1. Academic Induction in the School of Mathematics “Getting Started with your Maths Degree” Dr George Kinnear Teaching & Recruitment Development Officer G.Kinnear@ed.ac.uk

2. Aims Build and nurture a sense of community for new maths students Develop resilience and confidence for learning at university Equip students with the skills that are necessary for success in a mathematics degree

3. Resilience? In mathematics, we mean: not giving up when a concept is hard to understand Our students arrive having probably never been stuck before Our aim: help students understand what is normal

4. Being stuck is normal Working hard is normal Asking for help is normal Feeling like you are not the best is normal

5. Pre-Arrival and Induction Programme Design

6. Getting Started with your Maths Degree: Pre-Arrival Semester 2 Review Meeting Year 1 Getting Started with your Maths Degree: Academic Induction Mid-Semester Review Meeting Motivations and Aspirations Academic Skills Reminder Academic Skills Reminder Motivations and Aspirations Reminder Motivations and Aspirations

7. Pre-Arrival “Getting Started…” Learn course –Handbook and other information –Checklist Questionnaire

8. Pre-Arrival Handbook

9. Pre-Arrival Checklist

10. Pre-Arrival Questionnaire Provides information for PTs Informs design of programme, e.g. Careers workshops

11. Welcome Week New Undergraduate Welcome Meeting “Getting Started…” Workshop Welcome Lecture & Reception

12. Welcome Meeting “Content-free” –Important information is sent pre-arrival –Some reminders and general ethos-setting Purpose: –Meeting staff and other students –Feeling welcome

13. Welcome Meeting: Advice from graduates

14. Getting Started Station A: Study skills and effective strategies Station B: Communication Station C: Reading and writing mathematics Station D: Talking points Station E: MathPALs taster

15. Results (2014-15) 88% of students agreed or completely agreed it was enjoyable “…was great to make friends so early in the year” “…got to talk to other students [MathPALs] who can give me useful info”

16. Results (2014-15) 87% of students agreed or completely agreed it was useful to them as new Maths students “…helped me understand that problems are part of learning” “…it showed that it is important to persevere with problems” “…great to think about how you learn”

17. Feedforward postcards What do you think your biggest challenge will be in studying maths at university? How do you plan to manage this challenge? What will you take away from today’s session and apply to your maths studies at university?

19. Getting Started with your Maths Degree: Pre-Arrival Semester 2 Review Meeting Year 1 Getting Started with your Maths Degree: Academic Induction Mid-Semester Review Meeting Motivations and Aspirations Academic Skills Reminder Academic Skills Reminder Motivations and Aspirations Reminder Motivations and Aspirations

20. Questions? Further details also available from: Dr Pamela Docherty Student Learning Advisor P.Docherty@ed.ac.uk