I totally agree with you Bridget! We have tried very hard to avoid any
remediality in the support that our Learner Development Unit provides.
However this can be hard when sometimes the only slots we can get into
curriculum are bolt on/additional sessions or where staff don't turn up
to support a SaPRA session and the students are left wondering what the
purpose of it was... We've also limited any referral services so
students don't feel singled out and identified as 'struggling' when
accessing our services.
I'd love to move more to a situation where students were in control of
the content of a skills module themselves, where it was fully
contextualised into the subject area and where they felt empowered and
motivated as a result of the developmental activities they were engaged
in. We have had some success in our Pharmacy programme where significant
changes have been made to how the content is delivered and how the
students are engaged in this process.
Becka
Becka Currant
Dean of Students
University of Bradford
Tel: 01274 236821
Mob: 07917 241214 (or 1739 internally)
Twitter: beckacurrant
[log in to unmask] wrote:
> Dear SEDA colleagues
>
> what an interesting discussion re induction .... I can't help feeling though that if we mainstreamed areas such as " learning support" and " academic skills support" more into the day to day lives of the students, this would enable them to feel much more part of being a student, rather than feeling that there is something the matter with them if they are not coping.
>
> So much support is provided in a very fragmented fashion, away from the lecture theatres and laboratories where the students spend most of their working weeks, so unless students wish to be seen as failing in some way ( eg can't write properly, can't manage their time properly) they start to fall out of the system.
>
> I read a great article last week that you might find of interest: Jacklin, A. and Le Riche, P. (2009), ‘Re-conceptualising student support: from 'support' to 'supportive'‘, Studies in Higher Education, 34/7.
>
> If we got some of this right, perhaps our induction procedures might not be under so much pressure.
>
> best wishes
>
> Bridget
>
> Bridget Middlemas
>
> Senior Lecturer in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education
>
> Educational Developer, Learning & Teaching Enhancement Unit
>
> Room 144, Grove House, Froebel College, Roehampton University, London SW15 5PJ
>
> (t) 0208 392 3000 x 3499
> ________________________________________
> From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Becka Currant [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 10:32 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: extended inductions for students
>
> This is a very important area, and as Phil says, one which is often left
> ignored. After all, if you've survived your first year there are no
> transition issues for subsequent years of study are there?
>
> It's for this reason that we have developed our model of the extended
> student which focuses on providing appropriate support throughout the
> whole student lifecycle from pre-entry to post graduation. There are
> many different elements to what we do but our approach includes a social
> network which provides a safe space for students (and staff) throughout
> the uni to talk to each other; our inhouse SaPRA activity which helps
> students to reflect on their levels of confidence in different skill
> areas. SaPRA has different versions for year 1, 2, 3 and PG students.
> And our Outduction project helps final year students manage the process
> of leaving.
>
> For those of you not familiar with the Develop Me! approach you can
> access the social network here: http://developme.ning.com
>
> Becka
>
> Becka Currant
> Dean of Students
> University of Bradford
> Tel: 01274 236821
> Mob: 07917 241214 (or 1739 internally)
> Twitter: beckacurrant
>
>
>
> Race, Phil wrote:
>
>> *Looking back at this, Sarah, got me thinking about second year students.*
>> **
>> *They return to Uni, usually a little later than all the celebration
>> and fuss which welcomes first-year students, and are usually plunged
>> straight in at the deep end into harder work than they were doing in
>> the first year. There aren't exciting new discoveries for them (new
>> place, new pubs, new friends).*
>> **
>> *There are all sorts of papers and books focusing on the first year
>> experience, but I think the second year gets rather missed out. Final
>> year students often also get a lot of attention (and in the UK their
>> feedback is gathered in the National Student Survey), but again the
>> 2nd year students miss out.*
>> **
>> *I wonder if the discussion on 'extended induction' might profitably
>> seek out best practice regarding second year students?*
>> **
>> *all best wishes,*
>> *Phil*
>>
>>
>>
>> *------------------------------------------*
>>
>> *Professor Phil Race*
>>
>> BSc PhD PGCE FCIPD SFHEA NTF
>>
>> *Emeritus Professor*
>>
>> Leeds Metropolitan University
>>
>> **
>>
>> Normally best contact me by email as I travel around a lot
>>
>> *Website: www.phil-race.co.uk <http://www.phil-race.co.uk/> *
>>
>> *-----------------------------------------------*
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>> Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Sarah.Moore
>> *Sent:* 05 October 2009 13:00
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* extended inductions for students
>>
>> Dear Seda colleagues
>>
>> Do any of your institutions have key advice about how to extend
>> induction for first year students beyond the usual, often
>> tightly-packed orientation days? Any ideas relating to good
>> practice, enhancing the first semester and exploring ways to get
>> students off to the best possible start would be much appreciated.
>> I will be delighted to compile responses and post up a summary for
>> everyone.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best wishes and many thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Prof Sarah Moore
>>
>> Associate VP, Academic
>>
>> University of Limerick
>>
>> IRELAND
>>
>>
>>
>> To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to
>> http://disclaimer.leedsmet.ac.uk/email.htm
>>
>>
>>
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