Designing and delivering an online transition programme: a practical application of Zepke and Leach's ten proposals for action

Abstract

Articulation from college is an established feature of tertiary education in Scotland and is promoted at policy level as a widening participation objective. In Scotland, 28% of university first-degree entrants enter university from college. Additionally, 42% of university first-degree entrants from the most deprived areas (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, Most Deprived quintile) enter via the college route. Building confidence, engagement and belonging in higher education is important for all students but is especially pertinent for students articulating from college who are joining their degree programme in the second or third year of the Scottish four-year honours degree. This means joining an existing cohort of peers with established university knowledge and networks. This paper explores how an on-campus, pre-entry transition programme was re-conceptualised for the online environment to better facilitate an asynchronous mode of learning. Designed to introduce college students with the skills to help them engage and succeed in their degree studies, the programme is targeted at entrants from the 20% most socially deprived areas. By way of evaluation, programme outcomes are mapped to Zepke and Leach's (2010) ten proposals for improving engagement in higher education. Challenges associated with the rapid transformation to an online transition model and how these were addressed are included. The paper offers a student-focused online transition model to manage and support access to engagement in university for college entrants.