Post-Secondary 101: The First-Year Transition (eCO 2022)

Post-Secondary 101: The First-Year Transition (eCO 2022)

helping you succeed in your first year

Vanessa Reka; Samantha Szcyrek; and Ashlyne O'Neil

Sarah Alghizi

University of Windsor

Post-Secondary 101: The First-Year Transition (eCO 2022) by University of Windsor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Contents

Accessibility Statement

Introduction Welcome to Post-Secondary 101: The First Year Transition!

Acknowledgments

Using, Citing, Adapting this Pressbook Citing, Attributing, and Adapting

Getting Started

Module Completion Guide

Learning Objectives

Curriculum Outline Curriculum Outline

Pre-Module Survey

Learning Skills and Learning Guidelines

General Learning Skills The Nine Principles of Learning Consideration of Prior Learning Experiences Tips for Academic Success Videos Highlighting General Learning Skills

Guidelines for Online Learning Online learning presents new, unique opportunities.

Guidelines for In-Person Learning

Collaborative Learning

Preparing for Exams

Goal Setting and Time Management

Academic Support and Resources

Health and Wellness

Physical Health

Mental Wellness

Mindfulness

Work, School, and Home-Life Balance

Self-Care

Getting Involved

Volunteer Work

How to be a Good Citizen

Planning for Your Career

Resources and Support

General Resources and Support

Scholarships, Bursaries, and Finances

Academic Integrity

Research and Citations

UWindsor Specific Support

Logistics of Post-Secondary Education

Understanding Learning Management Systems

Information about Courses

Communication Practice

Institutional Adaption Guide

Private: Appendix

Post-Program Survey

References

Glossary

1

Accessibility Statement

The University of Windsor is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards. The

define requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. This module is

with

means that

The two technologies used to create this module are Pressbooks and H5P. Access to their accessibility information is contained in the links below:

Pressbooks

H5P

Tips for Using this Resource

All content can be navigated using a keyboard

Links, headings, and tables are formatted to work with screen readers

Use your screen reader’s list headings feature to navigate through the headings within the content of a page

Use the Previous and Next links found at the bottom of each page to navigate through the sequence of pages in the site. To access these links most easily, use your screen reader’s landmarks list to navigate to the content info region, then press Shift+Tab to go back up to the Next links

Links to other pages of this Pressbook will always open in the current window

Links to external sites will always open in a new window

Depending on the operating system and browser being used, font size can be adjusted by pressing a key combination including the plus (+) and minus (-) keys. On Windows systems, the key combination is typically “Ctrl+” and on Mac it is “Command+”

Alternative text has been provided for images that convey information

Colour is not used to convey information unless an alternative means to do so has also been provided

H5P activities were built using accessible formats

All text is left-justified

Other File Formats Available

In addition to the web version, this module is available in a number of file formats including PDF, ePUB (for Readers), and various editable files from the homepage; look for the “Download this Book” drop-down menu to select the file type you want.

This module also contains links to a number of external websites. For those using a print copy of this resource, the link text is underlined, and you can find the web addresses for all links in the back matter of the book.

Known Accessibility Issues

While we have attempted to make all elements of this resource conform with international accessibility guidelines, we must acknowledge a few accessibility issues. This table will be updated as new issues arise or are identified.

Location of issue	Need for improvement	Timeline	Workaround
“Top Five Tips” Youtube videos from each module	Videos do not contain described video.	N/A	The video transcripts are able to be read by a screen reader.
YouTube video on “The First Day of School”	Video does not contain described video.	N/A	The general messages are still able to be conveyed through the video audio.

Providing Feedback on the Accessibility of this Resource

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of this First-Year Transition resource. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers or identify ways in which the accessibility may be improved.

You can provide feedback by contacting us:

Email: openlearning@uwindsor.ca

Postal Address: Office of Open Learning, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4

In your communication, please include the following information:

The location of the problem or target area (e.g., web address or page description)

A description of the problem or suggestion for improvement

The type of device, software, browser, and any assistive technology you are using to help us diagnose and solve the issue

e.g., PC laptop, Windows 10, Google Chrome (Version 65.0.3325.181), NVDA screen reader

This accessibility statement has been adapted from the following resources:

BCcampus Open Education Accessibility Toolkit — 2nd Edition

Understanding Document Accessibility: A Reference for Creating Accessible Office Documents

This statement was last updated on February 28, 2022.

2

Introduction

Welcome to Post-Secondary 101: The First Year Transition!

One or more interactive elements has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view them online here: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/firstyeareco2022/?p=19#oembed-1

By leveraging the expertise offered across institutional units, this program aims to support first-year students transitioning into post-secondary by providing interactive content in an asynchronous online module format. It consolidates meaningful transition resources and encourages students’ self-regulated academic skills, feelings of connectedness, and professional knowledge and identities (Kinzie & Kuh, 2017; Lane et al., 2019; Tinto & Pusser, 2006).

This module, designed for students by students, will eliminate some of the navigational burdens associated with finding and obtaining support and post-secondary-specific resources. It will provide guidance to help students efficiently identify their needs and select corresponding modules and supports.

3

Acknowledgments

This project is made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy. To learn more about the Virtual Learning Strategy visit: https://vls.ecampusontario.ca.

