Hi all,
We spent the summer developing a website called 'Headstart' to support the transition to higher education www.brunel.ac.uk/headstart. The link has been sent to all new students and we've had over 6,000 unique hits. The site has a range of things from an interactive skills audit to videos of students giving their advice to new students. The aim is to expand the project to looking at other transitions (from the 1st to 2nd year, after the placement year and into postgraduate level, for example). The Academic Skills team developed it but we hope it will expand to include content from other departments.
We also worked with the Civil Engineering department to pilot a subject specific version of the above site, with more interactivity using a platform called Ning www.civilatbrunel.com. This link was sent to around 60 1st year students in early September with a programme of online chats and blogs taking place from 12-16 September. The content (including videos and blogs) was very popular but students didn't engage heavily with the online chats, which was a shame. We're doing a full evaluation and hope to present something at ALDinHE.
I'm looking forward to hearing all about Flying Start Carol! It looks like we could share some ideas here,
Best wishes,
Emily
Emily Danvers
Senior Academic Skills Adviser
ASK Academic Skills
The Library
Brunel University
www.brunel.ac.uk/library/ask
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Christine Keenan
Sent: 04 October 2011 09:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New first years!
Wow this sounds amazing!
I can imagine that this would be really engaging, and something that the new students would want to follow. I'll look forward to catch up with you and your findings at the next ALDinHE conference in Leeds!
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carol Elston
Sent: 04 October 2011 09:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New first years!
We ran a pilot transition project (Flying Start) that involved around 1,500 new students from 11 Schools/departments. The project ran from 18/09 ('A' level result day) until 18/09, the beginning of Induction week. During this period students were drip fed information through a website that was enhanced/extended every few days - Twitter and Facebook were used to let the students know that a new version was available. The website included a thread of a video story (3 students at the end of their first year sharing their memories/advice) with links to generic academic skills related activities and discipline specific information.
Site statistics and initial feedback look positive. I intend to hold focus groups during the next couple of months to find out more and hope to present my findings at the ALDinHE conference next April.
Carol Elston
Skills@Library, University of Leeds
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Helen Heywood
Sent: 04 October 2011 08:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New first years!
Did the traditional standing in front of very large cohorts of new students- potentially all first years and top up students. This would have totalled about 1000-saw them in groups which ranged from 200+ to about 20. It I'd billed as Academic Skills and the students are given 3 x 15 presentations, with the opportunity for questions at the end, from a member of staff from Academic Skills, the Library and eLearning. The presentations are uploaded onto the VLE for future reference. The feedback is usually positive as the students get to see a person in the flesh, so to speak, the presentations are short and the information considered 'crucial to successful study'. There has been some attempt at evaluation using clicker handsets, but not sure how seriously the students took the session- more fascinated by the technology.
Personally, we-the Academic Skills Team-would prefer embedded induction sessions, but the academics don't seem too keen. Helen Heywood Academic Skills Coordinator UCP Marjon
On 3 Oct 2011, at 20:44, "Christine Keenan" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear everyone,
> I know a lot of us have been busy and engrossed with freshers and
> other new first year work over the last few weeks.
>
> I wondered, whilst it's all still fresh in the mind, whether we could
> share examples of what went well, what might not have gone so well and
> what we've learnt!
>
> I was responsible for a relatively small group of students (about 90)
> this year. We had the usual mix of induction talks and the students
> worked together to prepare and give presentations last Friday.
>
> The students who engaged have bonded really well and seem to have made
> friends and settled in well. Some did not come in at all, when I
> phoned them they said "no offense but" they had chosen not to bother
> until classes started this week.
>
> I'd be really interested to hear what others have done in terms of
> transition support - induction/freshers week at your institutions?
>
> Do you think that there has been more focus on transition to HE with
> OFFA access agreements in place?
>
> How has it all gone this year?
>
> Look forward to hearing ......
>
> Best wishes
> Chris
>
>
>
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