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... It is beyond the scope of this paper to review all the literature on student retention and success, and perhaps more importantly, there are existing literature reviews which can be drawn upon. This paper therefore draws upon the HEFCEfunded review of WP literature (Gorard et al., 2006), the review of the first year experience commissioned by the Higher Education Academy (Harvey and Drew, 2006), and the Higher Education Academy's synthesis on student retention and success (Jones, 2008b)., 2007), the nature of the topic, the size and quality of the literature base and the preferences of researcher(s) (Rickinson and May, 2009). This review is primarily being undertaken to inform policy, or rather to inform the evaluation of practice and subsequently to inform policy. ...
... National research in the UK and Australia (McInnis et al., 2000;Yorke, 2000;Krause et al., 2005;Harvey and Drew, 2006) reports that students often have poor information pre-entry, which results in poor decision making, inappropriate choices and early withdrawal. Students can feel that they have insufficient information to make an informed decision about entry to higher education in general and choice of institution, subject and course. ...
... Making the transition into higher education is challenging (Booth, 1997;McInnis et al., 2000), and students who fail to adjust and integrate to the higher education expectations and context are more likely to withdraw (Harvey andDrew, 2006, see also Quinn et al., 2005;Jones, 2008b). There is often a gap between students' expectations of higher education and their experiences in higher education (Richardson, 2003;Forrester et al., 2004;Long and Tricker, 2004;Quinn et al., 2005), especially for 242 Higher Education Quarterly young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds who have less prior knowledge of what student life involves (Forsyth and Furlong, 2003).Pancer et al. (2000)suggest that students with more complex expectations about higher education tend to adjust better than students who have simpler expectations. ...
This paper reviews the potential impact of pre-entry widening access interventions on student retention and success in higher education. It thus addresses two contemporary policy concerns: What is the impact of pre-entry widening access interventions; and how can we improve student retention and success? A review of academic and practitioner literature finds limited research about the impact of pre-entry interventions in general and very little on the impact of pre-entry interventions on students' retention and success in higher education. A review of the research, however, identifies the importance of factors which pre-entry interventions address: pre-entry decision making, expectations about higher education and academic preparation. To date, however, the impact of pre-entry interventions on retention in higher education has been largely ignored. Thus pre-entry activities, such as Aimhigher, should be evaluated for their impact on student retention. The paper offers an outline evaluation framework, including evaluation topics and suggested key performance indicators to bridge this gap.
... Cook (2006) contends that universities are excellent at preparing students for professional life, but not as good at preparing them for academic life. Often the amount of information presented to students during induction can be quite overwhelming (Cook, 2006), and the process has occasionally been criticised for being confusing and 'overly bureaucratic' (Harvey & Drew, 2006;Lewis, 1984). This is evidenced in the amount of information that students get during induction, which is often supported with a range of hand-outs, such as contact lists, business cards, DVDs, USB memory sticks, booklets and paper hand-outs. ...
... There is already a range of literature which focuses on the induction experience as shown by Harvey and Drew (2006) but what seems apparent is that there is a dearth of literature focussing specifically on campus discovery. That is the focus of the present paper which explores the issue of campus self-discovery and outlines a game played during the induction week at the University of Warwick by students on the MSc Cyber Security and Management degree. ...
Campus discovery is an important feature of a university student induction process. Approaches towards campus discovery differ from course to course and can comprise guided tours that are often lengthy and uninspiring, or self-guided tours that run the risk of students failing to complete them. This paper describes a campus self-discovery induction game (Geospatial Crypto Reconnaissance) which aims to make students aware of campus resources and facilities, whilst at the same time allowing students to make friends and complete the game in an enthusing and exciting way. In this paper we describe the game construct, which comprises of a location, message, and artefact , and also the gameplay. Geospatial Crypto Reconnaissance requires students to identify a series of photographs from around the campus, to capture the GPS coordinates of the location of the photograph, to decipher a ciphered message and then to return both the GPS coordinates and the message for each photograph, proving that the student has attended the location. The game had a very high satisfaction score and we present an analysis of student feedback on the game and also provide guidance on how the game can be adopted for less technical cohorts of students.
