Supporting Induction and Transitions: The Impact of Festive Friday!
Staff host a festive gathering for all of the 1st Year BA Hons Dance Students, providing an opportunity to evaluate and reflect on the students first semester and the journey they have been on since leaving FE.
The activity helped to bring the cohort together, it helped to build confidence and team work. It supported cohort identity and has increased motivation within our students who were very eager to come back for semester 2!
Future plans include similar events to support transition over the summer months so when we have the outcomes of that we’ll let you know!
Students have learned a number of transferable skills through the development of new business innovations such as networking, communication with external bodies, budgeting, costing and producing a business plan. It gives the students an opportunity to be creative within an otherwise very scientific subject area.
This has impacted directly on the students’ confidence to present and pitch a unique product which is related to the subject area they are studying. It also enhances communication skills, professionalism, resourcefulness and team working.
A number of alumni deliver short presentations on their career path since graduation and how they have applied the knowledge and skills gained during their degree. The alumni also attend an informal networking event with the students immediately after the presentations. The Department has also begun to develop links with alumni for field visits to sites where ‘real world’ examples of environmental management practice can be observed.
Site visits enhance students’ learning by actually seeing approaches and techniques that they are aware of from class teaching being used in practice.
This approach increases the students’ awareness of the importance of the skills (and knowledge and understanding) that they are developing and practising during their degree for future employment. A key message is also the need to record evidence of skills development in a portfolio or equivalent.