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We've had very reduced attendance figures at our workshops this year - in fact, we've just been discussing this very subject. Anecdotally, I've heard similar stories from LDers at other institutions too. It is odd, and I don't really have an answer to why it should be so radically different this year - 2 attendees at our dissertations workshop when we had to run two sessions last year because it was so over-subscribed, and the year before we had over 300 turn up on the day! The workshops that have been well attended are our exam workshops and any workshops targeted at mature students. Given that, I do wonder whether targeting to particular groups/timely issues might be the way to go. Alison's increased requests for individual advice might also suggest that students want more targeted, less generic advice? Will be interested to hear what other folks' experience have been... 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 : www.learnhigher.ac.uk From: Alison Green Sent: Wed 05/05/2010 10:50 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: workshop participation Hello Everyone, I would be very interested to hear how your academic skills workshops have been progressing this year, especially since Christmas. I am writing because booking and attendance at the workshops I run at BU have been terrible. In particular, revision strategies and exam techniques workshops are attracting no more than 5 students per session despite having offered a much wider range of days and times to accommodate folk. We advertise by announcements on our VLE, by timetable to programme leaders and administrators and on continous rolling electronic screens placed in strategic areas of the uni. Generally, these workshops are heavily subscribed to, but not this year. Conversely, I have far more students asking for individual tutorials than in the past. Are we typical of other uni experiences? Is this a special cohort or have we 'succeeded' in encouraging independent learning? Do they prefer online resources? Are there too many questions in this email? Seriously though, we will consider withdrawing some workshops next year if this approach is now considered 'old hat'. Best BU - the UK's Number One New University The Guardian University Guide 2009 & 2010 This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete this email, which must not be copied, distributed or disclosed to any other person. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Bournemouth University or its subsidiary companies. Nor can any contract be formed on behalf of the University or its subsidiary companies via email.