Internatjon FYE Conference Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch 1 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Internatjon FYE Conference July 2012 Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa 1

Llewellyn LM MacMaster Dean of Students

The Learning Journey to success starts right here: Stellenbosch University’s Welcoming for First-Year students

Overview

• 1. Quick facts about Stellenbosch University (SU)
• 2. From Orientation Programme (OP) to Welcoming

Programme (WP)

• 3. BACKGROUND:
• . Dominance of negative practices in residences
• . A new value-driven approach
• . Res-Ed Clusters
• . The First-Year Academy
• 4. Re-thinking the WP @ SU: the process and

recommendations by T ask team

• 5. A Learning Journey
• 6. New initiatives for 2012
• 7. The Role of student leaders
• 8. Continuous monitoring and evaluation
• 9. Concluding remarks

3

Stellenbosch University: Quick Facts

• Established in 1915 with 500 students
• One of the top three research universitjes in

South Africa

• 28 193 students (2011) – 35.62%

Postgraduate students

• 3 583 First-tjme entry First-year students
• 1 237 (26.45%) Black (African, Coloured and

Indian students

• 4 361 (25.58%) of Under-graduate students, and

48.61 of Post-graduate students

• Four Campuses
• Ten Facultjes:
• AgriSciences
• Arts and Social Sciences
• Educatjon
• Military Sciences
• Engineering
• Law
• Science
• Theology
• Economic and Management Sciences
• Medicine and Health Sciences

4 Internatjon FYE Conference July 2012 Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

RSA and SU Comparison

RACE LANGUAGE

5

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 RSA SU 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 RSA SU

Internatjon FYE Conference July 2012 Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

From OP to ˝Welcoming˝ Programme

• 1997: Decision to

rename OP

• Death of First-year

student during Residence Orientatj tjon (so-called Hazing ˝ontgroening˝ or ˝doop˝ (= baptjsm, Afrikaans)

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Dominance of negatj tjve Orientatj tjon practj tjces in Residences

• Strong Hierarchical structures
• Humiliatjon of new First-year

students (“They must be broken down”)

• Residence identj

tjty and culture

• ver-emphasized
• Infringed on academic
• rientatjon
• Strong competjtjon between

Residences

• RAG (Reach out and Give)

actjvitjes given priority over academic orientatjon

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New Value-driven Approach

• the generic values of

hospitality, friendliness and human dignity.

• Each Residence determine
• wn set of values
• Two-hour conversatjons

with every House Commituee

• Preparatjon for WP
• Student monitors

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Creatj tjng Res-Ed Clusters

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A Day in life

• f a student

in Res A Day in life of a commutj tjng student A Day in life of a commutj tjn g student in a Cluster

Advantages of Res-Ed Clusters

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Commutj tjng student - Unknown: 1 out of a total of 3 583 fj fjrst-tj tjme First-years 1 out of a total of 17 051 undergraduate students Known in smaller Res-Ed Cluster group; also connected with students in Res within Cluster

Advantages of Res-Ed Clusters

• Students in Residences and commutjng

students are brought together

• Structure for more contact, conversatjon,

interactjon,

• and support (study and mentor groups, also

tutorial groups)

• Change from mono- to multj-cultural exposure
• Res-Ed hubs

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AmaMatj tjes

• Equité (Private Students’ Organisatjon, PSO)
• Erica (Female)
• Helderberg (Male)
• Libertas (PSO, M)
• Nemesia (F)
• Serruria (F)
• VALUES: Empowerment,

Diversity, Friendship, Balance

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First Hub (2012)

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First-year Academy

• The FYA is a comprehensive University initjatjve to

improve the success rate of fjrst-year students by implementjng or facilitatjng a variety of research actjons, programmes and projects. The FYA was implemented for the fjrst tjme in 2007 and the entjre University community is involved in this very important initjatjve. The FYA's success will lie in everyone acceptjng a collectjve responsibility.

• htup://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/ctl/fya.html

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FYA initj tjatj tjves

• Early Assessment
• Teaching and Learning Coordinatjon points in

Facultjes

• Provision for Tutorial Programmes
• ResEd programmes
• The Rector’s Dinner for Top-Performing Students
• Electronic support and monitoring
• The First-year Student Blog (PLakker)

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Rethinking the Welcoming Programme @ SU

• Task team appointed by Vice-Rector in 2009
• Points of departure:

– University’s vision, mission and overarching strategic prioritjes – A systemic-holistjc and student-centred approach – Cognisance of best practjces; benchmarking

• Modus operandi:

– 2 working groups; literature overview; deliberatjons; conclusions; report and recommendatjons

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Characteristj tjcs of a WP

i. Intentjonality

• ii. Coherence
• iii. Well-founded theories of knowledge, learning and human

development

• iv. Suitability to the development levels and demographic profjle of

student populatjon

• v. Responsiveness to the needs of individuals, special groups and

communitjes

• vi. A process addressing relevant transitjon measures, issues and

needs with pre- and post-enrolment interventjons (Dean, L.A. (Ed). 2006. CAS Professional Standards for Higher Educatjon, Sixth Editjon)

