Induction, Transition and Retention

The Centre is here to support institutions, departments and individuals around the many themes concerning introduction to and success within the Further and/or Higher Education setting. Although the overall area of transition can be subdivided into three further areas of induction, transition and retention, a clear boundary between these areas is sometimes difficult to establish as they often overlap with one another.

The Centre for Bioscience helped to support the STAR (Student Transition And Retention) Project, an FDTL4 (Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning) project, that aimed to 'identify, analyse, disseminate and uptake examples of good practice in supporting students during periods of rapid transition from one learning environment to another with an underlying aim to increase student retention.' The case studies, booklets, reports and papers are some of the best collections in the UK of work regarding these issues. Many of these examples highlight relevant examples in the biosciences.

Induction

How are students prepared to join a new academic setting within a further and/or higher education institution? There are various issues at hand as well as numerous ways to assist these entering students. As pointed out in the very informative STAR Programme the term 'Induction' has no common definition across the further and/or higher education sectors. Induction here will focus on those students involved in entering a higher education institution from either a school or college setting.

Read more about Induction

Transition

What are the best routes for students once they are in higher education? Do the issues of transition differ for the biological sciences? Different types of support can be provided to students as they progress from semester to semester or year to year which can also contribute to and impact student retention. Transition also includes students graduating from higher education into employment.

A Short Guide: Transition to Higher Education has been developed by the Centre to provide practitioners with an overview of transition issues in higher education.

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Retention

Why does a student continue on or return to a university and/or a course of study? Universities are increasingly becoming more aware of student completion, retention, and drop-out rates. Retention strategies are meant to help students succeed at a higher education institution. These strategies are most commonly found in first year programmes, but they can be implemented at any stage of a student's university experience.

Read more about retention

General induction, transition and retention resources

Events

2007 Science Learning and Teaching Conference Find out what other practitioners have tried with helping students make the transition into the sciences. The proceedings contain various papers focused on transition issues under ‘The Secondary/Tertiary Interface’ section beginning on page 134.

'A Shared Vision: Common agendas for schools and higher education' a national conference for schools and higher education institution partnerships. The SSAT (Specialist Schools and Academies Trust) March 2007 event web site shares resources and materials.

Resources

University of Wolverhampton has an extensive and open access database, WIRE - Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-Theses which serves as an excellent starting point for induction, retention and transition resources.

An online tutorial, Learning Strategies On-line, at the University of Louisiana State University is designed to help students identify their own learning styles; to improve study skills, time management and development of test taking strategies, and to further academic strategies for success.

Work on the themes of recruitment, transition and retention has been gathered on the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) Subject Centre web pages.

Publications

Student Transition: Practices and Policies to Promote Retention by Anthony Cook and Brian S. Rushton summarises much of the current work and findings across the UK. Published as SEDA Paper 121 and has an associated cost.

Universities UK Bookshop publishes a variety of materials centred on many issues around the student experience some of which are available to download as pdf files.

Scottish Enhancement Themes publications, 'Personalisation of the first year,' ‘Transition to and during the first year’ and a comprehensive listing of worldwide resources devoted to the first year theme.

The Higher Education Academy has many documents and reports on the topic of first year students, retention, transition and student engagement. Go to: www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources and search for ‘first year’ or other induction, retention, or transition topics.

Surveys

The University of East Anglia Dean of Students' Office (Student Services) surveyed student tutors working with students as a part of the Learning Enhancement Team. The results of the survey were shared during the swapshop portion of the Centre for Bioscience 'Transition issues for Bioscientists/Scientists' professional development event in March 2008.