Expectations and realities for first year students at an Australian university

Karen J Nelson; Sally Kift; John A Clarke

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Expectations and realities for first year students at an Australian university

Conference paper

Open access

Peer reviewed

Expectations and realities for first year students at an Australian university

Karen J Nelson, Sally Kift and John A Clarke

Proceedings of the 11th Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference, pp.1-9

Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education (FYHE) Conference: an apple for the learner : celebrating the first year experience, 11th (Hobart, Australia, 30-Jun-2008–02-Jul-2008)

Queensland University of Technology

2008

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Abstract

Education Systems

Specialist Studies in Education

Other Education

transitions

student expectations

first year experience

HERN

Student expectations and their realization are regarded as having a significant effect on the successful transition of students into and their engagement with university. Students from the Faculties of Law (internal and external modes of study) and Information Technology (internal only) provided their expectations (week 1: 918 students) and reported the realities (week 13: 680) in the areas of experiences, challenges and management of their learning during their first semester at the Queensland University of Technology. While their expectations were diverse and the match and mismatch of expectations and reality were complex, and while they expected and reported having an overall rewarding and positive experience, they indicated that their expectations about developing new learning skills were not fulfilled. Implications of this for curricula and the design and management of learning environments are discussed.

Details

Title: Expectations and realities for first year students at an Australian university
Authors: Karen J Nelson (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Sally Kift (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
John A Clarke (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Contributors: J Thomas (Editor)
Publication details: Proceedings of the 11th Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference, pp.1-9
Conference details: Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education (FYHE) Conference: an apple for the learner : celebrating the first year experience, 11th (Hobart, Australia, 30-Jun-2008–02-Jul-2008)
Publisher: Queensland University of Technology
Date published: 2008
ISBN: 9781741072419
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students)
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99448882902621
Output Type: Conference paper

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