Student learning support

Commitment and accountability

1. WU is committed to supporting its students, and uses the people in the various roles to ensure optimal student learning support.
2. The responsibility for student support is as follows:
   1. Head of department
   2. Instructor
   3. Cohort coordination committee
   4. Local support personnel
3. See the role description for Local support personnel regarding limitations of expectations.
4. Any student assistance should not compromise the authenticity of student work submitted for assessment. Students are always responsible to produce their own work.

All contact

1. Whether through open online discussions or through personal contact in face to face meetings and conferences, WU can provide the following support:
   1. Advise students how to do assignments.
   2. Encourage students to overcome any obstacles they might experience.
   3. Ask questions.
   4. Answer questions.
   5. Advise on practicum tasks.
   6. Give encouragement and constructive comments.
   7. Follow up when a student has been out of contact.
   8. Help with WU administrative procedures and advocate when necessary.

Online study

1. The Cohort coordination committee and its local support personnel are primarily responsible for local support to students. This may happen in person or in group meetings or by the use of electronic systems, as appropriate. This support includes the following:
   1. WU provides students' study material as required.
   2. Encourage students to systematically prepare for face-to-face sessions, and what materials they should study as pre-preparation for the following face to face meeting or conference.
   3. WU faculty inform them how to contact faculty members.
   4. WU faculty provide a timetable for the study activities of that cohort and study material as required.
   5. WU provides online resources to respond to particular problems.

Guidelines for supporting students having difficulties

1. If an assigned study task appears too difficult for a student, the supervisor could do the following:
   1. Provide them with one or more examples of how to do the assignment.
   2. Get them to verbalize their understanding. They might understand it well but have difficulty in written expression.
   3. Break the task into smaller steps and take them through the steps one by one.
   4. Consider whether they have an undiagnosed disability (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, deafness, poor eyesight, Asperger’s syndrome).
   5. Use Socratic questioning.
   6. Consider whether the student should be given a grade of no minimum passing grade or a fail.
2. Do not let students become overly dependent on you; some may even try to get you do most of their learning tasks for them.
3. Some students might have language or cultural barriers. This alone does not mean that they lack the aptitude to study at the level in which they are enrolled. Consider these options:
   1. require from these students to do fewer units in a semester
   2. check that they have suitable aids (dictionaries, etc.)
   3. ask for a more complete explanation of the cultural context of their ministry.
   4. discuss the case with other WU faculty.
4. Consider giving feedback to the student selection process. It is unfair on both students and staff to accept applicants who cannot benefit from the program.