What Makes The Best First Year Experience? European First Year - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What Makes ‘The Best’ First Year Experience? European First Year Experience Conference 2013 University of Helsinki Presenter: Rebecca Roper IADT, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland rebecca.roper@iadt.ie Michael Carr DIT Tara Cusack UCD Yseult Freeney DCU Mary Gilmartin NUIM Rebecca Roper IADT Wednesday 15 May 13

Higher Education in Ireland • State Examinations (‘Leaving Certificate’) in June. • College entrance is administrated largely by CAO (Central Applications Office). • Results given to students in mid-late August and college places offered one week later. • College starts for first-year students in early or mid-September. Wednesday 15 May 13

DRHEA • Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance • 8 Institutions • 5 Research Fellows appointed • representing 90,000 students of which 70,000 undergraduates Wednesday 15 May 13

DRHEA Fellows Fellow Institute Discipline Michael Carr DIT Maths Tara Cusack UCD Physiotherapy Yseult Freeney DCU Psychology Mary Gilmartin NUI Maynooth Geography Rebecca Roper IADT Film, Theatre and Performance Studies Wednesday 15 May 13

Research Question: ‘What Makes The Best First Year Experience?’ Wednesday 15 May 13

Initiatives Academic Social Practical Wednesday 15 May 13

Project Outline Literature Review - Audit of Practice - Toolkit Literature Review - Audit of Practice - Toolkit Wednesday 15 May 13

Strategic Literature Review Wednesday 15 May 13

Strategic Literature Review Search string developed Web of science ERIC British Education Index Australian Education Index Academic Search complete Psych Info Scopus Wednesday 15 May 13

Inclusion Criteria • Published from the year 2000 onwards • Published in English • Concerned first year students in third-level education • Institute-wide Initiatives that had measured outcomes and were transferable. Wednesday 15 May 13

Initiatives Academic Social Practical Intersectional Wednesday 15 May 13

Intersectional Academic Social Practical Practical n=6 Social n=6 Intersectional n=22 Academic n=13 Initiatives Wednesday 15 May 13

Audit of Practice Wednesday 15 May 13

Audit of Practice • Each Institution held a focus group with participants from ‘front-line’ workers (Lecturers, Student Support Staff, Administration, Library) and the Educational Officer from the Student Union was also included to capture an aspect of the student voice. • Case Studies were contributed from 5 of the 8 Institutions outlining best practice. Wednesday 15 May 13

Focus Groups • 62 participants over 8 institutions • 5 cohesive themes emerged: • Strategies around the First Year Experience (Programme, Department, Faculty and Institutional level) • Transition and Orientation • Academic Engagement • Social Engagement • Teaching and Learning Wednesday 15 May 13

Case Studies and Toolkit Wednesday 15 May 13

Case Studies and Toolkit • Included on the Website: • Background and Questionnaire. • Currently, 12 case studies from established First Year Initiatives have been submitted from 5 of the DRHEA Institutions. • Range of Studies, from Induction to Peer Mentoring. Wednesday 15 May 13

Case Studies www.drhea.ie ‘Trailer’ Wednesday 15 May 13

www.drhea.ie Wednesday 15 May 13

First Year Experience... University of Helsinki May 15th, 2013 www.drhea.com Wednesday 15 May 13