Collaborative practice in practice in enhancing the first year experience in Higher Education

Abstract

Transition into higher education presents challenges for students, whatever their age or previous educational history. An emerging issue on an undergraduate programme in England was how to support students who self reported educational histories of continual formative feedback, model answers, revision guides and limited use of the library. This article reports findings from an action research project which considered whether there was a mismatch between students' previous educational histories and the academic expectations of the university. Findings indicated that academic expectations did not fully take account of previous student experiences. Student responses also indicated little previous guidance around effective internet searching and libraries were rarely used prior to starting university. Transitional scaffolding was positively evaluated, students reporting greater confidence levels in accessing appropriate resources, high levels of student completion, retention and satisfaction.

“It’s ok not to know what I want to do”: An exploration into the aspirations of Early Childhood Studies students

“…It is suggested that once they have received the necessary guidance, and only then, can they begin to self-direct their futures. This aligns with the transitional bridging model as developed by Lumsden et al, (2010).…”

Enhancing first year student engagement: collaborative practice in a core business unit

“…With the changing demographic has come a growing concern that students who enter higher education may not have the requisite language and academic skills to pursue their studies without appropriate learning support. Furthermore, school leavers appear to struggle with the type of learning required at higher education (Arkoudis and Starfield, 2007;Australian Universities Quality Agency, 2009;Lumsden et al, 2010;Wingate, 2007). As a result, there is "an increasingly widespread perception […] that the language and literacy skills of [English an Additional Language] students […] is in a state of decline" (Murray, 2010 p. 56; see also Arkoudis et al, 2012).…”

Engendering an Online Community: Supporting Students on the Transition into University Life

“…Those who are mature learners may have had a negative experience of education previously which led them to drop out of study, while those who are international are often concerned about the linguistic or cultural aspects of the experience. Lumsden et al (2010) point out that a mismatch between previous educational experience and the differing demands of university expectations is often at the heart of why students tend to be unsuccessful in transitioning to university life. They cite examples such as poor IT skills, lack of analytical reading skills, lack of research skills, and focus on structured learning to pass exams to explain students' lack of success.…”

“…Most of these students cite 'lack of preparation for and understanding of the type of learning that is required' (Wingate, 2007: p. 392, in Lumsden et al, 2010. In contrast, students who are most likely to succeed are ones who are embedded from both an academic and social aspect (Lumsden et al, 2010, Wingate, 2007, Crabtree et al, 2007, Reason et al, 2006, Mayhew et al, 2010.…”