19th International Conference on
The First-Year Experience,
Toronto, July 2006
Helen Corkill
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,
University of Luton, UK
‘Semester 1 of Year 1 is critical to
student ‘settling’, retention and
success. How do we ensure that
the transition from school / college /
work to higher education study is
managed successfully, given the
additional challenges of working
within a collaborative partnership?’
Higher Education in the UK: Government
priorities from the 2003 White Paper
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Government aspiration of 50% of 18-30 year olds in HE by
2010
Widening Participation agenda
Undergraduates to pay up to £3,000 pa from September
2006
Concern with fair access to HE
Development of 2 year Foundation Degrees
Emphasis on:
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Enhancement of teaching quality
Partnership and collaboration
Building networks to facilitate lifelong progression
Delivery of HE in an FE setting
UK HE participation rates
The class of 2006
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89% of those with 2+ ‘A’ levels progress to
HE
50% with equivalent vocational qualifications
progress to HE
55% new undergraduates – 21+
45% new undergraduates part-time
61% new undergraduates female
50% of UK population in lower socioeconomic groups - 28% HE population
University of Luton
(August 1st 1993 – July 31st 2006)
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University of Luton: 2 central University
campuses, 4 local partner colleges (one on 6
sites), 4 UK based institutes, 6 nursing sites,
several overseas partner institutions
‘Widening Participation university’
Largest provider of Foundation Degrees in East
of England
c 40% overseas students
University of Bedfordshire
(August 1st 2006 - )
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University of Bedfordshire, 2 central campuses, 2 further
campuses 20 miles away, 12 partner colleges covering
central half of England, 4 UK based institutes, 6 nursing
sites, several overseas partner institutions, new
postgraduate medical school opening September 2006
Will become Widening Participation university
Largest provider of Foundation Degrees in East of England
Largest provider of undergraduate and postgraduate
education qualifications in area
c 35 % overseas students
Off-campus / partner institution students
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Where are they?
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What are they doing there?
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Who are they?
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Why?
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Focus on non-traditional students:
first generation, mature, part-time, ethnic minority, with disabilities, from
low participation neighbourhoods (European Social Fund Project:
Retaining Non-traditional Students)
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Mayhew,K, Deer, C & Dua M (2004)
Maslow: student / staff identity
 ‘Hierarchy of Needs’: belongingness
Maslow, AH (1987) Motivation and Personality 2nd edn (London: Longman)
 ‘Becoming a student is about constructing
a new identity and a sense of
belongingness’
 ‘Finding a place between old and new
social contexts’
Wilcox, P, Winn, S, Fyvie-Gauld ‘‘It was nothing to do with the university, it was just
the people’ : the role of social support in the first-year experience of higher
education” (ILTHE Studies in Higher Education, Vol.30, No 6, December 2005, pp.
707-722)
First impressions last
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Web information pre-entry: accurate?
accessible? impression?
Literature: synchronous?
Education Champions: work with schools;
colleges and people working
Open Days: parity between main campus and off
campus students
Communication
Transition
Application processes: full-time, part-time
Welcome to the Big Brother House?
welcome?
Partner Colleges
Barnfield College
The largest college in Bedfordshire, Barnfield operates higher
education programmes at three Luton locations. All are served
by public transport from the town centre, have on-site facilities
and free parking for students. Subject to available space, two
centres also have daycare nursery facilities.
The Union welcomes students from the University’s Partner Colleges
W: www.barnfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1582 569 500
Dunstable College
Students’ Union
The Union welcomes you as students from our Partner Colleges
and invites you to come along and join in!
You can join the clubs and attend all the events that
are organised by the University Students’ Union and a big
bonus of NUS membership is being able to take advantage of all
the discounts and services available nationally.
Make sure you get your NUS Card so you can make
the most of being a student
First experiences:
first confusions or a settling experience?
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Application (x 2?)
Joining instructions (x2?)
ID numbers (x2?)
VLE/s (x2?)
Residence
Enrolment/s / registration/s (x2?)
Induction/s (x2?)
Freshers events: or not? (x2?)
Students Union/s: or not? (x2?)
First meetings with tutors (x2?)
