Delivering Transition Support Through the VLE “Vive la difference!”

Coming up...  Transition overview, aims and variables  Site development  Departmental case study – SPSW  Evaluation approaches  Trends and results  So what?

Transition “You think like how am I any different to what I was like in June when I was at school, to October in University? You’re no different yourself, but you’re supposed to be like an Undergraduate and it’s like wow it’s so different...”

Rolling out: 22 sites in 13 depts

Transition: generic vs local  Generic themes and aims  Variable 1: local priorities  Variable 2: development practices  Variable 3: student expectations, needs and responses

Transition activity by department

Activity by department

The Biology Template

Supporting development

Case study - SPSW

Evaluation approaches and progress  Pre-arrival student surveys * 2  Site mapping * 22  VLE stats  Student surveys * 5 –Positive feedback on features and content  Student focus groups * 9 –Insight into student “Transition experience”  Staff interviews  Case studies * 5 –Health Economics, Psychology, Chem PG & UG, TYMS

Access stats

Pre-arrival  Confident users of online tools  No significant areas of concern  Didn’t expect VLE transition site  Used multiple sources for preparation “I don’t think I did expect to get a full learning environment... Now I would probably expect it because I realise how useful it’s been”

What were they looking for?  COURSE INFO – timetables, reading lists, detailed module outlines  ACADEMIC ORIENTATION – what am I supposed to be doing? Who will I meet? “I was completely panicking that I only had four books and everyone else had like 20 and I was like, ‘OK, where’s my actual reading list?’”

Responses to video content (12 depts) “I definitely thought the videos were the best part of the introductions... when its on video you just soak it up so much easier and on top of that you’re also seeing the real person and familiarising...” “You sort of knew what to expect from watching the videos... when you go here it wasn’t so much of a shock.”

Communication tools (blogs / wikis)  Competition with external social networking  Appreciated for academic issues  Worked best when direction given and facilitated “I think it was a matter of everyone had done it on Facebook... And also that until one person does it no one else is going to...”

Social networking & communication  Facebook expected and widely used –Social support /welfare –Organic creation of groups  Facebook concerns –Concerns about academic activity in personal space –Authenticity of sites and responses  Not appropriate for academic / admin topics “I thought it was good because it was familiar...” “I thought it was a bit weird, people would add you and you don’t actually know who they are...”

“Subliminal” effects  Employability and careers  Learning styles “It made me think there would be a lot more happening online... That maybe we’d be getting assignments... or told stuff exclusively through that”

Overall impressions  LLS – “reassuring” –“all of the communication through the site over summer gave the impression that the department was friendly, organised and one that I was looking forward to becoming a part of...”  Chem PG –“It was nice to have information given to you before you actually got here”  Psychology –“I was amazed by how much support we get... Really unexpected and very nice”

Top tips  Define departmental priorities, development approach and student drivers  Understand the role of the department in the transition process –Get the tone right  Not patronising / Not “all wordy wordy”  Balance between support and preparation –Get the content right  Course materials and info  Academic orientation and expectations  Departmental culture –Develop strategic links with other areas of transition support  Market sites effectively

Next steps  Evaluate impact of sites on original aims; –Academic skills –Subject skills –Retention rates  Develop and publish case studies  Redevelop departmental sites in light of feedback  Continue approach to support and development

Questions?