Induction

How are students prepared to join a new academic setting within a further and/or higher education institution? Is it important to have institutional, departmental/school, and/or course induction programmes? There are various issues within the realm of induction as well as numerous ways to assist new students in order to increase completion rates. As pointed out by the very informative STAR Programme the term 'Induction' has no common definition across the further and/or higher education sectors. Induction here will represent those students involved in entering a higher education institution from either a school or further education setting.

What are induction issues?

As students prepare to enter higher education, they will be focused on the upcoming changes and expectations they will soon face. Often these expectations and changes are not aligned with the induction process put into place by an institution, department or school. When student concerns and expectations are not aligned with an induction programme, students can feel frustrated, disappointed and unsuccessful about the entry into higher education. If students progress without any assistance early on, then the student might opt to leave early. Students new to the university setting can become easily overwhelmed and, if help is not easy to find, are more likely to drop out.

Induction programmes should:

• provide information that will best match what students want to know about how the university experience will be both academic, area and social communities
• identify possible at-risk students (poorly qualified, non-traditional, mature, and returning)
• be used, possibly, as a starting point to ascertain the previous learning experiences of students
• be transparent in students and staff obligations
• support examples of appropriate and suitable study habits
• establish a foundation for a social experience leading to communities of practice
• practice good communication between staff and students
• consider other areas where an induction programme may need to be implemented (work placements, etc.)

The STAR Project has published its guidelines on the induction process providing specific information about: Prior to entry guidelines; First semester information and resources; Principles for good teaching; case studies, and mini projects. Specific to the biosciences is 'A Survey of Current Practice of Induction in the Biosciences' within the Student Transition and Retention booklet.

What can institutions or departments do to help students with induction?

During recruitment provide students with an honest, clear picture of what studying at your university or within your course of study will be like, what type of employment opportunities are possible, and provide examples of the changes students will be making from school in order to complete the first year.

Prepare students for a smooth induction (and transition) academically by communicating openly about what is to be expected in order to prepare for academic success. Think about your own expectations of your first year students; now consider the previous learning experiences and environments that your students will be entering university with. If the two lists reveal gaps between your expectations and the students' abilities, think of ways to assist students with these areas. If you are interested in better understanding the school experience, you could talk with a teacher who delivers A level science/biology and even careers advisors. Additionally, you can review the latest A level or other qualification requirements for your subject area from the DirectGov web site.

Expectations at School:

• Grades are given based on a set of maximum based criteria
• Dependent learning with teacher support
• Narrower curriculum
• Small class sizes
• Managed studies
• Writing and numeracy skills are minimal

Expectations at HE:

• Grades are assigned based on a set of minimum based criteria
• Independent learning with little support
• Curriculum broadens
• Large class sizes
• Balance between student/life/social components
• Good writing and numeracy skills

How can the Centre for Bioscience support you?

Centre Events

2008 Transition Issues for Bioscientists/Scientists event held at University of East Anglia, Norwich. Event report contains presentations, resources and information from the day's event looking at induction, transition and retention issues. Of possible interest might be the University of East Anglia students contribution where they shared their own experiences of the transition from school to university.

Event reports and supporting documents from the 2004 The Bioscience First Year: putting research in to practice events held at the University of Paisley and the University of Brighton.

Centre Resources

Induction Audit Tool from the STAR Project can be used to evaluate good practice and areas of change that might need to be addressed.

Centre Publications

Bulletin

• It's More Than Just Passing With Pass, Bulletin 20, 2007
• The Widening Participation Agenda, Bulletin 10, 2003

Bioscience Education e-journal

• Student Learning Networks on Residential Field Courses: Does Size Matter?, volume 11-1, 2007
• Short Communication: Student Failure in First Year Modules in the Biosciences: An Interview Based Investigation, volume 10, 2007
• Factors Affecting Student Choice of the Undergraduate Research Project: Staff and Student Perceptions, volume 5, 2005

Centre Funded Projects

• Networks and learning styles: how students interact to complete residential Enquiry Based Learning projects Dr Mark Langan Manchester Metropolitan University

What other induction resources are available?

We have collected additional induction resources from across the Higher Education Academy, Subject Centres and other external organizations which might be of interest to you.

We hope the material included in these web pages is of use and we are open to suggestions of new material for induction.