Institutional partnerships within the first-year orientation programme

1. Institutional partnerships within the first-year orientation programme at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Student Counselling Career and Development Centre NMMU, South Africa Shereene Knipp

2. Outline • Introduction • Context • Theoretical background • Partnerships • Events – demonstration of partnership

3. Introduction • Geographical location • The university • The environment

4. Geographical location

5. NMMU

6. Situated in nature reserve

7. Context • 26 000 students • Comprehensive institution • Diverse student population • Multi-campus; mainly Commuter • 7 faculties • Arts; Business & Econ Sc; Education; Engineering, the Built Env and IT; Health Sciences; Law and Science

8. Context • How2@nmmu endorsed by VC • Orientation earmarked by senate as important strategy for retention and throughput • Buy-in from academic staff • Student development institutional programme • Running successfully for past 6 years • Incremental improvements over the years

9. First-year students • 4500 and growing • 30% growth per annum • From schooling system in transition • Numeracy and literacy levels • Varied and diverse backgrounds • Drawn mainly from Eastern Cape, the rest of SA, SADC countries and small % international • 60 – 70% orientation attendance

10. First-year students at Welcoming Ceremony

11. Science students South Campus

12. Relaxing at The Kraal

13. How2 Buddies

14. How2 Buddies: O-leaders • 260 across campuses and disciplines • Recruited, interviewed and selected • Good academic standing, good communication skills; reliable; committed • Lead a group of 20 FY students doing the same course • Buddy their FYs during first term

17. Theoretical background • Collaboration and peer participation singled out as some of the most significant influences on student development (Pascarella and Terenzini 1991, 2005; Kuh et al. 2010) • Programme embedded in work of theorists such as Astinand Tinto

18. Partnerships within orientation

19. Partnerships within orientation

20. Partnerships events • Welcoming Ceremony and Faculty Meet & Greet • How2@nmmu • Meet your lecturers • Student-staff fun event • Nelson Mandela Champion Within • Career Portfolio Development • Bursaries and Budgets • Byways to Highways • Academic sessions

21. Partnerships • Welcoming Ceremony and Faculty Meet & Greet • How2@nmmu • Meet your lecturers • Student-staff fun event • Nelson Mandela Champion Within • Career Portfolio Development • Bursaries and Budgets • Byways to Highways • Academic sessions

22. OVERVIEW events • Event • Purpose • Who is involved • What role do they play

23. Event: Welcoming Ceremony Purpose • To provide opportunity for institutional welcome • To welcome parents and students • Create sense of belonging

24. Welcoming Ceremonies

25. Partnerships • O-team central • Marketing and Corporate Relations • Vice-chancellor’s office

26. Event: How2@nmmu programme Purpose • Offers small group experience • Provides safe environment • Provides sense of emotional security and support • Bridging the gap • Physical orientation • Introduce NMMU services - how2

27. How2@nmmu buddy programme • Conducted week before start of formal lectures • Peer-led • Small groups: approximately 20 per group • Course-based • 7 faculties • 5 campuses • Two-day facilitated academic programme • 240 Buddies

28. Buddying in first term • Extension of How2 • First term • Support, motivate, encourage, refer • Meet informally – lunch, study areas • E-mail, BBM, WhatsApp, Facebook • Supported by How2 trainers

29. Components of How2 Programme Small group: • Icebreaker – Getting to know you • Bridge the Gap • Poster – How2 survive the First Year • 30 seconds game – university terminology, support services & resources • My group@nmmu – team building • Computer lab orientation • Library tour • Campus tour

30. How2@nmmu

31. How2@nmmu Presenter: Shereene Knipp )

32. Orientation Central Office Student Counsellors Student Leadership Staff CTLM Senior Buddies How2 Buddies Academic Staff Partnerships: How2 at NMMU

33. Partnerships: Recruitment of Buddies Dear Staff Could you please nominate students (first-year to final year) for your How2 programme for 2014? Our experience has shown that the How2 Buddies recommended by staff generally make good Buddies  (academic staff, especially in smaller programmes, work closely with students and seem to know them better) We have found that students with a good academic record make good Buddies. Additional attributes: good communication and interpersonal skills, committed, reliable To ensure a quality How2@mmu programme for your department, we rely on you to nominate quality students. Ratio: one Buddy to 20 first-year students Due date: Tuesday 31 July.  We look forward to hearing from you. Regards Shereene Knipp Orientation Coordinator )

34. Event: How2 Training Small groups Faculty-based By faculty-based student counsellors Workshops previous year Communication Skills Presentation Skills Diversity Appreciation Problem-solving 3 days January (one week before orientation) Training by counsellors; student leadership staff and senior buddies

35. Workshops offered by: CTLM: Presentation Skills Problem-solving Student Counselling: Diversity Appreciation Communication Skills 3 days’ core training by: Student counsellors Student leadership staff Senior buddies Training partnerships

36. Training Partnerships Content of programme developed by Student Counselling team Covers range of activities to fulfil outcomes Includes academic and social integration Embedded in student development theory Programme in transition and adjustment

37. Training the Buddies

38. Buddy training

39. Hey there … talk to me… Learning to communicate effectively

40. Event: Student-staff fun event Purpose • Promote student –staff informal interaction • Enhance academic and social integration • Foster sense of belonging • Ease anxieties about staff and course

41. Examples: student staff fun event • Law – mock trial • HMS (Sport) – amazing race • Education – song and dance • Building – construction olympics • ICT – treasure hunt • Mechanical Eng- lego construction • Science – walk in nature reserve

42. Education has got talent!

43. Building: Tyre and Stick Race

44. Event: NMCW Nelson Mandela Champion Within Purpose To foster the development of the Mandela values and a sense of what it means and takes to be a champion

45. Partnerships Nelson Mandela Champion Within • Facilitated by academic and support staff • Introduced in 2012 • 2 hour duration • On every campus • Mandela values • On being a champion • Big groups max 500

46. Event: Byways to Highways Purpose • To introduce NMMU societies and clubs • To encourage FYs to join a society • Foster holistic development • Foster development of NMMU graduate qualities • Create a good vibe on campus

47. BYWAYS TO HIGHWAYS

49. Event: Academic Sessions Introduced in 2011 • How2 get the most out of lectures • Lecture and E-mail Etiquette • Note-taking • Introduction to Plagiarism and Referencing

50. Event: Academic Sessions Purpose • To prepare FYs for academic expectations and requirements • Foster feelings of security and readiness