5 Tips to Facilitate an Easier Transition for First Year Students

If you’re an Instructional Designer, it’s no surprise that Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) often lose sight of their audience, which is mostly unintentional (from my experience). This week, the university is hosting an event that focuses on supporting first year/incoming students. I have some quick Instructional Design tips that will help facilitate this transition, and most can be applied to additional contexts.

1. Chunk Content

If you want first year students to understand your material, you need to break content down into palatable chunks. Don’t inundate them with a 25 page journal article, when the content you want them to learn can be broken down into smaller segments.

2. Re-Think Your Assessments

Consider employing multiple lower-stake assessments versus fewer higher-stake assessments. This will be less intimidating to students who are new to a university/college setting, and may help mitigate unnecessary exam stress. Don’t forget to provide rubrics for all assignments, outlining criteria and indicating how students will be graded for the work they complete. Not including rubrics is a lazy omission, one that can hinder your student’s achievement.

3. Be Clear About Your Expectations

Clearly state your expectations within your course outline and/or syllabus. Revisit these expectations during the first class to ensure everyone is on board. These expectations should include communication (how often will you communicate/what is your turnaround time for assignment feedback).

4. Use Technology to Your Advantage

If you have access to a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) software, such as Blackboard Collaborate or Skype, use that to host your office hours. This can be incredibly helpful for on-campus classes, as it provides you with the ability to conduct office hours from anywhere with an internet connection. If your institution uses a Learning Management System (LMS), use it…even if you’re teaching a face-to-face class. You can use the LMS to easily add your course syllabus, readings, quizzes, and facilitate group work!

5. Promote Student Study Aids

This goes hand-in-hand with tip #4. If you know of any apps or technologies that will help facilitate learning with your students, promote them! For example, Videonot.es is a fantastic resource that allows individuals to take notes alongside video, without having to toggle between the video and a notes document – and it even adds timestamps as you take notes, allowing you to revisit certain sections of the video. Another great tool is Actively Learn, which allows you to create guided readings to help students while they navigate increasingly complex course readings.