Spatial thinking is an integral skill for geography students to develop. Whilst many spatial competencies have been identified by researchers, and the merits of GIS seemingly ubiquitous in the published literature, little work has been done into how students' spatial thinking skills can be assessed. Therefore, further investigation into the…

The Open University has been undertaking an extended initiative to improve student retention through enhanced support for at-risk students. This initiative has evolved through a series of stages from ad hoc small scale local interventions relying largely on tutors and student self-referral, to an institution-wide pro-active system implemented by…