Enhancing the First Year Experience

Clare Carter

University of Ulster

Widening Participation

• UU committed to widening participation• HEFCE benchmark is 28% participation

from social classes IIIM, IV and V (1999-2000 intake)

• UU rate was 39%• Students must also be retained and

progress• One initiative is Step-Up programme

UU retention

• Benchmark for 1999-2000 entry was 10%, 8% for young entrants and 15% for mature entrants

• Actual rate that year was 11%, 10% for young entrants and 13% for mature entrants

Reasons given for withdrawal

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UU project

• Collate good practice within the university• Collect information on aspects of 1st year

experience• Collect information on first year student opinion• Collect good practice from elsewhere• Construct programme relating good practice to

identified student needs• Pilot and evaluate in year 2• Finalise and disseminate

Initiatives already on-going in some faculties

• Review of Induction

• Review of first year curriculum

• Enhancing role of studies advisor

• Enhancing subject support

• Enhancing study skills support

• Monitoring of attendance with follow-up

What happens to first year students

• Collection of information relating to:– pre-entry provision of information to

prospective and incoming students– induction– curriculum – studies support– assessment

Student Characteristics

• Most students are from Ireland?• Working part-time?• Many are first in family to go into higher

education?• Many are not confident about their study

skills when they come to university?

• Evidence is needed

Student diversity

• We know:– how many; ages; qualifications; ethnicity;

disability;

• We don’t know:– family experience of HE; extent of outside

employment; incoming student expectations about study in HE;

Questionnaires

• On entry

• Later first semester

• Withdrawing students

Outcomes

• Profile of first year students– Expectations of university– family experience of HE– accommodation– employment– travel times

• Do students withdrawing show particular risk factors?

Outcomes (2)

• Handbook of recommendations of good practice for enhancing retention

• Piloting of recommendations next year

• Roll-out across University 2005-06