University Wide Implementations

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Dawn Whittall School of Nursing
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What is it like to be a first year student?

• Unique and complex
• Multicultural
• Working
• Human

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Student Learning Support

• Why do students need learning support?
• What students use learning support?
• How can learning support be used in understanding
  first year transition issues?
• How can academics and Schools use learning
  support?

4
Lou Benson

• School of Business

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When, Why, Who

• When do first year students withdraw?
• Why do first year students withdraw?
• Who are the students that withdraw?

6
Valerie Runyan
Head Student Services. Portfolio of
Administrative and Academic Support
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University Wide Implementations
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• University moved from a stand alone Support
  Service
• First Year Coordinator was established in each
  School
• Orientation Week
• Student Learning Support Coordinator
• Email program to first year students
• Starting at UB Website
• Transition is an ongoing commitment

9
Stephanie Davison School of Science and
Engineering
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Listening Linking Learning Conference Cluster 5
The First Year Experience   How do we plan to
assist the transition to university life for
first year students in 2005?  
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UB Transition Program Aims

• Improve the quality of both social and learning
  experiences for all students enrolled in first
  year at UB
• Document, evaluate and communicate the
  experiences of first year students
• Initiatives in teaching, learning, curriculum
  development and assessment
• Co-ordinated university-wide approach to the
  transition issue
• Have a positive impact on student attrition
  rates from UB Higher Education Courses

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Accumulated knowledge is giving us a clearer idea
of the issues and how to address them.

• This year and previous years
• Acquired through
• - Interactions with students
  personal, focus
• groups, surveys
• - Reading of literature
• - Sharing of experiences with each
  other.
• - FYHE Conference in July

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Recognition that Transition lasts the whole year.

• Withdrawal data reflects a steady loss of
  students throughout the year
• a significant number of students complete first
  year but do not go on to second year
• Need to devise strategies which will encourage
  students into the second year of study

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Ideas under discussion for 2005 Group
ApproachYour input via the discussion session
which follows is welcomed

• Orientation Week
• - increasing the academic relevance
• Residences
• - tone down social activities in initial
  weeks
• International and Mature Age Students
• - additional academic support sessions
• Academic Support Structures and Processes
• - academic guide, unit descriptions and
  early learning tasks
• Understanding the expectations v reality and
  Bridging the Gap
• - measure the discrepancy to allow
  planning for future action to better prepare
  secondary students for higher ed and for us to
  provide for the needs of the entering students

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Ideas under discussion for 2005 Individual
Approach
The personal approach What will you do
differently in 2005 to better cater for the needs
of your first year students?
Do you acknowledge there is a need for change?
Commit to making that change
Share whatever it is that you do well
Share your ideas during and after the discussion
session which follows
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Feedback from the session
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The ideas generated in this session are crucial
to the development of a Transition Program which
gives all students access to success at this
university.
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The session

• Two questions
• What are the most significant issues with the
  First Year Experience at the University?
• What do you think we should do in 2005 to improve
  the First Year Experience of students?

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Note the discussions on butchers
paper.Synthesis the points on to the two over
heads.

• Report back to the whole group at 2.15.

Question and answer session with Marie Emmitt
2.45-3.00
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Summary

• Listen to student needs
• Know their needs
• Know the students
• Recognise the social needs of students
• Importance of early assessment

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Summary

• Consider group assessable tasks
• Oweek or O-semester
• Recognise the contribution of teaching in a
  research driven agenda
• Ensure all services work to support student
  learning
• Sense of direction
• High achieving students have transition needs

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Summary

• Importance of the student association
• Use student services on request
• Provide information at the time of need
• How do we inform all students

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Summary

• Use full time staff in first year
• Use experienced and expert and accessible
  teachers

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Professor Marie EmmittConcluding observations

• Change pedagogy
• Recognise time on campus issue
• Develop collaboration techniques through all
  curriculum (online)
• Oweek for academics
• Pedagogy
• Nature of the campus environment
• Making friends

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• Importance of