Engaging with Higher Education Academic Support: a first year student teacher transition model

Abstract

The need for a redefinition of first year experience in higher education is advocated with the aid of two models, which, although focused on a sample of Australian pre‐service teaching students, is proposed as generalisable across the first year. Introduction to the mores of higher education is generally supported by teaching institutions during Orientation days and into the first few weeks of study on the assumption that students are then prepared for academic study. Institutions have invested significantly in providing a range of resources and services to support this process but their effectiveness relies on their timely and appropriate use by students. It is proposed that first year students' transition be identified as the FYST, a unique and important experience and the first of a series of transitions that occur throughout tertiary study. It is also argued that student engagement should be explicitly linked to critical points in the academic programme. Student teacher focus group feedback suggests that Timely, Individualised, and Prioritised Survival [TIPS] support may be key to aiding students' transition to higher education and valuable to student retention.

A dialogic about using Facebook status updates for education research: a PhD student's journey

“…The four critical times were orientation and the first 2 weeks of the year, the weeks around the first assessment task for the year (usually Weeks 6-8), the end of Semester 1, and the end of the year (for reasons for these choices, see Penn-Edwards & Donnison, 2011). This way, the participants knew when the FYHE Profile's newsfeed would be actively perused.…”

Assessing Our Students Assessing Their Students: Support and Impact of Preservice Teachers on P–5 Student Learning

“…These models are used in both the United States and Australia, and focus is placed on reflective practices as candidates begin teaching in their partner schools (Gibson, 2010;Penn-Edwards & Donnison, 2011). Additionally, results from preservice teachers' reflections in Gibson's (2010) study were used to develop the groundwork for more effective support of the university as it trains its future teachers: Preservice teachers must (a) be knowledgeable of the materials available, (b) have knowledge and skill to assist their young students, (c) build on experiences that enable them to model and provide instruction, and (d) reflect on their own learning journey as they lead their students.…”

Support structures : perspectives of single mother graduates who received public assistance while pursuing their degree

“…For example, ample research on learning-communities supports collaborative pedagogical and learning approaches as viable strategies to promote the persistence and retention rates for low-income student groups (Kuh, 2013;Penn-Edwards & Donnison, 2011;Schroeder, 2013;Tinto, 2003;Weiss et al, 2015). Specific to the focus of this study, the analysis of the literature on college support services for single mothers receiving public assistance demonstrates the need for comprehensive and targeted support systems that promote persistence and graduation rates specifically designed for this population (Cerven, 2013;Goldrick-Rab & Sorenson, 2010).…”

“…Research has demonstrated that the practices employed in learning communities particularly influence the persistence efforts of low-income college students (Kuh, 2013;Penn-Edwards & Donnison, 2011;Schroeder, 2013, Weiss et al, 2015. For example, Engstrom and Tinto (2008) conducted a four-year, systematic, multi-institutional, longitudinal study examining the impact of learning communities and their accompanying pedagogical practices on the success of mostly low-income and underrepresented students.…”

“…Although not targeted specifically for students who are public assistance recipients, colleges provide many support services to promote retention. For example, nontraditional, first generation and first-year students are encouraged to participate in learning communities (Penn-Edwards & Donnison, 2011). As noted in the previous section, learning communities are clearly one of the most widely implemented strategies by all types of higher education institutions to improve student success (Engstrom & Tinto, 2008;Schroeder, 2013;Tinto, 2003).…”