Abstract
The University of Tasmania’s (UTAS) UniStart program is a pre- and early-semester academic transition support program available to all HECs-eligible incoming students. The aim of the program is to nurture critical thinking and independent study skills in commencing students. UniStart has been offered to commencing UTAS students for over 10 years, with a significant increase both in enrolments and in the flexibility of delivery over recent years. Evaluation of the program indicates that students feel more confident and prepared for their academic studies after undertaking the program and that the majority of students affirm, later in the year, that they have utilised and applied the skills developed in UniStart during their core studies. The program represents an important component of the university’s approach to supporting the first-year experience and student transition.
Highlights
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is experiencing growth in enrolments and the diversity of the student body, trends which are mirrored across Australia and beyond (Kift & Nelson, 2005)
Feedback from students indicates that the UniStart program positively impacts students‘ engagement and confidence, and helps them form new relationships with each other and the university
Framework proposed to guide first year and transition support more generally at the University, which is focussed on students‘ sense of purpose, resourcefulness, academic preparedness and development, and connectedness to each other and the university
Summary
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is experiencing growth in enrolments and the diversity of the student body, trends which are mirrored across Australia and beyond (Kift & Nelson, 2005). At the same time that these changes have presented new challenges for higher education, there has been growing awareness of the significance of the first year experience for student learning and engagement. In this context, the UniStart program represents an important avenue to support the transition of all HECs-eligible students into the academic culture of the university by helping them to develop their tertiary literacy skills. UniStart is a flexible tertiary literacy development program which aims to equip students with the academic skills required for a successful transition to university study. UniStart is supported by Commonwealth and University of Tasmania (UTAS) funding and is delivered free to all domestically-enrolled students
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