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Defj fjciencies identj tjfj fjed

• Too many silos; lacking coherence and

integratjon

• Programme too busy/overloaded (info and

actjvitjes)

• 7 working days insuffjcient
• Importance of out-of-class experiences has

long been ignored and underestjmated

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Research on student success points out …

Move from compartmentalised

• rganisatjon, to:

Organize systemically

Think systemically and think collaboratjvely (Terenzini en Pascarella, 2004)

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Recommendatj tjons

• 1. Emphasis on learning (journey) and student success
• 2. Holistjc, integrated and coordinated approach – “de-silofjcatjon”

and Total Learning Experience: focus on “instjtutjon-wide” approach to ensure the “seamlessness” of student experience

• 3. Greater focus on Pre- and post- Welcoming phase, not just

7 days

• 4. MyMatje camps be instjtuted
• 5. Decrease actjvitjes during Welcoming Week
• 6. Appoint a full-tjme Welcoming Programme Coordinator
• 7. Appoint Student Support Stafg member in each Faculty
• 8. Strengthen Mentor programme

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Welcoming Programme

• The Welcoming Programme for all incoming fjrst-year students aims to

facilitate the (seamless) transitjon from school to university by providing for a range of actjvitjes that will introduce the student to university life in its totality. Although the focus of the Welcoming Programme is on the fjrst few weeks at university, several of the initjatjves stretch into the fjrst semester so that all students have ample opportunity to get to know one another, the campus and the university as a whole. Facultjes, academic support and student afgairs stafg collaborate in the planning and presentatjon of the Welcoming Programme. Preliminary details of the Programme are sent to students prior to their arrival at university, with full details being made available on arrival via Die Verwelkomingsmatje (WelcomingMatje). Informatjon can also be retrieved at htup://www.mymatjes.com.

• [htup://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/ctl/fya.html#welcoming]

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Student and Academic Support (SAS) at SU

I’ve applied! My learning journey has started!

• htup://www.matjes.com/

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The Learning Journey: Access (Arrival)and success

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“Learning is a complex, holistjc, multj-centric Actjvity that occurs throughout and across the college experience” (Keeling (Ed), 2004)

A Learning Journey @ SU

First-Year student (Eerstejaar 2012) thinks (‘cinga’) with an enquiring mind and interacts (‘sebenzisana’) as an engaged citj tjzen, making links, growing into a dynamic professional (‘ingcali enamandla’), applying learning to be a well- rounded individual (‘afgeronde individu’) that successfully graduate from university

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Internatjon FYE Conference July 2012 Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa 26

Welcome

WELCOME TO ARISTEA!

You are about to become a part of something greater than just your academic record at Stellenbosch University and we look forward to welcoming you to

• ur family!

Aristea is the oldest PSO (Private Student Organisation) on campus and we aim to provide the girls who do not live in University residences with various opportunities and experiences. From the fjrst years’ experiences of Vensters and skakelings to leadership opportunities and dances, Aristea gives you ample sport, cultural and social areas to grow from and to become part

• f sisterhood.

Ons streef om jou ‘n familie op kampus te gee waar jy enige

• ndersteuning, akedemies en anders, kan ontvang en om jou voor

te stel aan individue wie na aan jou hart sal word in die volgende paar jare. Ons motto “Aristea- Women of Heart and Mind” verteenwoordig alles wat ons glo belangrik is van ‘n Aristea dame en ons streef om ons waardes uit te beeld in alles wat ons doen. http://www0.sun.ac.za/aristea/index.php?option=com_content&v iew=frontpage&Itemid=1

Offj ffjcial Welcoming of New First-Year students, parents and family

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New Initj tjatj tjves 2012

• First Generatj

tjon Success Camp

• T-shirt for all new First-year students
• “Survival guide” for new Matjes
• Pilot of Signature Learning Experience in

amaMatjes Cluster

• Community Interactj

tjon/outreach Day

• MAD² (Make A Decision 2 Make A Difgerence)
• Informal meetjngs between Lectures and First-year

students

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First Generatjon Success Camp

New T-shirt

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“Survival Guide”

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Community Outreach Day

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Role of Student leaders

• Student Representatjve Council

(SRC)

• Residences: Head students

(Primaria) and House Commituees

• Res-Ed Convenors
• Academic Afgairs Council and

Student Commituees

• Societjes’ Council
• Mentors
• Monitors
• MAD² Commituee

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Contj tjnuous monitoring and evaluatj tjon

• Centre for Student Afgairs
• Welcoming Commituee (campus-wide representatjon)
• First-year Academy Commituee
• MAD² Congress
• Commituee of Head Students (Prim Commituee)
• Management Commituee for Student and Academic

support (SAS)

• Management Commituee of the Vice-Rector (Teaching

and Learning)

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In Conclusion

• SU: very strong support structures in place
• Challenge to ensure and maintain a holistjc,

integrated, campus-wide learning experience for students!!

• Proper evaluatjon of programme (Quality

assurance)

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DANKIE THANK YOU ENKOSI KAHKULU