Improving student transition by working with academics’ conceptions of the student experience: academic development for organisational change

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 32: The Student Experience

July, 2009, 715 pages
Published by
Helen Wozniak and Sonia Bartoluzzi
ISBN
0 908557 78 7
Abstract 

A whole-of-university approach to student transition is essential, and academics’ understanding of the realities of the student experience is fundamental to any such efforts. However, a review of the literature suggests university transition activities may overlook or gloss over the kind of academic development needed to shape academics’ understandings of transition and thus to effect meaningful organisational change. This paper reflects on work done by one academic development unit to assist academics to improve their students’ transition to university. Analysis of three different initiatives forms the basis for discussion of ways academics think about student transition, and ways academic developers can work with these understandings. The paper concludes with considerations for academic development practice that can make a contribution to a university’s approach to student transition. For academic development to make a systemic difference to the experiences of students entering university, it needs to encourage, support and validate academics’ active, evidence-based understanding of and response to the student experience.

Keywords: academic development, first-year experience, learning readiness, organisational change, student-centred teaching, student experience