... However, students' pre-transfer aspirations and expectations have been shown to diverge from the reality of their first year at university, which may translate into difficulty adapting to higher education (Bates & Kaye, 2014;Tranter, 2003;Reay, Crozier, & Clayton, 2010;Smith & Hopkins, 2005). Research suggests that students receive inadequate information prior to entering university, resulting in them making inappropriate decisions regarding their choice of institution and course (Harvey & Drew, 2006;Krause, Hartley, James, & McInnis, 2005;McInnis, James, & Hartley, 2000;Yorke, 2000). Many students also report feeling underprepared for university, with this being a key indicator of withdrawal (Forrester, Motteram, Parkinson, & Slaouti, 2004;Richardson, 4 2003; Thomas, 2012;Quinn et al., 2005). ...
In view of recent changes in the Higher Education sector, such as increased tuition fees, a greater focus has been placed on widening participation initiatives and monitoring student satisfaction. The aims of the current study were twofold: 1), to explore whether pre-entry programmes foster successful transition to higher education, and 2), to examine longitudinally the factors associated with course satisfaction. Eighty-eight first year Psychology students completed a questionnaire measuring academic self-efficacy, social identity and student satisfaction at the start (Time 1, November 2015) and end of the academic year (Time 2, March 2016). Findings indicated that students who participated in a pre-entry programme reported higher academic self-efficacy and satisfaction compared to typical route students. Moreover, academic self-efficacy predicted student satisfaction at the start of the academic year, whereas in-group affect (a facet of social identity) predicted this at the end of the academic year. The current findings indicate that pre-entry programmes may have a positive impact on students’ sense of academic self-efficacy. On a more general level, the findings also suggest that academic self-efficacy and social identity may be key indicators of student satisfaction. This highlights the complexities of the concept of “student satisfaction”, and demonstrates the utility of examining multiple factors relating to student satisfaction across different time points.
... There are advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods. However, Harvey and Drew (2006) noted that developing learning skills was best addressed when the learning was contextualised within the curriculum rather than in standalone courses. Previous measures within the department to support career development specifically have included working closely with the university CES who had delivered departmental induction talks and lectures in the final year. ...
Within the UK, traditional subject-specific areas are increasingly being complemented by the provision of opportunities to foster students' personal development planning as an aide to support their future employment and lifelong learning. This paper describes an action research project which examined employability skills within a psychology department's curriculum. The first cycle involved conducting a curriculum audit, focus groups and a survey of psychology undergraduates' views on employability. Analysis of the findings suggested a strong focus on development of generic graduate skills, such as communication, IT and working with others, whilst students had difficulty in recognising the applicability of these skills beyond an educational context. Furthermore, examples of explicit career development planning were minimal in both module information documentation and undergraduates' accounts. After a process of evaluation and reflection, the second cycle involved embedding employability skills into the psychology curriculum. The process is described along with discussion on methodological issues and the benefits and challenges of embedding employability in a curriculum. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
... It is widely accepted in UK and Australia that all students need better information about higher education to inform their choices of institution, discipline and course (McInnis, James and Hartley, 2000;Harvey and Drew, 2006;Krause et al., 2005;Yorke, 2000), but this is especially true for those who are the first in their family to attend higher education. Student ambassadors are ideally placed to deliver much of the information. ...
In England and Australia, higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected to widen participation (WP) in higher education (HE) to enhance social justice and improve individual and national economic returns. Furthermore, HEIs are the major providers of initial and in-service teacher
education. This article surveys international literature to explore ways in which teacher education programmes could and do contribute to preparing teachers to advocate for WP, including drawing on learning from WP research that demonstrates the value of current HE students engaging young
people in schools and colleges to support them in seriously considering progressing to HE. We conclude that teachers and pre-service teachers are well placed to be advocates for WP. In the majority of higher education institutions, however, WP and teacher education functions are not working
collaboratively to embed advocacy for WP into teacher education programmes.
... It is widely accepted in UK and Australia that all students need better information about higher education to inform their choices of institution, discipline and course (McInnis, James and Hartley, 2000;Harvey and Drew, 2006;Krause et al., 2005;Yorke, 2000), but this is especially true for those who are the first in their family to attend higher education. Student ambassadors are ideally placed to deliver much of the information. ...
bstract
In England and Australia, higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected towiden participation (WP) in higher education (HE) to enhance social justice andimprove individual and national economic returns. Furthermore, HEIs are themajor providers of initial and in‐service teacher education. This article surveysinternational literature to explore ways in which teacher education programmescould and do contribute to preparing teachers to advocate for WP, includingdrawing on learning from WP research that demonstrates the value of current HE students engaging young people in schools and colleges to support them inseriously considering progressing to HE. We conclude that teachers and pre‐service teachers are well placed to be advocates for WP. In the majority of highereducation institutions, however, WP and teacher education functions are not working collaboratively to embed advocacy for WP into teacher educationprogrammes.
