Claire Hamshire Senior Learning and Teaching Fellow Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care Rod Cullen, Senior Lecturer, CeLT Easing the transition to Higher Education - the Easystart project

First task In six words describe: 1.The purpose of your induction programme? 2. How you achieve this purpose?

Examples One long train ride to darkness Dance in fields of Infinite possibility All of my students Hate me Mistakes were made But smarter now Stop bothering me Trying to work Students laughed appreciatively The professor relaxed

My Six words Encourage social, academic and personal integration. Quality enhancement, staff development, ongoing research. 2. How you achieve this purpose? 1.The purpose of your induction programme?

Purpose of induction Social integration – a series of opportunities to facilitate students to build relationships with the institution, staff and peers. Academic integration – welcoming students to the academic environment and facilitating them to develop core academic skills. Sense of belonging

High profile key contact Timely support for assessments Online core skills area Links to personal tutor system Coffee morning social Meet personal tutor Core skills small group work Meet student reps Start formal teaching Facilitated online Key contact Online forum FAQ Virtual Tour Scaffolding at level 1 Pre-entry Foster relationships Reduce anxiety Familiarise Motivate/Inspire 1 st Week Cement relationships Settle in Promote core skills Set the scene 1 st Year Maintain relationships Reinforce core skills Provide timely relevant support

Consider: Timing Technology People Small group work How can we promote social integration?

ES3: People were going out that night and I couldn’t go out so that was the only thing. I felt that everyone was kind of making friends that day. ES1: I felt like a bit of an outsider if you like because I came in from home and don’t live here. … everyone sort of knew each other already, from living nearby in Halls, I felt a bit out of it. ES5: I found the first week quite tough. I mean a lot of people will have met in halls.. I’m the older guy anyway, so you do sort of feel a little bit polarised. It was really good to meet my personal tutor ES1: It was good for getting to know each other because I had a few cups of tea, met some of the staff and then we all left together to go down to the Fresher’s fair … we did get to know each other quite well around the table. ES5: I actually ended up sitting with some other access students and of course they were a bit older and had done an access course so there was a lot in common in comparison. Theme 1 Social integration

ES6: I think Face Book is really good it really helped you so you weren’t sort of as wary coming here you sort of had already spoken to some people. ES7: I’d joined all the Hall of Residence (Facebook) groups and there was somebody who was moving up the day before they started so I got talking to them and I’d already go to know them quite well before I moved in. ES2: I got in, set all my stuff up met lots of new people straight away. ES6: That was quite a cool experience actually because I was walking along the road and it was just full of Fresher’s all with the same idea, not knowing where they’re going, no idea really but all just going out to have a laugh and get to know each other a bit better. Theme 1 Social integration It was really good talking to people (on Facebook) before you come to Manchester

Consider: Timing Technology People Small group work How can we promote academic integration?

ES8: We got piles of information that day a bit overloaded. ES1: All these papers are flying out and she’s going over all this stuff and I just, I mean everything was in the handbooks, which was good that she gave out, but I was just so bewildered by it all. I was just bewildered by all the information ES5: I think it was probably pitched OK to be honest. They pointed out all of the stuff in the book that you needed to refer to. ES2: The official welcome that was really easy going, they didn’t bombard you with information straight away. Theme 2 Academic integration

ES3: Oh I wasn’t listening to half of it to be honest. I was so tired. Like I was listening to everything but some of it I didn’t want to hear ES5: She wasn’t the best in terms of presenting material. The room acknowledged it … she could’ve communicated what she needed to in fifteen minutes but I think it took about forty five minutes. ES7: Possibly the most boring hour of my life. ES3: I like group classes because it is the only way to get to know people. In a lecture hall everyone kind of sticks to there own. ES4: I prefer it being smaller numbers because you get to know everyone in that class. Yeah, like we all meet up now and probably go out more. Theme 2 Academic integration The small group sessions were a good way of getting to know people

High profile key contact Timely support for assessments Online core skills area Links to personal tutor system Coffee morning social Meet personal tutor Core skills small group work Meet student reps Start formal teaching Facilitated online Key contact Online forum FAQ Virtual Tour Scaffolding at level 1 Pre-entry Foster relationships Reduce anxiety Familiarise Motivate/Inspire 1 st Week Cement relationships Settle in Promote core skills Set the scene 1 st Year Maintain relationships Reinforce core skills Provide timely relevant support

Recommendations Students as partners Induction as a process Pre-entryYear 1 Week 1 Evaluation Integrate in programme Teaching Successful Transition Assessme nt Study skills Group work Build relationships

Acknowledgements Higher Education Academy Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre Rod Cullen, Mark Langan and Rosie Jones at MMU Emma Beaglehole, Physiotherapy student partner First year Physiotherapy students 2008 Cohort

First year Induction provision Support/understanding Encouragement Pre-enrolment through to start of the second year ? ? ? ? ? ?