Making Connections: First Year Transition for Computer Science and Software Engineering Students

Moffat, A., Hughes, B., Sondergaard, H. and Gruba, P.

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.

Cite as: Moffat, A., Hughes, B., Sondergaard, H. and Gruba, P. (2005). Making Connections: First Year Transition for Computer Science and Software Engineering Students. In Proc. Seventh Australasian Computing Education Conference (ACE2005), Newcastle, Australia. CRPIT, 42. Young, A. and Tolhurst, D., Eds. ACS. 229-238.

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