Compulsory transition education? The Swinburne experience for IT undergraduates

Catherine Lang, Diane Robbie

Swinburne University of Technology

Date and time: 11.30am-12.30pm, Friday 24th September, 2004

Venue: 10.11.04

Chair: Margaret Hamilton

Abstract:

Swinburne School of IT has made a commitment to student transition by mandating that undergraduate students complete a semester length IT Transition unit in their Computing degree. This paper will describe how this compulsory unit evolved, and is still evolving as well as discuss how students have reacted to this mandated inclusion in their course. A rationale will also be provided with guidelines for the implementation of the program in other disciplines or universities.

About the speakers:

Catherine Lang is a lecturer in the School of Information Technology, Swinburne University of Technology teaching graduate diploma students introductory information systems and programming with VB.Net. She manages the School ’s transition and tutor training program and is subject convenor for IT Transition. Her current PhD research is how girls make decisions about education and careers in Information Technology. Catherine has published in the area of gender, student choice and transition.

Diane Robbie is the Educational Development Advisor for the School of Mathematical Sciences, National School of Design and School of Information Technology at Swinburne University of Technology. Diane's role is to provide support and advice in the educational development process at a both a pedagogical and technical level.

Seminars are free and open to the general public. No booking is necessary.

If you are interested in giving a presentation in this seminar series, or to make suggestions for speakers, please contact James Harland, the seminar co-ordinator.