Administrative Grantees and Project Leads:

Christopher Busch

Cindy Crump

Beth Oakley

Phebe Lam

Administrative Grantees:

Judy Bornais

Jeffrey Berryman

Chris Houser

Beth Natale

Learning Specialist:

Ashlyne O’Neil, Office of Open Learning

Content Developers:

Vanessa Reka

Samantha Szcyrek

Project Assistant:

Sarah Alghizi

Module Review and Project Support:

Dave Cormier

Caiti Casey

Trevor Winchester

Harsh Bhavsar

Patrick Carnevale

4

Using, Citing, Adapting this Pressbook

Citing, Attributing, and Adapting

The suggested citation for this module in APA format is:

Reka, V., Szcyrek, S. R., & O’Neil, A. I. (2022). Post-secondary 101: The first-year transition. University of Windsor. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/firstyeareco2022/

The suggested attribution for this module is:

Post-Secondary 101: The First-Year Transition by Vanessa Reka, Samantha Szcyrek, and Ashlyne O’Neil, 2022, is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA license.

CC-BY-NC-SA: This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms.

All H5P interactions created by the project team and embedded within this module are individually licensed CC-BY-NC-SA by Vanessa Reka, Samantha Sczyrek, or Ashlyne O’Neil (each is cited in-text).

Some H5P interactions are embedded from other creators and licensed as such. Where the notation indicates the activity has been adapted but does not specify an author, the adapted version embedded in this Pressbook is licensed the same as the module: CC-BY-NC-SA Vanessa Reka, Samantha Sczyrek, and Ashlyne O’Neil.

I

Getting Started

Navigating this Module

Pressbooks uses navigation buttons at the bottom of each page, to help you easily move between pages. These buttons scroll as you do, so you can see them at all times without going to the bottom of a page.

You can also use the table of contents found at the top left of the page. The “+” button will further expand the list.

Text Box Legend

Before beginning, it is important to acknowledge the significance of the various boxes you will encounter throughout this program:

Learning Objectives Dark blue boxes will present the learning objectives for each module.

Key Takeaways Royal blue boxes will consist of text-based information and resources that will explain ideas and concepts so that students can better understand the information provided in each module.

Exercises Yellow boxes will consist of interactive content for students to apply the information they have learned from the modules.

1

Module Completion Guide

Purpose

The purpose of this transition support program is to aid you at the start of your journey in post-secondary education. It serves as a comprehensive guide which covers many topics that an individual beginning post-secondary education may benefit from.

How is this Purpose Achieved?

In this module, you will find various units encompassing different aspects of post-secondary education. These units consist of sections with content, activities, and resources that may enhance your experience as an individual becoming familiar with post-secondary education.

It was developed in close partnership with post-secondary students and faculty to provide inclusive, accessible chapters with text, imagery, multi-media components, and interactive content. You can access this program at any time.

Each unit will have interactive content as “module assignments” which allows you to tangibly apply the resources and support. The interactive content found within the chapters is not graded but rather is intended to enable you to gauge your understanding and comprehension of the material included in the module.

In order to receive recognition of your efforts in this course, you must complete the pre-survey, reflection assignment, and the post-survey, which can all be found in your learning management system (LMS) under your Transition101 course.

Recommended Flow

The recommended flow through this module is to start with the pre-survey to start thinking through what your needs actually are. Come back here to explore some of the modules and choose which six (6) sections you’d like to engage with the most – we recommend at least 6 to benefit from a breadth of material, but you can complete any sections in any order. Once you have made it through some or all of the sections, head back to your LMS to complete the reflection activity. This will help you consolidate your learning and create a plan for your first semester at university or college. You can save your reflection for later review, and you can always come back to this module as it will live on in Pressbooks – just be sure to bookmark it! Finally, complete the post-module survey. This will not only help us gather feedback and make improvements to the module, but will also help you further reflect on and document your growth as you dive into your first year.

2

Learning Objectives

At the beginning of each module in this program, you can find the Learning Objectives that represent the information and resources provided specifically for that module.

Learning Objectives will be found in boxes that look like this:

Learning Objectives Here will be module specific learning objectives. They aim to help you remember and recall what you will be learning about, how the information and resources can be understood, and how you can apply that knowledge to the interactive content found within that module.

The first three stages of Bloom's Taxonomy is a useful tool that helped establish the learning objectives set in place for each module.

Stage 1: Remembering highlights being able to recall facts and basic concepts.

Stage 2: Understanding highlights being able to explain ideas or concepts.

Stage 3: Applying highlights being able to use information in new situations.

Guided by these three stages, the learning objectives found in each module are designed to help you remember information and resources that are beneficial in the transition to post-secondary education, provide opportunities for students to understand post-secondary ideas and concepts, and apply the information learned regarding the transition to post-secondary in your first-year transition into a new institution.

To learn a bit more about the three stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy, explore the interactive content below.

Defining Bloom’s Taxonomy An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/firstyeareco2022/?p=32#h5p-1 Adapted from Clayton Smith at University of Windsor / Revised by Samantha Szcyrek at University of Windsor

3

Curriculum Outline

The infographic below outlines the topics covered for each section. This information can also be found using the Table of Contents.

4

Pre-Module Survey

Access your pre-module survey here or scan the QR code to complete it on your phone

II

Learning Skills and Learning Guidelines

In this Module General Learning Skills Guidelines for Online Learning Guidelines for In-Person Learning Collaborative Learning Preparing for Exams Goal Setting and Time Management Academic Support and Resources

Learning Objectives By completing this module, you can: Identify guidelines for both online and in-person learning environments. Identify guidelines for collaborative learning. Learn about different learning strategies to determine their learning preferences. Learn about how to prepare for exams through studying skills and setting realistic goals and expectations. Use the online interactive content section of this module to apply your acquired knowledge.

Top Five Tips: Learning Skills and Learning Guidelines

One or more interactive elements has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view them online here: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/firstyeareco2022/?p=40#oembed-1

5

General Learning Skills

Learning Objectives By completing this section, you can: Reflect on previous learning experiences. Identify and employ a variety of learning skills. Create a plan for attending classes.