At the July meeting of the First Year Community of Practice, participants who had attended either of the Higher Education Research and Development Australasia (HERDSA) or the Student, Transition, Achievement, Retention and Success (STARS) conferences were invited to identify their top two or three papers and nominate one to discuss during the session. The papers nominated for both categories are listed:

 HERDSA

The theme for the 2017 conference was Curriculum Transformation, as a means of optimising student learning and experience rather than as a framework for organising disciplinary knowledge. See: http://www.herdsa2017.org/d/HERDSA2017-Abstracts.pdf for abstracts.

Refereed papers will be published in due course; please check the conference website http://www.herdsa2017.org/program.php or HERDSA website http://herdsa.org.au/publications/conference_proceedings

Ann Luzeckyj

Exploring misconceptions as a trigger for enhancing student learning

Heather Verkade, Jason M Lodge, Kristine Elliott, Terrence D Mulhern, Allen A. Espinosa, Simon J. Cropper, Benjamin I. P. Rubinstein – University of Melbourne

STARS

This year explored dissemination and discussion of current research, good practice, emerging initiatives and leading edge ideas that are aimed at enhancing students’ tertiary learning experiences. See: http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017.pdf

Rebecca Whitehead

Flipping a Library Class for Undergraduate Nursing Students

Peter Sondergeld, Kate Derrington, Sarah Howard, Tanya Harden, Carol Reid – Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University

Emerging Initiative – see page 188 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/11C.pdf

Michelle Berrigan:

A regional university’s approach to connect and prepare distance education students’ transition to study

Rachel Callahan, Andrea Boyle – Southern Cross University

Emerging Initiative – see page 93 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/01F.pdf

Samantha Kontra:

First year student conceptions of success: What really matters?

Ryan Naylor – College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University

Refereed paper – see page 111 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/03E.pdf

Karen Orr Vered

Effective teaching of critical thinking: how do we do it?

Sandra Egege – Transition Office/ Faculty EHL affiliate Flinders University

Emerging Initiative – see page 112 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/03F.pdf

Other papers identified as worthy of mention:

HERDSA

• A bridge to ‘being’ a practitioner: the role of pedagogical practice – in context knowledge in the design, delivery and experience of a capstone subject – Dr Don Houston and Mr James Thompson, Flinders University (won conference best refereed paper prize)
• Curriculum on the map! 10 years of curriculum initiatives in higher education in Australia – Owen Hicks, University of Western Australia
• Unlocking the Code to Digital Literacy – Jo Coldwell-Neilson, Deakin University

 STARS

NavigateMe: A personalised online tool bridging students to success

Rita Kusevskis-Hayes, Colin Clark, Jessie Lui, Jessica Leigh Luquin, Jeffrey Meesterman – University of New South Wales

Refereed paper – see page 172 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/09C.pdf

 

LEAPing into the Digital Future: Increasing digital literacy for teachers and students in low SES regional and remote schools

Maimuna Musarrat, Carolina Morison, Ruth Tregale, Rebecca Turnbow – Macquarie University

Emerging Initiative – see page 141 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/06B.pdf

 

Measuring engagement: an institution-wide implementation of learning analytics to increase retention

Colin Beer, Celeste Lawson, Gemma Mann, Damien Clark – CQUniversity

Good Practice report – see page 100 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/02D.pdf

 

Engaging Professional Staff in the Discourse of Engagement

Rhonda Leece, Alison Jaquet – University of the Sunshine Coast

Emerging Initiative – see page 134 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/05C.pdf

 

USC Starting@USC Toolkit – engaging new students early.

Kath Hughes and Rhonda Leece Student Services and Engagement – University of the Sunshine Coast

Emerging Initiative – see page 171 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/09B.pdf

 

Engaging with the student at risk of disengaging: the VU Student Link program

Jacinta Richards, Miguel Gil, Yolanda Evagelistis, Danielle Borlovan – Victoria University

Emerging Initiative – see page 197 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/12D.pdf

 

Student interest as a key driver of engagement for first year students

Ella R. Kahu, Karen Nelson and Catherine Picton – University of the Sunshine Coast

Refereed paper – see page 136 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/05E.pdf

 

Thinking reading and writing: the role of critical thinking in developing student literacy

Sandra Egege, Karen Orr Vered – Flinders University

Collaborative workshop – see page 153 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/07F.pdf

 

Fostering wellbeing, achievement, and lifelong success in a scalable online topic: Implementing evidence-based psychological interventions that improve academic, psychological, and professional outcomes

Lydia Woodyatt, Michelle Arnold – Flinders University

Emerging Initiative – see page 206 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/13E.pdf

 

The flipped classroom: a learning model to increase student engagement not academic achievement

Masha Smallhorn – Flinders University

Refereed paper – see page 127 of proceedings for abstract also see:

http://unistars.org/papers/STARS2017/04E.pdf

 

Contributed by Dr. Ann Luzeckyj

Lecturer in Higher Education – CILT