NatalyaDMar 13

Wondering if any #ActuallyAutistic or #ADHD people have ideas that I'm missing.

My day job is supporting disabled university students. We have increasing numbers of autistic/ADHD students who are too anxious to attend classes. So they miss class 1, and then can't understand content of classes 2 onwards so get more anxious - and it spirals.

It's HUGE uni, often 100+ in class. Most buildings are HUGE, with vile acoustics and visual stress - can't change those. We do have quiet/sensory spaces.

Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

We are not a remote course provider, that's legally and regulatorily a completely different service.

I have no authority to condone absence. Low-attenders get nagging emails which I can't stop.

Often tutors are AMAZING, they will really try and help with some extra 1:1 support, but there's hard limits on that due to workload/student-numbers. Tutors are frustrated cos student wants 1:1 of what was IN class (which isn't fair on them)

Studes often already use noise cancelling headphones etc.

Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

I worry some students are coming to uni cos they feel they have to, and really aren't ready for it. academic and other colleagues and I often wish younger students could have a few years working first, and time to decide what they want to do, not what mum/dad/school push for.

Further Education have government metrics pushing university. Universities are on the hard sell to recruit.

I'm often astonished by students who haven't visited campus before signing up, even when they live locally...

Show threadparamilitary organizerMar 13
@NatalyaD
a few things
-visiting a place before you spend money on it is a really good idea and I'm weirded out by not doing that given the thousands of dollars uni classes cost??
-if you are unable to attend class 1 it's often cause to get dropped from the course in my experience
-giving students a "before class 1 here's what you need to do" resource could help
Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

@t54r4n1 I agree about not visiting in advance, I think part of it is due to social deprivation their families don't know this is a good idea and I do feel pre-uni students are babied so they aren't taught how to take initiatives (I blame their adults)...

And yes, being withdrawn from course is a huge risk for several right now, with expensive consequences.

Some tutors/depts do do "what to expect" and handbooks. I often find the anxious-non-attenders haven't looked for or read them 😬 ...

Show threadparamilitary organizer
@NatalyaD sometimes you gotta fail now to succeed later
Mar 13 at 6:49pmWeb
Show threadNatalyaDMar 13
@t54r4n1 The problem is our system seems to let them come back for a 2nd attempt with same problems, so they fail twice and then our funding locks them out forever to do a degree unless they can find £10,000 + living money upfront...
Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

@t54r4n1

One issue is the government in England keep shitting on universities and cutting sources of funding, so the universities are DESPERATE for student numbers.

We are SUPPOSED to have enhanced monitoring and 90% attendance requirement for a student on repeat year (studes used to sign an agreement), but it doesn't happen or work now.

I know personal (pastoral) tutors contact every student several times a term. The non-attenders routinely don't attend 1:1 or group personal tutorials...