European First Year Experience Conference: Learning through a third space development community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56433/8vj6g064Keywords:
First year experience, community, students, success, academic development, collaborationAbstract
The European First Year Experience (EFYE) Conference has existed for nearly 20 years. It has no formal infrastructure or funding to maintain its existence, just a common interest (Kenny, 2016) around a desire to support all students to successfully transition into and through university regardless of their pre-entry status, and to promote and develop the strategies, policies and practices for those students and staff who can enable this transition regardless of their role. This is enacted through the will, enthusiasm and perseverance of a community of scholars and practitioners drawn from across Europe (Bonne & Nutt, 2016). This voluntary organisation, we argue, has become an effective third space development community. Colleagues will come and go as the conference moves to different countries each year in a deliberate attempt to broaden engagement across the nations of Europe, but the message is being shared. At the heart of the community is a group of people who have all hosted the conference. They provide the engine to drive the identification of new conference hosts and the creation of opportunities for the sharing of good practice. This diverse group of leaders embrace the “common experiences, needs, expectations, and access to opportunity” identified by Parkinson et al. (2020, p. 195), as important for community-based development, as they have as a foundation the desire to share practice that enhances student and staff experiences. They operate across and within universities, working within a third space that challenges the silos that exist, and offer a focused approach to collaborative, community led, educational development of the first-year experience.
References
Arnold, D. (2022, October 10). Inside out and outside in. Third Space Perspectives. https://www.thirdspaceperspectives.com/blog/inside-out-and-outside-in-an-exploration-of-peripheral-third-space
Avery, H., & Said, S. (2017). Higher education for refugees: The case of Syria. Policy and Practice: A Developmental Education Review, 24, 104–125.
Baume, D. (2016) Analysing IJAD and some pointers to futures for academic development (and for IJAD). International Journal for Academic Development, 21(2), 96-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2016.1169641
Blackwell-Young, J., & Millard, L. (2023). Reflections on 15 years of working in student partnerships: Successes, challenges and the future possibilities. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.56433/jpaap.v11i3.597
Bonne, P., & Nutt, D. (2016). Ten times the first-year: reflections on ten years of the first-year experience conference. Lannoo Campus. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340253631_Ten_times_the_first_year_Reflections_on_ten_years_of_the_European_First_Year_Experience_Conference
Buchanan, D., & Huczynski, A. (2019). Organizational behaviour (10th ed.). Pearson.
Carey, W. (2022). The importance of integrated practice in student engagement and success. In E. Mcintosh & D. Nutt (Eds.), The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism (pp.209-220). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003037569-25
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. Jossey Bass.
Curran, R., & Millard, L. (2015). A partnership approach to developing student capacity to engage and staff capacity to be engaging: Opportunities for academic developers. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1120212
Denny, F. (2022). Building bridges and connections. In E. Mcintosh & D. Nutt (Eds.), The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism (pp. 50-62). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003037569-7
Ernst, C., & Chrobot-Mason, D. (2011). Boundary spanning leadership: Six practices for solving problems, driving innovation and transforming organisations. McGraw Hill.
Farnsworth, V, Kleanthous, I., & Wenger-Trayner, E. (2016). Communities of practice as a social theory of learning: A conversation with Etienne Wenger. British Journal of Educational Studies, 64(2), 139-160 https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1133799
Flint, A. (2020). Space in the margin: The poetry of partnership In L. Mercer-Mapstone & S. Abbot (Eds.), The power of partnership (pp. 171-176). Elon University Center for Engaged Learning
Gardner, J, N. (2023). Launching the first-year experience movement: The founder’s journey. Stylus Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003445562
Grant, J. (2021). The new power university. Pearson.
Hall, J. (2022). Understanding and debating the third space. In E. Mcintosh & D. Nutt (Eds.), The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism (pp. 26-32). Routledge.
Healey, M., Flint, A., & Harrington, K. (2014). Engagement through partnership: students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education. The Higher Education Academy. https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/engagement-through-partnership-students-partners-learning-and-teaching-higher
Hogan, J, Blackwell-Young, J, McIntosh, E., & Millard, L. (2024). Scottish first year experience network. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 12(2), 35-39. https://doi.org/10.56433/jpaap.v12i2.604
Jansen, E. (2016). Introduction to chapter 3. In P. Bonne & D. Nutt (Eds.), Ten times the first-year: Reflections on ten years of the first-year experience conference (pp 35-37). Lannoo Campus.
