The First Year Experience Project: A model for university-wide change

Studies of Australian first year students (McInnis & James, 1995; McInnis, James, & Hartley, 2000a) show that initial experiences on campus are important, and influence students' persistence in higher education. In this paper we present the way in which one Australian university has sought to address the issues of first year student progression and withdrawal, grounded in theory and research. We begin by reviewing the literature on withdrawal, and conclude that each university must understand the experiences of its own students, if it is to address attrition. Next, analysis of Tinto's six principles (Tinto, 1987, 1993), which underpin successful attempts to enhance first year student success and progression at university, and Peel's (1999) "basic set of expectations" in relation to attempts to address transition issues by universities, leads us to the conclusion that a coordinated, informed, university-wide response to transition issues will improve the learning experiences of all first year students. We then apply Fullan's theory (1991) of successful change processes to the context of La Trobe University. Drawing on this theoretical background, we discuss the processes of the First Year Experience Project, the vehicle for change that is in place at La Trobe University. We highlight the dynamic nature of the change process, and emphasise the way in which evaluation is embedded in that process. Finally, we attempt to synthesise the theory and the practice, showing where the First Year Experience Project at La Trobe University fits with theory, evaluating the success of the change model in relation to its objectives, and raising issues for the future.