This document provides a critical review of a social work transition project that transferred 63 students from two colleges to a university to complete their final year of study. It outlines the conceptual framework for student engagement and discusses the implementation of the project including addressing student needs, challenges with large class sizes and infrastructure, and student perspectives about concerns with travel, academics and placements. Lessons are identified for future projects, including earlier identification of student support requirements and factoring in unexpected issues. The review found mixed outcomes for student engagement with their learning, the transition process improved with student representative involvement, and identity was partially achieved.

2. “It’s just a Derry/ Londonderry Month”
......critical reflections of the Social Work
Transition Project.
CHEP Conference 27th January 2013.
Mary Mc Colgan and Susannah Mc Call.

3. Content of presentation
 An outline of the conceptual framework underpinning student
engagement, drawing on the key lessons from international
literature.
 A critical review of the transition project including its
implementation, and identification of good practice initiatives
 An exploration of the student perspectives, identifying their
concerns about the transition and noting the “good, the bad and
the ugly” about the process from their point of view.
 Identification of the learning from this experience and lessons for
implementation for future groups of students.

4. The Sum of the Parts.

5. Student Engagement: conceptual framework

6. Contextual Considerations
 Degree in Social Work introduced in 2004
established Collaborative Partnerships with four
Further Education Institutes
 Aim to offer geographic accessibility to
professional Social Work Education
 Revalidation in 2009 led to review of
Collaborative Partnerships : reduction to two
partners

7. Contextual Considerations
 Final year of Degree only offered at Magee
 Resulted in transfer of 63 students from Belfast
Metropolitan College and South West Regional
College
 Final year student cohort combining fast track
route and three year route with total of 163
students
 Additional responsibility for “off streamers”.

8. Critical review of Transition Project
 Implementation phase
 Practical considerations –addressing Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs e.g accommodation,
timetabling, transport, integration with existing
cohort of students,
 Challenges : large class sizes, staffing resources,
geographic infrastructure (no trains from Belfast)

9. Student Perspectives
 Concerns about travelling to Magee on a daily
basis.
 Concerns about achieving standards of
academic competence “feeding forward” from
assessment to learning.
 Concerns about accommodation and orientation
to final year.

10. Student Perspectives
 Concerned about moving from small group to
large group
 Concerned about being lost in big group and
losing peer support
 Concerned about allocation of placements.

11. How did we prepare
 Established Transition Group with senior staff, course directors,
students union, student services, Faculty administration, Subject
Partnership Manager.
 Initial meetings did not involve students.
 Students were negative about first orientation visit
 Successful engagement with student representatives to plan
second visit and address concerns

12. Orientation preparation
As part of orientation, in situ visit by
Student Support to explain student
support process at Ulster.
Visit by Subject Partnership
Manager to explain placement
allocation process.
Allocated students in their existing
tutorial groups to experienced
tutors to sustain group cohesion.
Delivery of specialist lecture by
subject expert to illustrate teaching
standards. (double edged sword).

13. What did we do on the visits
 Two visits to Magee.....one for orientation, introduction to
other students
 Organised around group activities :ice breakers, campus
orientation.
 Critical feedback highlighted difference in expectations,
focus needed to include academic input
 Second visit organised around specialist lecture on current
topic related to child protection

14. The perfect storm

15. Confluence of Factors

16. Internal Factors

17. External Factors

18. The Glenshane Pass

19. Strategic Factors
Collaborative arrangements in
place for delivery of Degree across
two sites.
Allocation of resources predicated
on existing provision.
Accountability to Regulatory Body
(Northern Ireland Social Care
Council)
Regional Process for Allocation of
Practice Learning involved
completion of Practice Learning
Profiles prior to students transfer.

20. Lessons for the future.

21. Lessons for the future.
 Ongoing review and evaluation of the Transitions
Project.
 Introduce “buddy” opportunities.
 Establish earlier process for identification of
student support needs and assessment of
educational support required.
 Context determines capacity in spite of planning
processes, factor in the “unexpected”.

22. And in the final analysis?
Area Review
Student engagement in individual The jury’s still out as the progress
student learning board has not been held. Initial
results suggest comparable
outcomes with established student
cohort.
Student engagement with structure Transition project has established
and process role for student reps during the
planning and implementation phase.
Student reps also engaged in course
committees
Student engagement with identity Achieved to some extent.

23. References:
Trowler,V. 2010 Student Engagement Literature Review.
York. The Higher Education Academy
Trowler, V and Trowler, P. 2010 Student Engagement
Evidence Summary. Lancaster. The Higher Education Academy