Dear John,
We recently evaluated the take up our Academic Learning Skills provision
in semester 1 this year, and found some interesting results. For
example, in 1-2-1 tutorials, Computing, Science and Engineering students
were significantly under-represented. The majority of students we saw
were from the Faculty of Health and Social Care.

When we looked at which students were accessing on-line resources, we
found that Computing, Science and Engineering students were slightly
better represented, though students from Salford Business School and the
School of Nursing used these most.

Our view is that the student take up of study skills is directly related
to the amount of professional contact we have with academic staff, and
the importance they attach to getting support for their students'
Academic Learning. We do have input into some courses within the natural
sciences, based on good relationships with tutors and support from
Associate Deans and Heads of Teaching.

Our Academic Learning Skills programme is generic, but we also run
bespoke sessions for both staff and students, these are discipline
specific and relate either to types of assessment, eg. poster
presentations, report writing, exams, or to specific assignments eg.
third year dissertations, systematic literature reviews. 

Best wishes
Ela


 
 
Dr Ela Beaumont
Education Development Unit
Crescent House
University of Salford
+44(0) 161 295 2340
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-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandra Sinfield
Sent: 11 June 2007 14:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: are we scientists too?

Hi John,
I left school to become a lab technician and studied Biological Sciences

and Applied Biology alongside my practical work in the lab for several 
years before switching to Literature and eventually to Literature and 
Education.
I am pleased that I have some science in my background, for I do find 
that it allows me some commonality with our science students here at 
London Met - and overall I do think that the sciences are under-served 
by Learning Development.
At the same time, I think that it was Literary and Critical Theory, 
especially Structuralism, De-construction and Foucault on Discourse, 
that gave me the tools to deconstruct academic forms & processes - and 
thus to support students - from any discipline.
Best
Sandra

John Hilsdon wrote:

> Dear All
> 
>  
> 
> After some interesting conversations with LD colleagues recently,
about 
> the kinds of students we work with, about how academically diverse a 
> group we (Learning Developers) are, I am prompted to write to ask for 
> your thoughts.
> 
>  
> 
> We have over 270 people subscribing to this list and (I assume) most
of 
> those would be happy to classify themselves as 'Learning Developers'. 
> Are we mostly (as I and others suspect) from humanities and social 
> studies backgrounds? I'd like to find out impressionistically what 
> proportion of us see ourselves as 'scientists' (and whether that 
> includes 'social sciences' or not) ... how many of us have a natural 
> science educational background.
> 
>  
> 
> I'd also like to know what proportion of students using your LD 
> 'services' are on natural science courses ... do they differ from 
> humanities and social studies students in the kinds of issues they
seek 
> to deal with ... are we equipped to work with chemists, biologists, 
> physicists, engineers, mathematicians etc as well as with the
business, 
> health, and social studies type students who seem to be the main users

> of LD here in Plymouth ... ?
> 
>  
> 
> If LD has a humanities/social studies bias should we be worried? If we

> need to be better at supporting the more science-oriented students and

> staff, what sort of changes would we need to make? And if we do not 
> serve all disciplines and subject areas, do we yet live up to the
phrase 
> 'Learning Development' ... ?
> 
>  
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you ...
> 
>  
> 
> John
> 
> John Hilsdon
> Co-ordinator, Learning Development
> University of Plymouth
> Drake Circus
> Plymouth
> PL4 8AA
> 
> 01752 232276
> 
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/learn
> 
>  
> 

-- 

Sandra Sinfield Coordinator Learning and Language Development
Learning Area Coordinator (reading & notemaking) Learn Higher CETL
www.learnhigher.ac.uk
_______________________________________________________________________

The Learning Development Unit (LDU), London Metropolitan University,
North Campus, Learning Centre 2-12, The Learning Centre, 236-250 
Holloway Road, N7 6PP.

Direct line: call Sandra Sinfield: (020) 7 133 4045
[log in to unmask]

For LDU City Campus, contact: [log in to unmask]
or call Pam Dorrington on: (020) 7 320 1125

http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/college-of-london/ldu/
_______________________________________________________________________