Enhancing the first year student experience through academic and professional staff collegiality. A Practice Report

Abstract

Collegiality among academic and professional university staff is a vital component in any effective initiative in the First Year Experience. Development of a new First Year AdvisorNetwork at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia created some challenges in how best to communicate and collaborate with existing university staff, in order to achieve the common goal of how best to support student transition and retention. This Practice Report describes the initiatives undertaken by the First Year Advisors at Murdoch University in order to improve communication between staff, enhance collegiality and to ensure successful enhancements in the First Year Experience.

Collegiality, collaboration and communication: Innovation in a first year Business Unit development. A Practice Report

“…As demonstrated elsewhere, research suggests that the sharing of knowledge is an important component of partnership between academic and professional staff and enhances the overall level of support that a student receives throughout the first year experience (Wojcieszek et al, 2014). Ensuring FYAs are familiar with the content of first year units has allowed them to more effectively assist with student enquiries.…”

“…In the School of Management and Governance, the first year student experience has been enriched by the strengthened collegiality between the four core first year unit coordinators and FYAs based within the school. Wojcieszek, Theaker, Ratcliff, MacPherson and Boyd (2014) found that "a reflective, collegial approach is of paramount importance if staff are to effectively support students in their first year of study " (p. 150). This collaboration between academic and professional staff was integral throughout the development and implementation of the curriculum innovation, beginning with FYA participation on the transition and breadth working groups.…”

“…This strategy is informed by the literature regarding the value of academic advising (McArthur, 2005) and its links to student engagement (Tinto, 1987). A 2012 survey of university staff identified this ability to act as intermediaries between academic, professional staff and students to support those students deemed "at-risk" as a key strength of the FYA network (Wojcieszek et al, 2014).…”

HE staff’s attitudes and expectations about their role in induction activities

“…Hassel and Ridout (2018) found that it is key to ensure that student and staff expectations concur, since disparity between each group's expectations can result in 'communication breakdown' between staff and students (p.11). This way of working together between academic and professional members of staff ensures students are supported more effectively and is therefore very important within the first-year student experience (Wojcieszek, 2014), and arguably within the induction period as students are settling in.…”