Group sessions to give the 1st semester students knowledge and tools to ease the transition and to help create a culture where the students can talk about different aspects of student life with each other.
Academic integration/belonging, Social integration/belongingCounseling | On campus | In person | Live
Time lineWhat is the main idea or gist?
What does this initiative/support/project look like?
To many new students the start at HE is also the start of a whole new life. To learn and find meaning in a new setting is essential if the new students are to have a good experience starting their education.
By focusing on the students’ encounter with the university and the culture, their efforts to become part of their programme and their identity work, we hope to ease their transition.
At the First Year seminars we work with their options, their expectations, and their encounter with the university (experiences). It’s all about their First Year Experience.
Structure and organisation
The First Year seminars are group sessions according to study programme. Every session is approx. 2 hours, and they are spread over the first 2-3 months of study. We meet with the students 2-3 times (vary from programme to programme).
We introduce perspectives that has a positive impact on the students ‘sense of belonging’ and create space for the students to talk with each other about their thoughts and experiences.
The themes of the 3 sessions:
All sessions are based on Tinto’s FYE-studies and Seligman’s PERMA model.
The sessions consist of a mix between exercises, discussions, and small inspirational presentations from the facilitator (a student guidance counsellor).
The seminars give the students the possibility to discuss important subjects, they wouldn’t normally discuss (deindividualization). This can help create a joint language, which can substantiate the construction of meaning in their community.
It’s not a part of the curriculum, but closely linked because the study secretaries add the seminars to the students’ schedules. The Student Guidance Service organizes it – in close contact with the study secretaries.
What are the goals?
How are students involved?
Students are not involved in the design og delivery.
What underlying constructs or ideas inspired the design?
Vincent Tinto’s research and in particular his 3 main factors in a successful transition: Self-efficacy, value of curriculum and sense of belonging.
H. Holmegaard, L. Ulriksen and colleagues work on bridging the gap and the students’ narratives surrounding decision making.
Litteratur on guidance in groups.
What the success criteria and the points of attention?
It is essential for this initiative that it is designed as a group guidance with focus on students’ conversations on specific topics in order to support the purpose.
strongly agree
(How) is this initiative/support/project evaluated?
Yes, we ask the participants to fill out a form in the end of every session. We used to gather the results in small reports, but now we mainly use their answers to make sure the content and the form is relevant for the students.
How is it communicated and advertised?
The study secretaries add the sessions to the students’ schedules. We make a poster/plan and send an invite to the students and we send out reminders.
What is the current and ideal timing and duration?
During the 1st semester. When the introduction is over, and before the exams start.
During regular ‘school’ hours.
What resources are needed to run this initiative?
Staff: student guidance counsellors
Skills: planning, coordinating, facilitating, insight in the theoretical framework.
Niemiec, C. P., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom:Applying self-determination theory to educational practice. Theory and Research in Education, 7(2), 133–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878509104318
Tinto, V. (2017). Through the Eyes of Students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 254–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115621917
Tinto, V. (2017). Reflections on Student Persistence. Student Success, 8(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.v8i2.376
Ulriksen, L. (2009). The implied student. Studies in Higher Education, 34(5), 517–532. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070802597135
Is it easily transferrable to other contexts or groups?
We think it is quite easily transferable to other contexts or groups.
The theoretical framework and the design could easily be transferred – the content would have to be adapted to the context.