"as Learning Development moves from an individual needs-based model
based
around Student Support towards an open entitlement model based around
Learning Resources. "
David Bowers, please will you say a little more. It is not clear to me
what you are seeking to do.
We, At Heriot-Watt University, are moving away from a deficit model to
an enhancement model (i.e. moving away from trying to rescue students
who are on the point of dropping out and moving towards trying to help
students become even more effective learners; often working with whole
classes of students to encourage them to develop good study habits and
so gain even better scores.)
Best wishes,
Isabelle
-------------------------------
Isabelle B Pottinger
Effective Learning Advisor/ Academic Counsellor
Effective Learning Service
Room 1.07 Scott Russell Building
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh
EH14 4AS
Tel: 0131 451 3062
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Hilsdon
Sent: 11 October 2009 13:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ICT support
Dear David and all
I certainly think LD activities and provision should include supporting
the effective use of all relevant information technologies insofar as
they are tools for learning, and I envy you that blank sheet! I also
agree with Stevie that many students (and staff) need help and
significant opportunities to develop familiarity and ability to use IT -
especially as these become more embedded in HE practices such that their
use is essential to students' success. As Stevie says, assuming folk can
just 'pick up' such skills is false and highly inequitable. So, I think
we too would want to have a more integrated approach and would seek to
cover the key areas of academic practice David mentions (including ICT,
maths and stats).
I was struck by David's phrase:
" ... as Learning Development moves from an individual needs-based model
based around Student Support towards an open entitlement model based
around Learning Resources ..."
I realised that
a) I don't really understand what this means and
b) I don't know what the claim (that there is a move towards an "open
entitlement model based around Learning Resources ...") is based upon
...
Coming from a position I'd characterise as a 'social practices' model,
with an experiential approach to learning, I'd welcome further comment
and discussion around the terms we use for our LD provision and
practice; and would be interested to know if others think there is (has
been / should be?) a move such as the one David describes around
learning resources ... and what might this look like?
All the best
John
[log in to unmask]
http://www.learningdevelopment.plymouth.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Bowers
Sent: 09 September 2009 14:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ICT support
Hear hear Stevie!
At UCS our Learning Development Centre has from the start (2 whole years
ago!) incorporated ICT/ILT support within its remit, along with Study
Skills, Academic Writing, Maths&Stats and Information Skills. "Generic
underpinning skills", as we say.
I sense the trend nationally is towards this more integrated approach,
as Learning Development moves from an individual needs-based model based
around Student Support towards an open entitlement model based around
Learning Resources. That is the path we have started along here at UCS -
with the benefit of a blank sheet at a new university.
Anyone have any thoughts (better: evidence) of the relative efficacy of
this approach?
David Bowers,
Head of Learning Development,
University Campus Suffolk,
Neptune Quay,
Ipswich,
IP4 1QJ,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 01473 296339
Fax: 01473 343696
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Farrell, Stevie
Sent: 09 September 2009 14:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ICT support
At Leeds Met we offer academic communication (essay writing/reflection
etc etc), Maths and IT through a small team of Academic Skills tutors.
We do customised teaching sessions, drop in sessions and one-to-ones
though these are limited in term time.
I cannot resist developing this topic a bit further! I find it
interesting that IT is not seen by all (I mean all universities and
their policy, rather than all my LDHEN colleagues) as part of study
skills remit. Lack of IT experience is a real barrier to learning.
Work has to be produced using a range of IT packages. Producing a
poster is very different to producing a word processed essay. Uploading
and downloading from the VLE is not necessarily straight forward. I
know lots of staff who struggle with IT and this is exactly the same for
the students we support.
I am the IT tutor here at Leeds Met. My post is .75 and I run a range
of workshops covering beginner/more advanced topics. In my experience,
it's not only mature students who struggle with VLE navigation. Certain
subject areas (eg nursing, early years/teaching, art courses, building
courses) don't require the same level of exposure to IT so they need a
lot of support from within the University. IT experience differs
greatly between countries also (across Europe some countries have better
IT provision than others and IT resources are more limited in certain
continents. Though generally true that younger students are IT
knowledgeable, it's not always the case.
It's safe to say that I'm very much in demand from academics and
students with requests for customised sessions growning all the time.
Does anyone think that this idea that IT is not essential/not really in
demand is actually quite risky in failing to meet the needs of a diverse
student population? For example, having to divert topics in a class to
'tack on a quick bit of IT' might mean that learning is compromised.
I feel quite strongly that expecting students to 'pick up IT' and to do
it fairly easily, on top of academic load, is not really fair and that
universities should realise how important it is to help students feel
confident at university.
Regards
Stevie
Ms Stevie Farrell
Academic Skills Tutor
Skills for Learning Team, C507
Leeds Metropolitan University
LS1 3HE
tel 0113 8125490
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandra Sinfield
Sent: 07 September 2009 18:38
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ICT support
At London Met LDU we do offer IT short courses and some drop-in support
- supporting the student in the digital age!
Sandra
Kim Shahabudin wrote:
> I'd say the same for us at Reading, though it's only been the case for
> the last two weeks since we merged with the Maths Support Centre.
>
> I wouldn't say that we see supporting ICT as our responsibility,
> although we do teach a workshop on using and evaluating e-resources
for
> research, and are planning to co-run some sessions next year on using
> the VLE (Blackboard) for mature students. It tends to be the case that
> we make minor interventions when it impacts on other aspects of study.
> So it might be appropriate to spend five minutes of a 30 minute
session
> showing a student how to change line spacing or insert footnotes in
> Word, for instance, if they've already tried and failed to follow
> self-training notes, and the alternative is them waiting five days for
> IT Services Drop in and Learn session to come around.
>
> HTH!
>
> Kim
>
> *
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> Dr Kim Shahabudin, Study Adviser & LearnHigher Research Officer* Room
> 107, Carrington Building, Whiteknights, University of Reading,
RG6
> 6UA| ( 0118 378 4218|
> : www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice <http://www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice>
> :
> www.learnhigher.ac.uk <http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> *From:* learning development in higher education network on behalf of
RC
> Currant
> *Sent:* Fri 14/08/2009 09:52
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:*
>
> Hi All
>
>
>
> We have been thinking about the six key skills defined by the QAA in
> relation to Learner Development for one of the chapters of the
> Learnhigher book. For those that can't remember what I am talking
about,
> I mean these ones:
>
> * Communication
> * Application of Number
> * Information and Communication Technology.
> * Working with Others
> * Improving own Learning and Performance
> * Problem Solving.
>
> Which of the 6 key skills does your learner development unit
> explicitly deal with? I'd say that in our case we deal with five of
> the six (everything but ICT, although we support IT skills in the
> background
to
> an extent and also work with the IT Help
> <http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/learnerdevelopment/it_help/> team at
Bradford).
>
>
>
> Is this the case elsewhere? And if not, how many of the six do you
> think you cover?
>
>
>
> Cheers
>
>
>
> Becka
>
>
>
> Becka Currant
>
> Head of Learner Development and Student Engagement
>
> University of Bradford
>
> Tel: 01274 236821
>
> Mob: 07917 241214 or 1739 internally
>
>
>
--
Sandra Sinfield
University Teaching Fellow
_______________________________________________________________________
Coordinator LDU & LearnHigher CETL www.learnhigher.ac.uk LC-M10 London
Metropolitan University, 236-250 Holloway Road, N7 6PP.
(020) 7 133 4045
www.londonmet.ac.uk/ldu
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