Title
Making connections: first year transition for computer science and software engineering students
Abstract
During the last decade, an increasing emphasis has been placed on the need for carefully planned transition programs to help first-year students integrate into university. In this paper we critically examine our experiences in designing and running successive transition programs for Computer Science and Software Engineering students. Over the last three years we have trialled several models. At present, our program requires all entering students to be enrolled in a transition subject, "Making Connections", which runs for half a semester. The subject, led by designated academic staff, serves as a forum for students to learn about each other, the department and the university. The program includes a computer-based language and study skills assessment component, including self-assessment tasks. Students can extend the subject by taking academic skills workshops run by the university's student support services. We have found compulsion to be a useful facilitator of student engagement, and the addition of an objective assessment task has been beneficial.
Year
DOI
Venue
2005
10.5555/1082424.1082454
ACE
Keywords
Field
DocType
year transition,student engagement,planned transition program,first-year student,software engineering student,successive transition program,computer science,objective assessment task,transition subject,academic skill,last decade,academic staff,software engineering
Study skills,Software engineering,Psychology,Mathematics education,Student engagement,Facilitator
Conference
ISBN
Citations 
PageRank 
1-920682-24-4
1
0.38
References 
Authors
1
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Alistair Moffat15913728.91
Baden Hughes210317.82
Harald Søndergaard385879.52
Paul Gruba4193.22