First year experience
As a result of unprecedented growth within the higher education sector we know there is a widening gulf between the assumptions of the University and the culture, experiences, and aspirations of students (Krause, 2006; Pike, and Kuh, 2005; Markwell, 2007; Schwartz, 2006). More specifically we know that students experience a series of transitions, all of which require specialised support. Three key transition periods are:
- Prior to attendance on campus
- Orientation week
- The first six weeks
Interested in finding out more about evidence-based understanding and practice (PDF 24k) for first year students and orientation?
The remainder of this section is organised into three main interest areas:
- Enhancing the first year experience
- Supporting transition to university
- Student engagement in the first year.
Good Practice Guide,Enhancing Student Engagement in the First Year:
Student engagement in learning and learning communities is a key to success in the first year of university. Students who engage with their peers, academic staff and the broader university community are more likely to:
- feel that they belong in the university community
- be motivated to study
- form friendships and peer networks
- persist with university study beyond the first year
Student engagement in the first year depends on many pre-entry factors, as well as contextual factors such as student expectations and aspirations, disciplinary context and class size.
Strategies in the good practice guide provide a guide for engaging students in the first year. They will be most effective if tailored to your particular context and student cohort.
For further information the Good Practice Guide (PDF 175k) is available to download.