A 3-step Communication Approach to Combat Attrition in Animation

New students are usually unsure of where to go and what to do when entering a tertiary institution. It could be even more daunting for animation (or other creative) students. This presentation explores three (3) points where communication could be strengthened to ensure that animation (or creative students) do not leave their intended course of study.

1. A 3-stepA 3-step
CommunicationCommunication
Approach toApproach to
CombatCombat
Attrition inAttrition in
AnimationAnimation
by Chevonnese Chevers Whyte
at the JANN Teaching Creative Courses
Symposium 2024

2. Wife
Mommy
Educator
Business Owner
A firm believer in student success
Chevonnese Chevers Whyte
(Chevy)
who am i?
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

3. 2 Stories: Why is it2 Stories: Why is it
important to me?important to me?
They never knew where to place me
A creative in a traditional educational
environment
Trauma of other students
A new student at the tertiary level with
experience before entering first year
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

4. AbstractAbstract
Students often enrol in a tertiary animation programme but
then depart the programme at various points, citing
multiple reasons. What determinants affect this departure,
and how can we engage students differently at three (3)
contact points to minimise or eliminate this departure? The
first point of contact examines the application process and
how the communication is constructed. The second point of
contact assesses first-year orientation and how it is
structured. The third point of contact reviews
communication within the programme. This investigation
uses a explanatory sequential design mixed methods
approach by interviewing students, teachers and
administrators in an animation programme in St. Andrew,
Jamaica. The results of this investigation will benefit
teachers, administrators, and students, as it will be used as
a baseline when administrating academic advice from
application to graduation.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

5. 01.
02. 03.
What do we communicate and how do
communicate it from application to
graduation?
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
What is communicated and
how is it communicated during
the application phase?
ApplicationApplication
What is communicated and
how is it communicated during
orientation?
OrientationOrientation
What is communicated and
how is it communicated within
the programme?
Within The ProgrammeWithin The Programme
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

6. Introduction
AgendaAgenda
01.
CAPE AGD Numbers02.
Communicating with students03.
Analysis of data04.
Communicating with Interviewee 105.
Problem
Conclusion
06.
07.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

7. IntroductionIntroduction
Why this study?Why this study?
Animation andAnimation and
Creative ArtsCreative Arts
StandardsStandards
Committee at theCommittee at the
UCJUCJ
What is a credit forWhat is a credit for
creative courses?creative courses?
How do we matchHow do we match
creative coursescreative courses
with traditionalwith traditional
academic courses?academic courses?
Attrition DataAttrition Data
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

8. BackgroundBackground
More students are sitting CAPEMore students are sitting CAPE
Animation and Game Design.Animation and Game Design.
More applications for tertiaryMore applications for tertiary
animation programmes.animation programmes.
Unit 1 Unit 2
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
0
50
100
150
200
250
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

9. Bachelor’sBachelor’s
Programmes inProgrammes in
AnimationAnimation
BFA AnimationBFA Animation
CARIMAC,CARIMAC,
University of theUniversity of the
West IndiesWest Indies
BFA AnimationBFA Animation
Edna ManleyEdna Manley
College for theCollege for the
Visual andVisual and
Performing ArtsPerforming Arts
BSc. AnimationBSc. Animation
Production andProduction and
DevelopmentDevelopment
University ofUniversity of
TechnologyTechnology
JamaicaJamaica
BFA Digital MediaBFA Digital Media
ArtsArts
University ofUniversity of
Trinidad andTrinidad and
TobagoTobago
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

10. APPLY
INTERVIEW
REVIEW
ADVISE ADVISE
ORIENT ORIENT
ACCEPT REGISTER GRADUATE
Process:Process:
CommunicatingCommunicating
with the studentswith the students
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

11. 01. 02.
03.
05.
04.
06.
Analysis of theAnalysis of the
datadata
A review of class numbers
RepeatersRepeaters TransfersTransfers
Full-time vs.Full-time vs.
Part-timePart-time
Pre-requisitesPre-requisites
COVID-19COVID-19
AttritionAttrition
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

12. Beyond The Statistics:Beyond The Statistics:
Communicating withCommunicating with
Interviewee 1Interviewee 1
APPLY
ACCEPTED TD
TRANSFERRED
UG PROGRAMME
COORDINATOR:
ADVICE
PEER & CREDIT
CHECK
LOST FOR
ORIENTATION
NEVER ATTENDED
ORIENTATION
ACCEPT REGISTER GRADUATE
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

13. Interviewee 1Interviewee 1
Communication came mainly from the IT department.
Communication is done mainly through lecturers.
Reasons to discontinue: difficulty with courses outside of
animation, sickness, and money for medication.
Leave of Absence vs. Late Leave of Absence.
The student followed the school on Instagram to learn what
was happening and what information was communicated
within the classroom.
WhatsApp group was peer support.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

14. ProblemProblem
The Jamaican/ Caribbean Animation Industry will need
roughly 5,000 workers to outsource animated projects
from overseas. If we want this for the industry, we must
look into attrition for tertiary institutions that offer
animation to optimise the number of graduates who will
help us reach the goal of 5000 professionals in the
industry.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

15. ConclusionConclusion
Communication must be improved from application to
acceptance, orientation, academic advisement, and
internal communication, and then it must lead to
graduation.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

16. Further ResearchFurther Research
More Interviews
01.
Alternative Stories
02.
Test Improved Communication
03.
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

17. THANKTHANK
YOUYOU
ANYANY
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024

18. https://lnk.bio/chevonnese.whyte
@ChevonneseWhyte
Presentation
https://www.slideshare.net/Chevonnes
eWhyte/presentations
Chevonnese Chevers Whyte
(Chevy)
contact me
A 3-STEP COMMUNICATION APPROACH | CHEVONNESE CHEVERS WHYTE | JANN TEACHING CREATIVE COURSES SYMPOSIUM 2024 | AUGUST 30, 2024