Griffith University

School of Psychology
Mt Gravatt campus

First Year Orientation

Program
2012

Welcome to/Acknowledgment of
Country
In the Spirit of Reconciliation
Following on from Sorry Day
And consistent with the Griffith University Statement on
Reconciliation (May 2007)
In the spirit of cooperation, partnership & mutual respect,
Griffith walks with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
people, the First Peoples, along a path of inclusion,
equality & understanding for the betterment of all
Australians in the name of reconciliation.
We acknowledge & honour the Traditional Custodians of
this land that our Mt Gravatt campus is built on, & pay
respect to their Elders past & present.

Who are our Traditional Custodians

we are paying respect to?
Our Brisbane campuses are situated on the
lands of
the Yuggera
the Yugarabul
the Jagera and
the Turrbal Peoples

Orientation Program Overview

9:30 -11.00:

11.00-12.30:
12.30-1.15:
1.15 1.30:
1.30 2.00:
2.00 - 2.15:
2.15-3.30:

Welcome
Success in First Year
Questions and Answers
Campus Tours
Free BBQ lunch in Undercroft
Getting Started in Psychology
Getting Online
Questions & Answers
Enrolment & Timetabling Advice

The Purpose of our Orientation

Program
The primary purpose of our Orientation Day is to assist
in facilitating your successful transition to Griffith
University & to your School/Program
All commencing professionals-in-training undergo a
transition process & our job is to assist you to be
successful in making that transition?
We have a Griffith model which describes that
transition process called the 5 Senses of Student
Success & we will be working our way through the
senses today.

Understanding Student Transition:

The Five-Senses of Student
Success
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

Facilitating Student Transition

We will start by building Sense
of Connectedness with
Key Staff and
Your Peers

Sense of Connectedness
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

School Welcome
Head of School
Alf Lizzio
Deputy Head of School
Liz Jones
Undergraduate Program Convenor
Mark Chappell
First Semester First Year Course Convenors
Tim Cutmore, Angela Morgan
First Year Tutors
1008 - Angela, Emily, Sam, Govind, Salih
1001 - Karla, Bianca, Georgie, Sarah
First Year Coordinator
Amy Hawkes
Student Success Advisor
Rebecca Eaton
School Mentoring Coordinator
Sally Chester-Law
Peer Mentors
First Year Professionals-in-training
First Year Professionals-in-training Parents, Friends.

School Welcome!
A Big Welcome to all of you!

Our incoming
first year
cohort of professionalsin-training

Professionals-in-training Welcome
Turn to the person beside you & have a
quick chat (1 minute)
What is your name?
What attracted you to studying in the
discipline of psychology?
What do you hope to get out of todays
Orientation Program?

Who are our commencing Professionalsin-training & your colleagues?

446 commencing students (approx)

80% women, 20% men
20% mature age, 80% high school leavers
65% the first in your family to attend uni
2 Indigenous students
6 International students (China, India, Oman,
Indonesia, Norway/Sweden)
Refugees & immigrants with English as a
second language (Africa, Bosnia, Latin America)

What are you studying?

All 446 of you are studying psychology
173 Bachelor of Psychological Science
121 Bachelor of Psychology
91 B Psych + Criminology/Criminal
Justice
18 B Psych + Law
43 B Psych + Business

Sense of Capability
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

Sense of Capability

What factors contribute to the

success or failure of
commencing professionalsin-training in their first
semester of study?

Something important to think

about
Why do you think some commencing PITs might
succeed at university while others might fail or
give up?
Chat to the person next to you for 1 minute.

What do we know from research about

success in first year?
Students are more likely to succeed if they:
Invest time on task time spent studying each week is the strongest predictor

Regularly attend lectures & tutorials increased learning opportunities also a

strong predictor

Develop a social network at uni knowing one persons name is a protective factor
against dropping out

Have a clear goal or purpose for attending uni (sense of vocational direction &
purpose especially) a strong predictor of success & protects against dropping-out

Engage with the online environment moderates success at university

Balance commitments (working on average not more than 15 hours a week in paid
employment) making appropriate time for study predicts success

Have some sense of academic self-confidence predicts success (self-efficacy &

an expectation of success is foundational to success in life)

What do we know from research about

risk factors in first year?
Students are more likely to drop-out or fail if they:

Dont spend enough time outside of class to study each week

Dont regularly attend lectures & tutorials

Dont develop a social network at university

Dont have a sense of purpose (esp vocational purpose) in their

degree

Dont have access to or engage with the online environment

Do work more than 25 hours per week while studying full time

Our own Griffith research with

our FY students shows.
You may have lower marks in your First
Semester of First Year if You are the first member of your family
(FIF) to attend university
Being first-in-family, means being the
Pathfinder & Trailblazer for your family, &
possibly your community/social group (a
social justice issue about access to
university)

Success in First Year!

