Discussion Forum
Improving the First Year Experience

The Discussion Forum, Improving the First Year Experience was held at The University of Sydney on Thursday 27 April 2000.

The programme included eight short presentations by various academics representing several Australian universities. These 'cameos' illustrated a number of university-wide, faculty and school/department programmes that are being implemented to improve the transition and first year experience for new students.

Introduction of the issues

Cameos

Dawn Gleeson, The University of Melbourne
Mary Peat, The University of Sydney
Trevor Appleton, The University of Queensland
Judith Pollard, The University of Adelaide
Karen Ginn, The University of Sydney
James Dalziel, The University of Sydney
Audrey Wilson, University of Wollongong
Paul Adam, The University of New South Wales

Summary of concerns
Recommendations
Specific examples
Future action
Additional readings

Mary Peat, The University of Sydney - general introduction of the issues

Identified who are our students - large groups, diverse background, range of abilities, range of interests, range of goals.

Research shows:

• Transition is complex - need to re-establish support groups, peer groups, social;
• Students need a sense of purpose;
• Need to be shown management of learning;
• Importance for academic adjustment, integration and involvement (time management); and
• Value of collaborative learning.

Strength of teaching in first year needs to be improved. We need to:

• improve the status of first year teaching with using best staff and resources;
• unpack the curriculum for our students, tell them what we expect;
• help students build a sense of identity;
• foster a sense of belonging;
• monitor students' actual experiences;
• give early systematic feedback; and
• engineer collaborative study.

Mike Prosser quoted one survey that found more than 50% (~58%) of students felt their teachers were not interested in the subject matter being taught.

Cameo Presentations

Dawn Gleeson, The University of Melbourne
Improving the First Year Experience in the Science Faculty at The University of Melbourne

Mary Peat, The University of Sydney

Faculty approach - Student Transition Workshop and Parent Program
Students: opportunity to meet and greet other students in big groups
Timetable has been organised to cater for the big groupings as experienced during workshop
Peer group formation - non academic, non confrontational and non content oriented activities
Lot of organisation and time consuming but inexpensive

Accompanying parent program to overcome feeling of being cut off from the university

Surveys have shown that first year students undertaking the program:

• are less likely to drop out;
• are more likely to be involved in collaborative learning;
• are more likely to be involved socially;
• are more academically motivated;
• have a feeling of belonging on-campus;
• are appreciative of staff and what is being done for them;
• engage in deeper learning activities; and
• have higher self esteem.

Trevor Appleton, The University of Queensland
Academic Advising for First Level Science Students at The University of Queensland

Judith Pollard, The University of Adelaide

Peer Adviser Program, which involves the use of 2nd/3rd year students.

The selection (based on students who have found their feet, academic results good, keen to help first year students) occurs in second semester and training program is carried out. Function: in first semester they meet with groups of about 12-15 students to one peer adviser, continues through first semester and beyond. Advertised through first year subjects. Lecturers encourage participation but it is not compulsory. For students who think they might need it.

Acknowledgment is in the form of a letter and a dinner for advisers.

1. making sense of the information overload. Panel of peer advisors giving answers rather that from a lecturer. About 50 minutes;
2. Managing deadlines (week 6); and
3. Preparing for exams, very practical, where to go, what you will need to take with you, preparation. (week 9)

Karen Ginn, Faculty of Health Science, The University of Sydney

At Entry: highly competitive, high achievers, great need to succeed, highly motivated, highly coached, translocated.

Help with:

• Management by giving detailed content, define boundaries, prescribed text; and
  
• Formal orientation with terms, laboratories, examinations.

Den parent: Tutor - help with note taking etc. but also support in understanding stresses involved and managing stress; aim to unpack the curriculum and give strong support at the beginning.

At Exit: still achieving, still motivated, more motivated, more cooperative, more independent

Second semester: reduce support gradually, reduce role of tutor

James Dalziel, The University of Sydney
Overheads

James suggests that one way to encourage attendance at transition type activities is to show students that the more they do to try and help their transition, the better marks they will get.

Survey of students (BSc) who agreed to allow access to marks across all their degree (~209 agreed, 31 refused permission) eventually reduced to 170. Not a random sample since they were self selected by having attended the workshop, or agreed to be involved as part of the control (again self-selecting). Measures were used to test the treatment and control groups for extroversion, school performance, individual or collaborative learning styles. No significant difference between the two groups on these measures.

Results: Those with higher TER did better, younger students (recent school leavers) did better that older (few years out of school - not mature aged, no data for this group which in any case is very small in Sydney science), males did better than females, attendance at workshop better than non attendance.

TER (UAI) was best predictor. Workshop attendance increased WAM score by on average 3.3.

