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Induction Experiences

Induction Experiences. Designing a high impact induction session. First Impressions Count. That first session, that first week, that first semester have a disproportionate impact. impact. Time at Napier. Day 2. Semester 2. Week 2. Year 2. First Impressions Count.

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Induction Experiences

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  1. Induction Experiences Designing a high impact induction session

  2. First Impressions Count • That first session, that first week, that first semester have a disproportionate impact impact Time at Napier Day 2 Semester 2 Week 2 Year 2

  3. First Impressions Count • That first session, that first week, that first semester have a disproportionate impact impact By “impact” I mean “the degree to which it is important that I get it right”. If you get the first session right you can afford to get a lot of other stuff wrong. Time at Napier Day 2 Semester 2 Week 2 Year 2

  4. Traditional Induction • Where are the fire exits • How many credits you should accumulate every year • What is the structure of the course • What are the penalties for plagiarism • What happens when you fail a module

  5. They did that to me… • When I first got a job at the University I was very excited • The first communication was a staff handbook • What constitutes serious professional misconduct (as opposed to minor professional misconduct) • The redundancy procedure • The disciplinary procedure

  6. Topics in this talk • First impressions • Why it is worth putting effort into session one • AVM • The group activity sessions we have evolved • Building tutor groups • Why do it • How to do it • And how not to do it

  7. The perfect induction

  8. Day One, Session One • Many of the students have already moved in to halls and been on Students’ Union Events • Many are away from home for the first time • All of them are keen and excited • I am competing for their attention • I want to carve out space • That first week, from a student’s point of view, seemingly lasts months

  9. Ice breakers & short activities • Computing Students are notoriously unsociable • In software development an individual can often out perform a group • We need to find activities where the group outperforms the individual: • For example: 300 milliseconds http://sqlzoo.net/300.htm

  10. Animal Vegetable Mineral • Every student gets a sticky label • In the room there will be 5 Ants, 5 Badgers, 5 Cats etc. • The groups must find each other and introduce themselves • We can help the groups find each other

  11. Short Activities Activity Requirements • Activities must be quick • They must require more than one person • They must be easy to assess instantly and publicly Activities Used • Big bubble contest • Give out bubble mixture and wire. Take a picture of your biggest bubble • Bean counting • I give out bags of exactly 150 grams of beans. You give me back exactly 100 grams • Egg catching • Give out sticky tape and newspaper. I drop an egg on it.

  12. Personal Tutor Groups • At the end of AVM the students must form themselves into tutor groups of 5 or 6 • Each group is assigned a tutor • The groups leave together to find their tutor and get their timetables • Tutors meet their groups for an hour per week during semester 1 • Activities are based on problems supplied by common modules

  13. Why tutor groups work • The tutor groups are the core of the peer support structures • For each student “Somebody knows your name.” • Tutors are the first point of contact when the programme leader wants to know something about a student • Even when a tutor group fails other groups often adopt

  14. How to get buy in • Once it is working, having a tutor group is actually quite popular among the staff • Recruiting tutors was difficult in the first few years • Get the head of school to take a group • Get the research professors to take a group • Get the dean to take a group

  15. How to make tutor groups work • The tutor must be there on day one • The activities must be available but need not be obligatory • I cannot predict who will be a successful tutor • Record attendance • Tiny details matter • A stand in will not do • A missed session is a lost group • Use bcc to nag missing students • Buy them a coffee • Leave them alone • The tutor is on the students’ side

  16. Summary • Induction – it is a big deal. • Make it an event. • Make it memorable. • Personal tutor groups work, they form lasting friendships that survive for years. • Staff like being tutors.

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