Engaging students in enhanced academic transitions – a case of online study skills resource SPICE (Student Pre-arrival Induction for Continuing Education)

In the current educational landscape, with increasingly diverse student groups on programmes, traditional induction many not always be best suited to the needs of the students and programmes of study. Research shows that an extended induction which allows for a steady development of skills and awareness is more suitable for international and direct entry students. SPICE is a pilot project developed for third year direct entry Indian students on Hospitality Management programme. SPICE has now been used by two cohorts of Year 2 students in India coming to Edinburgh Napier programme in Year 3. Feedback from the students and staff has been very encouraging. SPICE includes a general introduction to being a University student in the UK; key academic study skills including planning, time management, team work, individual work, library skills; academic writing skills including referencing, plagiarism, essay and report writing, case studies; and a selection of activities to enhance good presentation skills. Unique features of SPICE include being student and task driven. SPICE is based on the feedback from the students about the challenges they faced. It includes podcasts from students to personalise the experience and engage new students. It is task not information driven: students complete tasks and receive feedback. It is a dynamic resource with plans to extend its use for all students (home and international)