Focus on First Year Podcast

teaching_ffypodcastsm Section 4 of UCD's Education Strategy states our intention to achieve “early intervention to ensure student engagement in the first year, establishing from the outset our expectations of students and promoting and fostering learning behaviours that will ensure success at university level”.

Now We've Got Them - Let's Keep Them

The first episode "Now We've Got Them - Let's Keep Them" draws on UCD and international research exploring the challenges particular to first year and highlights action points required to foster learning behaviours that will ensure success at university level. Subsequent episodes deal with a range of first year student engagement related topics including practical advice and UCD case studies. References for "Now We've Got Them - Let's Keep Them" include:

Student Retention in a Modular World, Blaney C. & Mulkeen, S
UCD Education Strategy 2009-14
Report of the Fellows 2007-09

Peer Mentoring - Get Connected

The second episode "Peer Mentoring - Get Connected" describes peer mentoring as a support to first year undergraduates as they transition into the university learning environment. The reference for the episode is:

Fox, Connelly, Duff & Dunlop, (2010). Peer-Mentoring Undergraduate Accounting Students: The Influence on Approaches to Learning and Academic Performance, Active Learning in Higher Education, 11(2) p145-156.

Is it on the Exam? - Revisiting Assessment

The third episode "Is it on the Exam? - Revisiting Assessment" examines the power of assessment to drive students’ learning behaviour. In particular how to use assessment in first year to move away from a surface-learning approach driven by terminal exams to more engaged deeper learning approach. The references for the episode are:

Snyder, B. (1973) The Hidden Curriculum, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge (Mass.);
Scouller, K. (1998) ‘The influence of assessment method on students' learning approaches:
Multiple choice question examination versus assignment essay’ Higher Education, Vol 35 (4), 453-472,
Nicol, D (2009), Transforming assessment and feedback: Enhancing integration and empowerment in the first year, Quality Assurance Agency, Scotland
Gibbs, G. & Simpson, C. (2004-5) Conditions under which assessment supports students' learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 1 (1), 3-31.
Chickering, A. W. & Gamson, Z. (1987). Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7.
Designing Assessment for Successful First Year Learning, web resources developed as an outcome of the First Year Assessment Project

It's all in the Marks

The fourth episod "It's all in the Marks" provides a bird’s eye view of good practice in grading and considers how grading as a planned activity can be used to deepen student engagement and ease the possible dread of the grading season. The references for this episode are:

Green, K and Emerson, A. 2007, A new framework for grading, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 32, 4, 495 – 511.
Sadler, D. R. 2009, Grade integrity and the representation of academic achievement, Studies in Higher Education, 34, 7, 807 – 826
Walvoord, B.E and Anderson, V.J. 1998, Effective grading: a tool for learning and Assessment, San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Developing Skills for Professional Practice

The fifth episode "Developing Skills for Professional Practice" addresses the issue of how first year students can best be prepared for professional practice, particularly in areas where they are coming into contact with members of the public. Although students enter professions with some idea of the work that it entails they still require support in coming to learn the skills needed to work competently and professionally with the public they serve. This episode will focus particularly on the role played by simulated learning environments in enhancing the ability of first years to enter the professional workplace safely. The references for this episode are:

Schon, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. New York: Basic Books Inc
Travelbee, J. (1966) Interpersonal Aspects of Nursing (2^nd Edn.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company

Future Fit: Engaging and Developing from Day One

In the sixth episode "Future Fit:Engaging and Developing from Day One" Dr David Foster, Director of the UCD Career Development Centre highlights the expectations of graduate recruiters and the role personal development planning from day of university can equip graduates to meet these expectations and fulfil their aspirations. The reference for this episode is:

Cottrell, S. (2010) Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook, Second edition, Palgrave MacMillan

Sustainable Group-project Learning for Large Numbers That Works

In the seventh episode “Sustainable Group-Project Learning for Large Numbers that Works” Dr Amanda Gibney describes an approach which has been developed for the ‘Creativity in Design’ module, a core module for all first year engineering students at UCD. A key focus of this module is on small group studio work. This episode describes a sustainable approach to facilitation of these small group sessions. The references for this episode are:

Coates, H., (2005) The value of student engagement for higher education quality assurance, Quality in Higher Education, Vol 11, Issue 1 p25-36.
McInnis, C. and James, R. (1995) First Year on Campus, Diversity in the initial experiences of Australian Undergraduates. Canberra, Australian Government Publishing Service.
Springer, L., Stanne, M.E., Donovan, S., (1999) Effects of Small-Group Learning on Undergraduates in Science, Engineering and Technology: A Meta-Analysis, Review of Educational Research 69(1), 21-51 [Internet] Available from: http://archive.wceruw.org/nise/Publications/Research_Monographs/vol11.pdf [Accessed 24th August 2009]

Get Students to Think Scientifically

In the eighth episode “Get Students to Think Scientifically” Professor Mark Rogers describes an approach which has been developed for the Science Programme, and is delivered in part through a module taken by all first year common entry science students at UCD. This module “Principles of Scientific Enquiry” encourages students to develop the key skills required by all science students through a combination of lectures, workshops and small group activity facilitated by academic staff. This episode describes the thinking and approach used in developing this module.

Putting Students at the Centre of Learning Outcomes

In the ninth episode "Putting Students at the Centre of Learning Outcomes" Dr Ann Bourke aims to provide insights on learning outcomes (programme, module or session) and how they can be used to promote and support student learning. The references for this episode are:

Biggs, J. And Tang, C. 2007, Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Maidenhead: McGraw Hill-OU-SRHE
Light, G. Cox, R and Calkins, S. 2009, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, London: Sage Publications.
Moon, J. 2002, The Module and Programme Development Handbook, London: Kogan Page.
Rubin, R and Maretell, K, 2009, Assessment and Accreditation in Business Schools, in S. J. Armstrong and Cynthia Fukami (Eds.) The Sage Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development, London: Sage Publications.

Six Ways to Engage Students with Feedback

In the tenth and final episode "Six Ways to Engage Students with Feedback" Dr Geraldine O'Neill looks at how we can rethink our definition of feedback, moving away from a retrospective approach, to an approach which develops students’ own judgement and self-monitoring skills. The references, some case studies, and resources referred to in this episode can be accessed in the:

‘Focus on First Year’ assessment resource webpage and in the
Teaching Resource ‘Formative Assessment: Practical Ideas for Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Feedback to Students ’

References