Jansen, E., Suhre, A., & Andre, S. (2013). Readiness and expectations questionnaire: A cross-cultural measurement instrument for first-year university students. Educational Assessment Evaluation and Accountability, 25(2), 115-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-013-9161-2
Keeling, R. P., & Hersh, R. H. (2012). We’re losing our minds: Rethinking American higher education. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137001764
Kernohan, D., & Dickinson, J. (2023, March 22) Universities are changing size and shape very rapidly. Can anyone keep up? WonkHE. https://wonkhe.com/blogs/universities-are-changing-size-and-shape-very-rapidly-can-anyone-keep-up/
Kenny, S. (2016). Community development today: Engaging challenges through cosmopolitanism. Community Development Journal, 51(1), 23–41, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsv058
Kift, S. (2009). Articulating a transition pedagogy to scaffold and to enhance the first year student learning experience in Australian higher education: Final report for ALTC senior fellowship program. Australian Learning and Teaching Council. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/5213835
Kift, S. (n.d.). Case studies. Transition Pedagogy. https://transitionpedagogy.com.au/case-studies/
Manathunga, C. (2007). “Unhomely” academic developer identities: More post-colonial explorations. International Journal for Academic Development, 12(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440701217287
Mathrani, S., & Cook-Sather, A. (2020). Discerning growth. In L. Mercer-Mapstone & S. Abbot (Eds.), The power of partnership (pp. 159-170). Elon University Centre for Engaged Learning. https://doi.org/10.36284/celelon.oa2.10
McIntosh, E., & Nutt, D. (Eds.). (2022a). The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003037569
McIntosh, E., & Nutt, D. (2022b). The impact of the integrated practitioner: Perspectives on integrated practice to enhance student success. Student Success, 13(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.2430
McIntosh, E., & Millard, L. (2023, June 27-29). Daring to be different, or should it be caring to be different? [Keynote presentation]. European First Year Experience Conference, Dundee, Scotland.
Millard, L., & Janjua, R. (2020) What Works 2? Graduates as advisors for transition and students’ success. Frontiers in Education, 5(131). https://10.3389/feduc.2020.00131
Millard, L., & Lowe, G. (2022). Leading collaborative projects, recognising distinctive voices and empowering others to create. In E. McIntosh & D. Nutt (Eds.) The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism (pp. 188-197). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003037569-23
Millard, L., Young, J. B., & Hogan, J. (2023). Designing personalized student development through microcredentials: An institutional approach. In D. Willison & E. Henderson (Eds.), Perspectives on enhancing student transition into higher education and beyond (pp. 122-142). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8198-1.ch006
Morari, V., Doyle, G., & Murphy, C. (2024). Reach–A mentoring initiative in an irish university. All Ireland Journal of Higher Education, 16(1).
Mori, Y., Harland, T., & Wald, N. (2022). Academic developers’ professional identity: a thematic review of the literature. International Journal for Academic Development, 27(4), 358-371, https://10.1080/1360144X.2021.2015690
Nutt, D. (2016). Ten years of European First Year Experience. In P. Bonne, P and D. Nutt (Eds.), Ten times the first year: reflections on ten years of the first year experience conference (pp. 9-22). Lannoo Campus.
Ody, M., & Carey, W. (2016). Creating positive partnerships for the future: involving students and staff in dialogue to promote progressive behaviours and institutional development. In: G. James, D. Nutt & P. Taylor (Eds.), Student behaviour and positive learning cultures. SEDA.
Ody, M., & Carey, W. (2013). Peer Education. In: Dunne E, Owen D (Eds.) The student engagement handbook: Practice in higher education (pp. 291–31). Emerald Group Publishing.
Onwards from Learning Analytics (OfLA). (no date). Outputs. https://oflaproject.eu/outputs/
Parkinson, T., McDonald, K., & Quinlan, K.M. (2020). Reconceptualising academic development as community development: lessons from working with Syrian academics in exile. Higher Education, 79, 183–201, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00404-5
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Scotland. (2023). Resilient learning communities. https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities
Sæthre, H. Å. (2014). Å tilrettelegge for at studentene skal lykkes. @haas1 – forlag.
Schein, E.H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd ed.) Jossey Bass.
Taleo, W., & Vallis, C. (2022). Fences, dancing, and the spaces between academic development. International Journal for Academic Development, 27(4), 312–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2022.2161205
Team Wonkhe. (2020). The restructuring regime – money, but at a cost. WonkHE. https://wonkhe.com/blogs/money-but-at-a-cost
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803932
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015). An introduction to communities of practice: a brief overview of the concept and its uses. https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice
Whitchurch, C. (2008). The rise of the blended professional in higher education: A comparison between the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. Higher Education, 58(3), 407-418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9202-4
Whitchurch, C. (2013). Reconstructing identities in higher education: The rise of third space professionals. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203098301
Woodgates, P. (2023, November 10). Universities are capable of change – but they must manage it better. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/universities-are-capable-change-they-must-manage-it-better
Yorke, M. (2016). Researching the first-year experience: “Belongingness” engagement and self-confidence in first year students in thirteen UK universities. In P. Bonne, P and D. Nutt (Eds.), Ten times the first-year: Reflections on ten years of the first-year experience conference (pp. 37-53). Lannoo Campus.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 William Carey, Luke Millard, Diane Nutt, Pieterjan Bonne, Harald Åge Sæthree
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice has made best effort to ensure accuracy of the contents of this journal, however makes no claims to the authenticity and completeness of the articles published. Authors are responsible for ensuring copyright clearance for any images, tables etc which are supplied from an outside source.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
