I love this idea. We don't do an activity the first week and we need to look at adding one.
I like the idea of a "buddy" system for late enrollments. It is true that we always have late enrollments and that they seem to have a higher drop rate. When they miss the first day or days, they miss the bonding activities that I do in class. This leaves them outside the social loop and positive first impression activities and instead they jump right into content. So, they start with the intellectual domain instead of the affective domain. Therefore, they do not have good feelings to help them overcome anxious thoughts. Having a "buddy" is an emotional bond to help overcome anxious thoughts. Excellent Suggestion!
We could definitely benefit from having a “support board†and “buddies for late enrollmentsâ€. Although we do encourage students to connect with each other via Facebook, there is no centralized location where students can gather in a forum outside of the classroom. They could utilize this as a way to ask each other questions, get to know each other, bounce ideas off of one another, etc. I really like the idea of using a buddy for each late enrollment as well. This would accomplish two things. 1) The students helping out would greatly appreciate the opportunity and have a more satisfying experience. 2) The students who are getting a late start will have additional support
I introduce myself, my work experience and let them know my class expectations. I make them write a paragraph or 2 about why they want to come back to school and what do they expect from us. It is always a pleasure to read what the students have to say. I also let them introduce themself to the class and say something about them that the class will remember. We do some group activities together so that they can get know about each other.
We have an interactive excersise that includes all of our standard operating proceedures, as well as activities created to get the students to bond with their instructor as well as each other. It works quite well.
Jumana,
What type of activities do you utilize that you feel are especially effective?
Susan Backofen
I get the new students out into the lab doing exercises in groups of 3, then discuss the results back in the classroom. It gets the shy students active in the team setting. After that they are generally willing to speak up in class. By the end of the first week we generally have a rapport between the students and a collective class personality developing.
John,
I like the small team approach....three is a good number. Not too large where students can hide and small enough so they can begin building real relationships.
Susan Backofen
Enhancing first week activities is a little difficult for my campus. We are an Adult Graduate campus and time and place are limited resources.
Amalo,
As a prior adult graduate student, I know some type of orientation would have been very welcome. The institution I attended did have a required first semester course in which they built in some of this. Do you have something similar?
Susan Backofen
scavenger hunt and other fun activities
Yes, it is extremely common;almost like an unwritten rule. Students seem to expect to get out early on the first day.
Because different program have different starts dates for each new term we do a monthly "popcorn day" where the Dean of Education, and enrollment staff man a pop corn station that usually have s flyers or other information regarding campus activiteis or coming events. The popcorn station is in the main hallway so students have to pass it to get to class.
We match a peer who is in the new student's program to interact with the student as a peer mentor throughout their first term and beyond.
robin,
Great! How do you choose these peers? Do you have some type of program for tracking contacts, referrals, etc.?
Susan Backofen
Pamela,
This sounds great! Nothing better than free food :) Do you get many students stopping to pick up information or ask questions?
Susan Backofen
The turn out is usually great, and most students stop and talk while they eat their popcorn (then they can pick up a second cup before leaving)
Due to the fact that we are a distance learning institution and most of our actions are done online. I believe it would be helpful to begin an interactive orientation that includes other departments. We can introduce them to our new students and offer them confirmation that there is always someone to speak with regarding different questions or concerns.
Adding make-up oreintations the first week is a brilliant idea. Asking the instructors to give the students a bried tour of each department during the first week of school.
Have the students visit the Career Services Office and let them know this is the place that they should visit frequently to get job leads, externship opportunities, volunteer events.
