Centre for University Teaching
FACTSHEET:
Program, School and Facultybased support for students
This Factsheet provides details of the various school, program and faculty-based initiatives
that are utilised by Flinders University staff to support first year students.
School of Business
FBS Steps to Success Program
The Flinders Business School (FBS) runs a STEPS TO SUCCESS PROGRAM where
support tutors provide information and support on the following topics:
 help with general questions about topics
 help with English as a second language
 help with developing a study program and good study habits,
 help in getting in contact with topic tutors and lecturers
 a referral service to the Study Skills, Maths support and other university support
services.
All first year Business School students are contacted via email and the services are
promoted by teaching staff, on FLO, within topic guides and on the Flinders Business
School Steps to Success Program webpage (details accessible from
www.flinders.edu.au/sabs/business/current_students/sts/sts_home.cfm). The Steps To
Success (STS) team are also involved in aiding retention and supporting students who are
at risk. They offer students encouragement and guidance on how to succeed.
FBS Connect
FBS Connect is a mentoring program run by the Flinders Business School (FBS) (details
accessible from www.flinders.edu.au/sabs/business/current_students/fbs-connect/fbsconnect_home.cfm). It is designed to help new students settle into their studies and aims
to make them feel comfortable and confident about being at university. It also aims to
encourage new students to be proactive and disciplined in managing their time so that they
are successful in their studies.
During their first semester students are provided with a mentor who gives them a tour of
the campus and meets with them regularly. The meetings take place in a group and recent
activities are reviewed and any issues or problems the new students are experiencing are
discussed. All mentors are students with a year or more of study behind them, who have
expressed an interest in mentoring and who have been selected by FBS staff. Further
information about the FBS connect program can be obtained by emailing
rodney.nankivell@flinders.edu.au.
February 16
School of Computer Science, Engineering and
Mathematics
CSEM Drop-in centre
In recognition of a mismatch between topic-content delivery and student understanding of
what they are required to know CSEM instituted a Drop-in Help Centre. The Drop-in Help
Centre comprises two separate rooms which serve a common purpose of being a place
where first year CSEM students can "drop-in" for help. One room, the Drop-in Help Room,
is where first year students or groups of students can seek topical help from a past student
with experience in the required topic. The second room is a large quiet room, fitted with
tables, power, and a large collection of subject specific text books, so individual or groups
of students can "drop-in" and work on their assignments in a shared space.
CSEM's Drop-in Help Centre is a convenient, comfortable workspace as well as an
opportunity to access people who understand the problems faced by students and the
context within which the student is learning. A timetable of support availability is provided
on CSEM'S Information for current students webpage (details accessible from
www.flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/info/current/home.cfm).
Flinders Law School
New-In-Law
Students enter the Law School from a wide range of previous 'lives'. The New-In-Law
mentoring program (details accessible from www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/law/program-andcourses/undergrads/newinlaw/) focuses students' diverse skills and interests on their Law
degree. It is fundamental to developing the confidence and competence needed to make
the most of their time in the Law School.
The New-In-Law programme, which takes place during the Thursday and Friday of OWeek, is essential for any new Flinders law student. It provides an introduction to the
place, the people, the work and the opportunities that comprise the Law degree and it
welcomes incoming students to their academic home. It builds on the school's reputation
as a 'first year friendly' Law School and is designed to ensure that new students lose no
time in establishing themselves successfully in their Law degree experience.
Student participation in the New-In-Law programme allows them to circumvent their
anxieties and gives them opportunities to participate in challenging, interesting and
purposeful activities. Incoming students are also given plenty of opportunities to get to
know their classmates, the law staff and existing law students. New students are also
assigned a peer mentor, an experienced law student with a head full of vital information
about surviving law school and a commitment to help.
For further information on how you might establish a similar program in your school and/or
on some useful hints on training mentors contact Tania Leiman via email at
tania.leiman@flinders.edu.au .
School of Biological Sciences
The Lectorial
What is it?
A lectorial is an interactive large class tutorial held in a lecture theatre that uses case
based problems to contextualise the previous week's lecture materials.
Why do it?
Students often do not understand why they need to learn particular information because
they do not see it in context. It creates opportunities for group work and develops problem
solving skills. Running lectorials rather than individual tutorials is a cost efficient and
effective way of managing large classes in an interactive way.
Biology lectorials
First year Biology students have often commented that they don't understand why they
need to learn particular information because they cannot see it in context. It is easy to
understand how student are confused by this because the first year Biology students come
from 36 different degree areas. The purpose of lectorials is to provide the context for the
lecture material and also identify examples of jobs where the knowledge is required.
At the end of each week students are given a large group tutorial (lectorial). This is where
the information they have been taught during the week's lectures is put into real life
contexts. One of the main aims of university study is to help students learn to problemsolve, not just memorise details. Lectorials are constructed to allow students to engage in
case-based scenarios and require them to use their understanding of topic material to
solve problems. Various questions are posed within the case being studied and students
are required to answer these questions during the session. The case-based scenarios use
examples drawn from the many areas of Biology. Typically, discussion amongst peers is
encouraged which also helps build their understanding.
Students highly regard the weekly lectorials because they aid understanding of information
presented in lectures and assist in exam preparation. Students have also reported that
they find the lectorials to be the most interesting session of the week and the interactive
workshop style is very enjoyable.
Pre lectures (Prelecs)
A workshop-style session provided at the start of each week to provide students without
the background in biology or students who lack confidence in the area and opportunity to
be brought up to speed and prepared for the week’s lectures. Prelecs are provided each
week across both semesters in the core introductory biology topics. Prelecs are not seen
as remedial by students but rather as an activity to support their learning.
Cross-Faculty initiatives
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
The Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) are particularly useful in first year topics where
classes are large, difficult concepts and ideas are portrayed and where failure and / or
attrition rates are high. PASS provides first year students with the opportunity to ask
questions and receive constructive and timely feedback from trained second and third year
students who have successfully completed the topic. Further information about the PASS
program at Flinders is available from www.flinders.edu.au/staff/pass/pass_home.cfm.
Flinders University © 2013
This resource has been produced by the Centre for University Teaching, Flinders University. Any comments or
enquiries on this publication should be directed to:
Centre for University Teaching
Phone: (08) 8201 2731
Email: cut@flinders.edu.au
Web: http://www.flinders.edu.au/teach/teach_home.cfm