Question
Why are FIF students likely to have lower
marks in their first semester?
Have a think and a chat to the person
beside you

Success in First Year!

The reason for this is because you probably wont
have the academic capital to allow you to hit
the ground running in your first semester
It takes time to understand what is required of you
in your new role as a university student &
practitioner-in-training in psychology
as a self-managing or independent learner who
will be structuring your own time
as a professional-in-training in your discipline
academic standards at uni are different & harder
compared to those at high school!

The Good News is that national

research evidence shows.

Despite low access rates, the success rate (or tendency to pass
their years subjects) of First-in-Family students (including those
from a low socio-economic background) is 97% of the pass rates of
second generation students & those from a medium to high socioeconomic background & has been stable over the last 9 years.
(Bradley et al, 2008:30)

Which means YOU CAN DO THIS!

This success rate is, however, premised on your coming to class

each week, studying each week, & participating in a range of
support systems (e.g., Academic Support Workshops, peer
mentoring, study groups, PASS, Learning & Counselling services
support etc.) offered by the School & the University to build your
academic capital more quickly

Success in First Year!

Thus, failure or lower performance on
assessment items in your first semester or
first year simply means that you do yet
understand the standard of work required for
success in your discipline of study, or are not
putting sufficient time into your study
Failure does NOT MEAN that you are not smart
enough, and the data on first year performance
throughout Australia confirms that you are all
smart enough to get your degree!

What do we know about the profile

of our Griffith Students?
Compared to other Australian universities our students:
Work longer hours in paid employment
you will need to monitor your work-study balance to create the
conditions for your success
Are more likely to be the first in their family (FIF) to attend University
* Psychology Mt Gravatt = 70% approx
you will need to pick up the supports we are offering in your Transition
Program
Griffith has the 3rd highest Indigenous student intake
Griffith has the 6th highest intake of students from low socio-economic
or disadvantaged backgrounds (a strong social justice agenda)

Sense of Purpose
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

What do we know about the

benefits of having a uni degree?
We know that a degree will TRANSFORM
YOUR LIFE for the BETTER & FOREVER!
Social standing & status
Economic income, housing, holidays
Health live longer, lower incidence of
major illness, lower incidence of high risk
drinking practices in young men

The myth of entry OP!

OP is about getting in.ENTRY

OP is not about getting on..SUCCESS
OP has a relationship with high results (HDs & Ds) in first year courses in
psychology, BUT
OP has no relationship with PASSES, CREDITS or FAILS in first year
Psychology
OP has no relationship to GRADUATING with your degree
OP has no relationship to SUCCESS as a Practitioner
OP does not necessarily equal ability - many smart people have low OPs
TIME & EFFORT invested is the KEY to SUCCESS
So forget your OP & focus on your GPA
The fact that you have been accepted into this course means
YOU ARE CAPABLE OF FINISHING YOUR DEGREE!

Remember!

Whats important is
WHERE AM I GOING,
not where have I come
from!

Sense of Resourcefulness
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity

Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

Sense of Resourcefulness

What are we doing in the

School of Psychology to
support your success?

What is the GU framework for student

engagement & success?
Source: Lizzio (2006) The Five Senses of Success

Sense of
Connection

Sense of
Capability
Sense of
Student Identity

Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

What are new students needs

and concerns?
Sense of Connection
Meeting people and making
friends
Establishing positive working
relationships with staff
Having a sense of valued
identity and belonging

Sense of Capability
Clarifying expectations of the
uni student role
Building confidence for
academic challenges
Establishing an organised and
strategic approach to study

Sense of Purpose
Affirming your vocational
direction and motivation
Appreciating the links between
your degree and future career
Understanding the structure &
rationale of degree program

Sense of Resourcefulness
Learning how to navigate the
system
Knowing where to get help
Managing study-work-life
balance

What is your School doing to

support you to be successful?
Sense of Connection

Sense of Capability

Orientation Program - Meeting your FY staff

& being welcomed into your School today
Student Success Advisor
Peer Mentoring Program
Lunch time barbeque to meet folks
Undergraduate Student Council

Sense of Purpose

Peer Mentoring - Your Peer Mentors will

affirm your vocational direction & help you to
understand the structure & rationale of your
degree program
Academic Success Program
* Making Careers Happen Workshop appreciating the links between your
degree & your future career
* Workplace Employment Program
volunteering

Peer Mentoring Program - Clarifying

new expectations of the uni student
role
Academic Success Program - Building
skills & confidence for academic
challenges including assessment
generally & in 1001 & 1008
Establishing an organised and
strategic approach to study

Sense of Resourcefulness

Peer Mentoring
Orientation Program getting online
ASP Program
Student Success Advisors
Library/Info Services

Reflection
Chat to the person next to you
How do the success factors relate to me?
What support activities/interventions will I
get involved in to assist my success?

