necessarily translate to a similarly good quantitative academic outcome in terms of grade of degree and sometimes, time to completion of their studies.

Keywords: Academic engagement; overseas student; UKVI; visa tied students; attendance monitoring; student pastoral care; consultation management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 I28 I29 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sek:jijote:v:4:y:2016:i:1:p:16-25

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