A robust methodology for tracking and evaluating student engagement

Abstract

Digital solutions for tracking and evaluating student engagementare limited. This paper reviews the implementation of a digital solution used to transform two Student Engagement schemes at the University of Exeter: ‘Peer Learning’ and ‘Students as Change Agents’.By means of the workflow function in CareerHub, an online career management system, workflows have been created to enable the management, in one efficient platform, of student recruitment, training, tracking and learner reflection. Since all student engagement records and knowledge of interactions are in one place, asignificant reduction in administration and enhanced opportunities for effective evaluation have been achieved.Previously, student skills development and reflection to enhance student employability had not been a significant feature of either Peer Learning or Students as Change Agents. With the automated workflow, students can now access the right guidance at the right time, thereby making more effective step-by-step progress through either scheme. Students are also able to track their own progress and manage their involvement with the projects more effectively. The workflows have created clear audit trails so that these activities are verifiable and easily articulate with student Exeter Award profiles and the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR).