After much debate over the most appropriate and effective term, we have been calling ourselves Study Advisers and our service Study Advice for the last four years. Even so we often find ourselves referred to as "the Study Support service" or "Study Skills advisers" in the university, even in official contexts such as recruitment documents.
It is definitely an area where the role of language as a tool of power becomes explicit. I was re-reading the comments on the TLS article about the closure of the LDU at London Met recently, and noted adverse comments (and well-judged responses) on the capitalization of Learning Development there. I don't want to exclude people by insisting on a non-standard use of language that can only be properly understood through the kind of lengthy (tough interesting) debate that is emerging here, but I do think that the word 'development' captures something unique about our work - and as such is, as other respondents have said, worth fighting for.
However, I'm currently undergoing the torture of completing yet another HERA job evaluation questionnaire and am very conscious that terms like learning development and resources are unlikely to be clearly understood by the HR person who reads it, so using them could decrease my chances of a fair evaluation... 'support' has already crept back in, and though I've managed to avoid 'skills' so far, it's only a matter of time...
Kim
________________________________
Dr Kim Shahabudin, FHEA, Study Adviser, Study Advice & Maths Support
1st floor Carrington Building, Whiteknights, University of Reading, RG6 6UA
• 0118 378 4236/4218 • www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice<http://www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice>
Winner of Student Nominated Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning, 2010
________________________________
From: learning development in higher education network [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Ann Barlow [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 09 February 2011 09:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development Language
Hi,
I’m enjoying this discussion very much, so thank you all for providing so much food for thought, and thanks Marcia, for keeping the debate alive.
I wonder whether there’s a distinction between what we do, which can be reflected in the title of the role, and what we are, in the sense of being members of a professional group or community of practice.
I can think of several posts which I’ve been in where the best title would have been simply Study Adviser. It’s not what I do now but I still associate myself with a community of practice engaged with exploring/supporting/developing/orchestrating university learning in a non-discipline-specific way.
Best wishes,
Ann
Ann Barlow
Head of Researcher Development Team,
Humanities Faculty,
Devonshire House,
The University of Manchester
Tel: 0161 275 0298
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Hilsdon
Sent: 08 February 2011 16:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development Language
Dear all
My view is that the phrase learning development is hugely valuable and well worth fighting for. It has gained currency over the last decade and is becoming more widely used and understood – even outside of our own community of practice. ‘Learning development’ fulfils a number of important functions: it signals that we are talking about a developmental process and not some disembodied/abstract ‘skills’; and it includes both ourselves, our colleagues and our students. As such, I would much prefer to be called a learning developer than any of the available alternatives.
I am wary of terms like ‘effective learning advisor’. Who is being effective and for whom? Of course one wants to be effective and wants one’s students to learn effectively - but there is a whiff of performativity about embedding the word ‘effective’ into our job titles, or using it as a way of referring to our work.
I have further thoughts on this but will finish for now (it’s been a long day). Forgive the plug but we developed this theme in our book: ‘Learning Development in Higher Education’ (Hartley et al, 2010) …
All the best for now
John
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marcia Ody
Sent: 08 February 2011 15:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development Language
Hi Isabelle,
Thanks for your reply and the useful links. I am a little cautious of the use of Enhancing Learning as there are so many different components that enhance the student learning experience and one needs to be careful not to label all activity under the ‘Enhancement’ or the ‘Student Engagement/Experience’ banner.
I do however really like the use of ‘Effective’ and I think Adviser works much better than Support, it is much more positive and proactive rather than the reactive services we provided well over a decade a go.
So…could Learning Developers become more commonly known as Effective Learning Advisers?
Best Wishes,
Marcia
From: Pottinger, Isabelle B [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 08 February 2011 15:16
To: Marcia Ody; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Learning Development Language
Hello Marcia and others reading this,
In Scotland a number of us refer to ourselves as ‘Effective Learning Advisers’. We describe our role as ‘Enhancing Learning’.
In recent years QAA Scotland has overseen a programme of Enhancement Themes, designed to support institutions in Scotland in a process of continuous improvement. Recent themes include assessment, responding to student needs, flexible delivery and employability. The most recent Theme to come on stream is ‘Graduates for the 21st Century: Integrating the Enhancement Themes’. It is proposed that this new Theme will pursue an integrating approach that will consider aspects of all the previous Themes within the context of the overarching question: What attributes, skills and competencies will graduates need in the twenty first century and how can the achievement of these attributes best be supported?
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/scotland/qualityframework/enhancementthemes.asp and
http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/
Certainly in Scotland, expressions such as ‘remedial help’ and ‘learning deficit’ have been swept away from our language. In Heriot-Watt University, the label of ‘Enhancing Learning’ makes it easy for lecturers to refer students on to me and makes it attractive for students to accept that help. I, of course, am doing much the same job that I’ve always done – however it’s labelled.
Best wishes,
Isabelle
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isabelle Pottinger
Effective Learning Adviser/ Academic Counsellor
Library
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 451 3062
[log in to unmask]
Effective Learning Service: http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/effective-learning-service.html
Library Workshops: http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/workshops.html
LearnHigher: http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marcia Ody
Sent: 08 February 2011 13:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Learning Development Language
Hi All,
I had a very interesting discussion with a colleague today about language to describe the services of ‘Learning Development’ Units/service providers/individuals.
It is interesting how our language has changed over time – we talk less about skills and more about developing learning strategies and professional competencies….we rarely refer to support but instead development…remedial is a thing of the past…
So, if we were wanting a phrase that encompassed ‘skills’ both support and development, group and individual, supporting independent learning and professional competencies…what should we be using?? Does Learning Development still work? What are students perception of ‘Learning Development’? What will this service be called in the future?
Thoughts……?
Best Wishes,
Marcia
________________________________
Heriot-Watt University is a Scottish charity registered under charity number SC000278.
|