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Enhancing the First Year Experience at UCD

Enhancing the First Year Experience at UCD. Dr. Amanda Gibney. DIT First Year Initiative – 10 Steps to engage your First Year Students 30 th March 2010. Outline of Presentation. Fellowship in Teaching & Academic Development Education Strategy Development Programme Planning

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Enhancing the First Year Experience at UCD

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  1. Enhancing the First Year Experience at UCD Dr. Amanda Gibney DIT First Year Initiative – 10 Steps to engage your First Year Students 30th March 2010

  2. Outline of Presentation • Fellowship in Teaching & Academic Development • Education Strategy Development • Programme Planning • Focus on First Year • Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development • Summary

  3. Fellowship in Teaching & Academic Development • Scheme commenced 2007, 8 Fellows • Funded by HEA Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF1&2) • Creation of network of emerging leaders with T&L track record • Research key institutional education issues • Model: Group project and individual project • Dissemination of research findings and improvement of student experience

  4. Fellowship in Teaching & Academic Development Group Project: First Year Experience Fellows Team: Niamh Moore, Sara O’Sullivan, Feargal Murphy & Amanda Gibney Findings Gibney, A., Moore, N., Murphy, F. & O'Sullivan, S. (2011) 'The First Semester of University Life; 'will I be able to manage it at all?'. Higher Education, 62 (3):351-366, DOI 10.1007/s10734-010-9392-9 (Web link: http://hdl.handle.net/10197/2788) • Recommendations • Initiatives to support transition • development of skills, engagement, drop-in writing centre • Initiatives to support community building • group work, peer mentoring, social networking

  5. Education Strategy Development Consultation and development process 2009-2010 Development of Strategic Objectives Development of University, College and Programme actions Strategy launched in April 2010 as integral part of UCD Strategic Plan to 2014

  6. Education Strategy Development • Strategic Objectives • Foster early and lasting student engagement • Grow and develop graduate education • Strengthen and enhance academic disciplines and programmes • Stimulate creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and active citizenship • Widen participation and support lifelong learning • Internationalise the student experience • Excel in teaching, learning innovation and academic development

  7. Programme Planning • University Level Planning (2009-2010) • (Registrar, Deputy Registrars, College Principals, VPTLs, Programme Deans, Graduate School Directors, Marketing and Recruitment Managers, Finance Managers) • Clear unified presentation of programmes, simplification of entry routes • Identification of common themes across programmes • Articulation of pathways from undergraduate to graduate programmes

  8. Programme Planning • Programme Level Planning (2009-2010) • Oversight and Working Group • (Programme Deans, College Principals, VPTLs, Graduate School Directors, School Heads, School Heads of T&L, Programme Office Directors, College Finance Officers) • Programme vision • Programme outcomes and graduate attributes • Programme Structure/Map • Action plan and timelines

  9. Focus on First Year • University Level Initiative (2010-2011) • University and Programme Orientation • Academic Programme Structure • Assessment and Feedback • Transition to Independent Study • Engagement with UCD

  10. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Programme Specific Modules Business: Effective Learning and Development Engineering: Creativity in Design Computer Science: Computer Science in Practice Science: Principles of Scientific Enquiry Nursing: Transitions: Engage to Success Arts: Learning for Success @ University (Module Descriptors: http://www.ucd.ie/students/course_search.htm)

  11. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Engineering: Creativity in Design (coupled with Innovation Leadership) • Active-learning engineering experience through which students develop their: • observation skills • problem solving skills • lateral thinking abilities • visual and verbal presentation skills • information literacy skills.

  12. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Innovation Process Observe Ideation Prototype Refine Understand Implement a-Ha! Small # Probable Solutions Points of Inspiration Opportunity Statement Ideas to Pursue Possible Solutions Innovative Solution • Data • Issues • Successes • Problem Def. • Shadowing • User Journey • User Interviews • Story Telling • Brainstorming • Lateral Thinking • TRIZ • Mock-ups • Go Fast • No Frills • Create Scenarios • Focus Prototypes • Engage Clients • Ruthless Decisions • Focus on Outcomes • Resourcing • Diverse Skills • Create • Launch Current Situation User Experience Idea Generation Working Models A Few Possibilities Solution

  13. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Assessment Group (85%) Formative and summative assessment in-studio wks 3 to 12 • 5 key concepts • Understanding (evidence-based, comprehensive) • Observation (planning, photos, sketches) • Idea generation (no. of ideas, good themes) • Prototyping (planning, testing, context) • Communication (verbal and visual) Individual (15%) Sketchbook submission, sketch exercises

  14. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development

  15. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development

  16. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development

  17. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Creative Design Solutions Exhibition Innovation Dublin 2010 & 2011

  18. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development

  19. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development General Points • Students were provided with a module handbook • Students obtained weekly feedback (both formative and summative) • Students not attending studio sessions were contacted • Students exhibited sustained, substantial effort across the semester • Student’s understanding of the process and their prototyping, communication skills and confidence improved across the semester

  20. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Student Feedback • Aspects that appealed: • Teamwork, studio setting, solving real problems, getting to know classmates, fun, active • Aspects that helped learning: • Giving presentations, teamwork, interactive studio • Suggest changes: • More time per project, more drawing, earlier information literacy session, clearer project briefs, better chosen groups

  21. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Science: Principles of Scientific Enquiry • Aims • Engage students with scientific literature research • Encourage critical and analytical thinking • Encourage passion for discovery and with that self-motivated learning • Develop group work and communication skills • Provide a personalised contact with academics in the scientific community • Aid transition to university

  22. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Delivery Lectures: to full cohort of 400+, lecturer-led Workshops: groups of 75, tutor led Tutorials: groups of 5-6, academic as facilitator Group Work: groups of 5-6 scheduled unsupervised time

  23. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Assessment * Group marks weighted by peer marking and attendance and contribution mark

  24. Semester 1 Engagement and Skills Development Observations and Feedback • Students engaged with scientific literature and aware of research activities in UCD and beyond • Students used research and critical thinking skills developed in other modules • Students’ communication skills improved as did their confidence • Students recognise longer-term benefits of skills developed

  25. Summary • Co-ordinated, planned institutional activity in T&L supported at high level can effect real change • Institutional Research and research-based evidence will dispel anecdotal evidence and spur change • Cross-disciplinary dissemination/interaction pitched at appropriate level promotes wider adoption of innovative effective practices • Effective Fellowship model has: • - engaged academics in policy making • - developed cross-disciplinary networking • - resulted in emergence of academic leaders

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