Parallel sessions 1
Session 1: Peers at work - A1
- [paper 120] ‘Just hanging around the school speaking English really makes me feel I belong to this school.’ Peer Mentoring, Being and Belonging: A comparison of the benefits of Peer Mentoring for one institution on two international campuses (UK and China) - Dr C. Mann, Mr. D. Foster (University of Nottingham)
This study reports a comparison of the findings of an evaluation from two peer mentoring schemes in one University on different international campuses and courses. The findings show that although there are some significant differences in the schemes which can be attributed to the differing course, and cultures, there are some universal benefits of peer mentoring.
Key words: Peer mentoring
- [paper 150] Speech and Language Therapy students’ experience of Peer Assisted Learning: undergraduates investigate PAL as a means of enhancing academic and professional development - Anne Guyon (University of East Anglia)
Material: presentation
This paper presents research conducted by undergraduate students into the student experience of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL). First year student mentees and their mentors participated in student-researcher led focus groups. Findings indicate that PAL enhances academic learning and professional development, although the collaborative nature of PAL takes time to develop.
Key words: Active learning, Belonging (socially, academic), Learning communities, Peer mentoring, Research on FYE, Service learning/volunteering, Student perspective, Students as partners, Study Skills, Transition from highschool/college to HE, Work and study
Session 2: FYE in business schools - A5
- [paper 97] Systematic attributions about attendance or non-attendance at lectures - Ragnhild Wiik (BI Norwegian Business School - Campus Stavanger)
Systematic attributions made by Bachelor business school students, including first year students, about their attendance and/or non-attendance at lectures were investigated. The survey methodology consisted of open-ended questions analyzed by attributional coding and statistics. With respect to non-attendance, most of the given causes were external to the students themselves.
Key words: Research on FYE, Retention, Study Skills, Transition to second year/masters
Material: presentation and paper.
- [paper 68] “Developing aspirations in able first year students within a massification context – two years later, how are we doing?” - Sallie Phillips (University of Bedfordshire)
Reporting on a project to create a strong trajectory for subsequent studies, this paper is a continuation of a 2014 study entitled “Developing aspirations in able first year students within a massification context: an exploratory study.” As our initial cohort graduates, this paper reports on differentiation strategies used, how data now informs our decisions and likely award outcomes.
Key words: Active learning, Belonging (socially, academic), Curriculum, Learning communities, Research on FYE, Retention, Students as partners, Study Skills, Transition to second year/masters, Work and study
Session 3: Student support - L01.07
- [Show and tell 50] Meaningful data contribute to culture of quality - Geja Kinds, Marjolein van der Moolen (Stenden University of applied sciences)
In the Study Success Program at Stenden University for Applied Sciences all stakeholders work closely together in each study program to decide which intervention will be most successful based on clear student progress overviews. Participants share fruitful interventions at Communities of Practice meetings.
Key words: Big Data, Institutional development, Learning communities, Students as partners
- [Show and tell 101] Taking care of students’ well-being – the way to support studies in chemistry - Tiina Kiviniemi (University of Jyväskylä)
Supporting students’ well-being using a well-defined operational model at the Department of Chemistry has been found an effective way to enhance both student retention and engagement in studies and chemistry community. In this presentation, I will show practical details on what we do, how we do it and why.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Counselling, Health and well-being, Induction (Orientation), Retention
Material: hand-out
- [show and tell 112] Educational Development for First Year Teaching - Lotte Rienecker, Pernille Gøtz, Christina Juul Jensen, Lotte Ebsen Sjøstedt (University of Copenhagen)
Materials: presentation, hand-out
"A better first year at University of Copenhagen” (2015-2017) is a voluntary, university-wide project for faculty and heads of studies who want to develop and share the outcomes of their first-year teaching and management projects. Themes chosen by faculty, cases and a format for depicting teaching development are presented for discussion.