Keywords
: pre‐service teacher education; initial teacher training; newlyqualified teachers; widening participation; access; students; advocates;ambassadors
... There are advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods. However, Harvey and Drew (2006) noted that developing learning skills was best addressed when the learning was contextualised within the curriculum rather than in standalone courses. Previous measures within the department to support career development specifically have included working closely with the university CES who had delivered departmental induction talks and lectures in the final year. ...
The first year experience of students studying at higher education institutions has been intensively studied over the past forty years (Nelson & Clarke, 2014). Much has been learnt, but institutions are continuing to face unacceptable levels of student withdrawal. Concerns have been raised that the constructs on which previous studies have been based may be restricting researchers' efforts to develop a deeper understanding of the first year phenomena (Kahu, 2013). There is strong support for new and creative ways to investigate the lived experience of first year students across their full first year of study. This paper details and discusses these issues and reports on a research approach using an Experience Sampling Method (ESM) with first year pre-service teachers that may better capture student perceptions of the factors they believe have a marked effect on their experiences. The authors contend the method is transferable to all first year university students. The ESM strategy applied to the first year university experience is explained in detail as well as the perceptions of the participants with regard to its effectiveness and impact. The results of the study provide a strong base for future discussions about third generation research methods and the use of an 'insider researcher' approach to investigating the first year experience.
The Green Paper Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice [BIS. 2015. Sheffield: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/474227/BIS-15–623-fulfilling-our-potential-teaching-excellence-social-mobility-and-student-choice.pdf] suggests that the United Kingdom Higher Education (HE) landscape will be transformed, with greater emphasis on the quality of teaching and dissemination of high-quality learning and teaching (L&T) information to students. The latter is important for achieving the Government’s widening participation agenda. Previously, a survey of the websites of 38 HE institutions found that limited information was provided to prospective students on several aspects of L&T [Hosein, A., and N. Rao. 2015. An Impact Study of the Guidance Documents for Higher Education Providers Published by QAA in 2013. Gloucester: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=3014#.VlKDp4SS1Bx]. This research study analyses interview data from quality assurance and marketing personnel in eight British universities to identify the reasons for this information gap on HE institutions websites. The findings indicate that both institutional and individual practices influence the quality of L&T website information. The recognition of these contributory factors may facilitate the provision of quality information and guidance on effective ways of addressing these.
Concern has been expressed about the potential shortfall in the number of qualified engineers available to industry over the coming ten years highlighting the need to ensure that student engineers are retained and complete their studies. This concern was echoed in two Schools of engineering
at a pre-1992, research intensive university where for some years the number leaving in Year 1 had been at an unacceptable level. The opportunity to take part in the HEFCE/Paul Hamlyn funded research programme What works? Student retention and success allowed the authors to test through
a change initiative a hypothesis that students who become integrated into their degree programme socially and/or academically will be more resilient when encountering difficulties and set-backs and therefore more able to negotiate the significant progression hurdle between Year 1 and Year
2. In focus of the change initiative in School A was on an activity during the induction process, and in School B the formation of academic teams who worked together throughout the year. The results of the evaluation of the two initiatives are presented in parallel and are not intended to
be comparative. In both Schools an increased number of students were able to progress to Year 2 in the two intervention years.
(Report/Working paper) There is evidence that a good induction to university life can help with student retention; however, there is also a danger of overwhelming students during the intense period of fresher's week. Under the auspices of a small grant from the Higher Education Academy's 'Changing the Learning Landscape' funding stream, staff at two universities (University College London and Southampton Solent University) collaborated to produce an innovative and engaging induction project entitled 'InDUCKtion', based on the idea of an induction duck being a fun character for students to interact with. At UCL, the InDUCKtion duck existed in the form of a physical plastic duck included in international postgraduate student induction packs, and they were encouraged to take photos of themselves in and around UCL and London as part of a photo challenge using social media. It was anticipated that this would enable students to familiarise themselves with the locale, make friends and have fun at the same time. The InDUCKtion duck was also evident on flyers and posters with QR codes advertising an online tour to enable students to gain an accelerated familiarisation with the campus and its facilities. Within UCL, the project was a collaborative, cross-departmental venture instigated by members of UCL's E-Learning Environments (ELE) working in partnership with the Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) and Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW). The logistics of the project meant that the team members also had to liaise with a number of other individuals and departments around UCL, to help promote and implement the project.
