Transition to Living and Learning Workshop: First Year Expectations,Humanities

Prof Adrian Smith (Faculty Director of Undergraduate Studies)

26 June 2012

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TLLP and Humanities partnership…• prompted by the 2010 pilot skills module in Social Sciences,

hence close collaboration with its instigator Russell Bentley (Politics/IR);

• Sarah Rogers and TLLP colleagues keen to extrapolate from the transitional experience of Humanities ’ Year 1 students lessons for the University as a whole;

• Sensitive to the change in the fees regime, the Faculty of Humanities keen to gain a greater insight into the needs, expectations, and concerns of its Year 1 students, including prior to their arrival;

• Humanities funded to run its own pilot skills component (HUMA1027), using the Social Sciences module as a model;

• HUMA1027 envisaged as complementing each discipline’s skills training, but would it be financially and pedagogically justifiable as a permanent fixture within the faculty curriculum?

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Transition Living and Learning Project in the Faculty of Humanities, phase one…• drafting of the initial questionnaire [four pages] in

spring 2011, with the emphasis upon maximizing feedback rather than undue respect for methodology;

• the questionnaire completed by 311 students across 7 disciplines in the second half of semester 2 2011-12;

• this initial survey complemented by meetings with two focus groups, and a written contribution from Year 1 student representatives and any other undergraduates keen to volunteer information;

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Transition Living and Learning Project in the Faculty of Humanities, phase two…• the questionnaire revised in autumn 2011 with input

from TLLP and Business Intelligence;

• a second cohort survey midway through semester 1 2011-12, with 494 students completing the questionnaire (many of whom had previously completed a questionnaire evaluating the HUMA1027 skills component).

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All means of gathering qualitative and quantitative evidence…

… whether under the TLLP umbrella, or carried out independently within the Faculty (e.g. the 2011 assessment and feedback taskforce), provided a striking consistency of student opinion.

NB a second cohort survey of Year 1 UGs would have established whether or not a discernible trend of students gaining in confidence and familiarity between November and May of their first year at university – as suggested in the first cohort survey, spring 2011.

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Reason for enrolment on programme of study (autumn 2011 data, although spring 2012 data is consistent)

Reason for enrolment at university (autumn 2011 data, although spring 2012 data is consistent)

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Satisfaction with programme of study…• Spring 2011 • Autumn 2011

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Very satisfied 140 46.4%

Somewhat satisfied 151 50.0%

Somewhat dissatisfied 11 3.6%

Very dissatisfied 0 0.0%

     

Very satisfied21

0 43.3%

Somewhat satisfied24

6 50.7%Somewhat dissatisfied 27 5.6%Very dissatisfied 2 0.4%

Enjoyment of programme of study…Positive:

•new people/friends;

•studying a specific course/subject/modules I like;

•independence;

•socialising/social life;

•new experiences/skills/opportunities;

•independent learning and reading /self-discovery and improvement.

Negative:

•lack of support (esp. compared to school) / lack of contact hours and amount of independent study;

•workload;

•converging assignments / deadlines;

•living in halls / quality of halls ;

•lack of money / financial obligations / lack of value for money;

•early lectures.

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• 28-37% of Year 1 students only occasionally or never feel settled on their programme of study*

• 69-76% of first-years frequently interact well with other students on their programme*

• 18-24% of first-years frequently feel they need more academic support*

• 13-15% of first-years frequently feel they need more support outside of their programme of studies*

• 14-20% of first-years frequently find their studies harder than expected*

• 33% of first-years (across both spring and autumn surveys) frequently find it harder to remain focused on their studies than expected

Further details re programme of study 1…[* the lower percentages here represent the findings from the spring

2011 survey]

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Further details re programme of study 2…• 7-24% of first-years never work collaboratively on their programmes*

• 87-91% of first-years feel the number of students in their lectures is about right

• 87% of first-years (across both spring and autumn surveys) feel the number of students in their seminars and tutorials is about right

• 42-46% of first-years feel they do not have enough teaching hours*

• 66-71% of first-years feel their amount of independent learning is about right*

• 21-22% of first-years feel there is not enough accessibility of their tutors*

• 34-39% of first-years feel they do not receive enough feedback from their tutors*

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Year 1 views on feedback, November 2012

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      Opportunity for non-assessed feedback early in semester 1

206 33.9%

More detailed written feedback from tutors on assignments

117 19.2%

The opportunity to discuss the feedback received with tutors

137 22.5%

To receive written feedback on assignments faster10

9 17.9%A common written feedback template across disciplines in the Faculty 39 6.4%

TOTAL60

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Student suggestions for improving Year 1• clearer, more accurate, more realistic, critical, constructive feedback;

• more one-on-one tutorial time, voluntary and compulsory;

• more scheduled teaching time;

• specificity from lecturers/university on expectations (esp. re assessment);

• more tutor communication;

• advanced access to reading lists, including recommended reading;

• more detailed module information available in advance;

• more advice on skills in essay writing and planning;

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Further Year 1 suggestions…• improved overall support / communication / interaction;

• fuller advice on finance applications, and on budgeting;

• more practical advice re time management and independent study;

• greater chance to meet others studying the same degree programme(s);

• advanced access to reading lists, including recommended reading;

• taster weeks, both re academic study, and for societies/clubs;

• transitional advice at sixthform level re further enhancing study skills.

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Key identifiable areas for improvement, and overall observations…See TLLP 2011 spring/autumn surveys re Year One transition to university, April 2012 report, pp. 11-12

- available from Adrian Smith

If there is one all too obvious lesson to be learnt, especially from student comments in the surveys and the focus groups, then it’s the need for greater consistency and a uniformity of good practice – an attention to detail and getting the little things right, but without encouraging unreasonable student expectations.

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For further information…

Prof Adrian Smith

Director of Undergraduate Studies,

Faculty of Humanities

as5@soton.ac.uk

“I hope we’ve met all your

expectations, Jonny.”

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