Resources

Students now enter higher education with a diverse range of backgrounds, experience and expectations. Starting at university is a challenging time, so universities need to make a considerable effort to ensure that appropriate support and curriculum approaches are adopted in the early stages of programmes, and indeed, also to provide support for students in their preparation for university.

It is in the first year that the foundations for a sense of belonging, student engagement and an understanding of the demands of academic study, are built. This time therefore impacts on the future academic progression, retention and success of students.

The first year was the focus of an Enhancement Theme in Scotland and detailed reports covering curriculum design; transforming assessment and feedback; peer support; personal development planning; personalisation; introducing scholarship skills, and transition to and during the first year, were produced. The overarching recommendations of this work were that:

• an explicit strategy for the first year is necessary
• there should be increased provision of resources for the first year
• appropriate quality data on student experience is required
• the status of first year teaching should be raised
• the learning outcomes of the first year should be defined with academic literacy as the integrating concept.

Fellowship work undertaken for the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) by Professor Kift investigated the first year experience as a 'transition pedagogy' (Kift & Nelson, 2005). This is an approach that scaffolds and mediates the first year learning experience of students. It is based around curriculum principles to support student engagement, success, and retention. The six interconnected principles of the pedagogy are: transition, diversity, design, engagement, assessment and evaluation and monitoring.

For further information on the first year student experience see:

First year: engagement and empowerment was an Enhancement Theme in Scotland in 2005. 

A number of resources are available from (ALTC) Exchange website; see, for example, work resulting from fellowship research undertaken by Professor Sally Kift, search using ‘first year'.

Bournemouth University provides extensive information to students before they start at the university through their website ‘Stepping Stones to HE'.

UCLan has created The Alternative Guide, a JISC-funded website to provide practical advice for freshers and ensures students starting university for the first time develop realistic expectations of higher education as well as making sure they understand what the institution will expect from them.

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