Making Connections: First Year Transition for
Computer Science and Software Engineering Students
Alistair Moffat
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
The University of Melbourne,
Victoria 3010, Australia.
Baden Hughes
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
The University of Melbourne,
Victoria 3010, Australia.
Harald Søndergaard
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
The University of Melbourne,
Victoria 3010, Australia.
Paul Gruba
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
The University of Melbourne,
Victoria 3010, Australia.
Status
Proc. 7th Australasian Computing Education Conference,
Newcastle, Australia, February 2005, pages 229-238.
Abstract
During the last decade, an increasing emphasis has been placed on the
need for carefully planned transition programs to help first-year
students integrate into university.
In this paper we critically examine our experiences in designing and
running successive transition programs for Computer Science and
Software Engineering students.
Over the last three years we have trialled several models.
At present, our program requires all entering students to be enrolled
in a transition subject, ``Making Connections'', which runs for half
a semester.
The subject, led by designated academic staff, serves as a forum for
students to learn about each other, the department and the
university.
The program includes a computer-based language and study skills
assessment component, including self-assessment tasks.
Students can extend the subject by taking academic skills workshops
run by the university's student support services.
We have found compulsion to be a useful facilitator of student
engagement, and the addition of an objective assessment task has been
beneficial.