A fourth generation approach to transition in the first year in higher education : first year in higher education community of practice (FYHECoP)

The authors propose that higher education institutions move beyond the third generation approach to transition pedagogy to a fourth generation approach. They argue that higher education institutions are, as Abraham Lincoln extols, of the people, by the people, for the people and that all major stakeholders: educationalists; social groups; and civic bodies should be involved in supporting the transition of the higher education first year student. The authors suggest that university-community partnerships, specifically, those involving the wider social/civic community, have an integral part to play at each point in the progression of the student through undergraduate studies. Their fourth generation approach extends Kift's exhortation that the first year experience is 'everybody's business' by being characterised and driven by a social and civic 'community of practice'. To contextualise their proposal the authors discuss the relationship between higher education and the community, they then describe several models of higher education and community partnerships around three student life stages, pre-enrolment, enrolment and graduation. The 4th Generation Approach is then discussed as a means of consolidating the dichotomy of the forms taken by a higher education institution of the 21st century. [Author abstract, ed]