Transitioning from vocational education and training to university : strengthening information literacy through collaboration

"Students transitioning from vocational education and training (VET) to university can experience a number of challenges. This small research project explored the information literacy needs of VET and university students and how they differ. Students studying early childhood related VET and university courses reported differences in how and where they searched for information in their studies. These differences reflect the more practical focus of VET compared with the more academic and theoretical approach of university. The author proposes a framework of support that could be provided to transitioning students to enable them to develop the necessary information literacy skills for university study."--publisher website

On becoming an undergraduate : transition to university

This paper investigates the first year experience of undergraduates with a view to discovering some of the factors which determine a successful negotiation of the transitional phase. The paper begins with a theoretical framework of transition based on the three models of Van Gennep (1960), Viney (1980) and Tinto (1987) and applied to the educational transition from school to University. A new model of transition is presented which looks at the relationship between social and academic adjustment of students to university over time.

On becoming an undergraduate : transition to university

This paper investigates the first year experience of undergraduates with a view to discovering some of the factors which determine a successful negotiation of the transitional phase. The paper begins with a theoretical framework of transition based on the three models of Van Gennep (1960), Viney (1980) and Tinto (1987) and applied to the educational transition from school to University. A new model of transition is presented which looks at the relationship between social and academic adjustment of students to university over time.

“I miss being spoon-fed”. A comparison of transition from school to university education from the perspective of undergraduate pharmacy students

Background: The transition from school to university can be challenging and there is increasing concern among academics that students are inadequately prepared for entry to university courses.Aims: To investigate students’ views on transition from school to university education.Method: A focus group was conducted with first-year students and analysed using thematic analysis. Students were invited to participate in an electronic questionnaire; responses were analysed via SPSS for Windows. The Mann– Whitney U test was utilised with p<0.05 set as significant.Results: A response rate of 60% (88/147) was obtained for the questionnaire. Differences included staff-student interactions, learning methods, examination preparation and feedback provision. Many (85%) agreed that the main emphasis in school was on examination preparation; 29.6% considered this to be the case at university (z=-8.315; p<0.05). Most students (95.4%) considered the feedback they received at school helped improve performance; this decreased to 50% when asked about feedback at university (z=-8.326; p<0.05).Conclusion: Students appear to be insufficiently prepared for the demands of higher education. They desire various aspects of their university educational experience to be more akin to that of school, including: a greater level of individual attention, increased access to teaching staff, and further clarification and transparency about the standard required to pass exams. Further work can now be done by academic staff to aid the transition and improve the learning experience.

Quality of learning support for mathematics in transition to University

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Stress associated with the transition from high school to university: The effect of social support and self-efficacy

The present study aimed to evaluate the role of social support and self-efficacy on the level of stress associated with the transition from high school to university. One hundred and eight-five university students who had completed high school in the previous year completed a three-part questionnaire designed to gather information on their levels of self-efficacy, social support, and stress associated with their transition. The results showed that self-efficacy was a significant predictor of stress associated with the transition to university in that higher levels of self-efficacy were associated with lower levels of stress while social support was a non-significant predictor of stress. [Author abstract]

Settling in:understanding the role and influence of parents on student transition to university

This paper will present details and findings to date collected as part of a research project currently being undertaken at Aston University, Birmingham, UK. The research focuses on the adjustment and experience of first year students and the role and influence of their parents and family during this time. In addition to Educational research literature, the research draws on “Emerging Adulthood” to assist in understanding the experience of students upon enrolling on a Higher Education degree. It is anticipated that the findings will contribute to the UK student retention debate as well as the adjustment literature.

Interruptions of (CG)n sequences by GG, TG and CA need not prevent B to Z transition in solution

Oligonucleotides containing alternating purines-pyrimidines with AT base pairs have been shown to exist in the Z-form preferably in solid state. We report that oligodeoxyribonucleotides with GG, TG and CA interruptions in their alternating CG sequences can undergo B to Z transition in solution in the absence of any chemical modification or topological constraint. The sequences, d(CGCGCGGCGCGC) and d(CGTGCGCACG) have been synthesised and shown to adopt Z- conformation in presence of millimolar concentrations of Ni2+ under low water activity conditions. Significance of GG, TG and CA interruptions in the B to Z transition is discussed.