Audrey Wilson, University of Wollongong
Helping the Transition from School to University

Paul Adams, The University of New South Wales

Transition

1. Discussion with adviser before enrolment;
2. Personal timetable - done manually;
3. Orientation week;
4. Faculty welcome day; and
5. Parents welcome day at a V-C level

Academic Transition

• Helps in Self esteem;
• Self selection basis - Counsellors, Learning centres;
• Specialist counsellor available for tutorial that deals with dissection;
• Have not addressed the needs of the whole cohort; and
• Practical Skills - design and writing

Mentoring Systems to be introduced

Four breakout groups reported back - Summary of the concerns

• Link welfare to learning. Consider the whole learning experience and be more supportive.
• First year teaching is most important; sets the scene for most students ultimate perceptions of the institution.
• First year teaching is probably undervalued at most institutions; certainly under-resourced (especially where there are large classes and the maxim "economy of scale" is used as the reason for reducing recurrent funding).
• With increasing heterogeneity (ability; degree program enrolled in; school/learning background; full-time/part-time; age) it is more difficult to help all students to create their identity within the institution.
• Service teaching embraces the large class model; this loses identity of both students and teachers.
• Transition not a "one-off" event. Needs to be extended well into the year. Needs to start within the school system.
• Staff need training in transition issues.
• Student services are vitally important for first year students.

Recommendations from the concerns

• Develop better student pastoral care plans (needs more funds);
• Lobby for more resources (Departmental level?);
• Consider the requirements of sub-sets of the student body (needs more funds);
• Ensure good outreach activities into the secondary schools showcasing science (Faculty level?);
• Ensure suitable bridging courses available;
• Run academic staff training sessions on transition issues; and
• Actively support institutions' student services. Develop special links with them.

Specific examples - please email your examples to BioSciCH@mail.usyd.edu.au

Transition programs

The University of Sydney

• SWOT (Sydney Welcome, Orientation and Transition) Program. Brochure available;
• International students have own Student Services Unit;
• Counselling group at Cumberland - special activities for international; bridging courses for physics, chemistry etc.; careers advice; services for students with disabilities; and
• Faculty of Science - Student Transition Workshop and Parents' Program

Monash University - students enrol on the Internet and have little face-to-face contact; schools sent a video "First Year on Campus" showing what it is like to be at Monash.

A Thai university - student advisers appointed for help with subject selection

The University of Queensland

• initial welcome to students to help with orientation;
• research and employment opportunities explained at the beginning;
• small groups of students in courses 100-120 (e.g. earth sciences); and
• all prac work is group work so learning to work in teams and with people you may not like.

Deakin University

• resource manual for each student; lecture notes, practical manual etc.;
• lectures videolink across 2 campuses; and
• personal web page for communication.

Requirements for better student experiences

Before entering university

• outreach activities into the secondary schools; and
• bridging courses (face-to-face and on-line).

At Faculty/University level

• workshops;
• student services;
• international student services; and
• mentoring.

Within courses

• liaison officers;
• course coordinators;
• departmental handbooks/subject information sheets/course notes;
• drop-in centres; duty tutors; learning centres;
• mentoring (staff:students);
• feedback;
• use of Web/IT/virtual labs - courseware; asynchronous discussion groups;
• problem-based scenarios; and
• early lectures to include something about transition - especially about the differences in teaching from school to university; build up slowly.

For external students

• passbook (like a passport) to track orientation activities (library visits, computer centres etc.);
• subject information, content, study skills etc.; and
• listserv for discussion group.

Future Action

Suggestions for a way forward:

• Web site rather than email discussion list preferable;
• Special issue of UniServe Science News on science teaching and the first year experience;
• Focus on issues such as feedback, valuable first year teaching rather than broader issues - themed discussion;
• List of resources from other institutions especially their outcomes;
• Question the issue of retention: retention at university or retention in science course; and
• Continue discussion forum in association with UniServe Science and the Annual Workshop to focus on particular needs of Sciences and Engineering.

Additional readings

Peat, M and Hewitt, R
Improving the First Year Experience: to set a new culture in place, Faculty of Science style.
Paper presented at the Third Pacific Rim "First Year in Higher Education" Conference, July 1998, Auckland, NZ.

Peat, M and Dalziel, J
Academic performance during student transition to university studies
Appendix1
Paper presented at the Third Pacific Rim "First Year in Higher Education" Conference, July 1998, Auckland, NZ.

Dalziel, J and Peat, M
Fostering collaborative learning during student transition to tertiary education: An evaluation of academic and social benefits
Paper presented at the 5th International Student Learning Symposium, September 1997, Glasgow, UK and published in Improving Student Learning: Improving Students as Learners, 1998

First Year Experience references

© 1997 - 2010 UniServe Science

Page Maintained By: PhySciCH@mail.usyd.edu.au
Last Update: Friday, 01-Feb-2002 14:45:50 EST
URL: http://science.uniserve.edu.au/workshop/fye/index.html