First taught sessions (x2?)
Joining instructions and registration
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University of Luton
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Partner College
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Information was received well in
advance, was clear and helpful
Very straightforward for both
information and registration
Registration OK
Registration quite simple
Very flexible when helping with
last minute course change
No problems
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I did not receive any information
Information was incorrect and
told me to turn up on the wrong
day, wrong week and at the
wrong place
Registration complicated – got
sent from pillar to post
Nightmare!
Took 6 months to get ID card
It was OK if you had all the right
documentation, but people didn’t
always read the list of what they
had to bring with them
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The development of the social network:
‘people make it for you’*
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‘Equal emphasis needs to be placed on successful integration into
the social world of the university as into the academic world’
‘Making compatible friends is essential to retention... and students
living arrangements are central to this process’
‘Accommodation is also important for students who live with their
parents and mature students…difficulties in having a social life at
university’
‘Meaningful membership of the academic and social worlds of the
university’
‘Whilst all aspects of the first-year experience were explored,
social support emerged as a significant theme’
(Wilcox, P, Winn, S, Fyvie-Gauld “‘It was nothing to do with the university, it was just the people’ : the
role of social support in the first-year experience of higher education” Studies in Higher Education,
Vol.30, No 6, December 2005, pp. 707-722)
* Year 1 BA(Hons) Psychology student, University of Luton, July 2006
The role of the Student Union in
the initial weeks
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University of Luton
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Partner College
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Freshers Week was great!
Can’t wait for this year’s one
Am going to pretend I’m a fresher
all over again
Students took new students all
over Luton – really helpful
Wall to wall party
SU really great - have
volunteered to help with new
students this year
SU helped me with all sorts of
things when I was settling in to
the University and to life in
England (Slovak student)
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Only went to Freshers Fair – was
there anything else?
Do we have a Union?
Where is it?
Do we belong?
The SU was really helpful –
Freshers Week was cool!
The SU really helped me to feel
like a proper student
I am a mature student and too
old for the SU
It made me feel very old
I’m not interested in anything like
that
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Induction:
a good introduction to the university community?
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‘the induction crisis’ (Frame, 2001)
‘Low progression rates and voluntary student withdrawal
are increasingly a concern as participation rates in the
tertiary sector rise. Models of departure stress the
importance of transition mechanisms in obtaining the
commitment which ensures persistence.’
‘Induction is the first contact the undergraduates have with
the university and forms their impressions’
‘To succeed in their studies students must be motivated,
accustomed to the university culture and feel part of the
university community. Induction must effectively lead in’
Edward, N ‘First Impressions Last: an innovative approach to induction’ (ILTHE Studies in Higher
Education, Vol.4, No 3, November 2003)
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Luton: divide / on-campus / off-campus / token gestures?
Induction
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University of Luton
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Partner College
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POINTLESS!!!
Tutors pointed out the obvious
Waste of an afternoon
Made no difference if there or not
Could have been much better
Irrelevant
I do remember the afternoon
drinks in the department
Brilliant – had a party!
Fantastic – had fun day,
barbeque, party, really set scene
Really established staff/student
relations
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Induction at college was boring
but set scene for the course
Learned to use referencing and
to write a bibliography
Had lots of talks
Had two inductions – one at the
University and one at College, I
think – can’t remember
Joined the sports students for a
fun day at the University – great!
What’s Induction?
Still waiting for the one at the
University!
When’s it going to happen?
(June)
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Perceptions: University v College
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Class sizes: large lecture
groups
Pastoral care: poor
Contact with tutors:
variable / poor
Transition into HE: smooth
Specialist subject
facilities: good
Social life: good /
excellent
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Class sizes: small
Pastoral care: excellent /
big selling point
Contact with tutors:
excellent
Transition into HE:
problematic
Specialist subject
facilities: good
Social life: very variable /
some non-existent
8 case studies on the first-year experience
in off-campus locations
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All students from similar subject disciplines
Campus 1 (B): midlands, 10 miles from partner university, university
centre on site, 800+ HE students
Campus 2 (E): east of England, 10 miles from partner university, part of
new-build HE/FE campus 2006, 1000+ HE students
Campus 3 (F): south-east England, I mile from partner university, 750+
HE students
Campus 4: (G): east of England, 30 miles from partner university, 100+
HE students on campus, part of new university 2006/7
Campus 5 (N): south of England, geographically far removed from
Midlands-based partner university, 750+ HE students on campus
Campus 6 (S): north of England, in same town as partner university, 200+
HE students
Campus 7: (W): London, 1 mile from partner university, 300+ HE
students, university centre on site
Campus 8: 1 ‘control’ group from Year 1 at University of Luton
Areas of origin
Term-time residence
Are you AT University?
