Enhancing the transition experience of university students in the orientation period

Providing academic skills support to the growing number of first year students from key equity groups, varied entry pathways, and levels of preparedness is a difficult task for any learning centre. Nevertheless, the first term of university can be a period of intense change for these students, so it is crucial to provide the requisite skills for those who are unprepared or lack confidence in their ability to succeed. This support contributes to a successful transition to university, increases student satisfaction with their first-year experience (FYE) and contributes to the retention strategy of university. This presentation outlines the value of the Skills for Success program; one component of a university learning centre’s strategy that provides early explicit instruction on foundational skills. Whilst it sits on the edge of their course rather than embedded into it, the goal of Skills for Success is to increase academic confidence in students prior to the start of term. It enables students to begin to acquire skills before they are faced with the assignment or coursework content. As it is clear the FYE is not a homogeneous event, Skills for Success is also an opportunity to promote the range of leaning centre services, resources and introduce the staff who assist students with individual support. This project has become multidisciplinary and more collaborative as other services join the learning centre team to improve the transition to university.