Rate My Professor Stephen Scott

Dr. Stephen Scott serves as Principal Adviser for Learner Success at the University of Otago's Centre for Educational Design and Innovation. Of Ngāti Whātua and English descent, he has built a career focused on improving student retention, engagement, and academic success, with particular emphasis on first-year students, Māori, and Pacific learners within the Division of Sciences. Previously, Scott was Head of the newly created Office of Student Success in the Student and Academic Services Division, evolving from his role as Director of First-Year Experience. In these positions, he led university-wide initiatives such as the Locals Programme for students living in the community, flatting, or at home; UNIO101 orientation; workload advice; early student contact; and revisions to the Academic Progress Policy, extending support beyond first-year to all undergraduate levels. As Associate Dean (Māori) for the Division of Sciences, he taught Zoology, developed specialized courses and assessments to enhance learning, and worked at the divisional level to boost Māori student recruitment, retention, and achievement. Scott also co-developed the Science Wānanga for Māori Sciences, launched in 2008 at Hauiti Marae at the request of the late Dr. Paratene Ngata, to inspire Ngāti Porou rangatahi in sciences and health sciences through projects on topics like ocean acidification and drug effects.

Scott's contributions extend to research and public engagement on learner success strategies. He has co-authored key publications, including 'Retention of first-year Māori students at university' (MAI Review, 2010) with Jacques van der Meer, exploring factors influencing Māori persistence; studies on peer learning effectiveness and its impact across student groups; analyses of course advising for Pacific student success; and 'An examination of self-efficacy and sense of belonging on business students’ performance' (Accounting & Finance, 2024) with Nicola Beatson and others. His conference presentations, such as 'Monitoring engagement and progress: towards a systematic strategy of communicating a message of care' (STARS Conference, 2017), advocate evidence-based pilots identifying non-engagement predictors for GPA and fostering a caring institutional culture. Scott has delivered public lectures like 'Understanding NCEA' and serves on the Committee for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching. Through collaborations with academics across divisions—including Associate Professor Jacques van der Meer (Humanities), Dr. Damian Scarf (Sciences), Dr. Rebecca Bird (Health Sciences), and Nicola Beatson (Business School)—he has shaped a whole-of-university approach, harnessing expertise to equip students with tools for diverse success outcomes, from passing grades to life direction.