Seen and Supported: Implementing a University-Wide Transition Framework to Improve First-Year Success

Abstract

A Transition Pedagogy framework acknowledges students’ transition into university from diverse backgrounds, with varied preparedness for studying at university. It puts the onus on the university to provide a seamless experience, and specifies that initiatives should be curriculum-centred, promote diversity and include a whole-of-institution approach. The aim of this project was to increase commencing student success by embedding principles of transition pedagogy throughout the first-year curriculum. This article outlines the components of a university-wide Transition Framework that was developed at a large Australian regional university, based on our interpretation of transition pedagogy, to unify academics and professional staff in supporting first-year students. Since the project commenced in 2017, both internal and online commencing success rates have increased. A key finding is the importance of a coordinated approach to identifying disengaged students and providing targeted support at multiple time points early in the semester to reduce the number of fail grades.