Orientation for Credit, Transition for Success

Orientation for Credit, Transition for Success

CONTEXT
University orientation is typically a short term, first-year-focussed activity with minimal academic involvement. “O-Week” is held across the university, with many social and academic activities taking place. A few sessions might focus on the area of study that students have chosen. With modern pedagogies in mind, these sessions cover too much content to be remembered and students have limited opportunities for genuine engagement with peers and facilitators. Having orientation not optimised for building the skills and connections needed to succeed in the first year, with potential impacts on progression and retention rates, is a missed opportunity.

GOAL
An opportunity to revisit the aims and student experience of orientation has arisen as we update our engineering program. The new program design has an increased emphasis on the student journey, bringing a renewed focus on the transition into, and through, the university. The goal of this work is to successfully transition students into studying engineering at UniSQ and ensure they have the skills, direction and connections they need to succeed in their program.

APPROACH
The project is based on the use of the transition pedagogies of Kift, Nelson & Clarke (2010) and Lizzio’s 5 Senses Model (2006). A key component of the orientation will be students identifying their own areas of strengths that they can leverage as they set personal and professional development goals that they will pursue over the whole of first year in order to attain the defined first year capabilities that will assist them in their studies. Students will be linked with mentors and peer groups and support services as needed. As the student profile of UniSQ is diverse, this intentionally designed approach will help to ensure all student cohorts are included.

OUTCOMES
Our new approach aims to implement orientation for credit courses which will facilitate the building of essential study, personal and professional skills, starting with a residential school to meet staff and students. Personal goal setting and mentoring by staff and senior students will continue through the first year of enrolment and beyond. Students will have enhanced opportunities to develop a sense of belonging and access integrated support as they transition into university. Students will have a 0.5 credit point “pass” in their pocket at completion, and more importantly, should be well placed to continue their personal journey through their studies.

CONCLUSIONS
This work proposes a framework and course structure to support the transition of students into our renewed engineering programs. These are evaluated against existing transition frameworks.

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.