All - as you might recall , I've recently placed an ad for a Learning 
Skills Tutor and had a good response (32 applications) although it doesn't 
appear too evident that redundancy elsewhere is the main catalyst for the 
the majority of applications. One of the things I will want the successful 
candidate to do is to explore the use of workshops and other methods to 
deliver skills training (the previous  focus here was on face-to-face 
individual sessions by either booked appointments or by drop-ins). 
Therefore, I'd be keen to hear from those who have had success with 
workshops, unless you all find that Alison's experience mirrors yours.

It's interesting to see the the view that learning technologists are seen 
as the way forward, but at the expense of the study skills tutor. In some 
ways I see a correlation between the two roles in that the role of 
academic/study skills tutors would be embracing new technologies in 
delivering pedagogically-sound support. For example, I asked for evidence 
of delivering study skills support via the VLE / other technologies as an 
essential criteria in selection. I'd argue that the core skills of study 
skills tutors are still very relevant, and this is certainly the case at 
Solent, but the support they provide can be delivered in innovative ways 
to complement traditional approaches.

Steve

Steve Rose
Head of Library and Learning Services
Mountbatten Library
Southampton Solent University
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 023 8031 9342



From:   Alison Green <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]
Date:   06/07/2010 13:05
Subject:        Re: sharing 'Good Practice' and models of LD provision
Sent by:        learning development in higher education network 
<[log in to unmask]>



Hi John,
 
Very timely correspondence: it's not a rumour and I am an 'efficiency'. My 
post has been made redundant, subject librarians and learning 
technologists being the way forward. To some extent, I was hoisted by my 
own petard (if that's the phrase) as my recent investigation into poor 
attendance at academic skills workshops counted as 'evidence' against the 
need for a study support tutor. Does anyone know if any other institutions 
have gone this way or is Bournemouth unique?
 
Looking on the positive side, the blisters on my hands from digging the 
tunnel are healing nicely.
 
Best
 
 
Alison Green
Study Support Tutor
Fellow of Learning & Teaching 
Library & Learning Support
Room D174, Dorset House
Talbot Campus
Bournemouth University
BH12 5BB
01202  965286
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [
mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Hilsdon
Sent: 06 July 2010 12:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: sharing 'Good Practice' and models of LD provision

Dear all
 
In these straitened times there is inevitably some nervousness about the 
future, amid rumours of cuts to services and loss of jobs. Learning 
Development might be seen to be an easy target for making ?efficiencies? 
in some quarters so it might be helpful if we assist each other by sharing 
information about our local situations. The ALDinHE Steering Group 
recently discussed what we might do to support our members and one idea 
which arose was that it would be useful if we had up-to-date information 
to share about, for example, the levels of LD provision. The idea behind 
this is that we should seek to promote best practice and equip colleagues 
to develop arguments for improvements in LD and, where needed, to defend 
jobs and services. 
 
As fees and other market forces are likely to become increasingly 
influential in HE, institutions are increasingly inclined to advertise 
themselves ? or compare themselves against one another - and this may 
offer an opportunity to counter arguments about ?efficiencies? if LD is 
seen as a selling point in relation to students getting ?value for money? 
and ?contact?. 
 
For this reason I wondered about resurrecting the idea of having a shared 
map of what we offer as LD. Many of you will remember our previous 
attempts to do this ? the last version is on an Excel sheet on our website 
http://www.aldinhe.ac.uk/docs.htm. That document is not easy to use (you 
have to disable ?macros? ? but even then I find it won?t load correctly) 
and is patchy and out of date. I think it would be worth us starting from 
scratch if there is sufficient interest in doing so. At this stage I?d be 
keen to know if others agree; what you?d like to be included in any 
map/survey of services and what you?d like to get out of it.  If there is 
demand for it ALDinHE could be asked to undertake this as a project ? 
perhaps creating a wiki on our website, which members could log in to 
upload their own data and choose which bits would appear publicly? 
 
All the best for now 
 
John
 
John Hilsdon
Head of Learning Development
Room 103, 21 Portland Villas
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA 
01752 587750

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