STUDENT SUCCESS
ADVISOR
Rebecca Eaton
r.eaton@griffith.edu.au
Ph 3735 xxxx
Consultation Hours
Mondays 1-2.00 & 4-5.00
M24 (Psychology Building) - Room 3.20

STUDENT SUCCESS ADVISOR ROLE

Rebecca Eaton
Assist you to make a successful transition to university study by :
1. Designing & Implementing academic skills programs e.g.,

ASP (Academic Success Program)

(develops study skills, career direction, support)

PEER MATES (Peer Mentoring Program)

(develops social connection & academic support)

LAMP (Learning About My Profession)

(develops career direction & vocational purpose)

JUST-IN-TIME Interventions
(develops academic skills in different types of assessment)

STUDENT SUCCESS ADVISOR ROLE

Rebecca Eaton
Assist you to make a successful transition to university study BY :
2.

Being available for individual & group consultation about

Academic progress
Learning needs & access to relevant resources
Assessment tasks & requirements
Personal issues or difficulties interfering with your study
Anything.

3.

Monitoring your progress & contacting you at various points to

assist your success & offer targeted support
Email contact
Phone contact
Face-to-face contact one-on-one & in small groups

Sense of Connectedness
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

Sense of Connectedness

So how might peer

mentoring
contribute to my success?

Peer mentors contribute to success

right across the board
Mentoring helps to develop all Five Senses of Success
Sense of
Connection
PMP

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Academic
Culture

Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

What is the evidence for the

benefits of Peer Mentoring?
Commencing students who participate in a well-run peer
mentoring program are more likely to report:
* Greater social and relationship adjustment
* Greater academic adjustment and efficacy
* More collaboration and less competitiveness
* And achieve significantly higher GPAs for
both semesters 1 & 2
Source: Randomised control trial, School of Psychology (1996)

What is the School trying to achieve

with peer mentoring?
We are hoping that Peer Mentors will act as an agent of change by
helping you as commencing students:
Student Retention
Make a successful transition to university and to your School community
Academic Success
Become capable and effective learners
Social Change
Transform your lives by successfully completing their first year of study
Continuing Leadership
Through your participation you will consider being peer mentors to future
cohorts

What can peer mentors do?

Help
Solve
Problems

Develop
supportive
relationships

Facilitate
Aspirations

Actively
manage
the process

Your Peer Mentors will give some examples

How will I be matched with my

mentees?
Effective matching using shared interest
criteria (e.g., gender, age, degree type,
cultural differences) where possible.
The matching process will be organised by
your PM Coordinator - Sally Chester-Law
Sally will provide your Mentor with your
names & contact info
Mentors & Mentees will be matched in 3
waves Orientation Day, Week1, Week 2

If you want to participate in our

Peer Mentoring Program then.
Fill out the blue form & hand it to your SSA
Rebecca at the end of this session or at
the end of the day.

Diversity People are similar &

different!
We are all the same, because were all different!
What types of diversity might you encounter amongst your
student colleagues?
Gender approx 80% women, 20% men
Age approx 80% high school leavers, 20% mature age
Sexual orientation
Cultural background
Disability (physical or psychological)
Dress
Other..............

Cultural diversity

What types of cultural diversity might you encounter

amongst your student colleagues?
Indigenous/First Nation Australians
International (e.g., South-East Asia, India, Middle-East,
Africa, Europe)
Immigrants or Refugees with English as a second
language (ESL) (e.g., Bosnia, Serbia, Africa,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa)
Second generation Australians
Third/Fourth generation Australians
All sorts

Some key questions about

difference
What are the issues faced by commencing
colleagues from these differing cultural
backgrounds?
What are the opportunities and benefits that
these colleagues bring?
What success structures does Griffith have in
place to assist these colleagues? (see Handouts
for Referral)
What attitudes and strategies can all of us use
to best relate to and support each other?

Indigenous Students
If you are an Indigenous student, you may
wish to contact the GUMURRII Student
Support Centre on Mt Gravatt campus
M10 level 1 at the end of the corridor.
Gumurrii Coordinator Mt Gravatt
Deann Grant 3735 5788

International students
If you are an International student, you need to
contact your International Advisor for Psychology
Liz Wright 3735 3605 (e.wright@griffith.edu.au
) or Jane Sefton 3735 7949 (
j.sefton@griffith.edu.au)
If you are a student with English as a Second
Language (ESL), it may be useful to get
assistance with your English language skills.
When in doubt, contact our International
Advisors also (see above).

