UniServe Science, The University of Sydney
Enhancing Australian Science and Mathematics education

Discussion Forum: Students at Risk

In 2000 UniServe Science introduced a First Year Experience Forum to enable the enthusiastic science teachers, who are committed to "doing things better", to have the opportunity to share with one another. Reports from previous Forums can be accessed through the First Year Experience web page.

The Discussion Forum, Students "at risk" was held at the University of Sydney on Thursday 2 October 2003.

The programme included five short presentations by various academics representing several Australian universities. These 'cameos' illustrated a number of alternative strategies that are being implemented and issues that are being addressed by universities, faculties or school/department in relation to the assessment of first year students.

Discussion Forum Report

Invited speakers
Dawn Gleeson, The University of Melbourne
Sue Jones, The University of Tasmania
Charlotte Taylor, The University of Sydney
John O'Byrne, The University of Sydney
Theresa Winchester-Seeto, Macquarie University

There were three break-out groups each of which were asked to consider three issues:
Ways of identifying students at risk - before it is too late. Is this possible?
Providing an on-campus learning experience in spite of competing commitments like casual work; family matters etc - how do we achieve this and cope with the competition?
What strategies can we use to "rescue" students?
Reports from break-out groups
Invited Summary

References and web sites

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The Future?

The discussion considered areas that need exposure, and these included

·        Initiatives to challenge students creativity

·        Catering for the best students

·        Challenge all student through curriculum design and assessment

·        Plagiarism – causes for and strategies to minimize

·        Assessment

A straw poll for April or October, resulted in a consensus for October.

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Last Update: Thursday, 13-Nov-2003 10:10:18 EST
URL: http://science.uniserve.edu.au/workshop/fye4/index.html