Supporting Student Transitions from Further Education to Higher Education

Transition in education at any level benefits from an established and wide ranging literature which includes transition for young people into education and transition between educational institutions. Predictably, starting at a new educational institution will involve multiple changes: physical location, peer relationships, social and academic expectations and levels of control. In this presentation we explore practicalities facing educational practitioners (here lecturers) who are planning for learning for those starting university. Hernandez – Martinez et al (2011) suggest that there are three main areas of concern facing students during transition periods. These are: 1. The social dimension – This involves students becoming comfortable in the new organisation and making friends and acquiring a sense of belonging. 2. The continuation of curriculum and pedagogy / andragogy – This involves an awareness of the gap between educational practices in both institutions and a sustained focus by staff on how that gap can be bridged and how students can be supported in understanding any changes. 3. Individual progression – This involves the new organisation taking into account the individual history and background of each student. Student identity is not, in this theoretical perspective, a stable or static notion. Wenger (1998) proposed that: • Identity is fundamentally temporal. • The work of identity is on-going. • Because it is constructed in social contexts, the temporality of identity is more complex than a linear notion of time. • Identities are defined with respect to the interaction of multiple convergent and divergent trajectories. In this presentation delegates are encouraged to reflect on the nature of the divide between school/college and university teaching roles and acquire an awareness of their students and their needs particularly during transitions. A fundamental yet crucial consideration of inclusivity during transition is that all students are entitled to learn in environments which consider HOW they learn and HOW they are taught.