How do I get assistance with my

English language
If you are an Australian student with English as a second
language (ESL or LOTE), it may be useful to get
assistance with your English language skills.
1. English Help with language
* for Group help email
englishhelp@griffith.edu.au
* for individual help phone 3735 3735 &
make an appointment
2. Language classes phone Rod Gardner on 3735 3472.
There is a nominal cost of about $20

Sense of Capability
(Lizzio, 2006)
Sense of
Connectedness

Sense of
Capability

Sense of
Student
Identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness

Sense of
Purpose

What Electives should I be

doing?
Choice of electives - We have provided you
with a list of common electives, but you can do
electives that are not on this list. In semester
1 you can do 2 free electives from any School
within Griffith
Choose 1st year electives - you will need to
choose 1st year electives only (the first number
indicates the year of study e.g., 1005CCJ = a 1 st
year elective whereas 2001CCJ = a 2nd year
elective & so on).
Pre-requisites - 1st year electives do not have
any pre-requisites for study.

Sense of Capability

What is expected of me in
lectures & tutorials how
should I behave?

What is a Lecture?
The structured delivery of information
(theories & concepts) around a specific topic
1001 Introductory Cognitive & Behavioural
Psychology 2 hour lectures each week x
13 weeks (Wednesdays 11.00 Nathan
campus get the campus bus)
1008 Interpersonal Skills 1 hour lecture
each week x 13 weeks (Monday 2.00 Mt
Gravatt campus)

Code of conduct in lectures

The 6 As
Attendance - turn up each week
Attention
* listen & dont talk to others during the lecture manage
yourself & be respectful to your colleagues & to staff
* dont walk out in the middle of a lecture - respect
Active note-taking = maximising learning
Ask questions if you dont understand
Axe your mobile phone
Authority issues left outside the door selfmanagement

What is a Tutorial?

Groups of about 25 students meet weekly with

a dedicated tutor for the semester to provide a
forum for discussion and application of the
lecture material
Tutes start in Week 2 & can take 3 forms
1. Tutorial discussion groups guided by a tutor
2. Laboratory class 1001 conducting &
analysing experiments on material related to
the lectures (1 hour x 12 weeks)
3. Workshop - 1008 interpersonal skills practice
& development (2 hours x 8 weeks)

Code of conduct in tutorials

The 7 As
Attendance - turn up each week to classes
Attention - listen to your tutor & dont talk while theyre
talking - being respectful
Active participation speak up in discussions
Ask other people what they think
Ask any & all questions if you dont understand
Axe your mobile phone
Authority issues leave any unresolved issues with
people in authority outside of the door self-control and
self-management = maturity in the university
student/professional-in-training role

How much time will I need to

study?
10 credit points of study = 10 hours of study per
week for each course
10 hours of study per week =
* 3 hours of class contact (lectures & tutes)
* 7 hours of study time
Studying full time = 40 hours per week for class
contact & study
Studying part time = 20-30 hours per week

Time management reflection task

How much time do I have to study?
Please write down how many hours you spend a week:

Working?
Sleeping?
Eating?
Travelling?
Socialising?
Caring for family?
Watching television?
Playing computer games?
Chatting on MSN?
Household chores?
(You may want to break this down into shopping, cooking, cleaning)
Any other time commitments that are not included?
There are 168 hours per week. How many hours do you have left over to
study?

What are useful activities should I be

considering to facilitate my success?
Forming study groups
Mapping out my assessment schedule (including
preparation/enabling activities)
Undertaking independent learning activities (e.g.,
visiting the New Students website and undertake
the self-assessment tasks; attending learning
workshops).
Experimenting with peer assessment/feedback
before submitting your work
Reading more widely and critically than I have
previously

The point of no return

HECS Census date. when the govt decides
you owe them $ for being a student is April 6 th
Soif you think its a mistake to be here or that
you cant be bothered, then to save yourself a
lot of $, formally withdraw your enrolment before
the 6th April
You can do this by getting in online & cancelling
your enrolment
Be very clear that WE WANT YOU TO STAY in
OUR SCHOOL & to be successfulwe are
simply trying to do the right thing by you.

Remember..
Academic Success depends on understanding what is
required for an assessment item e.g., in disciplines
there are specific formats for presenting work (e.g.,
essays & lab reports)
attend & pay attention in tutes & lectures
discuss with your Peer Mentors
dont interpret a lack of success in your own eyes
as not being smart enough, cos its NOT TRUE
it simply means you need to be PERSISTENT
to find out what is required & DO IT!

TO CONTACT STUDENT
SUCCESS ADVISOR
Rebecca Eaton
r.eaton@griffith.edu.au
Ph 3735 xxxx
Consultation Hours
Mondays 1-2.00 & 4-5.00
M24 (Psychology Building) - Room 3.20

Finally.
We value the contribution you are about to make in our
School.
We regard you as our partners in this learning process.
We will support you to be successful at University!
We hope you will both learn from and enjoy the
experience!