Abstract:
It is imperative that academics regularly re-evaluated and adapt to the learning needs of their students, particularly at entry level into a tertiary institution. Careful research can help teachers to understand a range of factors which impact on student learning but the real test of the value of such research is how you are able to covert that raw data into strong teaching practice. As a follow up to the 'Academic Survivor' paper delivered at last year's conference, this paper concentrates on the ways in which such research has been used to inform classroom teaching at department level as well as to create firs-year initiatives at Faculty level. Insights from student 'Survivors' will be interwoven with a discussion of a range of teaching strategies aimed at ensuring a higher rater of retention for students from very differing cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds. The academic 'Survivor' metaphor will be visually and critically developed during the session where 'conference survivors' will be urged, through points rewarded team work, to participate.