It isÌýgenerally recognisedÌýthat inductionÌýpre-arrival or pre-teachingÌýis an extremely important step in setting students up for success.ÌýHowever, effective inductionÌýcarries on into the initial stages of teaching and learning and can vary from student to student.ÌýAÌýÌýrevealed common issuesÌýto students during transition were:Ìý
- aÌýpoor sense of belongingÌý
- a struggle with the changing nature of academic support following further educationÌý
- difficulties in adapting to new ways of learning and assessment practicesÌý
It also suggested that students who are academically successful at the end of year one, are more likely to be awarded higher degree classifications (regardless of entry qualification).ÌýThese issues can partly be offset by an effectiveÌýand thorough induction.ÌýSo,Ìýwhat should aÌýsuccessfulÌýinduction contain and how can itÌýhelpÌýimproveÌýthe experience, satisfaction, wellbeingÌýand retention of your students?ÌýÌý
Read on to find out how you can getÌýfree accessÌýto an online WellbeingÌýlearning unitÌýfor educators and students.Ìý
Everyone learns differentlyÌý
WhetherÌýit’sÌýcompletely new first years or seasonedÌýthirdÌýyears, all students will need support and guidance at the beginning of the year. Where they are in their learning journey will determine the kind of support they need. For example, first year students may have arrivedÌýatÌýuniversity from various educational and work-based settings so will need clear guidance on how to succeed at a university level. Additionally, non-traditional students such as part-time, mature students or those with caring responsibilities may need different support from the traditional school leavers or returning students.ÌýFor those that require further support with this step,Ìýonline courses or trainingÌýsuch asÌýÌýwill help to supplementÌýpriorities established inÌýinduction sessionsÌýandÌýdevelopment of any key skills.ÌýÌý
Transition into these new stages of their learning journeyÌýinduction;Ìýdevelopment; andÌýbecoming, andÌýshould be viewed as aÌýlonger-termÌýprocess of change, covering a broad range of issues around academic skills, mental health and wellbeing, life skills, behaviour and attitude.ÌýTo understand the position of your students at the beginning of the year, it might be possible to begin the induction withÌý. This could be a short questionnaire that uncovers areas that may need development and inform where you might need more focus in the first few teaching sessions.ÌýÌý
Navigating the resourcesÌý
For many students, it might be their first time using a VLE, online library search, or any kind of digital learning platform.ÌýTeaching staffÌýwill have taken the time to create and collate the learning resources necessary for the course, so the induction period is a great opportunity to demonstrate how best to access and use the resources. This will help set students up for success from the very beginning and ensure they can refer to this informationÌýduring their studies.ÌýMoreover, if you’reÌýteaching online or taking a blended approach there may be many new systems and etiquettes that some students aren’t familiar with ifÌýthey have only experiencedÌýin-person classroom teaching.ÌýOnline learning units or training courses, such asÌýÌýareÌýaÌýsteppingstoneÌýfor studentsÌýwhoÌýhaveÌýneverÌýexperiencedÌýonline teachingÌýandÌýprovidesÌýthemÌýwith information and skills toÌýeffectively learn onlineÌýandÌýget the most out of their course from the very beginning.ÌýÌýÌý
They may also encounter problems using the different platforms or technology throughout any point in the year, so including links to the institution’s IT or learning technology teams in your induction resources will mean they have a point of contact when they need more technical support.ÌýÌý
Creating communitiesÌý
When you have students based off campus or even in another country it can be a challenge to create a sense of community. When students are regularly present on campus the buildings, services and very environment are set up to supportÌýthemÌýand bring them together. This helps you from a teaching perspective as well asÌýbringingÌýstudentsÌýtogether naturallyÌýwhereÌýthey can easily engage in teaching and learning activities. Building this same sense of community when you have a mix of on and off campus students requires slightly more proactive support from teaching staff.Ìý
Moreover,ÌýÌýwith over 1700 HE students found that more than a third did not feelÌýconfident in reaching out for support when producing and submitting work, with many citing reasons of anxiety, embarrassment and even a fear of asking for help having a detrimental impact on their grades. If a sense of community can be established from the very beginning, students will feel more comfortable reaching out to course leaders and their peers for help and support, avoiding further issues developing later in the year.Ìý
You can encourage engagement from induction by keeping contact through clear communication channels and sign posting discussion forums where students can discuss the course content at their convenience.ÌýAdditionally, these are great spaces for students to convene for group work. Your live teaching sessions can also provide an opportunity for them to connect byÌýencouraging student interaction and peer learning.ÌýÌý
What about wellbeing?Ìý
For many students, particularly first years, the transition period can be very overwhelming. They are dealing with new people, content, information, systems, as well as potentially big changes in their personal lives, such as moving away from home or managing work and study.ÌýWith all these competing priorities the wellbeing of students canÌýbe overlooked, making it increasingly difficult to spot whenÌýsomeoneÌýis struggling.ÌýÌý
TheÌýÌýrevealedÌýnearly a thirdÌýofÌýstudentsÌýhadÌýconsideredÌýleavingÌýtheirÌýcourse,ÌýwithÌýpoorÌýmentalÌýandÌýemotionalÌýhealthÌýbeingÌýtheÌýleadingÌýfactor.ÌýWhile there will be situations where students require support beyond what the institution provides, early intervention of struggling studentsÌýis keyÌýandÌýequippingÌýthem with skills to monitor and manage their wellbeing will empower them to reach out for support when needed. Pearson’s online learning unit on wellbeing explores key themes such as resilience, adaptability, stress-management, self-awareness and physical health, grounded in a student’s world to help them manage their mental and physical wellbeing while navigating the complexities of studying in higher education.ÌýPearsonÌýare currently offeringÌýfree accessÌýtoÌýan onlineÌýwellbeing unit for students and educators.ÌýÌý
If you’re in need of additional support to develop your students' academic and personal skills gaps,ÌýÌýcover topicsÌýincluding transition andÌýlearning onlineÌýto help students feel well prepared for university life.ÌýÌý
Are youÌýlooking for ways to assess and identify students’ strengths and weaknesses from the start of their course? Pearson’s Conley Readiness Index is aÌý30-minuteÌýonline analysis tool that assesses students’ readiness to succeed at universityÌýandÌýidentifies gaps between their aspirations and skills.Ìý