The University Experience
Institutional identification
‘Great Expectations’?
Tutorial support:
traditionally an area of good practice in colleges
Support for students
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University of Luton
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Partner College/s
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Lecturers very supportive
Staff really supportive (apart from
one)
University offers a good range of
support and I have used financial
support and special workshops
Good system of appointment
booking to speak to tutors
Tutors offer informal and formal
support sessions
Small seminar groups really
helpful
Tutors always ready to help
staff not biased – will help
everyone
Careers help really good
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Staff fantastic! Really supportive
Staff always there for you
Staff always have time for you
Staff always ready to listen
AM really good – gives everyone
her mobile number and doesn’t
mind if we phone at 10.00pm
Can always ask for help – only
small group
Best thing about college and
course is supportive staff
Difficult to get help with
counselling
Guidance staff not very sure
about HE finance problems
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Retaining the students…………
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According to Tillman (2002), the following
‘personal’ factors influence retention:
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“lack of preparation”;
“external commitments”;
“social isolation”;
“interaction with faculty”,
“financial need” and
“academic failure”.
Other key factors include:
• selecting the ‘wrong course’ (Yorke 1999);
• financial worries (Bennett 2003; McGivney 2003).
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Factors influencing student retention can relate to
both the social and cultural characteristics of the
student, and the characteristics of the institution.
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….emphasis is shifting to acknowledge
institutional issues, rather
than simply focussing on the student
(Tinto 1997)
On-campus modules:
desirable or necessary?
Case study groups (University of Luton 2005/6):
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Group 1: Semester 1: PDP at University (art)
Group 2: Semester 1: one subject module at University (sports)
Group 3: Semester 2: one subject module at University (fashion)
Group 4: one day per week at University throughout year (2
days at college) (web-development)
Group 5: no formal contact with university throughout year
(computing)
Group 6: no formal contact with university throughout year
(business)
Group 7: part-time course (care management)
Group 8: part-time course (early years senior practitioner)
Retention:
different delivery patterns between
college and university
First Years at the University of Luton
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3 best things about Year 1
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3 worst things about Year 1
1.
social life (100%)
meeting new / different
people (79%)
independence (75%)
1.
accommodation issues
(75%)
money problems (68%)
being away from family
and friends at home (58%)
dealing with personal
problems (51%)
2.
3.
2.
3.
4.
Additional sources
Beaney, P ed (2006) Researching Foundation Degrees (London: fdf
publications)
Charles, A (2006) Great Expectations (Luton: University of Luton)
Frame, P (2001) Managing the induction crisis: students can make a
difference Student Induction in Practice (Birmingham: SEDA)
Hatt, S & Baxter, A (2003) From FE to HE: studies in transition: a comparison
of students entering higher education with academic and vocational
qualifications Bristol: UWE Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning)
HELP CETL www.xxxxxxxxxxxx
Henderson, G (2006) Making Opportunity Work: Managing Student Transition
through Higher Education (First European FYE Conference, University of
Teeside, UK)
Mayhew, K Deer, C & Dua, M The move to mass higher education in the UK:
many questions and some answers Oxford Review of Education Vol 30 no
1 (Oxford: OUP)
Wyatt, J ed (2006) Forward (Lichfield: fdf publications) www.fdf.ac.uk
Contact Details
Helen Corkill
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
University of Luton*
Park Square
LUTON
LU1 3JU
UK
email: [email protected]
tel: +44 (0)1582 734111 x2646
www.luton.ac.uk
[email protected]
* University of Bedfordshire from 01/08/2006