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Students experience many transitions during their time in education. In 2015, QAA Scotland commissioned a project to explore the skills and strategies that a student might develop and use during a transition or period of change. The project aimed to gain a deeper understanding of these skills and strategies and to develop practical tools for students and staff.


The project resulted in five reports and 22 supporting resources. These include student leaflets, activities for students to work on individually, and activities for students to work on in groups.


The Transition Skills and Strategies resources are among the most popular resources that the Enhancement Themes have produced. As part of our 20 Years of Enhancement campaign, we have updated these resources to support use across a tertiary education system. Each resource has been reviewed and updated to reflect our contemporary challenges and the importance of these skills in a tertiary learning environment.


We have grouped the reports and resources below by purpose. Then, at the bottom of the page, you will find the individual files grouped by skill. Most of these files are in Word or PowerPoint format allowing you to customise them.

 

The illustrations on this page are by Claire Stringer.

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We would love to know how you use these resources. What did you find worked well? What advice would you give to other people designing an activity using these resources? Please share your thoughts with us.


The self-belief worksheets guided me to consider realistically what I had achieved so far, and reminded of the value of positive self-reflection - a lesson I’d clearly forgotten. Inspired by that exercise, I had a go at “Establishing and Achieving My Goals”. The negative headspace I’d been in had made me fearful of the future, but this exercise helped me to think more practically and honestly about what I wanted to achieve, to identify the barriers, to work out how to get over/round/through them and importantly, to spend a little time generating positive self-talk for myself to help me through in the meantime. There’s a lot of useful stuff on the site and it covers a wide range of practical and psychological support. It’s a wonderful resource.
2nd year PhD student, University of Stirling
The Transition Skills and Strategies resources were crucial in helping our online pre-induction development team identify priority content and activities for new and prospective students. With the strategic guidance of the rich student-centred digital artefacts, we were able to build a comprehensive and practical package for students to access in advance of beginning their studies that allowed them to build long-lasting confidence, learner autonomy and an enduring critical perspective. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing the value of the Transition Skills and Strategies suite, either as a modular or holistic experience.
Academic Development Tutor, Glasgow Caledonian University

Resources grouped by purpose

Resources grouped by skill


Avoiding and overcoming setbacks: Session instructions

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Avoiding and overcoming setbacks: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Transition skills and strategies: Critical self-reflection

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Encouraging self-reflection: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Identifying levels of writing: Student handout

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Structured journal entry: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Less structured journal entry: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Critical self-reflection: Student leaflet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Mindset student activities: Session instructions

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Mindset student activities: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Mindset card sort activity: Session instructions

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Mindset card sort activity: Cards

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Transition skills and strategies: Self-efficacy

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Current levels of self belief: Student activity

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Establishing and achieving my goals (with vision board)

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Establishing and achieving my goals

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Managing my expectations at university: Student leaflet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Baseline time tracker: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Time management grid: Student worksheet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Managing my time to become an independent learner: Student leaflet

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023


Transition skills and strategies: Transition models and how students experience change

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Transition skills and strategies: Key transition skills

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023

Transition skills and strategies: Key transition skills at the different transition points

Publication date: 04 Jan 2023