First Impressions: Student Induction

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First Impressions Student Induction
Warwick Network 2007
Catherine Thomson Induction Officer
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Purpose and direction

• To provide an insight into current
  induction-related activities at Warwick
• To explore the notion and purpose of induction
• To share practice and develop ideas
• To engender a culture of shared ownership of
  induction

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The best years of your life?
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What do new students bring?

• Expectations of course and institution
• Ideas about the campus culture
• Sense of pressure / apprehension
• Varying amounts of financial freedom
• Excitement
• Variable skills for HE
• Personal ambition
• Helicopter parents

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The Warwick Welcome Autumn 2007

• Enrolment
• Arrivals weekend
• Residences
• Registration
• VCs addresses
• Students Union
• Orientation
• Academic departments

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So, why is the first year so important?

• Last things first - graduation
• The undergraduate environment
• What do we want from our students?
• Employability
• Rites of passage
• Benefits for all

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Induction at Warwick The Story So Far

• November 2005 June 2006 QUAD Research report
• Exploring student retention and the student
  experience at the University of Warwick
• February 2006 Student and Ancillary Services
• Consultation on induction (departmental)
• Late 2006 HEFCE TQEF funding allocated for
  induction (2007-2009)
• March 2007 Students Union paper on induction
• May 2007 Induction Officer appointed

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Where is Induction Situated?
Students Union
Academic Departments
International Office
Residences
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What is induction?
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The purpose of induction
For students
For universities
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What do we think students need?

• Clarity of communication (enrolment where to
• get support degree information)
• Community (academic and social integration
  course
• identity learning and virtual communities)
• Activity (subject engagement as well as
  information)
• Certainty (enrolment, timetables and unit
  information)
• Accessibility (IT, library, student support)
• Security (where to go and who to go to)
• Inclusivity (being able to access central
  services in ways
• which minimise fears about being stigmatised).

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How do we find out more about students needs?

• Talking to - and listening to - students
• Working with their preferred communication
  methods
• Monitoring service usage
• Sharing experience
• Building collaboration among staff

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Focus Group Exercise 1

• What is induction made of?
• When should induction start and end?

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What is induction made of?

• Academic
• Administrative and support
• Residential
• The international factor
• Students Union

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When should induction start and end?
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What is induction made of?When should it start
and end?

• Five groups
• Academic
• Administrative and support
• Residential
• The international factor
• Students Union

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Focus Group Exercise 2Delivery Options

• Induction week

No induction week

• Consider
• When are students in a position to be introduced
  to the university?
• What can we do pre-arrival?
• Staff resources
• Current initiatives orientation, arrivals
  weekend
• Work / life balance
• The role of technology/ fact to face contact

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What happens without effective induction?

• Little opportunity for students to understand the
  institution or their role in it.
• Poor integration
• Low morale
• Risk to productivity
• Failure to work to highest potential
• Withdrawal
• Impact on institutions reputation (consider
  revenue)

Do these issues affect you? In what ways?
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Whose responsibility is it?
Students Union
Academic Departments
Residences
International Office
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What Next?

• Current activities
• Working with new students
• Building and strengthening links
• Providing centralised support and guidance
• Developing inclusive policy
• Generating buy-in, ideas and enthusiasm
• Collaboration is key

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The best years of our life?
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Contact Details
Catherine Thomson Induction Officer Centre for
Student Development and Enterprise Campus
Affairs Email C.V.Thomson_at_warwick.ac.uk Telephon
e 024 761 50482