1. Three Most Important Academic Skills Information Literacy o Referencing o Finding Information o Evaluating Information How to write for different audiences o Essays o Lab Reports Problem Solving o Application of IT o Knowing where to get help

2. Information Literacy Different skills at different levels o Expectations of first year differ to expectations of 3 rd year Approaches to learning impact on IL required Context specific Library MOLE tutorials ELTC & WAS Embed into course – Greater buy-in from academics

3. Writing for different audiences Very subject specific Department specific Complexity increases with level “I’ve never been taught how to write a lab report” Clearer expectations & guidance

4. Problem Solving Subject specific Complexity increases with level May involve group work o Different types of assessment? Support from department Clearer expectations

5. 3 important academic skills for independent learning Discipline / Motivation / Reflection / Self aware Analysing and evaluating (making judgements) exploring texts/reading How to find/locate resources / Time management / Strategic learning / Note-taking Subject-specific Support and development

6. Three most important academic skills Reflection, Resourcefulness, Communication… some unfinished thoughts…

7. Reflection Generic to all levels/subjects/learning styles Supported already  Generally: PDP, personal tutorials  Subject specific: e.g. education/medicine/vocation subjects/… Enhance: encourage to keep learning journal…

8. Resourcefulness Generic to all levels/subjects/learning styles Supported already  library paper based and on-line material, dyslexia learning material, ELTC WAS, MOLE vle  Dept. specific: guidance on finding resources for learning or research Enhance -> incorporating research skills as part of course

9. Communication Generic to all levels/subjects/learning styles Supported already  dyslexia guidance, ELTC services, MASH  Dept. specific: guidance on oral and written presentation skills (sometimes specific modules), opportunities to practise Enhanced: getting students on board – assess??

10. TASH

11. The Meta-Skills Approach Academic Skills Personal Skills Communication Skills

12. Academic Skills Analysis Research Synthesis Support o Through courses and contact with staff Enhance o Move from learn-by-error to tuition

13. Personal Skills Time management Confidence Self-organisation Support o Haphazard o Needed from Level 1 – comprehended from Level 3 Enhance o Provide opportunities o Personal tutor

14. Communication Skills Written language Presentations Groupwork Support o Variable by department Enhance o Through link to existing material

15. One way of summarising all of this 1.Communication skills - writing 2.Communication skills - other forms of communication (presentation, multimedia work, online literacies) 3.Problem-solving and working with data 4.Reflection - being aware of where you are, and where you need to be 5.Academic literacy - referencing, time management, induction and awareness of changes at different levels 6.(Inter)personal skills - groupwork,self-organisation, self- motivation 7.Analytical skills