CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM South Australia Branch Conference

A Blueprint for Transition Success

Dr Karen Nelsonkj.nelson@qut.edu.auFaculty of Information TechnologyQueensland University of Technology

26 July 2006

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Topics

• The transition experience & why it deserves attention.

• Key transition issues.• Need for a “blueprint”.• A blueprint for transition success.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Students in Transition

• Students in transition are special– Expectations– Work commitments– Preparation for study

• There is not a typical “student-in-transition” – Generation X, Y & Zers– Course choice issues

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Why are they so special?• Diversity – for example:

– Demographics (inc. equity groups); – Preparedness for higher education; – Baggage & expectations; – Doubts; – Not familiar or completely ill-informed about what

might be encountered in chosen course (James, 2001)

• These and many other factors impact on – Retention, progression and – Ability of each student to achieve their best.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

No typical “student-in-transition”

Commencing Students

First time to University

First time to Faculty

Undergraduate Undergraduate Post-graduate

Interfaculty transfer

Inter –Uni transfer

Other Discipline

Same UG DisciplineG

.

- Different university to QUT

- ENG to IT - BUS to IT - CI to Law - Humanities to Law

- Under- graduate degree completed

- Formal or RPL

From TAFE or College

From High School

Mature Age

- with a break - without a break

- DiplomaI or other RTO

- International College QUT ~ direct ~ advanced scholarship

-no previous tertiary study - work experience - no work experience

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Technology

What is the need …

New Financial Pressures

Course Enrolment

Student UnionInternational

Student

OrientationStudent ID Card

User Name & Password

Pre-Orientation

L & T

ClassAllocations

FacultyOrientation

Library

StudentServices

New Friends

New Intellectual

Environment

New Physical

Environment

Faculty Processes

Units & unit outlines

Timetable

Classes Who’s who in the zoo

Curriculum

Week 1 Documents

Discipline Terminology

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Key Transition Issue

• Students to encounter curriculum that is sensitive to their realities, that provides access to: – Adequate and timely support

services, – Opportunities to become part of a

learning community.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Transition Objectives

The day-to-day transactions between learners & the various aspects of their learning need to be seamless so they can focus energy on learning.

Learningengagement

Sense of

belonging

Timely service

provision

Transition student

Academic support

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Challenges for universities

• Transition is a responsibility that must be shared and understood by all areas of the university – academic and professional, senior management, student services, administrators and learning environmental support.

• Achieving this holistic collaborative environment requires systematizing transition philosophy within the elements of strategic infrastructure and practical activities across all traditional silos between faculties and divisions.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

How can this objective be achieved?

• “bridging the gaps between academic, administrative and support programs” (McInnis 2003, p.13).

• By orienting all processes and orienting the planning about FY towards the classroom.

• By creating process bridges for all activities that are encountered by first year students.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

A Transition Blueprint?

• Professional staff and academics working together have a great capacity to transform transition by proactively mediating our students’ experience with all aspects of their learning.

• The ET@QUT project aims to embed transition philosophy, and the processes that underpin it, across traditional ‘silos’.

• The blueprint is the platform used to communicate how a transition philosophy can be embedded.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

A systems view of the Blueprint• People - students, teachers, professional and

administrative support; • Processes - learning, learning administration and

learning support; • Information and data - learning materials, support

materials and data required by students to monitor and administer their learning;

• Systems - e.g. a virtual learning environment (VLE), other learning software and systems providing access to resources;

• Information and communication technologies (ICTs) -the hardware and networks required to support learning and communication processes, information storage and access.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

A Blueprint for Transition• Curriculum - scaffolded for both content and skills

development, to be harnessed to mediate as many institutional interactions as possible.

• A seamless, one-world view of their institutional engagement - support both their learning and the admin of their learning.

• Student-centred systems of information dissemination tailored to individual needs. Information overload is inexcusable!

• Active interventions that prevent predictable issues becoming problems.

• Pro-active, timely and tailored assistance for specific cohorts with particular needs.

• Time and workload management resources. • Personal interactions – with peers and with teachers. • Technologies that our students (the Y generation) have

so readily embraced as an integral part their lives.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

The “blueprint” is the plan that enables a systematic

institutional-wide approach to transition.

It provides a common language and way of communicating

Transition across the institution.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Visualising the Blueprint

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Trial Projects within the Blueprint

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Purpose of the Projects

• To determine the usefulness of initiatives for students & the impact on their learning.

• To identify and document the cross-institutional MLE elements required.

• To show how to implement the most critical elements of the blueprint.

• To provide resources (templates, supporting materials, staff roles & responsibilities …) to support deployment of elements.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Achievements

• All projects at least once. • Evaluation data collected and currently

being analysed.• Some outstanding results

– Reduction in combined attrition and failure rates in one unit from 49 27% after one semester.

– Overwhelming support for VLE.– University wide support for the teamwork

protocol.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Conclusions & Recommendations

• Align transition activities throughout the institutional hierarchy for a student focused approach.

• Ensure that learning and the administration of learning should be seamless for students.

• Manage transition through appropriately designed curriculum.

• Focus on collaborative processes.• Design appropriate staff development programs. • Make First Year “resources” available to staff and

students.

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006

Thank-you for listening

Questions and Comments

CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM (SA) Conference 26 July 2006CRICOS No. 00213J

ATEM South Australia Branch Conference

A Blueprint for Transition Success

Dr Karen NelsonFaculty of Information TechnologyQueensland University of Technology

26 July 2006