1. Fostering academic skills development through an online hub:
An integrated approach to skills provision across the University of York
Wayne Britcliffe
University of York

2. Drivers for a University wide solution to academic skills provision
Inconsistency in timing / content of academic skills training
Departments are quite autonomous
20% of York UG/ PG student body are international students from over countries
Academic cultures vary
Rising number of cases of academic misconduct
Commitment to developmental learning & feedback – as part of wider skills agenda
York inducts 1500 new international students each October

3. International student support Academic Integrity
Targeted areas
Schools
Widening participation
Transition
Students accepted at York but not yet arrived
International student support
Academic Integrity
Academic use of Turnitin
In development for this academic year:
Referencing
Academic Writing
Critical Thinking
Reading & Writing
Portal

4. Implementation - Schools
Issue: No University account
Initiative started in 2009 (set to expand)

5. Implementation - Transition
First piloted in 2007 by Biology Dept
In Depts (22 Sites)
22 sites / 14 departments (Biology / Social Policy and Social Work split)
International students
History
MA education PG
SPSW (*2)
TYMS PG
Sociology
Health Economics (distance learning)
Chem UG
Ed Studs
Psychology
Comp Sci
LLS
TYMS UG
PGCE
CWS
SPSW PG
Archaeology
Chem PG
Sociology PG
Centre for LifeLong Learning
Support delivered through regular blogs and face to face events
Transition sites integrated into wider skills development program delivered through a mix of public facing sites, VLE tutorials, outreach work and face to face sessions. Transition efforts stretched from schools, through accepted students to students once they had arrived and included:
SCHOOLS OUTREACH: Extended projects
SCHOOLS OUTREACH: Widening participation site aimed at 6th formers
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: K-ROY
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Facilitators training
SKILLS – Library tutorials – evaluating sources
SKILLS – academic integrity, paraphrasing and referencing
SKILLS – develop your academic writing / formative use of text matching
TRANSITION: Getting used to studying at York – International support
TRANSITION: DEPARTMENTAL SITES

6. Implementation - International student support
Started in 2009 by Learning Enhancement
The content of the site is based around the key issues for international students, namely, independent , self-directed learning, critical questioning and reasoning, academic vocabulary and terminology, expectations from tutors in seminars, lectures and tutorials.
Academic integrity and referencing conventions are dealt with explicitly and transparently and this builds on York’s work on having a plagiarism tutorial held in the VLE that all students are required to do before their first assignment. There is also content relating to support services at York and other social activities that may be of particular interest to international students.

7. Implementation – Academic Integrity
First used in 2007
Now a progression requirement

8. Implementation – Turnitin
First delivered in 2009
Blended delivery (workshops and VLE)
Workshops delivered by post graduates who teach (and also central staff)
Facilitator's module developed to train the trainers
Complements Academic Integrity but has a different focus:
Presents tool/how to use it/how to interpret it and couches this in encouraging independent learning
Not mandated but students of 24 Dept’s have engaged
Delivered to 4000 students in 2010

9. Implementation – In Development
Academic Support Office
Referencing
Academic Writing
Critical Thinking
Reading & Writing
Portal
Academic Integrity
Careers Development
Money Matters
Colleges

10. Lessons learned (so far)
Materials need to have a ‘local’ flavour
Student response to generic material much less favourable (early Academic Integrity module surveys)
Materials need to complement (not duplicate) departmental specific resources
Materials need to be accessible from one location
A programme of awareness is required to make sure students and departments know of support
Consistent brand is an important consideration
Focus on developing student skills (rather than just imparting info) essential
Students are regularly self-assessing using Turnitin
Developing PG facilitators essential
Manage demand (but appropriately)
Consider a departmental charge model
The Centre’s initiatives need to be ‘joined up’

11. Developing academic writing (Turnitin)
Evaluation
Schools
Head teachers and exam boards are consulted (and have access)
Transition
Focus group and student survey (workshop and template development designed/refined on the back of this
Academic Integrity
Students have to complete a survey to release the certificate link
Survey and module stats reviewed every year (module developed based on findings)
Developing academic writing (Turnitin)
Survey, module usage stats and focus group. Module refined based on findings (i.e. ‘Self-paced’ module developed)
Forthcoming materials
Academic and support staff peer review and steering
Also informed by results from the above evaluation

12. Questions? Wayne Britcliffe University of York