Abstract
A First Year Teaching and Learning Network was established in a regional university with a strong focus on distance education for a very diverse student cohort. The purpose of the Network, which consisted of a Coordinator in each of nine schools, was to support staff teaching students transitioning into tertiary education. The paper explores the theoretical bases of the structure, its current method of operation, its impact so far, and future plans. The development of the Network illustrates how a university can consciously embed opportunities for staff to take ownership of transition pedagogy and thus encourage widespread capacity building amongst their peers. The experiences of the Network in its first two years provide a case study of how institutional support for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, in particular scholarship around capacity building, can be used as a mechanism to promote both staff and student engagement with transition pedagogy resulting in a shift from a second generation approach towards a third generation approach to transition.
Highlights
Students transitioning to university are vulnerable to early withdrawal and disappointment but their unique needs are well documented and increasingly researched (Nelson & Clarke, 2014) the complexity of the transitioning phase is yet to be fully understood (Chesters & Watson, 2013).Support structures and pedagogical programs have to be purpose-planned, comprehensive, flexible and diverse, as well as tightly integrated, coordinated and managed (Gale, 2009; Kift & Nelson, 2005; Nelson, Kift & Clarke; 2008; Pitkethly &Prosser, 2010)
The First Year Teaching and Learning Network (FYTLN) was created with the aim of improving the first year student experience by increasing awareness of first year pedagogy among academic staff and coordinating activities related to first year teaching across the university
They have encouraged, mentored and supported other academics to become involved in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), resulting in literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, successful grant proposals, publications and conference presentations related to first year teaching and learning
Summary
Students transitioning to university are vulnerable to early withdrawal and disappointment but their unique needs are well documented and increasingly researched (Nelson & Clarke, 2014). The First Year Teaching and Learning Network (FYTLN) was created with the aim of improving the first year student experience by increasing awareness of first year pedagogy among academic staff and coordinating activities related to first year teaching across the university. Facilitating curriculum development: Network Coordinators provided leadership in helping to redevelop first year units to better serve the needs of students and Figure 1: Summary of FYTLN activities, and how they straddle intra-school, inter-school and university levels academic programs. Coordinators have sought funding (internally and nationally) for projects related to the FYE They have encouraged, mentored and supported other academics to become involved in SoTL, resulting in literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, successful grant proposals, publications and conference presentations related to first year teaching and learning
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