Background Studies of undergraduates’ satisfaction, academic performance and retention in HE identify the critical importance of the first year for shaping their attitudes and approaches to learning. Positive transition into HE has a direct impact on students’ later learning experiences. Most interventions to support transition are based on institution- driven approaches such as courses on learning and study skills and in induction weeks when students can suffer from “information overload”. The knowledge and experience of students who have already made the transition have rarely been exploited. Such knowledge is considered to be ‘hot knowledge’ (Ball and Vincent, 1998), and can be identified as ‘the socially embedded’ knowledge prevailing in networks of friends, family, relatives and neighbours, and those who are generally considered as ‘people like me’. Studies on HE preparation report that potential applicants consider ‘hot knowledge’ to be more trustworthy than communication through ‘official’ sources (Hutchings, 2003). This study builds on from a previous GENIE project involving student-produced podcasts as learning tools (Cane & Cashmore, 2008), and is aimed at assessing whether student podcasts are a viable approach to easing transition into and within higher education. Conclusions Initial evidence from our ongoing research indicates that Podcasts can be a valuable approach to support student transition. Our preliminary findings show that benefits can be conceptualised in four main ways; to support learning, to support social integration, to manage the affective dimension of transition, and to communicate information. Limitations of the approach include balancing the information content and the length of the recordings, and publicising the podcasts and encouraging listening. http://www.impala.ac.uk/impala4t/ Student-created podcasts to support transition from school to university Research method This project utilises a qualitative research methodology. Twelve research participants were recruited for the initial study, out of which eight gave interviews after they had listened to the podcasts. The interviews were aimed at answering two key questions: •What processes are involved in making transition into Higher Education from both student and institutional perspectives? •What is the expected impact of podcast on transition into Higher Education? Data analysis was carried out using cognitive mapping methodology. Cognitive mapping supports a subjective view of knowledge in which individual beliefs, assertions; attitudes and values are considered valid and hence provide evidence for research (Ackermann, Eden, and Cropper, 2004). The analysis thus focused on generating individual maps of participants’ experience of making transition into HE and the perceived benefits of the podcasts in the transition process. Such individually generated maps helped to identify emerging patterns of similarity and differences of the transition experience and to categorize these patterns in relation to relevant literature on transition. Thus the data analysis was guided both by relevant themes obtained from the literature as well as by evidence that emerged dynamically from the dataset noting linkages between elements of the data. Impact of podcasts Positive impact Shortcomings The transition process Adjustment Social Personal Learning Before Locating Accommod- ation Support networks Inspection Institution Department During transition Information seeking Print based Web-based Social sources References Ackermann, F., Eden, C., and Cropper, S., (2004). Getting Started with Cognitive Mapping. Decision Explorer. Available at: http://www.banxia.com/dexplore/pdf/GettingStartedWithCogMapping.pdf [Accessed 30 March 2009]. Ball, S.J. and Vincent, C. (1998) ‘“I heard it on the grapevine”: “hot” knowledge and school choice’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 19: 377– 400 Cane, C and Cashmore, AM (2008) ‘Students’ podcasts as learning tools’ in Salmon G & Edirisingha P (Eds), Podcasting for Learning in Universities, Open University Press, McGraw Hill, pp.146-152. Hutchings, M. (2003) ‘Information, advice and cultural discourses of higher education’, in L. Archer, M. Hutchings and A. Ross (Eds.), Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of exclusion and inclusion, London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp. 97–118. Podcast Production Current biological sciences undergraduate and postgraduate students were recruited into the project. Students discussed a series of predefined topics relevant to students starting university. Topics included differences between school and university, managing finances, making friends, and coping with living away from home. Interviews were recorded using a digital recorder. Recordings were edited using Audacity, to produce the finished podcasts on individual topics, each featuring the voices of several students. Further recordings have also been made on topics relevant to students during their courses, for example on preparing for exams, and choosing modules. Dr Palitha Edirisingha 1 , Dr Samuel Nikoi 1 , & Dr Chris Cane 2 1 Beyond Distance Research Alliance, & 2 GENIE CETL / Department of Genetics, University of Leicester http://www.startinguni.info Acknowledgements This project is funded by GENIE, the Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Genetics at the University of Leicester, and by the Higher Education Academy Evidence Net View publication stats View publication stats