Unpublished, non-peer reviewed.
The transition from school or college to university education is an exciting time for most students, but also
one that is filled with new challenges. Students are faced with new styles of teaching and learning, and are
required to be more independent and acquire new skill sets. For psychology students, there may be an
additional challenge in the form of studying a subject that is novel to them, or they may need to revise their
understanding of the nature of their subject from their perception pre-university. This article will review some
of the current literature on student transitions, and on psychology students’ preparation for degree-level
study, and will recommend collaborative working and increased dialogue between the pre-tertiary and
university sectors as one way to smooth the transition.
A longitudinal study of the retention and academic performance of college freshmen taking freshman seminars found that participating students with higher Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores were significantly less likely to leave college than nonparticipating controls, and participating students with lower SAT scores showed slightly better retention and grade point averages than controls.
In an effort to reduce depression and its consequences, including poor grades and school dropout, a preventive training program for freshmen was conducted and evaluated. One experimental group, the social group, was given a semester-long course in the development and practice of personal competencies (including affect management, self-control, social skills, and problem-solving skills). A second experimental group was given a semester-long course in academic skills. A third group, the control group, received no training or intervention. The dependent variables included (a) levels of depression, (b) self-reported personal competencies, (c) grades, (d) placement on academic probation, and (e) retention. Lowered levels of depression and higher rates of personal competency were found among all three groups. However, the academic and social groups showed no superiority over the control group on the self-report measures. The two experimental groups were significantly different from the control group in that they had higher grades (p p p Document Type: Research Article Publication date: January 1, 1990 More about this publication? The Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition is a semiannual refereed journal providing current research on the first college year and other significant student transitions. The primary purpose of the Journal is to disseminate empirical research findings on student transition issues that inform practice in all sectors of postsecondary education, such as explorations into the academic, personal, and social experiences (including outcomes related to success, learning, and development) of students at a range of transition points throughout the college years; transition issues unique to specific populations (e.g., non-traditional, traditional, historically underrepresented students, transfer students, commuters, part-time students); and explorations of faculty development, curriculum, and pedagogical innovations connected to college transitions. Editorial Board Information for Authors Submit a Paper Subscribe to this Title Index Contact ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites (document).ready(function() { var shortdescription = (".originaldescription").text().replace(/\\&/g, '&').replace(/\\, '<').replace(/\\>/g, '>').replace(/\\t/g, ' ').replace(/\\n/g, ''); if (shortdescription.length > 350){ shortdescription = "" + shortdescription.substring(0,250) + "... more"; } (".shortdescription a").click(function() { (".originaldescription").slideDown(); return false; }); }); Related content In this: publication By this: publisher In this Subject: Social Sciences , Education By this author: Cannici, James ; Poulton, James GA_googleFillSlot("Horizontal_banner_bottom");
This research draws on observation and interview data to examine traditional-age freshmen's early encounters with a campus bureaucracy, focusing on their definitions and coping strategies. Though frustrated by lines, impersonal treatment, and "runarounds," most freshmen accepted the bureaucracy with superficial equanimity. This research helps explain how bureaucracies continue to function despite inherent strains and differences in client and staff perspectives and goals.
The goal of this study was to ascertain, within the confines of an experimental process, the effect of an orientation course on the retention and academic standing of first-time full-time freshmen. Of the 240 students who indicated an interest in enrolling in the orientation course, 77 students were randomly chosen to be in the experimental group and 80 students were chosen for the control group. Significant differences were found on rates of retention between freshmen who participated in the orientation course and those who indicated an interest in the course, but were not allowed to enroll. This study clearly indicates that the orientation course is successful in increasing the rates of retention for students enrolled in the course while controlling for the volunteer effect.
Increasing class sizes and increasingly complex technology have brought pressure on university staff. Less widely recognized is their effect on freshers, many of whom find the university a bewildering and remote environment. This paper describes an innovative approach to induction in an engineering school. A constructivist approach was used to involve the students, working in small groups with a staff facilitator in the investigation of a technical issue. In so doing they learned the university systems by using them contextually and also immediately got to know staff and peers. Their perceptions of the experience were determined by questionnaire and interview and their learning styles were gauged by a learning style inventory. The aim had been to provide a flexible, supportive experience for all learners. Although it was disappointing to find no significant correlations between learning styles and perceptions, it is perhaps a measure of our success in achieving this aim.
