International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow 9-11 June 2015

Enhancement Theme : Student Transitions Roni Bamber Queen Margaret University Chair, Theme Leaders’ Group

Enhancement Themes

Transitions Focus Into HE Through HE Out of HE kimedia.org/wiki/F ile:Nymphalidae_- _Danaus_plexipp us_Chrysalis- 1.JPG

ST Theme - Organisation 3 year plan of work + Evaluation Theme Leaders’ Group Institutional teams Student Network Projects

What is the step change we’re trying to achieve with this Theme?

Identity, belonging and building social capital Proactive… Community Peer relations Staff – student interactions Social activities Early voices from the Theme: Liz Thomas, ET Conference, 2014

I arrived a day late… sent to the wrong building Getting lost… Finding friends… Belonging Intimidating walking into the building Big tall place for a small person A deaf person can’t belong Living at home, hard to fit in Early voices from the Theme: RCS students

‘I don’t see why uni should have to be always in hindsight… it seems to be that’s the way it is, it is a learning process to make mistakes and then say I could have done this or that better, but it seems like everything has been like that’ (Shovlin and Doye, 2015: 4) First year at university is very overwhelming for students and I feel a little more support would go a long way to improve undergraduate confidence (Shovlin & Doye, 2015: 12) Early voices from the Theme: Edinburgh University

ST Outcomes (so far) Change thinking around enhancement Networks and ways of sharing practices / ideas Student engagement (Student Network) and practical outcomes of use to students Institutional work International engagement

Student Transitions: Outputs Guide to ETsGuide Student Network non-traditional students projectproject Institutional case examples and Student Network PG case examplescase examples Resources from institutional work, projectsinstitutional work Transitions map / framework

Transitions Map Interactive Key transition points on student journey What are institutions doing to support these key points? Hot spots and gaps? ia.org/wiki/File:1799_Cl ement_Cruttwell_Map_o f_Scotland_- _Geographicus_- _Scotland-cruttwell jpg

Student Transitions: What does ‘better’ look like?

Data Gathering Where are we at? Years 1, 2 and 3 of Theme Focus: what institutions do to support transitions How we can facilitate inter-institutional collaboration (University of the West of Scotland)

Project: Transition skills / strategies for different stages? ‘The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change’ (Carl Rogers)

StageTransition Skill 1: Pre-TransitionSelf-efficacy Self-management of expectations 2: The Shock StageCritical self-reflection 3: The Coping StageAcademic skills and self-efficacy Social skills and cross-cultural skills 4: The Progression StageCritical self-reflection Project: Transition skills / strategies for different stages? University of Glasgow

Now what? Skills project, Stage 2: Self-efficacy Self-reflection How to systematically help students develop these?

Learning from Conference 2015

Professor George Kuh

Professor Sally Kift

‘transition’ doesn’t summarise the Herculean student transition journey (Twitter) ‘appropriate that students should be at the front, centre and at the heart of this conference’ (Twitter)

“I used to work in Greggs and then I became President of the United States” (Muriel Gray)

My Conference Take-aways Concepts: The ‘disciplinary future self’, self-efficacy, the myth of the FT student, Student success, not retention UG / PG transition differences National framework for non-trad transition support?

Tools: Linkedin, virtual induction, real time Wordls, PebblePad PDP Survival guides, transitions toolbox,

Support Techniques: LUVMs, Mentors Creativity: interpretive dance, poetry, students as journalists Supporting students at the education – work interface. Co-creation with employers

What next? Get (more) involved with the Enhancement Theme! Take key messages back to your institution

Getting involved… Watch out for future activities / events Work within HEIs – find out who is on your team Work with other HEIs Join Enhancement Themes newsletter mailing list and LinkedIn

Thank you! Enhancement Themes website: