Welcome, Orientation and Induction
Annexe Five – Examples of Good Practice
Keyword(s) or phrase
COMMUNICATION, SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS
Induction event
Student briefings
Further details
Handout to accompany a
presentation which
highlights penalties for
handing ‘late and over
length essay submissions’,
the consequences of
plagiarism and the student
appeals procedures.
DEPARTMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS
Staff lists with photographs
List of school staff,
including room numbers,
phone numbers, e-mails
addresses and photos.
DEPARTMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS
Student and staff meetings
One day in the first week
specifically allocated for
these meetings in groups
and then on a one to one
basis.
DEPARTMENTAL HANDBOOK
HUBS study skills manual
ESSAY WRITING, REFERENCING
‘Advice on the preparation of
Reference guide to all
aspects of academic work
divided into 12 chapters
available in print and
electronic (PDF) form via
the HUBS website.
Contains self assessment
questionnaires (on
independent learning), list
of FAQ (referencing) and a
list of key terminology
used by tutors in setting
written tasks.
Detailed guides to essay
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
Aim of event
To carry out initial
departmental
administrative tasks
and to meet
supervisors.
Notes
Not only does a slide
presentation of these
elements clarify
complexities, students are
introduced to key
members of staff, who
attend. It also allows
questions from students.
Available to students
electronically through
departmental drive.
Enables new students to
‘see’ staff members
without being formally
introduced. Useful, as
often faces are better
remembered than names.
Allocating a specific day
on which to carry out
these tasks leaves the rest
of the week free to deal
with other elements of
induction.
Useful as a study tool to
refer back to over the
entire length of the degree
- possible information
overload for new students.
Relates to HUBS core
module, ‘Academic and
Professional Skills (APS)’
constituting its reading list
material.
Department
Geography
Also available
Biological Sciences
Scarborough
Management Centre
Drama
Hull University
Business School
QH:K7
Annexe 5:1
assessed essays’
writing aimed at different
student years and
including well illustrated
examples of quoting and
referencing from a range
of sources.
Students’ Union events are
incorporated into the
induction programme
provided by the
department. A help desk is
also provided for the first
week specifically for new
students to go to with
questions.
At the end of week one,
which involves several
field trips, Friday afternoon
is taken up with asking
students ‘embarrassing
[pastoral] questions’ for
example, ‘have you
contacted your Mum, are
you brushing your teeth,
are you happy?’ etc.
electronically through
departmental public
access drive.
STUDENTS’ UNION ACTIVITIES
Induction programme
TIMING
Wind down event
FEEDBACK
Student induction
questionnaires
Questionnaires handed to
all new students at the end
of week one.
To gain feedback on
induction processes,
events and material.
HE LEARNING CULTURE
Introduction to social research
Taster lecture of one hour
in length held in a lecture
theatre on some general
principles of the chosen
subject.
HE LEARNING CULTURE
Study skills
Lecture induction,
laboratory induction
classes and students’ first
IT class.
Introduces students
who might not have
otherwise been in a
lecture theatre to HE
learning and teaching
mechanisms.
Introduction of core
study skills, which are
specific to the
discipline.
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
Gives an overall
introductory picture of
University life, whilst
providing some continuity
for new students - SU
events are mainly held in
the evening.
Centre for Internet
Computing Scarborough campus
Opportunity to summarise
the week’s events, giving
students a sense of
having ‘achieved’
completion of the first
week. Pastoral questions
addressed to a group as a
whole reminds students
‘everybody is in the same
boat’ - may contribute to
retention.
Enables annual review of
the induction week and
supporting material, since
students include
suggestions for
improvement in their
responses.
This idea might be
adapted to suit any
subject or discipline.
Scarborough Centre
for Coastal Studies
Familiarises students with
Higher Education teaching
and learning methods at
an early stage in
Biological Sciences
Scarborough campus
CASS
QH:K7
Annexe 5:2
preparation for ‘real’
lectures and classes.
ICE BREAKER
Welcome lunch
ICE BREAKER
‘Historical Groups’
ICE BREAKER
The Orange Tree game
INFORMATION, STUDENT DIVERSITY
Student Induction Checklist
MENTORING
Allocation of ‘departmental
parents’
LIBRARY
Presentation of library
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
An opportunity for students
to meet staff and each
other informally.
Students are given the
name of an historical
character and have to
ascertain with which other
‘characters’ they fit into
logical historical groups.
Team building game,
encouraging students to
compete in groups to build
the tallest tower (strong
enough to support an
orange) using newspaper
and sellotape, resulting in
the winning group
members each receiving a
£10 Waterstones book
token.
Check list for the student
to mark, of all important
documentation,
administrative tasks and
orientation exercises that a
department advises should
be completed by the end
of induction.
Each first year is given two
‘parents’ who provide
support inside and outside
departmental contact time,
particularly during the first
few weeks at University.
Where these relationships
develop into friendship the
support may continue
throughout the entire
length of the degree.
Departmental staff
Gender Studies
Encourages students to
converse with one
another whilst
provoking some basic
historical thought.
Extra pastoral support
provided from a student
perspective.
This exercise might easily
be adapted to other
departments or subject
disciplines.
History
Might be adapted to suit
departmental needs
and/or areas of study.
Engineering
Student can clearly see
what he/she should have
familiarised him/herself
with during induction.
Might add to this degree of
importance in the first
week to avoid instilling
panic if not all are
achieved.
Decreases ‘floating time’ quickly involves new
students in departmental
life. Actively encourages
year groups to mix and
socialise together.
Engineering
Departments are strongly
Theology
Drama
QH:K7
Annexe 5:3
services
member/ student gives
new students a tour of the
Brynmor Jones Library.
PART-TIME STUDENTS
Part-time undergraduate
induction
PASTORAL CARE
Pre-induction week social
event
Afternoon session two
weeks before
commencement of
programme, which
includes an introduction to
the Study Advice Service,
the library and a questions
and answers session with
existing students.
New students are invited
to meet fellow students
and reps of the SU on
Sunday evening (in
Calvino’s Bar), prior to the
commencement of week
one.
GEOGRAPHICAL ORIENTATION
Hull city tour
TASTER SESSIONS
Mathematical Skills Practice
for Engineers
TASTER SESSIONS
Introductory session handouts
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
Optional tour of the city
centre over three hours at
lunchtime on second day
of first week.
Designed as a ‘warming
up’ session on maths
frequently used throughout
first year modules to
identify any areas of
weakness before
assessment begins
(includes a CD-ROM and
accompanying booklet).
Contains T. S. Eliot’s
Prufrock (covered in a core
first year module) with
advised to contact the
Library Manager if they
wish to conduct tours of
the Brynmor Jones Library
to ensure information
given is correct.
The department
recognises the needs and
circumstances of part-time
students being separate to
the traditional full-time
undergraduate new
student and thus provides
a separate induction.
Theology
This needn’t involve staff
members, as continuing
student volunteers could
organise on behalf of the
department. Takes into
account that new students
arrive before Monday
morning of the first week
and may have no means
of contact with the
department and in some
cases with other students.
Aimed at new
postgraduate students, but
might be applied to
undergraduates too.
Departments might focus
on any key skill relevant to
the subject/ discipline.
Scarborough
Management Centre
This kind of exercise might
include some sort of
informal feedback or
English
Comparative and
Applied Social
Sciences
Engineering
QH:K7
Annexe 5:4
STUDENT DIVERSITY
International Students’
reception
STUDY SKILLS
Study Advice sessions
STUDY SKILLS
‘Study skills for economists’
STUDY SKILLS, FEEDBACK
Study skills sessions
STUDY SKILLS, SUPERVISORY
SYSTEM
‘Diagnostic test’
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
sample questions for new
students to consider,
indicating the sort of
questions that might be
raised in a tutorial .
New and continuing
international students meet
informally with lunch
provided. Includes a talk
on the UK University
System “student way of
life”.
The Skills Team offers a
range of services to
departments and will
become directly involved
with departmental
induction on request.
One hour sessions held
throughout week one for
new students in groups of
10-12, covering matters
such as plagiarism, note
taking, essay writing and
using books.
Short sessions on essay
planning, reading and note
taking, with ‘homework’.
Feedback is given at the
end of the week.
Computerised
mathematics test followed
by initial meetings between
supervisors and their
students to discuss the
results of the test in
addition to supervisory
matters.
discussion session at the
end of the week on
students’ ideas to ensure
continuity of the exercise.
Department organises
events according to the
three main student
groups: full time
undergraduate, part-time
undergraduate and postgraduate taught in addition
to catering for
International students.
Engineering
Various departments
have already taken
advantage of the
services offered
Introducing basic
academic study skills at
university level to
students fresh out of
school.
Designed to identify
‘gaps’ in background
knowledge before the
session begins, not to
grade or assess
students.
Small groups encourage
discussion and ensure
thorough understanding of
basic principles.
Economics
The ‘homework’ element
of the sessions gives
useful feedback to
teaching staff as well as
students, possibly
providing an opportunity to
identify knowledge gaps.
Gives a specific focus on
the initial meeting between
student and supervisor.
Familiarises the student
with the supervisory
system.
CASS
Mathematics
QH:K7
Annexe 5:5
Welcome, Induction and Orientation
Student Services Management Group
Version 2 01 – Oct 12
QH:K7
Annexe 5:6