Humanities Student Transition Experience & Academic Skills Project

1. Humanities Student Transition Experience & Academic Skills Project Dr Adrian Smith, Sarah Rogers, Marta Cecconi, Dr Sara Perry

2. Humanities Student Transition Experience & Academic Skills Project • Rationale & context behind project • Process of its early implementation • Preliminary research findings • Plans for future

3. Rationale & context • study the student experiences of transition in Humanities and the impacts of various factors (both pre and post arrival) on that experience; c.800 students, 7 disciplines • assess the accuracy of assorted assumptions about the Humanities first-year student body (e.g., homogeneity, localness, similar educational backgrounds)

4. Rationale & context • in light of fee increases & consumerist shifts, better understand student needs, wants, expectations • BUT prepare students for the reality of the experience, & maintain dynamic contact over time • liaise with A-level providers to ensure & to take responsibility for developing a strong bridge from school to uni environment

5. Process of implementation • development of 4-page questionnaire (21 questions, mix of qualitative & quantitative data) • completed by 311 students, end of Semester TWO – Archaeology (x 30), English (x 10), Film (x 41), History (x 74), Languages (x 86), Music (x 29), Philosophy (x 40) • 2 x focus groups • written follow up with student reps & other volunteers

6. Preliminary findings • questionnaire data, focus groups, & written enquiries converge • critical links to findings derived from other uni studies of student academic & non-academic experiences • 42% very satisfied, 55% somewhat satisfied, 4% somewhat dissatisfied with programme of study • qualitative responses demonstrate the alignment of students’ sentiments about their experiences

7. Q12: What are you enjoying most about your time at university? • New people/friends 92 (18%) • Studying a specific course/subject/modules I like 72 (14%) • Independence 66 (13%) • Socialising/social life 49 (10%) • New experiences/skills/opportunities 33 (6%) • Independent learning & reading / self-discovery & improvement 33 (6%) “Feeling in control of my studies.”  “I'm loving my module of my course and the fact I have spent time with likeminded students on a regular basis.”  “Socialising with a large group of intellectually lively people.”  “University recognises that first year is about friends as well.”  “Studying something I love.”

8. Q13: What are you enjoying least about your time at university? • Lack of support (esp. compared to school) / lack of contact hours 25 (8%) • Living in halls / quality of halls 22 (7%) • Lack of money / financial obligations / lack of value for money 22 (7%) • Amount of independent study 22 (7%) • Workload 17 (6%) • Converging assignments / deadlines 16 (5%) • Early lectures 15 (5%) “The fact that there are so few contact hours…like to engage academically with others...”  “Feedback on essays often seems rushed / not really telling me how I could improve. Less contact with teachers - don’t know my lecturers.”  “I feel like my course places too much emphasis on assignments, and not actual learning.” 

9. Q13: What are you enjoying least about your time at university? • Lack of support (esp. compared to school) / lack of contact hours 25 (8%) • Living in halls / quality of halls 22 (7%) • Lack of money / financial obligations / lack of value for money 22 (7%) • Amount of independent study 22 (7%) • Workload 17 (6%) • Converging assignments / deadlines 16 (5%) • Early lectures 15 (5%) “Time management. Get tutored on this please.”  “Very hard sometimes, I do not like halls and feel very uncomfortable...”  “Heavy drinking culture…(you are isolated if you do not want to do so) - peer pressure.”

10. Q10: Please provide further detail below on how the School of Humanities and the University could have helped to improve your experiences during your first year • Clearer, more accurate, critical, constructive feedback 39 (15%) • More or compulsory tutor time, more tutor communication 35 (14%) • More (compulsory) teaching time 17 (7%) • Specificity from lecturers/uni on expectations (esp re: assessment) 16 (6%) • One-on-one input sessions 12 (5%) • More detailed course info available in advance 12 (5%) • Skills in essay writing & planning 12 (5%) • More and better support / communication / interaction 11 (4%)

11. Q10: Please provide further detail below on how the School of Humanities and the University could have helped to improve your experiences during your first year “There's no way to see if what I've got out of independent study is right or needed/expected. Tutors need more focused and high-end mark based feedback. Some tutors are easy to access but some are not at all.” “Occasionally feel constructive feedback has been lacking. Although I appreciate that studies are much more independent and less structured at university, I sometimes feel more feedback should be given on individual assignments and general progress to make sure I am working at my potential.” “More teaching hours, feels like very bad value for money esp. compared to other subjects which cost the same but have triple the hours and resources.”

12. Q10: Please provide further detail below on how the School of Humanities and the University could have helped to improve your experiences during your first year “Less strict requirements for module choices for second year, it's our degree!” “More feedback--help sessions timetabled for essay skills, referencing, etc.” “Don't have many teaching hours so difficult to meet new people & establish friendships - more group work would be better.” “More digitised material, more accurate feedback on essays, not more than one deadline on the same day.” “More practice for assignments - Clearer feedback - More time available for support in weak areas - targeting week areas.”

13. Q14: Please write below if there is anything that you feel the university or others could have done to help you better prepare for your transition to university study Realistic/accurate/specific info on the experience/fitting in/workload 14 (12%) Skills in essay writing & planning 8 (7%) Advice on finance applications/assistance on budgeting 7 (6%) Skills and information on independent study 6 (5%) More opportunities to meet students ON COURSE 5 (4%) Advanced access to reading list & readings 4 (3.5%) More info prior to course start 4 (3.5%) Taster weeks, both academic & for societies/clubs 4 (3.5%) More detailed marking criteria, info on expectations 4 (3.5%) More support/academic skills at school level for transition 4 (3.5%)

14. Q10: Please provide further detail below on how the School of Humanities and the University could have helped to improve your experiences during your first year “Not tell me A-levels were the hardest thing I will ever do and university is easy; offer more one on one time.” “Information about university level essay writing - people are expected to immediately understand referencing. Before university, people need to understand what this is about, rather than be told when they are trying to write here.” “Information about the amount of contact hours, how much reading is expected, help during Freshers to fit in more - meet people on course not just halls.” “Information regarding differences to school teaching styles and expectations. Study skills lectures during the first week.”

15. Focus group themes • aim to combat schools’ focus on prepping students solely for an Oxbridge education • notable lack of teaching time in some programmes (value for money) • need for more constructive criticism and feedback on assessments • role of the personal tutor (generally seen as unclear and perhaps even unhelpful) • major concern about lack of contact time and unclear/inaccessible open hours • lack of interaction between students across the humanities, and in some cases within disciplines themselves (halls as major source of socialising) • concern over promotion of drinking culture • need to make more use of digital resources • provide dedicated study skills sessions @ appropriate times

16. Next steps • development of cross-Humanities academic skills workshops, guided by model tested in Social Sciences • delivered in Weeks 2-5 of Semester One to approx. 800 students by c.11 PGR teaching assistants • combination of video-lectures & hands-on work • focus on key skills issues: • Time management, efficient reading and making the most out of lectures  • Research practice, referencing, academic integrity and essay writing  • Working in groups and giving presentations  • Exam technique and revision methods

17. Next steps • redevelopment & administration of student transition experience questionnaire (end of Semester One) • focus groups (end of Semester One) • comparative data analysis between 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 cohorts

18. THANK YOU!