Key words: Institutional development
- [Show and tell 27] Proactive Advising From Matriculation to Graduation: Support Throughout The Student Lifecycle - Jeffrey Birou, Rachael Switalski (Drexel University)
Drexel University's College of Engineering advising team shares how they screen, track and support students from matriculation, throughout their first-year, and up until graduation. With technology and proactive advising practices, we identify and support at-risk students throughout their academic lifecycle.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Curriculum, Induction (Orientation), Learning communities, Pre-entry, Retention, Transition from highschool/college to HE, Transition to second year/masters
Session 4: Pre-entry and belonging - L01.11
- [Show and tell 71] How can you prepare high-skilled immigrants for Higher Education? Insights from Ghent’s Preparatory Program. - Sibo Kanobana (Ghent University)
Several instances in Ghent joined forces to create a one-year preparatory program for high-skilled immigrants with an interest in higher education. The design of this pilot program is unique in Flanders.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Counselling, International students, Language (academic), Student diversity, Transition from highschool/college to HE
- [Show and tell 140] Your Future Career Starts Now! Student-Led Guest Lecture Series, Enhancing Employability from the Start - Alex Gittings and Harry Jones (Birmingham City University)
Our session documents our account of the design and delivery of the Birmingham City University (BCU) student-led guest lecture series. Seeing this as part of the same transition trajectory of our new students as they join us, rather than as a separate and distinct exit trajectory as our students leave, the student-led series has at its focus a desire to meet the needs of our students as they shape their future career plans from the very start of their higher education journey with BCU.
Key notes: Active learning, curriculum, induction (orientation), learning communities, peer mentoring, service learning/volunteering, social cohesion, student perspective, students as partners, transition into the second year, work and study
- [Show and tell 21] The Pioneer Project: tackling the under-representation of Belgian ethnic minority students in higher education. - Sarah-Jane Huysentruyt (Karel de Grote Hogeschool Antwerpen)
Material: presentation
The Pioneer Project tackles the under-representation of Belgian ethnic minority students in higher education. During the EFYE we will focus on 1 of the 3 activities of the Project: a 5-day pre-academic programme (summer school) & community aimed to enhance the social and academic integration of new students.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Peer mentoring, Retention, Student diversity, Study Skills, Transition from highschool/college to HE
- [Show and tell 49] FYE Bridge: Connecting Skills, Success, and Socializing - Mara Barrow (Petroleum Institute)
The First Year Experience Bridge (FYE Bridge) at the Petroleum Institute in the United Arab Emirates was launched in fall 2014 and offers pre-first year students a comprehensive program focused on their academic development, personal wellbeing, in addition to their social integration and outreach. Over the course of 3 semesters, figures point to increased student participation and engagement in FYE Bridge. This is an encouraging sign as the program evolves to continually support students in their effort to cope with the rigorous demands placed on them as new members of a university community.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Retention, Study Skills, Transition from highschool/college to HE
Material: poster
Session 5: Transition into masters - L01.10
- [workshop 74] Master student transition as a process from application to the first week of classes - Anna Helqvist, Line Ellemann-Jensen (University of Copenhagen)
We work with a concept for Master student transition. Our target groups are international and Danish students. We will discuss how to secure a relevant transition as base for continued integration for a complex target group. We invite the participants to discuss and develop realistic and easily applied initiatives.
Key words: Belonging (socially, academic), Counselling, Induction (Orientation), International students, Retention, Transition to second year/masters
Session 6: Students as partners - L01.05
- [workshop 9] Level Up Venture Mentoring: A guide to embedding engagement and belonging from pre-arrival and beyond. - Jamie Morris, Neil Hollins (Birmingham City University)
Level Up Venture Mentoring is a pre-induction initiative that seeks to aid the transition of students coming into their first year of Higher Education. The programme also strives to embed a sense of engagement and belonging throughout the student experience beyond work done for pre-arrival and Welcome Week.
Key words: Active learning, Belonging (socially, academic), Induction (Orientation), Learning communities, Peer mentoring, Pre-entry, Research on FYE, Retention, Students as partners, Social Media, Technology, Transition from highschool/college to HE