Parallel 4.1 (Show and Tell), Room 3011
Hacking Induction with 'Hack Packs'
Jamie O'Hare, Abertay University, Scotland
Induction activities can be overwhelming. For some, there might be too much information disseminated in such a short period of time. As such, adding more to an already busy schedule may contribute to disengagement. In an effort to reduce the overload, we’ve started to distribute information earlier through ‘hack packs’.
SOS! Supporting the first-year experience with the MOOC "SelfOrganised Studying"
Hannes Mueller, TU Graz, Austria
The amount of information first-year students have to deal with at the start of their studies can be overwhelming. To provide an easy-to-consume, interactive info package with lots of guidance right from the start, we created the video-based and free available "SOS MOOC" for all TU Graz beginners.
The Source of Happiness – a game to immerse students in the induction experience at the University of Szeged
Lilla Kocsis, University of Szeged, Hungary; Anna Kovacs, University of Szeged, Hungary
How to catch happiness? Have visions, realize your dreams, be professional and explore the world. And enjoy the game when you get to know higher education. SZTE+ is a game to find your way in your new student life.
Enhancing student experience during the introductory phase
Markus Orthaber, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Austria
The Bachelor program at Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Austria has been revised to enhance students' experience and reduce dropout rates through the implementation of a STEM Introductory module. It consists of lectures, exercises, soft-skill courses, and a final project. This contribution focuses on the engineering mechanics part and how it supports students.
Parallel 4.2 (Demonstration), Room 3508
Getting to know about students’ dispositions: Low level support in the transition phase
Silke Preymann, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Austria
Students’ mindfulness of their own needs, self-compassion, and a low propensity to procrastinate have a strong impact on academic performance, student well-being, and student satisfaction. At UAS Upper Austria a specifically developed disposition survey supports students to reflect upon their strengths and challenges; on the basis of individual survey results, personalized and anonymously available support measures help students to enhance academic as well as life skills which form the basis for student success.
Teaching students safety through gamification
Christine Holm Berntzen, OsloMet / sikresiden.no, Norway
“Safe student” is a module-based game, where students can learn about different topics (e.g. Structure your day, Handle stress, Loneliness, First aid) through interactive learning. The game teaches students basic knowledge about the different themes and gives them helpful pointers on how to have a better student life.
How new students and peer tutors get to know the campus facilities and services with the help of a game application at the University of Eastern Finland
Niina Rissanen, University of Eastern Finland, Finland; Outi Tikkanen, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
The presentation describes how peer tutors and new students can get acquainted with the services of the university campuses using a game application. By gamifying the introduction to campus services, it has been possible to create a motivating and group-building way to get to know the university campuses and their services.
EDGE: Developing a Graduate Development Framework to incentivise and recognise student achievement and success alongside the curriculum
Angela McGlynn, Munster Technological University, Ireland
The EDGE framework is designed to recognise, incentivise, and reward student engagement. This poster, and demonstration of the bespoke digital platform, will show how students discover ways to get involved in university life, and reflect on their activities, that evidence their experiences in a personal and meaningful way.
Parallel 4.3 (20-Minute Presentations), Room 3511
Wellbeing tutoring - Reducing loneliness and improving students wellbeing
Timi Kärki, Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY), Finland
You will be introduced to Wellbeing tutoring in which students can find something meaningful to their life. In the presentation you will be introduced how we have created a functional and successful peer to peer project which has reduced loneliness among university students in Oulu.
Parallel 4.4 (20-Minute Presentations), Room 3510
The First Year Experience of Ethnic Minority Female Students and initiatives to support them with their transition to college.
Jenny Petrucci, The American University of Rome, Italy
This presentation is focused on a study that explores the transition to university and the first-year experience of Ethnic Minority Female students at a predominantly white American insitution located in Italy. The presenter will highlights the results of the study and offer insight on possible low-cost measures that any instituion could take to support this underrepresented student population during their first-year experience in college; including a detailed description of the First Year Seminar used at the Institution.
Student 2025: Understanding disparities in student outcomes through exploring the individual student journey
Sarah Lawther, Nottingham Trent University, England; Erick Morataya Gatica, Nottingham Trent University, England; Ria Bluck, Nottingham Trent University, England
This presentation shares the methodology and early findings from the first year of a unique four-year longitudinal study at a UK university. The Student 2025 project follows 100 undergraduate students from a diversity of backgrounds with the aim of enhancing institutional understanding of factors that influence disparities in student outcomes.
Parallel 4.5 (20-Minute Presentations), Room 2522
Generating the academic and social foundations for undergraduate student success through assessing engagement in formative tasks
Sarah Parkes, Newman University Birmingham, England; Helen Bardy, Newman University Birmingham, England
This session discusses how the Newman University Integrated Foundation Year uses student engagement in a range of formative engagement tasks as the module’s summative assessment. Known as ‘Assessment by Engagement’, this offers a means to generate the academic and social foundations for undergraduate student success that recognises the variety of ways in which students engage in study.
Transition to remote digital exams: bringing our first years along with us
Maggie Gibson, Birmingham City University, England; Tom Ashmore, Birmingham City University, England
At Birmingham City University we are embracing the opportunities the pandemic generated to maintain a digital-first policy for examinations. Focusing on the experiences of our first years, we will discuss our journey and the approach we are taking to developing digital confidence and fluency around exams.
Parallel 4.6 (20-Minute Presentations), Room 2521
“Let it be” or a "Never Gonna Give You Up"? On the effectiveness of study guidance.
Lot Fonteyne, Ghent University, Belgium
In organizing remedial activities, do we really reach the students who need the support most? And do students with the intention to remediate really follow through on that? And if they do, does this support their study success? We provide thought-provoking evidence from two different projects.
Using the virtual learning environment to support academic transition and provide a personalised First Year Experience
Casey Beaumont, Liverpool John Moores University, England
This presentation outlines the development of an online academic and digital literacy course which aimed to support students' transition through their first year of academic study. It was delivered via the institutional VLE and led to a significant increase in student engagement with support services, notably among APP target groups.
Parallel 4.7 (20-Minute Presentations), Room 2517
First year students’ perceptions of an online academic skills intervention designed to assist transition to university: An exploratory study
Laura Dee Barber, Middlesex University Dubai, UAE; Abigail Cruz, Middlesex University Dubai, UAE
Librarians at Middlesex University Dubai designed and implemented the prototype Academic Aptitude Assessment (Triple A), an online interactive resource for first year undergraduates. The intervention compares levels of confidence versus academic skills. This explorative research investigates first year students’ perception of the Triple A in relation to their transition experience.
Student Champion Learner Journey Maps: Student-led Dialogue to Improve the Learning Experience
Ellie Birchall, Queen Margaret University, Scotland; Christie McDove, Queen Margaret University, Scotland; Zee Wasfy, Queen Margaret University, Scotland; Mya Bell, Queen Margaret University, Scotland; Catriona Bell,Queen Margaret University, Scotland
Student Champion is a new paid, part-time role implemented at QMU in which current students have been appointed in order to highlight a diverse range of students’ experiences. This presentation explores the qualitative data collected and finalised learner journey maps, which focus on different types of students and stages of the learner journey.