A study examined gender differences in 180 college freshmen's development of purpose, mature relationships, academic autonomy, and relationships with freshman seminar instructors. Results indicate significant differences in male and female students' patterns of psychosocial development. The gender mix in the mentoring dyad also appeared to have significant but differential effects on aspects of psychosocial development. (Author/MSE)
A series of studies which compiled data annually from 1973 to 1988 compared sophomore return rates of participants versus nonparticipants in freshman orientation seminars. Chi-square analyses found that participants achieved significantly higher sophomore return rates in 11 of the 16 years studied. In the remaining five years, participants also returned in somewhat higher percentages than did nonparticipants although the differences were not significant. To determine why participants obtained higher return rates, the following intervening variables were examined: a) input variables to measure self-selection and b) process and content variables to measure course impact. None of the input variables which included academic ability, race, sex, course load, and motivation accounted for higher retention rates of participants. Participants, regardless of race or sex, were better retained than nonparticipants. In addition, participants had lower academic ability, higher course loads, and no differences in motivation. In contrast, course content and process as measured by finding a faculty mentor, using student services, and joining extra-class activities favored participants. In sum, brighter, more highly motivated students did not self-select into the freshman seminar; yet course participants achieved higher sophomore return rates probably because of the process and content of the course itself.
A study investigating the effect of a freshman seminar on students' social and academic adjustment to college (the University of North Carolina (Charlotte) found that seminar participants (n=150) had higher grades and participated in more out-of-class contacts with faculty than did a matched group of non-seminar students. (Author/MSE)
Provides a rationale for the development of courses for freshmen that are designed to help them achieve the most benefit from their college experience. Discusses course goals, format, credit, grading, content, enrollment, and evaluation. (JAC)
A study of eight successive freshman cohorts at the University of South Carolina found that both participating in a freshman orientation seminar and living on campus reduced freshman dropout rates. Students who both participated in the seminar and lived on campus had the lowest dropout rate, whereas those who did neither had the highest dropout rate. (Author/MSE)
This report provides a conceptual framework for guiding decisions regarding the administrative delivery and course content of the freshman orientation seminar. The proposed framework relies heavily on empirical evidence generated by college-level research in the areas of student retention, student learning and academic achievement, and student development. The report proposes and discusses 10 guidelines for course administration and 7 topics for course content. It is noted that such guidelines may be especially relevant today because the alarmingly high rate of attrition among first-year students makes an effective freshman year orientation seminar more critically important than ever. Among the guidelines present are: (1) that institutions should offer a full-semester freshman course, i.e, "student adjustment" or "student success" course; (2) the orientation course should be conducted as a credit-earning course; (3) college faculty should be involved; (4) small class sizes should be adopted by using multiple sessions; and (5) upper-class students should be used as counselors or peer mentors. Among the suggestions for course content are: areas involving self-concept and self-esteem; problem solving and decision making skills development; learning skills and strategies; and interpersonal relations. Contains 117 references. (GLR)
The movement to enhance the freshman year experience by changing the way institutions treat, welcome, assimilate, support, and inform freshman students is discussed and illustrated. The potential importance of the movement to admissions officers and registrars is emphasized. (MSE)
Evaluated the freshman seminar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a 3-semester hour, elective course. Classes are small and consist of assigned readings, library projects, written and oral exercises, maintenance of a student journal, and participation in special campus events; letter grades are assigned. In Study 1, the 54 participants achieved a higher GPA than the 54 nonparticipants. In Study 2, the 24 participants engaged in significantly more informal faculty contacts and extracurricular activities than the 24 nonparticipants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Studied the effectiveness of a 2-credit college orientation course at the University College of Ohio University in Athens designed to provide information about university resources and to develop peer group support. A comparison of data for students enrolling in the course and those not taking it over a 3-yr period suggested that the course may help students maintain improved grade point averages. Interviews with enrollees indicated that they found the course helpful in adjusting to college and in availing themselves of its resources. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Exploring London: a novel induction exercise for the new undergraduateOrigins and purposes of the freshman seminar The Freshman Year Experience: Helping Students Survive and Succeed in College
- S Gaskin
- R Hall
Gaskin, S. and Hall, R., 2002, ‘Exploring London: a novel induction exercise for the new undergraduate’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 6(2), pp. 197–208. r13 Gordon, V.N., 1989, ‘Origins and purposes of the freshman seminar’, in: Upcraft, M.L., and Gardner, J.N. (Eds.), The Freshman Year Experience: Helping Students Survive and Succeed in College, pp. 183–97. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass