1 / 32

Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

Induction: Supporting Students from the Start. Tony Jenkins School of Computing University of Leeds tony@comp.leeds.ac.uk http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/tony/. Morale Officer. School of Computing. ~800 Student FTEs Three Single Subject Programmes BBB, no Clearing

robbin
Download Presentation

Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Induction:Supporting Students from the Start Tony Jenkins School of Computing University of Leeds tony@comp.leeds.ac.uk http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/tony/

  2. Morale Officer Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  3. School of Computing • ~800 Student FTEs • Three Single Subject Programmes • BBB, no Clearing • Intake of ~150 Single Subject (2001) • Planned to rise to ~200 by 2005 • Research-led • TQA Satisfactory (1993), RAE 5 (2001) Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  4. Expanding Intake • ~60 in 1985, 150 in 2001 • Ability • Application • Diversity • Computing Experience • Computing “Interest” • Demographic • Resident / Commuting Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  5. Problems • “They just can’t work the computers.” • “They don’t seem to know anything.” • “Someone must have told them that.” • “They need remedial classes.” • “They’re not even slightly prepared.” • “They wander round in a dream world.” • “They don’t know what’s going on.” Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  6. Problems • “No-one ever told us that.” • “No-one ever taught us that.” • “I got completely lost in Intro Week.” • “I didn’t even work out my timetable.” • “I spent all of Intro Week drunk.” • “They can’t expect us to do that.” • “I can’t do any of this!” Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  7. Issues • The Struggling Student • The Failing Student • The Vanishing Student • The Dead Hamster at the Exam Board • The Transfer Epidemic • “Dumbing Down” • Induction Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  8. Failure and “Induction” • Students fail … • … because they “give up”. • … because they miss something important. • … because they fail to “fit in”. • This can happen in the first week! • First impressions are powerful … • … so we must make the right ones. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  9. Induction • In 1999 … • … “Fine Words of Welcome” • … Pre-Registration • … Registration • … Lab Session • … Party • “Learning at University” • … and straight into lectures next week. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  10. Principles • Induction should … • … be fun (but still academically valid). • … be a requirement (but not too much). • … include things students really need to know. • And also Student-Centred … • … in content. • … in design. • … in execution. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  11. Practicalities • Induction would … • … occupy “Week 0”. • … and replace “Week 1” for core modules. • … be required. • Progress monitored by “passports”. • “Failure” would be “serious”. • “Staff” would be needed. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  12. Induction Czar • In “charge” of … • … Planning • … Delivery • … Reflection • … Assessment • “Volunteer” • Guidance Tutor • Needed Help Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  13. Planning – The Book • Handbook • Worksheets • Stuff Worth Knowing • Technical • People • Timetables • Book Promotion • If All Else Fails … Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  14. Planning – The Website • URL on Uniforms • Same as Handbook • Worksheets • Available before Leeds • “Ask Tux” • People • Directions • Usual Useful Links Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  15. The Happy Help Squad • Volunteers • Uniformed • Covering … • …degrees. • … backgrounds. • … experience. • Lab Sessions • General Helpfulness Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  16. DHPs • Staff • “Volunteers” • Vetting Process • Uniformed • Open Doors • Signs • General Helpfulness Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  17. A Packed Programme • Groups • Lectures • Intro to Induction • Intro to Learning • “Things to Know” • Lab Sessions • x 4 • “Drop Ins” • First Year Do Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  18. Induction 2000 Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  19. Reflections • Much better than before! • Not enough! • Some still “got lost”. • Future “strugglers” emerge. • Late joiners are a problem. • Overall, it went well … • … but things needed to be changed. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  20. Planning 2001 • New Handbook … • … less “nerdy”. • … more useful info. • … more on T & L. • … money matters. • … more on Windows. • Revamped website • More “Lectures” • Ask Gulliver Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  21. Induction 2001 Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  22. Induction 2001 Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  23. Changes for 2001 • Replaced more modules. • “Year Tutor”. • “Lectures” on Unix and Windows. • “Lectures” on Tutorials. • “Broaden” the Happy Help Squad. • “Treasure Hunt”. • More general “pastoral” issues. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  24. More Reflections • This is better still! • … but we’re running short of time. • … and we still seem to be having fun. • Some do still manage to get lost. • We can spot strugglers in Week 0. • Other departments seem envious … • … so maybe we’re doing something right. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  25. The Future • The scheme seems about right … • … but planning started in January. • Happy Helpers recruited in May. • More staff time is needed. • Replace all Week 1 Teaching … • … although we could do with three weeks! • More Support for “Strugglers”. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  26. Summary • Arriving at University is a tricky time … • … and more students means more problems. • Students need support. • They have to learn many things … • … and have to be told them many times. • “Induction” is now a requirement … • … and is more than a few meetings or talks. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  27. Advice • Plan. • Make it fun. • Ask the Students. • Involve the Students. • Tell them what they need to know … • … then tell them again. • … and again. … and again. Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  28. Gulliver’s Page http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/Induction/2001/ Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  29. Summer Slaves: Phil Jem The Inner Circle: Vickie Dave Phil and Jem again The Happy Help Squad: All of them The DHPs: Roger Les Sarah Keith Matthew Pete John Maureen Shaheen Acknowledgments Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

  30. Questions? Induction: Supporting Students from the Start

More Related