Preparing to Succeed

An online orientation resource designed for postgraduate study success

Abstract

Students who study wholly online have different expectations and face different challenges than students studying on-campus. Similarly, the experience, capabilities and expectations of postgraduate students differ from those of undergraduate students, especially school-leavers. Both online and postgraduate cohorts exhibit high attrition rates, often linked to time constraints, poor preparation and dissatisfaction with learning experiences not tailored to their needs. Yet little attention has been paid to how orientation and transition support might be customised to better accommodate these cohorts. In this paper, we provide a rationale and case study for developing an online narrative-led orientation resource tailored to address issues of affiliation, connection and belonging, specific to postgraduate students.