Do students benefit from having continuity in their module tutors between level 1 and level 2 on Q71, Health Sciences?

Project leader(s): Sarah DaniellFiona MoormanKatie Acutt
Theme: Supporting students
Faculty: STEM
Status: Current
Dates: August 2025 to August 2028

Students currently have little continuity of contact with their allocated tutors on the different modules throughout their qualification. Currently student retention on Q71 Health Sciences is concerning. In light of the University’s priority to increase retention and continuation on qualifications, we propose a bespoke approach to tutor-student allocation (TSA) for a subset of Q71 students.

We will identify up to ~100 24J Q71 students currently studying SDK100 or SK190, who are in the tutor group of someone who teaches more than one Q71 module. At 25J TSA, those students should be allocated wherever possible to the same tutor (depending on which module they are studying next), or to another tutor who also teaches multiple Q71 modules, so they have the potential of studying with that person again.

We will evaluate student and tutor experiences and student outcomes on each module studied (withdrawal rates, VLE engagement, TMA scores, pass rates) at the end of each presentation to explore impacts on retention, continuation and student experience.

Although it would not be feasible to extend this model of bespoke TSA to all OU students, this project seeks to explore whether providing continuity of academic support per se may have benefits. The concept of providing this type of academic support may have wider application in different contexts within the OU. For example, different student groups may benefit from greater tutor continuity throughout their qualification to close academic awarding gaps.

Furthermore, outcomes from this project could be applied innovatively within an extramodular model of personal tutoring where students could be assigned to a 'continuity tutor' for their study journey.