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Convincing 1st year students of the importance of 1st year study
Abstract   Peer reviewed

Convincing 1st year students of the importance of 1st year study

Aaron Wiegand
2012 Learning & Teaching Week Program, p.11
Learning & Teaching Week, 2012 (Sunshine Coast, Australia, 20-Aug-2012–24-Aug-2012)
2012
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Abstract

Curriculum and Pedagogy
In mathematics, science, engineering and related disciplines, only when students enter second and third year courses do they realise the detrimental effects of having surface-learned their first-year foundation content. As a result, many students perform poorly, change programs or leave university. When questioned why they don't know their first year content, many students respond that they had not considered it to be important (not relevant to their degrees or chosen careers). When questioned why they are at university, the answer from first-year students is invariably "to get a degree"; they appear to be unaware that they are at university to become capable professionals with an innate set of knowledge and skills that will boost them into their chosen careers. Another contributing factor to poor academic performance is that many first-year students don't know how, or are unwilling, to put together a study plan in order to "deep-learn" the material. In an attempt to address the sense of purpose, attitude and study preparations of first-year students, Dr Aaron Wiegand delivered a short presentation (several times) in week 10 of semester 1 2012, to which all FoSHE first-year students were invited. After a discussion regarding the nature and importance of "deep-learning", it was explained that all university programs, courses and assessment are designed very carefully by expert academics and that all courses are relevant to their overall education, especially considering the goal of a good career. Survey feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive with over 95% indicating that they would immediately adopt a more structured approach to their studies as the presentations had given them a better appreciation for the importance of deep-learning first-year content. This presentation describes the nature, difficulties, outcomes and feedback from this exercise and makes suggestions for future deliveries of its kind.

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