The document discusses a study on the effectiveness of an online transitional support portal for first-year fashion design students at a university. [1] The portal aimed to help students prepare for and adjust to university life through peer connections and academic resources. [2] Surveys found that the portal helped reduce student stress and loneliness by facilitating early social integration and understanding of course expectations. [3] While some students faced technical difficulties accessing the portal, overall it appeared successful in supporting student retention and satisfaction in the first year.

1. FDT PORTAL Supporting students transition to H.E Why? Who For? How? What Effect did it have? Problems & Successes

2. FDT PORTAL Why? Working towards improving student retention, progression & satisfaction Working towards improving the first year student experience Working towards EQAL (Enhancing Quality & Assessment for Learning) 2011 Curriculum Structure

3. FDT PORTAL Provision of pre-entry transitional support Provision of opportunity for early social & academic integration Encourage early engagement Encourage pre-entry academic preparation

4. FDT PORTAL Studies investigating into the student experience of induction have found a tendency towards information overload (Edward,2003; King and Wessel, 2004, Purnell, 2004).

5. FDT PORTAL 2009/10 first year student cohort - BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology program 45 students with a gender ratio 8:1 (female to male) Students arriving from a range of educational experiences including: ‘A’ level, Art Foundation, BETEC & HND courses Age range 18 - 25 Who for?

6. FDT PORTAL

7. FDT PORTAL “ The first year is really hard I think to deal with like being away from home and being with these people you don’t know and stuff. I found it really lonely”

8. FDT PORTAL “ I think the web page would be really good…I never talked to anyone for the first few days” “ There was a lot of negativity in our course in the first year…i think that’s why so many people end up quitting or not coming in”

9. FDT PORTAL “ I just bought saucepans…and bed sheets I didn’t do anything else” “ I shopped at IKEA”

10. FDT PORTAL “ Be prepared…not for anything to be spoon fed to you like it was in college or on foundation” “ Everything is not given to you anymore. It’s like you’re an adult now your kind of expected to do everything for yourself”

11. FDT PORTAL Online survey sent to students via their private email address before arriving at uni – to further support content design of the portal ‘ Adjusting to life at university: help in early preparation’

12. www.surveymonkey.com

13. Students acknowledged interest in a number of areas

14. Just 3% of students expressed feelings of stress 94% of students were excited

15. FDT PORTAL Designed using Adobe Golive (HTML authoring application) Adobe Photoshop (image manipulation app.) Adobe Illustrator (graphics app.) Forumotion (app. to build chat room) Uploaded to Art & Design server (web development staff) How?

16. Designed by Julie Haslam 2009

17. www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/fdt/welcome

18. FDT PORTAL An invitation to the portal was included in a welcome letter sent out 3 weeks before students were due to arrive at university

20. FDT PORTAL Online survey - two weeks in ‘ Transition to University: how is it for you?’ What effect did it have?

21. 77% of responders felt meeting tutors within the portal before arriving at uni made the first day less daunting

22. 80% of students felt the portal helped them understand the course better

23. 83% of students felt they had peer support to help with study problems

24. 70% of students had made social friendships after two weeks at uni

25. After two weeks 82% of students acknowledged course friends helped them cope in times of stress

26. FDT PORTAL Online survey - six weeks in ‘ Adjusting to uni: how are you finding it six weeks in?’

27. 65% of students now had feelings of stress a rise of 62% Despite a rise in stress levels 51% of students were still excited

28. Reasons for rise in stress levels: 70% were finding the workload more than expected 92% acknowledged concern about their time management skills 69% of student responders expected to receive more help from tutors 84% were finding lack of money a real problem Illustration adapted from ‘Nemi’ comic strip, written and drawn by Lise Myhre

29. FDT PORTAL It is now widely suggested that friendship networks work as essential support during periods of difficulties and indications are that peer engagement and support improves the first year experience (Anderson and Boud, 1996; Austin, 1984; Heagney, 2008; Keenan, 2008; Morda et al., 2007; Sampson and Conhen, 2001; Thomas, 2002; Tinto, 1997; Trotter and Roberts, 2006; Urquhart and Pooley,1991; Yorke and Longden, 2004)

30. 82% of survey responders use peer friendships to help them cope in times of stress

31. 71% were still enjoying the challenge of university study despite the large rise in stress levels and changes in course expectations

32. Illustration adapted from ‘Nemi’ comic strip, written and drawn by Lise Myhre Analysis of qualitative research found the portal has served in supporting social integration and in gaining peer friendships

33. Illustration adapted from ‘Nemi’ comic strip, written and drawn by Lise Myhre These friendships provide an emotional buffer during what is evidently a highly stressful and emotional experience

34. FDT PORTAL The study allowed a thorough understanding of transitional difficulties students face The study allowed a deeper understanding of students expectations The study allowed the discovery of a wide range of information to support immediate & future management of transitional support

35. FDT PORTAL Not all students received an invitation to the portal Some students experienced difficulties: Problems faced “ I found the portal confusing to use” “ wasn’t sure how to use it and couldn't get on” “ I didn’t use it before I came to uni”

36. FDT PORTAL Disparity within ICT staff support Time consuming Needs staff commitment – monitoring, updating etc Despite the pre-entry support misconceptions towards study at H.E. were still very evident - clearly an area for continual study & development Problems faced

37. FDT PORTAL Support provision is not always utilized to its full advantage (Harvey et al., 2006:online) Institutions may need to take a more proactive manner (Cuseo, undated:online) MMU pre-entry information guide lines set out for 2010 should help with this Problems faced

38. FDT PORTAL Findings from the study agree with the concept that student induction needs to be a long & thin series of processes delivered throughout the entire first year experience. Although students did still experience difficulties during transition to H.E. study - the portal clearly supported students friendships and positive attitude towards this challenging period of adjustment