Post-Graduate Transition: Challenges for Staff in HE

Background to the study • C0nsiderable attention has been given to undergraduate transition (both at UoG, and across the sector) • Transition to postgraduate study is largely un-researched (O’Donnell et al 2009) • Yet: ▫ Embarking on Masters level studies could be viewed as a key transitional ‘stage ’ of a longitudinal learning career in which particular intellectual, social and emotional challenges are likely to arise (Scott et al 2011) Study focus • Investigate the experiences of both postgraduate students (taught and research) and those who teach and support them • Aim to: ▫ identify effective strategies already in place ▫ design specific support from which postgraduate students could benefit ▫ design resources which would best equip staff to support them Methodology • Small-scale and exploratory • Focus groups with staff (n=30) and students (n=41) across all three campuses, including discipline-specific focus groups at Medway and Avery Hill ▫ Activity-based exercises: post-it notes; journey mapping; life-cycle annotations • In-depth interview with 5 students Preliminary findings • We will focus on some of the findings from the staff and student focus groups: ▫ Post-it note exercise (staff and students): ‘what could the university do to better help postgraduate students settle into their study?’ ▫ Student lifecycle exercise (staff) ▫ Journey mapping (student) Post-it note exercise: What could the University do to better help students settle into postgraduate studies? STAFF • Information / communication • Early induction activities • Library induction • International student